Custom Printed Jars

This is an amazing craft and would make a wonderful gift. Kristine from The Painted Hive has done an awesome job with her tutorial and even provides a free printable --- make sure this one gets onto your wish list!

Find the direct link to the craft {here}

Honey Oatmeal Mask

Oatmeal is an amazing natural moisturizer, gentle exfoliant, skin soothing element. To use as a mask combine raw oats that have been pureed into fine dust with olive oil, honey and water to make a paste. Apply to face and reswt under a hot towel for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off and enjoy a baby-soft face.

Ingredients for 1/2 pint jar:
1 cup ground oats
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp honey
~Combine until thick. Use immediately, or withing 5-7 days

Bird's Nest Charm

These are easy to make and completely adorable --- perfect for mom or grandma :)

Supplies:
Thin jewlers wire
Small beads (birthstone colors??)

Directions:
1. Thread your first bead onto the wire leaving a 2 inch tail.
2. Add any additional beads.
3. Wrap the wire several times around the beads to create a "nest" appearance.
4. Secrure the beads by wraping it around the outside to hold the nest in place. Clip wire and tuck in loose end.
5. Use the 2 inch tail to create a loop at the top of your nest, then clip and hide the end.
6. Wear it on a neacklace, bracelet or keychain.

Family 5 Year Journal

This craft was inspired by a pin I saw recently - jot down a note about your day that year and enjoy looking back to see where you have been and what special things have happened over the years. This journal version is more compact and doesn't have the risk of being scattered across the floor or down the stairs when your kids get a hold of it. (Just keep the pens out of reach)

This would be especially neat for a newly-wed couple or for a new baby. Wish I had started one the year we got married.

 

Example of how it might look over the years...

January 1

2013 - Celebrated the New Year in Time's Square

2014 - Celebrated the New Year with our new baby

2015 - Sarah took her first steps today

2016 - Enjoyed the countdown at a B&B in Aspen

2017 -

(apparently this family I made up has like to travel, haha)

 

Supplies:

Spiral journal

Nice pens

Scrapbook stickers

 

Directions:

1. Decorate the front and inside covers with the stickers. On the inside of mine is our last name and the yeat we were married as "est. 2005"

2. Slowly and carefully write the date for each day of the year, equally spread out on the pages. Mine had 3/page and 7 lines between each date. I messed up several times and had to tear these pages out. If you make a lot of mistakes - count the pages to ensure you will have enough at the end.

3. Include a nice pen and an invitation for the recipient to jot down a note about each day noting the year on each line.



Fabric Scraps Pot Holders

As I was pulling dinner out of the oven last week I noticed how worn out my pot holders were...after doing some checking I also learn how easy they are to make!!

Supplies:
Fabric Scraps
Heat resistant batting
18" x 9" piece of regular batting

Directions:
1. Sew together 1-2" strips of fabric until you have two pieces that measure 18" x 9".
2. Place the two pieces right side facing out with the two pieces of batting in between.
3. Quilt the pieces together using a random pattern
4. Cut the piece in half to create two 9x9 inch squares (approx)
5. Sew a strip of binding around each piece starting in the center of one of the sides.

No Sew T-Shirt Ribbon Scarf

Grab an old tshirt and lets get started!

Supplies:
XL cotton tshirt *without hemming up the sides
Scissors

Directions:
1. Cut the tshirt straight across just below the armpits
2. Cut the seam off at the bottom

 3. Stop now and stretch <----> for a thick scarf
4. For a ribbon scarf, keep cutting 1 inch strips then stretch to finish.
5. To wear, gather all the pieces and wrap twice around your neck. You can also make a chain-link with two sets if ribbon then wrap the loop around your neck wearing the chain in the front.

Knit Boot Cuffs

How fabulous are these!! And the best part is ---- no heel to worry about! HOOT! Because they only have to be about 6-8 inches long they are fast to make so grab your needles and some yarn and get knitting! :)


{click on photo for link to pattern}

Casserole Carrier - Two Ways

We had a crazy day today, so my original project never got done. (Have you been there?!) Here are the links for two different versions of a casserole carriers - depending on your budget and time for sewing. Both are equally functional and equally adorable.

The first is the faster and cheaper version --- two placemats sewn together with belting used for the handles.

The second takes considerably more time to make but is in my opinion a little more appealing because it is fitted to your dish and fold over on four sides to enclose. (This one is on my to-do list)

Monogrammed Magnet Board

A perfect place for recipes, notes or pictures!!

