bri-is-simply crafty

Americana Wreath & Garland

2011-07-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Wow! The 4th of July is approaching so quickly! Need last minute decorations??? Got you covered :)

Here is the wreath I decorated:

Best part about the stars . . .
they are used out of recycled cereal boxes!

Here are the materials I used:

Grapevine Wreath ($2.00 Hobby Lobby)
Acrylic Paints ($3.00 Hobby Lobby)
Ribbon ($1.00 Hobby Lobby)
Foam Brush, Scorer, Writing Utensil, Scissors, Wire, Glue Gun (My Essentials)
Newspaper, Cereal Boxes ( My Recycle Bin)

The main decoration I made on the wreath is the Americana Stars. Here are the steps I took to make them:

1. I first made a star cut out to trace on cereal boxes. Then I traced as many stars as I could on the cereal box and cut them out.

2. After the stars are cut out I did something which is called scoring. With the little scoring utensil start from the middle and work your way around all the five points. After you are done scoring the stars bend at each line to make them pop up!

3. When all the stars are scored you can start painting the stars! I only did one coat to give it more of a vintage look :)

4. Now we are going to create a way the stars will stay on the wreath. Grab the wire and cut as many pieces you need for as many stars you have. Mine was about 2 inches in length. Make sure the stars are dry and then flip them all over to apply hot glue to the back of them. Place the piece of wire in the hot glue (be careful). :)

5. Arrange the stars on the wreath and then twist the wire on the "sticks" of it so they will stay in place.

6. For my finishing touch I wrapped some glittery gold ribbon in the wreath. I love it! Looks great on our front door :)

Now for the Garland.

I had a couple stars left over and so I decided to make some garland! All you need for this is some string/twine and the hot glue gun :)

Measure the length you want for your garland and then cut it. Turn the stars over on the back side and place a dot of glue on them. Take your stars (with the glue on them) and place them wherever you want them to sit on the string/twine.

Then when your satisfied with how full your garland is...DISPLAY IT! :)

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July! :)

~Wishing you creative bliss~

Oh My Buttons!

2011-06-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Oh My Buttons! I absolutely love them, especially when they are involved in crafts!

So today's fabulous craft is no other then. . . (drumroll please . . . ) A Button Monogram!!!!

Not only can this craft be a future piece of decor in your home, but also would be a fabulous gift for any occasion!

The original tutorial is from American Crafts Studio, but here's how I did it!

Supplies Needed:

Frame without glass (Hobby Lobby $6.00)
Bag of Buttons (Hobby Lobby $5.00) added to my collection! Remember to check around the home for spare buttons lying around or get some off of clothes you never wear anymore!
Brads (not pictured Hobby Lobby $2.00)
Cardstock, Glue Gun, & Glue Sticks (Part of My Essentials)
W initial (typed and then enlarged in word document)

3 Simple Steps:

1. First cut cardstock down to frame size. Then plug glue gun in and trace initial on the cardstock.

2. Begin placing buttons inside letter! Here is a tip: start with the big buttons and work the way down to smaller ones. I used my brads as my fillers towards the end of the craft. Still wondering what brads are? ;) Check out the picture below. I also glued as I placed them on so then if the craft accidentally got moved I wouldn't have to start over! Continue to fill up initial until it's full :)

3. When initial is finished pick all the glue goobers off and place it in frame to enjoy!

Of course I took this idea one step further and did this:

A Heart! Adorable...right?!

Wondering how it turns out? Check out my next post dedicated to baby shower gifts to see! :)

~Wishing you creative bliss~

No-Bake Oreo Delight

2011-06-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal. I am not the best cook in the world (I leave that up to my husband), that's why my blog is about crafts & decor! However, when an simple recipe comes my way (like this one) I am up to giving it a try! There are three reasons why I love this recipe:

1. It's no-bake
2. Involves 3 ingredients
3. Can be whipped up in about 15 minutes!

Ingredients:

5 cups large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter
16.6 oz package of Oreos

1. Open up the bag of Oreos and place into a food processor (blender works too) and pulse until ground.

2. Melt marshmallows with butter in microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.

3. Pour mixture into Oreo bowl and stir.

4. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with foil and then transfer the Oreo mix over to it. Let it set for 10 minutes.

5. Pull out foil and cut Oreos to squares.

6. Finally. . . Indulge!!! Doesn't matter how many calories...just enjoy ;)

My hubby Ryan enjoying his Oreo Delight :)

~Wishing you creative bliss~

Transforming That White Wall: DIY Wall Decor

2011-06-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

My one pet peeve when it comes to decorating is leaving a wall completely white and blank. A solution to this is a DIY (do it yourself) Wall Decor project that is:

Inexpensive
Time conscientious
Wall transforming :)
Chic & Fun!

