Today's Fabulous Finds

St. Patrick's Day Interchangeable Frame

2012-02-23T14:07:00.009-07:00

Over the last year or so I've gradually been collecting ornaments for my interchangeable holiday frame. Yesterday I spent a few minutes and put something together for St. Patrick's Day.

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I bought the ornaments at JoAnn's on sale.

Then I hung them from the nails and added some ribbon from my stash.

I tucked the ends under the frame and taped it to the back (because it won't be seen) and it was done!

The frame is just an in-expensive frame from the dollar store. You can read all about it here:

Tutorial for making an Interchangeable Holiday Frame

Americana Frame

Valentine Frame

Fall/Autumn Frame Christmas/Winter Frame

I keep all of the ornaments in a decorative box (pictured below) right by the frame for easy access.

Quick.Simple.Fun

Today's Fabulous Find...St. Patrick's Day Frame

Linking up to: Funky Junk Interiors Tator Tots and Jello Serenity Now Pocket Full of Pink

St. Patrick's Day Subway Art and NEW Free Printables Menu

2012-02-19T01:32:00.000-07:00

For quite some time now it's been my intention to make up a menu for the free printables available here at Today's Fabulous Finds, and another menu for projects. The free printables menu is finally done, but the project menu is still coming along ever so slowly.

The first part of the menu has links to a subway art print for every major holiday and season. One of the prints is for St. Patrick's Day.

It, and all of the other subway prints, is available in an assortment of colors because I can never choose just a few. ;)

St. Patrick's Day Subway Art

Other parts of the menu include prints that I've designed as well as links to prints that I've featured.

To view these projects and more if you're viewing this post in a reader/e-mail, click the link below.

Free Printables Menu

By the way, I trimmed my wheat grass down for the first time yesterday and it smelled just like a newly cut lawn! It was such a welcome distraction from the gloomy weather outside.

Hope your weekend is going well!

Flushing Toilet (Valentine Box)

2012-02-15T16:35:00.003-07:00

My son wanted a funny Valentine box for his class party, so he made a toilet (with my help). A toilet is not a toilet though without it's flush, so we gave it one!

You can hear for yourself, here's a quick video of my son demonstrating how his Valentine box works.

Click here if you are viewing this in a reader or through e-mail to view the video.

My kids have had a lot of fun with this and I'll admit, I have a hard time walking by it myself without giving it a quick flush, ha-ha!

I had to call around to several places before I found a pre-wired 20 second digital voice recording module at Radio Shack that I could record the flush with. It was more than I would normally spend on an item for a Valentine box ($11.00), but since this is the last year he'll make a box, I just went for it and splurged this time. My first idea was to use a greeting card that you can record a message to, but I couldn't find one that didn't end with a song.

Supplies:

Pre-wired 20 second digital voice recording module from Radio Shack
Ice cream bucket (we ended up using a round one)
Small (white) box the size of a water tank
Foam Board
Packing and Duct Tape
Scissors
Utility Knife
White Spray Paint
2 Large Bolts and Nuts (or wood to hold them in place)
Pencil and paper to make a pattern for the lid and seat

I'm not going to go into too much detail in directions because it's pretty simple to put together when you look at the pictures, but I do have a few tips for you:

We used paint sticks to hold the bolts in place because it's what we had that would work, nuts would work best.

Be VERY CAREFUL when you attach the voice recording module, the wires are fragile and will break easily, so try not to move them. You might want to tape them in place so they don't move.

The seat lid is held on with clear packing tape. Taping it on the underside of the lid to the top of the seat will help the lid to stay up on it's own

Use the sandpaper to clean up and round the edges of the foam board.

When you record the flushing sound, hold the recorder down low (just past the seat) inside the bowl to get the best sound. Try not to think about what you're doing.

Cut holes in the box and for the button and the speaker. Tape the module to the inside of the box.

The black circle on the top of the 'tank' is the speaker. It's taped to the box

My son drilled through the ice cream bucket and into the box, pushed the bolt through and then threaded it through a pre-drilled piece of wood (paint stick). We used a scrap piece of foam board and taped it under the box as a stand so the toilet wouldn't tip back from the weight of the box.

I promise you this is the only time I'll ever write an entire post about a toilet, and hey, I spared you from all of the toilet jokes too! Can't say I wasn't a little tempted to sneak a couple in though. ;)

Today's Fabulous Find...Digital Recording Module from Radio Shack

(Without it, it would have been just another toilet box.)

*Have you checked back to see how the wheat grass is growing?

Click here to see how tall it's grown!

Rustic Wood Planter--Watch with me as the [wheat] grass grows!

2012-02-11T03:24:00.022-07:00

Hi there! I've got another really cheap upcycle project to show you--my very favorite kind (you probably knew that already). I need about 10 to 12 centerpieces for a church dinner in March. The challenge is always to get the most 'bang for our buck'. Through my searches I found myself drawn to wheat grass centerpieces with rustic wood boxes.

There are so many advantages of using wheat grass centerpieces, not only do they bring life and color to the table, but they can be made for just a few dollars (or less) depending on what you have on hand. You can't buy nice wood planters for anywhere close to that price (if you can even find them this early in the year in your area).

Just like the paint stick crate I made last year, there are endless possibilities of what you could fill this box with. Click here for a few ideas.

I took a walk around Lowe's in search of the cheapest rustic wood that I could find that would make a good planter. The winning piece was a 1"x3"x8' dog eared cedar fence slat for $1.09. You can make one 4 1/2" x 18" box out of just one slat.

Supplies:

1 dog eared cedar fence slat--1" x 3" x 8' (It really measures 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 8'.)
Miter Box and Saw
Wood Glue
Sandpaper
Tape Measure
Staple gun and Staples (or small tacks)
Clear Plastic (can use a shower curtain liner from a dollar store)
Hammer and Nails ( 1 5/8", Ring Shank, Dark Brown )
Dark Walnut Stain (optional) and a rag

Directions:

1. Measure, mark, and cut three 18" pieces from the slat. Measure from the straight end of the slat, the dog-eared end can be used to make a square box if you are making multiple boxes, so you might want to save it.

2. Line up the three pieces, one for the bottom, two for the sides.

3. Line the remainder of the uncut slat up to the end of the boards, making it flush with one side. Mark it and cut.

4. Run a line of glue along the side of the bottom. Line up the side (using the other side underneath it to balance it) and hammer into place. Repeat for the other side (using one of the ends to balance it).

5. Run a line of glue around the ends of both sides and hammer on the ends of the box, make sure you stagger the nails.

6. You can stop right here if you want a natural look, or you can stain it. I used a rag and Minwax Dark Walnut stain on this box.

To line it with plastic for use as a planter, push the plastic down into the box and fold the ends much like you'd fold the ends of a wrapped gift. Trim the plastic down if needed, fold the ends under, and staple or tack in place.

From what I've read wheat grass only needs about 2 1/2" of soil to grow. I took some of the dirt out of the box after I took these pictures to lower the soil level. I want the roots of the grass to be hidden by the box so only the pretty green is showing. I'm hoping this will work. Also, on the next boxes I plant, I'll put in a layer of sand or small rocks under the soil for drainage purposes.

This is my first time growing wheat grass, but it seems (again from what I've read) that it's pretty hard to mess it up. These are the steps I've followed up to this point (the end of day three).

1. I soaked the wheat (some call them berries, others called them seeds) overnight (8-12 hours) in a bowl of water. The wheat swelled up and doubled or tripled in size.

[Edited to add: You can buy the wheat in the bulk food section at a grocery or organic food store. The variety I used is called hard red wheat. It's the same wheat that you would buy to grind into wheat flour.]

2. I poured some water over the soil in the planter so it was wet but not soggy, drained the water from the bowl of wheat, and spread the wheat over the dirt. I put it on pretty thick so I'm watching it to make sure it isn't so thick that it will grow mold instead of grass.

3. To keep the wheat damp, I sprayed it every so often with a squirt bottle, I think I watered it three times today (day three).

In the picture above you can see where I covered it with a piece of cardboard. Some say to cover it for the first two days, but I had extra wheat leftover in the bowl that was uncovered and it sprouted at the same time if not sooner, so next time I won't bother to cover it with cardboard. I did cover it with some saran wrap today though once I saw little sprouts. I think this help some to keep the wheat damp and the soil warm--we'll see! :) Update: The next morning it was starting to grow mold so I won't cover it with saran wrap next time.

So now as I'm writing this, I'm moving into day 4. Supposedly I'll have nice tall grass by day 8 or 10. (Right now that's hard for me to believe.)

