Craftin' it Up!

A little of this 'n' that

2010-06-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

So I've been up to a little crafting recently! Here is what some of what I've done!

I made a shirt like this with a 1 on it for Cassiah's 1st b-day, and decided to make it a tradition. Well we where too busy and missed it for Aleksia's, but I made one for a friend who is obviously turning 5 soon. Just a felt number with a triangle on top, and then stitched around the edges. Used a font on the computer to trace the number! Easy and very fun for them to wear on their birthday to let everyone know how old they are!

Closer view

So a friend and I have gotten into these bleach shirts, seen here and here (this one was with spray paint, but instead use bleach, it just gives a good demo) and lastly here. So we got online and found pumpkin carving sites, and they worked awesome! That's where I found Batman, Spiderman, and did a Autobots one for Garrick!

This one I used my Silhouette (my friend made several with my machine, which turned out awesome!). I am in love with this machine! Cards, poster making, vinyl cutting, endless other crafts... you name it! The more I do, the more I find more things it can do, it's an endless cycle!

Closer view of the cute little bear!

Made some crowns for a dear friend, and the boys are modeling them.

Closer view. All out of felt. Used my cutter to get a pattern for the cupcake, traced it out, sewed on cute beads to look like sprinkles, hand sewed the cupcake on, then sewed the two pieces of crown together. Got the crown pattern here.

All 4 crowns ready to send!

Ta-dah! I've also done some glass etching with my machine. Print out the image on vinyl, put the reverse image on the glass, then smear the paste, and wipe off 5min+ later. More pics of that later!

Example of the Believers

2010-02-25T16:26:00.000-08:00

Example of the Believers

Blog Round-up

2010-02-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

I will be the first to admit that I am not a natural crafter. Creativity does not come to me quickly. If I do manage to come up with something on my own, it takes me days of stewing over it and mulling it over in my mind. I don't come up with my own craft ideas, but I will say, I am pretty darn good at copying. I can see something and look it over for a while, and then I can probably figure it out (if you give me enough time, that is!)

Well, lucky for me there are a TON of crazy good craft blogs out that inspire me, almost daily, and make me want to get my craft on. These blogs include amazingly detailed tutorials to follow and lots of pictures to help.

So I thought I'd share all of my favorites with you, and maybe you'll be inspired too.

(Click on the pictures to take you to the blog/site.)

Count my many blessings

2009-09-18T10:58:00.001-07:00

This is what we did for Activity Day Girls a couple weeks ago. You can make any type of album with paper sacks, I LOVE it! I'm making one for the baby shower I just did for a coworker too. People write down some advice to the new mom, places for pictures, and a list of the gifts (I'll take some pics before I give it to her). The possibilites are endless! So here is our version, as we recognized our blessings (well 10 of them) that our Heavenly Father has given us! The girls where told to bring 10 pictures of their favorite things. So either collect some old pictures or with help/suppervision take the pictures, but bring them developed, and then we'd be doing something "FUN" with them!

So here is the cover. Sacks cut and the bottom part is thrown out. It worked great with the fold of the bag doubled as the fold for the album (on the left). After putting 11 sacks together (10 pictures + 1 cover = 11 pages) I punshed two holes in the left side (my crop-a-dile it went through it like butter!) and tied it with ribbon. Made a cover with one of my 1,000+ fonts, colored it, and decorated the page.

On the left side they would fill in the blank with their blessing. Yeah I spelled marriage wrong, I know! I'm a BAD speller!

On the right side, paste their picture of their blessing and using decorative paper, punches, and decorative scissors (not too many embelishment choices for them, trying to keep it simple) they decorated around the picture.

Inside the pocket (or inside of the bag) was some card stock cut to fit where they are to journal about how their picture is a blessing in their life or how it has blessed their life. I then cut a small square and stapled it to the paper like a tab for decoration. Stapling the next paper in the middle, then bottom, then back at the top.

Garrick was one of my blessings. He's such a big helper and learning so much at school it's amazing! He's become such a good reader and he loves to read to me as I cook dinner!

Oh Aleksia! She brings drama to our house, in good ways and some bad! But she is a great big sister who loves having a little sister now to share a room with and wear matching dresses to church!

Trestin.... my little "helper." Helps with dishes, laundry, making messes while I clean, and taking care of his little sister while his other siblings are at school. How can such a small package have so much energy?

Cassiah has such a mellow personality! She loves to watch the craziness of her siblings and tolerates all their hugs, kisses, and them holding her very frequently! She only fusses when she's tired or hungery and either way I feed her and she's happy or she falls asleep.

Than is the love of my life, my helper, my sole mate, my sanitiy after a LONG day with the kids, and my best friend! He's a wonderful husband, father, man, and worker.