Materials Needed:

Embroidery Hoops 8,6, and 4 inch
Fabric (I got 1/2 yard of each and had extra for another set)
Scissors
Spray Paint (optional)
Hammar/Nails

Steps I took:

1. (Optional Step) There are two pieces to the hoop (inside & outside piece). Take the inside piece out and with some old newspaper on the ground spray paint the outside of each hoop.

2. While the outside pieces are drying take the inside pieces to measure how much fabric should be cut. Cut the fabric about an inch around the hoop.

3. Lay down the inside piece and put the cut fabric on top of it. When the outside piece is dry loosen the knob at the top and place it on top of fabric and inside piece. Tighten the knob and pull fabric so it will be nice and secure!

4. Cut off any extra fabric. This is what the back of mine looked like. Repeat steps 2-4 with the other hoops.

5. When you are finished transform your wall by hanging up your new wall art!

Here is my blank wall transformation:

Bland...

Super Cute!!!!

Closer Look :)

I love this DIY wall decor and can't wait to do more with my extra fabric!

Remember the more the merrier :)

~Wishing you creative bliss~

Unique Beaded Serving Set

2011-06-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

June is the most popular month for weddings, and you know what that means?! It's gift getting time!!!

When Ryan and I got married some of our favorite gifts were the unique, handmade ones! So, my friends Kelly and Julianna gave me a great wedding gift idea. . . a unique beaded serving set!

This gift is practical and inexpensive :) Here's what we used:

Serving spoon, fork, and cake cutter ($3 .00 Dollar Tree)
Beads (we found necklaces that never get worn and used the beads from them!)
Beading Wire ($2 .47 Hobby Lobby)
Wire Cutter/Scissors

Beading the serving set is simple and quick to do!

1. Cut about a foot of wire (probably will have extra, but that's okay). Grab one end of the wire and begin by wrapping it (choose any of the three serving pieces) three or four times around the handle.

3. Select a bead and thread it through the wire. Repeat this step until you feel it's complete :)

4. Both the beginning and the end wire on the back handle should be secure by wrapping it a couple times through the wire.

Back Handle

5. Repeat the steps and do the other serving pieces!

Kelly & Julianna making their set!

Kelly's Set

My set :)

Make the next wedding gift you give be personal and unique. . . just like this serving set :)

~Wishing you creative bliss~

Changin' It Up!

2011-05-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

I think the warm weather is effecting my moods in decorating because I just want everything in our home to be bright and warm! I was especially feeling this with our bathroom :) One decoration tip I learned from my mother-in-law is just simply changing out the shower curtain to give the room a completely different look!

Here are the best before shots I could get with our small bathroom :)

It's cute right?! :) But it just needed that bright summer touch. . . so I gave myself a $30 limit to see what changes I could make!

My $30 budget got me this:

$15.00 Shower Curtain (Bed Bath & Beyond)
$10.00 Bathroom Rug Set (Walmart)
$3.00 Floral Stems (Hobby Lobby)
$1.50 Wall Art Craft (Hobby Lobby)

Here are the after pictures. . . drumroll please :)

Adding a green and cream shower curtain really brightened the space up! I also changed out my floral stems to more greens and yellows :) I spray painted the maroon hamper with some brown spray paint we already had. I changed out our rug set from gold to brown, and left the shelving unit over the toilet the same! For my monogram wall art by the window I just simply painted it with materials I had and tied ribbon to the nails on the back so it could hang!

I think that this simple tip of switching out a different shower curtain will change up the entire look of a bathroom! Give yourself a budget and a shopping day to see how you can transform the look of your bathroom :)

Stay tuned this summer for a redo of my friend's bedroom!

Do you think these colors have something to do with it?
Keep a lookout ;)

~Wishing you creative bliss!~

Antique Jar Lanterns

2011-05-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

With summer approaching we are bound to be spending some time outdoors! Whether it is camping or just chilling in the backyard these Antique Jar Lanterns will simply add that mood lighting you were looking for!

I originally found the tutorial for this on Make It Do It. They used these lanterns for wedding decorations, which is an awesome idea! Here are the supplies and steps I took to make these Antique Jar Lanterns!

Supplies I used:

Vineyard Wire (2 .50 Hobby Lobby)
Pen/Pencil
Votive
Rocks, Sand, or Decorative Glass Gems
Mason Jar or Recycled Glass Jar
Pliers
Spray Paint (Optional)

Steps to making Antique Jar Lanterns:

~(Optional Step) If you want to give your jars some color add a touch of spray paint! That's what I did to my recycled glass jars. Spray and let dry.

