The Crafted Sparrow

Chevron Summer Wreath

2013-05-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Last week I bought some great outdoor pillows from World Market and Target. I'm trying to spruce up my front outdoor patio area. So I decided I needed a new wreath to match. Today I'm sharing my Chevron Summer Wreath with you.

Supplies I used:

* Wreath Form

* Chevron Burlap Ribbon

* Chalkboard Paint

* Small Canvas or Paintable Surface

* Felt

* Scissors

* Foam Brush

* Small Pins or Glue Gun

Here are the pillows I bought from World Market & Target that I used as inspiration for my wreath. The red & orange pillows are from World Market and the long teal pillow is from Target.

I gathered a few pieces of felt from my stash and got busy cutting out some leaves. I made a quick template with some card stock so all the leaves were the same size. I then took a couple of the colors and created some notches in the leaves to give them a different look than the others.

Once my leaves were cut I wrapped my straw wreath {a total upcycle from a previous wreath I removed the decorations from} with my chevron burlap ribbon. My ribbon didn't completely cover the wreath but that was okay because I knew I wanted to cover that area with the felt leaves. If you have a large wreath form I suggest two rolls of the ribbon if you want it covered completely. I used small pins to secure my ribbon to the wreath so I could reuse it somewhere after the season is over.

I also used pins to attach my felt leaves to the wreath. You can lay them out first to see the pattern you want to make, then pin them. Once I had all my leaves pinned to my wreath it looked like this picture below.

I then took an old canvas that I've had since high school, it's about 3 x 5" and it was the perfect size for a small welcome sign. I painted it with my Americana Chalkboard Paint and seasoned it with chalk. I then used a chalk marker to give it a nice clean look. I'm hoping that it holds up well with our summer monsoon weather, but I can always just re-write the message if it washes away. I attached my sign with hot glue. I also used some hot glue and attached a soda pop tab to the back of my wreath for a hanger.

I really love how this wreath turned out, the colors really pop and go great with my new pillows. Now I just need to add some accessories and potted plants to my area and it will be summer ready!

Hand Stamped {Schoool Principal} Keychain

2013-05-17T09:44:00.002-07:00

Happy Friday Friends! Today I thought I would show you the gift I made for our son's school principal. He is retiring this year after 20+ years of service at the school. I wanted to give a gift that was masculine and memorable. So I gathered supplies to make this Hand Stamped {School Principal} Key Chain.

Mr. C made a huge impression on our hearts in the past two and a half years that we've been at the school. We transferred in to the school more than half way through our son's 1st grade year. We went from a charter school with a terrible experience and decided to give public school a shot. I'm so glad we did. Mr. C went out of his way everyday to see how our son was adjusting, he knows every child's name by heart, and really encourages the students to succeed and do their very best. And let me just tell you about the line everyday before and after school to give him a hug. It's amazing to see the dynamic he's had with these kids.

Here's what you need to make your own key chain:

- Metal Stamping Letters

- Hammer

- Rubber Mallet

- Bench Block

- Pliers

- Sharpie Marker

- Rubbing Alcohol

- Paper Towel or Soft Cloth

- Dog Tag Charms

- Large Jump Rings

- Key Chain Ring or Clasp

Here is a run down of where I find supplies:

Harbor Freight Tool Store, Hobby Lobby, Beaducation.com, Artbeads.com

I'm not showing you how to actually hand stamp on metal today but here are some excellent tutorials on metal stamping.

Easy DIY Hand Stamped Jewelry @ Lil Blue Boo

Jewelry Stamping @ Happy Hour Projects

Stamping on Metal @ Beaducation.com

Mr. C loved his gift and it's something that he can carry with him for a long time. We are thankful that he has made our son's school experience just a little more special.

30 Citrus Sweet Treats

2013-05-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Since Summer seems to be already here is Arizona I thought I'd get in the mood with some sweet Summer flavors. Today I'm sharing 30 Citrus Sweet Treats. These treats are sure to please anyone.

Orange Dreamsicle Pound Cake

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Orange Party Punch

Lemon Zucchini Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Lime Mousse Cheesecake

Lemon Blueberry Muffin Bread

Lemon Chess Bread Pudding

Orange Push Up Smoothies

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Crusted Lemon Bars

Lemon Burst Cake Mix Cookies

Orange Knots

Lemon Lime Bars

Lemon Cream Cake

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd Filling

Margarita Cookies

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Lemon Ricotta Gems

Lime Cupcakes

Pineapple Orange Banana Popsicles

Creamy Lemon Bars

Key Lime Milkshakes

Key Lime Cake Pop Pie

Orange Creamsicles

Key Lime Shortbread Bites with Key Lime Glaze

Lemon Bar Cookie Cups

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake

Lemon Cupcakes

Orange Crush Cupcake

Incredibly Easy Cherry Cobbler

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day I was asked by mom Mom to provide dessert. She's not a huge fan of cake, and neither is my oldest son. So I asked what she'd like and she asked for a cobbler. I've not made a lot of cobblers before so this was a first for me. I'm so glad I made it because this Incredibly Easy Cherry Cobbler was a hit!

Ingredients:

- 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

- 1/3 Cup Softened Butter

- 2 Large Eggs

- 2 (21 oz) Cans Cherry Pie Filling

- 1 (8 oz) Bar Softened Cream Cheese

- 1/3 Cup Sugar

- 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine your cake mix, softened butter, and 1 of your eggs. Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a fork until it forms a crumble like mixture. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture and put aside. Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with non-stick spray. Press crumble mixture in to baking dish to create a crust. Bake for 10 minutes. While the crust bakes combine your cream cheese, sugar, remaining egg, and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Remove baking dish from oven and pour the 2 cans of cherry pie filling over crust and create an even layer. Next pour your cream cheese mixture over the cherry filling. Smooth out with the back of a spoon so the cream cheese layer covers the whole dish. Grab your remaining crumble mixture that you reserved and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a whipped topping of choice. This dish can be made with any canned pie filling. (Serves 8-10)

20+ Strawberry Recipe Ideas

2013-05-10T15:13:00.002-07:00

With all the fresh strawberries coming back in to grocery stores I thought I'd share 20+ Strawberry Recipe Ideas with you. There are so many amazing looking recipes here, and I can't hardly wait to make a few of these this summer.