I didn't want to be the only one having all the fun, so I'll be posting a picture each day (except Sunday) on my sidebar to show you how much it grows each day. We can all literally 'sit around and watch the grass grow' together. And If I fail...well then you'll know what not to do. :)

Have you had success growing wheat grass? Any tips for me?

Today's Fabulous Find...Rustic Wheat Grass Planters

Update:I've decided not to stop the post here. I'll continue to add pictures each day to show you how the wheat grass does and share anything that I've learned along the way. So onto the morning of day four...

Yep, that's mold you see there. I was so disapointed when I checked on the wheat grass this morning and saw it. I think it was probably a combination of over-watering and the saran wrap so I took the saran wrap off and held back on the watering. I used to start my flowers for my yard from seeds and have had this happen before. The flowers ended up growing fine, so I think there's still hope for the wheat grass.

You can see that by evening the mold wasn't as bad. It's exciting to see little green shoots coming from the wheat! I imagine if we'd had a sunny day today we would have seen even more growth.

I'll post day five on Monday. Do you think it will make it to an inch tall by then? Hmmm... ;)

Oh, and these are a couple of my inspiration photos.

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Day five was overcast and cloudy (we didn't see any sunshine all day) yet the grass managed to grow--take a look!

Day six: It's amazing what a little bit of sun can do for a plant, the grass nearly tripled in height today. My kids were amazed at how tall it had grown just while they were away at school. They like to run their hands over it now and let it tickle their palms. I LOVE the color of new green grass. :)

Day Seven: I took a picture today in the afternoon because I wanted you to see how beautiful the color is. It really is this green! My kids now run their hands over the grass every time they walk into the room. I feel like we've cheated mother nature and spring has come early. I LOVE it!

Day Eight: It continues to grow and is even fuller than the day before. The grass blades have widened at the top and are full and thick.

Day nine: The grass is to it's optimal height today and would be just the right height to use for a centerpiece or for decorating in the home.

From my experience, what I read is correct, wheat grass is very easy to grow and grows very quickly at just 8-9 days from start to finish. Other than the mold scare on day four, it went really well. I learned to touch the soil with my finger to see if it needed water. If it was still damp, I waited to water it for awhile.

I highly recommend giving this a try, especially if you live in a colder climate and are ancy for Spring. :)

Linking up to: The 36th Avenue The Shabby Creek Cottage Creations by Kara Someday Crafts Lil' Luna Oopsey Daisy Not Just A Housewife Today's Creative Blog Home Stories A to Z Skip to My Lou Under the Table and Dreaming Craft Catwalk I Heart Naptime Funky Junk Interiors Tator Tots and Jello Serenity Now Pocket Full of Pink

A Dozen Past Valentine's Day Ideas

2012-02-07T20:43:00.003-07:00

My thoughts have already turned to spring crafts and planning for an upcoming Church activity I'm helping with in March, so I haven't made much for Valentine's Day this year, other than a few projects for my mantel. I did make several things last year though that are Valentine's Day related and hope you don't mind if I share them with you again.

Crepe Paper Streamer Flowers and Girls Valentine Boxes

L*O*V*E Letter Photo Art-Free Printable

Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries

Printable Valentine Subway Art

S'more Kits with printable tags
(Includes a tutorial on how to make your own window box.)

Homemade Dipped Caramels
with Printable Chocolate Box Template

Soft Sugar Cookies and Candy Melt Roses

Free Printable Vintage Paper Dolls
Including Strawberry Shortcake, the Gingham Girls, and many more

Thrift Store Countdown Calendar and Printable Banner
The top is a cork board, the bottom is a chalkboard

Interchangeable Holiday Frame
Change the ornaments for each holiday.

Strawberry Jam Printable Labels and Gift Tags

Be sure to check out the link to the paper dolls, there are some really adorable ones, perfect for a Valentine's card, and they are all generously shared for free. People are so nice! :)

Valentine Mantel with Natural Elements

2012-02-01T00:22:00.016-07:00

Last week I had some fun putting together a new mantel for Valentine's Day. I realized, through the process, that putting together a mantel is very similar to putting together a puzzle. Every piece is important, every piece has it's place, and sometimes you have to move a piece around several times before you find the right fit!

I felt up for a challenge so I decided to only use items that I already had in my home, this is what I was able to pull together...

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This little plant was $5 from IKEA. I wrote on the original black plastic pot with chalk and ran some jute around the top. It's sitting on a couple of books from by bookcase.

This is a .75 thrift store frame. I spray painted it with red, sanded to distress, and then painted the cardboard backing with inexpensive chalkboard paint from Wal-mart. The metal easel and the frog are both from a dollar store.

Pucker up!

I bought the frog last summer for no other reason than that I thought he was adorable. He makes a perfect prince in waiting, ha, ha!

I started making the chicken wire frame last Fall and then gave up on it because it wasn't coming together how I wanted it to (It fell apart!). Once I decided I wanted to use it for my mantel, I figured out a way to fix it. I'll show you how I made it in a future post. The metal accents were originally a bright gold color. I painted them with red and oil rubbed bronze spray paint and distressed them.

The vintage Valentine prints are clipped to the chicken wire with clothespins that I stained with dark walnut water-based stain. Black and white family photos would be fun to use too.

I talked about the rolled flower rosettes in my last post. They're glued to a paper plate so I can use my wreath for other holidays/seasons.

I clipped them to the wreath with the clothespins just to see how the flowers looked and decided that I liked them there, so they stayed.

The window is made from paint sticks and glass from a dollar store frame. You can learn how to make it here.

This plant is also from IKEA. The tin bucket is from a dollar store. I wrapped jute around the vase and hot glued rustic tin hearts to each end.

I bought the candle on clearance at JoAnn's for .79. The candle stick was $2.50 from Good Will. I spray painted it and distressed it. It's held together in the back with tape.

You can read about my paint stick crate here.

The mason jars are painted inside. I just rolled the paint around inside until it was completely covered, let the excess paint drip out and let them dry. I can see them filled with tulips for spring, wouldn't that be pretty!

When I got the idea to actually carve 'I love you' into a log (for my sweetie), I didn't realize it would take me so long. It was a labor of love for sure!

I drew the pattern on with a pencil and then spent the next hour with a wood chisel and a small pocket knife carving away. I'm planning to add our initials to it, but I need to forget how tiring it was first! (It really wasn't that bad, I just thought it would be easier than it was.)

Here's a tip: If a piece of the bark flakes off where you didn't want it too, you can hot glue it back on.

This is how the mantel looks without the Valentine's clipped to the wire. I was back and forth on whether they made it look too busy or not. In the end I decided to just keep them, they're fun.

Read all about how I made the mantel shelf here.

Well, that's it! This was a big post, but there was a lot to show you. Hope you saw something you liked! :)

Today's Fabulous Find...the fun in using what you have!

I'm linking up to: Under the Table and Dreaming Funky Junk Interiors Tator Tots and Jello Pocket Full of Pink Home Stories A to Z Valentine Mantel Party My Repurposed Life Creation Corner Get Outta My Head Please The 36th Avenue House of Hepworths Oopsey Daisy The Shabby Creek Cottage Creations by Kara Blue Cricket Design Domestically Speaking An Original Belle 'Lil Luna Someday Crafts

Valentine Burlap {Bubble} Wreath

2012-01-30T10:23:00.022-07:00

For the last two weeks I've been trying to think of a way to decorate my burlap bubble wreath for Valentine's day. Nothing really got me too excited until (on a whim) I held the rosettes up to it that I made for a wreath for my new Valentine's mantel (Post coming soon!). They fit like they were made for it and I really like the contrast with the burlap.

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The rosettes are all hooked together in one piece so it was easy to move them from one wreath to another.

When I was trying to place the rosettes on a wispy wreath for my mantel, I was having a really tough time getting them to stay in place so I could step back and see how they looked. I was getting pretty frustrated with it, so I decided to just glue them all onto a paper plate. This way when I repositioned them (and there was plenty of that) then I didn't feel stressed that I was going to ruin the wreath and/or distort the flowers in the process of pulling the hot glue apart. The plate also gave shape to the grouping. It worked great! In fact, I'm going to leave them permanently glued to the paper plate because it allows me to use the flower grouping over and over for different projects and my wreaths can remain a 'blank canvas' as well. (There isn't enough storage space in my house to make a wreath for every holiday so I like to reuse what I can.)

I used straight pins to attach the rosettes to the burlap wreath. I'll show you in my mantel post how I attached them to the wispy wreath.

