crafting and creativity

things I like thursday #24

2012-03-01T09:31:00.001-07:00

Here are a few of my fave things I have seen lately in blog-land or pinned on Pinterest........

If You're Happy and You Know It Printable @ Mormon Mommy Blogs

A round-up of 25 Creative Girl Birthday Party Ideas @ Six Sisters' Stuff

Angry Birds Game @ Keeping it Simple

Diet Coke Printable @ Posh Ideas

Handprint Art @ Creatively Living

If you were featured, I have a new button for ya!

Hershey Kisses Popcorn

2012-02-27T16:55:00.002-07:00

Since we are on the mend around here after being sick, I can finally sit down and post something!

Last week I made up some yummy Hershey Kisses popcorn.

It was super quick & easy! Here's what I did...

I had a couple bags of Hershey Kisses from Christmas time.

And I used microwave popcorn for this.

I put a bag of popcorn in the microwave while I unwrapped the kisses....

I put them in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds at a time until they were all melted.

{I did the same thing with the chocolate caramel kisses, too!}

Then I just poured the melted chocolate over the popcorn and mixed it until it was all coated with the chocolate. Then I dumped it onto cookie sheets that had wax paper over them & let it sit for an hour or so until the chocolate was set.

Then we ate some & put the rest into large food storage bags for another time.

This was so easy & quick to make up & my kids LOVED it!

They are total popcorn monsters!

Places to Party: C.R.A.F.T., Fingerprints on the Fridge, Ginger Snap Crafts, Homemaker in Heels, Homemaker on a Dime, Keeping it Simple, Lolly Jane Boutique, Laugh, Love, and Craft, Lil' Luna, Making the World Cuter, Naptime Crafters, Pocket Full of Pink, Sassy Sites!, Seven Thirty Three, Sew Chatty, Simply Designing, Skip to my Lou, Someday Crafts, Somewhat Simple, Sugar Bee Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, The Girl Creative, Thrifty Decorating, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Trendy Treehouse, Yesterday on Tuesday, Young and Crafty

some DIY flower hair clips

2012-02-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hey! There hasn't been any crafting or sleeping for me this week- my daughter is sick.

But I made some hair stuff a while back that I will share today!

I made up a bunch of flower clips for my daughter.......... {see the TUTORIAL here!}

And back in December, my kids got their first cousin on my side! I was excited to make up some things for my new niece's hair...... {you can see a tutorial for the felt flowers here}

Monday is Family Day here in Canada, so I am excited for a long weekend!!

organize me #10- Household Binder

2012-02-14T15:03:00.002-07:00

So a few weeks ago, I decided to make up a household binder for our family.

And I had waaaayyyy too much fun putting it together. I may have some OCD tendencies...

Want to take a look?

The cover:

I used some of my left-over patterned paper from the Project Life kit I bought last year.

I love the bright colours & simple design, so it was perfect for the binder!

{I took these photos outside on a grey day, so the colours are a bit washed-out in the photos. The colours are brighter in real life!}

The spine...

I put everything in page protectors because I knew the pages would need them since this will be used almost daily. And after I took all the pictures, I added tabs for each section for easier use.

Each section has a title page where I added a strip of the circle pattern paper from my Project Life kit. I haven't scrapbooked since last fall, so I loved bringing out my paper cutter & adhesive for this project!! haha!

Section for Important Numbers:

I have a page where I listed all the home & cell phone numbers for our families. And then I made a page to keep all the numbers for doctors, hospitals, the dentist, etc. and some emergency numbers.

I have a baseball card page there to hold business cards.

and then there's a

section to keep track of important dates:

I printed these 2 pages from Tip Junkie. I love having all the birthdays & anniversaries here by month...

On the left page I printed off a 2012 calendar from this site.

Then I have a section for Emergency Information:

I have a sheet with all the numbers to call in case of emergency- medical numbers and the numbers to call if there is an issue with one of our utilities. I also put down our cell numbers again, in case we had someone watching our kids, our numbers are listed in a few different areas.

Then I found some info on Fire Escape Planning that I printed off...

Then I printed off a bunch of sheets of information to use in different emergencies-

Asthma info (our little girl has asthma), and some info on choking...

...info on cuts & info on burns...

... then a reference page of CPR basics...

Then the next section is Babysitter Notes:

I printed off a couple of these pages from Tip Junkie in case we ever have someone besides a family member watch our kids...

My son will be going to Kindergarten in the fall, so I made a section for School Information:

This is where I can keep all the important papers that the school sends home.

I made up a page to jot down the basic info...

Next is the Church Stuff section:

I made up this page to jot down the numbers for people in our ward we may need to contact & I have a spot to write in the numbers of our home teachers & my visiting teachers. This is also where I stuck in the slips we have for our home teaching & visiting teaching assignments.

And I put in the current Primary newsletter as well...

A section of Things To Do! A spot for to-do lists, etc.

Travel checklists for packing & a place to put papers of reservations & itineraries, plans, etc!

The Birthday Party Plans section...

I made up some papers to write in my ideas for my kids' birthday parties this year...

And then I made a section to write in Gift Ideas for future reference!

Probably my fave part is the back where I added these little folders to store things!

I found them at the dollar store, so I bought one for each member of our family & printed our names onto the label stickers.

They are great to store in info for registrations or things that need to be added to the kids' baby books, etc, etc!

I also made a Table of Contents for the front pocket...

I've LOVED using this binder for the past couple of weeks!

I don't know why I didn't make one sooner!!

How do YOU keep your family organized??

Places to Party: C.R.A.F.T., Fingerprints on the Fridge, Ginger Snap Crafts, Homemaker in Heels, Homemaker on a Dime, It's FUN to Craft, Keeping it Simple, Lolly Jane Boutique, Laugh, Love, and Craft, Lil' Luna, Making the World Cuter, My Junk Drawer, Naptime Crafters, Pocket Full of Pink, Sassy Sites!, Seven Thirty Three, Sew Chatty, Simply Designing, Skip to my Lou, Someday Crafts, Somewhat Simple, Sugar Bee Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, The Girl Creative, Thrifty Decorating, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Trendy Treehouse, Yesterday on Tuesday, Young and Crafty

things I like thursday #23

2012-02-09T13:10:00.001-07:00

Happy Thursday! First of all, I have to mention that I have added that new Linky Followers widget to my sidebar. It is the cool, new way to follow blogs as Google phases out GFC.

Feel free to leave me comment if you follow me on Linky Followers, so I can follow you as well :)

Valentine's Day is fast-approaching, so this will be my last Valentine's addition of 'things I like'!

I have come across some seriously PRETTY things again this past week...........

Valentine's Day Marshmallow Pops by Mommy Gaga:

Valentine Block by Ginger Snap Crafts:

Play-Doh Valentines by Random Thoughts of a Supermom:

I Dig You Valentine by Simply Designing:

Tissue Paper Rosette Topiary by The Sweet Survival:

Feel free to grab a button from my sidebar if you were featured!

Chocolate Cake Waffles

2012-02-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I tried out this idea I saw on Pinterest a while back.

All you do is make up a box of cake mix according to the directions.

Then instead of baking it in the oven, you cook it in the waffle iron, just as you would cook waffles!

