My Very Educated Mother

Why I'm Taking a Break From Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Yep, it’s another one of those “sorry I haven’t been around lately” posts that seem to be littering the blogging world these days. It’s spent a good month on my desktop and now, well, here we go.

WHERE

I'm enjoying a break from blogging or, really, feeling pressured to produce a never-ending stream of content. I've been overwhelmed with this unspoken burden of keeping up for some time. It's had me thinking a lot about what precisely I want to put out into the world. For what do I want to take responsibility? What am I trying to say? What am I encouraging? What legacy are my words creating?

When my thoughts become restless, I need to start cleaning things out physically. Purging has become a favorite pastime. I've been culling a lot from my life, from craft projects I hung onto out of some weird obligation to myself, to the thoughts that clutter my mind with ways to stay relevant. I'm letting them go.

I'm unplugging more often and not letting myself get weighed down. As an information junkie, this has been hard for me. I should mention again that my house has never been cleaner.

I'm focusing on one thing at a time, like our homeschooling. I'm not impatiently pushing my children through lessons so I can get to that 'sponsored post.' We're reading out loud, writing out lists, quizzing each other, and it's such an awesome feeling. Nothing inspires me more than watching my kids make the connections, struggle for solutions, and grow.

This is where I'm at right now, and I'm not sure how I'm going to progress from here.

HOW

How did I get here?

This year was NOT going as planned, especially regarding the blog. I set my sights on niching down.

The only problem is that's not why I write; it has never been why I write. I'd let myself lose focus. I ignored my responsibilities to myself and my craft and muddied my intentions. I didn't want to admit it.

The blogging and social media worlds move at a pace I've refused to keep up with. Hmmm. In truth, I pompously imagined myself above the fray and judged my fellow bloggers and marketers as victims of the sponsored content machine. Then, I started to get campaigns, and with each paycheck, my self-righteousness turned to humility. There were no victims; they were more like participants in a race I had no right being a part of.

I felt stupid. I felt alone. I felt like I should give up.

Then I read this article.

Then I watched this video; the 17-minute mark especially hit a chord.

Then there was this twitter feed.

And this quote.

So, maybe, the machine wasn’t the problem; my trying to be a part of it was. Yeah, it's still a question I'm trying to answer.

Meanwhile, IRL. In the spring, my oldest son joined the Air Force. This month, I took him to the airport so he could fly off, across the Atlantic, to his first duty station and a new life. I genuinely believe that from the minute they leave our bodies, our children are no longer ours. Years of holding onto to that thought have helped, but it doesn’t erase the fears and hopes of a mother. It’s been tough.

And then there was the election. We decided we didn’t want to live in the middle of America anymore. I wanted the coast, any coast with water, open skies, and open minds. Not everyone just up and decides to move across the country. I can promise you the more people I share this with, the more I fear I’m setting myself up for judgment, or worse, failure.

Then there was an offer and the horrible realization we’d put the cart before the horse. Houses don’t just sell where we live. So we’re in a holding pattern until we get rid of this mortgage. If you’ve considered simplifying and going minimalist, let me tell you the question you should be asking. Am I willing to pay to move it across the country? It’s a much better indicator of whether an item brings you joy.

WHY I CAN’T GO BACK

Physically and emotionally, when you get a taste of the freedom simplicity offers, it’s hard to return to accumulating stuff. Letting go of things creates space to breathe, move, and realize what is important enough to hold onto. I feel like I’m at a legitimate turning point with this blog and with my life.

I don’t want to be a part of the content churning machine that says it’s okay to consume for no reason other than to consume. I don’t want to be responsible for that waste. It’s not my truth anymore, and it feels dishonest to pretend like it is.

Will I still make and share crafts? Maybe. But, I’m not going to make for the sake of having content. I want to share more purposefully. Trade in the SEO keywords for my voice.

I feel like I could go on for another thousand words and talk myself into circles, never really getting anywhere. Instead, I'll leave you with this.

Books for Harry Potter Fans

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Putting together a book list can be a bit tricky. You don't want to suggest books that are a retelling of the same story, nor do you want to give away all the details in your synopses. So with careful consideration, I've brought together a handful of titles that elicit as much excitement for the reader as Harry Potter; and that my family has enjoyed reading.

While I have a sweet spot for hidden literary gems, there's something to be said for award-winners and best sellers. More than a couple of these are classics that everyone should read at some point in their life. And if you're looking for the best Harry Potter projects, tutorials, and lists be sure to check out RaeGun Ramblings Series.