Strawberry Shortcake Napoleons @ Feels Like Home

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies @ Full Circle Foodie

Strawberry Shortcakes @ Milk and Cookies

Brown Butter Strawberry Streusel Bars @ Une Gamine Dans la Cuisine

Strawberry Ice Cream Soda @ All She Cooks

Roasted Strawberry Muffins @ Annie's Eats

Strawberry Buttermilk Skillet Cake @ Une Gamine Dans La Cuisine

Kale, Strawberry, & Avacado Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing @ Two Peas and Their Pod

Strawberry Yogurt Pops @ The Kitchn

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes @ Cupcakes Garden

Strawberry and Chocolate Cream Pie @ Oh Sweet Day

Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake @ Willow Bird Baking

Strawberry Salsa @ Shaken Together

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Pops @ Cooking and Beer

Strawberry Shortcake Pops @ Bakers Royale

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Muffins @ Whipperberry

Strawberry Vanilla Lemonade @ Hrrrthrrr

Nutella Strawberry Shortcake @ Whipperberry

Sparkling Strawberry Limeade @ Babble

Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie @ Something Swanky

Strawberry Jam @ The Crafted Sparrow

Easy Strawberry Napoleons @ Six Sisters Stuff

Strawberry and Cream Bars @ Pip & Ebby

Vintage Button Earrings

2013-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! Today I am sharing a thrifty and fun way to accessorize your wardrobe. Vintage Button Earrings! I'm always looking for a great way to add to my collection, all while staying in budget. So what’s a girl to do? Raid her craft stash of course. Buttons!!! We all have them, and we can all get them for pretty inexpensive. Buttons are the perfect option for creating new earrings in just minutes.

Here’s what you will need:

- Buttons {any size, shape, color)

- E6000

– Pliers / Wire Cutters

- Earring posts & backs in a size
that will work with the whatever
size button your working with

I love looking at my local thrift shops for buttons, although I don’t often find them…but every once in a while I get lucky and find a few fun vintage ones. I’m lucky to have a great fabric store that sells fabric by the pound nearby and they also sell buttons in bins. It’s like going on a treasure hunt every time I go. For this project I used two sets of vintage inspired buttons I found at that fabric store months ago. For the third pair of earrings I actually used upholstery tacks! Yep you heard right. I love upholstery tacks for jewelry, all you have to do is remove the pin from the pack with wire cutters and your good to go. Now when working with buttons if you have chosen a button with a back on it you will need to remove it with wire cutters or pliers. Just be careful. Once the backs are removed just apply some E6000 to the earring post and attach it to the buttons.

Set them aside to dry overnight, I set mine with the post facing up in to the air (button down). Once they are dry you have new earrings.

Can you imagine how many pairs of earrings you can make for less than $5?! So many! Now if I can just get my hands on my mom’s vintage button stash I’d be in heaven!

15 Cinco De Mayo Printables

2013-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Today I'm sharing 15 Cinco De Mayo Printables with you. I love all the bright colors! Cinco De Mayo is such a fun day to just sit back and enjoy the fun colors, great food, and good company. I hope you guys have a great Cinco De Mayo.

DIY Fiesta Bags

Party Kit

Cinco De Mayo Printable Flags

Spanish Numbers Banner

Fiesta Banner

Cinco De Mayo Subway Art

Cinco De Mayo Flag Garland

Free Fiesta Collection

Cinco De Mayo Party Printables

Let The Fiesta Begin Print

Printable Mini Pinatas

Printable Food Signs

Cinco De Mayo Party Decor

Favor Box Template

Cinco De Mayo Party Printables

Don't forget about my 25+ Great Mexican Recipes from the other day to help make your party even better!

A Bushel & A Peck Printable

2013-05-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

For several years my Grandma, who is 94 years old has sung A Bushel & A Peck to me every time I leave her house. I don't remember her singing it to me as a child, but I know that it's become something I expect to hear when I visit her. Granted she only knows the first few lines of the song, and I've always asked what the rest of the words were but she couldn't remember. I thought for Mother's Day this year I would do something special for her and create this A Bushel & A Peck Printable for her to hang in her room. I know it will mean a lot to her.

I wanted to share it with all of you as well. I've kept the design simple because my Grandma can't read print very well anymore. There are four color choices to choose from, I hope you enjoy.

Click below on the color you want and print away!

CORAL

TANGERINE

PURPLE

GRAY

These would make cute gift tags for Mother's Day too on a cute package!

25+ Great Mexican Recipes

2013-05-01T11:07:00.001-07:00

Happy May!

I can not believe summer is almost here, this year is just flying by. Since it's May and Cinco De Mayo is in a couple days I thought I'd share 25+ Great Mexican Recipes with you. I don't know about you but we love Mexican food in this house {as if you couldn't tell by my last name}. I'm pretty sure we'll be cooking up some Carne Asada for Cinco De Mayo, yum I can't wait. Hope you enjoying scrolling through these recipes, I'm sure you'll find something perfect for your Cinco De Mayo feast. Enjoy.

Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

Queso Blanco Dip

Chili's Copycat Salsa

Crockpot Refried Beans

Chili Cheese Dip

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

Albondigas Soup

Breakfast Quesadillas

7 Layer Bean Dip

Smooth & Creamy Guacamole

Chicken, Bacon & Cream Cheese Taquitos

Churro Waffles

Chicken & Cheese Enchilada Cassarole

Mexican Corn

Chili Colorado Burritos

Chicken Mole

Flan

Dessert Empinadas

Chicken Nachos Supreme

Churro Cupcakes

So Easy Sopapillas

Crockpot Mexican Beef

Mini Bunuelos

Homemade Horchata

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal Treat Bars

2013-04-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

We love rice crispy treats in our house, in fact for my oldest son's birthday last month he requested a rice crispy treat cake instead of actual cake. Lately I've been trying to come up with some new cereal treat bars to make instead of the same old rice crispy treats. Today I'm sharing the Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal Treat Bars that I made last night. These are super tasty. So let's get to it...

Grocery List

- 6 Cups of Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal

- 1 Bag {10.5oz} Mini Marshmallows

- 1/2 Stick of Butter

- 9 x 13" Baking Dish or Pan

- Large Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon

{you can choose any variety of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal you prefer for this recipe}

Before I do anything I spray my large pan that I will be mixing all the ingredients in with cooking spray, I also spray my large spatula and baking dish. Start by melting your butter in a large pan over medium heat, once the butter is melted add your bag of marshmallows. Continuously stir your marshmallows on a medium heat until they are completely melted. Remove pan from heat and add your cereal. Stir quickly to coat the cereal with the marshmallow mixture. Once it's all mixed, pour in to your 9 x 13" baking dish or pan. I like to use the back of a large metal soup spoon that I've sprayed with nonstick spray to press the cereal mixture in to my baking dish and smooth it out. Let them cool, then cut and serve.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas + An Epic Giveaway

2013-04-29T13:54:00.002-07:00

Hi Friends! I have something exciting for you today! That's right a chance to win a Cricut Expressions 2 + either a Kitchen Aid Mixer or a Canon Rebel T3. Wow, what a great gift to give to Mom this Mother's Day right? I know I'd love it. More on that in a moment.

Today I'm sharing more than just this awesome giveaway, I'm sharing tons of great Mother's Day Gift Ideas as well. There is something for everyone.

Planter Box

Kitchen Tablet Holder

Silhouette Pendant Necklace

Painted Camera Strap

Fabric Toiletries Bag

Labeled Bathroom Jars

DIY Hot Pads

DIY Envelope Cell Phone Case

Jar Full of Twine Gift

Picture Frame Pin Cushion

DIY Patinaed Filigree Earrings

Vintage Inspired Painted Mason

Sunglasses Case

Photo Board

Simple & Fun Earrings

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Discolusure: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received.** This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.** To qualify to win, you must fill out the Entry. See Rafflecopter for complete rules. This giveaway is compliant with Facebook Promotions Guidelines. Must be aged 18+ to enter & win. Valid only in the United States. Void where prohibited by state or national law.}

DecoArt Polka Dot Toiletries Bag

2013-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce that I was chosen to be part of the new DecoArt blogger program. For the next year I will be bringing you projects showcasing the amazing products from DecoArt. The very first project I am sharing with you is my DecoArt Polka Dot Toiletries Bag that I made for my recent trip to SNAP! This project is so easy and it's the perfect way to customize something and make it personal.

Here is what you need:

- DecoArt SoSoft Fabric Paint in Ultra White

- Round foam Dobber Sponge Brush {any size}

- Small Paint Brush

- Ikea Upptacka Toiletries Bag

For months now I've been searching for a new toiletries bag since my other one had seen better days. I knew I wanted a couple that matched and I just couldn't find something I liked for under $10. I don't like spending that much on a toiletries bag {let's just call me "thrifty"}. So while I was at Ikea with some blogging buddies I came across these Upptacka Toiletries Bags for $4.99 each. They came in several colors, black - navy - pink - off white - and yellow orange. I knew right away I wanted the black ones. I picked up two since they are a great sized bag. It also has a wire frame around the top of the bag to help hold the bag open {much like an old fashioned physicians bag}, plus there is a zipper pocket inside and a pocket outside. They are perfect for my make-up and I used the second one for my hair product and brushes. As soon as I picked them up I knew I wanted to do a polka dot bag, simple - easy - and cute. At first I was going to choose a gold paint for the polka dots, but I chose to stick with the DecoArt Ultra White so my bag had a nice sharp contrasting color.

Start by putting some of the fabric paint on to a paper plate. Press your foam dobber brush in the paint being sure to get it loaded with paint. Next firmly press the foam dobber brush on to your bags surface and give it a very careful and gentle twist to create a circle on your bag. Continue to do this all over the bag until you are pleased with the placement of your dots. I then went back and used a small paint brush to cover and fill in any areas that the paint had not covered in the polka dots. I chose not to place polka dots on the sides or bottom of my bag, it's up to you if you want to put them there. I just let bags dry and they were good to go. I love how they turned out, and these would make a great gift idea for Mother's day. Fill a bag with your Mom's favorite spa treatments from the drug store and your all set.

Follow DecoArt on

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

{Disclosure: I am part of the DecoArt Core Blogger Program, I receive product and compensation for my posts; however, all crafts - pictures - and opinions are my own.}

Cricut Iron-on Boys Fashion T-Shirt

2013-04-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today is a bonus post kind of day since I've missed a few posts lately. I'm excited to share this Cricut Iron-On Boys Fashion T-Shirt with you. I used the new iron-on vinyl that is available from Cricut, and I love it. I've not used too many different kinds of iron-on vinyl before but this is quality vinyl and you can tell.

