Fun Finds

So as you all may have noticed, I have been MIA for the last month. I apologize. I seen to do my blogging in spurts, a few months of good blogging, then it slows down, and then a month passes with no new posts. Again, sorry. :(

In my defense, I have had a VERY busy month. As you may remember, I had a trip to Italy in May. It was tons of fun! I got to drink wine, see Florence, and bond with my 6 mo old nephew. Shortly after I returned, my grandma was admitted into the hospital and ended up in surgery to remove a tumor. Turns out she had stage 4 colon cancer. So I have been spending a lot of my free time with her and my mom. And then there's the fact that summer is finally here and my husband and I have so many things to do around the house, getting a new roof being one of them. So I've been keeping busy. 

However, my little brother just graduated high school last week and though I didn't have the time to finish his scrapbook for graduation, his birthday is in August, and I will have plenty of time to finish it by then. So in the near future up until August I should have lots of pages to post for you! 

To appease you for the moment, here are some (new) fun finds around Picture This that I discovered this weekend.

I don't think that this sympathy set is new, but it's a really great stamp set. Having gone through everything with my grandma, I've been thinking about supplies that I  need for sympathy cards a lot.

But this one is for my youngest brother who loves mustaches (he's too young to grow one himself).

And I had to buy the Tim Holtz Movers & Shapers "Mini Mustache and Pointing Finger" die so that I could make my brother mustaches out of paper and felt. Now he can stop buying the sticky ones from the dollar store. Teehee.

Happy Father's Day everyone!

Thank you for sticking with me!

MNT Bunny Tube

Stop by for the make n take today!

Martha Stewart Fence Border Punch and Butterfly Punch

Blue circular pendant is Memory Box

Cheery Lynn Mini Fanciful Flourish & Build a Flower

Treat Bags

We got some adorable new bags to create with at the store on our buffet table. All the girls here have created something out of them. This is my take on it. Be sure to check out the other girls' blogs and of course the store for more ideas on what to do with these new brown bags.
Supplies:
4x11" brown bag
Cheery Lynn Pretty Pretty Bows B422
Simple Stories Vintage Bliss "Laugh Lots"
Cream Ribbon

Glass Jars are Fun!

A while ago I showed you all how I changed my bag of tangled ribbon into neatly wrapped individually ribbon clothespins. I told you that I had to put them into jars yet and here ya go! 

This is what my ribbon "Collection" looks like these days:

A while ago I purchased a single jar like these with the No. 1 on  it in black. I purchased it at Tuesday Morning. After searching for similar jars almost everywhere else and failing I decided that I may as well try to find them again so I went back to the store to look. I searched all over and couldn't find them, until of course I was about to leave and they were on the shelf closest to the registers! SCORE. So of course I got three. And I love them. I wanted clasping jars because I didn't want to have to worry about my klutzy self knocking the lids off. And I knew that these jars were made of a durable, less breakable glass. So again, a plus if they get knocked over. Plus I love the numbers on them. So Adorable!

I also managed to find some miniature jars at Target for a buck! Same concept: clasping jars. I initially bought them to organize my junk drawer (my nails and screws and such), but they ended up being too big. I think I will just have to use a plastic tackle box thing. 

Anyhoo...I was having a problem with my spices. I've bought some that the store bags themselves, not in shaker containers, because it's cheaper that way and there's more of a variety but I have been quandering how to keep them fresh in their bags. I could buy shakers for them,  but at the store where I bought the spices it's at least $1.25 for shaker containers. So I figured why not use those little glass jars for my spices? Since I already had them and they technically were cheaper than the shaker bottles. They'd be cute displayed on the counter too when full. So I went to work filling them and making labels. I love the turnout!

I used Spellbinders Large Scalloped Circles and a Sharpie to make the Tags. 

Then I just used Tacky Glue to adhere them to the lids of the jars.

Make sure to wash out your jars before you put them spices into them and let dry thoroughly. 

Then fill with your spices!

Love Coupon Book

So last Thursday my practically sister-in-law sent me a text asking if she could come over because she needed help making a gift for my brother. We share a scrap room at my house so of course  I said yes even though the idea of helping make my brother a romantic gift is totally nauseating. Whatevs. It ended up being a fun afternoon and I got to experience how to use a Cricut, if only slightly, for the first time (I prefer our Pazzle at work thank you very much!).

Anyway, she has SOOO much paper it's ridiculous. So we had plenty of Valentine's day themed paper to work with.

 We ended up making a 16 page coupon book including the front and back cover, with 14 coupons on the inside, and 15 different Valentine's Day themed papers. There's 14 coupons because V-day is on the 14th of course. 

We cut cardstock to be 3x6", then each paper to be 3x6" (x32 of those). We attached a different patterned paper to each piece cardstock on the front and back, to give it some stability.