5 BOOK SERIES FOR POTTER FANS

Back to School: DIY Pipe Cleaner Notebook

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 10:00:00 +0000

When you reach a certain age, i.e. adulthood, the seasons seem to fly by faster. This summer, every time I've looked at the calendar I've been shocked at how few days we have left before school starts. I have managed to sneak in a couple crafts, and this latest project is super easy, colorful, and don't tell the kids-all mine! As with all Craft Lightning projects my rainbow pipe cleaner notebook took less than 15 minutes, minus dry time.

I truly have no intention of sharing it with the kids, instead, I'm going to help them make their own! Here's how you can make one too.
Read More...

Kids Craft: Firecracker Straw Rockets

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Mon, 22 May 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Memorial Day kicks off a trifecta of patriotic holidays, with Flag Day in June and Independence Day in July. So now is the time to get busy with the red, white, and blue crafting and quick projects are always appreciated in my house. I was able to make these firecrackers themed straw rockets in about 15 minutes, and it got the kids out of my hair for at least 30, so I consider that a win.

Straw rockets are always easy to make, and with a couple additions, we made these a little more firecracker-like. If you're crafting with kids, it may take a bit longer, and I would recommend skipping the hot glue and using a plain school glue. Otherwise, you can have these made and ready to go in no time! Here's the crafty run-down.

Cut & Paste Home Decor With O'verlays

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Wed, 03 May 2017 11:00:00 +0000

I received free product in exchange for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.

You guys know my love of color, remember this gem, Colorful Pallet Table? The only part of my dining room that's plain white are these two cabinets that sit on either side of the door to the back deck. I forgot to get a before image, but don't worry, it's easy to imagine how dull they looked. I'd considered painting the doors but really wanted something more and that's exactly what I got with O'verlays!

As their website explains, "O'verlays are decorative fretwork panels that come in several patterns and sizes. They are light weight, paintable, and easily attach to furniture, doors, walls, and glass." If you visit their blog, there are a ton of different design ideas, and guys these are so easy to use! The instructions are very straightforward, and from start to finish, this entire project took an afternoon. Let me show you how I cut and paste these panels to create super fun and colorful new cabinets.

I decided to paint the panels and add it to the plain cabinet door. So the first thing I did was measure and cut the panels to fit. All you need is a utility knife and a straight edge.

The knife cut completely through the panel with just two swipes and with some of the pieces I was able to just break them off by hand.

You will want to use your razor or sandpaper to trim and smooth any excess.

Next, following the instructions, I wiped the panels down with rubbing alcohol to make sure all dust was removed, and they were clean.

Spraypainting worked beautifully, and since I used a fast drying paint, they were dry and ready to be attached to the cabinet in less than 30 minutes.

Finally, I attached the panels to the cabinet. O'verlays recommends some different ways to get this done, depending on what you're attaching the panels to, I used a classic crafting glue and so far so good!

I tried to get a picture of the artwork next to these cabinets to give an idea of just how colorful this room has become and how perfect these panels look in it! I'm really happy with how they turned out and encourage you to give them a try!

This month's Fab Furniture Flippin' Contest Hosts are Saved by Scottie and Evey's Creations, be sure to see what they made using Overlays' as well contest entries from around the country! As always you can also swing by the Fab Furniture Flippin' Contest® site for information. If you are a fellow blogger and would like to participate in a contest email info@fabfurnitureflippincontest.com.

Mother's Day Decorating Using Tissue Paper Letters

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 12:46:00 +0000

I come from a family filled with successful women who are seamstresses, woodworkers, business owners, and all-around makers. Growing up and watching their ideas materialize had a profound effect on me and helped foster my own love for creative living.

Mother's Day is a time to celebrate the women who've impacted our world, the mothers, grandmas, aunts, friends, and mentors. One way I share a special connection with all the creative women in my life is by incorporating a handmade touch in all my gift-giving.

Tissue Paper Letters

Supplies

American Greetings tissue paper
decoupage medium
small wooden crafting letters
crafting heart
food picks
dowels
scissors
Not Pictured: hot glue gun and sponge paint brushes

First, I went through the packages of letters and picked out the ones I needed. Then I cut up the pieces of tissue paper into smaller pieces and set up a decoupage station.

Next, I followed the instructions on the decoupage medium and covered the letters and heart with the tissue paper pieces.

