Organize Ribbons & Trims Using Toilet Paper Rolls

It's as simple as one, two, three!

Yup. 

All you have to do is:

and

Easy pease.  What did I tell ya. 

Now start organizing!

From Art Frame to Ispirational Cork Board (DIY)

I recently helped my super crafty friend Noelle to rearrange her craft space.  Above her work table she has this huge amazing framed cork board, where she pins crafts she's finished and other inspirational bits and pieces.  I love it!  

Unfortunately in our craft room at home (a rather large one) most walls are slanted and those available have already been covered with wall to wall shelving (yes admit I'm a fabric addict and craft supply junkie.) So finding a space to hang a large size framed cork board isn't going to happen.  That being said, I accidentally  came up with a solution. 

You see I've been searching for the perfect frame to frame wonderful handmade art piece I bought from an artist up in the Appalachian mountains.  Eddie Spagetti.  His work is amazing.  The particular art piece I bought he had it framed with frames he made out of re-purposed wood.  Gorgeous.  At the time though I didn't have enough mula to purchase both his art piece and frame.  Bummer!  I didn't think I would have much trouble finding a frame that fit.  Wrong!

Anyway, back to the framed cork board for my craft room.  I happen to have a smaller long framed piece of artwork I purchased at my local Goodwill store in hopes that it would work on Eddie Spagetti's art piece.  (No, I didn't have the measurements with me at the time.)  Needless to say, it did not.  Then I thought to myself, well hey, why not use it to make a mini framed cork board (10 1/2" x 22") that will fit in my limited space under a window.  Perfect.

You will need:

♥ and old frame with backing.

♥ Thin cork sheet or tiles.  I used 6 x 6 cork boards I had around the house. (Use and re-use, right?)  But the ideal thing would be to use cork board sheets, so you can cut it to the exact size you need.   

How to make it:

To make it, I began by carefully removing the glass and original print.  I then put back the backing plus and extra piece of cardboard of the same size, to make the backing stronger.  I then flipped the frame back to the front and began to slowly glue each cork tile.  I also cut other pieces to fit.  I then let it dry for about 24 hours.  

I added a linen flower (I made previously) to hide the little bits of cork I had to connect in that corner.  Remember I used the cork tiles I had on hand?  I like the way it looked at the end, connecting lines and all. 

And it fit perfect between my window and sewing table.

A little side note:  DO NOT DROP IT!  Yea, I did that when I was showing it to my friend Noelle who happened to be here the day I made it.  Yup, dropped it and the frame broke!  So there you had both of us gluing it back together. I wanted to cry, laugh, a bit of both.  I didn't.  What you see up there is after we glued it together.  Not bad.  It adds to it's distressed charm. Right? Right.

Happy Crafting!

It's Crazy Around Here!

Oh yes indeed!  The full time crafting craze has begun.  Last year my friend Noelle and I decided to give it a try and sell our creations at local craft shows.  We liked it, it went well.  So this year we signed up for many, many more. 

My original plan was to craft through out the year, that way come fall I would have a nice selection of items to sell.  A stress free life, no worries about getting everything done weeks before the show.  REALITY CHECK!  Though I did craft a bit here and there, there is no way near enough merchandise ready for my firs craft show of the year (which just so happens to be in two weeks!)  Yes, so here I am crafting away.  Cutting, sewing, cutting and sewing some more.  Gluing and labeling.  All fun, but definitely keeping me busier than busy. 

My life.

Always running around,

Always doing.

I wouldn't change  it one bit.

That is just who I am.

And I embrace it just the same.

Me.

While keeping myself busy so has my super fairy chiquita.  Now that her brother is in back in school  you will often find her in the craft room by my side working on her own little projects.  I don't guide her, I let her be.  She never seizes to amaze me.  I love seeing what she'll come up with. 

My chiquito too.  Look at all those wool felt scraps, I mean, pasta in the making? 

May your week be filled with fun busy days.

Now I better get back to work!

DIY: Lovely Little Gift Tags

I love it when I get a beautifully gift wrapped gift.  Some times so much that I don't want to open it, all I want to do is admire the wrapping.  Yes, I can be sentimental like that.  But who am I kidding at the end what's inside wins!  Ha!

But I have to say that I love giving beautifully wrapped gifts as much as I love receiving them.  And with every gift I think it is a nice touch to add a personalized gift tag.   They are so easy to make.  Most, I admit, I make out of scraps of paper I have laying around, maybe I'll add a cute sticker or stamp, what ever creative mood I am in (like the ones I made using tissue paper boxes.)  In this case, I had some left over book page flower cut outs from the Mother's Day Card I made for my mami and ended up with these:

Super easy to make.  Want to learn?