She cut out some letters on her Cricut for the front cover to say "love coupons".

Then we cut 14 pieces of cardstock to be 2.5x5" and that's for writing the coupons out. Hole punch all of the pages, and  fill your coupons out, and string some ribbon through it and you've got yourself a love coupon book!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

P.S.

I made one of these for my husband last Christmas, but not fancy with patterned paper or anything, and because men don't understand some things, I added expiration dates and terms of use. The first page after the cover of mine was a disclaimer page stating that" all coupons expire within 6 months of" said date, "only one coupon per day", "coupons cannot be combined". But watch out because my husband was crafty and he would use some before midnight and then right after midnight to avoid that "one per day" rule. ;) Good luck if  you make one for your significant other.

Jewelry Bulletin Board

I made this lovely jewelry bulletin board for my mom for her birthday this year. I, of course, found the idea on Pinterest. 

It was pretty simple to put together and for me very inexpensive because I already had a bulletin board and the fabric. I just had to make my way to Menards and pick up some drawer pulls and push pins.

You're going to need to cut your fabric a couple of inches long and wide and then staple it to the backside (not in the cork but in the wood frame) of the board using a heavy duty staple gun.

For the drawer pulls/what you're hanging the jewelry on:

I eyeballed EVERYTHING. There was pretty much no measurements taken except for the top three drawer pulls. I just made sure that I had the middle one centered enough, and that called for measurements. Everything else I just poked a hole through the front on the board so I could see it on the backside and then started drilling the screw that came with the drawer pull through the bulletin board. 

So you're going to need a drill and a drill bit (I can't say what size because it depends on the size screw that comes with your drawer pulls, just make sure it gives you a good start to begin drilling. I used 3/32"), plus a Phillips head screwdriver bit. You should probably take some basic measurements to get things centered evenly. Take note of how far apart the holes on the back of the drawer pulls are PLUS the actual size of the pulls themselves so you don't space them overlapping. 

As far as putting the knobs on, they only have one hole so you just need to mark on your board where you want to place them. This was the tricky part because it looks way different on the back than it does on the front of the board, especially after you have the fabric on. This is why I need to poke a nail through the front of the board so that I could see where I needed to drill my hole. I don't recommend drilling from the front once you've put your fabric on because the drill bit turns your fabric as it drills. You also need to cut a very small hole in the fabric on front for your screw to come through or it will turn your fabric from the back as you drill forward. You should be placing the drawer pull onto the screw before you've drilled it all the way though. I DO RECOMMEND drilling your holes prior to putting on your fabric. It'd probably make your life easier. For me, I never thought about it until after I had the fabric on, and then I got a better sense of how it was going to look. Ultimately it's your decision on what you want to do first, but at least now you know what could happen. :)

By the way, in case you were wondering, it just so happened to be that the screws that came with my top drawer pulls were the perfect length to fit snugly to my board, however with my drawer knobs, they were slightly too long to fit snugly so I had to find shorter screws the same diameter in my junk drawer. So think ahead! 

Maybe measure the depth of your board prior to leaving the hardware store without extra screws. The packages for the drawer pulls did NOT say what size screw was included so it's a guessing game. Better to have extra screws than not enough or the wrong kind though. I'm just glad that I had extra at home. Worst case scenario you could always put a piece of thin wood or even chipboard on the end to make it fit more snugly. I want to say that my screws ended up being 1&1/4" long to fit my board snugly.

The sky is the limit with the design of your jewelry bulletin board!! The only thing you need to think about thoroughly is these top drawer pulls; they need to be thin enough to hang earrings on. There are a lot of pulls that would be much too thick to do so.

You can do any fabric. And as far as the layout, think about what kind of jewelry you have the most of. If you have a lot of earrings, do more pulls instead of knobs. More necklaces, just do knobs. A lot of bracelets, do more knobs. 

 Just be sure to think about how your jewelry will hang when it is on the board. You don't want knobs directly above each other if you're going to be hanging necklaces. If you plan on putting bracelets on top and necklaces on the bottom that would work though, just allow yourself enough space in between. Same thing goes for the drawer pulls for the earrings. Think about if you have a lot of long, dangling earrings that need more space below them.

For the push pins, again I eyeballed them. I pushed about nine across the top and bottom and about twelve on each side. Some of you I'm sure are OCD about them being spaced evenly and having the same amount on each side but I was trying to make this a quick project. I still love how it turned out!

To hang just use the supplies that originally came with the bulletin board. If it has holes in the back to hang on screws, just be sure to cut a hole in the fabric (once you've got it stapled in a few places so it doesn't move on you) for each corresponding screw hole.

