delicateCONSTRUCTION

Made by Little Hands!!

2012-02-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

I have had the most BUSY weekend!! I am so tired and I feel like I need a weekend from my weekend!

But I can't wait to see what you have been working on with your kids this week!

Here are some of the fun projects from last week!

Make sure you grab a featured button of the side bar if you see your project!

{Foam Sticker Printmaking from Learners in Bloom}

{Preserving Roses from Mess for Less}

{Seuss City from Madtown Macs}

{Watercolors from The Dot from One Artsy Mama}

Now for the office stuff:

*Please link to a specific post and not just not your blog, it is easier for everyone to find your posts. Feel free to link up more than one activity or idea.

*Grab my button or link up somewhere on your blog (party page, sidebar, text link, in the body of the post, whatever works for you).

*Visit two other people and let them know what you like about their project! (We all like comments, right?!)

*If you are feeling extra nice, it would be awesome if you would follow my blog or "like" me on facebook! Please and thank you! Last but not least, by posting a link you have consented to me using the link and photo in a feature post next week!

Little Bit of Genius {Shoe Storage}

2012-02-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yup, you read that right.

A whole Little Bit of Genius Post about shoes and ways to store them.

You can't get mad at that.

I think this is a great idea for storing cute heals, espeially if you are a preschool teacher and can't wear them all the time. Or if you are one of those people who has a bunch of fabulous pumps, you know the kinds with a red bottoms.

Source: storageandglee.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

This is great for sneakers and boots and you could probably adjust it to fit your kids sizes too! Especially in a mud room where boots come in wet and need to dry off.

Source: storageandglee.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Does this idea really need any commentary, it is just awesome.

Source: epbot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

The pictures says it all, it puts the fun in functional.

Source: eclecticinteriordesigngroup.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I like this one because even if you didn't have any shoes on it, it would still look great on the wall.

Source: livinginanutshell.com via Michelle on Pinterest

What is your favorite new idea from the week.

Delicately Constructed Friday!!!

2012-02-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

Good Morning!!

It is Friday, so that means it is time to see what YOU have been working on this week!!

Let's get started!!

But first the housekeeping stuff...

*Please feel free to link up whatever you have been working on this week- crafts, art, tutorials, before and afters, decorating projects, accessories, clothing refashions, sewing... the list goes on.

*You are more than welcome (encouraged even) to link up more than one post.

*Please link to the direct post, not your blog, it is just easier for all of us that way.

*Please link back to me somehow, somewhere. Text link, party page, button in the post- whatever, I am not picky.

*Lastly, visit people and comment, that is the whole point right?! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!!

Also, by linking, you give me the right to use the photo you linked up in a feature post- but I always make the photo a clickable link back to your blog.

dC Features!

2012-02-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

Time for some features!!

Hope you have been having a great week!!

It is going to be a busy weekend for me- hope yours is wonderful as well~!

Make sure you grab a button if you got featured!

{Felt Cuff from Het Groene Kamertje}

{Pantry Makeover from Domestic Imperfection}

{Stinkin' Cute Boots from A Rosie Sweet Home}

Click "Read More" for the rest of the features!

{Pinwheel Wreath from Loopy Loop Creations}

{Dry Erase Tip from The Creative Imperative}

{Upcycled Formula Tubs from I Can Find the Time}

{DIY Wooden Pedestals from Uncommon}

{Homemade Lamp from A Fish Who Likes Flowers}

{Thin Mint Pudding Trifles from Shaken Together}

Make sure you come back in the morning and link up!

Lace Votives {Pinspired}

2012-02-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

This weekend is HUGE!

On Sunday is Avery's 2nd Birthday so of course there will be a big birthday wrap up post, but Saturday is a huge Gala that I am so lucky to be doing the centerpieces for- big deal!!

I will admit that I am a little crazy for doing both in about an 18 hour period but I am hoping it is a lot of fun.

The theme of the Gala is Moulin Rouge and I wanted to share an easy {pinspired} project that you could use for a dinner party, decor or other festive occasion.

Here is my version of the lace votive:

Here is the one I found on Pinterest:

Source: apaperproposal.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Click "Read More" if you want to check out more pictures!!

