Box of Sweet Traits

Well, first I have to apologize for not posting for so long. I don't think I have that many followers, so I never feel too bad about that.  Until someone asks me "What's going on with your blog"? (Thank you Sheila) and that reminds me that, yes, there are a few out there that take the time to read my stuff.


So gratefully and humbly here I am.  First I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I know I did. My girls and their hubbies (and my 4 "Grand-Dogs") were all here for Christmas. Being together is what made it sooo special. We had such a wonderful time!!!  I will post some pix later this month of the fun stuff we did. But now I want to share this year's Birthday Card.


My sweet "twinkies" turned 32 and every year I try to make them a special birthday card. This year I came up with the idea of a box of paper chocolates that were filled with the girl's wonderful character traits.


So this project is:



Birthday Box of Sweets

you need:
decorative papers, glue, small box and sweet treats (optional)


I used a cigar box for one 'candy box'. On the outside I printed a birthday message onto scrapbook paper from my computer. On the inside of the lid of the box I printed this:
"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get"... And we are so happy we got you, because you are:


And then I made a paper divider for the bottom of the box, and started making lots of little boxes from scrapbook paper or old cards, etc. These have to fit into the little spaces. If you would like to know how to make the little boxes please go back into my blog archive 12-30-11 to see how to do it.


Then I printed sweet traits (ex. talented, pretty, patient, etc.)  onto long strips. These I glued these into the boxes. Then I found some small chocolate treats and put them into the boxes also.

I told the girls that they could eat one treat a day, and exemplify that trait throughout the day. That way the card/gift keeps on giving. They loved it, and I loved making it!  Remember, a special gift doesn't have to cost a lot, be resourceful, recycle and put your time and love into it.

tip of the day:
After the holidays, it can be a lonesome time. Take a minute, drop someone a note, call a friend to come over for a board game, throw a pot-luck party for some silly reason! Did you not hear from someone in December, call or email to see how they are doing.


That's all for now,
:Dee

Words, words, words

   What a crazy time of year. School is back in session, which means, yes...Christmas is right around the corner. I know, you are thinking, is Dee crazy??? But you just wait, you'll see. Time will fly by and soon we will be talking about Christmas gift giving.
     With me, it's when craft fair season really starts revving up. Why? Well, because people are starting to think about...yes, Christmas! And that's a good thing for me, because I like making gifts for people.
   This project was squeezed in between filling up my stock for the fairs. I was visiting my daughter, Dana. And she has a kitchen table which was in pretty rough shape on it's top. So on the spur of the moment I got inspired to decoupage it. I had a bunch of old dictionary pages with me that I thought she could use in her paintings, and they were perfect to use on the table.

Today's project is:

decoupaged table top

You will need:

papers to decoupage, (these can be anything from magazine clippings, to newspapers, to gift wrap)
Spray Mount (spray adhesive)
Mod Podge decoupage glue
sponge brush

First clean the surface you will be decoupaging on. This can be anything: chairs, tables, trunks. I have even used glass plates (see previous post for that one)

Then arrange the pieces you want to use. In my case, I laid out the dictionary pages and decided which way they would go. Some of the more yellowed ones were scattered around to give it depth and interest. And I tried to make the ones on the edges (where people would be sitting) easy to read. Something fun to do while eating, learn a new word!!!

Then I took the pieces outside, and over some old newspapers, I sprayed the adhesive on the back of the page. This is messy, because the spray will get on everything, so spray down close to the newspaper. You can skip the spraying part, and spread Mod Podge on the table and smooth the paper down on that also.  But I did not have enough Mod Podge to cover the table twice.

Then lay the pieces down, smooth out any air bubbles. If you have a brayer this work well, a dowel, or a rolling pin might work too.  After these have dried, take a sponge brush and apply the Mod Podge to an area, covering completely.

This may wrinkle or bubble up a bit as it dries, but don't panic. It will flatten out again when the decoupage glue has dried.
* One word of warning: Do NOT put anything hot on this surface you it has dried. I accidently put my tea cup down on it, and it started to bubble up.  IF that happens, take some steel wool, smooth down, and apply more Mod Podge. 

If you want to make it more durable, cover the top with a varnish or an acrylic sealer.