SUPPLIES:

Bulletin board (mine was a 16x20) plus hanging materials that came with it

Fabric of choice a few inches wider and longer than your board

Heavy duty staple gun + staples

Drawer Pulls x3, thin (I used 3" Cavalier by Hickory Hardware Available at Menards)

Drawer Pull Knobs x5 ( I used 1&1/2" Cavalier by Hickory Hardware Available at Menards) 

Push Pins (I bought a pack of 150, but only used about 50)

Drill with drill bit (I used 3/32") and Phillips head screwdriver bit

If you want to make your own have fun and I'd love to see pictures of the finished product!

Thanks for stopping by.

Craft Room Facelift

A facelift. Yup, that's what I'm calling it. Ever since my "sister in law" moved her scrapbook supplies into my scrap room, it's been a little bit on the messy side. Last weekend I kind straightened  up a little. And when I was done straightening I still thought that it looked a little..."blah". So I put up a couple of Command hooks, tied some thick twine around both of them, and added clothespins. Then I found some tags I had made a few years ago and hung those up. They didn't fill up the space so I found a couple more charms and such to add in between the tags and I love how it turned out!! Craft room facelift!!

Santa Belt Place Cards

Looking for a little something to spruce up your Christmas table? I figured out what I needed. Place cards! I originally was going to use berry picks in some way but I wasn't getting inspired by them. But then I came up with this cute idea. Santa's belt! Now, I know that the colors do not coordinate in this picture, but it's the idea that I'm going for here. I plan on buying red felt ribbon and red and green napkins tomorrow so that the place settings actually look like Christmas.

Here's what I used to make them:
Spellbinders Ribbon Tag Trio 2
Black cs
Gold metallic ink + gold Sharpie
Ribbon with wire in the edging (to wrap around the sides of the plates-using less ribbon)
Your favorite holiday dinnerware and coordinating napkins

Have a great Christmas everyone. I hope this post gives you some ideas!

Matchbox Giftbox

This project is one that I worked on for the store for the Christmas Extravaganza, the idea was from Leann. I used  Memory Box's new Matchbox die which cuts out two pieces: the box form that you fold for the structure and the decorative outer part that you fild around the box. It was a little hard to figure out at first but once you realize how to put it together its easy. The flower is cut out from a Cheery Lynn Poinsettia die. White grossgrain ribbon was added around the box. The paper I don't remember what it is, but there's a lot of it at the store yet (sorry I didn't save the strip at the bottom for this ), however the second picture is of both sides if that paper if you're interested.

French Pastry Doiley Die

New product! Just in today Cheery Lynn French Pastry Die. Also new, Scrapbook Customs Vineyard Picture paper available in the "Wine" section of the store. (Wine not included).

I cut my diecut out of white linen paper so it mimics a real doiley and cuts out really easily.

Have a great Saturday!! :)

So Sophie Journal

Today I went on a rampage making books out of these binders I acquired a while ago that I contimyually mention. One of the ones I made I used MME So Sophie line. I really like how this one turned out. I hope it sells tomorrow at the craft fair. 

Wine Bottle Tags 2

So do you remember when I posted my wine bottle tags a few weeks ago ? Well here is the finished product for display!! I'm so excited I think I'll be saving every glass container I empty and  will be wrapping hemp/twine around it! Love the look and it's pretty cheap (especially if you're drinking cheap wine like I do). 

So I went to town with the spray adhesive ( <= my new best friend! Between these wine bottles and those binders I'm sure I will be needing a new can very soon.) 

Anyway, back to the point. I went to town with the spray adhesive spraying about 3" of my bottle as I went. Spray, wrap twine tightly until you get to the end of your adhesive spray/or if it begins to loose tackiness. Per the directions you're supposed to apply within 15 seconds to have a permanent bond but I can't wrap that much twine that fast. I felt that like a minute and a half gives you enough time to wrap a 3" section with the adhesive remaining tacky. 

Now, keep spraying and wrapping from top to bottom (as I did) or until you like the look of your bottle. 

Your fingers may get a little sticky doing this project. Make sure that when you're spraying your adhesive you protect the surrounding area!!! Not with a craft mat either. I use a shoe box. This adhesive does not wipe off. At least not without a TON of effort, soap, Clorox wipes, and warm water (and REPEAT several times). Almost ruined a brand new craft mat the first time I used this stuff, because like you're supposed to be able to just wipe adhesive off of the may rightttttttt? I guess spray adhesive is not included in that.

But I ramble!! 

Just scroll down and look at the pretty finished product!!

I think that I'll be reusing these for my wedding reception as the flower in that "vase" is one for the reception decorations. Yay! A double reuse of an item. I feel so eco-friendly!

Thanks for stopping by!