What you need:

- T-Shirt {any size, any color}

- Cricut Iron-On Vinyl

- Iron

- Cotton Dish Towel or Cloth

- Cutting Machine

After some chatting with my son about a design for his shirt he decided he wanted something "cool". So after searching for some ideas, I came up with the design pictured above. An eagle mixed with a little bit of chevron. He loved it. So I designed my artwork in my cutting program and cut it out with the proper settings for cutting the iron-on vinyl. So easy. Although I will admit that I forgot to flip my image {the eagle should be facing the other direction}, whoops. I do this all the time with things, you'd think I'd learn by now. After I cut the image out, I removed all the negative spots with my trusty little hook. Leaving only the desired design on the film liner.

I then grabbed my iron and turned it on with a no-steam setting. I don't use an ironing board so I placed a towel on my firm surface which just happened to be my craft table. I went over the area the design would go on my t-shirt for a good 30 seconds to pre-heat the fabric. Then I placed my image on the shirt so that the film liner was on top. I then placed a thin cotton cloth or dish towel over the image and pressed with medium pressure for 25 to 30 seconds. Then I flipped the shirt over and continued with medium pressure for an additional 25 to 30 seconds. I let it cool, then remove your film liner.

He really loved how it turned out and I did too. It can be worn alone or layered with a button down {we love the layered looks around here}.

I have some awesome news for all of you today...

Cricut has been so kind to offer all of you some amazing deals on their new Iron-On materials and the bundle pack, these are huge savings.

Iron-On Pre-Sale Sample Pack

{$34.99}

Iron-On Pre-Sale Bundle

{$199}

{Disclosure: I was provided some of the materials used in this project, this is a Cricut sponsored post; however, all ideas and opinions are my own.}

SNAP! Conference 2013 Recap

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

As you all know I had the privilege of attending the SNAP! Conference 2013 this past week. So today I'm sharing my SNAP! Conference 2013 Recap with you. You have all heard me go on and on about how excited I was to attend on social media for weeks. Well I am beyond thrilled that I was able to attend and happy to report that it was an amazing experience!

I wasn't really sure what to expect going on this trip since it was my first blogging conference. I had heard amazing things and knew some of the ladies attending which made it a little less nerve wrecking. Although I will admit I had HUGE butterflies in my stomach before going. Most of which you can blame on the flying portion of the trip (not a huge fan, not because I'm scared...I just get motion sickness), the other part that caused butterflies was meeting lots of new people I didn't know. Don't get me wrong, I love meeting new people...in fact I'm not typically shy...I'm actually quite loud and funny (at least I think I am). Although in new situations I like to observe for a moment then I jump in at full force. This is a different experience though, we all in some way know many others bloggers through social media and connections we've made through our blogs. So once your face to face with each other it's almost as if you've already met and that feeling of nervousness is gone.

I know for me I was thrilled to meet many new friends that I've communicated with via social media over the past year and a half of my blogging career. Yes there were moments of being getting a little googly eyed over some of my favorite bloggers that I was able to meet in real life. One of the highlights for me was meeting Desiree from The 36th Avenue, we had some great discussions, some fun laughs, and it was an awesome experience getting to hear her voice in person with her great accent. And I can't forget getting to meet Tauni from SNAP! Creativity at Your Fingertips for the the first time. We've spoken so many times via email, and all I wanted to do was hug her and thank her for the gracious opportunities she's allowed me in being part of this amazing conference. I feel like I made some great connections while on this trip with other bloggers, we had so many laughs and such a fun time. I'm so excited to see those relationships blossom and grow as we support each other in our blogging careers. This years theme is

We received these amazing necklaces from The R House

Here are some things I learned while on my trip:

- No one actually used their camera's, everyone used their iPhones

{note to self: get iPhone immediately!}

- I didn't even look at my laptop once while I was there and could have left it home

- I packed way too many clothes...now I know for next year

- There is so much more to learn about blogging that I thought

The hotel grounds where SNAP! is held are gorgeous. Tulips everywhere, wish I had of remembered to take a picture of them. Everything we needed was within walking distance {except a couple of nightly trips to JCW's for cheese fries & onion rings with a bunch of fun ladies}. We were offered tons of classes, all so informative and some great opportunities to chat with some amazing sponsors.

On the last night after dinner was over, the lights went down and the glow sticks came out! It was a huge dance party, and all the ladies were having a great time. And no I'm not a dancer nor do I normally feel comfortable dancing, but everyone was doing it and we all had a great time. Check out these photo booth pics from our night of fun...

Here are some of the pictures from the event photographer and the pictures I posted to Instagram while at SNAP! enjoy...

{Me & Tauni}

{Group pic of all the SNAP! helpers}

{Dinner with some of the funnest ladies around: Kristi & Kelli from Lolly Jane, Katie from Sweet Rose Studio, Lindsey from Better After, Sunny from Dandelion Square, Stephanie from The Daily Blarg, and Emily from Is this REALLY my life?}

{the TOMS all the SNAP! staff were wearing during registration}

{beautiful paper flowers on the tables during the dinner sponsored by Cricut}

{dance party madness}

{me & Kristi from Lolly Jane getting crazy}

{listening to the amazing Ana White teach us all about power tools}

{dinner sponsored by Lowes, so good}

{these are the necklaces I passed out during the conference to 20 lucky gals}

{we are the first ones to try this new candy bar collection from Cold Stone, they are so good}

{I didn't get as many cards as I wanted, nor did I pass out as many as I wanted...oh well next year I will do better}

I can't wait until next year! Thanks Tauni for creating a great event.

Packing for SNAP! Conference

2013-04-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

It thought it would be fun to give you a glimpse inside my suitcase and some of the things I will be packing to take to SNAP! with me on Thursday. I'm so excited for this trip and to meet so many new friends! I think I've bought more new clothes for this trip than I did all last year. Yikes! I will be showing you some of my must have things to pack and a peak at a few of the things you may see me in at the conference if you are also attending.