Finally, after the letters dried I hot glued them to the dowels, food picks, and even a card envelope.

How to Use

Now the fun stuff, how to use our crafty little letters in our gift-giving and decorating!

Flowers are a classic Mother's Day gift and the perfect companion to a heartfelt card. To make this gift different we hot glued the letters to our envelope and then glued it to the front of our bouquet.

TIP: Make your bouquet special by getting rid of the original packaging and re-wrapping the blooms in a few layers of tissue paper. It's an easy way to make a gift extra special!

Do you host a Mother's Day brunch? Attach your message to food picks and use them to decorate cakes, cupcakes, or even appetizers.

This is my favorite project using these little letters! It's so easy to tuck a message pick into a gift bag, so everyone knows who it is!

TIP: Save the picks and tuck them into your houseplants for a splash of color.

How do you celebrate Mother's Day?

Tell us in the comments!

Kids Craft: Egg Carton Dragons

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Dragons can be found in myths, stories, and fables from nearly every culture around the world, past, and present. Is it any wonder? No other creature more inspires our imaginations to consider a world of magic. Is it obvious we've been on a dragon kick these past couple weeks?

It all started when we read Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon, from there things took a decidedly reptilian turn, and the next thing I knew we were making dragon poppets and hitting up the recycling bin for this egg carton dragon kids craft.

Here's how to make a fire-breathing beast of your own!

DIY Leather Feather Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 05:00:00 +0000

It's Craft Lightning time again, and I'm so excited to share with you the 15-minute project we came up with for Mother's Day! Using scrap pieces of leather and basic jewelry pieces you can pick-up anywhere we created these luxurious earrings. I promise you, you're going to want to make every woman in your life a pair of these DIY Leather Earrings, including yourself!

Supplies

Scrap Leather
Sharp Scissors
Earrings
Jump rings
Upholstery needle (or tack)
Jeweler Pliers

First, cut out your feather/leaf shapes, I recommend using at least 2 different types of leather* and cutting the different colors/styles in decreasing lengths.

If your scissors are sharp enough you can double up your leather; otherwise, cut one and use it as a guide to cut your second. The beauty of this is that they don't have to be EXACTLY alike.

*Pick up a bag of scrap leather pieces for a steal at most craft stores!

Once your pieces are cut, you'll want to put a hole in the top of them using either a very sharp upholstery needle or even a tack, as close to the bottom of your pieces as possible.

Don't be afraid to give it a little stretch to make the next step a little easier.

Using the pliers, thread a jump ring through all three pieces of leather and close it up.

Again, using the pliers, attach the actual earring piece.

Repeat with the second earring. That's it!

Seriously, how much easier could these get? I'm in love with them and can't wait to start making variations of them with different styles of leather. If you've got a little extra time, why not make a matching necklace using the same technique!

Remember to click on the image below for more Craft Lightning Mother's Day projects!

Spring Forward Garden Seed Caddy

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Are you ready to spring forward? Earlier this week we adjusted our clocks, and next Monday marks the first day of spring. But in my opinion, the new season doesn't start until my hands are in the dirt planting and plotting our family gardens!

For me, shopping for seeds is on par with Christmas, so it should come as no surprise I always manage to order too much. Thankfully, seeds can last a couple years with proper care and storage, and I'm so excited to move my collection out of an old shoebox and into this super cute gardening tote.

Kids Activity: Indoor Games Using Tape

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Finding creative ways to occupy your kids’ time is always a challenge, particularly when the weather keeps them indoors. To keep from hearing the dreaded, “I’m bored,” I’m ready to offer a positive option, that’s sure to spark their imaginations.

Playing a game with the kids is like revisiting an old past time, you never remember how much you love it until you’re in that moment. Seeing the kids smile while they laugh about who’s paper airplane flew the farthest or when one of them fell off the “balance beam;” that is a joy!

10 DIY Garden Spray Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 14:00:00 +0000

In the next couple of weeks, the kids and I will be starting our garden. Things will be okay for a few months and just when our sproutlings are starting to mature the bugs will arrive. The only thing I hate more than pests is mildew. So here are 10 easy all-natural recipes that'll help keep pests and disease away. More than a few of them are also cheap ways to feed your plants!

