Make // Minecraft Valentines - Free Printable

My six year old loves Minecraft, so this year we decided to make Minecraft Valentine's Day cards for his class. I kept it simple with swords for the boys and hearts for the girls-- All in the pixelated-Minecraft theme of course!

Perler Beads lend themselves perfectly for this. I have to admit that I kind of like working with them-- slow, pedantic and somewhat relaxing if you're not in a rush.  I had a bit of practice with Perler Beads when we threw a Minecraft-themed birthday party last summer (details HERE). 

You can obviously do a lot more with Perler Beads and the Minecraft theme-- Minecraft Creepers, Steves and Mobs, etc. If you're looking for more design ideas, check out these Perler Bead cupcake picks.

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Make // Pineapple Gold Leaf Bowl

I wasn't going to jump onboard the "pineapple decor" bandwagon. But then, on our trip to Kauai, I saw this 1970's designed pineapple bowl while perusing the Tourist Section at Walmart. You know that section? The one that all the locals avoid? I was fearless and risked my reputation for this!! I kid. Sorta… Anyhow, for 5 bucks, I figured I could indulge the trend.

BTW, this bowl is made from pine, not pricey koa or monkey pod that some of the vintage pieces are made from. So while this pineapple bowl brings me back to the time of avocado shag carpet and orange formica… aah memories… I'm clearly someone who enjoys living in this century, and had no problem updating it with a little paint and bling.

My only struggle was deciding on a design…  Should I paint it on the diagonal? White with gold polka dots? Paint it all? Leave some wood showing? Gold leaf?

Eventually Gold Leaf won out. I have a gold leaf kit that's been hiding-out in my craft supplies for the past year or two. Truth be told, gold leaf can be a little tricky to work with, so I put off using it until I had the time and patience. Well, last week I had the time and patience-- woot! Here's how my first attempt at gold leafing turned out.

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Make // Paper Punch Card

It's been awhile since I've worked on a project, so when my sister-in-law's birthday rolled around, it was the perfect opportunity to create a pretty and simple card.

I used this technique a few years ago for the cover of my journal, and it's one of my favorite projects-- Simple with a little flair.

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Make // Design a Pillow with Tulip For Your Home

Today I'm sharing a stenciled pillow project, sponsored by the folks at Tulip®. I happen to love their Soft Fabric Paints and have used them on several textile projects. This paint is exceptional on fabric and always dries soft and flexible. So it's no surprise that I was excited to try some products from their new Tulip For Your Home line.

With stylish stencils and an extensive line of paint colors, they make it EASY to create affordable, on-trend home decor. It's the perfect medium for personalizing any textile project-- from pillow cases & placemats to lampshades & canvas art.

I was given all the tools to create this pillow case, including the "cool" color palette of blueberry, ocean and nickel.

Click HERE for the full post

Round-Up // Happy Earth Day!

Tomorrow is Earth Day, so I thought I'd round-up a few of my favorite upcycle projects. To be honest, some of my favorite projects stem from repurposing trash-- That doesn't sound very glamorous but, to tell you the truth, you don't always need to go to the store to find your creativity.

Even with these upcycle projects, I always find myself wanting to do more-- Not just for the environment, but for my family's overall health. Lately I've been trying to "green" some of my daily chores. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing what has worked well (and what hasn't).

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Round-Up // Easter Egg Projects

I have NOT got my head around Easter this year. I haven't even made any Easter projects like in years past. About the only thing I've done is buy eggs. Speaking of which… Can you believe I've never dyed eggs with my kids before? Since they're almost 6 and almost 8, I think they're ready for their first vinegar-infused, egg-dyeing experience. The smell of boiling vinegar just brings back memories-- I think the vinegar is boiled... I guess I better read the instructions. My poor kids. ;D

So some major egg-dyeing is on next week's agenda while they're on Spring Break. I'm also hoping some creative inspiration will strike and I can roll out a new Easter project in the next week… We shall see.