After each pair cooked in the waffle iron, I set them on cooling racks until they were completely cooled, then set them all together on a platter.

I had ice cream, cool whip, icing sugar & strawberries, raspberries, bananas, and crushed pineapple to top them with!

They turned out really yummy & I highly recommend trying this idea!

It's a perfect treat for Valentine's Day!!

Framed Glitter Hearts

2012-02-07T22:52:00.003-07:00

Hey! Here's a simple little project I made last week for Valentine's Day....

{It's the same idea as the Framed Easter Egg Art I made last Easter!}

I picked up the heart picks from a dollar store. Each package was $1.25.

And I had this Ikea frame sitting & waiting to be used!

I stuck in a piece of white cardstock...

And then started cutting the foam glitter hearts in half with a serrated kitchen knife, on a cutting board.

Tip: cut through the heart slowly & use a back & forth saw motion to get a clean cut and avoid pieces of the foam from breaking off!

Then I just started gluing the hearts in place with my glue gun!!

And then I set it up with my other Valentine's Day stuff in the living room!

{The Button Heart Frame post can be found here}

With a little rearranging, I settled on this set up...

I love the pink stuff I get to put out for Valentine's Day!

Using a few of the left over hearts, I quickly whipped up this little version for the bathroom...

{The frame was also from Ikea}

I love it!

So are you finished YOUR crafting for Valentine's Day yet??

organize me monday #9

2012-01-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

For today's little organization project, I'm going to share how I re-organized my discs of pictures.

I like to use cds to back up my photos. I organize my pictures by date on my computer & before I erase photos from the camera cards, I burn them onto a disc.

A couple years ago I bought a couple cd storage boxes from Ikea.

I think they were around $6 for the pack of 2......

I have had the pair at our computer desk to hold all the discs of our photos & other discs of computer stuff.

I like hiding all that stuff away.

I used to have the cds in jewel cases & I used to make up labels on the computer for each disc of pictures.

But I started slacking & stopped using jewel cases. And then eventually it was looking like this......

My solution??

I had these stick on tabs that I found at the grocery store for a couple bucks & I cut down some sheets of green cardstock to the size of the cd envelope sleeves.

And I made up some dividers for all the discs.

Then I labeled each tab with a extra-fine-tipped sharpie.

I bought a pack of cd sleeves from Walmart & used those for all the loose discs, as well as the ones that used to be in the jewel cases.

I loved filing away all my discs by year & I also made some tabs for: computer discs, games, and camera discs.

I eliminated lots of bulk, by just using the cd sleeves intead of jewel cases. I was able to fit everything from 2 boxes into just 1!

It was such an easy way to get every thing all organized again & I think this was a really simple solution to make every thing really easy to find!

So, how do YOU organize your photos??

things I like thursday #22

2012-01-26T22:44:00.001-07:00

Happy Thursday everyone!

I'm excited to share a few really cute things I've come across this week for Valentine's Day on other blogs!

Cookies and Cups shares some delicious-looking 2 Ingredient Strawberry Fudge...

I Will Craft made up this set of Love Frames. Such a fabulous use for those pretty little frames from Michael's!

The girls at Eighteen25 showed off this cute way to share cookies with someone you love this Valentine's Day & shares their Made With Love download as well!

This Just Plane Awesome Valentine idea from Crap I've Made is super cute!! Such a fun alternative to giving out sweets.

Dollar Store Crafts shared this idea for a DIY Valentine's Day Gumball Machine- it's perfect for any day of the year really. And what a fun gift idea, too!

If I featured you this week, or a previous week, feel free to snag a "featured" button from my sidebar!!

organize me monday #8

2012-01-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I re-organized our linen closet & made up some labels using some left over journalling cards from my Project Life kit.

Here's how it looks now.......

Our linen closet is in our bathroom, which is handy for storing towels & having extra room on the shelves to keep our extra products & such. It helps us keep only minimum items on our counter.

The basket on the left holds: hot & cold packs & hot water bottles.

The basket in the middle holds the hair cutting kit & a little travel case I stick in my bag for hospital stays (when my kids were born or times my daughter was in the hospital).

In the plastic containers- one has travel-size items, the one behind has extra floss, toothpaste, and razor blades. And then on top is first aid stuff.

On the next shelf is 2 wicker baskets that hold my hair products, make-up, hair stuff, lotions, sunscreen, etc. As well as my husband's shaving cream, aftershave, etc.

On the right side I have a white vase that holds brushes & combs.

Then there's a little candle holder from Ikea that's perfect for bobby pins.

And finally, a sea shell bowl thing where the Mr's razors reside.

I was thinking about rolling the towels, but I'm not sure if that will take up more room or not.

Ideally I would love to have baskets for face cloths & hand towels, maybe in the future.

At the bottom of the closet, I have 2 good-sized containers for all my kids' bath toys.

This is the system that works for our family right now.

And my husband can vouch for the fact that I change things quite often :)

I am always trying to improve the organization in our home to best suit our needs.

spring wreath 2.0

2012-01-22T15:24:00.002-07:00

Last year I made a spring wreath. This year I changed the look slightly.

I give you the Spring Wreath 2.0......

I posted about it last year when it looked like this.....

{click on photo to go to the original post}

This year I updated the look easily, by adding a couple of my felt flowers.

{see the tutorial for my Easy Felt Flowers}

It's been seriously cold here this past week, so I had plenty of time to dream about spring as we've been cooped up at home. (It's been as cold as -40 degrees Celsius with the windchill- FREEZING!)

So which version of the wreath do you like better??

things I like thursday #21

2012-01-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am really into all things Valentine's Day right now!

Here are 6 things that I {LOVE} this week.......

I love the quote on this printable & Rebecca from Simple as That has it available in 5 different colours!

My sister got engaged last month & I am thinking that this would be perfect to frame for part of her shower gift!

The girls at Paisley Interiors made up this cute Valentine's Day printable. I love the pink and grey together!

Amanda from Every Creative Endeavor made this Valentine's printable & has it available in 4 different colour schemes! I am loving her red glitter frame- I totally want one! ;)

Korean American Mommy made heart-shaped rice krispie treats on sticks. Then she dipped them in chocolate. Such a simple, yet genius idea!

These strawberry heart oreos from Thirty Handmade Days are so pretty and look just delicious! I am very tempted to make some!

Cutest Food shares the simple treat idea of dipping mashmallows in chocolate, then sprinkles. So easy & so cute!

Blog Swap with Paisley Interiors

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings you crafty and creative readers!

We are Steph and Risa from Paisley Interiors!

Click here to see our blog

We love design, and we're constantly expanding our design knowledge.

We love DIY projects, and we're addicted to Pinterest.

We made a goal last year to actually do something with our Pins,

so we started "Pinspiration Projects"

For Valentine's Day, we were inspired by all the free printables highlighted on Pinterest, and this is what we created:

Click here to download this free printable from our blog!

The fabric rosettes were made using this tutorial from Freckled Laundry.

We are grateful to Sarah for this opportunity to share our ideas!
We look forward to seeing you at our blog The Paisley Suit.

Be You-nique,
Steph and Risa

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I love that printable & the way they framed it. So cute!!
Thanks Steph & Risa for sharing!

DIY fabric-covered bulletin board frame

2012-01-17T16:26:00.002-07:00

Here'a a quick little project I made...