If you have some old chairs, like the ones I found at a garage sale, that were in bad shape as far as the paint was chipping off. You can see in the picture at the top, Dana and I sanded them and then she painted them with fun stripes on one and polka dots on the other, and put new fabric on the seats. And voila, you can make some fun chairs to go with your fun new table!  Paint words on the chairs to match the dictionary pages, if you use dictionary pages.

tip of the day:
My friend came up with some great uses for coffee filters. She uses them to hold small snacks like popcorn or goldfish.  You can fold up a couple, stash in your purse for the next time you take a little one to the movies. You buy a popcorn for yourself and pour some out for their own little bowl. Then you just toss them when finished.
 And she also puts them over bowls when microwaving to prevent splattering. Clever girl.

That's it for now...
:D

picture perfect

The daffodils are blooming everywhere here in California.
I love it, that means that winter is on its way out. I know some of you love the snow,  but it ain't me, babe!
April Fools Day has always been a fun day for my mom and me. She always tried to fool me (usually first thing in the morning) with silly things. Like: 'You have a spider on you', or when I got older 'Your sister is getting married', etc. Usually I figured it out and she couldn't fool me. Well, this year, I got one daughter, but not the other (but it was close). But my hubby got me, and my neighbor got me. ARG!  How did this happen? I'm slipping. Have to be more aware of the day next year... Look out you guys, I'm putting in my phone to remind me...APRIL FOOLS DAY!

Anyway, this nice weather makes me want to be outside and taking pictures. And of course, when you get that one great photo, you will want to put it in a cool frame. So today, we will be making our own frame from recycled materials....
Today's project is:

Picture frame
You will need:
cardboard (from cereal boxes, etc.)
paper, fabric or old maps
glue, scissors, xacto knife or box cutter

First, decide how big your photo is, and measure it, so you know how big to make your "open" area on the frame.

After that, measure a couple of inches larger and that will be the outside edge of the frame.

Cut two pieces of cardboard of the outside edges of your frame. And one long rectangle for the frame easel base.

Then cut out the inner area where the photo will be displayed. Make sure you leave about 1/4" all the way around smaller than the photo. So when you slip in the photograph, it will have a nice nest to rest in.

Now you need to cut three pieces of paper (scrapbook paper, old maps, magazine page, etc.) to cover the cardboard. It will have to be at least 1" larger than the cardboard pieces. Because you will be folding it around and gluing it so it covers the ugly cereal box cardboard.

For the easel and backing: lay the cardboard down on the plain side of the decorative paper.
Fold the corners  down and glue. Then fold down the edgesd and glue.

For the "open" frame, you will lay the cardboard frame down onto the plain side of the decorative paper. Cut an X from inner corner to inner corner, you will fold and glue these edges down. And then fold over and glue the outer edges.

Glue the front and back together on 3 sides. Leave the top unglued, so you can slip in the photo.
Then fold the easel back about 2" from the top, and apply glue to this top edge, and glue to back.

This works great on purchased notebooks. You only have to make the "open" frame, and glue to the front of the notebook (leave top open to insert photo), and you have a custom notebook! Cool!

tip of the day:
Lots of you are trying to get a jump on planting those veggies. Here's a little tip to help you out ~
Protect your seedlings from the wind by planting them in paper bags, partially filled with soil. Dig a hole in your garden for each paper bag. Place the bag in the hole, but leave about 2" of the bag sticking up. The paper will protect your little plant from the wind and will disintegrate as the plant grows, letting the roots unfurl into your garden's soil.

That's all for now...
Dee

Post Thanksgiving

What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had...
Driving up to Seattle is a long way, but so worth it.
Having my girls together and their guys, and us was so much fun.

Justin outdid himself on the cooking.
And Betsy outdid herself on the decorations. Here are only a few of the fun things she made:

a nice card using real feathers

A Mayflower nut holder and feather mobile. Unfortunately, my pix are sideways!

 (Can't figure out why flipped over. So just turn your head to the right...)

 

So you can see how adding those special little creations around make a big impact on your holiday entertaining. And it's fun to do !!

 

Now we are all getting ready for Christmas. Hopefully that holiday will be as much fun as this one was!

Tip of the day:

Think about recycling your Kleenex boxes for those gifts like cookies and sweets.