~Start here if you are skipping optional step :)

1. Measure out about 3 feet of wire and cut. From the end of the wire measure 8 inches in, cut, and then wrap twice around pen/pencil. Remove pen/pencil.

2. Grab the wire and wrap it under the large lip of the jar. Take pliers and twist wire until secure.

3. With the rest of the wire take and put it through the hole and then twist upwards (to make the handle for the lantern). Use the pliers to secure both sides.

4. After everything is nice and secure fill the lantern with rocks, sand, or glass gems!

These look great both indoors and outdoors!

~Wishing you creative bliss~

Whimsical Branches

2011-05-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Ryan and I made it up to Cherokee, Iowa to visit his family. We relaxed, ate some great food, and of course crafted! I think 75% of the time Lisa (mother-in-law-), Liz (Ryan's brother's girlfriend), and I were crafting! This was one of our favorite crafts featured from Two Girls Being Crafty. We of course added some of our own flair to this craft by using old vases/recycled glass bottles to put these whimsical branches in!

Here are the supplies we used:

Scrapbook Paper
Scissors
Glue Stick & Glue Gun
Cardstock OR any type of Cardboard
Floral Wire
Branches
Vase

Optional:

Spray Paint
Old Vase OR Recycled Glass Bottle
Ribbon

Instead of going out and buying a vase we looked around the home for old vases/glass bottles. We also found some spray paint and ribbon that we could use to give this craft the "wow" factor!

This is how we made our whimsical branches:

1. Begin to cut a plethora of "leaves" with the scrapbook paper. Depending on how full you want your branches to be will determine the size of your leaf pile ;)

2. Grab the cardstock/cardboard, because glueing is the next step! We used the top of an empty pizza box and with a glue stick glued the leaves on that.

Look at Liz go! ;)
We also thought that the pizza box with leaves could be cute as wall art.
Another craft idea . . . I think so!

3. After they are all glued you can start cutting them!

4. Plug the hot glue gun in and cut the wire 3"-5"long.

5. The wire will now be hot glue gunned to the backside of the leaves.

Be careful when using the hot glue gun!
Safety first :)

6. Here is the fun step! Arrange the branches in the vase, and then start to wrap the wired leaves around them.

Liz arranging her branches!

7. Fill those branches up until they run out! Then you're done!!!

Lisa's vase displayed in her home :)

Liz's Final Product!

Mine that I absolutely adore :)

These are cute gifts . . . and of course great home decor :)

Be on the lookout later this week for DIY Outdoor Lanterns!

~Wishing you creative bliss~

Bedside Book Pile

2011-05-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Every summer I make a goal to read the books that are by my bedside that I never got the chance to read while school was in session.

Before I began my summer read-a-thon I decided that it would be a good idea to put my books into what I would call my Bedside Book Pile.

So, I grabbed my box of essentials and went right to my recycle bin to see what I could reuse.

Supplies I used:

2 1/2 gallon empty water container & Cardboard (recycle bin)
Acrylic Paint, Paintbrush, Ribbon, Cardstock, Scissors, & Glue Gun (My Essentials)
Optional: Plastic Primer Spray Paint ( $6.99)

Steps to making Bedside Book Pile:

1. Take the empty water container and carefully (with scissors) cut down past the handle. After the handle start cutting horizontally.

2. Optional: At this point the primer paint may be sprayed on and then let it dry. This primer is great to invest in so you may get a more durable wear on plastic items :)

3. Paint the base of the book pile and let it dry. May want to apply another coat if needed.

4. While base is drying take some scrapbook paper and figure out a design for it!

5. After it dried I added ribbon to the top to hide rough edges.

6. Add personal design and then....BAM fill it with those wonderful books!!!

7. Here is how mine turned out:

Books can be piled forward...

or the can be piled sideways!!!

Yay! Now that my books are in place I feel that I can start my first read of the summer!

What's your first summer read?

~Wishing you Creative Bliss~

From Nothing Into Something

2011-05-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Life gives us so many opportunities to turn nothing into something. My husband and I got the chance to do this with our little efficiency apartment! The first time we looked at our place we knew that it needed a fix-me-up. We were ready for the challenged and signed the lease! With a little bit of paint, some help from my mom and mother-in-law, and a couple trips to Hobby Lobby we turned this nothing into something we call our home! :)

Here are the before AND after pictures:

Bathroom:

Bedroom/Living Room:

Area between bedroom, kitchen, & bathroom:

The Kitchen:

It was all worth it! Even after all the painting, Hobby Lobby trips, and staging the furniture. Throughout this summer I will be sharing my secrets into turning your nothings into somethings!

