Craft: Grad Gift

As the school year is wrapping up it's time for graduations! This I have two of my beautiful nieces graduating from high school. They're both in AZ and I'm heading over this next week to stay with my mom so that my dad can attend both. We're very proud of their accomplishments and wanted to get the something fun, yet useful. They're both headed up to BYU (Go Cougars!!) in the Fall. I know when I was up there I was always needing to write down things coming up, phone numbers, or just doodle!
So I made personalized white board/magnet boards with some fun button magnets for each of them!
Here's Erika:

and here's her white board:

and button magnets:

and here's Lucy:

and her white board:

and her button magnets:

for the button magnets I purchased buttons from Walmart and used super strong magnets glued on with a strong adhesive like E6000. I purchase my magnets from this site: Deal Extreme. Their prices are awesome and shipping is FREE!! But shipping does take a while (for me it was about 3 weeks) so plan ahead.

We're super proud of both of them and look forward to seeing what their future holds!

Craft: Teacher Gifts

It's that's time of year. School is wrapping up and I needed an great idea for the wonderful teachers that have put up with my children this year. I looked at Skip to my Lou and almost used the "plant picks". Then through all of my craft blog pursuing I found another idea that I just fell in love with. The unfortunate thing is-I CANNOT figure out where I found it!!! I've just spent the last hour and a half searching online trying to figure out where I got this cute idea. If anyone sees this and knows--please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!!

I got the round part of the tag at the unknown blog and then added the box around with the to and from.

I found the water bottles at Target and then made vinyl with the teachers name. I put a piece of tissue paper inside and slid a handful of single use drink packets inside! Super easy and fun. Hopefully it's something that the teachers will find useful!

As an added bonus here's our latest picks from our garden-strawberries & one little carrot.

We have a few little green tomatoes, so hopefully we'll start seeing more!

I'm editing to add the blog address where I found the image. Thank you Verity it was posted on Sugardoodle's 10 random pages and is on "A Bushel and a Peck of FUN!"

Bud's bedroom redo...

We decided that we would move Bud into our guest room. This will allow the Mo in the room he's been in and move into a big boy bed and the crib to stay put for the baby. Although it means loosing a guest room, it did mean redecorating a new room!

Here it is before we started painting. I forgot to take any pictures when it was full of stuff!

It's hard to tell, but the walls were kind of a minty green. Unfortunately, that was my choice!
Painting the new color was a group effort!

I got new bedding, repainted a desk and we got a bookcase. Once everything was in the walls felt naked. So, since Bud loves Star Wars we did some great Star Wars decals on his walls:
Here's R2D2:

and Yoda:

and C2Po:

as well as some great words of wisdom:

There are still some toys and clothes to move in, but I would say we're mostly there.

Now I need to put back together Mo's room after removing things and putting them in Bud's room! It never end!

family values craft...

In my blog stalking I came across the cutest idea for a sign with words to describe your families values. Kierste over at Brown Paper Packages made a darling version that I then modified to meet my own needs.

I started out by shopping around at our local thrift stores for a canvas. I knew I could find one cheaper than buying one new. I found that you do NOT want to buy "artwork" at our local Goodwill. The cheapest one I found there was $29 for an 11x14 ugly piece of work! I was able to find this one for $5 at DART. It measures 15x20 inches. Wal-mart also carried blank canvas.

When I got it home I painted is all black!
Then I started picking out all of the papers I wanted to use. They don't all necessarily match, but I think they all coordinate. Some of the paper I used was from a 6x6 fat book, so my top strip measures 2 1/2 x 12 and the short strips are 2 1/2 x 6.

After I knew where I wanted each of them I started modge podging them down.Be generous with your modge podge! You want to make sure that each strip is stuck down well. Continue to lay out and stick down all of your strips. Once there all down, do another quick coat over the top just for good measure!

Then let you canvas dry. I was somewhat impatient with mine and only let it dry for about 30 minutes or so! While it was drying I chose my words and cut my vinyl (I used black). I used a variety of fonts, but they all fit in the 2 1/2 x 6 inch strip of paper.