Just cut off the tops and put tissue paper inside, and fill with yummies. The pretty designs on the boxes won't need any more wrappings.

:D

happy Thanksgiving

Well, it's that time again...
The year has zipped by, where were we?? So many things have happened this past year.
Life has brought us to the holidays, and are we ready? I am! (hee hee)
Sorry, not to gloat, but I've been stashing away gifts and looking forward to this time of year, for 11 months.

I love Christmas...everything about it (except snow and cold).
I love thinking about others, what they might like, I see things throughout the year, and buy goodies or better yet...make things (when I hear a hint about what my dear ones might like).
I love to looke forward to the look on their faces when they open a gift that is especially made for them.
And the funny thing is, I end up with more than I thought (sort of life's 'lay away').
But that's okay. Here it is Thanksgiving. So many activities surrounding the holidays, and so many crafts to try. Every magazine has tons of ideas, recipes and things to do.

Today's project is a simple one that focuses on the Thanksgiving table. A simple napkin holder. But creating an addition to the festivities is always fun. This picture is just plain cardboard. YOU have to find that special paper with special prints to accent your table.

LEAF NAPKIN HOLDER

Find double sided card stock, or use a gift box (you get from the dollar store) and glue decorative paper on the plain side.

Draw and cut out the  1/2 leaf shape onto each end of a long rectangle. Make sure you cut the two slits (on opposite sides) to connect the ends together. When you attach the ends, it will make a maple leaf. (right now, it looks like a spiky dachshund with two heads, ha ha)

This is a fun, quick and funtional craft that adds a handmade touch to the holiday dinner.
That way you are contributing to the day, even if you are not the chef!

IF you are traveling, be safe! Have fun and stop every once in a while, breathe and enjoy!!!!

tip of the day:
Soup is great this time of year. And most of the leftovers you have from dinner, can be combined into a great soup. V-8 is a great base for soup, add some chicken broth and throw in the veggies and turkey pieces.  Freeze it for future frosty days. (remember to leave 1/2" space in the container for freezing bloat.). We might not eat so much, knowing that our yummy leftovers will be enjoyed later.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
:D

hearts to clovers

February has Valentine's Day, and March has St. Patrick's Day.
This project can be used for both.
Cuz you see, I'm always trying to figure out themes for 'get-togethers', cards, gifts, etc.  Because...that's just the way I am! :)

And I hope that's the way you are too. Because it's fun to make things, and I think most people really appreciate handmade items.
Hope you are planning on some fun events this year. And I hope I can help jazz up your celebrations.
Today we are folding paper, which in Japanese is called Origami. And a little bit of cutting paper, which is called Kirigami.

today's project is:

Origami folded card

You will need:
paper (cut into squares), scissors, glue, ribbon

1. Fold the paper point to point (diagonally). Then flip it over and fold edge to edge. And then rotate and fold it edge to edge again.

2. Then gently guiding it with your fingers, close it so that you will have the (unfolded) square shape on the outside of it.
3. You will make four of these.

4. With the folded corners on the bottom, you will cut a heart shape out of the 'open' top side. Then you will trace this shape on to the rest of the folded papers, so your hearts are all the same shape.
5. Trace this heart shape onto 2 other papers. I used a different color of green, and the paper is stiffer card stock. This will be the outside covers.
6. Stack two hearts and glue together.  Continue stacking and gluing until you have all four shapes glued together.
7. Tape one end of a ribbon onto the last side, put glue on it, and glue the lighter green card stock heart onto this. Do with the other end also.
8. Now you can fold up the hearts, tie the ribbon and it is flat (for mailing or putting in an envelope). When the recipient gets it, they will untie the ribbon, open up and re-tie.

If you want to make a necklace out of this, cut a ribbon (long enough to get over your head). You will need a pony bead large enough to thread through both ends of the necklace. Then glue the ribbon ends onto the hearts, as shown in red ------>
I glued little words from a magazine, but you can write messages inside, too.
Instead of tying the ribbon, now you will slide the bead to fasten the folded shape.

tip of the day:
you can take one of these clover shapes, cut a small X with an exacto knive in the center, and push a straw through it, and use for your next party for sippin' in style.

That's all for this week!
:D




The paper I used to demonstrate is purple on one side, and orange on the other. To make seeing the folds easier. But I used green paper for the final project.