In the meantime, here's a round-up of Easter Egg projects from over the years--

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Upcycle // Papier Mache Roses from an Egg Carton

I'm craving flowers. Which can only mean one thing… Spring is almost here. Next week, March 20th!! With the kids' schedules and my own responsibilities, I haven't had much down time lately. I'm definitely someone who needs some quiet time in order to function properly and it just hasn't been happening lately. So, after several weeks of feeling uninspired and burnt-out, when a little free time presented itself, I knew it was time to remedy the situation. For me, the remedy usually means "creative therapy" --  Forget all the other stuff for a bit and create something.

On Monday morning at 8:00 sharp, right as the kids were being carted off to school by my hubby, I pulled out some supplies and got to work. I didn't feel like waiting for the stores to open, so I dug into a bag of recyclables that I've been saving for a future project. Since Earth Day is next month, what better time to start an upcycle project.

At first,  I didn't have a clear plan, but I did know that I wanted a hands-on project that is easy to make, uses recyclable materials, and breathes a little Spring into our home. I think these egg carton roses hit all the marks.

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Make // DIY Handwriting Chart… For Under $20!

Last year I bought an awesome penmanship print when my then first grader was learning to write in cursive. I thought it'd be a good tool for him and it doesn't hurt that it's on-trend too. And the amazing thing? It only put me out $4! But it gets better….

So I never got around to hanging it up.  At first I was going to frame it, but that just seemed too formal and was more than I wanted to spend. Then I saw several diy botanical charts that were hung in a clean and simple fashion and I was smitten.

So what IS the best part about this project? It cost me less than $20. Total. Actually, it really just cost me $7 since I already had the stain, miter and twine from previous projects. And it took me just a few minutes to assemble. Seriously, for DIY, it doesn't get much better than that!

Here's the cost breakdown...
artwork - $4
wood - $3
stain - $2
craft miter box - $7 (with 50% off coupon)
twine - $3

Click "Read more" for all the details!

Make // Marbleized Glass Hearts

I saw this technique used for fingernails a few years ago and tucked the idea away for a future project. I'm not one for painting my nails, so I found this to be the perfect way to use some of the nail polish that I have stockpiled in my vanity. Why do I have so much polish when I hardly ever paint my nails? Who knows?! I guess I'm attracted to all those pretty colors, but when it comes down to it, only my toe nails get gussied up…. And that's only during sandal-wearing season.

Anyhow… This project is easy. It's messy. There are fumes involved. That about sums it up. Luckily, if you have nail polish remover on-hand and you work in a well-ventilated area, it's not too bad. I think the end results are pretty eye-catching!

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

From the Archives // Valentine's Day Projects for Kids

Over the past few years I've made Valentine's Day Cards for my kids to hand out to their classmates. It started out as something fun to do… Remember when those 3D photo cards came out? I think I first saw them in 2009. Then I started to get a little more creative and personalize the cards to what my kids were into at the time. The last couple of years it's all about sugar-free Valentine treats. Our school has all the kids from the same grade exchange Valentines… When everyone gives candy, it seriously feels like Halloween in February. Our little sugar-free treats just balance out all the candy, or in the case of the party blower, probably enhance the sugar high!  ;)

It was fun to look at all of these again… Like a walk down memory lane! 

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Make // Mustache Valentine's Day Cards - Free Printable

We're no strangers to mustaches around here-- see our funny lil' man party  and cowboy party. Since they are fun and also a sugar-free option, I thought we'd incorporate them into my 7-year old's class Valentine's Day cards. I made a couple of versions.

One that's a straightforward declaration…

And another that's more for the faint of heart (aka, one that won't embarrass a 2nd grade boy)...

Click "Read more" for the free printable cards

Make // Pleather Bows & Other Gift Wrap

PLEATHER... Great for decorating your presents AND your friends!

who knew??!!

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Make // Alcohol Ink Ornaments

This tutorial first appeared as part of Under the Table & Dreaming's 4th Annual Handmade Ornament Series. 

I discovered Alcohol Ink over the summer while I was coming up with ideas for restyling these recyclable glass bottles. The look was so iridescent and eye-catching that I knew that it would be the perfect treatment for simple glass ornaments. 

Flash forward six months and it was finally time to try my hand at decorating glass ornaments. I played around a bit and came up with four different, yet simple techniques. While they look a little labor intensive, they are surprisingly easy to make and not too messy (as long as you keep the ink off your clothes!).