Here is the thing, I had to do these in a way that it could be removed after the event so they could still be versatile and reusable.

Otherwise, you know I would have just hot glued the heck out of this.

But anyways, first I had to cut the fabric, I folded mine in fourths and to make sure it didn't slide, because it is slippery, I pinned it.

Then I got a ruler and my rotary cutter and started cutting strips, for my smaller votives, they were 2 inches wide, for the larger ones, 2.5 inches.

I just went back and fourth cutting one at a time.

Then I grabbed some re-positionable adhesive.

I stuck it on, but you will probably need more than the one piece that is shown in this picture.

Add your strip and trim it down and you are good to go!

I can't wait to show you the rest of the pictures from the party!!!

Scrabble Decor... on the wall!!

2012-02-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

I had done a flash back back post a couple of weeks ago about my Scrabble Decor and my girl Kara from Mine for the Making said I should do something like that on the wall. I have been thinking about that for a while but I didn't know how to do it affordably and without making a ton of holes in the wall.

Then I came up with this!

Pretty similar to the inspiration right:

Click "Read More" for the tutorial!

I looked around for something to be the base of my "scrabble tiles" and then I was in the unfinished wood section when it hit me- the little squares! They are like $.29 and perfect!!

I painted them with a cream colored acrylic paint:

Then I cut out letters and small numbers on my Cricut of a black paper.

Last, I just Mod Podged them all on! When you are married to a Scrabble addict you just have to ask him what the letter value is for each of the letters. If not, then you have to look them up on the game or internet.

I found these to attach them to the wall, have never tried them before but so far so good!

Then I just attached them to the wall- simple!! The hall is officially done! YAY!!!

I can.not.wait until we can add more names!!

{nope, not preggo but I reallllllllly would like to be}

Check me out at these great parties this week!

On Mondays I party at:

On Tuesdays I party at:

On Wednesdays I party at:

On Thursday's I party at:

On Fridays I party at:

Over the weekend I party at:

Mirror Collage

2012-02-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Avery's 2nd birthday is this weekend and of course we are going to throw a party!! In an effort to keep the party affordable, I tend to prefer to have them at home. Plus, there is no better motivation to finish up some projects around the house than a bunch of people coming over!!

In our back living room, there is a large wall that is the backside of the fireplace that is in Scott's living room. That means it is solid brick- what do you do with that? I am not trying to nail, screw or otherwise puncture that wall so it has been blank for a year and a half. But with the party I really wanted something up there- so while in the craft store, I saw all the mirrors and got the idea for this:

Click "Read More" to see how I did it!

At the craft store I saw all the mirrors and picked up quite a few, I grabbed 2 {6"}, 3 {5"}, 1 {4"}, 5 {3"}, 4 {2"}, and 6 {1"}. Many came in multi packs and each pack was a 1$ or 2$ pretty affordable project! I also got two packs of the small Command strips to hang them with, here is the wall I started with:

I was super simple, you just add the strips on the back, for the bigger ones I added two, but for the 3" on down, I just used one.

Then I placed them on the wall, I should have planned it out on the floor before I put it on the wall, but I didn't and I still like the way that it turned out.

It adds just enough and is high enough that I can still move furniture under it if that is ever needed.

I am linking up here this week!

On Mondays I party at:

On Tuesdays I party at:

On Wednesdays I party at:

On Thursday's I party at:

On Fridays I party at:

Over the weekend I party at:

Shaving Cream Sensory Bags

2012-02-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

No mess activities are the best, even when you are like me and really don't mind an art activity that leaves your kid covered head to to in paint.

Plus they are a great thing to have in your back pocket on a rainy day or for a quiet activity.

They are super easy to put together, just grab a zip top bag, shaving cream and food coloring, I used liquid water color because I had it on hand in the classroom.

Put the shaving cream in, then the color, I don't mix it because that is fun for the kids to do on their own as they manipulate the bag.

Then I put a piece of duct tape along the top after I closed it up and removed as much air as possible.

Done! Then you let your kids go at it!

Made by Little Hands

2012-02-19T20:00:00.000-08:00

The weekend is over, but that means Made by Little Hands is about to start!

I hope you all had a great weekend with your families!