3 Things You Need To Know About Garden Sprays

1. These sprays are efficient and can keep away beneficial bugs; don't use them unless you have a problem.

2. With most of these recipes you'll want to spray 1-2 times a week, or after a heavy rain, and ALWAYS in the evening.

3. You’ll want to be sure to spray the underside of leaves just as well if not better than the top.

Make-Your-Own Garden Spray Recipes

Bad Breathe Garden Spray: Large onion, 4-5 cloves of garlic, 2 Tbsp peppermint Castile soap, 2 Tbsp cayenne pepper. Mix everything but the soap in a food processor and then let the mixture steep for a few hours (outside-unless you like the smell). Run it through a fine-mesh strainer into an empty gallon jug. *YOU must strain it very well, so you don’t clog the sprayer. Finally, add the soap and enough water to fill the container.

Herbal Spray: Steep half a cup of any strong herb (Sage, Rosemary, Mint, Lavender) in 8 cups of water for 30 minutes. Let cool, strain, and add 1 Tbsp Castille soap.

Aphid Spray: 1 tsp olive oil, 1tsp dish soap, 1 gal of water.

Pepper Spray: 1 tsp Tabasco sauce, 1/2 apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 tsp of dish soap.

Vinegar Spray: 8 parts water to 1 part vinegar (white or apple cider). *Helps fight fungus and get rid of pests.

Baking Soda Spray: In an empty gallon jug mix 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp dish soap, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and enough water to fill the container.

Peppermint Spray: 2 Tbsp peppermint Castile soap, 1 liter of warm water.

Epsom Salt Spray: 1 Tbsp of Epsom for every 4 liters of water. *Great for tomatoes, peppers, and roses. Spray every week and a half.

Cannibal Spray: As long as you don’t add any butter or oils you can use the water you cook your vegetables in as a fertilizing spray. Just be sure to let it cool before pouring it into the spray bottle or getting it on the plants.

Fungal Spray: 2 uncoated aspirin tablets in 1 quart of water. *Great for black spot, powdery mildew, and rust in the garden.

Powdery Mildew Spray: 2 Tbsp canola oil, 1 Tbsp dish soap, 1 Tbsp baking soda, 1 gal of water.

*All these recipes are made in a separate storage container and poured into a spray bottle.

12 Books About Food - Build Your Library Series

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 09:00:00 +0000

It's not a secret that I love books. Yet, I've never shared a collection featuring my favorites, until now. This year I'm going to start gathering no more than a dozen books on various topics that I love, own, and highly recommend!

To get things started, I'm going with food. Partly because I'm hungry, okay, mostly because I'm starving. These titles deal with food in some different ways, growing food, making food, eating food, and in many cases - NOT eating food!

12 Books About Food

DIY Marbled Bullet Journals

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 09:30:00 +0000

In 2016, I learned about bullet journaling, bought a Leuchtturm1917, and quickly dubbed it the year of the Orange Notebook.

I gathered together my pile of notebooks and began paring down all the notes I've collected over the years and focusing in on the things I came back to time and time again.

It's been life changing if only for the weight it has literally lifted from my shoulder bag. Mind you, I still have a Family Binder entitled Important S*** but all the other scraps have been collected and cataloged. My anxious-ridden heart sings with satisfaction every time I pick it up!

This year, I decided to introduce bullet journaling to the kids. Instead of buying them fancy notebooks like mine, we DIY'd a couple using a crazy fun marbling technique.

Lace Up Valentine Broken Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Earlier this year I shared a heart shaped basket for collecting Valentine's, so today I'm sharing a project to put inside it and making an announcement.

I'm thrilled to announce I'm a 2017 Design Team Member for EyeConnect Crafts! Beginning next Friday, I'll be posting monthly projects over on the EyeConnect blog. Of course, I'll be sharing about it in the newsletter and through the common social media platforms.

EyeConnect Crafts is a company that specializes in posable and lace-up craft kits. All their products are cut and packaged here in the USA and use thick, 100% recycled chipboard. And on an entirely random side note, the owner and I look similar, are both named Erin, and as my daughter pointed out, we both have an S, E, and P in our last names. Coincidence, you decide? For this project, I'm using the Large Broken Hearts from their Lace-Up Collection.

For this project, I wanted to keep it relatively simple, so we went with a basic splatter paint design. Here are the supplies you'll need to make it yourself.

Supplies

Lace-Up Collection: Broken Hearts, Large
Pink and red cardstock
Embroidery floss or yarn
Red and white paint
Brads
Paintbrushes and Scissors

First, we painted our hearts. I've learned from reading previous posts on the EyeConnect blog that it's best to paint BEFORE you pop out your pieces.