And here's how I made my fabric-covered bulletin board...

I used an empty 8 x 10 Ikea frame I had

& a bulletin board I got from the dollar store for $1.25

& some fabric from Walmart that was $2.00

All I did was remove the piece of cork from the cheap dollar store frame.

Then I cut it so it would fit inside my frame.

Next I used my glue gun to wrap the fabric around the piece of cork & the piece of cardboard that was also in the dollar store frame.

Once I put it all together in the frame, I added one of my t-shirt pom pom flowers to the corner.

{Click here for the T-shirt Pom Pom Flower tutorial}

Now I have a handy little home to keep little things that I need, like tickets,wedding invitations, photos, etc!

It took less that 10 minutes, including time to iron the fabric!

And it cost less that $4 to make!

Blog Swap with The Family Scientista

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be blog swapping with Sarah! She's got so many great ideas. My craft to do list has grown a ton since finding her blog and I'm excited to try some of her ideas!

My name is Daisha and I've been married to my highschool sweetheart for 9 years and we have 5 darling kids. As a mother, wife, and woman we all have many roles and responsibilites to fulfill. On my blog, The Family Scientista, I share with you my experiences and ideas that will help make your life a bit easier and hopefully happier! Come visit and you'll see that my blog is filled with ideas on organization and cleaning, tasty food recipes, fun activities for kids, ways to save money, and fun and simple crafts.

Here are a few of my favorite posts!Holly Wreath - My absolute favorite Christmas decoration this year and it only cost $5!

Ironing Board Cover - get rid of that old cover and make one that matches your home and personality.

Watermelon Cake - fun and delicious, great for any celebration.

Braided Headbands - a great way to use up your fabric scraps.

Shaving Cream Art - messy and fun art project for the kids.

Organize Your Children's Clothing - take inventory of what you have to save yourself time and money.

So come visit me on The Family Scientista, take a look around and say Hi. I'll have some fun Valentine's Day posts up soon so be sure to come back and visit next week. Have a great weekend!

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She has a great blog, make sure you check it out!

Thanks so much Daisha!

things I like thursday #20

2012-01-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, this week is just flying by!

Here are a few things I loved in blog land this week.....

Transforming dollar store party hats @From Marriage to Motherhood:

Easy Valentine's Banner @Ginger Snap Crafts:

Ribbon Holder @Thrifty Crafty Girl:

Valentine's Day Printable @A Content Housewife:

If you were featured, feel free to grab a button from my sidebar!

button heart frame

2012-01-11T08:14:00.002-07:00

When I packed away all my Christmas decorations, my home seemed so bare!

So I started putting up some of my Valentine's Day stuff!!

I was inspired by this on Pinterest & wanted to make my own version. Here's what I did......

I wanted to fill this white frame that was now empty after the holidays...

I grabbed a piece of grey linen & then made a heart with some pink buttons.

I just set the buttons on & moved them around until it looked like a heart. Then I glued them in place with my trusty glue gun!

Instead of somehow making this permanent in the frame, I just wrapped the linen around the glass, then stuck it all back inside the frame.

After Valentine's Day, I can just store the piece of fabric with my decorations, then my frame will be ready to fill for Easter!

This literally took 5 minutes to make & I love the result!

The subway art was a printable that I framed last year from eighteen25.

The little rosette ball was made by gluing rosettes I made using crepe paper streamers onto a foam ball, then I stuck it on a candle holder.

And because yesterday was kinda gloomy out, it was hard taking decent photos. So my frame even made a trip outside for a quick photo....

I love having some pink stuff up in my home!!!!

Has anyone else brought out their Valentine's decorations yet??

organize me monday #7

2012-01-09T22:14:00.000-07:00

So I am bringing back "organize me monday". It never really left, I just got too busy and had to put it on the back burner temporarily.

So I love to organize. And I especially get the urge to purge and improve my organization at the beginning of the year. I have done lots so far & still have more planned that I want to do.

Today I'm just going to quickly share what I did to 2 cupboards in my kitchen that always bug me!

The cupboard above the stove:

home to my cookbooks, oven mitts, disposable cutlery, things to put under hot dishes, take-out menus, and pain relief medicine!

The cookbooks are off to the side with a book end keeping them in place. Then my oven mitts are beside that.
The plastic cutlery is in a plastic flowerpot that came from a dollar store. And it sits on top of the things to put hot dishes on.
The little pink tea cup was something I had from Michael's & it's perfect to have toothpicks in.
The pain relief & some other medicines are in the plastic basket. It's also a good spot for any other medicines that are used more regularly, like the extra inhalers for my daughter (in the little container with the blue lid) And vitamins are also in there. A good place for things that we use often!
At the far right, I tucked in the little folder thing where I keep a few takeout menus. I only have 5 in there. Those can get out of hand if they aren't purged often!

The other cupboard I hate is the one where plastic things are kept....

I love the holder that has all the plastic wrap, ziplock bags, tin foil, and wax paper. That was added right after we bought our house. It has been so handy!

My major issue with this cupboard is simply that there are lots of different-shaped items that make it hard to get things feeling organized.

On the top shelf, I have a couple bins, which help. One holds the kids' snack containers & the other is for smaller food storage containers. Behind those, I have the ice cube trays leaning in 2 rows. I have like 8 or 10 of those.

On both shelves, I have plastic serving things leaning.

On the bottom, I also have place mats for the kids & plastic cutting boards.

Which cupboards do you hate in your kitchen??

Anyone else in a serious organizing mood this month??

More organizing to come next Monday! :)

my son's 4th birthday party- Cars theme!

2012-01-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Last month, my little boy turned 4!

He had his heart set on a Cars birthday party,

so a Cars party he had!

The invitation we mailed out:

This dry erase board was perfect to stick on the front door with a welcome greeting to his guests. It came from the dollar store & had a magnet on the back...

Some decorations & some of the food...

The snacky foods & the drinks were set out on the table & we had lots of pizza that we ordered & a platter of veggies & dip in the kitchen for lunch.

On the table we had some of his fave snacks:

popcorn twists, pretzels, chips, and popcorn in the cute Cars popcorn containers.

The Cars posters came from a dollar store, we had some balloons, and blocks on the table are some wood blocks that I painted white & used mod podge to add some photos on...

I tried my best to use things that were black, white, or red in colour, metal bowls, and of course Cars themed party supplies.

For the canvas, I used an 8 x 10 copy of the photo of my son beside Lightning McQueen & Tow Mater from out trip to Disneyland a couple months earlier.

I just used mod podge to adhere it to a canvas...

For the little bottles of soda pop, I added Cars wrapping paper over the labels...

.... I also did the same to the bottled water. (And to the large bottles of pop.)

My little guy was totally uninterested in posing for me before the party, but her was pretty excited to be four and to have most of his family here to celebrate with him! (This will be the last year that we only do a family party since he'll be in school next year.)

I got this huge cake from the bakery & he just loved it! (He also liked the strawberries in the middle.)

I didn't take a photo of the entire table when the treats were out. But I had some oreos (black & white), and some red candies, some Cars sugar cookies...

.... and of course some mini chocolate donuts- "spare tires".

For the little treat bags I picked up some Cars things:

-The juice boxes I found when we were in Anaheim. I have never seen them up here.