Before we get into the great ideas for this week, let's check back on some fun projects shared last week!

{Eye Spy Salt Dough Hearts from What's Fun Today?}

{Plastic Plate Snow Globe from Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational}

{Tie Dye Marker Style from Happy Whimsical Hearts}

{Scrumptious Suet from Duck Duck Octopus}

Now for the office stuff:

*Please link to a specific post and not just not your blog, it is easier for everyone to find your posts. Feel free to link up more than one activity or idea.

*Grab my button or link up somewhere on your blog (party page, sidebar, text link, in the body of the post, whatever works for you).

*Visit two other people and let them know what you like about their project! (We all like comments, right?!)

Sunday Deals {Saving Money from A to Z}

2012-02-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Saving. Money.

I got your attention right?!

We all need to, want to, and are looking for more ideas on how to save money. That is why, while reading one of my favorite magazines All You, I totally caught on to this idea that a reader shared. She came up with a way to save money for every letter of the alphabet, she didn't share her list, just the concept. Of course I thought I should run with this idea and do a whole blog post and come up with my own ideas!

Oh and can I tell you a secret- I am a super fan of an alphabet list, now that my secret is out, you may see more of them on my blog. Just sayin'.

What do you think? I hope it is a hit!

Click "Read More" to check out the list!

A- Ads; Check your ads, either in the mail or the newspaper each week. Even if you don't coupon, planning your weekly menu around sale items will still save you a lot of money on your grocery bill.

B- Book Buyback; I can't tell you how many times I have gone to Cash4Books and sold back old books. I have even posted about this one here before, I am always spending an afternoon every few months typing in ISBN numbers to see if they will buy the book. Then whatever ones they choose, you pack up, print a slip and shipping label and off they go- then they either send a check or use Paypal to give you your money. I have never had problems with them before and I have done this at least 4 times in the past. Check them out- seriously.

C- COUPONING!!! You had to see this one coming right?! You can check out my couponing series out by clicking the button.

D- DON'T Get a Cart; If you are just stopping in the store for one thing, don't grab a cart, if you don't have to hold what you are buying it is easy to keep adding. If you are restricted to what you are able to carry, you will be more motivated to get through the store and checkout quicker!

E- Ebates; This is just amazing, we always do this whenever we buy anything online. Basically you sign up to Ebates, then when you need to go buy something online you sign into your account and then go to the site you want to buy from and purchase as normal. Since you went through ebates, you get a portion of your purchase back in the form of a check. It is like making money on the things you already were going to buy!

F- FREEBIES!! Come on, free stuff is fun, a few months ago the hubs was all about signing up for free samples and it was so much fun checking the mail each day and getting something different! Magazines, cleaning supplies, toiletries, the list goes on and on. They are sometimes full size, sometimes trial size (which are great for travel or emergency kits) and sometimes they even come with high value coupons! You can find them everywhere, if you follow coupon blogs on facebook you can see when they

Here is a freebie for to try out 24 Hour Fitness

G- Girls Night Clothing Swap; This would work for adults and kids, get everyone together and have them go through their closets and gather up all the shoes, clothes, accessories and so on and bring them to one persons house. Then set up your living room like a store and hang up shirts, lay out bottoms and gather up accessories, make up a few snacks and let the shopping begin! This would also be a fun playdate idea and you can swap kids clothes. Everyone gets rid of stuff and gets some new stuff and you can help a good cause by donating the extras!

H- Homemade Gifts; I feel like I go to a million birthday parties a year now and it is only going to increase- think about it , 30 kids in a class and you are supposed to invite the whole class to birthday parties; that is a whole lotta gifts. Making things yourself can keep gifts in most cases under $10 which is almost impossible when you are buying toys or other gifts. I even want to go one step further and set a day where I make 20 of one thing and that is my go to kid gift for that year despite gender or age, this year I am planning on making hooded towels (they come out to about $5 each). Then when the parties come, the gift is done and I move on. You could even wrap them ahead of time and just mark with post its. You don't have to make a bunch at once, but homemade always saves money and is much more thoughtful!

I- In the Garden; I have dreams of starting a veggie and herb garden this spring- and I really really want to make it happen because it is a great way to save on produce and get your kids to eat it! They help grow it and cook it, they will most likely try it and you will save a bit on your grocery bill each week.