1. Laptop & Charger

2. Portable Cell Phone Charger {New Trent iCarrier is what I'm using}

3. Cell Phone & Charger

4. Business Cards & Business Card Holder

5. Small Notebook

6. A Great Pen or Your Favorite Ultra Fine Point Sharpie

7. 2 Suitcases {1 for clothes & necessities, and a 2nd for SWAG!}

8. Cute Toiletries Bag {wait until you see what I did with this Ikea bag}

9. Cute Luggage Tag

10. Gum, both sweet & minty fresh

11. Freshly Painted Toes & Nails can add a punch to your wardrobe
12. Maybelline 10hr Stain Gloss {my new favorite}
13. A Big Purse or Your Favorite Camera Bag
14. Cardigans {since it's still chilly in Utah}
15. Cute Jeans {I prefer to take one darker shade & lighter)
16. Cute & Comfy Tops for during the day, you can wear dressier tops at night
17. Your Favorite Jewelry
18. Bright Earrings in Fun Spring Colors
19. Cute & Comfy Shoes {you'll be walking a lot}

And last but not least...

20. Your Camera, Memory Cards, Charger, etc...

Eeeek! I can't wait until tomorrow to board that plane & head to such a fun event, I'm so blessed to be able to attend this conference! I have to give a huge shout out to Tauni from SNAP! Creativity at your Fingertips for giving me such a great opportunity to be part of her team, she's truly made my year and I can't wait to give her a huge hug and say thank you in person! Don't forget to find me if your also attending SNAP! this year, I'd love to meet you!

40+ DIY Baby Shower Gift Ideas

2013-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year, everyone is having babies! Everywhere I look someone is announcing their preggo or about ready to have a baby. So I thought it would be fun today to share 40+ DIY Baby Shower Gift Ideas with you. All of these ideas are a fantastic way to give the Mom-to-Be something special that tells her how much you care. Almost all these gifts can be customized in some way to either match the theme of a nursery, or a favorite color, etc...so many possibilities. I know I will be making a few of these gifts over the next few months as my friends start having their babies.

Baby Gift Idea + Printable

Free Printable Baby Gift Tags

DIY Portable Baby Growth Chart

Pacifier Pocket

No Sew Upcycled Baby Hats

Diaper Pouch Tutorial

Gauzey Swaddle Blankets

Baby Subway Art Printable

Upcycled T-shirt Bibs

DIY Babylegs

Carseat Cover Tutorial

Baby Binky Bunnies

Baby To-Go Bags

Taggie Blanket Tutorial

Soft Blocks with Ribbon Tutorial

Little Baby Circle Skirt

DIY Onesies & Burpcloths

Baby Cardigan Onesies

Easy Baby Skirts

DIY Baby Rag Quilts

5 Minute - 5 Step Baby Leggings

DIY Closet Dividers

Little Man Tie Tutorial

Boatneck Tunic

Super Simple Leggings

Knit Receiving Blankets & Hats

Infant Carrier Carseat Cover

Ruffle Bottom Bloomers

DIY Monthly Baby Onesies

DIY Bird Mobile

DIY Burpcloths

Bapron Tutorial

2-in-1 Stroller Messanger Bag

Mother & Daughter Picnic Date with World Market

2013-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know that I have written a post or two, and even a few facebook status updates about my Mom. If you haven't caught on yet, she's my absolute Best Friend. With Mother's Day just around the corner I decided to celebrate my Mom with a Mother & Daughter Picnic Date with World Market. I knew right away that we would go to a park for our picnic, because even on a Mother & Daughter picnic date it wouldn't be any fun if her grandkids weren't involved.

One of the things I love most about my Mom - Lauretta, is her commitment to our family. She became a single mother when I was almost 9 years old, my brother was 7. Putting herself through nursing school to provide for my brother & I. She worked tirelessly to give us opportunities, to bless us in ways I didn't yet understand until I became a Mother. She is humble, and gracious in so many ways. Since the day she became a Grandma she has savored every moment with her grandsons. One thing we do often when the weather is nice is picnics at the park, that way we are all together as a family and she gets to watch the boys play and have fun. I love that we are so blessed to spend so much time with her and that our boys get to have such a fabulous Grandma in their lives.

In preparation for our picnic date I quickly headed over to one of my favorite stores World Market to get shopping for this special lunch. I wanted it have some special touches, and I knew I'd find some great things at World Market...and boy was I right. There are so many fun, bold, and bright colors this time of year in the store that are perfect for a picnic. Check out some of the fun stuff I fell in love with while shopping from my Instagram account.

These chevron tumblers would make a great gift! And look more chevron, they had cloth napkins - placemats - chair covers - and more. Love it all.

All this enamel dipped silverware was calling my name.

Check out these oilcloth tablecloths, they had a couple different patterns to choose from. Gone are the days of ugly vinyl tablecloths, get one of these pretty things to put on your outdoor table.

What really caught my eye were these chevron paper napkins. I knew as soon as I saw them they would be the center of my picnic table. My Mom loves bright colors so these really made me think of her. I worked around the colors of these napkins, a dark teal blue - yellow - and a beautiful reddish orange.

Here are all the great items I found for our picnic at the park. Vintage inspired Striped Paper Straws, a great Yellow Bowl for a pasta salad, Wooden Spoons, Wicker Plate Chargers in a dark teal blue color to match, small Yellow Take-out Boxes, and Bottled Italian Sodas in Blood Orange & Orange Passion Mango flavors.