Do you see in the picture below--my poinsettia is still alive--and it actually still looks healthy! I guess it paid off this year to read the care instructions from the green house and actually follow them. I love the color that it adds to my living room so much that I don't want to get rid of it yet. How long do you keep your poinsettias? Do they usually just die, do you keep them year round, or do you get tired of them and throw them out after awhile? Just curious.

'Valentine's' Poinsettia?

You can read all about how the burlap bubble wreath came to be and how to make it here.

If you'd like to see the before and after of the door and how I made it, click here.

I learned how to make the fabric flowers at Flamingo Toes. Beverly's tutorial is easy to follow if you want to learn how to make them. I used 2 fat quarters from Wal-mart ($1 each), old knit shirts, and felt for the flowers.

So what do you think? Do you like the rosettes on the burlap bubbles? I think I'll make another set of flowers for it, my wreath seems so plain now that I moved them back to my mantel wreath and I really miss the color!

Today's Fabulous Find...{Reusable}Rolled Fabric Flowers

Linking up these parties!

Best Homemade {Non-Chocolate} Pie

2012-01-24T10:22:00.001-07:00

Once a week we set a night aside that we do something together as a family and it always ends with a yummy treat. Last night we ate, as my husband called it, "the best homemade non-chocolate pie that I've ever eaten". Yes, those are big words, but it really was that good!

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My husband gets the credit for this 'find'. He found the recipe at Kraft.com and made it (Yep, he cooks...I know, I'm very lucky!). He said that it wasn't even hard to make like some pies can be. I think what made it extra special was the crust, oh, and the cream cheese. Cream cheese is always good.

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Click here for the recipe. Enjoy!

Today's Fabulous Find...Coconut-Cream Cheese Pie

Girls Barbie/Valentine Fleece Scarf {Tutorial}

2012-01-20T21:29:00.008-07:00

Hey everyone! So can you believe that we're already sharing Valentine's Day projects? Time's a flyin'!

I made eight of these fleece scarves for my daughter's Barbie themed birthday party (for just over $1 each), but don't you think they would also be pretty fun to wear on Valentine's Day? They're pretty simple to make too, just four stitching lines (two of them are even straight). ;)

Supplies

The stretch of the fleece will need to go across the width of the scarf, not the length, so the scarf doesn't stretch out really long when it's being used. This means you will need to buy enough fleece for the length of the scarf. 54" was a good length for a girls size scarf.

1 1/2 yds. of pink fleece and 1/4 yd of white fleece (This is enough to make eight scarves.)
3/8" Ribbon (The polka-dot ribbon is from Wal-mart.)
Black Thread
Black Felt (2-3 sheets for eight scarves), Assorted Gems, Hot Glue, and Safety Pins. (optional)

*I bought the inexpensive, thin fleece from Wal-mart for $2.88 a yard. It worked really well for this project. I spent around $5.50 on enough fabric to make 8 scarves.

Directions

(Sewing time is about 15 minutes for each scarf.)

1. Cut off the selvage edges. Cut the pink fleece 7" wide, using the length of the fleece (54") for the length of the scarf. The stretch needs to go across the width of the scarf, not the length, so the scarf doesn't stretch out when worn. I have a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat that I use to get a nice clean straight edge.

2. Cut a piece of white fleece that is 4 1/2" tall by 7" wide. Again, the stretch of the fleece goes from side to side on the scarf.

3. Overlap the white fleece over the pink fleece by 1 1/4". Stitch across the top using a zig-zag stitch. (Practice on a scrap piece of fleece first to decide on the stitch length and width of the zig-zag.) Stitch across the bottom using a zig-zag stitch. If the stitch isn't perfectly straight, don't worry about it, just trim the white fleece down a bit so it appears that it is. No one will ever know. ;)

4. Sew the ribbon on in the center of the zig-zag stitches, turning under each end first.

TIP: When you are sewing ribbon on, it's best to start on one end and sew down both sides of the ribbon in the same direction. This helps to prevent puckering. It also helps to pin it first and gently pull it taut as you sew.

5. Cut the fringe about 1/2" wide. Each cut doesn't need to be measured exactly, just make them pretty close to the same size.

To Add an Embellished Initial

Find a chunky font that you like and print out the letter in the size that you want. This letter is 4" tall. I used WordArt in Microsoft Publisher to make the pattern. Choose a color for the line and no fill color to save on ink. Roughly cut around the paper pattern, pin it to the felt, and then cut through the paper and felt layers at the same time on the line. (You can do this when cutting out clothes patterns too, it saves a lot of time.)

The girls embellished the felt letters with sparkly gems and I hot glued them to the felt for them while they were doing another activity. They LOVED this. In fact, when I took the lid off of the tin with the gems in it, there was an audible gasp (all in unison) when they saw them, it was sooo cute!

In the interest of time, I safety-pinned the letters (from the back) to each of their scarves with those teeny little gold safety pins. This way they can take them off to launder the scarf. I chose hot glue for the sole reason that it dries quickly, there are other glues you can use that are washable.

The girls (ages 5-8) all loved the scarves and were so thrilled that they got to 'design' them themselves. Before they left the party they all made plans to wear them to school the next day, how adorable is that! :)

Of course with different color choices this scarf could be made for other holidays and party themes as well. Let me know if you think of any fun ones! :)

Have a great weekend!

Today's Fabulous Find...Girl's Fleece Scarf

Linking up to:

Oopsey Daisy Lil' Luna Not Just a Housewife Today's Creative Blog Home Stories A to Z Sugar Bee Crafts Skip to My Lou Pocket Full of Pink I Heart Naptime Tator Tots and Jello Serenity Now

Five Fabulous Finds: Valentine Ideas

2012-01-17T08:19:00.001-07:00

#1 Tissue Rosette Kissing Balls: The Idea Room

It's hard to believe these are made with crepe paper streamers--such a great idea and so pretty!
(There is a link to a tutorial on how to make the tray too.)

#2 Valentines Day Countdown Printable: If I Could

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This printable is for the boys and there is a pink one for the girls.

Just add some Kisses and/or Hugs. Lots of fun without a lot of work!

#3 Alligator Candy Filled Valentine: Skip To My Lou

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Isn't he so fun!? FREE printable template.

#4 Heart-Shaped Cinnamon Rolls: Pinch My Salt

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Take a plate to a friend or dazzle your family!

#5 Love Juice: At Second Street

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Pour a single serving drink mix into the water and you have instant "Love Juice".

Genius idea and perfect for a class Valentine party! FREE printables included.

Did you see something here that you find fabulous? Let's make their day and let them know. :)

Today's Fabulous Finds: Five Fun Valentine Ideas

{Before and After} Framed Tile and Cutting Edge Stencil Winner

2012-01-12T19:26:00.011-07:00

I've got a small, inexpensive project to share with you today. The whole picture only cost me a whopping 50 cents+tax!

I started with a .50 frame from the thrift store, spray painted it black, and distressed it.

This is how it looked when I bought it.

The tile around the edge was leftover from our bathroom remodel. It's only taped to scrapbook paper so if we ever need to use it it's still in good shape. I dried a flower from my yard and glued two very small pieces of cardboard to the center back of the daisy so it 'floats' in the frame and then taped it to the scrapbook paper.

Tip: One summer I took a bunch of flowers from my yard and placed them in-between the pages of a large telephone book. I just keep them there so whenever I need a dried flower for something I know where to find them.

The back is still in poor shape, but this picture hangs in my bathroom, so there wasn't any need to fix it up.

The little plant was another great find. It was on clearance for $2 because the greenery was falling out--I just pushed it back in and it was as good as new. It was such a lucky find!

I like to keep this picture up all year round because it reminds me that my yard will green up again and Winter won't last forever, although some days it seems as if it might. :) Hope this gives you some ideas!

Also, the winner of the Cutting Edge Stencil Giveaway
(winning one stencil of her choice up to a $50 value) is Lisa Summerhays.

Congratulations Lisa!!!

A big thank you to Cutting Edge Stencils for giving away such a generous prize and to all of you who entered!

It was fun to read about all of your projects. :)

Today's Fabulous Find...Framed Tile

Linking up to: The 36th Avenue Home Stories A to Z Today's Creative Blog I {Heart} Naptime Funky Junk Interiors Tator Tots and Jello Serenity Now Design Dazzle The Shabby Nest My Repurposed Life

Cutting Edge Stencil Giveaway Ends Tonight!--Giveaway has Closed

2012-01-11T13:16:00.002-07:00

***Giveaway has closed***

Just a quick reminder that the Cutting Edge Stencil Giveaway ends tonight. Enter for a chance to win a stencil of your choice, up to a $50 value! Plus the shipping is free.