J- Join a Survey Company; This is perfect for while you are watching TV in the evenings, taking surveys helps companies and can earn you some extra cash! It is easy to sign up and the more surveys you qualify for and complete, the more money you can bring in!

Plus, Inbox Dollars will give you $5 just for joining!

K- Keep in Touch; In this day and age there is absolutely on reason you should have to spend any extra money on long distance to talk to people. With Skype and other web based calling, you can keep in touch and actually see the other person- all for free!

L- Laundry Soap; I haven't bought laundry soap in probably close to four years because I make it myself using the Duggars recipe. You can find it HERE. I bought the washing soda online a few years ago and other than the occasional bar of soap there is little to know cost and it saves me BUNDLES. If you are wondering- it works great, my kid is quite often covered in paint and it works great, my cousin has all boys and she is completely sold on it as well.

M-Mama Swap; Of course you have a group of good group of mom friends and these are the perfect people to swap babysitting with! This could either be for date night or during the day for a couple of hours so you can run some errands kid free! It is free and the kids get to hang out with their friends.

N- Nature day: Take a day and unplug and get out into nature. Go on a hike, go to the beach, play at the park or just go into the backyard for an afternoon. If everyone is off their electrical device of choice, you aren't going to see that on your bill! Doing this once a week should show a little dent which will grow over the months and at the end of the year.

O- Outlet Stores; We have all heard about these for clothes but I find the best deals hands down on my appliances at an outlet store. We had to get a new washer and dryer a few years ago, a fridge when we moved to our new house and a chest freezer somewhere in between. We saved HUNDREDS of dollars, like everything close to half off by going to an outlet of a big department store. The washer and dryer are HE front loaders but had a bunch of scratches- who cares, the fridge has a big dent in the front that still no one has ever noticed and the chest freezer was a floor display model so had some scuffs and what not. Also many times at these stores are surplus items, things that they just ordered too many of and need to get out the door. I would always check an outlet store first because appliances can take a big chunk of change.

P- Pantry Cleanout Night; Pick a night either once a week or month and come up with dinner from whatever you have leftover in the pantry. This is a great on a day when you want to put off the grocery shopping for one day or feel the need to run to fast food, doing this even just once a month could save you $10 to $20 which is over $100 or $200 at the end of the year! Plus you clean out and don't have to feel bad about wasting food.

Q- Quit the Cards! Choose a period of time when you are going to quit using your credit cards, then put them in a cup, add water and put in the freezer. This is my favorite method for credit cards because before you make a purchase you would have to thaw them and it would give you time to think about your purchase. The time period could be a week, month, six months or more but either way- when they aren't in your wallet, they aren't being used!

R- Recycle; In my area, I can take my cans and bottles (glass too but it is pretty bulky and we don't generally have much) and return them to a recycling center and get some cash. I think the most I have gotten is $20 but I usually get to a point where I just want the bags out of my garage before I have a larger amount. Either way it is some extra cash in the pocket... sometimes it gets used at the craft store- just sayin'.

S- SwagBucks; If you haven't heard of SwagBucks, um, where have you been? This is amazing, you join them by clicking the button and then when you search you use their search engines and can win Swag Bucks. As you build up Swag Bucks, you trade them in for gift cards to Amazon or PayPal or other free prizes. I can definitely say I have done this one and not had any problems yet. I would totally suggest it to friends and family!

T- Tire Pressure Check; Tires that are even slightly flat cost you more in gas money, make sure to check them regularly so that you get your optimal gas mileage. Also, another tip, when I go to fill them I go in and ask them to turn the air machine on and they will do it for free by giving me the code so I don't have to even use coins. Think about it, charging for air? It is worth a shot to ask! (could it be a CA thing?)

U- Upcycle; There are whole blogs dedicated to this, if you want something but don't want to or can't spend the money- find something in your house you could modify to fit your needs. Want chargers for a fancy dinner party- spray paint some records, want some magazine organizational- cut some cereal boxes and glue paper or napkins on them. There are tons of ideas and different ways to change what you have into what you need.