Here's how:

You will need:
♥ A cardboard box, cut into various size circles.
♥ Book pages, cut flowers.  You can draw one and use as a stencil, or if you have a dye cut machine you can use that to make multiple flowers quicker.
♥ Glue
♥ Hole punch
♥ Twine

To make all you need to do is glue your flower onto the cardboard circle.  Play around with it until you find the right spot.  Then hole punch a hole near the top edge of your circle.  Finally add the twine.  Tada!  You are done!  Easy peasy, just like I promised.

Now you have a lovely little tag to spruce up any gift.

Happy Crafting!

Make a Heartfelt Card for Mom

This year I wanted to make an extra special card for my mom.  Something that shows her how much I love and appreciate all she's done (and continues to do) for me.  After all, I have been blessed with the most fantastic mother in the world! 

After searching through my stash of goodies around my craft room.  I remembered I had been reorganizing some old photos.  Bingo!  I could definitely use one of those old photos.  One of...me!  I choose one of me when I was just a few months old, and began to work.

Do you like it?  Would you like to make one?

It is mighty simple.  First thing though is finding that perfect photo.  It can be one of you as a baby, or one of your kids (hint hint dads out there!)  Because mine was an old photo (vintage for today's standards) I decided to continue with the same vintage feel.  I gathered some lovely vintage lace and trims that, coincidental, my mom had given to me.  Made a flower embellishment (for how to click here) out of old book pages and another out of re-purposed  linen bags.  But you can very well use pre-made embellishments to make yours. 

Ready to make that card?

What you need:

♥ A photograph
♥ Book pages.
♥ Lace and/or trim
♥ Flower embellishments
♥ Stamp & ink
♥ Card stock
♥ All purpose glue
♥ Craftbooking tape

How to make it:

Begin by cutting your card stock in half. Also, if you are making your own, cut out the flower layers for the embellishments.  Then cut to the lace measuring the length of the with of your card.

Once you cut your card stock in half.  Take the top one, and begin to stamp around the edge of the card.  You can do this with a stamp or an ink pad. 

Then tape your photo onto the card.  I just taped the corners, just in case my  mom chooses to remove the photo, but the card itself can become an album page.  Do the same thing with the embellishment.  Again, I only taped on the sides that wouldn't damage the photo.

Glue the trim carefully over the photo (I only glued the bottom part of the trim- not directly over the photo), and then glue the second trim.  Finally, add another embellishment. 

For the final step, place the second piece of card stock (that you previously cut) under the finished card.  Line them up identically and then hole punch two holes, on the upper edge of your card leaving about  and inch of distance from the edge.  Add ribbon and tie into a bow.

You are done!  Open up your card and add beautiful words of love to that wonderful mom of yours. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mami's out there!

create gift tags using tissue boxes: featured post for inspired by family magazine

Hello there!  Been MIA for quite a while, haven't I?

Well, there are lots goodies on the works which have kept me away from this space I love so much, some which I'll be able to talk to you about soon.  For now I wanted to make a quick little stop to tell you I miss you so, and that I have a great tutorial to share with you, one I wrote for Inspired by Family Magazine.  Have you been there yet?  A great site full of ideas, comforting words, all inspired by God's love.

So pass on by and check out how to make some super easy gift tags using the tops of tissue boxes.  They are as easy to make as 1,2,3!!!

Happy crafting!

kids craft: make a play village using Kleenex boxes (and giveaway)

¡Hola!  Hope your weekend was a nice relaxing one.  We stayed indoors just about all weekend.  We read, baked cookies, watch movies together, built forts, and created!  The little ones are still fighting ear infections and colds, but for the most part they are doing much much better.  

Speaking of colds...I have a confession to make.  Though we pretty much have given up on most paper goods around the house, like using cloth napkins instead of paper ones, or using rags instead of paper towels...well, in the runny nose, mucus area, we've not been able to stay away from paper tissues.  Yes, we tried, but between runny noses from colds and runny noses from seasonal allergies, handkerchiefs weren't cutting it.  Really. 

And just like all the many rolls of toilet paper we accumulate and use often to create crafts, we also tend to accumulate quite a bit of tissue paper boxes.  (guilt)  To keep them from ending up in landfills I try to come with different ways of re-using the boxes.  

And that is how our little village was born.

To make it all you need are empty square Kleenex boxes, construction paper, glue, scissors and your imagination.  Nice and simple!

Cover them up, or use the existing pattern to decorate your buildings.  (The two on the left where completely covered with construction paper.  The one on the right, I left the original box design and just added a few details around it.)

You can place them side by side, or stack them up creating tall buildings, lofts even.  What ever your imagination dreams.  

Have fun pretending!

Giveaway!