Enter the giveaway here.

Miniature Craft Stick Chair (Gift Card Idea)

2012-01-09T12:16:00.003-07:00

Have you ever loved something so much, that you literally loved it to pieces? Sometimes it's not easy to find replacements for items that we love so we try to make them last just a little...bit...longer until there is really nothing left of it to love.

My mom bought some folding lawn chairs years ago that she has loved. We've sat in them so many times out in my parents backyard while visiting and watching the grandkids play. This last summer though, her favorite chairs were showing some serious wear and tear and weren't feelin' so comfy anymore, especially when the seat of the chair sank so low you felt that you might actually fall through the 2/3 of the seat that was actually still there! It was at that point (when I thought I might actually fall through) that I declared to my mom that I was buying her new lawn chairs for Christmas! I was 99% sure that she wouldn't remember that I told her I was buying her new chairs by the time Christmas came around. (turns out I was right.)

Well, Summer came to an end and guess who also forgot my mom was getting new chairs for Christmas...me! That's right, I totally forgot to buy them when they were in season. I wanted to at least give her the money to buy her favorite chairs this summer (in case she actually did remember she was getting new chairs), but didn't want to just give her a card with money in it. Two of my sisters both suggested making a small lawn chair as sort of a gift card and money keeper to hold the cash until summer rolls around again, which sounded like a great idea to me, so that's what I did.

I think that you can probably find just about everything on the internet because I actually found a tutorial on how to make a lawn chair out of craft sticks. No kidding! I was so happy! I made up my own variation, using the tutorial as a guide.

It's made of craft sticks and held together with hot glue. The stain color is dark walnut. When I was done making the chair it was missing something though, it needed a cushion, so I made one with a very thin layer of batting. The final touch was a tiny 1 1/2" pillow, hand sewn I might add (only the best for my mom), that says: We {Heart} Grandma. I put the money in a small clear bag and tucked it in the underside of the chair.

I forgot to take pictures of it until we were en route to my Parents house so I made up a little photo studio on the dash of our truck using Christmas cards for the background. I was so proud of my husband, he didn't even roll his eyes at me once! :)

I don't suppose you have a use for a miniature chair, unless you make doll furniture, but I just wanted to show you how it turned out and pass on a fun alternative to just giving cash.

If you have something that you've literally 'loved to pieces' and are having a hard time finding a replacement for it, I'd love to hear about it!

Today's Fabulous Find...Miniature Lawn Chair Tutorial

I love to link to: Someday Crafts Oopsey Daisy Today's Creative Blog

Five Fabulous Finds and December Thank You's

2012-01-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

December is always such a busy month and I love it, but by the end of the month I'm always ready for the calm days of January. It's been awhile since I've posted any features, so I have five to share with you today!

#1 Decorative Wall Mirrors at Shanty 2 Chic

I didn't even know that I like mirrors in Dining Rooms until I saw the Decorative Wall Mirrors that Whitney made at Shanty 2 Chic. They're gorgeous! If you don't already follow Shanty 2 Chic you're missing out on some really fantastic DIY decor projects.

#2 16 Ideas for Organized Kids Closets at Serenity Now

Amanda put together a feature post with photos of 16 different organized kids closets. This post has a bunch of good ideas. In fact, I think I had her post roll through my Google Reader 4 or 5 times, just so I could keep looking it. :)

#3 Growing Your Blog Series at Centsational Girl

Did you read the 'Growing Your Blog' Series that Kate at Centsational Girl organized? It was fun to read about the experiences of five well-known Bloggers on five different topics of Blogging.

#4 Favorite Recipes of 2011 at The Girl Who Ate Everything

I made Christy's Bloomin' Onion Bread last year, it's on the readers favorites list, and my family really likes it (the ones who were willing to try it anyway). We like it on french bread too. I just slice the loaf in half lengthwise and put the toppings on top, so yummy! Christy put a list together of her favorites of 2011 as well.

#5 Aged Inside Door at Down to Earth Style

I just saw this photo on Pinterest and was so intrigued. It's an inside door that leads down to the basement. I'll be looking around this blog some more, Holly has many creative ideas for the home.

December Thank you's

I didn't ever post thank you's to the Bloggers who featured one of my projects in December. (This will probably be my last month putting this list together.) As always, the links go directly to the home page of the blog and I know they'd love a visit!

Marshmallow Wonderland Vignette

Creations by Kara
Beneath My Heart

Funky Junk Interiors-Facebook Feature

Pocket Full of Pink

A Mommy's Life with a Touch of Yellow

Printable Christmas Countdown Block

House of Hepworths

Creative Busy Hands

Game Night in a Bag

Crayon Wishes and Popsicle Dreams

Christmas and Winter Mantels

Serenity Now

Printable Paint Stick Ornaments

Craft Gossip

Mod Podge Rocks-Facebook Feature

Interchangeable Holiday Frame-Snowman OrnamentsCrafts by Amanda

15 Gift Ideas Under $2
Simply Rebekah

Children's Nativity Set

Under the Table and Dreaming
Fun Family Crafts
#1 Project at The CSI Projects Kid's Holiday Crafts Challenge

2x4 Snowmen
Lynn Spin

Father/Dad Subway Art Print
Tip Junkie

Today's Fabulous Finds...

DIY Wall Mirror
16 Organized Kids Closets
Growing Your Blog Series
Favorite Recipes of 2011
Aged Inside Door

$50 Cutting Edge Stencil Giveaway and Review--Closed

2012-01-05T08:56:00.003-07:00

This Giveaway has closed.

Happy New Year!

What better way to start out the new year than with a giveaway, right? Right!

How does a free Cutting Edge Stencil of your choice (up to a $50 value, w/free shipping) sound to you? Pretty good?

Cutting Edge Stencils has a large selection of stencils to choose from including a new line of craft size stencils that are the perfect size for smaller projects like pillows as well as larger size stencils for walls and furniture.

source

I've wanted to try stenciling on fabric for awhile now, so when Cutting Edge Stencils contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing one of their stencils and hosting a giveaway I was ready to dive right in and give it a try!

I thought a pillow cover would be a great first-time fabric stenciling project and it was, I actually had a lot of fun with it and it was so easy. I still need some practice with stenciling on fabric (you might notice that the paint is a little blotchy, but I will go back and touch it up and am confident my skills will improve for my next project. ) The lines however are all crisp and clean, I was pretty amazed with how well the stencil worked and know I'll use it again on a larger project at some point.

The stencil I used is called the Rabat craft stencil. I started with some fabric that I bought on clearance, it's a heavy weight two-sided woven fabric, a natural color on one side, dark brown on the other. The pillows have envelope backs made with osnaburg fabric (same as the ruffle).

I used regular acrylic craft paint and bought a fabric medium to mix in with it. It was 2 parts paint (1 bottle), 1 part fabric medium (1/2 bottle). Just follow the directions on the fabric medium bottle, it's quite simple to do. My paint may have been too thick, next time I might thin it out just a little.

I was impressed with the quality of the stencil and glad that they included a free smaller stencil so I could practice with it first.

The stencil was easy to line up when I needed to move it and cleaned up really well when I was done.

For a great tutorial on how to stencil, if you've never tried it before, you can watch the video below to learn all about the tips and tricks to using stencils.

To enter to win a Cutting Edge Stencil of your choice
(up to a $50 value):
Leave me a comment and tell me what you would like to stencil if you win...a wall, your pantry, a kids room, furniture, whatever, I want to hear about it. :) For an additional entry:
Like Cutting Edge Stencils on Facebook and then leave a comment on this post saying that you did.
*This giveaway is open until Wednesday, January 11th at 10pm MST when I will randomly select a winner. The winner will have two days to contact me to claim their prize or I will select a new winner. (Sorry, you must have a U.S. postal address to enter.) Good Luck!

Linking up to Someday Crafts Giveaway Directory
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned in this post for free in the hope that I would mention it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe my readers will enjoy. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Favorite Projects of 2011

2011-12-31T23:06:00.001-07:00

I hope you are all enjoying the holidays! I'm almost too late, but wanted to squeeze in one last post for the year, to share with you some of my favorite projects of 2011. I would share my top 10 posts, but they are mostly Christmas crafts and I think it's more fun to see projects from throughout the whole year.

Decorative Door and Burlap Bubble Wreath

When I posted my burlap bubble wreath, I had no idea what kind of reaction it would get. I joked that I wanted to bring back the 90's bubble wreath and I think it's safe to say now that it's back! It was so fun to watch it spread through the blogosphere and to hear from those of you who made one!