V- Vista Print; They are always having sales and have a bunch of things you can get for free and only pay shipping, that is how I got my business cards! It is great for blogs or businesses just starting up and the quality is great!

W- Walk it Off:; Take a walk around your house and unplug everything that you can that is not being used. You will be surprised in how many things you can unplug- even when devices are off or not in use, they are still sucking power which you are being charged for. I do this a couple times a week and unplug everything from the coffee maker to chargers of all kind to craft tools like sewing machines and the Cricut.

X- Xerox Favorite Ideas; If you friend shares an idea from a magazine, either craft or recipe, instead of going out and spending money on the magazine, take a copy of the page and you can write a note on the back of the paper with the name of the magazine and month of issue. This also saves the space of stacking up magazines when all you were interested in was a certain article!

Y- Yearly Passes; Pick up yearly passes for some of your favorite places to take the family, here in San Diego, for a little bit more than the regular admission for a day at the SD Zoo, we can get the whole year and go back as many times as we want. It is perfect for weekends, vacations and I have even gone on the occasional random afternoon. Think about saving up for them or maybe making it a standard holiday present for the family to pick one place a year to get passes, they more than pay for themselves and are a great family memory as well.

Z- Zoom Past; There are certain parts of some stores that I just avoid because I know they are too tempting, a great example of this is the entire center section of Costco, all the groceries are around the perimeter and in the middle they have the seasonal, clothes, and non-essential items. If I don't even see them it is easier to not buy them!

There are of course a ton more ways out there to save money but this was just a fun little list of 26. I hope you found something you could use!!

Little Bit of Genius

2012-02-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

How is your Saturday going?

Looking for some new tips? Here are a few of my favorites from the week!

We some how always find homes with tiny bathrooms, our house is a great size, but the master bath- tiny. I am always looking for new ideas to make the most of my space!

Source: marthastewart.com via Michelle on Pinterest

What a great use for a magazine holder!

Source: Uploaded by user via Michelle on Pinterest

Adorable, seriously. It would also be so cute at a craft fair!

Source: groovepress.com via Michelle on Pinterest

So simple, but would be so helpful when doing your own hair, no fighting with the bobby pins.

Source: imgfave.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I can't even explain the number of curse words this would save me from muttering under my breath while vacuuming.

Source: realsimple.com via Michelle on Pinterest

What is your favorite tip you found this week?

Flashback {Paper Towel Wall Decor}

2012-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

I posted this project last year around this time and it is still hanging over my mantle today! I think they came out great and I would totally make another set!

~*~*~*~*~

Yup, you read that right!

A wall decor piece out of something that is as cheap and plentiful as the come, paper towel rolls!

This was pretty popular around blog land a few months ago I just never got around to it, but I thought it would be a great project to do with the 4 year old class for art but then wasn't able to teach the class. I decided that instead I would just experiment with it on my own to see what I could come up with and what problems I would encounter.

I made two squares that I ended up hanging over my mantle and I am very pleased with the way they came out!

Click "Read More" to get the tutorial!

All you need is:

Paper towel rolls
Hot glue gun
Spray paint

First I flattened my rolls:

Then cut them with my paper cutter into one inch pieces:

Then I glued four together at the edges:

Then make four and line them up:

Then glue those points together:

Now at this point You could just make four strips and glue them together but I chose to just build and add off the first strip. Eventually you end up with this:

Mine is four circles by four circles. Then I spray painted them white, took a few coats, and hung them over the mantle.

Friday Freebie

2012-02-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

I feel like everyone deserves freebies occasionally- the hubs is always signing up for free samples, magazines and subscriptions for me and I couldn't be happier. It is always nice to get something other than a bill in the mail! Getting a magazine in the mail?! Could very well be my most favorite thing, especially if it is free.

That is why this week I thought I would share a couple of free magazines you can sign up for, I personally get both of these in the mail and have never been charged a penny. Even though my baby is a toddler, I still find some great tips in these magazines, and well free magazines make time on the exercise bike go soooo much quicker!

Click this link to get a free issue of BabyTalk magazine.

Click this link for your free issue of American Baby magazine.

Happy reading!!!

Delicately Constructed Friday!

2012-02-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It is FRIDAY!!