Each bag had a juice box, pack of gummies, activity book, sticker book, and one of those things that you blow.

The bags all ready to go...

I had fun putting the party together for my little guy. He loves having a theme & has already picked what he wants for his party next year. So I have started picking up the odd thing when I come across stuff that would be perfect. And if her did change his mind, which knowing him he won't, the stuff could be used for something else. :)

So in case you're new to this blog, here are the links to the other parties I have done for my kids so far:

*my son's 3rd birthday- TOY STORY THEME...

*my son's 2nd birthday- WIGGLES THEME...

*my son's 1st birthday- ZOO ANIMALS THEME...

*my daughter's 1st birthday- BLACK, WHITE, & PINK THEME...

things I like thursday #19

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some things that caught my eye this week in blog land...

Toddler Bedroom Makeover Part 2

at Lolly Jane. I love the yellow night table!

January Visiting Teaching Handout from Darling Doodles.

I believe in the importance of VT. The message is important & the design is really cute!

Tatertots and Jello shares some really good & pretty ways to

organize the cleaning supplies

in your home. I always love seeing some great organization!

Check out the cute Primary Themes Printables for 2012 from It Works for Bobbi.

I like to have the theme framed in my son's room each year. I love how she has different colour options as well :)

If you were featured, feel free to grab a button from my sidebar!

from my family to yours....

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas to you & yours!

Here's our card this year...

Thank YOU for reading.

For leaving kind comments.

For supporting me.

For everything.

Thank you oh so much!

I look forward to another year full of crafting & creative goodness in 2012!

Christmas Fave #10- Young and Crafty

2011-12-22T05:00:00.001-07:00

Today's guest post is courtesy of Young and Crafty!

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These are the most simple, easiest to make Christmas tree's e.v.e.r.

Here are the supplies you will need:

2x4 (I just used scraps)

Acrylic paint

Mod Podge

Scrapbook Paper

Wood Glue

I used the miter saw to cut your 2x4's to look like this. I used the 30 degree angle for each side.

Now start painting. Paint all of the edges of the tree to match your scrapbook paper. One of mine is painted red and one is green.

Paint the trunk brown.

After the paint is dry, trace your 2x4 on the back of your scrapbook paper. I almost made a big boo boo. I didn't think about the scrapbook paper only being 12x12, so I had to go diagonal!

Now cut what you traced out. It doesn't have to be perfect and it doesn't matter if extra paper hangs over.

Coat your wood with plenty of mod podge.

Put your paper on top and use something to smooth it out. I always use a CD case!

See that part that hangs over? Take your scissors and go along the edge to trim it off. Don't worry if it's all jagged because we'll take care of that next.

Take your sanding block and smooth all of the edges. I don't really "scuff" mine up but more just smooth the rough edges.

After you've done all of your pieces, take your wood glue and glue them together. Make sure not to put a lot of glue on the front where the scrapbook paper is or it will ooze out.

And then admire your cutie patootie Christmas trees that you just made for about $2.00!

WHOOP WHOOP! Can't beat that!

I believe that these will be hanging out on the mantel the day after Thanksgiving!

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Those are so cute & simple to make... perfect!!

Thanks, Hannah, for sharing!

Christmas Fave #9- My Junk Drawer

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! My name is Kristen and I blog over at My Junk Drawer. I am so excited to be a guest today. Thank you for having me! This year my friend Tasha (from Creation Corner) and I are making nativity ornaments for our Church's Christmas Relief Society Program. Our theme is centered around the nativity, so we are making one of these ornaments for each sister in our ward. They really are so pretty but so simple. I hope you all decide to make one for your tree.These would make awesome gifts for neighbors or for loved ones! I am also panning on making a bigger version to put on my shelf.

Supplies Needed:

Wooden People: For Joseph: a 2 3/8" man, for Mary: a 2" girl and for baby Jesus we used a 1 1/2" square with a 3/8" round ball (you can buy these at Micheals (or any craft store) or if you'd like to buy in bulk for cheaper you buy them here like we did)

Paint

Wood Glue

Jewt

Raffia

Step One: Paint your people. We used a cream for the heads, brown for Joseph's body and red for Mary's body.

Step Two: Paint the squares white and the balls cream, these make baby Jesus in this bed. (sorry I don't have a picture of the balls, but you see will them next)

Step Three: Using wood glue, glue the 2 bodies together, then Jesus on the front of them (see picture below).

Step Four: Tie a strand of raffia around the middle.

Step Five: Glue a strand of jewt (or ribbon) in a loop to the back.And VOILA! Your very own nativity ornament.

I hope you enjoy making one or two or even 50 like we did! If you have any questions at all you can email me at myjunkdrawer@live.com.

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Kristen, those are so amazing!

I totally want to make some!!

Make sure to visit Kristen's blog soon.

You'll be glad you did!

Christmas Fave #8- Sassy Sites

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be here at Crafting and Creativity today! Just to give you a little idea of who I am...
Sassy Sites is a place where you will find everything YOU create! Why? Cuz I LOVE sassy sites!!

I take my favorites and most popular finds from link up parties and pinterest and feature you! Every Monday, I do a "made by me"- and that's the only day that I am actually 'crafting'. :) Every other day is about your SASSY SITES! Today, I thought it would be fun to show you some of my favorite Christmas finds that have been spotted around blogland. Heads up... it might be YOU!! ;)

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framed christmas tree fromBetter Homes and Gardens_________________________

Santa Breakfast from

No Fuss Fabulous

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Santa Party Mix from

Cookies and Cups

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Santa Pillows from

The 36th Avenue

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free printable subway art fromeighteen 25__________________and this is one of my MOST favorite Christmas finds! Now you will have the proof to show your kids that Santa was really in your home on Christmas Eve night!I caught Santa! fromCapture The Magic

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Speaking of Christmas...We are having a Sassy Christmas party over at Sassy Sites through the whole month of December. A different Christmas theme link up party for each day! Come by and take a look!

Thanks Sarah for letting me guest post today!Merry Christmas to all the Crafting and Creativity readers!!XOXO,Marni

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Thanks so much, Marni!

Everyone sure to visit Marni soon, she is just plain awesome!!

Christmas Fave #7- Crystal's Craft Spot

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone I'm Crystal, from Crystal's Craft Spot. I'm a stay at home mom of two adorable little girls. When I'm not chasing them around or cleaning up one of the many messes they make, I sneak in to my craft room to create something. I love everything from sewing, to wood, crocheting, and jewelry making and I share it all on my blog.

Many of my Christmas memories involve baking cookies with my mom and leaving some for Santa. Of course we left Carrots for the reindeer. In return he would leave us a letter telling us how good we were and that we need to continue to listen to our mom and dad. Any way I wanted to keep up the tradition with my kids and this is a really easy and a great alternative if you don't have access to vinyl.

You need:

a clear plate ($1.50 at Walmart)

fabric

mod podge

letters (mine are cut from computer paper)

-Cut out your letters and also your fabric so it is slightly bigger then your plate.

-Flip your plate over (bottom side up) and add mod podge to the area your letters are going.

-Add your letters (make sure they are backwards so they are the correct way when you flip your plate back over).

-Add mod podge to the top of your letters and smooth out. Let it dry.