Journal Book

Here's another item I recently made for the craft fair from the many binders I saved from the garbage a couple of weeks ago.
Front and back cover:
Jillibean Soup- Watermelon Gazpacho Soup-Seedless Cucumber
MME Ooh La La "Over the Top"
The inside is full of patterned paper from a variety of companies including MME, Authentique, my little shoebox, and IOD. They all have a notebook paper pattern that I thought looked very cool for a journal or day planner.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!!

Beach Mini Album 2

Okay, I know the picture is sideways but I took it on my phone so I can't fix it. This is the cover for my beach mini album.

French country recipe book collection

Yesterday at work we were getting rid of some cute little 3 ring binders and I thought they'd be perfect for some projects so I saved them from the trash! Now I have ten to play with. Today I made a recipe book out of one for all of those pinterest printed recipes I have. Now they have a single location

Wine Bottles Signs

For the craft fair that my mom is in in April, she wanted me to make some signs for her. Here's what I came up with for what she wanted them to say. I think they turned out pretty cute myself. All I need to finish them it to wrap twine around the bottles (and polish off two more wine bottles!).

Variety of ABC stamps

Judith Flower Stamp E-68

"Gift" and "Flower" stamp I purchased from the Annual PT Thrift Sale (which is coming up soon! April 27th)

Spellbinders Lg Scalloped Circles & Labels 20

Copic Markers (to color in the flowers)

Ribbon (attached to the back of each sign to tie around the bottle

Cupcake Flags

So Monday was Shane's birthday, and in preparation for his birthday, I made some cute decorations for the cupcakes I was planning on making him. Here is what the process of making these cute little cupcake flags looked like:

First, I cut out the banners using white cardstock and Spellbinders "Nested Lacey Pennants".

Then I stamped what I wanted each flag to say onto the cut out banners. I chose "Happy Birthday" and "22" . I used different colors too so that my end product (the cupcakes) would each be unique. 

Then I gathered some toothpicks and tape and got to work. To make these cupcakes flags I simply cut a piece of tape a half inch longer than the banner and placed it over the banner. I used the extra half inch to wrap around the toothpick and then cut off the tape in between the "<" on the banner. Sometimes the tape came unrolled from the toothpick, so I put an extra little piece from the toothpick to the banner after it was rolled on.

The (almost) finished products. All we need is cupcakes!

I will be posting some pictures of the finished cupcakes soon.

Have a great day!

Recycled Gift Bag Tutorial

When I was in Singapore visiting my soon-to-be-sister-in-law in December, we went shopping. It's one of the favorite past times for Singaporeans, plus how can you be in a foreign country and not do a little shopping while you sight see? Well we went to a place called Haji Lane that was in the Middle Eastern section of Singapore. There was a huge mosque that you could hear chanting coming from (SO! awesome), several little Indian restaurants, and lots of stores with handmade souvenirs. At one of the shops I purchased a souvenir and it came in a nifty little gift bag like this one:

The woman who handed it to me told me it was handmade from recycled paper. So of course I made sure to keep it and bring it home so that I could recreate it...and that I did. I took it apart at its seams and made a pattern for myself and I think I've made about 75 of them by now. They're very simple to learn how to make once you get them down.

To make a Recycled Gift Bag you will need:

A scoring board with score tool

A pretty magazine or old book page (8.5x11") (you can just rip it out of the book, the edge does not have to  be straight because you will be folding this edge over, just be sure it is still roughly 8" wide)

A hole punch

Tape and a tape runner

Curling Ribbon

First, lay your paper down horizontally on your score board.

Score at 2.25", 3", 3.75" & at 7.5", 8.25", 9"

Turn your scored paper so it's laying vertically along your score board.

Score at 1", 1.75", and roughly 7.5"

Turn your paper over and lay it horizontally again. Accordion fold your paper at 2.25", 3", 3.75"

Accordion fold the other side at 7.5", 8.25", and 9" where you scored your paper

Unfold your accordion folds and fold over the top edge of the paper where you scored at 7.5"

Then refold your accordion folds with the top edge still folder over.

Tape one side of the seam.

Press down to make the adhesive stick. 

Now leave you bag laying like this, we're going to make the bottom of the bag now.

Fold  up at the 1.75" score mark

Square out the edges by pressing the top flat, making the triangles in each corner equal (so they're pulled out entirely and the bag will stand up okay), and fold the sides up.

Then fold those squared out sides down.

This should happen to the bottom of your bag.

All you need to do to finish the shape of your bag is fold then top part down at the 1" score and then fold the bottom part up at its 1" score. Tape to keep in place.

Punch two holes in the top of your bag being careful not to punch through the accordion fold on the sides.

Cut a piece of curling ribbon about 17" long. It had to be long enough that when you loop it through and tie it you can move it aside to fit items into the bag.

This should be your finished product.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this project.