This has been one heck of a week. I am looking forward to having a long weekend with the family. But, this is the first weekend of the hubs being on call for the new-ish job so I am not sure how much he will actually be around....so I hope there are a lot of links to look through during nap time the next few days!

Let's get started!!

But first the housekeeping stuff...

*Please feel free to link up whatever you have been working on this week- crafts, art, tutorials, before and afters, decorating projects, accessories, clothing refashions, sewing... the list goes on.

*You are more than welcome (encouraged even) to link up more than one post.

*Please link to the direct post, not your blog, it is just easier for all of us that way.

*Please link back to me somehow, somewhere. Text link, party page, button in the post- whatever, I am not picky.

*Lastly, visit people and comment, that is the whole point right?! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!!

Also, by linking, you give me the right to use the photo you linked up in a feature post- but I always make the photo a clickable link back to your blog.

Delicately Constructed Features

2012-02-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

It's Thursday Night!!

You know what that means... feature time!

Let's get going! Make sure you grab a button off of my side bar if you get featured!

{10 Crazy Things Bloggers Do from Scout's Stitches}

{Birthday Countdown from Living With My Blessings}

{Tree Branch Wreath from DIY Kinda Girl}

Click "Read More" to see the rest of the features!

{Decorated Jars from Make the Best of Things}

{Rose and Pistachio Cupcakes from Simple Sweet 'N Savory}

{Fabric Animal Shapes from I Can Find the Time}

{Cheap and Easy Brush Storage from The Creative Imperative}

{Button Burlap Heart from Southern Lovely}

{Ballard Inspired Chalkboards from Sew Passionate}

Make sure you come back tomorrow to link up!

Popsicle Stick Charger

2012-02-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is another one of those projects, you know the one, it is made from something completely random. In this case- popsicle sticks.

I am trying to de-clutter my craft area and that means I need to use up some of the extra materials I have lying around. In this case it was a small piece of scrap wood, popsicle sticks and a half of a can of crappy black spray paint.

This is what it became:

Click "Read More" to see how I did it!

First, I grabbed my materials. In addition to what is listed above, I used my hot glue gun.

Then I started by placing four sticks coming out from the middle and towards the corners.

Then I placed four sticks in the middle of those.

Then more sticks in the middle of those.

And again, I repeated this process until it was all full.

Then I started again on a second layer on top of the first one.

Here is what it looked like when I was done:

The back:

At this point, I took it outside and painted it with my craptastic spray paint. I will be honest, I used to always use the cheapest stuff possible, but then I tried the name brand and realized why they are better, but that doesn't mean that this random can found in my garage is going to go to waste! I just needed to do about 40 coats of it instead of just a couple of a name brand.

After that it was done!! I put it on the table under some candles, but these would make such awesome chargers for a party and it wouldn't take to much time or money at all!!

Know Crafting Printable

2012-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

I was driving to my mom's work the other day and there is this church that always has clever little sayings that, no matter your belief, can make you think. I like signs like that, they aren't so serious but they get a message across in an interesting way- you have to give them credit for that!

But anyways, I saw one sign that I thought could be alterned in a million different ways, which of course made me think of a facebook post. So I threw in the words crafting and happiness instead and set it as my status on my dC Facebook page. Then Kara from Mine for the Making responded with "printable!!".

Now, you know I aim to please, so off I went to make a printable.

And here it is- hope you like it!

You can click "Read More" to get the link to download it and print it yourself :)

Know Crafting Printable

Outdoor Art Projects for Kids

2012-02-13T16:00:00.000-08:00

We have been adding lots of projects to our outdoor playground area because I felt like it needed the decoration. Plus any excuse for an art project right?!

I think it is great because these types of things really draw their eyes up and once they are looking up, they are discovering and talking about a new variety of topics.

This mobile I made out of plastic cups- it needs it own post!

These are coffee cans that the kids painted and then I hung from the tree with fishing line, then I have a couple of sticks the kids can use (supervised by me of course) to tap on them to hear the sound at the various heights.

This has been an ongoing project in our class, I thought I would just see if my toddlers could do beading with pipe cleaners and they could! The key was, I would just give them one bead at a tie in the beginning so I could keep track of them and make sure they didn't put them in their mouth and they didn't! I still would always supervise directly doing something like this but they could do it and this turned out great!