Painting the Roses Red!

My favorite animated movie is Alice in Wonderland.
My kids know this, my friends know this, my fellow crafters know this.
I have A in W ornaments,  A in W playing cards and I am quoting this movie all the time.

So when my girls had their 30th birthday, I, of course, had red roses for decorations.
These are paper roses, and easy to make. So NO need to fear the Queen of Hearts...
today's project is:

Paper Roses

You need:
~red tissue paper (or any other color you want)
~scissors
~tape (I used colored Duct Tape)
~skewers

First take your piece of tissue paper and cut it into 6 squares.

Layer 3 pieces on top of one another, and start folding these together at the same time.



You will fold these 4 times into a cone shape.

Then cut a curve in the top, through all layers.

Then do the same with the other 3 layers.

Open all and stack on top of each other.



Take a skewer and place a little piece of tape at the dull end. Stick this through the middle of all 6 layers.

Then you will gather and crimp the pieces up around the skewer and tape the bottom onto the stick. Make sure you get the tissue paper as you wind the tape around the skewer.

Then you will start separating the layers.
Do this gently starting at the bottom layer. Pull it downward.
Go to the next layer pulling it down, but not as far as the bottom layer.
Continue until you have separated all the layers.
Leave the top layer gathered around the skewer resembling a bud.

That's it! I made several of these, added them to toothpicks instead of long skewers and hung them from my dining room chandelier. I added paper sayings for my girls' birthday party. Plus I made a large flower to hang from the center of the lamp. You can make any size flower, just remember to cut the tissue paper into squares (not rectangles). For the large center flower I used 6 full sheets of tissue paper. Then I used the cut off ends to make into the smaller flowers.

I also used pink for the inside 3 layers, and red for the outside 3 layers. I added green construction paper leaves and strung them on fishing wire. A very feminine look.

You can make several and put in vases for centerpieces. Or string them together for a garland. Fast, easy and pretty.

Why not plan a Valentines Day party and make a bunch to decorate your place with. Or better yet, show your guests how to make them and send them home with a heart felt bouquet!

tip of the day:
I bought several boxes of blueberries today from the store, at a buy one, get one free sale. So I had to freeze some of them. And the lesson I learned from picking fresh blackberries and putting them in the freezer in a zip loc bag was: separate them before freezing! Otherwise you end up with a big, squashed clump of berries. So take a cookie sheet, put your berries (or banana slices) on this, making sure they are in a single layer. Put in freezer til set, and THEN take them off and put into another container (ziploc or tupperware) and store in freezer.

That's all for this week!
:D

3 Dimensions

This post is a couple of days late, because I didn't want my girls to find out about their party...

Last week my twin daughters had their birthday.
We are planning a big bash for Saturday to celebrate. And, of course, I am happily going crazy making stuff for the party.

Their nicknames are "the Twinkies", given to them from my dad. And so I made some paper wrappers on the computer that say Happy Birthday to the Twinkies. And wrapped and taped them onto...what else...twinkies. Those are the party favors.

The left over paper strips (I cut off from the twinkie wrapper papers) became curly decorations to stick into their cake. Just take thin strips of paper, tape together at the bottom, and using the edge of the scissors, curl the ends. Attach to toothpicks or skewers with tape.


curled or not, these cute
decorations will go on the cake.

 And their cards have to be extra special, too. And this is what today's project is:

city scape



garden scene

3-D greeting cards
You will need:
~paper
~stickers or magazine pictures or recycled cards
~glue
~scissors

First you need to assemble all the parts you are going to use. The pictures or stickers or the fronts of recycled cards you have received (that's why you save all those cards you get).
Cut out the individual pictures.
Then get some card stock for the base of the card, and fold in half. The standard size is 1/2 of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece.


city scape pieces


Then get some scrap paper for the 3-D pop outs.

You need 2 pieces smaller than the base, fold in half and then fold up the bottom 1/2" and snip at the fold. These are the tabs that you are going to fasten to the base. I call these 'smaller cards'.

You will glue each one onto the base, by folding it up, put glue on tabs, place next to the fold in the base card - at an angle. Close the base. When you open it up, the 'smaller card' should open easily. 