~Wishing you Creative Bliss~

Aromatherapy: What your Mom needs this Mother's Day

2011-05-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Homemade Reed Diffuser Vase

Working at Yankee Candle I have seen many different forms of aromatherapy. One of these is the amazing reed diffusers. The reed sticks shown in the picture above soak up oil (which is put into vase) and diffuse a fragrance.

This Sunday give your mother the gift of aromatherapy and a homemade reed diffuser vase! I did it under a budget of $15.00!

Supplies needed:

Mod Podge, Patterned Paper, & Paper Trimmer (The Essentials)
Glass Bottle (recyclable bin)
Sponge to apply Mod Podge (Dollar Tree)

Yankee Candle Oil Refill ($9.99)
Yankee Candle Reed Diffuser Sticks ($2.99)

Here are the steps that I took to make the vase:

1. Cut patterned paper into strips

2. Apply Mod Podge with a sponge on the glass bottle. Wrap the strip of paper on the glass bottle. Apply a layer of Mod Podge on top of the strip. (You will have to cut strips to fit your glass bottle, especially towards the bottom)

2. Repeat step 1 until the glass bottle is covered with paper.

Back Side

Front Side

3. Towards the bottom I did cut squares so they would fit to the shape of the bottle.

4. Let the bottle fully dry, and then you are ready to gift it!

5. Here is what it will looks like displayed:

Front Side

Back Side

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mom's out there :)

Especially mine!

Love you Mom!

My mother & I :)

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. The have clung to me all my life.

~Abraham Lincoln

~Wishing you creative bliss~

May Day Baskets: The Ultimate Icebreaker

2011-04-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

New in town? Don't know your neighbors very well?

May Day baskets are your ultimate icebreakers to get to know the people around your neighborhood better! Plus, this is not just for your neighbors! Take a special trip around town to deliver these to your family or friend's doorstep. I guarantee it will make their day :)

A little May Day history:

The tradition of the ancient Roman and Druid holiday of May Day has endured for centuries. It has been a celebration of spring turning into the pleasures of summer!
Festivities focused mainly on the "Maypole" in which ribbons are woven around by groups of dances to make beautiful designs and patterns.
Rounding up flowers became a tradition and "bringing in the May" became a popular event on May1st.
Giving baskets came later in the festivities of May Day, but now is tradition.
Remember...you can give a May Day basket throughout the entire month...it doesn't have to be the first ;)

Today May Day baskets are given anonymously at someone's doorstep or hooked over the handle or knob.

Here is my version of a cheap but chic May Day basket:

You will need:

1 gallon empty milk jug & piece of cardboard (your recycle bin)
Ribbon (Hobby Lobby $2.00)
Glue Gun, Sticks, & Scissors (My Essentials)
Assorted Bag of Brushes (Hobby Lobby $4.99)
Acrylic Paint (Hobby Lobby $0.53)
Tissue Paper (Target $1.00)
Paper-hole Punch (Target 1.00)

1. First and most important step is to wash out empty milk jug very well! Wouldn't want someone's May Day basket smelling like rotton milk ;)

2. After it is somewhat dry grab your scissors and begin to cut at the opening following it down to the handle.

3. When you reach the handle begin to cut horizontally.

4. TA-DA! There's your basket, now time to decorate!

5. Take the acrylic paint and squeeze onto cardboard. Dip brush into the paint and apply to milk jug.

6. Let it dry (20 mins) and then apply another coat if needed.

7. After it is dry the next step is to put holes in the sides with the paper-hole punch.

8. Push ribbon through the outside hole into the basket and tie into a knot. Repeat to the other side as well and then cut ribbon if happy with length.

9. Plug glue gun in and then when it warms up apply the ribbon around the outside.

10. To cover up the not-so-pretty inside I just glued tissue paper down!

11. Now the really fun part, fill up the basket!

Here are some ideas:

Flowers are the traditional choice. Can be fresh, silk, or seed packets.
Baked goods, especially homemade ones.
The more personalized the better :)

Here is how my turned out!

Since my neighbor is a close friend to me I chose a more personalized style of basket. I filled it up with a homemade set of stationary, flower seeds, and initial wall decor! My finishing touch was this:

A little history behind May Day!

Happy May Day and as always wishing you creative bliss!

Happy May Day! :)

Crackin' Me Up

2011-04-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

Easter is one of my favorite holidays and I was so excited to be able to make and decorate these:

If you are having guests over or need a basket filler then this Easter craft is for you!