I let my Mom decide what she'd like for lunch on our special picnic date and she chose to bbq hot dogs with the boys. So I made some pasta salad as our side. I painted the two wooden spoons I bought with matching dark teal blue stripes.

I simply placed a fabric-like disposable tablecloth I found that matched on the picnic table. I knew I would want a centerpiece to pull everything together and give it a nice punch of color. So I grabbed some coffee filters and created some flowers. Once I made the flowers I just dipped them in some water I had tinted with red food coloring, the coffee filters absorbed it immediately and I just let them dry. Once they were dry I fluffed them a bit. I found a few tin cans I had lying around the house and got my trusty washi tape out in a coordinating color and just added some to the cans.

I knew that the small yellow to-go boxes would be perfect for a treat and the boxes would add some more color to the table. So I baked up some chocolate chip cookies and placed them inside the boxes, and added some washi tape.

I tied some simple turquoise yarn to the bottles of Italian sodas that we had, they were so good!

We had a great day and what's most important...we were all together, and she loves that. Can't forget to mention that my 94 year old Grandma is also a part of these picnic traditions.

Photo courtesy of my 9 year old son Corbyn, sorry if it's blurry. I love this lady & I'm so thankful that I can celebrate her! She deserves it!

I hope you'll think of World Market when shopping for Mother's Day gifts this year. They have such a great selection of gift ideas from picnic & dining, jewelry & accessories, or just something special for the home...you will definitely fall in love with something while you are there.

Another thing I love about World Market is the My Amazing Mom Sweepstakes they are currently running.

What a great gift to give your Mom!

There are three ways you can participate:

- Nominate your mother for a chance to win $5k

- Browse the gallery and vote for your favorite submission

- Enter to win the Fan Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 10 - $500 World Market Gift Cards

Enter the My Amazing Mom Sweepstakes HERE!

Be sure you don't miss a thing from World Market!

Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

{This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and World Market, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MyAmazingMom. http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO}

Spring Entry Table with Dear Lizzy - 5th & Frolic Products

2013-04-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Today I'm showing you how I freshened up my entry way for spring using the Dear Lizzy - 5th & Frolic line that is available at Joanns stores. I'm in the process of gathering and collecting new items for my entry way wall and will be hopefully getting it all put together after the SNAP! conference, but for now using these fresh and fun products was a great way for me to spruce things up a bit.

Take a peak at all the amazing goodness that is available!!! I may have actually squealed a bit when I saw all the fun stuff.

Since I knew I wanted my entry to have a fresh look for spring & the upcoming summer months when I saw these colors I was in love. The first thing that caught my eye was this "hello" mini banner. I also knew that the paper flowers would be perfect in a small glass vase I had just thrifted. By the way did you know that there is Glitter Tape, well there is and it's beyond fabulous!

I decided that the Glitter Tape was perfect for the vase I thrifted. I had actually been thinking of buying some double sided tape and glittering the vase already, but this was even better...and super easy to use. I just created stripes on my small vase with the tape and viola, it went from plain & simple to fantastic in 2 minutes. I then added the paper flowers to some bamboo skewers that I had in my kitchen. The paper flowers have adhesive backs which made it perfect to add the skewer to the back of each flower. I then just added the flowers to my vase.

I always have books somewhere on my entry table so I used a few of the coordinating card stocks to cover my books. Don't you just love these colors!

I added the "hello" mini banner to my small pin cushion frame, it's the perfect greeting to my guests as they enter the house. It already has adhesive on the ribbon to all I had to do was stick it to my frame. I then added a small paper and fabric feather to the corner.

I gave my metal iron wall hanging a little coat of a bright fun paint to match, this is one of the things staying on this wall in the new upcoming changes.

I hope you will go and find these products in your local Joanns stores, you will fall in love with them. It makes me happy to walk past this little tray everyday.

Simple & Fun Earrings using Dear Lizzy Products

2013-04-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

If you have been following me on Instagram lately you may have seen my recent jewelry crafting in prep for the SNAP! Conference. I love creating my own pieces of jewelry and accessories. So when I saw the mini flower adhesive backed cabachons in the collection of fun Dear Lizzy and 5th & Frolic line I was able to play around with recently I got very excited. Today you can see just how easy it is to create some Simple & Fun Earrings using Dear Lizzy products.

What you need:

- Dear Lizzy Adhesive Backed Flowers
{there is 12 in a package which will give you 6 pairs of earrings}

- E6000 Glue

- Earrings Posts & Backs to fit

It's really simple I promise...ready?!

Step 1 - remove adhesive backing from the Dear Lizzy Flowers, it should peel right off.

Step 2 - Place a small amount of E6000 on to the flat surface of an earring post.

Step 3 - Press the small flower cabachon to the earring post that has E6000 on it.

Step 4 - Place earrings post facing up to dry for 24 hours.

Step 5 - Decide which awesome pair of earrings your going to wear first!

I just love these colors, they are so perfect for spring & summer!

New Trent iCarrier External Battery Pack + A Giveaway!

2013-04-01T09:32:00.002-07:00

Hi Friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter.

I have something exciting to share with you today. With the SNAP! Conference only three weeks away I am incredibly excited about my newest purchase. The New Trent iCarrier External Battery Pack. I have had my New Trent charger for a couple weeks now and I use it every day!

I have an HTC Sensation and needless to say my battery life on this phone is terrible. Especially if I use the internet or instagram, which I do constantly through out the day. My battery life is usually low by at least 11am and I'm plugging it in to my wall charger if I'm home. The thing I hate most about a low battery is when I'm out running errands and want to snap a pic or need to look something up on my phone. My New Trent charger takes care of that now. It has two usb ports and comes with both a regular usb cable and a micro usb cable. The micro usb is was my phone uses. I can be out running around all day and simply plug my phone in to my New Trent and it can charge with me wherever I am. It lasts for days before I need to plug it in and recharge it.