-Cover your entire plate with mod podge and carefully place your fabric on top. Smooth out all of the wrinkles and pull it tight. Add mod podge to the top of the fabric and again smooth out all of the bubbles. Let it dry (it took a little over an hour).

-Cut away the extra fabric and add to a little stand.

This was a lot of fun and I need to go and get a bunch more plates. Thanks Sarah for having me!

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I love that idea! Thanks for sharing Crystal!

Make sure to visit her blog & check out all the other fun things she creates :)

Christmas Fave #6- Kitty Cats and Airplanes

2011-12-17T05:00:00.004-07:00

Today we have Amie from Kitty Cats and Airplanes!

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I've been wanting to make this necklace FOREVER now and Christmas is what finally pushed me to do it. You've probably seen those beautiful beaded necklace knotted with ribbon right? Well, here's my take on it.

I kind of sort of love it. It's Christmasy enough to festive but muted enough to not be over the top. And the best part is, I gave something old new life! I found this fantastic vintage garland over the summer and I fell in love with it! Big wooden beads in festive colors? Bliss. Would you like to make one too?

You will need:

Fantastic vintage garland (or, if you don't have any of that, large wooden beads with big holes will work just as well.)

A yard or so of ribbon

Scissors

Lighter/match/candle

Cut a yard or so of ribbon from your spool. I didn't even measure here, I just wrapped it around my head and added a lot of extra room on each side to make sure it would long enough to tie in a bow after knotting. Just remember, you can always cut away some ribbon if it ends up being too long. Then, cut your ribbon into thin points and heat seal the edges with your heat source. This makes the ribbon more needlelike and makes threading wayyy easier.

Make sure you get beads with big enough holes in them! Otherwise you'll want to pull your hair out and although this necklace is pretty I don't think it's pretty enough to distract from a bald spot.

Find the middle of your ribbon and mark it, then string your first bead on. Slide it down the ribbon until it's centered.

Tie a knot on both sides of the bead. It will take a little bit of tweaking, pulling, and possible retying but after a few tries you'll get the hang of it.

After you've got the middle bead centered, keep stringing beads on either side (so string a bead on the right side of your first bead, then knot it. Then string a bead on the left side and knot it. Then back to the right, then left, you get the idea!) This is what it looked like almost done.

And this is what it looks like done! I love it, I made my short and a little more choker like but the sky's the limit here! You can make it super long and more "statementy," all one color, or even use green ribbon to make it a little more festive! Use your imagination (and send me a picture! I'd love to see!)

What are kitty paws doing in my pictures? Well, this little miss loves to get into my stuff when I'm making jewelry. Anything with strings and beads and she is so there!

But really, how can you resist a cute and playful kitty? I certainly can't. Happy crafting! Thanks for having me Sarah! :)

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That is such a pretty necklace!!

Thanks for sharing, Amie!

Christmas Fave #5- Occasionally Crafty

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today we have a guest post from Valerie at Occasionally Crafty!

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Hi everyone, I'm Valerie from Occasionally Crafty.

I'm so happy to be back here at Crafting and Creativity to share one of my most popular Christmas posts from last year. This shirt has been viewed hundreds of times since I made it, and I've even found it on Pinterest. Yay! It's really easy to do, and you can make one in less than an hour! You'll have to bear with me on the old photos, though- my photography skills have definitely improved since last year. So, here it is- this is my Ribbon Christmas Tree shirt:

I was browsing the jewelry at Charming Charlie's and happened upon a version of this design on a onesie. I immediately thought "How cute!" My second thought- "I could make that!" So, I came home and gave it a try. Here's how I made it.

Supplies needed:T-shirt or onesie, solid color (mine is a $5 shirt from Old Navy)Green solid or printed ribbon- I used 3/4 in. satin because I already had it, but you could use grosgrain too.Red solid or printed ribbonSewing machine and coordinating thread, or hand needle and thread

1. Cut ribbons into 4 inch lengths and heat seal the ends. I wanted three tiers, so I cut 3, 4, and 5 respectively for each layer. Adjust for however many tiers and how full you want your tree. The thickness of your ribbon makes a difference, too. If you want a fuller tree, consider using wider ribbon.

2. Starting at the center, fold your ribbons in half, place, and pin to your shirt.

3. Sew across your ribbons to attach them to the shirt. I have sewing....issues, so after messing up the top layer I opted to hand sew the rest of my ribbons on. This required only a few stitches for each ribbon. You could even glue them on, though it probably wouldn't make it through the wash.

4. Fold the top layer back, and pin your next tier of ribbons on, and sew or glue. Make sure to place the new layer so the tops will be covered by the previous tier. Repeat for as many tiers as you creating. Note- ribbons will have some movement and play unless you stitch them tight.

5. Tie a ribbon into a simple "shoelace" bow for the top and attach it to the shirt with a few small stitches. Make sure to cover the stitches in your top tier of ribbon.

5. Voila! You have a cute holiday shirt! This looks really cute with a holiday tutu or tulle skirt!

I'd love to see you over at my blog anytime! Thanks for having me!

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That is such a great idea! And totally cute, too!

Thanks Valerie for sharing it with us!

Christmas Fave #4- Lolly Jane

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Crafting & Creativity readers! We're happy to guest for the cute Sarah today, she's such a gem!

We're going to show you how to make your Christmas decor sparkle today...but first we'd like to introduce ourselves really quick! We're identical sisters, Kristi & Kelli, from Lolly Jane. Our little corner of blogland is filled with tutorials, home improvement projects, recipes and more.

Now onto the project!

Want to add some glitter&glam to your plain jane Christmas decor?

Here are ways to spruce up your {holiday} space!

We've had these fun Christmas-y trees on display at our house for a few years now and just ♥ them because they add height to any cluster of decorations we play around with.

Wanna know how we made 'em?

Supplies needed:

Cone styrofoam . Modpodge . 2- 1/8" Wooden dowels . 2"x2"x1/2" Wood base . Gold spray paint . Glitter

Directions:

1. Spray paint (1) wooden dowel & the wood base gold. Let dry completely.

2. Attach gold dowel to wood base with a screw from the bottom, (my hubby helped me here & even routered the edges to look more glitzy. Awww!)

3. Stick (1) unpainted dowel through the top and the gold dowel/base through the bottom of styrofoam until they are nice and snug.

4. Shave off styrofoam surrounding the top dowel until the cone styrofoam is shaped into a nice pointy Christmas-y tree, (cones come slightly flat on top. Don't worry if it's not perfectly smooth; the glitter will hide any imperfections.)

5. Paint a thin layer of Modpodge onto cone styrofoam & top wooden dowel.

6. Generously sprinkle glitter until all surfaces are completely sPaRkLy.

(Note: Be sure to glitter the underneath of the tree, too!)

7. Wait until surface is completely dry. Display for your viewing pleasure!

Supplies needed:

(3) Red candles . Red glitter . Elmer's Glue . Mod Podge

Directions:

Candle #1: Paint a thin layer of modpodge. Roll in red glitter. Dust glitter in cracks.

Candle #2: Squeeze Elmer's glue in thin layer, wrapping around candle. Dust red glitter on.