Once the white paint dried, we used a brush and our fingers to splatter on the red color. If your paint isn't spraying the way you'd like, try to add a little bit of water.

After the paint had dried I popped out the hearts and used the remaining piece of chipboard as a stencil to draw, and cut out two red hearts.

Once finished I set them aside and began lacing up my heart.

You can do it in a couple different ways, the first heart I laced up like shoes and the second was more like stitches.

Next, I attached the broken heart to one of the red hearts to create a sweet little Valentine's card.

NOTE: EyeConnect Crafts offers mini brads for their craft kits in a wide array of colors. They are too small for the Lace-Up Collection which is why I used a larger brad from my craft closet.

Once again, my photography doesn't do this work justice. You'd think I'd learn by now that I'm not good at photographing red and white!

Anyway, the kids got a kick out of the moving elements, and I absolutely can't wait to get started on the Totem puppets and other lace-up projects I'll be sharing this year!

Why I Joined Barefoot Books

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Exactly a week ago, I stepped into a world I never, ever imagined I’d enter, a direct-sales program.

So, what made me decide to be a Barefoot Books Ambassador? Two things.

First, they’re a quality book publisher specializing in, “…diverse, inclusive and inspiring books.”

When I read that, I thought, “That’s a company I can get behind, tell me more.”

I read over every page on the Barefoot Books site, watched all the videos, and came to the conclusion that their dedication to helping young minds become world citizens through literature was a message I wanted to share on My Very Educated Mother (MVEM).

I truly can't wait to start sharing more about literacy, reading, and books!

Second, they had a deal this book-lover could NOT refuse.
Read More...

The Easiest Way to Paint a Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 09:00:00 +0000

I received a HomeRight Finish Max sprayer in exchange for this post, as always the views expressed are my own.

It’s no secret, I love color! About a year ago, I shared our Colorful Pallet Table and mentioned that we still needed to do something about the chairs. I wanted to paint them, but to be honest, the thought of painting chairs makes me tip back my head and say, “ugh.” I hate it.

Then came the January 2017 “Spray It Pretty” Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest® featuring the HomeRight® Finish Max sprayer. That’s when I finally learned the EASIEST WAY TO PAINT A CHAIR!
Read More...

Girl Scout S'mores Cracker Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Selling Girl Scout cookies is really one of the best and worst aspects of being a Scout Mom. It's such a great lesson in setting and working towards goals and understanding the work that goes into success.

Of course, there's also practicing patience and kindness when you run into the not-so-nice strangers at cookie booths, and let us not forget ALL THOSE COOKIES. Chances are, you will order too much and at one point or another grow - gasp - bored of them.

Thankfully, bloggers and cookie moms have you covered with a host of possible recipes to make with your overflowing stash. Today, I'm sharing such a dish featuring this year's *new* cookie, the S'more!

Read More...

Kids Craft: Rooster Paper Plate Headbands

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 09:00:00 +0000

For the past couple years, the kids and I have celebrated the Chinese New Year by creating a paper plate animal craft. So far we've made sheep and monkeys, and this year we tackled a rooster. I have to be honest, the holiday snuck on me this year, it's January 28th! That's only a little over a week away, but it's still plenty of time to create a rooster headband of your own!

More and more these days I find myself and the toddler twiddling our thumbs while the older two work on their school work. It worked out perfect for this project because his little hands were the perfect size for creating a cock's comb and coloring bright squiggles! Unfortunately, he wasn't up for modeling, but his sister gladly took a break from Math to fill in.

Read More...

Paper Plate Valentine Holder

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 11:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite memories from elementary school is making Valentine holders. In particular, I remember bringing a cereal box from home and covering it with bits of fabric and trim. On the day of our Valentine's Day party, we walked around stuffing our decorated Capt. Crunch boxes with those little horrible licensed-character valentines, and we loved every bit of it!

For this project, I used that memory as inspiration but replaced the box with a couple paper plates to create a sweetheart of a Valentine's Day Holder. As a homeschool mom, what I love about these paper plate hearts is that they'll be perfect for filling and hanging on the kids' bedroom doors!