I also added some little vinyl flowers to jazz it up. Then I applied all of the vinyl and it was done! I love how it turned out. I put it on a wall that the kids see while sitting at the kitchen table. I hope to make these words a part of our family discussions during dinner.

If you don't have access to a piece of canvas a wide piece of wood would work great for this project too. Also if you don't have access or don't want to use vinyl, you can print from your home printer onto your scrapbook paper or use paint pens to write your words.

Wood block project #2- Seasonal Blocks

So when I saw these blocks at Brown Paper Packages, I knew I wanted to make them~
With a set of 7 blocks you can make 16 different word combinations for different holidays, seasons, or whatever you feel like!
Here's the list of words the blocks can make, there may even be more:
Harvest, Welcome, Friends, Faith, Family, Spooky, Winter, Freedom, Blessed, Snow, Home, Hope, Monster, Mother, Dream, Easter.

I decided to take it one more step and add a block that had 6 different images on it~
Holly berries, pumpkin, star (with stars and stripes), Easter egg, tree & a flower. That way you can flip it to match whatever word you have showing.

So what you really need is 8- 4x4 blocks, sanded and painted. The following vinyl letters (you could also stencil them onto the blocks): BLOCK 1- H, Y, E, D; BLOCK 2- A, C, R, S; BLOCK 3- R, P, E, T; BLOCK 4- V, N, L, O; BLOCK 5- E, O, M, D ; BLOCK 6- S, M, K, I; BLOCK 7- T, F, B, W and the 6 vinyl images.

I just sat and watch Grey's Anatomy while I applied all of my vinyl! I'm pretty happy with how they turned out.

Here's where I have it up right now:

Now I have to decide if I want to make more of these or the "be" blocks as some of my Christmas gifts. The "be" blocks will be easier to mail...which would you rather get?

Wood block project #1- Be Blocks

So I'm planning on doing multiple projects with the 4x4 blocks I got and just finished the first one. I first saw the project here at : Not so idle hands. She does a great tutorial on how to make these. There's another project I was already planning on doing with the blocks when I saw this and I though I would try this one as well. And even though it wasn't the original plan, it's what got done first!!

Here's what you need: 3-4x4 blocks sanded, paint (either spray paint or craft paint), vinyl in your color of choice, 3 squares of 4x4 scrapbook paper, modge podge & a foam paint brush

There is 1-Be and the 9 words-Grateful, Smart, Clean, True, Positive, Prayerful, Humble, Involved, Still.

For added visual appeal I put a square of scrapbook paper on the top of each block and modge podged it down.


The final project:


I did my vinyl slightly different than the one from Not so idle hands. Her's was super cute I just wanted it a little different.

Now onto my next block project! It all painted and ready to go so we'll see, it might happen tonight, but I got a new laptop today and have to transfer a TON of stuff onto it (plus figure out it's quirks!) so I might be doing that instead!
Happy Crafting

Let's finish what we started!

When you start a project do you start with the hopes of finishing? I sure hope so, but I will admit I start a lot of things that don't really get finished! It's a terrible habit that I'm trying to work on. This is especially the case with crafts. I tend to see a craft and think-this is going to be awesome, I need to get all of the supplies to make a TON of these! I almost always make at least one, but not a TON. I am then left with a TON of craft supplies!

So in my efforts to be a finisher and not just a starter, here are some of my projects in the making that you will someday see the finished. Plus some projects that I started and finished!!

First off, in all my craft perusing I found a project that I just had to get a TON of blocks for. This really made me want to buy my own table saw, but I settled for having Home Depot cut it for me. There are enough blocks to make a few projects~


I'm currently working on Halloween costumes. These will for sure be done by this next week so I can get pictures taken, printed and taken to Walmart for the annual homemade costume contest. This is the accessory portion of the kids costumes:


Here's a project that I started for my business, so there was an obvious completion date. That always helps. It's a banner for a local hair salon. First is the vinyl all placed out (with Emma to show size). Next is the finished product. She was very happy with it and I had not done a banner before so that was fun!


So here's to starting projects and finishing them. Getting my fall decor out and put up is another project that has been on my list and needs to happen soon. I'm hoping that getting that out will help me feel cooler since the thermometer doesn't seem to realize that it's Fall!