For the second year in a row, the Kleenex Brand is launching a campaign called Sneeze Catchers or “Atrapa Estornudos," to promote to school age children the importance of covering your mouth when sneezing.  Children can learn in a fun way and become certified Sneeze Catchers by going to the official Kleenex Sneeze Catcher website. While there moms can also enter their sweepstake for a chance to win a $500 gift card and a year supplies of tissues.  How cool is that?  (Remember this is all in their official web page.)

  

Now for that giveaway!

Would you like to win a fun Sneeze Catcher kit?

 

Kit includes:

• 1 Sneeze Catcher activity booklet (in Spanish)
• 2  T-shirts (1 for parent 1 for child in Spanish)
• 1  String Backpack
• 1 Sneeze Catcher Silly band pack
• 1 Auto Pack “Sneeze Shield” (24 sheets 3-ply white tissues)
• 1 Expressions Upright box (84 sheets 2-ply white tissues)
• 1 Everyday Tissues Upright box (90 sheets 2-ply white tissues)
• 1 Ultra Soft Upright box (75 sheets 3-ply white tissue )
• 1 (8pack) Everyday Tissues Pocket Pack (10 sheets 3-ply white tissue/per pack)
• 1 Anti-Viral Upright box (68 sheets 3-ply)
• 1 Tissues with Lotion Upright box (75 sheets 3-ply white tissues)
• 1 Cool Touch Low Count box (69 sheets 3-ply white tissues)
• 1 Expressions Oval box (72 2-ply white tissues)
• 4 Everyday Tissue Wallet pack (10 sheets 3-ply white tissues/per pack)

To enter all you need to do is leave a comment telling me in what other ways you can re-use the empty Kleenex boxes.  That's it!  One comment  only please.  If you make a mistake, please delete comment and enter a new one.  Make sure you leave an email address to contact you if you win. Open to US residents only (sorry.)  Giveaway will be open until Saturday March 3rd. midnight.  Winner will be chosen through Random.com and will be announced on Monday March 5th.  Good luck!

 

organizing with jars

I love jars!  It is always hard for me to toss them because I know there's always some way I can use them.  Realistically I can't keep them all, so many do end up in the recycling bin, but then there are those lucky ones that get tucked into a closet waiting to be used.

My friend Noelle just gave me the lovely blue ones you see on the photo above.  I love them! And they look perfect on my kitchen windowsill. I can totally picture them full of wild flower clippings come Spring.

The other day I opened mentioned closet, that holds my stash of jars and well, I was overwhelmed by what I found.  At the same time, my mind got into creative mode and started to think of different ways I could make use of them.  Most of the jars once use to hold candles.  Those are the ones I'm the laziest to use because it requires a bit more work to clean them out.  This time though, in the organization/decluttering mode I am in, I challenged myself and got working. 

I began by placing the jars in warm water to allow for all the left over wax to melt.  I then tossed the wax and peeled the labels off.  Before the remaining film of wax  cooled off, I washed each jar with warm water.   

Once cleaned and dry  they were ready to be used.  Hum.  Where to use this lovely jars? One of the shelves in the toiletries/linen closet needed some reorganizing, the perfect place to make use of my newly clean jars!

Can you guess what kind of candle the large jar below held?

Yankee!  Yup, I need to start collecting more of these.  I love the size and the nice tight lid.  It would also be perfect for organizing bits in the craft room or spices in the kitchen. 

Other inspiration around the web to get me going:

In the craft room:  These are all great ways to use jars around the craft room. I especially like the small mason jars and sugar dispenser holding yarn and twine.  Perfect to keep the kid's yarn in place, instead of seeing the ball of yarn rolling all around the craft room, and getting tangled, and knotted, and...well, you get the picture. 

Clockwise from top: Yarn in mason jars homemade simple; jars on shelf inspire co; sugar dispenser real simple; under a shelf country living; sewing kit in a jar martha stewart; attached to the wall homemade simple;  on the table inspire co.

In the office/kids work area: How cute are those farm animal lids!!! 

 Clockwise from top left: animal lids apartment therapy; stack then sideways homemade simple; collection of  collections collection a day 2010; pencil organizer kootut murut.

In the kitchen or in the bathroom:  I'm in love with those shelves made out of old drawers.  I know not exactly jars, but you can display your lovely jars on them. 

Clockwise from left: Displayed in old drawers nest full of eggs; tooth brush/ flower holder etsy; on three tier stand zsa zsa bellagio.

In the garage or tool shed:

baby jar tool organizer homemade simple

Why stop there!  You can spruce up those jars by painting them with bold colors or use some chalk board paint to label them. 

Clockwise from top: blue jars a pumpkin & a princess; white jars and rope too much time on my hands (I WISH!) ; chalk lids wit & whistle; chalk labels apartment therapy .

The possibilities are endless.

Now let's get organized!