Why am I most excited about this purchase?! Well for SNAP! Conference of course! I won't have to worry about my phone dying in the middle of all the fun. I can plug in my phone anytime, anywhere and still have a working phone. Plus it has two usb ports so I can even let a friend charge for a bit too, or connect one of my other compatible devices.

You can read all about the New Trent iCarrier External Battery Pack HERE. It is a little bulky, but not too bad...it fits nicely in the purse I carry everyday.

Now for the bonus...

New Trent would like to give one of you lucky readers your very own New Trent iCarrier External Battery Pack. Isn't that awesome! Here's what you need to do to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Disclosure: I purchased this product at a reduced rate in return for my review, the review and opinions are genuine and my own, this is not a paid post. New Trent is the giveaway sponsor.)

Chalkboard Buckets

2013-03-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

I hope you are all having a beautiful Easter weekend. Today I'm sharing the Chalkboard Buckets I made the boys for Easter. It's my version of an Easter Basket. I wanted something that I could use from year to year for Easter and was able to write messages on. I also wanted to be able to use it anytime I wanted, so I knew I wanted it to be a neutral design. So I got my cutting machine out and got busy creating a stencil.

You will need:

- Metal buckets from the hardware store

(I found mine at Ace Hardware for $5 each in the paint supplies)

- Krylon chalkboard spray paint

- Vinyl stencil

- Chalk or chalk markers

I created my stencil in my cutting machine program, I created my stencil to have a large rectangular space for writing messages and I also put the boys names in a fun tattoo font that I love. I placed the vinyl stencil on my buckets (this was tricky to get super even). You can use masking tape to tape off a rectangle shape if you don't want to do a name on your bucket. Once your stencil is on and you've taped off any parts of the bucket you don't want to be covered in chalkboard paint you can begin spraying it with the paint.

Here's what the bucket looks like before...

Give it a couple good coats and let it dry. Remove your stencil, and season your chalkboard by rubbing white chalk vertically - then horizontally - then vertically again over the whole chalkboard. Wipe clean and your ready to go.

I filled the boys buckets with lots of goodies, mostly non-candy items (don't worry there are a few treats) but I know the Easter Bunny also makes a stop at Grandma & G.G.'s house so they'll be covered for plenty of treats. I found adorable carrot shaped Easter eggs at the dollar store that I filled with little chick shaped crackers from Target. I found a comic book, and some other books at Dollar Tree. I also put a box of Aunt Annie's bunny mac n' cheese in each bucket, some mini oreos, a bunny kit kat bar, spicy cheez-it's, some white cheddar bunny tail puffs that I found at Target, a puzzle & a yo-yo, and some straw glasses.

I used chalk markers to write my message, love them! I can use these buckets for birthdays, Easter, etc... I love them! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend & a beautiful Easter.

The Scoop | Linky Party {Guest Hosting}

2013-03-26T08:56:00.002-07:00

I was so honored that my favorite set of twins - the Lolly Jane sister duo asked me to participate and guest host this week in The Scoop Link Party they host with 4 other amazing blogs. So please make sure and visit each and every host, they have amazing ideas! And feel free to link up any of your projects to the party below! Thanks again Kelli & Kristi!

______________________________________

Welcome back to The Scoop, the weekly link party that features the scoop on the best posts from around the web!

Stop by every Tuesday to link up and browse through the posts. You’ll always find great inspiration for projects and discover some new blog friends, too (: As always, add your link to our blog and it automatically shows up on 5 amazing blogs. More exposure + less time = win win!

We are Linsey from Farmhouse Porch, Anita from Cedar Hill Ranch, Samantha from Crafty Texas Girls and Kelli & Kristi from Lolly Jane. Each week we highlight one of our favorite bloggers as a special guest hose. This week, please welcome Rebecca from The Crafted Sparrow:

Hi, I'm Rebecca the mom of two crazy cute boys and I live in sunny Arizona. When I'm not busy chasing my crazy cute boys you can find me over at The Crafted Sparrow. That's where you can see my passion for crafting, diy projects, home decor, home entertaining, and the occasional recipe. I am also a contributor for the popular blogs SNAP! Creativity at Your Fingertips and Lil' Luna. Not only do I have a passion for all things crafty, I love finding new ways to create on a budget. I hope you will head over to my blog and say hello, and while you're there I hope I can inspire you to create!

Polymer Clay Feather Necklace:

DIY Carriage Bolt Headboard:

Faux Stainless Steel Alphabet Magnets {PB Knock Off}:

Neon Wood Painted Earrings {Dollar Store Craft}:

You can see my DIY Foam Stamps, Felt Pine Cone Trees and other DIY tutorials here. Thank you so much to The Scoop Link Party and all its lovely hosts for letting me visit today!

Isn't Becca the cutest? So happy she could co-host for us this week! The twins (Kelli and Kristi) from Lolly Jane are excited to share some of YOUR creative projects from last week’s party! Let's take a look at the features:

Aged Metal Chest | Hymns & Verses

Spring Bridal Shower | Stone Gable Blog

Ballard Design headboard knock-off | Little Cottage on the Pond

Spring Tote | JoJo & Eloise

How to fake expensive shelves | Everyday Home Blog

Carrot Cake Cheesecake | Caramel Potatoes

Thanks so much for linking up with The Scoop! Now it’s YOUR turn to share your projects and we can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to! Please read the party guidelines here to participate!

DIY Felt Organizer Baskets

2013-03-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to share an easy way to organize the drawers or shelves in your craft rooms {or craft space if you don’t have a whole room}. I’m showing you how to make these DIY Felt Organizer Baskets. They are super easy, inexpensive, and cute.