I used two smaller cards, and 2 boxes

Adjust if need be.

Then make a couple of small 2 sided 'boxes'. These are rectangles, folded in half, with a tab at each end. Glue this onto the front of one of the 'smaller cards' and also onto the base.

Now you can start adding all the fun pieces to it. Glue them onto the 'smaller cards' and the 'boxes' and scattered around the base.



I added 'streets' before I glued
 down the pop up components.



You may have to glue this whole card down onto a larger piece of card stock if you find that your pop ups stick out beyond the base when it's closed.

You can keep adding little things until you have a look you like.

I made my own envelopes to fit these cards. I used scrapbook paper (12" x 12") and folded in all the sides leaving 1/4" space all around so the card slips in easily. I like to cut off the corners (squares). Glue 3 sides leaving top flap open.

Happy card making. Once you've perfected these simple pop-up shapes, there is no end to the fun cards you can make.

tip of the day:

When you plan a party, a theme is really the thing that ties everything together. The theme for this party is 30. Because that's how old my girls are now. All the guests were requested to make their gifts "30" themed. That is something that has 30 in., or 30 oz., or 30 pieces, or 30 on the package. It's a hoot to see what people come up with. It takes a bit more thought, but oh, so worth it, to see their creativity.

That's all for this week!

:D

Sweet Christmas

Hi Hi Hi!
or should I say...
HO HO HO,
It's almost Christmas, the merriest time of the year. Time to craft, create and give!

Today's project is good for a
1. last minute gift
2. a project for kids to do
3. a hostess gift
4. the best White Elephant gift ever

It is a:

CANDY TREE

You will need:
a bag of wrapped candy
straight pins (the ones with round heads are the easiest to work with)
a chocolate lollipop with Santa on it
a foam cone (from the dollar store, Michaels, Joann's or Hobby Lobby)
You can add ribbons or tinsel if you wish

Starting at the bottom, pin the top of each candy onto the cone. Work your way around, then up to the top.
Stick the sucker into the very top.

tip of the day:
If you run out of ribbon, or have some little scraps of wrapping paper you can cut these into long strips, gently curl them with scissors and make a bow out of them. Stack them and staple in the middle and add to your package. Cute!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL~ and to all a good night...
that's all for this week, have a great holiday!!!
Dee

Light 'er up!

I love making new things from old stuff!

Thanksgiving is over, and now we all start thinking about Christmas. Well, those of us who love to make our gifts and decorations better get busy, if you haven't already.  Here's a project that anyone can do, even kids, if they are old enough to hit a nail with a hammer, and not their fingers.

For that 'country' Christmas feel, it's nice to use everyday items instead of buying expensive decorations. And you get the satisfaction of recycling and making something yourself. Like this one...

Project of the day:

Tin Can Luminaries

You will need:
~empty (clean) tin cans (any size will work)
~hammer
~large nail with a large head (easier to hit, and makes bigger holes)
~towel

This project needs a couple of days preparation. You will need to start collecting your empty tin cans (not aluminum pop cans), of course. I found some canned corn that comes in a can that has gold colored metal on the inside. This makes the candle really glow. The cans can be any size, large chili cans down to small tomato paste cans and everything in between.

Then when you have several empty cans and they are washed thoroughly, and the labels have been taken off...you need to fill them with water to about 1" from the top. Put these in your freezer overnight until frozen solid. It is a good idea to put several in the freezer at the same time. That way you can alternate the hammering part. I'll explain that later...

After the water has frozen in the can, take it out and lay it on a bunched up towel. You want to make a 'nest' for the can, so it does not roll away as you hammer. It can be slippery. Also the towel will absorb any melting water. Don't do this project on your lovely glass top coffee table, or your bouncy couch. A hard surface is best.

You can make a pattern or just random holes. Random is best, don't be too fussy.
Keep in mind that the candle's light will show through these nail holes. So you don't want to just dent the can, you want to puncture the metal, and punch into the ice.  Older kids (especially boys) love this project because they can hammer, hammer, hammer away. It would be nice to send them outside if the weather permits.

The ice inside will keep the can from caving in when you bang on it. But after a little while, you will find the ice starts to melt (on the larger cans), so put this can back in the freezer and take out another one, and start hammering again.  If you get tired, leave the cans in the freezer for another time.