Made By Little Hands

2012-02-12T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

How has your weekend gone? I hope it was great!!

Can you believe it is already Sunday night and time for Made by Little Hands?! YAY!

But first, here are some great ideas from last week!

{Heart Bird Cakes from Little Wonder Days}

{Quiet Bag Organization from My Oatmeal Kisses}

{Foil Drawings from Art Club Blog}

{Squishy Colors from Duck Duck Octopus}

{Hiding Stones from At Home With Ali}

Now for the office stuff:

*Please link to a specific post and not just not your blog, it is easier for everyone to find your posts. Feel free to link up more than one activity or idea.

*Grab my button or link up somewhere on your blog (party page, sidebar, text link, in the body of the post, whatever works for you).

*Visit two other people and let them know what you like about their project! (We all like comments, right?!)

Sunday Deals

2012-02-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

So, my couponing series went so well that I thought I would try and re-instate "Sunday Deals", but done a little differently.

It is too much work, and there are too many blogs that do it just too well, to do step by step transaction break downs of shopping trips. But, what I can do is share a couple of things that I am keeping my eye on because they are a great deal or coupons that you might be interested in printing.

The big thing around lately is the Pom Wonderful drinks, they were free last week at Vons, this week they are on sale for $1.50 until Tuesday and there is a $1 off coupon. I think these are great for smoothies, also they are so concentrated that you could dilute them for kids or put them with sparkling water or even make some type of syrup or glaze for meat.

The other main thing I kept my eye out for was a deal on Snack Wells snack bars, they are on sale for 2 for $4, which is the absolute most I pay for granola bars, so it is nice when that is the sale price because then I add my $1 off coupon and got them for $1 a box, this sale goes on at Vons at least until Tuesday as well.

Here are some printable coupons I am going to grab up this week as well.

Click "Read More" to check them out!

All You is the leading "coupon containing" magazine that I know of, meaning it is a great mom magazine but there are also a ton of coupons in each issue. The only thing is, it is only available at Walmart so keep that in mind when shopping, but what is better than using a coupon to get a bunch of coupons!

With all the animals we have, I am always looking for coupons like this one

Here is the thing about cereal coupons, they are usually always off of 2 or more boxes and usually 3, and we all know that cereal is pricey!! So, I always always print any coupon I find that gives you any amount off of ONE box, also, don't forget that new products generally go on sale when they first come out so people will give them a try.

There is a sale, I believe, going on at my Vons (if you have a Safeway near you this may transfer, they are the same company but not sure if they are all the same deals) on the Campbells soup that will give you back a catalina worth money off of you next trip based on how many you buy, I am so glad grocery stores do this now! Long story short, I will for sure be printing this one.

If you have a kid in diapers, this is always a valuable coupon.

Hope you are able to find some deals and that this post was helpful! Let me know of any deals in your area, I would love to share it on my Delicate Construction Facebook Page!

Little Bit of Genius {Photography Tips}

2012-02-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

One of my friends recently gave birth to her second baby, and she got a fancy new camera, perfect timing- right?!

That made me think of all the fun photography tips I have on my Pinterest boards and how I should share them this week!!

Let's get started!!

This is just the visual explanation I need to understand stuff like this- fantastic!

Source: photo.net via Michelle on Pinterest

I am sooooo anti-flash but this idea could persuade me to try it!

Source: diyphotography.net via Michelle on Pinterest

This is great, shows you how to keep your baby safe and edit your shots to get those wonderful photos we see everywhere!

Source: flickr.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Simple idea and you could modify it for any theme or occasion.

Source: rufflesandstuff.com via Michelle on Pinterest

For this idea, I would buy wrapping paper, for everything else, they get the standard silver I bought at costco years ago and am still using for all birthdays and holidays. Plus it would be great for general blog shots.

Source: younghouselove.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Hope you got some great ideas!

Flashback Friday {Scrabble Decor}

2012-02-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all!!

Time for another fun Flashback Friday Post!!

This one is fun because it could be sweet morphed into a Valentines Day Craft!

Check it out!

~*~*~*~*~*~

So you all remember my pillows from this post and the story that goes along with it right?