Candle #3: Repeat directions for candle numero uno ;)

If you're wondering about the gold snowflake in the middle of the frame, I'll let you in on a secret: it's an ornament from the $1 store! I simply copied the method for my glitter candles: modpodge, dust on gold glitter, tack to frame, display. That's it!

Thanks again, Sarah, for letting us play on your blog today! We'd love to catch up with all of you on FB, Twitter and/or Pinterest! XO

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I love how pretty all those projects look with a bit of glitter!

I never would have thought of adding glitter to candles.

Thanks Kelli & Kristi for sharing!

Make sure to check out their super-cute blog soon! :)

Christmas Fave #3- Naptime Crafters

2011-12-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi I'm Amy from Nap Time Crafters!

I LOVE every kind of craft, but if I had to pick a fav it would definitely be sewing for my little girl (be sure to check out my Pattern Shop). I also love decorating my apartment with very budget friendly projects. Nap Time Crafters is home to 100 free Tutorials {and growing!}, the American Crafter Competition, Friday Favs Party, & a Giveaway every Saturday!

Today I have one of my very favorite Christmas crafts to share with you!

Do you have tons of baby food jars lying around? I do, so I decided to make an advent calendar. And... it's in the shape of a Christmas tree:)

Materials:

24 baby food jars
Ornaments (50% of at Hobby Lobby right now. I got 24 for $3)
Beads to hang ornaments on (I cut up a mini garland- again... Hobby Lobby 50% off)
Assorted green & brown paper
Assorted number decals
Paint
Mod Podge
Hot glue gun

1. Paint your jars and lids. 21 green and 3 brown. I did this with the lids off, so the rim of the jar would get painted too. I used acrylic and it took a couple coats. Spray paint may be easier?? After the paint was dry I went over the jars with a coat of Mod Podge to add a little shine. Don't worry about the top of the lids- we'll get them later

2. Cut out 21 green circles and 3 brown. You could use solid or patterned paper- or a mixture:) I used a 2" circle punch and it was just a tiny bit too big, but I was ok with that. Arrange your circles in a tree shape and apply your numbers. I used a variety of stickers and cut some numbers out on my cricut (yes... I noticed I did 20 twice and I fixed it)

3. Mod Podge your paper circles onto the lids. Go ahead and coat the lid rim while you're at it to give it a nice gloss

4. Hot glue a little bead at the top of each lid, so you have something to hang the ornament on. Screw your lids on just enough to keep them on and then arrange your jars into a tree shape. Hot glue together starting at the bottom. To make sure it was level I lined up the bottom 3 jars against a box.

5. Wrap each ornament in tissue paper and fill the jars. I did presents and a rocking horse for the bottom 3 since they are under the tree and a star at the top.

I wish I was 8 again:) I know I would've loved this! Maybe next year little miss will be ready to hang the ornaments instead of eating them...

Thanks for having me!

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That is just the best idea for an advent tree. So clever!
Amy, thanks so much for sharing!!

Make sure to head on over to Naptime Crafters to see all the other cute stuff Amy makes :)

Christmas Fave #2- Thrifty Decorating

2011-12-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post is from Nicole from Thrifty Decorating!

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I first saw this set of JOY blocks at Dandelions and Dust Bunnies and I couldn't wait to make my own for Christmas!

Start with a 2x4 piece of lumber that you cut into squares....we just have these things around the house, so I didn't need to purchase one. My husband saves every scrap of wood!

I tried using the table saw, but quite honestly, that thing scares me to death....so I got my husband to cut the squares! I just put my vinyl letter on the block and guess-timated how big I wanted the block.

Grab some red paint....mine was just from Walmart!

I bought my vinyl from Jill at Utah Vinyl and applied it to the painted block....

Then, I added some sheer ribbon from Walmart......It took about one spool to finish one set of blocks.

They turned out exactly like I wanted them to!!

Total cost:

one 2x4.....free

red paint: $0.97---1 jar could do at least 4 sets if not more....so count $0.25 for 1

vinyl: $4.50 per set

ribbon: $1.99 per spool

Total Cost: about $6.75 for a gorgeous gift idea!

You can see more of my thrifty ideas at Thrifty Decorating!

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Those are so pretty! Love 'em!! Thanks Nicole for sharing :)

Christmas Fave #1- Keeping it Simple

2011-12-12T05:00:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, I'm Kaysi from Keeping it Simple.

I have a thing for snowmen. I just love decorating with them. I think that I like them because you can use them for Christmas but you can also use them for all of winter. So when I saw this idea, I knew that I wanted to make it!

This is how I made it:

1) I started with 5 pieces of 2x4 wood (I know that in the picture there is 6, I was going to use all of them, but decided it was too crowded). I cut them in various sizes, from 12 inches to 18 inches.

2) I used the 18 inch piece for the bottom. Using a glue gun (I couldn't find my wood glue) I glued the other pieces on the bottom pieces.

3) For more reinforcement, I stapled the backs of each piece

4) I then painted all of it white

Now for the cute hats, I made them out of adult gloves

5) I turned the gloved inside out and sewed the thumb.

6) I then gathered the four fingers and tied them with ribbon

7) I cut each finger in half, just for fun :)

8) I then placed the hat onto the snowman

9) I then made three more hats and some scarves out of fleece

10) Using black paint, I painted on the faces. For the noses, I used some wooden V letters that I had and painted them orange.

Now for the sign:

11) Using my Silhouette, I cut the letters out of card stock and patterned paper

12) Using mod podge, I put the letters and snowflakes onto my black piece of wood

13) I then glued the sign in front of the wood and stapled the bottom

14) I then used cotton balls and glued them all over the bottom piece of wood.

And now it's on my porch, ready to greet people when they come by!!!

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Those are seriously cute! Kaysi, thanks for sharing how to make them!!

the simple things- week #21

2011-12-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Although it can be beyond frustrating to try and get my 2 little kids to cooperate so I can take pictures of them.....

I dressed them up & took some photos of them in front of the tree separately.

Looking at these pictures makes me smile!

I love them both so much!

hair clip for Christmas

2011-12-09T10:40:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, just wanted to quickly share a cute little clip I made for my daughter to wear in her hair this season....

I found some Jolee's Boutique glittery flowers on clearance at Michael's.

So all I had to do was cover the alligator clip in ribbon, add on a foam grip, and then the flower!

I actually made this one day last week when I was up in the night with her at 3 am after she had a coughing fit in the night.

Isn't it super-cute on this pretty little girl of mine?!

I also had her wearing this headband I made her last Christmas....

gift idea- Mom's Survival Kit

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I was trying to come up with something to give a friend from church for Christmas.

She has older kids & teenagers & spends lots & lots of time driving kids here and there.

So I thought a little kit of the "car essentials for mom" would be fun & something useful.

Here's what I came up with...

My items all ready to go...

Mom's Survival Kit

{for the car}

Contents...

chapstick
hand sanitizer
kleenex
band aids
tylenol
hand lotion
wet wipes
hair elastic
post-its & pen
throat lozenges
mints
nail clippers
chocolate

I found the little cosmetics bag at Walmart for around $7, and everything fit inside, except the chocolates. So I just put those on top, then tied the ribbon around and added the bow with some hot glue.

I left the tag that came on the bag & just added patterned paper on both sides. Then made a simple label for one side & put a little distressing ink around the edges.