Crepe Paper Flowers

Fall Mantel and DIY Mantel Shelf

I love, love, love this shelf!!! Wish I'd made it sooner. I also wish I could remember it's there!

(Be careful of the corners, they will hurt you if you back up into them. I know!)

Marshmallow Wonderland Vignette

2 x 4 Snowman Family

Thrifty Birds Nest

I put this together for Spring, but when I saw it the other day I decided it could be a little Winter bird as well and brought it back out of storage to use with my Winter decor.

Subway Art

This year I completed my goal of making a subway art print for every major month/season, which was quite the task! These are a few of my favorites.

January, Valentine's Day, Patriotic, St. Patrick's Day

Interchangeable Holiday Frame

Paint Stick Crate

Fall Crate

Framing a Shelf, Paint Stick DIY Window, and Spring Plate

How to make a window from a picture frame.

Easter Vignette

Stenciled Job Board

It's hard to imagine that another year of blogging is almost over. What a fun year it's been! I've really loved getting to know you through visiting your blogs and through your thoughtful comments. It's been so fun to find so many of you who share the same love for crafting as I do!

Thanks for reading and for making this blog such a fun hobby for me!

Wishing you a happy and bright new year!

Linking up to the Top 10 Party at Someday Crafts

$4 Christmas Centerpiece

2011-12-22T00:57:00.001-07:00

You may have noticed that lately I've developed a love of using real wood in decorating. I like the naturalness of it, the color, the texture, and that it makes a nice statement for little to no cost.

This is one of seven centerpieces that I put together to use at a church Christmas dinner. The cost per centerpiece was only $4, and $2 of that was for the round place mat.

I started with seven slices from a log that were about 2 1/2" thick. (My Dad was so great and cut them for me, using a chainsaw, on Thanksgiving Day while I was there visiting.)

The candles are from a dollar store, are battery powered, and are made with real vanilla scented wax. The candles have little tester buttons on them so you can see how they work before you buy them. I taped down the tester button so I didn't have to spend money on batteries for just one dinner. They stayed 'lit' on the little cell batteries through the whole dinner. (I forgot to take the plastic cover off of the candle for the picture and I also added a jute bow around the candle.)

I bought round place mats in red and green for $2 each, 2 packages of red ornaments from a dollar store, and $5 for the pine garland. (I would have preferred real pine, but on a budget the faux pine had to do and will allow us to use the centerpieces again.)

The cute little pine cones are from my grandparents pine trees. They were packed with thousands of these perfect little cones, it was like I was in pine cone heaven. :)

Since the pine cones came straight from the trees, I didn't want to chance bringing in little spiders and bugs so I followed Alison's directions over at House of Hepworths on how to kill the critters in pine cones and it worked great, I haven't seen any since. I actually saw some teeny tiny bugs and spiders crawling out of the pine cones so I highly recommend baking them before use so you don't have any uninvited guests at dinner, can you imagine? Not good!

I hope you are able to enjoy this time with your family and friends and in case you don't hear from me again in the next few days--

Happy Holidays!

Today's Fabulous Finds...How to Kill the Critters in Pine Cones and $4 Centerpieces

Marshmallow Wonderland Christmas and Winter Mantels

2011-12-13T15:38:00.016-07:00

Hi everybody, are you staying busy busy with all your holiday projects? December is whizzing by so fast that I've only had time to make half of the things that I planned to. New Christmas stockings for my mantel shelf were on my list of things to make, but they might have to wait until next year. I'm just about out of time to get them done, it's crazy how fast the days are going by! As I am writing this, my 5 year old just came in and said "When will Christmas be here, it's taking for-e-ver." Lol, wish my Christmas would come as slow as his. :)

Christmas Mantel

So even without the new stockings, I wanted to show you my Christmas Mantel. It's an expanded version of the Marshmallow Wonderland Vignette that I posted about earlier. The subway art and trees alone were just not enough for such a large shelf . I also wanted to display something for December that reflected more of the 'reason for the season'.

Winter Mantel

Here's a peek at how it will probably look in January with the Marshmallow World side of the subway art. I may switch it up some. The snowman family is carved from wood and was a sweet gift from a friend.

Scripture Subway Art

When I posted about my marshmallow wonderland vignette, I mentioned that I wanted to add another subway art to the back of the marshmallow world verse. My sister directed me to a scripture that could be used for both Christmas and Easter or really at any time. It's found in 1 John 4:9. I fit it onto the boards as best I could, looking back I may have changed a couple of things, but I really love the scripture and it's message so I can overlook the spacing.

The subway art wasn't tall enough and didn't look quite right, so I set it on four small cut logs to give it some height.

The rattan balls are from the dollar store and came in a pack of six. I think they look like snowballs, so they were a fun addition. They fit better with the Marshmallow World side of the subway art, but I think they still look okay with the Christmas theme.

The garland is from JoAnn's. I only paid $10 for it on sale and it was enough for my mantel, to run across my stair rail, and also to put over a mirror.

The 'snow' is just a low loft bonded batting that I cut to fit the top of the mantel shelf.

Berry Twig Wreath

As soon as I saw this wreath at JoAnn's, I knew it was just what I wanted. I used a coupon and was able to buy it for only $20.

I bought the nest separate from the wreath and added some feathers to it. I wanted to place a white dove in the nest, but could only find them in a box of 8. Since I have no use for 8 doves (and the box was still $8 at 40% off, I'm perfectly happy with just the feathers for now. They add a little softness to the wreath and who knows maybe I'll find a little white or red bird on clearance to use next year.

Decorative Vinyl Plate

This was one of the easier projects. I cut out a vinyl nativity silhouette in three colors, then put it on a plate from the dollar store. The easel is also from the dollar store. The vinyl image is from the Silhouette store.

Trees

Click here for tutorials on each of the trees and the subway art. You can learn how I made the mantel shelf here.

Well, that's it! It's not your typical mantel, but I think it's uniqueness is what I love the most about it. I still want to add some battery powered tea lights and of course the new stockings if I can get them sewn in time. If I get it done I'll be sure to show you. :)

Today's Fabulous Finds...Christmas and Winter Mantels

Linking up to: The Shabby Nest Sugar Bee Crafts Today's Creative Blog Funky Junk Interiors Tator Tots and Jello Pocket Full of Pink Serenity Now Somewhat Simple House of Hepworths Creations by Kara Someday Crafts

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned in this post for free in the hope that I would mention it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe my readers will enjoy. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Two Printable Christmas Countdowns--One Block {Neighbor Gift Idea}

2011-12-09T03:57:00.013-07:00

I'm finally ready to show you what I'll be giving as one of my 'neighbor' gifts this year. Are you ready for this? ...It's not just one Christmas Countdown, it's two Christmas Countdowns...but all in one!

While one side is counting down to Santa's arrival...

...the other side of the block is counting up to celebrate Christ's birth.

So as the snowflake falls...the star rises...and as the star rises...the snowflake falls, pretty exciting stuff! :) Of course it doesn't need to be two-sided you could just use one of the prints and paint the back. I just couldn't choose and thought why not just use both!

I'm also sharing 8x10 versions that you can easily print and put in a frame. This countdown starts on December 15th so it's not too late to make one. Plus it's a good excuse to deliver the gifts early before things get even busier as it gets closer to Christmas.

The marker will end on #1 on Christmas Eve.

(The actual print has a bit more space between the words and the frame, I didn't realize it would be so close when I printed this one.)

All the details...

Paint Color: Apple 4-sample size from Valspar (Lowes). It darkens A LOT with the stain over the top of it. It will take two coats. I like the uneven aged look, so I just rub it on with a rag.

Stain Color: Minwax Dark Walnut

Star and Snowflake: From a local craft store. You could use anything for the marker really. There are a lot of very cute miniature ornaments available. You can even buy them at the dollar store.

Ribbon: I used 1/8" white. I tried to use jute and small ric-rac, but they don't move freely enough and tend to catch on the wood.

Eyelets: Look for them in the scrapbooking section at the craft store. You can buy gold and silver refill eyelets at JoAnn's in the notion section.

Distress Ink Pad: Dark Walnut

Photo Paper: Sometimes you can find it at the dollar store. I prefer to print onto photo paper because the color is so much more vibrant. I spray it with a matte clear acrylic sealer as a precaution so the ink doesn't smear when I Mod Podge over it. I'm not sure if this is always necessary, but I haven't wanted to chance it.