When do you...

put your fall decorations out? I'm in the midst of doing some fall crafts and am about ready to start bringing them out. I found a fun new jack o lantern craft that I just had to try here's where I found it: Not so idle hands

I think they're pretty darn cute. We'll see where they end up in my house:


Here are the instructions if you want to make a set of your own: http://www.instructables.com/id/Recycled_Jar_Jack_OLanterns/
Here are a few other fall/Halloween things:



I am so ready for cooler weather, costume making and the need to wear a cardigan in the mornings.
Look at Fall here we come!!

A couple of new things...

A couple of weeks ago I entered a giveaway on the Mormonchic message boards for a quietbook. The next week I got an email that I had won! Today I got it in the mail. It's about 34 pages and called "My Story of Jesus". A ward in KS made it and the women who runs Mormonchic had a few extra. She will hopefully be putting a pdf up so we can make some more!

I saw a glass dry erase board last week and then saw a vinyl calendar on etsy and had to try and make one myself! I initially wanted a whole month, but decided with the frame I had to do a two week one (more writing space!). I like how it turned out. I haven't decided if I'll leave it without anything behind or if I'll add fabric. We'll see.


This will be my next project.

I got it at a garage sale this weekend. It hard to tell in the picture but it's a galvanized metal magazine rack. It's large (like 4-5 feet tall). It now has one coat of black spray paint and needs another. I think it will become the place for the kids papers and stuff, plus magnets to stick up their artwork. We'll see since N8's not thrilled with it!

Bud starts 2nd grade tomorrow so we'll see if the project time increases or decreases! I also started trying some metal stamping and birthstone necklaces. I can't post pics though since they're going to be Christmas gifts! Happy crafting and good luck on the new school year to all.
How will you be spending your days with the kiddos away at school?

Caught a little bug...

Well, this afternoon while the Bud and Emma colored, played with play dough and shaving cream:

I finally go a little of the crafting bug!!! Maybe it's because of my previous post, or it could be that N8 left of travel for the week! A good friend is going to be sealed to her sweetheart this weekend in St. George. I served in the RS presidency with her and am now her visiting teacher. So, I made her this:

She had asked a while ago if I had St. George and I hadn't made it. But I recently worked on a few other temples and also added St George.
Since I was already cutting and had some extra space I decided to try a new method to our "chores" around the house. This will be our FHE for the evening!!

They're made on small clipboards (6x9) with vinyl, magnets, glass gems and some scrapbook paper modge podged on the back! Hopefully they work!!

I also ordered some diamond glaze! When it comes-anyone want to do a washer necklace making party??

Gearing up....

So it's that time of year again. Gearing up for the heat, having the kids home, time to sleep in, etc, etc... We have 4 more minimum days (early dismissal, half-days- whatever you want to call them) left and it will officially be summer break. Last year I wasn't really looking forward to the break, but this year I am. We have some fun thing planned that I'm looking forward to.

First off, I participated in a little summer boredom buster group. I signed up for 2 (Bud & Emma) and then had to come of up with a simple summer project. There were 19 kids signed up (2 of them are my 2) so I made 19 of 2 different "kits". I made a colored pasta necklace kit and a play dough kit:

Then on Friday I took my kids over Becky's house and got to take one of each of the kits for each of my kids. Here's they are and they should help keep the kids occupied during some of the down time throughout the summer.

This week I also got Bud and Emma signed up for swimming lessons. Neither of them know how to swim. They have both done parent-tot and that's it. So, I signed them up for 2 sessions and I hope by the end of it they will no longer be afraid of the water!!

I'm also looking forward to our family reunion to Durango, CO. It's coming up quick and I need to start thinking about the meal I'm in charge of. Neither N8 or I (or the kids!) have ever been to Colorado so it should a lot of fun. We're all staying in a lodge together so hopefully we'll have lots of game playing and visiting.

This weekend I got to work on a couple of vinyl projects. First I did 2 signs for Megan. A FHE sign and a sign for her family.

I also made a frame for each the the great teachers Bud and Emma had this year. I couldn't have asked for better. And you can't get a better quote than Dr Seuss!