It's a pretty simple gift, but I think any busy mom "chauffeuring" her kids around so much would appreciate it! :)

{This was featured at Naptime Crafters.}

I'm guest posting...

2011-12-08T13:38:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that I'm over at Darling Doodles today with a gift idea for the busy mom on your list this Christmas! Come on over & check it out! :)

gift idea- for the teacher

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

A huge part of service is recognizing and thanking those who give service to us.

My son, who is almost 4, has been in the Sunbeams class this year at church. (the 3 year-old class)

I know that we are so grateful for the teachers he has had this year & the current couple that teaches him now is just amazing. They are so patient & kind, and happy to be there. You can tell that they truly enjoy teaching these sweet little kids every week.

But that age group also can also be tough. Especially when the class is pretty big!

I wanted to make up a little something to thank them for being so awesome. I know my son loves being in their class & it means so much to me as a mom to see others really caring about my child.

While I was ~~wasting time~~ checking out some pins on Pinterest, I came across a teacher gift idea of giving something filled with M&M's, along with a little note saying what each color represents. I thought it would be a cute & colorful little gift for my son to give his teachers!

My little jar came from Ikea & the bag of M&M's that I bought filled it up perfectly!

I tied a cute polka dot Christmas ribbon to the top...

After thinking of a few different ways that I could include the little poem, I just made a little card to go along with the jar...

Here's the inside...

The text inside reads.......

Green is for the inspiration you give me each Sunday.

Blue is for your patience in showing me the way.

Orange is for your warmth and caring style.

Yellow is for the way you always make me smile.

Red is for my life that you have touched this year.

You're a "Magnificent"

& "Marvelous" Teacher!

Thank you for being my M&M!

I could have added some sort of vinyl or rub-on to the jar, but I wanted to keep it simple & allow them to re-use the jar if they want to.

I'll have my son make a picture for them to tuck inside the card.

He is totally excited to give it to them later this month!!

{This was featured at Sugar Bee Crafts.}

the simple things- week #20

2011-12-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter is doing better with the tree than I thought she would.

But every now & then I see a little hand touch an ornament. My son has been guilty of that, too!

My favourite is when she looks at herself in a shiny bulb ornament....

I love this time of year!

Blog Swap with Pocket Full of Pink

2011-11-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be here on Crafting and Creativity. Thanks for having me Sarah! My name is Karen and my blog is Pocket Full of Pink.

I love to make crafts, re-purpose stuff, have giveaways, and have lots of fun! Come by and visit sometime!I came up with this super cute and EASY paper Christmas tree. Here is what you need:-2-12 x 12 sheets of Christmas Scrapbook paper, or whatever design you want.-Glue Gun-paper mache tree (you can get them from Oriental Trading), or a syrofoam tree (from Joann's or Hobby Lobby or Michaels) will work too.-paper cutter-ribbon-paint (if you are using a paper mache tree with stand like mine.) I used Delta Ceramcoat- Burnt Umber-pencil

1. Cut your paper into strips about 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches. You will use just about all of the 2 sheets of paper.

I used this K and Company CUTE Christmas paper!

2. Take your paper and roll it around the pencil nice and tight.

3. Start gluing the paper strips on with glue gun. Careful and don't burn yourself. Trust me I know from experience! Go all the way around the tree. Move up to the next layer, making sure there is no white showing through. When you glue on the next layers, do it randomly, so they don't look like straight rows. Make sense?

Getting close!

DONE! I love the curly paper branches!

4. If you use a paper mache tree, paint the stick and the bottom brown. I also sanded around the edges of the pot (or whatever that thing is!) a little.

5.Glue a pretty ribbon on top.

This took me a little over an hour to do. I love how it turned out and it didn't cost me anything. It was stuff I already had on hand!

Thanks so much for having me Sarah! Stop by and check out my blog sometime. I love visitors!

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How cute is that tree?!! Karen, thanks for sharing!

Pocket Full of Pink is such a great blog, go on over & check it out! :)

DIY Board for Christmas Cards

2011-11-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

I made this last week....

I used a cabinet door that I had sitting in the basement...

Then I primed it & painted it white!

Then I strung 3 pieces of red & white baker's twine around, then used little clothespins to hang up some Christmas cards!

I seriously love that I will be able to fill it up with cards & photos over the Christmas season!

I only used painter's tape to secure the baker's twine to the back of the board.

I was going to add screws in the back to tie the twine to, but I wanted to have the option of pulling it all off at the end of the season & re-using it in my craft space throughout the rest of the year!

I had my husband bring up boxes of Christmas decorations late last night. I set up all our decorations (except the tree) so that the kids would wake up to see the decorations out this morning.

I will put up my tree sometime this week. To be honest I am not looking forward to keeping my 19 month old from taking off ornaments. Maybe she'll do okay. I'll find out soon either way! :)

When do YOU put up your Christmas decorations??

Places to Party: C.R.A.F.T., Fingerprints on the Fridge, Ginger Snap Crafts, Homemaker in Heels, Homemaker on a Dime, It's FUN to Craft, Keeping it Simple, Lolly Jane Boutique, Laugh, Love, and Craft, Lil' Luna, Making the World Cuter, My Junk Drawer, Naptime Crafters, Pocket Full of Pink, Rustic Crafts, Sassy Sites!, Seven Thirty Three, Sew Chatty, Simply Designing, Skip to my Lou, Someday Crafts, Somewhat Simple, Sugar Bee Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, The Girl Creative, Thrifty Decorating, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Trendy Treehouse, Yesterday on Tuesday, Young and Crafty

the simple things- week #19

2011-11-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Although they both look quite serious in this photo,

these 2 love playing outside in the snow!

I love taking them out, but I don't love the fact that it takes the same amount of time to get them bundled up as they end up lasting outside! ;)

puzzle piece-shaped crayons

2011-11-25T11:00:00.001-07:00

The other day, I put all my kids' broken crayons to use & made these crayons that are shaped like puzzle pieces...

I had been collecting all the broken ones for a while in a container...

I cut them all into smaller pieces yet, then let my son help me fill of this ice cube tray (from Ikea) with the broken pieces...

I placed the thing of crayons on a cookie sheet in the oven, then put them in at 250 degrees until they were all good & melted. Then I let them sit & harden again.

Once I took them all out (the 2 batches I made), we had these super-cute & colourful crayons that my son has loved colouring with all week!

They fit perfectly in this little pail I picked up at Michael's...

This would also make a really cool gift for any child, when given with a few colouring books!

{This was featured at Laugh, Love, and Craft.}

Places to Party: C.R.A.F.T., Fingerprints on the Fridge, Ginger Snap Crafts, Homemaker in Heels, Homemaker on a Dime, It's FUN to Craft, Keeping it Simple, Lolly Jane Boutique, Laugh, Love, and Craft, Lil' Luna, Making the World Cuter, My Junk Drawer, Naptime Crafters, Pocket Full of Pink, Rustic Crafts, Sassy Sites!, Seven Thirty Three, Sew Chatty, Simply Designing, Skip to my Lou, Someday Crafts, Somewhat Simple, Sugar Bee Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, The Girl Creative, Thrifty Decorating, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Trendy Treehouse, Yesterday on Tuesday, Young and Crafty

Blog Swap with Ginger Snap Crafts

2011-11-22T06:00:00.001-07:00

Hi! I'm Ginger, & I blog over at Ginger Snap Crafts.