Updated to add: I'm making 10 more of these and am having problems with the ink bleeding even with the clear acrylic spray. The first block I made I used my favorite heavy weight premium photo paper (from Dollar Tree) and didn't have any problems at all. The prints I'm working with now were printed on regular weight Kodak paper and I haven't been very impressed with the outcome. (I had to redo them all with the Dollar Tree paper.) The Kodak paper was thinner so every little bump in the wood showed up and the red ink smeared quite badly because it wasn't a high quality paper that I used. (If you use a lazor jet printer or have the prints printed professionally at a photo center you won't have any problems with the ink smearing while applying the Mod Podge.) I would highly recommend using a heavy premium weight photo paper or card stock if you are printing it at home, and spraying it with 3 light coats of Mod Podge's Clear Acrylic Sealer to prevent frustration.

Block Size: 7 1/4 x 9" I like to choose 2x8's in the 8' length (Lowe's are 7 1/4" wide, Home Depot's are only 7" wide.) because that length of board generally seems to be straighter. If you get a really long board, from my experience, it tends to bow and twist.

Painting Directions: I painted the countdown block using the same technique that I used to paint my faux window. It takes some time to layer it, but it's worth it to me because I really like the finished look. Keep reading for the painting directions.

These prints are to be used

FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY

If you would like to share the countdown prints with your readers, I ask that you use one of the photos above and then link back here for the prints.

Please don't post the prints on your blog. Thank you! :)

Prints for a 7 1/4" X 9" Block:

Print as an 8x10 and then trim to the blue background to fit the block.

Prints for an 8x10 Frame

Edited to Add: At the last minute I decided I needed a poem to go with the countdown to explain what it was all about, so the day that they needed to be delivered, I wrote one. I didn't have a lot of time to think about it so keep that in mind as you read it. :) You are welcome to use it for your personal use if you'd like.

Download/Print the Poem in Google Docs here.

To download: You must first right click on the image and open it in a new window in it's highest resolution. Right click on the image, click on save image as to save it to your computer. Open the image in your computers picture program. Select to print it. Choose letter size paper and then select to print it as an 8x10. Unselect fit picture to frame if necessary.

Print them onto photo paper for the best quality prints. (Check your dollar store for photo paper, I buy packages of 8- 8 1/2 x 11 sheets for only $1 at Dollar Tree.)

Assembling the Wood Block Countdown: This is made in the same way as my Halloween Countdown except that there is a countdown (print and marker) on both sides.

Cut a block that measures 7 1/4 x 9"x 2".
Sand it with an electric sander, rounding the corners so they aren't sharp.
Wipe the dust off with a damp paper towel and let it dry.
With a foam brush, apply stain over the entire block. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and then rub off any excess stain. Let it dry.
With a rag, rub the paint (whatever color you choose) onto the block everywhere that won't be covered up by the print. You don't need to get the corners and edges much because you will be sanding it back off anyway so keep it light in those areas.
Paint two coats and let dry.
Sand the corners and edges to distress then wipe the block down with a damp paper towel. Let dry.
With a rag, LIGHTLY rub some stain over the paint. QUICKLY rub it right back off again with a clean part of the rag, rubbing it in some as you do so. Let is dry some. It doesn't need to be completely dry for the next step and can still be slightly tacky.
Take a cloth over the tip of your finger and dab it lightly in some white paint. Don't use too much, just enough that it will leave a small streak when you rub your finger over the block. Add a few random white accents over the block, rubbing them in a bit as you go. Let it dry slightly.
Once more, lightly rub some stain over the white areas that you painted. This makes the white look kind of silvery.
Spray the block with a matte clear acrylic sealer.

Drilling: Mod Podge the top print on first and let dry. When you drill the holes make sure the drill is exactly vertical so the prints will line up on both sides. Use scissors to punch through the holes of the back print, match up the holes and Mod Podge it on to the back.

*Please click over to the Halloween Countdown posts for the rest of the tutorial on how to add the print, the eyelets, and the marker.

8x10 Tutorial

Wood Block Tutorial

Note: If you choose to use a metal marker (the star), it takes a lot of hot glue to get it to stay on. You may want to use a stronger glue that is intended for metal instead.

I'll be the first to admit that this countdown is a bit quirky, but I think it's fun, I hope you do to. :)

Today's Fabulous Find...Two Printable Christmas Countdowns--One Block.

I'm entering the CSI Projects' Neighbor Gift Challenge.

Linking up here:

Home Stories A to Z

Centsational Girl's Holiday Craft Party House of Hepworths Under The Table and Dreaming

Skip to My Lou Funky Junk Interiors Tator Tots and Jello Pocket Full of Pink

A Dozen {More} Gift Ideas and November Thank You's

2011-12-03T13:33:00.001-07:00

I've been looking through my past posts and found several more ideas for small gift ideas that I thought you might like. There's already an overwhelming amount of crafty inspiration out there, but who knows, maybe one of these projects will be just what you were looking for.

A Dozen {more} Small Gift Ideas

Click here for the first 25 small gift and craft ideas.

#1 Interchangeable Holiday Frame

-Every month/season just hang new ornaments on the nails in the frame to update it. I store the ornaments in a small decorative trunk near the frame so they are right there when I'm ready to change it.

#2 Girls and Boys' Eddy Caps

-This cap only costs around $1.50 to make if you are making more than one at a time (with a discount coupon).

#3 Bird Nest Necklace

-This is a simple necklace to make and is not too expensive if you are making more than one.

#4 Girls' Simple Beaded Bracelet

-Girls age 6 and up can make these with a little help. They would make great friend gifts and can easily be personalized with their favorite color of beads.

#5 Tooth Fairy Pillow

-My mom made a tooth fairy pillow for me for Christmas when I was a young girl--I loved it!

#6 LOVE Letter Photo Art
-This is a print that I made by taking pictures of objects in my own yard, the print can be downloaded in the post.

-Shanty 2 Chic also just shared a link to a TON of letter photos on Flickr that can be used for free and shared the cutest idea for a letter photo art name board. I really think it's such a 'fabulous' gift idea and could be personalized for family gifts.

#7 Six Prints for Small Signs

-Printed onto photo paper and Mod Podged on. These are inexpensive and easy to make.

#8 Interchangeable Photo, Recipe, Quote, Blocks

-So many uses for these plus they cost less than $2 each to make. (Cost depends on how many you make.)

#9 Paint Stick Crate

-This crate could be filled with a number of things. For Christmas is would be nice to put 5 pillar candles in it with a filler, like evergreens and berries. Five pint jars fit perfectly inside it, which could be filled with a number of things, or you could even just fill the crate with pine cones and/or ornaments.

#10 Vinyl quote on a plate

-Maybe add a quote that has meaning to whoever is receiving the plate. Also, I have a Christmas plate done that I'll be posting in the near future that would also make a nice neighbor gift.

#11 $ Store Wash Tub

-Could replace the birdhouse with scented soaps or lotion and then wrap with cellophane and a pretty ribbon. I don't know how easy it would be to find the tubs at this time of year though.

# 12 Paint Stick Soap Box

-Wrap in cellophane, add a pretty ribbon. You can buy a 5 gallon size paint stick for about .40, this box will take two of them. If I made another soap box I would paint or stain it in a prettier color than this one and I think it would look nicer. Like maybe in dark walnut. Or similar to how I made my subway art.

November Thank You's

Linking back at the end of the month to those who featured my projects (and let me know about it) is something that I've done pretty much since the beginning of my blog. It's a way to say thank you, let you know about some great blogs that maybe you weren't aware of, and also is a review of sorts of some of the posts if you missed them.

I'm including pictures and links to the projects this time because several of these projects could also be given as gifts. Sorry that some of them are repeats from the last list of 25 ideas.

The links to the blogs go directly to the home pages.

15 Gifts Ideas Under $2
Organizing Homelife
Design Dazzle

Mantel Shelf
Faded Country

Thanksgiving/Fall Mantel
Creations by Kara
Embellishing Life Everyday
Home Stories A to Z

Marshmallow Wonderland Vignette
Christmas Finds
Clean and Scentsible
Craft Gossip
Home Stories A to Z
Oopsey Daisy
Sand and Sissel on Facebook
Tator Tots and Jello on Facebook
Under The Table and Dreaming

It's A Marshmallow World Subway Art
Domestically Speaking

2x4 Snowman Family
Moose 'n Melts

Paint Stick Ornaments
The Wedding Gals came up with a very creative way to use the concept of the paint stick ornaments for of all things--weddings! You really need to go read about her idea--it's brilliant!

