Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

I know I'm in the minority here, but I don't like holiday's.  I just don't like them. I'm sure this makes me a bad blogger - I should be sharing all sorts of Halloween crafts and posting about how great our Halloween night was.  But I just can't bring myself to do it!  
My husband and I have NEVER celebrated any holiday but Thanksgiving, which is the only holiday we both really look forward to every year.  This is actually one of the reasons I knew we were meant for each other #1 we have the same birthday (5 years apart), and #2 we both think Thanksgiving is the most fabulous and most under-appreciated holiday of all time.  When Miss Kellie joined our anti-holiday family, I knew we were at least going to have to start celebrating Christmas. I mean I'm not anti-holiday enough to deny Miss Kellie of Santa and Christmas morning, that's just plain mean!

So this year I tried to get Miss Kellie excited about Halloween.  We picked out the costume, got excited about the candy and said she was looking forward going to the houses.  And I totally believed her - last year she went with her cousins and really had a lot of fun.  

This year was different.  


We started out on Friday at the Halloween party taking place at my husbands office. 
This did not go well.
There were kids and adults in costume everywhere, strike one.
It was dark with spooky music playing, strike two.
She had to independently approach people to grab a piece of candy, strike three.
We were out - of there! 

Saturday we went to a trunk-or-treat - easy right?  You just walk around to the different cars and grab some candy.  
Not for Miss Kellie.
She hated it, she didn't want people to look at her (even though she looked super cute), she didn't want to talk to anyone, and she didn't want me to take any pictures of her! :(  Not a scrapbook mama's finest hour.

So, when I asked her if she wanted to try one more time and go trick-or-treating tonight and she said 'No!', I must admit I was a little more than happy to agree.  
Maybe the distaste for all the over sensationalized holiday crap is genetic??

She did, however, still want to wear her costume tonight while she played with stickers.


Maybe she'll even help me give out a treat or two.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Crafts with my Sisters!

I have four amazing sisters - two of them came by the other day to do some Pin inspired crafting!

First up - a custom frame for my younger sister Jenn's house! She found the pin in the pic below and asked if I would help her!  You don't have to ask me twice!!
I love the way hers turned out - she choose great colors!


Next - Ms. Kellie saw a feather hair clip and wanted it really badly.  My youngest sister, Stephanie, has been making jewelry and hair accessories for months and months (and she's really good at it too).  So we asked if she would help create one for Ms. Kellie.


Lastly - Stephanie will be going to a Halloween party and is dressing up as Ke$ha.  I must admit I only vaguely know who that is.  To do this she needed a custom bleached shirt. We used newspaper to protect the shirt, she then dipped a Q-tip in bleach and 'drew' on the shirt.  It was really easy and reminded me of several other projects I've seen on Pinterest.


Thursday, October 20, 2011

Perfect Campfire Kit

Quite a long time ago I found this idea in a magazine of some kind - honestly I can't remember which one.  I wanted to make something cute for a friends birthday, with the fall weather creeping in I remember this.
What's better on a cool fall night than a campfire and smores!!!

I found an old box and covered it with some cute scrapbook paper and added a little label.  I found some sticks in the yard, attached cotton balls rubbed in brown in (toasted marshmallows). 
Inside I wrapped the necessities in corresponding paper and labeled the same way.  What are the necessities - as if you have to ask...
- Graham Crackers
- Chocolate bars
- Marshmallows



 Don't forget a pink cute fat bear is up for auction with all proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation!  So click below and check out the details - along with items from several other crafty bloggers that are up for grabs!


CLICK HERE


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Shirt to Pillow

I really loved this shirt, I bought it from a second hand store because the fabric is so cute.  It was put in a box when we moved and I just found it again!  I once saw Martha Stewart (Everyone that knows me knows I LOVE her - I've been watching her since I was a kid, she taught me how to iron a shirt!) turn an old button down shirt into a pillow and ever since then I've wanted to do it!

So when I found the shirt in the box it looked like this...

Cute, cute shirt - I just love the pattern!  I turned it inside out and started by folding the bottom opening to create a straight line and sewed this in place.  I then folded over each side and the top sewing each in place and cutting the excess fabric.  I didn't worry about leaving an opening for the stuffing because the buttons were still functional and I inserted the stuffing there.

Once stuffed I added a few more buttons and sewed the opening closed. To finish the whole thing off I crocheted a large flower as a base, took a strip of scrap fabric and scrunched it up, then crocheted a small circle - sewed all three elements together and attached the the pillow!

What do you think?  I think it turned out super cute!!!


Also - the Un-Giveaway over at OneArtsyMama is underway!  Check out the great crafts and such up for auction HERE...
Remember ALL proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen  Foundation!




Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Pinterest ~ Times Two

It's no secret that I'm a Pinterest junkie.  I put Miss Kellie to bed and click away until I can no longer keep my eyes open. So today I let go of the mouse and did the dishes ~gasp~ and got to some craftin'!!

First up - I needed Mod Podge.  I saw this tutorial about a month ago and was running low on  my official Mod Podge (which is about $6 a bottle!!) - so I figured I give it a go. 
You need:
     50% glue (I got Elmer's on clearance)
     50% water
     jar with a top (a dollar store find)

I dumped the glue in the jar, filled the glue bottle with water and added that - stirred and done!!  It looks just like Mod Podge and only cost me $2, and made about 14 oz.!!!!  Killer deal - and I used it to attach my label and it works great!!


Now that I had newly mixed Mod Podge I was onto my second Pinterest project of the night.  I have been seeing scrabble tiles all over Pinterest and on this link is a tutorial to show you how to make scrabble tile into a pendant.  I have a scrabble game that was gifted to me about 12 years ago, which was still new in the plastic.  I must say, anyone that knows me knows I couldn't spell my way out of a wet paper bag (without spell check that is) - so not a great gift for me.

This was super easy and I LOVE them - now I just need to figure out what to do with them.  I took a stab at a necklace with the supplies I have on hand, but can't wait to take a tile with me to the craft store and find out exactly what need (want).


Monday, October 10, 2011

More Cards!!

I decided to do some exploring of one of the newer cartridges in my cricut stash, "Straight from the Nest"! 
 Two birthday cards (Hoot Hoot and Happy Birdie Day) and a just because kind of card card (Life is Tweet). I love them all!! 
I am so super happy all these birds and owls are popular now, they are so very cute! It's no surprise I'm totally in love with my cricut - and I'm still amazed how many new things on find on the cartridges every time I get them out and play.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Homemade Thank You Cards...

 About 14 years ago (ekk) I started scrap-booking like crazy.  About 8 years ago (double ekk) I started making cards like crazy.  And lately, as you can tell by the state of my blog, I've been doing a lot of crochet.

I wanted to do something for my sister-in-law, she loves 'thank you' cards.  I saw this idea in Paper Crafts magazine and thought, "Hey, I can do that!".

These are super simple and super cute!!


The flower card is pretty self explanatory.  The trees are just two different sized circles and an embellishment!

Go, make a few of your own!  I'd love to see what you come up with!