Here’s what you will need:

- Felt {either regular or stiffened, stiffened will give you a more sturdy box}

- Scissors

- Sewing Machine or Hot Glue Gun

- Ruler

- Optional: White fabric cut in to small 1.25 x 2.5″ rectangles, and a small letter stamp set with an ink pad to create labels for your baskets

You will begin by creating a template to cut all your pieces from. I use cardstock. Using your ruler create a template that measures 5 x 5″ to create a square bottom for your basket. The next template will measure 5 x 3.25″ for your sides. Once you have these two templates cut out of cardstock use them to cut your felt out. You will need 4 side pieces and 1 bottom piece for each basket.

If making labels you will need to grab your stamp pad, stamps, and small rectangle labels you cut out of white fabric. Simply stamp your word on to the fabric and let dry for a few minutes. Then center your label on one of your side pieces of felt and sew it on. I trimmed the excess fabric from each label after sewing it on the felt.

Next you will start to sew the side pieces together. You can use a got glue gun if you like, I just like the sewn edges myself. Start with your side pieces first. Begin by laying two side pieces on top of each other, matching up the ends. Sew the two pieces together. Leave a small 1/8″ at the bottom without a seam {this is where you will attach the bottom piece later. Continue to sew all the edges together until your left with a square.

Now grab your bottom piece and line it up on the bottom edges of your square where you left the unsewn portion. The first seam you should sew is the front piece where your label is if you have one. Make sure all your edges line up and sew it with the same seam allowance as you did on your side pieces. Next sew the opposite seam. Then sew the other two sides. Viola! A felt basket.

Now you can make a ton of these adorable little baskets for all kinds of things…craft supplies, office supplies, make-up organization, pantry organization, gift baskets, etc…Even Easter Baskets if your in a pinch. What do you think? Pretty cute right?!

{I used regular felt for this project since it’s what I had on hand, but I think I might make some of these up with stiffened felt to keep on hand for gift baskets}

DIY Silhouette Pendant Necklace

2013-03-25T09:33:00.002-07:00

Happy Monday Morning Friends!

With just about 3 weeks left until the SNAP! Conference begins I wanted to share the DIY Silhouette Pendant Necklace that I made to take with me. It's my little way of having my boys with me and close to my heart since this will be the first time I've left them for longer than a night.

Here's what you will need:

- Modge Podge Dimensional Magic

- Modge Podge

- Black & White Card Stocks

- Any Pendant with a raised edge

- Your favorite cutting machine

- Jewelry chain with findings

{chain, jump rings, clasp} or a finished chain from the craft store

- Pliers & a Sharp Pin

- Small Paint Brush or Toothpick

I purchased two of these antique brass oval pendants from Hobby Lobby - the brand is "The Jewelry Shoppe" findings. I use this brand a lot with my jewelry, and really like it for the price. You can choose any pendant shape or size that has edges for the Modge Podge Dimensional Magic to stay in.

I began by cutting an oval with my cutting machine out of white cardstock (I measured my pendant first so I knew what the dimensions of my oval should be in my cutting machine program).

I took a side profile picture of my boys standing in front of a white door in our house. I edited the background out of my photos in photoshop, then using my cutting machine program (I used this awesome tutorial that I Heather from Whipperberry posted a few weeks back) to cut my silhouette shapes from the black cardstock.

Next you will need to brush a small amount of regular Modge Podge in to the well of your pendant, then place the white cardstock oval in the pendant and smooth down.

Then apply a small amount of Modge Podge to the back of your silhouette shape and apply that in the center of your pendant.

I used a toothpick to apply my Modge Podge to both pieces of cardstock. Let the pendant and Modge Podge dry for about 30 minutes.

When it's dry you will now use your Modge Podge Dimensional Magic to create a beautiful glass look to your pendants. (Be careful to not shake it or it will create air bubbles in the product.)

Begin by squeezing out some of the Dimensional Magic on to a paper towel. Then fill in your pendant carefully - it helps to not lift the bottle a bunch of times.

Once it's full, if there are any air bubbles, carefully use a sharp pin or needle to pop them. (I will admit I had to do this pendant several time to get the finish without air bubbles and wrinkles. It was a learning process for me too.)

Once you've filled it all with the Dimensional Magic set the pendants aside safely to dry for at least 3 hours.

When it was time for me to make my chain necklace I used chain, and findings that I had in my stash of jewelry supplies.

I like my necklaces longer since I'm well...bigger in the chest than most girls (just keeping it real). So I usually make my chains 33 - 36" long, most longer necklaces are between 30 - 33" in length. I also added a few colored stones that I had on hand, the colors resemble the boys birthstone colors and I am loving how they look together. I also found a couple small antique brass initial charms at Hobby Lobby and added those. I attached all my charms to a small round toggle style clasp piece, this is optional...I just like them to all stay in one spot on my necklace.

Once you get everything on your chain, your done! I really love how this necklace turned out, I'm addicted to antique brass finished jewelry right now so this is a perfect piece that I can wear all the time. I hope you like it too!

50 Easter Printables

2013-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Are you done decorating for Easter or are you still putting the finishing touches to it? If you are looking for some fun things to print to add to your decor or gifts I've got 50 Easter Printables for you! There are so many great printables to choose from...signs, party printables, gift tags, etc... So get printing!

Worlds Best Tasting Eggs

Happy Easter Peeps

Woodland Easter Printables

Loopy Easter Printables

Very Vibrant Easter Printables

Keep Calm and Eat Carrots

Eggcellent Neighbor Easter Gift

Easter Bunny Cotton Tails

Thanks for Being an Eggcellent Friend

Bunny Lip Balm Gift Tags

Hoppy Cottontails

Easter Egg Truck