Burlap 'Bubble' Wreath
The Trendy Tree
Queen of my Nest

'Thankful Defined' Decorative Charger
The Idea Room

Thanksgiving Subway Art (Second Edition)
Craft Bliss
Inspired By
The CSI Project

Children's Nativity
Design Dazzle

I have another gift idea to show you, a printable countdown calendar, but it's not quite ready to post. I will for sure post it next week (when my life isn't quite so busy, are you feeling the rush too?) so you will still have time to make it for your friends/neighbors if you'd like.

(Click here for the previous list of 25 small gift ideas.)

Have a nice weekend!

Featuring: Christmas Tree Wall Art

2011-12-01T08:50:00.003-07:00

Alison at Oopsey Daisy just made the most adorable wall art! Have you seen it?

This would be a fun way to use up fabric scraps...and ribbon pieces...and trim remnants...which I just so happen to have plenty of! You too? There isn't any glass in the frame so with a little spray paint magic just think of what you could do with a thrift store frame or an old frame you have stashed away. I can't wait to make one and am thinking it would be a nice gift for my kids to make for their school teachers as well.

Click Here for Alison's Tutorial

Today's Fabulous Find...Christmas Tree Wall Art!

Twenty-Five Small Christmas Gift Ideas and Crafts

2011-11-27T03:56:00.000-07:00

This week has been crazy busy so I thought it would be a fantastic time to share a few of my projects with you from last year that you maybe haven't seen yet. One of these days I'm hoping to finish up a thumbnail menu of past projects so they are easier to find. I'll be sure to let you know if I ever get it done. :)

Game Night in a Bag

Printable Paint Stick Ornaments

Paint Stick Snow Men (tops of paint sticks)

Homemade Caramels

Child Size Dish Towel Apron

S'mores Kit w/Printable Tag

Cookie Kit in a Bucket

2x4 Snowman Family

Christmas Subway Art Printables

Personalized Pillow Case

15 Small Neighbor Gift/Door Prizes under $2

I'll be back with not one, but TWO fun Christmas Countdown Prints! :)

Today's Fabulous Find...25 Small Christmas Gift Ideas

Marshmallow Wonderland Vignette {6 Tutorials}

2011-11-21T17:45:00.010-07:00

Recently I was given the wonderful opportunity to guest post at Under The Table and Dreaming for Handmade Holidays (featuring STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam), which was really such a huge thrill for me. Stephanie Lynn's blog is one of the first blogs that I started reading and has always been a favorite of mine and a source of inspiration. This is the post that I shared.

Imagine a world with marshmallow trees and whipped cream days. A place where the sun shines so your nose won't freeze, and marshmallow clouds are being friendly. Doesn't that sound so fun! These images come from the song 'It's a Marshmallow World', which was the inspiration in creating a whimsical marshmallow wonderland for my kids that will keep them dreaming all Winter long.

In our marshmallow world there is a tree made of white fluffy 'marshmallows' with polka dots that look strangely similar to the berries in a certain crunchy holiday cereal we enjoy!

Our wonderland has a tree that is made up entirely of 'mints', a tree topped with yummy whipped cream, and a 'fur' tree that is softer than any fir tree we've ever known!

Our marshmallow world is a magical place full of wonder and fun and I'm so excited to be here today to show you how you can make one of your own. If you're not a sewer, don't worry, you will only need some hot glue and a whole lot of straight pins!

For all Five Trees

Cut a tree branch in varying lengths for the trunks of the trees. It's best to use a saw, but large pruning shears will work okay. For the tree bases, cut a small log into varying sizes. Hot glue the branch to the log (use plenty of glue) and then glue moss around the base of the trunks.

Tree #1: 'Fur' Tree

Supplies Needed:

One 12" x 4" Cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
13" x 17" Faux fur remnant
Ribbon
Extra long satin pins
Hot Glue Gun

1. Wrap the fur around the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam on a diagonal and pull the fabric together tightly.

2. Pin along the side, then cut the fur next to the pins.

3. Fold the fabric on the end up to the base. Cut the fur to fit the base.

4. Pull the fur together on the side, overlapping it slightly, and pin it in place. Trim if needed.

5. Trim the fur at the top of the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam (if necessary) and pin in place.

6. Cut a small hole in the circle of fur at the base large enough to fit the diameter of the branch for the trunk.

7. Fold the fur under at the edges and pin it in place at the base.

8. Wrap the ribbon around the tree on a diagonal. Pin at the top and the bottom. Cut the ends of the ribbon on a diagonal to reduce the risk of fraying.

9. Hot glue the tree to it's base.

Tree #2- 'Peppermint' Tree

Supplies Needed

One 8" x 3" Cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
13" x 14" Fabric Remnant (A heavier decorator fabric works nicely.)
Ribbon to Embellish
Extra Long Satin Pins

1. Wrap the fur around the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam on a diagonal, overlapping the fabric.

2. Fold the fabric on the tree top under and pin in place by sticking the pin straight in to the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam.

4. Fold and pleat the fabric at the tree base, pin in place.

5. Trim the extra fabric, leaving an opening that is the size of the branch for the trunk.

6. Hot glue the tree to it's base and pin the fabric close to the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam.

7. Pin a ribbon(s) around the top and around the base of the tree. The finished tree pictured in the vignette has on ribbon over top of another.

Tree #3-(No Sew) 'Whipped Cream' Tree

Supplies Needed

One 6" x 3" Cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
2 1/2" Strip of 45" wide fabric in white and one 4" white fabric square
2 1/2" Strip of 45" wide fabric in green (or another accent color)
Extra Long Satin Pins

1. For the Ruffles: Of the green fabric, cut two 2 1/2" x 11" strips, one 2 1/2" x 10" strip, and one 2 1/2 x 9" strip. Of the white fabric, cut one 2 1/2" x 11" strip, two 2 1/2" x 10" strip, and a square 4" x 4" piece for the top.

2. The order of the ruffles starting from the bottom is: 11" green, 11" white, 11" green, 10" white, 10" green, 10" white, 9" green, and white 4x4 square on the top.

3. Fold the fabric strips in half. Wrap the bottom strip around the bottom of the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam overlapping the edges. Pin it.

4. Pin the fabric strip on the opposite side, then again in the middle of the other sides and then once more to gather the ruffle.

5. Make a 'bubble' of white fabric (steps shown below), pin it to the top of the tree. Tuck any raw edges under and pin it so the bubble of fabric hides the pins.

6. Glue the tree to it's base.

Tree #4-'Marshmallow/Bubble' Tree

Supplies Needed

One 12" x 4" Cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
One package of sixteen 1" Balls of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
3/4 yd of 58" wide heavy weight white fabric (The tree pictured is made of white stretch taffeta.)
Paint
Extra Long Satin Pins

The Marshmallows/Bubbles

(This tree was inspired by my Burlap Bubble Wreath. I thought it would be fun to try the bubble on another shape.)

A pin is used in the pictures to show where you will hold the fabric with your thumb and index finger when folding it. You don't need to pin it until step five.

1. Cut six 4" strips that are 58" long and then cut each strip into 4" squares.

2. Fold the square in half to form a triangle. Take the right hand corner (pinch one layer of the fabric on the very tip) and bring it to the front. Line up the corners.

3. Take the left hand corner (pinch one layer of fabric on the very tip) and take it to the back. Line up the corners.

4. All four corners should be lined up at the bottom. Puff out the center, it should be in a bubble shape now.

5. Pin through all four layers of fabric.

6. Pin the 'bubbles' to the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam. Pin one bubble on and then place the next one close to it so that it hides the pin on the one that you just added. The bubbles should be just close enough so that you don't see any of the cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam or the pins.

Polka-Dots/Berries (To add a little whimsy.)

Push a pin through the center of each of the sixteen 1" balls of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam. Hold onto the pin to paint them. Let fully dry. Push the pin in between the bubbles on the tree.

Tree# 5- 'Mint' or 'Jelly Bean' Tree

Supplies Needed

One 6" x 3" Cone of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
Bag of baby lima beans
Hot glue gun and glue
Accent ribbon
Off white spray paint

1. Glue the beans on in rows one at a time with hot glue until the tree is completely covered.

2. Pick off any strands of hot glue, then spray paint it with off-white spray paint.

3. Glue the tree-top onto the trunk and base and pin a ribbon bow to the top.

Subway Art Sign

Supplies

One 12"x18" Board of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
Four 1/4" x 3" x 24" Poplar Boards (They actually measure 2 1/2 inches wide, not a full 3" and can be found at Lowes.)
Four large 5 gallon size paint sticks. You can buy them at some paint counters. (You could also use ribbon instead.)
Dark Walnut Stain
Off-white Paint (Sherwinn Williams Alabaster was used for this sign.)
Sand paper
Hot glue gun and hot glue
Black spray paint or craft paint

1. Spray paint the front of the 12" x 18" board of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam. Be careful to keep the coats light. If you spray too heavily in one place it can damage it. (This step is only necessary if the white color will show through between the wood slats, you could also use craft paint.)

