Notebook Project

One of my recent projects at the famous Polly's Paper (www.pollyspaper.com) is this cute little notebook. I am always jotting down notes and ideas, things to do and things to remember. So, I decided to make myself a small notebook to keep all my notes together. I started out with a little ringed chipboard book, added some of my favorite new paper from Polly's, and some ribbon, and voila! Sits right here on my desk where a good portion of my note making is done. :)

Re-Use Challenge #2

More ways I'm finding of using paper to make things new! This was a (ahem) dog food can in its previous life, but I thoroughly washed and then sanitized it. Used some pretty papers and stickers, a bit of glue, and voila! A pen holder for my desk. Loving it!

Orange Crochet Openwork Handwarmers

My husband thinks I'm obsessed because I've made a lot of handwarmers/fingerless gloves this winter. I have made a few for friends and family, and a few for myself. They are just so "handy" and I love wearing them while at the computer. My hands DO stay warmer than his while we are in the home office, so much so that he even reduced himself to trying on one of my pairs. ha! Now he gets it. So, when my sister recently taught me how to crochet in rounds (some things like this are just better learned in person), I decided to try a pattern for a pair of handwarmers worked in rounds. They worked up quickly and easily. I love the way they turned out, and wearing them right now I can attest to their power to keep my hands warm. yay! I might have to make a few more of this pattern....ok maybe I'm a wee bit obsessed. If you are looking for a great handwarmer pattern, here is the one I used this time: http://creativeyarn.blogspot.com/2008/02/crochet-openwork-handwarmers.html

Stephanie @ Home: No Sew Fleece Blanket and a Bonus!

Check out this totally fantastic tutorial by Stephanie at Home. I love no sew crafts!

Stephanie @ Home: No Sew Fleece Blanket and a Bonus!: When I was out doing my last minute shopping I saw this No-Sew Fleece Blanket Kit. I thought this would be the perfect gift for those chilly homecoming tailgate parties and football games. But, I wasn't loving any of the colors or patterns the kits came in. Plus why pay a premium for a pre-packaged kit when I can easily DIY a custom blanket for less? (I saw fleece fabric on sale for as little as $3.99/yard at Jo-Ann Fabric) So I made a half leopard print (our school mascot) and half maroon (our school color) fleece blanket as a gift for one of my favorite fellow alums (my mom!) Here's how I made it plus a bonus gift (for myself!);

The supplies,

2 pieces of fleece fabric - my pieces were 54" x 54" each

Scissors - much easier if you use scissors specifically designed to cut fabric

Measuring tape - a fabric measuring tape would be easiest but a ruler works just as well

Step 1: Lay the two pieces of fabric on top of each other, with the 'right' sides facing out (trim any excess fabric around the edges so that both pieces of fabric are the same size)

Step 2: Measure and cut a 4" square out of each corner

Step 3: Cut a 4" long strip every 1" along each side of the fabric

Step 4: Double-knot every other strip along each side of the fabric

Step 5: Flip the blanket over and double-knot the remaining strips of fabric (this alternates the color/pattern of the fringe on each side)

Step 6: Wrap yourself in your new blanket, get cozy and admire your handy work!

Using a slightly modified technique, some of the left over fabric and some stuffing from a previous craft project I decided to make a pillow as a bonus gift for myself.

Step 1: Lay the two pieces of fabric on top of each other, with the 'right' sides facing out (I used fabric that was 18" x 18" each)

Step 2: Measure and cut a 2" square out of each corner

Step 3: Cut a 2" long strip every 1" along each side of the fabric

Step 4: Double-knot every strip along three sides of the fabric (Since the leopard print was going to be the front of the pillow I chose not to alternate the knots, like I did for the blanket, so that all the fringe was maroon)

Step 5: Stuff the pillow

Step 6: Double-knot the remaining strips

Step 7: Rest your head on your new pillow and admire your handy work!

Babybel Cheese Santa

Cute Food For Kids: Babybel Cheese Santa

These are fantastic!!!! What a fun edible holiday "craft"!

Last time I turned babybel cheeses into ladybugs; this time I turned these babybel cheeses into Santas. Ho ho ho....

Here is how:

Unwrape the babybel

Eyes are drawn by food marker; nose is made from the wax wrap

Get cream cheese beard

Insert a stick

Add a little piece of marshmallow on top

Add some more cream cheese on the edge of the hat. Add a little strip of seaweed for mouth if you like.

Re-Use Challenge

My friend and I decided to challenge ourselves to make cute gift containers by re-using stuff we already had around the house. I started with an empty oatmeal container. Using paper and supplies from her super fabulous paper and craftiness supply store: http://www.pollyspaper.com I turned it into a very festive gift box. What do you think? Are you up to the challenge?

Frugal Life Project: DIY: Metallic Pumpkins!

These are fantastic!!

Frugal Life Project: DIY: Metallic Pumpkins!

DIY: Metallic Pumpkins!
Cheap, dollar store pumpkins...


transformed into stylish, metallic pumpkins!