Ahh she found her thumb! She gags on the binki most of the time, but when she's really tired, she'll find her thumb, and suck herself to sleep! I wish she'd find it sooner sometimes and save herself the trouble!

Picture of Palouse Falls. I have really grown to love Pullman and the Palouse area! I love the spring when all the wheat fields are green, the rolling hills, and the friends we have met (some of which have moved on and we miss very much, you know who you are...).

I have the best job in the world (besides being a wife and mom)! I get to wear the most comfortable work clothes EVER, work with AMAZING people (from the nurses to doctors to CNA's), beautiful new facility to work in, help people feel better, be present for the arrival of new additions to families, and work at night. Nights actually is a blessing, in the fact that when I'm gone to work, Than is at home with our kids, so no day care, and they get good quality Daddy Time!

Tin Album

2009-08-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

These are great for Baby Shower gifts (that's what this one was for), and I've done them (differently but the same idea) for Mothers Day gifts with pics of the grandkids for Grandmas. They are great 'cause you can through them in you're purse and they stay safe!

Supplies:
1 - tin (this one I got at WalMart. But you can get them for $1 at the checkout at Michael's, they are tins for gift cards!)

2 - 12" long and alittle less wide then your tin card stock (I used black)

decorative paper

embellishments

2" strip of sticky velcro

To make:
~fold the cardstock (black paper) into a square that is slightly smaller then you're tin. Because you want it to fit in the tin once it's all folded. Continue folding it accordion style until the end. The last piece will not be the same size, that's okay! Do this for both strips.

~If you want to do a decorative edging on the corners, do it now before you glue it together

~Clue the bottom of one strip (the end that is a little smaller then you're tin) to the top (the end that isn't the same size as the rest of the squares) together, to make one long strip like the below picture. So the smaller section that's not the same size as all the others is on top, and will be like you're title page.

~Cut your decorative paper 1/2" smaller then you're squares, and glue them on

~Prior to gluing on the top one, I printed out on the computer a phrase on velum, tore the top edges, inked them, and adhered it to the decorative paper with brads, then glued it onto the black cardstock. Or you can glue first, then put the brads through all 3 pieces of paper (velum, decorative, and cardstock) for more secure hold.

~Embellish, but leave room for the recipient to add pictures. It's easier when you are making one if you already have the pictures, because then you can embellish around them. But if it's a gift, that's not always possible.

~At the end, on the bottom square, I attach a piece of sticky velcro (one with the sticky stuff on the back, like a sticker) and put the opposite velcro in the tin sticky side down. So when you pull the album out to look at it, it will stay in place.

Questions, incase it's confusing (it's easy to make, but sometimes hard to explain) email me! nrsingmommy@gmail.com

Graduation Announcements

2009-05-17T18:47:00.001-07:00

I finally found the SD card with these pictures to post.

I had a lot of fun making the announcements. I had so many things going on but I always enjoy doing something creative and in time for my finals. I was/am pleased with how thye turned out; I think they turned out really cute. Again, I was ispired by Paper Pals!

2 cards and a memory book!

2009-04-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

I made these for a competition and didn't make it so I thought I'd share them anyway!!

On a Craftin Spree

2009-04-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I don't post FOREVER and now I post a craft everyday. I go is spurts. With Mother's Day coming up I have been trying to figure out projects the kids could do for grandmothers. I found this frame at Wal-Mart. The kids had a blast with it. Kayden kept digging his fingers down into the clay so we would have to re-roll it. Which is nice, if you mess up you just roll over it again. It is the softest clay I've ever used, which was nice for delicate little fingers. After we did the hand prints we stuck it in the oven on 275 for 15 minutes, let it cool and put in the cute little picture of the kids. It was fun, fast, and easy!

Finally Creative

2009-04-19T20:46:00.001-07:00

I just have to say that I LOVE Paper Pals. I found this cute idea in the store. Karen took time to teach me how they were made and Kaycee and I went to town. It was so easy and so much fun. She was so excited to be able make her teachers gifts.

Everytime I go into Paper Pals I am greeted by smiels from both Shawna nad Karen. they don't forget a face. I only wish I had the time, money, and free hands to spend more time in the store. It is so much fun and inspiring. I love the colors, atmosphere, and inspiring environemnt of their store. If you haven't been there you need to go. They have so many great ideas. They have fun classes and even great ideas online.

More V-day crafts

2009-02-06T02:16:00.000-08:00

Here are some more fun Valentines Crafts. For my Activity Day Girls this week we made these and the "You color my world" crayons from an earlier post. They must have enjoyed it, because the mom's had to drag them away after our time was up. Then the kids ended up making some for their friends too!

I LOVE Plaster of Paris. I bought some heart shaped candy molds this year, and put the hook in the back again, and made necklaces. I also made some smaller hearts (another mold) that are about 1" across and made "conversation hearts" out of those, and then glued a pin to the back to wear on your shirt.