Supplies:
Baking sheet
Scrapbook paper
Modge Podge
Acrylic Paint
Ribbon
Circle magnets
Clear flat-bottomed glass stones
(Cricut)

Directions:
1. Paint the baking sheet and allow to dry completely.
2. Trim coordinating scrapbook papers to fit on the top of the baking sheet. Glue the paper to the baking sheet with a layer of Modge Podge.
3. Cut initials and embellishments out using your Cricut. And glue onto the baking sheet.
4. Apply a top coat of Modge Podge.
5. With a hammer and nail, make two holes at the top of the cookie sheet and string through a piece of ribbon to hang.
6. To make coordinating magnets, cut 1 inch circles from scrapbook paper and glue to the flat side of clear stones print facing against the stone using Modge Podge then unto the magnet with hot glue. Hold done firmly for 30 seconds to a minute to ensure hold.

Brown Sugar Facial Scrub

Two ingredients, easy as pie --- works like a charm! Use a Tablespoon of this scrub on your face when you are in the shower a few times a month. The sugar gently exfoliates and the olive oil locks in mositure leaving your face feeling super soft and smooth! (If it dries out before using it all, just add more oil)

Ingredients:
Light Brown Sugar
Olive Oil (the more "virgin" the oil the stronger the smell will be, but any of them will work)
Jars for gifting

Directions:
Pour unpacked brown sugar into jars & slowly add olive oil until the sugar is saturated and no longer absorbs the oil. It will begin to pool on the top of the sugar. Enjoy!

Wall Calendar

These are a fun way to stay organized and keep your week visa blue for your whole family. You can find multi-pane frames at Walmart or even thrift stores sometimes. Simply cut scrapbook paper to fit the frames and write the days if the week in each. Use the 8th frame for a to-do list or simply write "coming up this week". You can use a cricut or pre-cut letters for the days of the week as well. A dry or wet erase marker works beautifully on the glass of the frame for your schedule. If you have a big family try using different color markers for each person in the family. :)

Homemade Muffin Mix

Prep Time: 10 minutes max
Total Cost: Less than $20 for full recipe (add $10 for gift jars). Approx. $2-$3 each.

Muffin Mix
(Makes 17 cups or 9 dozen muffins)
Five pound bag all-purpose flour

3 ¾ cup white sugar

12 oz Dry Buttermilk Powder

4 ½ Tbsp Baking Powder

1 ½ Tbsp Baking Soda

1 ½ Tbsp Salt

1 ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg

- - Combine all ingredients well with a whisk and store in a large airtight container. (Recipe adapted from the original posted on grouprecipes.com)

To give as gifts, place 2 3/4 cups mix in quart sized jars and attach baking instructions (below). A muffin cup turned upside-down fits nicely over the lid of the jar, tied with rafia makes a quick & easy finish. :)

To Make Muffins:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
2 3/4 cup muffin mix
1 cup mix-ins (fruit/nuts/baking chips)

- - Combine ingredients until moistened. Scoop into greased muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Here are a few of my favorites:
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bran Muffins
2 cups Muffin Mix
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup Kellogg's Bran Buds
2 eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup apple butter (or cinnamon apple sauce)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 1/2 cup muffin mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
1/2 cup softened butter

Embellished Notebook

This is such a cute craft plus it is super quick and super affordable!! Often times at Back-To-School time you can find compositions notebooks for $1 or less and most if not all of the others in your craft stash! ;) How about giving one of these cutom journals as a gift to a grad, new mom, or as teacher gifts!

Supplies:
-2 sheets 12x12 scrapbook paper for outside cover
-2 sheets 12x12 scrapbook paper for inside covers
-1 composition notebook
-Ribbon
-Embellishments
-Mod Podge & hot glue

Instructions:

-Hot glue two strips of ribbon to the inside of both covers

-Cut the paper for the inner covers to fit. Then apply with Mod Podge.

-Cut the paper for the outside of the notebook to fit the height but leave both sheets 12 inches in length. Starting on the back, mod podge the first sheet of cover paper to the notebook trimming it to leave a small lip in the front. Apply the second sheet starting at the outer edge trimming the meet the edge if the first sheet.

-Use ribbon to conceal the seem where the two cover sheets meet and finish with embellishments. :)

GIFT IDEAS: graduation, pregnancy announcement, baby shower gift for mom who already has kids, teacher gift.

Dollar Store Frame Craft

I am the creative activities coordinator for a local Teen MOPS group. Here is a super cute craft we did recently! You can use glue dots or small paper clips to attach picture and/or words if inspirations to each of the tags!!

SUPPLIES:
8x10 frame (glass removed)
1 sheet main color scrapbook paper
2 sheets coordinating scrapbook paper
Twine or ribbon
Mini clothespins
Embellishments (ribbon, paper flowers, bling, stickers)
Hot glue

DIRECTIONS:
Cut two pieces of twine or ribbon that are about 1 inch longer than the frames inside border. Hot glue each side to the back of the frames inside border to create a suspended line to hang your tags from.

Cut the main paper to fit the frame. Place on frame behind the twine and replace the back.

Cut several tags and hang from the line with the mini clothespins. Finish with cute embellishment.

Finally crop photos to fit on the tags and attach with small paper clips.