Memo Board Re-Purposed

I have had this regular cork memo board now for 4 years....it was looong over due for a makeover. It was a very easy and fast project.....and I love the outcome!!

First I sanded the frame a little....it was raw wood...so it had some splinters. Next I just painted it black with acrylic paint that I had on hand. Finally I tacked scrapbook paper to the inside of the frame...it took 6 sheets to cover it...I just slipped each page behind the other. I used a busy print so it was easy to match the design...and in the areas I couldnt get it quit right...you still can't tell it. I used glue dots...so I could change out the paper if I decide to re-decorate. I had also bought wrapping paper to cover it....but seen this scrapbook paper and fell in love...I used the wrapping paper on another project! :) This was the result.......

I added the fluer de lis and the chipboard letter 'C' painted in hotpink to accent!

Up next....how to turn those blahhh sterlite plastic storage drawers into matching decorative pieces.

'Love' is in the air......

Here is another little Valentine craft that we made yesterday. These pennants are made out of paper...but you could use fabric, plastic, chipboard, felt...or any other material you choose.



Here is a quick HOW-TO:

1. Cut your pennants to size (I just worked with mine till I liked it...no measuring here)...I used Hobby Lobby Cardstock

2. Add a strip of pattern paper to the top that is 1" wide by your pennant width + 1/4 inch so it hangs off the edges just slighty (all pattern paper that I used is KI Memories... I have had it FOREVER...so I don't know the collection)

3. Cut out 8 hearts in desired size...4 in pattern paper and 4 in a matching solid

4. Cut out the centers of the 4 solid colored hearts leaving only the outline (I used Bazzill Bling paper)

5. Last add your sentiment of choice....you could use 'Be Mine' -'Mi Amore'-I (heart) You...or anything fitting for the occassion! I used a Quickutz font called Yogurt to cut my title out of Doodlebug Sugar Coated cardstock.

The best part about this project is I used items I already had. Yep! Thats me being FRUGAL in 2011!! Stay tuned...because there are more 'LoVe' crafts coming!!

I am linking up with CraftOmaniac....come join the fun!!

Crayon Hearts

Today the kids and I made Valentine decorations.This was really easy and fun to do....of course the kids lost interest the moment I told them 'I' would be doing the ironing....LOL

We used an iron to melt crayon shavings between 2 sheets of wax paper....and then I cut out hearts in different shapes...and strung them together to make a banner.



I used my Quickutz font Stardust to write 'Be Mine'....and then hung it in the kitchen window so the light could shine through it like a suncatcher!



Tips: Here are a few suggestions I learned through trial and error...
1. Lay down craft paper on your work surface...and use craft paper on top of the wax paper before ironing...kinda like a sandwhich.
2. If your wax paper starts to pull away from your crayons once you cut it...just place it back down..and melt the wax a little...it will reseal right up!
3. It is better to hand cut these instead of running them through a die-cutting machine....I found that the pressure really crushes the crayon into the wax paper...sometimes tearing it.

2010 Year in Review

Tomorrow brings a new year with a bunch of new projects....so here is a recap from 2010.

Vinyl wording on my dinning room wall



wood letters painted...then embellished with DT stickers




Used prints found online..and iron on printing paper...and made these
shirts for my kids to wear to school to show there support of
the Saints going to the SUPERBOWL-----GO SAINTS!!!

Chelsea turned 16....and she had a sweet 16 party....lots of candy

themed items....notice the candy bar...and giant lollipop?

I made these shirts for the girls to wear at the mall on their

scavenger hunt

I made the sunflower ground cover...and purple wreath for dad's grave

Pom Pom's....the new craze

Tissue paper flowers

Teacher gifts with school goodies

Large paper clips to hold together graded papers...used my QK to

cut out the circle and apple

Foam door hangers from the DT...and little bits and pieces from my

stash...and the kids made their teachers door hangers...

Kaitlyn's cheer birthday....the design was better in my head....the

pom-pom should have been smaller...and I think it would have looked better.

Fall decoration on the table

.....and on the mantel...all DT items....

White trash for a Halloween party...and a print out found online.....

I added candy corn and reece pieces for a festive touch

Halloween Treat Bag....

These are DT wedding party favor boxes...a little torn

paper and ink... and wiggly eyes...VERY EASY!!

Our advent countdown....the numbers are another free printable I

found online...each bag contains a little goodie...it was like opening presents

each day of the month...the kids LOVED it!!

A little Christmas decorating.....