You will keep making holes all around the can, starting at the top and working downward. Now keep in mind, if you plan on using real candles, don't puncture holes too close to the bottom of the can. You don't want any wax oozing out. But on the other hand, you don't want a row of holes around the top only, you will not be able to see the candlelight at the bottom very well. Especially if you are using tall cans.
When you are done, leave the cans in the sink or bathtub so the rest of the ice can melt.

You can line your walk with these luminaries, and since they are metal, you can use real candles if you wish.  You can also make a nice centerpiece for your table, but if you do, I would use battery powered fake candles. The Dollar store sells them, as well as most other places now. They won't heat up the can, the table surface, or leave wax anywhere.

tip of the day:
IF you have a  paper shredder at home, which more and more people do have, start saving all those little paper pieces. AND throw in some green and red papers (construction paper, magazine ads, etc.) for some festive colors.  You can use these in your Christmas gift wrapping. Even if the item is not fragile, it looks much more special when surrounded with 'frou-frou' papers.  You are renewing and reusing. These are also great if you have to mail gifts to those far away friends and family. Pack them in your shreddings~and keep recycling!

That's all for today!
Dee

Wrap it up!

 I love making new things out of old stuff!

Back home from the Midwest now. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!
Always nice to see everyone, but traveling can be so tiring. I think I'll get busy on some cool recycling projects and get crafting. Always the cure for anything that ails you!

Project of the day:

Handmade wrapping paper

This paper will resemble the handcrafted look of handmade paper, but is so easy.

you need:
~plain white paper, the larger sized the better (this can be butcher paper you can buy in rolls, or paper that was used to wrap something in. That's where I found mine. Nice large sheets I just couldn't throw away)
~spray bottle (can be recycled hair spray bottle, Windex bottle, etc.)
~food coloring
~iron

This is a great project to do with kids. First take a sheet of the paper and crunch it up into a ball. Obviously if you are going to use it for wrapping paper, the larger it is, the better. But you could certainly use smaller pieces (for small packages, or gift cards)
Try not to rip the edges. Crumple gently with this first step.

Then open it up, and smooth it out with your hands. Then crumple it up again, this time it should be a little easier to crunch. Again, smooth it out as flat as you can.

One more time, crumple the paper into the tightest little ball as you can make it. Squeeze hard. Unfold gently, but you don't have to worry about smoothing it flat. You want some mountains and valleys.

Take your spray bottle, fill with about 1 cup of water, and several drops of food coloring. Put your wrapping paper out in the lawn, or on a plastic garbage bag, you do NOT want to let the food coloring get on anything. *It will stain!

Now spray the paper, it will puddle in spots, but that's okay. The more you spray, the more your paper will absorb the color. At this point, the paper fibers have been broken down a bit (by all that crumpling) and it will be softer and more absorbant than new paper.  If there are any wet puddles left, tip paper up and let run off.
Now let it dry. Out in the sunshine is best. Again, this is a good, outdoor summer project. (You can weigh down the corners with rocks or something, so the wind doesn't blow your cool project away.)

When the paper is dry, get out the iron and ironing board. You will iron the paper the best you can. Not all the wrinkles will come out, and that's where you get that 'handmade' look.  Now you're ready for gift wrapping (hopefully it's a project you made yourself from recycled stuff, ha ha). I like to use raffia instead of  ribbon, just because it looks more natural. But any embellishments will work. I stamped designs on my paper also, and then hot-glued acorns on for that woodsy look.

Tip of the day:
I know I've been giving you projects for summer days, but spray bottles and food coloring made me think of a fun thing we did this winter.
My neighbor's 5 year old daughter, Gianna came over with her mom to make a snowman in my front yard. Well, it kind of looked like a snow lady in a dress, so I put some purple food coloring in an empty hair spray bottle, and they sprayed the snow lady's dress and hat. She had so much fun with that. I had to scrounge up a couple of more bottles, with more colors, so she could go out and spray 'rainbows' on my snow.
This idea originated many years ago, when my daughters and I made a snowman, but it actually looked more like a fat cat. We sprayed orange food coloring it and turned it into Garfield, the cat. So if you live somewhere it snows, start saving up those spray bottles for some colorful fun.

That's all for today!

Dee