What do you get when when you take cheap, orange pumpkins and give them a fresh coat of paint? You get fun, stylish and totally cool fall decor! I got various pumpkin shapes from the Dollar Tree and sprayed them with metallic silver paint (around $2 at Walmart). They end up looking like something you'd buy at Pottery Barn - very modern and chic!

Polly's Paper Studio

Soap Rehab soaps and lip balms are now available at Polly's Paper Studio in Pinckney, MI! Including some soaps that are exclusive to Polly's. If you are in that area, be sure to stop by and sniff the soaps and check out all the fantastic scrapbooking paper and supplies. She has the *best* paper selection! Have a cup of coffee and browse and you'll be dreaming up your next scrapping project in no time. http://www.pollyspaper.com

Crocheted Blanket Project-Phase 2

Half a blanket! Very exciting! It's coming along well, and I think I've got the hang of these pretty shell and V stitches. It's going to look so good on the bed. I like how it drapes and is cozy but not too heavy. I also learned how to change yarn when my skein runs out. woot! That feels like such a huge accomplishment. Now I'll be able to change colors for my next project, if I so choose. I'm already thinking ahead to all the things I want to make next. I warned my husband that our house is going to turn into Crochet Land. I'm thinking soapy related things next like washcloths, soap saver bags, and dish towels. Fun! Here's a photo of it draped over the white chair for contrast:

Failures. Ugh

I can be pretty hard on myself when things don't turn out right. Soap batches in particular. Sometimes a certain scent will cause the young soapyness mixture to rebel, overheat, separate, ooze, turn into miserable ugliness. Sometimes it can be saved as ugly soap. Sometimes it's lost forever. Oh how it makes me sad for a long time. Soap gremlins. The bane of my existence. Now, with making other things I can get frustrated as well, but usually not to the point of huddling in a ball of tears. Things like yarn that's all splitty when I'm trying to crochet. (stay, yarn, stay!) A pattern that is not really looking like it's supposed to look. Trying to sew curtains and getting a crazy crooked stitch line. Lotion that doesn't set up like it should. (ah liquid slathering) Lip balm tops that break off where they shouldn't. Labels that print crooked. These things are more like everyday annoyances. Like traffic backups and long lines at the market. But the soap gremlins, they make me terribly upset every time. I'm trying to work on that. Especially right this minute as I am desperately hoping to salvage a new messed up batch. I'm pretty good at punting normally. There are times when you have to do a quick move to a plan B that hasn't even been laid out yet. I'm not bad at seeing when something just isn't working and moving along. But, the soap gremlins make me ill. Have I mentioned that already? ugh.

Crochet Project #2- The Blanket

I now find myself hopelessly addicted to crochet. I can work on it a little here and there, when I have a minute or when I have an hour to unwind. It's therapeutic for my fidgety hands, although I do have to keep an eye on the carpal tunnel in my right wrist. As long as I crochet in shorter bursts and do my wrist stretches, I don't have serious issues with it. For my next project, I started a blanket for my bed. Our bedroom walls are painted a slate blue, and our comforter is gray with black trim. So, my blanket I'm making solid black. I am using this pattern: http://home.att.net/~susanbinkc/patterns.html?avshell2.html but mine is turning out looser and has larger wholes, which I think will look good over the light gray comforter. Here's a photo of what I have so far...right now it looks like it would be a pretty scarf!

First Crochet Scarf Phase Two

Phase Two: Where I almost pull the entire thing out and start over. Then come to my senses in the nick of time. I learned something else new about crochet, and that is "tension". I was apparently very inconsistent with the tension of my yarn as I stitch and my edges are a little on the wavy side. You can see in this top photo the interesting little in and out pattern going on as my single crochets were looser then tighter. I asked my son to look at it, and he didn't even notice the edges. He mentioned the inconsistent "wholes". Which, I'm thinking is also the tension issue. I don't care so much about the wholes...with this textured yarn I don't think that's going to be so noticeable as I wear it. To normal people. And since he said he didn't even notice the uneven edges, it's staying as is. As you can see in the other photo, I finally got into my groove holding the yarn and developed a consistent tension toward the end of what I have finished so far. I'm loving this color, and the softness of the yarn, so I hope it ends up wearable. :)

My first crochet project

One a whim last week, I decided I wanted to learn to crochet. My sister is a happy crocheter, having learned from our grandmother, but for whatever reason I just never picked it up. So, I stood at JoAnn and stared at lots and lots of yarn. I knew I wanted dark blue and super soft, but I had no idea how many different types of yarn would be there for my eyes to feast upon. Finally I chose one, and picked out the size crochet hook recommended on the yarn label. When I got home, I started watching every youtube tutorial I could find, every written instruction, a few patterns I didn't understand, and found lots of information. I settled on a "one skein scarf" pattern that consists of just single crochet stitches. Sounded like a good first project. Well, I started my chain row, pulled it out a few dozen times, then moved onto my single crochet row and pulled it out a few times. ugh. I couldn't see what I was stitching and I didn't know what I was doing. Turns out the yarn I chose is very fuzzy, textured, and not a good newbie yarn. Oops. I kept plugging along, though, and got 4 rows completed. My edges were sadly uneven, and the whole thing looked uneven and pretty rough. But I learned a few things, somehow refrained from throwing both yarn and hook, pulled the whole thing out and started again. I realized I wasn't always crocheting into the very last stitch and that's why my edges were uneven. Now this time, it's starting to look a little bit more like it should. So, here I have what I'm calling phase one:

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic

Create Christmas Ornament at Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic on Saturday December 12, 2009 , from 10am – 11am. This does require registration online, which also shows you which stores are participating. What a fun way to spend an hour with the kids!
https://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/default.asp

Here’s an example of the project:

Home Depot Kid's Workshops

Home Depot has FREE "How To Clinics" for Kids at all locations the first Saturday of every month from 9am to Noon. They are designed for kids age 5- 12 . This Saturday's workshop is this sweet picnic caddy. This would be great for your 4th of July and other summer parties and celebrations! Even though I'm in Home Depot frequently, I actually learned about these workshops through http://bargainbriana.com, a great source for grocery bargains, giveaways and all things thrifty.

In addition to bringing home the newly constructed project, your child will all receive a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates’ aprons, and an achievement pin.

What a fun way to get your kids crafting this summer, build something the whole family can enjoy, while building their self esteem. And it's FREE! You can't beat that for summer fun. Check on upcoming workshops at their website: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentView?catalogId=&langId=-1&pn=Kids_Workshops&storeId=10051

The Crochet Hamburger Dress

Browsing around some of my favorite sites and blogs looking for some crafty crochet type things for a certain yarn loving sister of mine, I came across this Crochet Hamburger Dress. I love this! So creative and fun! Joy Kampia O'Shell is the artist behind this dress. She also has an Ice Cream Cone dress and a Sundae dress in her line up of fantastic wearable art. Check out all of her delicious and fun creations at her website: http://joykampia.com/

Summer Crafts with Kids

Looking for great craft ideas to keep the kids busy this summer? Now that my son's a teen, our summers are mostly things like Mom chauffeur, theme parks, swimming trips, movies, yard work, and runs for ice cream treats. I try to throw in some cooking with him, too. He is also a big reader and writer. I remember doing lots of crafts with him in summers past, but he's moved on to "bigger things". However, for those with younger kids, there are some great craft kits over at And Then Crafts http://andthen.etsy.com. With all the supplies gathered for you, and instructions included, all you need to do is set aside a little time to craft with your kiddo. I would have loved these for my little guy, all the planning and research is done already! Check out this adorable Fish Aquarium kit! So cute! There are lots more to choose from at http://andthen.etsy.com. Enjoy!

Cinnamon & Honey

I recently made a discovery of the bloggy kind thanks to the fabulous artist Kristen Stein (http://kristensteinfineart.etsy.com which is another blog post all together)--Cinnamon & Honey! Cinnamon & Honey is written by Robin, who is a very talented writer and also very paper crafty (check out the cute handmade cards in her Etsy shop here: http://CinnamonAndHoney.etsy.com). As well as "hearting" a number of her cards, I completely fell in love with her blog! She has such a great writer's voice and overall super cool vibe. And I am in awe of paper crafty chicks...I swear I can barely get a straight line even with the aid of a paper cutter. I've decided that I'm much more the mad scientist type crafter which is I guess why bath and body product formulating appeals to me so much (well that and my lifelong obsession with skin care). But I digress. There are always interesting articles and tidbits on Robin's blog, so I am totally honored to be featured this week! Check out the feature and explore her blog here: http://cinnamonandhoney.blogspot.com.

Snow Covered Pine Cones Tutorial

Using white candle wax, break up into smaller chunks. Melt the wax in a double boiler or use an empty clean coffee or large veggie can in a pot of boiling water on the stove. Use extreme caution as the wax is flammable. Make sure you have enough wax that the pine cones can be fully immersed. After the wax is melted, you can use candle coloring to make colored pine cones if you'd like (red or green perhaps) or leave it white for the snow covered look. This is also when you can add essential oils or candle safe fragrances. Maybe a holiday inspired scent...peppermint, cinnamon, orange spice, or maybe a bakery scent like pumpkin pie. I think peppermint would be nice with the white, but there are lots of options out there for your favorite scent. Lower the heat. Using tongs, dip the pine cone into the wax. Hold over the pot and let the wax harden slightly. Re-dip until you get the amount of "snow" you'd like. On wax paper, sprinkle some white or iridescent glitter (to keep up the snow theme) and roll the pine cone in the glitter, or sprinkle the glitter over the top while the wax is still warm. You could get creative with the glitter, maybe use silver or gold, or any color you like! Leave the pine cones on wax paper until completely cool and hardened. These look nice in a bowl, basket or a pretty vase and would make a nice holiday gift.