2. Cut the 1/4" x 3" x 24" poplar boards in half. Measure first before you cut. You may need to trim them down some so the will fit. Cut the paint sticks to fit around the board of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam.

3. Use a rag to stain the 4 paint sticks and the poplar boards with dark walnut stain. Let fully dry.

4. I used a vinyl cutting machine and contact paper to make a stencil for the subway art. The font used is called Latha. Another option is to print out the words you want to use and cut out a stencil with an exacto knife. You could also print the subway art words on your home computer, take it to a copy center and copy it (prevents the Mod Podge from smearing the print), then trim to size and Mod Podge onto the boards.

5. If you are using a vinyl cutting machine: Cut out the subway art words onto contact paper. Weed out the background. Apply the lettering to the boards and paint over it. It may take 2 coats. While the paint is slightly dry yet still tacky, pull up the contact paper with some tweezers. Let dry and then sand to distress, sand all edges and lightly over the top of the stencil.

6. Glue the paint sticks around the perimeter of the board of STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam. Glue each board slat into place with a dot of hot glue on each side.

*I'm planning to buy more boards to put on the back of the subway art to make it reversible. I'll use words that are not seasonal so the board can be used year round.

This vignette took some time to put together, but wasn't difficult to make. It was nice to be able to use pins with the STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam. If something didn't look quite right, I simply pulled out the pin and tried again. Also, if I ever want to dream up a new look for the trees, I can easily unpin the fabric and recover them with something fun and new!

This was a lot of fun to put together and has now given me a reason to look forward to the month of January. :)

Edited to Add: If you'd like to see my full Marshmallow Wonderland Mantel and My Christmas Mantel, click here.

Linking to: Beneath My Heart Creations by Kara Tator Tots and Jello Funky Junk Interiors Creation Corner Someday Crafts Domestically Speaking Blue Cricket Design Today's Creative Blog Home Stories A to Z

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned in this post for free in the hope that I would mention it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe my readers will enjoy. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Craft Stick and Clay Pot Children's Nativity Set {Tutorial}

2011-11-17T10:14:00.021-07:00

Last week I guest posted at Design Dazzle's 100 Ideas of Christmas Wonderful (which is still going on) and shared this tutorial. Thanks to all of you who came over. :)

I just finished my very first Christmas craft of the season: A Childrens' Nativity Set made with craft sticks and clay pots. I'm so excited to show you how to make one for your own family or to give away as a gift!

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This nativity set is especially for kids. They can play with it, keep it in their room, and best of all...they can help you make it, which makes it even more special and memorable!

(The clay pot figures were inspired by a set that a good friend made for me years ago, there are many versions floating around so choose the one that you like best. The stable and manger are my own designs.)

Craft Stick Nativity Stable

(Finished size: Height 7" without the star, width 8")

Supplies Needed

Pkg. of craft sticks

Wire cutters and scissors

Hot glue gun and glue

Sm. pkg. of sheet moss

Dark brown stain or paint

Black craft wire

Wood star

Gold/yellow and cream/gray paint

Rag or foam brush

Sand paper

1. Using a pair of wire cutters, cut two paint sticks in half. Pinch the stick tightly with the wire cutters and then carefully break it off in two or one side may just flip across the room. Yes, we know from experience. :) Cut one-fourth of the length off of 4 more paint sticks. The rest of the sticks used will be full-size.

2. Lay out two sets of four sticks. Hot glue the half-size sticks to the top and bottom. Lay out 9 sticks, glue a full-size stick to the top and bottom.

3. Glue the X on. (You may want to wait to do this step until after your stain/paint the back piece.)

4. Glue the three wall pieces together as pictured above.

5. Lay out two sets of seven sticks. (Leave a small space between two of them to string the wire through for the star.) Glue a stick across, one inch up from the bottom. Glue another stick across at the top so it hangs over the top of the sticks by 1/8" (this will be the peak of the roof).

6. Glue the two parts of the roof together in the center. Use plenty of hot glue. Hold the two pieces in place on the sides of the stable and at the angle you want the roof as the glue dries.

7. Use a rag to stain the craft sticks and the star or paint them dark brown with craft paint and a brush. Let dry. With the rag, gently rub some cream or gray paint over the stain to give it a weathered look. Blend it in with a clean part of the rag as you go.

8. Glue the roof in place on the side walls. Lay out sheet moss on the roof, glue in place, and then roughly trim the edges with scissors.

9. For the star: Paint over the stain with gold paint. Sand to distress. Ink around the edges with a distress ink pad if necessary. Cut a piece of wire, thread it through the roof. Curl the end and hot glue it to the underside of the roof. Curl the top of the wire around a pencil and hot glue the star to the wire.

Clay Pot Nativity People

Supplies Needed

2- 1 3/4" to 2" clay pots (This is a seasonal item, I found mine at Jo Ann's)

2- round wood balls (1 1/2")

1- round wood ball (5/8")

Fabric scraps

Craft sticks

Permanent marker

Small dowel (you can also use an old foam brush handle)

Spanish moss

Blue, black, and flesh color paint and foam brush

Jute

Hot glue gun and glue

Small pin

Wire cutters

Baby Jesus and Manger

1. Cut 4 sticks just under 2" long using the rounded end, and 6 sticks 1 3/4" long. Criss-cross and glue the rounded sticks at the center. The legs must be glued exactly as shown in the picture for the manger to work correctly.

2. Glue 4 sticks on for the bottom of the manger, glue the remaining two sticks to the ends and then glue spanish moss onto the manger.

3. Cut a dowel 1" long. Glue the 5/8 ball to one end. Paint with flesh color paint. Draw the face on with a fine tip permanent marker. Dip the head of a small pin into white paint and dot the eyes and cheeks.

4. Cut a scrap of fabric. Fold the top of the fabric down an inch, wrap over the head, swaddle the fabric around the baby, tuck the ends under and glue to the back.

Joseph and Mary

1. Paint the pot and the head then hot glue the head to the pot.

2. For the robes, cut a square of scrap fabric. Fold the top inch under and place it over the head. Glue the sides of the robe to the pot. Bring the fabric around and glue at the bottom center. Trim off the excess fabric around the bottom with a pair of scissors.

3. Draw the faces on with a fine tip permanent marker and dot eyes and cheeks with a pin head dipped in white paint.

4. Separate one strand out from a piece of jute and tie it for Mary's bow. Tie some jute (all strands) in knots for the head bands.

I thought that Joseph and Mary could be a little taller, so I cut a piece of wood, painted it black (brown may have looked better), and set it inside the stable. It made them just the right height, you won't notice it there when Joseph and Mary are in place.

As you can see, this nativity set is not too hard to make. My daughter made the stable pictured below almost all on her own. She painted it a dark brown instead of staining it. Paint made the clean-up a lot easier, as you can imagine. :)

If you're looking for an activity that will entertain your kids/grand kids, I suggest buying a large box of craft sticks. Pictured below are a few of the things my kids have made 100% on their own, without any help. It's amazing the creativity that can come from a pile of craft sticks, a hot glue gun, and a little paint. It's so much fun!

We adore our little nativity set and hope that this is something that you can make and enjoy with your family as well!

Today's Fabulous Find...DIY Children's Nativity Set

Love to link up here: Homemade Nativities Link Party Junk in Their Trunk Creations By Kara Someday Crafts Blue Cricket Design Today's Creative Blog Home Stories A to Z Under The Table and Dreaming Just A Girl-Handmade Holidays Skip to My Lou I Heart Naptime One Artsy Mama Tator Tots and Jello The Shabby Nest Home is Where My Story Begins Creation Corner Finding Fabulous Pocket Full of Pink Crafty Moms Share

Marshmallow Wonderland Vignette

2011-11-14T21:49:00.002-07:00

Two posts in one day is a first for me! I'm back though because my project for Under The Table and Dreaming's Handmade Holiday Series has been posted and like I said, I'm just a little bit excited to share it with all of you!

This project has been weeks in the making, in fact I first started thinking about what I'd make back in September (seems so long ago now). I've written tutorials for each of the trees and for the subway art too, so if you're interested in learning how to make them, come on over to Under the Table and Dreaming and I'd love to show you how! :)