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Make // Faux Fur Trees

Ah yes... Are those sleigh bells I hear? Has Christmas sprung up overnight in about every retail spot that I inhabit? Except Costco, who thought it was okay to bring out the holiday cheer in August when my kids were still on summer vacation? Ahem. Yes my friends... It's that's time of year again.

I waited until All Hallows Eve was over and, although I love Thanksgiving and will honor that fine holiday with lots of good company and good eats, it's time to get BUSY!  Because Christmas will be here soon.

Stress and Excitement. That's what I'm all about.

Since I've been building a forest tree collection for the past several years (see most of them here), I thought I'd start with some pretty, soft and texturally awesome Faux Fur Trees.

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Plans for Christmas 2013 Decor...

It's November. Halloween is officially over. I'm gonna go out on a limb and declare that it is now officially okay to start talking Christmas... Mmm-kay?

When I look back upon my last few years of holiday projects, I noticed that each year I tend to focus on a particular material or style.

Christmas 2010 was white felt and silver paint-- It was my first year trying to revitalize our old, tired Christmas decorations.


Christmas 2011 was all things smooth and shiny-- pearls, satin, glass.


Christmas 2012 was natural materials and colors-- burlap, muslin and mother of pearl.


So what's in store for 2013?

Christmas 2013 is going to be the year of faux fur, leather (or pleather) and... metal hardware. Haven't quite figured out how I'm going to fit this in, but... Hey, that's part of the challenge!

Faux Fur Trees coming up soon...

Make // Fabric Pinecone - Toile

I took a month off from crafting and wasn't going to make any Fall projects, but then I started thinking about pinecones... I love pinecones! So I eeked this one out last Saturday between two soccer games and a baseball practice. Sometimes a little pressure helps the creative process. :)

I've made pinecones before-- this lace one, this felt one, and this muslin fabric one... So this time I combined a few techniques and came up with yet another version of a fabric pinecone.

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Upcycle // Cool Jar Series - Part III

Jars, bottles and other recyclables... I have a ton of them and I'm determined to do something with them. So far, some have become colorful translucent vases, others have become photo votives and now I'm down to a bunch of glass spice jars.

I rescued these cute little jars back in January when we were purging my in-laws storage unit. They were still wrapped in their original packaging and had been in storage for over 30 years.  I think they were waiting for me.  :)

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Upcycle // Cool Jars Series - Part II

It's time to do something with all those jars and bottles that you've been saving for the odd project or two. For the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to come up with some new ways to beautify old glass vessels (in this case, former salsa jars). For my first project, I experimented with alcohol inks. This time I decided to try my hand at printing on tissue paper to create these translucent photo vases. 

I used flowers, but I think these would also turn out great with family, pet or cute animal photos. 

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Upcycle // Cool Jar Series - Part I

My stash of recyclable jars and bottles has grown out of control. It's time to do something with them!! After sorting through and discarding many in the recycle bin, I thought I would try to make something decorative with the remainder. I love to try out new techniques and new-to-me products, and these free vessels are the perfect guinea pigs.

If you've been following this blog long enough, you've probably picked up that I love anything translucent-- gemstones, votives, stained glass... They just catch my eye-- I must've been a magpie in a former life.  :) Anyhow, when I stumbled upon alcohol ink and their translucent qualities, I knew that I had to try them out on glass.

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Father's Day // "King for a Day" Duct Tape Crown

Father's Day... It's this Sunday!!!  How did it sneak up like that? This year it happens to coincide with my  kids' last week of school-- I.N.S.A.N.I.T.Y.

I usually have the boys make something special for The Mister, but it's been busy and I hadn't given it much thought... Until about 10 PM last night when I had an A-Ha moment (don't you love those?). I quickly grabbed some scrap paper, duct tape and scissors. And that's how these "King for a Day" Father's Day crowns came about...

I made a couple of extra mini-crowns and decked them out with some Mod Melts, the new embellishment tool from Plaid. The Mod Melts were originally intended for another project but, since I have the "Royal Icons" mold, I kinda had to use them on these crowns.

The kids will decorate this full-size crown for their Daddy. Hopefully they'll be able to agree on a design...

Click "Read more" for the details