I found both glass containers at thrift stores....the green filler
is from HL...but DT carries it now...and those ornaments were
.25 cents at another thrift store



This is hanging from my dinning room light....DT reindeer
and snowflakes



We made these as presents for each student in my kid's classes
this year...instead of giving candy! They were a big hit...even the teachers
loved them!!

Win a FREE Quickutz Silhouette

Hello friends in blog land....Infarrantly Creative is a rockin blog with lots of great ideas and tutorials...but its even better...she is giving away to one lucky person....a Quickutz Silhouette!! OMG....this machine rocks!! It hooks to your computer....and will cut any font you have on your computer....or any clip art...not to mention all the GREAT sites out there with downloads....or you can get images from the QK website!! So what are you waiting for? ....go check out her awesome site!!

The Sweetest 'Sweet 16' Birthday Party

This year my oldest daughter turned 16. She is a tom-boy....actually she really only resembles a girl in body structure...LOL ...and her favorite color would be camo! Well I just couldn't take myself to throw her a camo party....that's too boy-ish for me...so we compromised on a 'sweet 16' party situated around what most kids love....CANDY!!

I wanted lots and lots of colors....but no pink (of course)...so I went with all primary colors except I added lime green and aqua for some brightness. I decided to bring lots of color to the cake table...I made a balloon arch...well actually my dad did...he put sand in 5 gallon buckets..and anchored 1/2 inch PVC pipe in the sand...then he used 1/4 inch PVC pipe to make the arch so that it just slipped into the 1/2 inch....doing it this way really helped with transporting it to and from....because it all came apart at the end of the party. THANKS DAD!!! I made the cupcake toppers...I printed the logo through a regular MS program...and used my QK to cut out the scallop circle. I changed the color of the '16' to match the scallop circle.

On the table with the cupcakes was a 'candy bar'...with various candies....such as M&M's, Reece's Pieces, Skittles, Dum Dum Suckers, Marshmallow ice cream cones, candy sticks of various flavors, Cotton Candy...and of course the large swirl lollie pops! I even purchased ice cream scoops as the 'spoons' for the candy to go with the theme.

Each table had a different table cloth......and in the center was confetti...which I made by shredding colored paper....and a balloon weight (purchased at dollar tree) with the same scalloped circles attached that were on the cupcakes....(I was going to tie balloons to each...but ran out of time). Each table also had hot fudge sundae bowls with candy in them as well. If I had more time...I would have added candy bouquets as well...to add some more candy to the party!

There was a food table...my plan was to serve up the 'sweetness' Sweet and Sour' BBQ Buffalo Wings and Meatballs, Sweet Peas, Sweet Corn....along with desserts...but my daughter just wanted finger foods since the party was at 7Pm...and most would have already ate. So we had pizza rolls, BBQ Meatballs, Chips and homemade cheese dip, finger sandwiches....and beverages.

I also had a table set up with several pictures of Chelsea through the years...along with a 'sign in' sheet for everyone to sign or include 'Sweet 16' wishes for Chelsea. I will add this to her Scrapbook that I am making for her 'Sweet 16' year!

We played a few games...but mostly we just let Chelsea hang with her friends...because that is what 16 year olds want to do. :) Each guest got a bakery bag to take candy home when the party was over! (that meant less candy coming home with me... ;)

The next day we went to the mall and had a scavenger hunt of sorts....it was really more like a do certain things and take pictures game....along with shopping too. I made shirts for the girls...I placed candy on my printer scanner and scanned a background image....then added the same 'Sweet 16' that her party decorations had....but added...'Birthday Girl' for Chelsea...and 'Birthday Crew' for her friends. It was a hit...and everyone noticed...and wished her Happy Birthday.....and the girls had a blast!!

....Another option for the shirts.... I had each girl come up with a 'candy' name....like Goofy Goober or Luscious Lemon Drop...and they would have there names on the back of their shirts....but some friends weren't sure if they were going to get to go...so I chose to leave them blank!!

Almost all the items I used to decorate were from Dollar Tree...or found at Wal-Mart on clearance since her party was in Feb...I used lots of leftover Christmas decorations....like the large plastic candy canes that go in your yard. I took the red stripped tape off....added 2 foam plates back to back over the hook end...and covered with colored cellophane from DT....and there you have it...a giant Lollie Pop!! Chelsea loved this one...because it was purple. I also made large pieces of candy to go with my large suckers....by using toliet paper rolls and larger wrapping paper rolls.....and I wrapped them with the cellophane and tied off the ends with ribbon...they looked like huge pieces of hard candy!!

I can see party planning in my future.....!!

Halloween 2010

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