Materials Needed:

Mod Podge (The Essentials)
Paper Mache 6" Egg ($1.47 Hobby Lobby)
Sponge ($1.00 for a whole bag of them-Dollar Tree)
Assorted Patterned Paper (The Essentials)
Old surface to work on

Don't have a Hobby Lobby near by? Use this website to make the egg: How to Paper Mache.

With your materials in hand you are now ready to get crackin' with your egg!

1. Put down your old surface to work on and begin tearing the patterned paper into many different sizes.

2. Take the sponge and dip it in the mod podge. Apply a thin coat onto the egg and grab a piece a paper. Place the piece of paper on top of the mod podge. After paper is placed apply a coat over the paper.

3. You will repeat step 2 over until your egg is covered.

4. After the egg is all covered with paper you can set it up right and let it fully dry (might take 20 minutes).

5. You're Done! Enjoy :)

Here is what I did with the eggs I made:

Decoration on our mantle
Can you tell which one my husband did? ;)

Easter gift!

~Wishing you creative bliss and a blessed Easter!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them.“Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

~Matthew 28:1-10

Be on the lookout next week for...MAY DAY Baskets!

My lovely husband (Ryan) displaying
next week's May Day Basket!

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

2011-04-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

It must be that spring rain that is making me want to decorate everything with flowers lately! I love real flowers, but I can't justify spending the money to have fresh ones filling the vase everyday.

So, I gave myself a $10 budget and put my creative mind to work!
A couple hours later I came up with this:

If you like what you see then here are the following steps to creating a vase full of flowers that will never wilt!

Supplies Needed:

Spray Paint ($4.99 Hobby Lobby)
Ribbon ($2.00 Hobby Lobby)
Check around your home for an empty glass bottle, I found an empty Izze bottle in my home (free)
Scissors or floral cutters (had part of my essentials)
Glue gun with glue sticks (had part of my essentials)
3 Floral Stems ($1.00 each Hobby Lobby)

With the supplies collected you are now ready to begin crafting!

1. To begin, you first want to take the label off your glass bottle and rinse it out.

2. Let it dry out, then set up an area were it is well ventilated; find some old paper bags/newspapers/magazines and lay them out.

3. After the glass bottle is dry and your area is set up you can begin to spray paint. Have you never spray painted before? Check this helpful website out: How to spray paint glass and more!

4. One coat should be enough :) Then let it dry for about 30 minutes.

5. Plug in the hot glue gun and cut three pieces of ribbon (pieces should cut to around 9 inches but will depend on size of glass bottle).

6. Begin to hot glue the first piece of ribbon where the body of the bottle starts. Next, glue the second piece right under the first piece. Follow the procedure with the last piece (keep glue gun plugged in for last step).

7. Almost done! Chances are your stems are going to be too long and will need to be cut down to size. You can choose to have your stems to be all the same length or have some variety in length. With variety use your floral cutters/scissors to cut, starting at the bottom of the stem, tallest floral 9 inches, middle 10 inches, and shortest 11 inches off the stem. Place in vase to see if you are happy with lengths.

8. Last step! Glue the floral stems in your vase starting with the shortest. Apply glue to the bottom of the stem, place in vase, and repeat with the other two (may have to hold flower down for 30 seconds before release).

9. Well almost last step ;) ADMIRE your new vase full of flowers!

Stay tuned this week for my Easter craft: Crackin' Me Up

~As always wishing you creative bliss!

The Essentials

2011-04-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Every runner needs a good pair of shoes to complete the race.

A chef needs the right ingredients to make his meal.

In the same aspect a crafter must have the essential tools to begin crafting!

My husband always tells me that an investment is something that earns you profit in return. I believe that investing in the following tools will profit you in the long run to making you a successful crafter!

Top 3 Necessities:

1. A broad spectrum of paper. I recommend first solid and then patterned paper for a beginning crafter.

2. Cutting Tools: scissors, paper trimmer, and a cutting mat.

3. Glues and Adhesives: hot glue gun, glue sticks, tapes, and mod pod.

These necessities are affordable and will used many times while we craft. Stores such as Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and even Target carry these items. Get stocked up, because we will soon be starting our first craft!

Wishing you creative bliss!

Cheap and Chic.

2011-04-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever needed a gift when confined by a tight budget?
Are you throwing away household items that could be reused?
Do you want to decorate your home, but you don't want to pay full price for it?

Can't answer these questions? Here are the solutions.

Being a college student and newly married, I am on a very strict decorating budget! However, I have found ways around this restriction that are cheap and chic.

My crafts, decor, and more will be stylish while fitting into your budget!

Wishing you creative bliss!