Well because my husband ~~is obsessed~~ likes Scrabble, we have collected quite a few versions.

The original,

The Onyx Edition (the one with the lazy susan),

The travel size,

And the one that looks like a book (remember when they did that to the games?).

No one needs that many Scrabble games. So we gave the original one to our SIL who's got accidentally taken by the people who picked up her donations. Then the board of the book one got ripped in half somehow, so I just decided to see what I could do with all the pieces.

This is what I came up with:

It is on the book shelf in the same living room with the Scrabble pillows, apparently there is a theme to the room now.

Click "Read More" to see how I made it!!

Materials:

Frame (I just had the frame itself, no glass or backing so I used a file folder as the backing, if you have a frame, put the glass aside and use the backing... or glue the tiles on the glass- your choice)
Fabric
Scrabble tiles
Hot glue gun

First, I covered the backing, I used a file folder so I cut it to size and then hot glued it shut.

Then I cut my fabric to an inch or so bigger than the file folder, rough cut.

Then I glued the fabric on the front of the file folder (or back of your frame).

Next, I trimmed up the sides and then glued them down to the back all the way around.

Next came gluing it into the frame, I put glue along the inside edge and laid it down.

Now comes the fun part, playing around with the letters and wording.

Once I found something I liked, I glued it down.

I thought mine needed a little extra something so I added a few rosettes in fabric that matched the pillows to the corner.

Done! I didn't have the prop on the back so I just displayed it on a plate holder ( I think that is what that thing is called).

I still have more parts of that game to work with! Look forward to sharing more ideas!!!

Friday Freebie!

2012-02-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

I interrupt this beautiful Friday to share an awesome freebie I just learned about!

I don't know about you but I try and meal plan every week and I base it off my ads and what is on sale and then I make my grocery list. That process takes some time but it saves a lot of money.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a program that did all that work for you?!

Food On The Table is an easy meal planning service that provides meal plans based on grocery store sales and then compiles and grocery list- quick and easy!

Normally, you would only get 3 meals a week unless you upgraded to the premium membership, but if you use the code FEBFREE you will get unlimited meal planning for life for FREE if you are a new memeber!

Free people, no money and they will make your life easier. I am already on it, are you?!

Click HERE if you are interested! Don't forget the code FEBFREE

Delicately Constructed Friday!!

2012-02-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends!!

Are you ready for a great party?! I am going to find a ton of ideas here this weekend, I can just feel it!

Let's get started!!

But first the housekeeping stuff...

*Please feel free to link up whatever you have been working on this week- crafts, art, tutorials, before and afters, decorating projects, accessories, clothing refashions, sewing... the list goes on.

*You are more than welcome (encouraged even) to link up more than one post.

*Please link to the direct post, not your blog, it is just easier for all of us that way.

*Please link back to me somehow, somewhere. Text link, party page, button in the post- whatever, I am not picky.

*Lastly, visit people and comment, that is the whole point right?! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!!

Also, by linking, you give me the right to use the photo you linked up in a feature post- but I always make the photo a clickable link back to your blog.

Delicately Constructed Features

2012-02-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hey all! It has been SUCH a busy week! The hubs worked a ton and all his days were at least 12 hours and Avery got sicker than she has ever been before so I have been living on caffeine people!

While sitting up late listening to the monitor making sure things were good, I did enjoy going through more of the links from the party though, at least I had you guys and all your great ideas to keep me company into the wee hours of the night!

Here were some of those fun ideas!

{Art Journal from Ramblings from the Sunshine State}

{Ruffle Skirt from Sew Fantastic}

{Homemade Lip Gloss from Capernaum Home}

Click "Read More" to see the rest of the features!

{Faux Cross Stitch from Hating Martha}

{Reclaimed Wood Decor from Snug as a Bug Baby}

{Handprint Gallery Wall from Creatively Living}

{Burlap Wreath from Made in a Day}

{Inkblot Onesies from Shannon Sews}

{Master Bedroom Reveal from Creatively Living}

{Slow Cooker Ravioli from I Should Be Mopping the Floor}

{Ruffle Scarf from Creative Chaos}

I hope to see you all back tomorrow!