This was a way cute idea I found on http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12116 . I love Family Fun on the web and their magazine! I even made some for a couple coworkers and Than's office mates! So obviously fun for adults too!

Monkey Bread

2009-02-06T01:59:00.000-08:00

So this technically isn't a "craft," but the kids do LOVE making it, so I thought I'd share! It's called Monkey Bread, because the little monkey's help to make it. It's very tasty and a great FHE treat!

The recipe calls for 3 cans of the ballard biscuits. Open 1 1/2 cans and cut them into quarters.

Have the little monkeys roll the quarters in a mixture of:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

In a greased bunt pan, place the first 1 1/2 cans of rolled and coated biscuits in the bottom of the pan.

Shred one apple and place on top of the 1 1/2 cans. You can add nuts or raisins too if you like (but we don't like!)

Then cut, roll, coat, and place the remaining biscuits on top of the apples.

Melt 3/4 cup of butter (very healthy!!!) into the remaining sugars & cinnamon mixture. Pour over the top of it all, and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Let cool 10-15 minutes, then invert on a plate. We like to eat it with toothpicks. Enjoy!

Valentines for kids

2009-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

So I have been having withdrawls from my lack of doing anything crafty lately. Between the packing, moving, unpacking, working, kids, house stuff, and being 7 months pregnant life is alittle nuts. So this week I told the boxes that I was taking a break, and needed a "Crafty Afternoon." So after Trestin layed down for a nap, we worked on the kids' Valentines. Garrick had gotten his class list for his V-day party on the 13th, so we got a head start. And of course Aleksia wants to send some too, so here is what we came up with;

Garrick wrote on his foam tags, taped a candy to it, and then punched hole in it and attached a pencil. Here is two of them for his "best friends," Meghan and Sam!

Aleksia making her's for Grandmas & Grandpas, friends, and a couple cousins. She can write "ALE" then we have to finish the "ksia."

Here is another idea (from Family Fun Magazine, so I can't take credit for it) that we made. I finally found a heart mold, so I was able to make these this year. We are going to make them as one of our Valentine Crafts for my "Activity Day Girls" activity next week (I'm in charge of bi-monthly activity for the 8-11 year old girls at church). Here is what we did;

After removing the wrapper, the kids broke each crayon into four pieces, the had fun "mixing them up" after each crayon they put in.

I was finally able to find a mold, at Michael's. The kids put about six crayon pieces in each heart. These I did to kinda coordinate colors. The kids' where all sorts of colors, and turned out cute too.

The "recipe" said to bake them at 250 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Well I bought the cheep crayons, and they took a lot longer. So I ended up having to bake ours at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (basically cook it till they melt). When I took them out, it looked black. But after they cooled, the back still looked like a brownish/black, but the fronts looked cute! Then we glued them to a circle we cut out using a cup as a template, and wrote on the front "You color my World" and on the back "To & From." then taped the heart on. Then the crayon can be removed easily and used. Enjoy!

Some paper crafts.

2008-12-13T13:13:00.000-08:00

OK so I thought I'd finally post the pictures I took a while ago to put up here!! Here are some paper crafts I made some from a class, some from ideas I took from someone else. Hope these help the creativity flow this season or if you can't find the time maybe after the new year!! This is the front with flap open.

Here is a paper bag book (but no like one I'd ever seen before, I love the handles). This is the front.

First page opened.

2nd opened.

3rd open.

4th.

and the back.

This is the front of a paper bag book. It's hard to read in this picture but it says Beach Fun! and the little tag says splish splash.

2nd and 3rd page opened with the side pocket page pulled out.

4th and 5th page opened.

6th and 7th, with side pocket page pulled out.

Side pocket not pulled out.

The back.

OK this is the front of an altered CD case!!

Here is the back.

Opened up.

Closer look at the left side.

Closer look at the right.

This is that folded thing open.

Hope I didn't overwhelm anyone with all the pictures! I promise next time there won't be as many!

Baby Shower Invite

2008-10-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

I am throwing my little sis a baby shower and I just have to say I was so excited when I finished the invitations. The photo doesn't give it credit. I guess it is a craft because I designed it. Right?!

The white blobs are words spray painted over so personal info wasn't out there.

I got the photo from Kayden's collection from his blessing photos. I have a lot of baby clothes and stuff for her so I went with a theme (time of day). Instead of just saying the theme I came up with silly little rhymes.

I used a scrapbooking program and printed it on matte photo paper. It was fast, easy and a lot of fun.

I did just finish a fun magnet board. That is for sure a craft. I can't wait to post it.