Five Gift Wrap Ideas In Less Than Five Minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:00:00 +0000

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WrapGiveRepeat #CollectiveBias

It’s the night before Christmas and all through the house, you can hear Mom sneaking around trying to find a roll of tape! Sound familiar? Or maybe, the family is packed up and ready to head out to Grandma’s and there you are, frantically trying to use the last inch of tape to wrap three presents.

This holiday season, save yourself the hassle. Right now, you can stock up early on Scotch® Gift Wrap Tape 3 Pack Caddies and save with a 50% bonus and Rollback. Our local Walmart had them conveniently located right next to the check-out stand! I went ahead and grabbed one, along with a Scotch® Magic™Tape 3 Pack Caddie, so that even if the kids run off with a roll I'll have plenty left in my gift wrapping supplies.

I also snagged a pair of Scotch™ Multi-Purpose Scissors 8" because they were at a great price and I'm pretty sure my husband took my last pair to his shop, otherwise know as where scissors go to die!

Read More...

Holiday Entertaining Tips and Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 14:00:00 +0000

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CelebrateClean #CollectiveBias

I love hosting holiday celebrations! Sure, it can be a bit of work, but it’s also fun to welcome guests into your home and enjoy time together. Today, I’m sharing a handful of tips that'll make everything run smoothly whether you have visitors over for a couple of hours or a couple of days.

Tips for Hosting House Guests

Handmade Holidays: Rustic Ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 12:22:00 +0000

This marks my second year taking part in the Handmade Holidays Blog Hop! You'll be able to read more details about it, including all the other crafting inspirations, killer sponsors, and monster of a giveaway further into this post. Right now, I want to tell you about this year's project!

I have a thing for personalizing when it comes to the holidays, last year I made personalized t-shirts, and this time around it's personalized rustic ornaments using Walnut Hollow's Basswood Country Rounds®. These wood slices add the perfect amount of warmth and charm. They'll look lovely on your tree and could also be used as gift tags. Here are the three steps to making them.

This post has been sponsored by Walnut Hollow®. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wine Cork Birdhouse Ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 12:00:00 +0000

It's hard enough to find time to craft, now more than ever, our schedules are filled to the rim. Thankfully, it took me less than 15 minutes to make not one but all four of these ornaments.

Way back, starting in 2011 to be exact I'd dedicate the month of November to sharing ornament tutorials it what we affectionately dubbed the No Ugly Ornaments Challenge. I've gotten away from it in recent years but thanks to the Craft Lightning Series there is an excuse to get back in an ornament kind of mind!

Here's how we created these 15 minute Wine Cork Birdhouse Ornaments!

Art Project: Fall Mosaics

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 12:30:00 +0000

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the struggle I've been having in finding time to work on even the simplest of art projects with the kids. Hopefully, this is a good sign, we've finished another.

The trees have barely changed color around here, but the leaves have started piling up, so I thought it fitting to make a mosaic with colorful fall leaves...still on the tree.

We began by cutting up lots and lots of scrapbook paper in a variety of shapes and sizes. We did stick to a few color palettes, though. Browns for the trunk, green for the grass, shades of red for the leaves, and later we added blues for the sky.

As is the fashion in our house, my daughter was all about getting to business drawing a rough sketch to fill in with the paper pieces.

When you do start filling in your drawings be sure to point out that a mosaic will have small spaces between the papers because you are recreated what would have been made with tile and grout. Collage on the other hand, would have overlapping pieces. This is what Es ended up creating - but, that's ok too!

My son, on the other hand, took his sweet time.

Do you have a child who could build Lego creations for hours but when you ask them to work on a simple art project they have a fit, rush through it, and then try to turn in sloppy, haphazard work? That's my Vin. It's a constant struggle to get him to put as much effort into school work as he does projects closer to his heart. This time I told him I was considering it an Art project meaning, he would get a grade on it.

We left our work on the table and went back and forth to it throughout the day.

Our finished projects are below! I think they turned out lovely.

What kind of projects have you been working on?

29 Creative Apple Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Sipes) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 14:00:00 +0000

The leaves in our yard are starting to pile up, the weather is cooler, and our calendar is filling up with holiday events; there's no denying that autumn is here! One of my favorite fall activities is a good old baking marathon. Nothing beats a house warmed by the scent of fresh apple pies, am I right?

*The Grove Collaborative Offer originally shared within this post has ended. If you are still interested in joining, follow this link and receive a free Mrs. Meyer's hand soap and $10 credit. * This is an affiliate link. When you follow it and make a purchase, I receive an incentive at no extra cost to you.