It's a fun place where I share my easy, simple & cute crafty ideas & projects.

{Would love to have YOU drop by sometime!}

It's such an honor to be over here at Crafting and Creativity!
{Love your blog name, Sarah!}
Hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving week filled with family,
lots of yummy food & maybe, just maybe a craft project or two! ;)

Today I'd love to share my cute & easy {give thanks} blocks.

{Supplies}

2x4 blocks cut the following sizes:

5.5 in x 3.5 in (2), 3.5 in x 3.5 in (4), 2.5 in x 4 in (1)

3.5 in x 2.5 in (2), 4.75 x 2.5 in (1)

craft paint

fall-ish scrapbook paper

modge podge

foam brushes

vinyl letters for Give Thanks

{I used dark brown vinyl & His Name is Honey font for mine.}

All you do is paint your blocks whatever color you'd like to match your scrapbook paper. Then cut your scrapbook paper to fit the front of your block. Modge podge the scrapbook paper onto your blocks. Let them dry. Stack your blocks up. (It makes it easier to figure out which letter goes where.)

Then apply your vinyl letters. That's it! So cute {& easy}.

My blocks looked super cute paired up with my 2 x 4 pumpkins.

Yes, they are just 2x4's cut into blocks, painted, sanded, stained & then tied together.

Would love for YOU to drop by my blog sometime!

{I've also have a fun link party on Wednesdays...would LOVE to see what you're up to!}

Thanks for having me over, Sarah!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Thanks so much Ginger!

I looove those "Give Thanks" blocks- and the 2 x 4 pumpkins!! Make sure to visit Ginger Snap Crafts. You'll be glad you did! :)

DIY Glitter Christmas Lights

2011-11-21T12:00:00.001-07:00

It's no secret that I am a Pinterest addict. I love being able to find & organize inspiration & ideas that I find.

I made this little project after seeing this pin. It's a great little craft to make before Christmas & another bonus is that everything I used came from the dollar store.

The supplies.....

This is a great way to put any old, burned out bulbs from your Christmas lights to use.

I didn't have any, but I found these packs of 4 at my dollar store (Dollarama) for a buck.

I got all my stuff out & ready before I started...

My white glue was really thick, but I just covered the bulb with glue...

Then covered it in glitter...

I was going to do 2 in each colour, but my son of course was asking why I only had one green one... we'll just pretend that I wasn't distracted as I was doing this...

I will have to make some more to fill up this vase, but how simple and pretty, wouldn't you agree?

I took the photos outside for better light, but once I have my Christmas decorations out, I'll know exactly where this vase will be.

{This project was featured at Tatertots and Jello, Yesterday on Tuesday, and Cut Out + Keep.}

Places to Party: C.R.A.F.T., Fingerprints on the Fridge, Ginger Snap Crafts, Homemaker in Heels, Homemaker on a Dime, It's FUN to Craft, Keeping it Simple, Lolly Jane Boutique, Laugh, Love, and Craft, Lil' Luna, Making the World Cuter, My Junk Drawer, Naptime Crafters, Pocket Full of Pink, Rustic Crafts, Sassy Sites!, Seven Thirty Three, Sew Chatty, Simply Designing, Skip to my Lou, Someday Crafts, Somewhat Simple, Sugar Bee Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, The Girl Creative, Thrifty Decorating, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Trendy Treehouse, Yesterday on Tuesday, Young and Crafty

the simple things- week #18

2011-11-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

We have had lots of snow & cold this past week.

I am lucky to be able to stay at home with these 2 & keep warm.

They make me smile each & every day!

3 Dollar Store Crafts for Christmas [Christmas Re-Post #4]

2011-11-19T10:00:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I don't know about you, but I getting pretty excited for Christmas!! I thought it would be fun to start off my Christmas posts this season with sharing my Christmas crafts from last year. Enjoy today's projects!

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Here's a little project I made one Christmas. I bought a wooden 3D tree puzzle from the dollar store. I assembled it, spray-painted it green, then used some scrapbook pearls as "decorations". It was easy & turned out cute, AND it only cost me $1.25 to make!

I made this cute little door hanger for my son's room a couple years ago:

I bought a wooden sled from a dollar store, painted it, and added some scrapbook paper, foam letter stickers & embellishments & VOILA! Done! I like how it turned out & it was easy to do!
And it can be out all winter long, not just at Christmas. He has actually kept it in his room since last winter- he just loves it!!

A few years ago I found this picture holder at the dollar store... for a buck!

Last year I decided to turn it into something to hold some Christmas cards.I just covered up the words with some scrapbook paper and Mod Podge. I got the metal "Noel" stick-on embellishment from my scrapbook stash.

It took no time to give it a look Christmas-y look. I know it won't hold many cards, but with the ages of my kids, I have few options of how I can display the Christmas cards that we receive.

And I love that this project was made with things I already had. Easy!

2 Easy Wreaths for Christmas [Christmas Re-Post #3]

2011-11-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

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A couple years ago my SIL & I got together to make ornament wreaths! She made a red & gold one and I made this red & silver one.......

I spent less than $10 buying the shatterproof ornaments from the dollar store. All you do is use a wire coat hanger to make the circle form. Then you just add on the ornaments and use some hot glue when needed!

I just LOVE it! And doesn't it look pretty hanging up?!!

And this is the wreath that hangs on our front door.....

I bought the plain greenery wreath, then just added the cranberry sprigs I found at a dollar store. Just really easy & simple!!

crafting and creativity

things I like thursday #24

Hershey Kisses Popcorn

some DIY flower hair clips

organize me #10- Household Binder

things I like thursday #23

Chocolate Cake Waffles

Framed Glitter Hearts

organize me monday #9

things I like thursday #22

organize me monday #8

spring wreath 2.0

things I like thursday #21

Blog Swap with Paisley Interiors

DIY fabric-covered bulletin board frame

Blog Swap with The Family Scientista

things I like thursday #20

button heart frame

organize me monday #7

my son's 4th birthday party- Cars theme!

things I like thursday #19

top 11 posts of 2011

from my family to yours....

Christmas Fave #10- Young and Crafty

Christmas Fave #9- My Junk Drawer

Christmas Fave #8- Sassy Sites

Christmas Fave #7- Crystal's Craft Spot

Christmas Fave #6- Kitty Cats and Airplanes

Christmas Fave #5- Occasionally Crafty

Christmas Fave #4- Lolly Jane

Christmas Fave #3- Naptime Crafters

Christmas Fave #2- Thrifty Decorating

Christmas Fave #1- Keeping it Simple

the simple things- week #21

hair clip for Christmas

gift idea- Mom's Survival Kit

I'm guest posting...

gift idea- for the teacher

the simple things- week #20

Blog Swap with Pocket Full of Pink

DIY Board for Christmas Cards

the simple things- week #19

puzzle piece-shaped crayons

Blog Swap with Ginger Snap Crafts

DIY Glitter Christmas Lights

the simple things- week #18

3 Dollar Store Crafts for Christmas [Christmas Re-Post #4]

2 Easy Wreaths for Christmas [Christmas Re-Post #3]