TuTu for my LuLu

2008-10-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Well this isn't MY idea - in fact I just found it blog surfing. I'm good at copying other peoples good ideas...and Lucy LOVES this! She wore it from morning to night on Conference Sunday. I had to hide it so it wouldn't get too trashed before Halloween. You can find the step-by-step here...but it is really easy! I bought my tulle at Joannes because honestly I'm a novice and don't always think...Walmart is 1/2 the price and has way more colors. I'll remember that for the next time that I make one. Oh, also for the elastic hair band make sure it doesn't have the grippy no-slip stuff on it! That made a lot harder.

The girl that I copied it from mentioned maybe doing it in yellow and black for a cute, fancy bumble bee, wouldn't that be too cute!!!

Here is the finished look on Lucy

School Days book

2008-08-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

So with Garrick starting school I wanted a way to document things along the way, to see how he changes through the years. I had seen something like this, tweeked it to make it a "Danielle Version," so here is the result. I made one for a couple of Garrick's friends that are also starting kindergarten, but a simpler version, without the paper. Although the paper was easy to add, it was time consuming. And since that is something I don't have much of, they can be creative on their own if they wish. I have it all saved on my computer, so anyone that's interested, let me know, and I could print you off a copy and send to you snail mail. Here goes;

Front cover

Finish of the 20__ with the year they are in that grade, so Garrick's will be 2008.

All these pages are the same for each grade. So it will be fun to see how it changes from year to year. Especially his signature!

Here are a few of the other grades, but the book includes K-12.

I have some corner punches that I bought from Michael's on sale with a coupon that I used. The printed paper I just cut enough off the edges (about 1/4" on each side I think) so that it would fit. Or you could still trim the printed paper, and glue it to the decorative paper. Then I put it in page protectors. For those couple that I did for friends, you could just cut off the edge where I hole punched it, and still be able to put it on decorative paper later if you want. Let your imagination run wild! Have fun! Now, I'm going to go try to not get emotional as I am about to send Garrick off to school this week. Wish me luck!

I love Plaster of Paris

2008-08-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

I love making things with plaster of paris. You can buy it at Michael's (and maybe Walmart too). I use candy molds to create many different shapes (candy mold too at Michael's mainly, but some at JoAnn's and Walmart too). I've done them just plain and you can glue a magnet on the back, or twisted some wire (again at one of the above stores) and made it so that you can put it on a necklace for the kids to then add beads to, or I've painted it and tied it onto the ribbon of a gift. The kids LOVE painting them, even if I just end up throwing the out afterwards (they don't know, and don't remember). But it was a CHEAP form of entertainment for them. The paints are just the cheap ($.43 ish at Walmart) paints in the painting section. To prevent the kids from painting all over their clothes, I bought cheap adult shirts at Goodwill and they wear it backwards. Very useful for Aleksia!!! To mix it, add enough water to the flour looking mix until it's alittle runnier then yogurt. Pour into molds, tap on the counter/table/etc to get the air bubbles out. Usually sets up in about 30 minutes depending on how runny the mixture was. Pop out and let set to finish drying (12-24 hours). I usually put them on a cooling rack so the back drys too. Then paint!

Aleksia painting her Winnie the Pooh shapes

Concentrating very hard!

Some Winnie the Pooh shapes with a bib from some baby ones (very cute on baby gifts!)

Sorry it's blurry, but the back of the gifts showing the wire. They take about 30 minutes to set up, so about 10 minutes into it I then put the wires in place. It needs to be setting up a little to keep the wire in place. If it's not set up at all it will just fall the the bottom.

The front of the gifts. I then spray it with a finishing coat spray (Michaels or Wally World, again) and then spray it with some sparkles (in a can like the spray at the above stores M or W).

Not shown, but I have some Christmas looking molds (obviously sold only seasonally) that I've put on christmas gifts or glued a pin to the back and then you can wear them. A cute gift for the kids to paint then give away at christmas, or to add to a gift from them!

Hopefully that made sense, if not, let me know!

~Danielle~

Baby Book-Do You Know Who I Am?

2008-07-30T02:33:00.000-07:00

I first came up with and made this book for Kaycee when she was about 6 months. This past Christmas I made one for my nephew, Skyler. There are a lot of pages so I only posted a few.

Welcome!

2008-07-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

This blog is created for you to display your projects, and be inspired by others. Post y0ur latest sewing project, a craft, a drawing, a scrapbook page, ANYTHING! It can be just the finished project, or photos along the way with a "how to" instructions included.

The sky is the limit.

Here are some projects to get the party started! Enjoy!

This is a "Danielle" version of a kit that was $30 at the CK Convention, and I made it for ALOT less. The canvases where at Michael's, and then you put pictures on the paper squares. I put a sticky back velcro dot in the middle of the paper, then to the back of my photos so that I can update them as the children get older.

This was my last sewing projects (I made 2). An apron and chef's hat. I gave it as a wedding and a bachelorette gift. With a "recipe" to cook with only the above on, to add some "spice" to dinner...

My Mother's Day cards this year

~Danielle~