Easter Egg Hunt Sign

April 2, 2017Leave a comment

Any Easter egg hunts in your near future?

I whipped up this cute little sign for our Easter Egg Hunt using a DEFLECT-O Chalkboard Easel*

Simply embellish the easel with stickers and scrapbook paper for a quick DIY project.

Add your message with the chalk marker that comes with the easel.

For more fun, let the kiddo’s decorate the sign.

It also makes a cute sign to label your Easter Buffet.

(Easter stickers and paper from Paper House Productions.)

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*Disclaimer: This post uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.”

Sue’s Favorite Projects of 2016

February 22, 2017February 21, 20173 Comments

Do you ever wonder which of my projects are my favorite?

Like most DIY people, I try really hard with all (or most all) of my projects…

some of my projects are a hit and some are a miss.

And some are just my favorite…

So… I decided to share them again with you. (just in case you might have missed one)

Enjoy!

Click on post titles for project instructions

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Hugs & Kisses Valentine’s Treat Bag

February 6, 2017January 30, 20171 Comment

Make your little Valentine feel special with a handmade “Hugs & Kisses” treat bag.

It’s quick and easy to make – just cut two hearts from felt and glue the bottoms and sides together.

Add a sentiment or name on the front with Joy iron-on embroidered letters.

An easy way to share the love and lots of chocolate kisses!

Graphic 45…”A Place in Time” Valentine Frame

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017Leave a comment

A little throw back Thursday…

to one of my favorite Valentine projects. (made 4 years ago)

On the frame, I used Graphic 45’s “Place in Time” collection and a little cut and paste .

Which is now available as a Deluxe Collector Edition.

(*affiliate link)
Graphic 45 4501470 Deluxe Collectors Edition Place In Time
*I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you choose to purchase from Amazon using the above link, I receive a small commission that helps offset the cost of running this blog.

a little Valentine Love

February 1, 2017February 13, 20172 Comments

When I flipped over the calendar this morning it hit me.

Less than 2 weeks until Valentine’s Day.

After all these years…

it’s still fun to throw a few hearts around to make sure he doesn’t forget.

I created this cute little Valentine’s decoration using a clear 4″ x 6″

acrylic craft frame from Deflecto Craft Solutions, scrapbook paper and stickers.

The sticker in the middle says “I belong with you & you belong with me”.

I think he’ll get the hint.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.”

to be completely honest…

January 2, 2017January 2, 2017Leave a comment

I didn’t put up as many decorations this year as I have in years past.

And…while I think I liked the simplicity,

to be completely honest, the Holidays just about kicked my butt.

I wasn’t ready for December when it rolled around, and I just never caught up.

Decorating the (partially) pre-lit tree took me almost a week to finish and I didn’t decorate

the mantel or the rest of the house until the 24th.

The thought of sharing pictures of the house all decked out for the Holidays went right out the door.

I never even shared my family photo shoot pictures. (Heck… I barely took pictures on Christmas Day.)

If it wasn’t for my wonderful husband, I might still be wrapping.

This Year… like many others, I took on too much.

My expectations were too high. I couldn’t get my act together.

I just wasn’t feeling it.

I lost track of what was important.

It wasn’t until Christmas Eve, while sitting in church, passing the lighted candle that it truly hit me.

(it almost felt like a Hallmark moment)

So…while everything wasn’t as perfect this year as I might have wanted it to be

or thought it should be. It sure was Good!

Here’s to a New Day, a New Year and taking the time to be Thankful!

Holiday DIY with Old Kitchen Hardware

December 23, 2016August 6, 20212 Comments

I have this old jar of assorted hardware on my shelf in my workshop.

I keep it just in case. (Why you ask?)

Because I’m a “you never know” type of crafter.

I had picked up a bag of old kitchen hardware at a garage sale a couple years ago

for fifty cents and used it on a few projects and even made a couple of ornaments.

(you can see them here)

While it may be too late for you to make this year…

it’s an idea that you can put away on the shelf, so to speak, for next year.

Here’s how I made my ornament…

After disassembling the hardware, I spray painted the base plate cream.

What a difference spray paint makes.

I added silver around the edge using a Chisel Point Calligraphy Paint Marker, Silver* (*affiliate link)

I used the small hole at the top of the hardware plate to string red and white twine.

I embellished it with a glitter berry cut from a glitter berry sprig (see previous picture)

wrapped around a small craft pine stem to form a small swag.

I glued the pine swag and small red and white bow to the hardware with

Beacon Adhesives Zip Dry.*

I painted a small wood snowflake, found at the craft store, with silver acrylic paint and added

the “let it snow” sticker from Small Talk Stickers by Tim Holtz Idea-ology*.

I added a small red pearl to cover the bottom hole in the hardware and glued the

snowflake on top.

A quick and easy upcycled ornament for the Christmas Tree.

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Disclaimer: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

How to make a Christmas Tree in a Bottle Necklace

December 20, 2016November 3, 20211 Comment

How to make a Christmas Tree in a Bottle Necklace

I got this idea from a project I’d seen made by Tim Holtz. Of course, I had to find a cheaper way to make it. I’ve seen small bottles like these at Hobby Lobby with the jewelry supplies. (I got mine online.)

Very Important…Make sure the base of the tree is small enough to fit in the top of the bottle.

Materials Used: (*affiliate link)

Mini Glass Bottles with Cork Top*
Small Loop Screw
Necklace
Miniature Bleached Bottle Brush Trees
Distress Ink Reinker, Peeled Paint*
Ranger Inkssentials Mini Misters*
Ranger Stickles Glitter Glue, Diamond
Quick Grip All Purpose Permanent Adhesive
Reverse Grip Tweezers*
Clear Micro Beads* or Glitter
Q-tips Cotton Swab*
Plastic Disposable Gloves*

Dollar Tree-Everything always $1 – Shop Now*

Directions:

Squirt several drops of peeled paint ink* into the mini mister* and dilute it with water.
Place a bleached bottle brush tree onto a protective surface. Generously spray the tree with the diluted ink. (You may want to wear rubber gloves. I took 3 days until the ink came entirely off my fingers.)
After the tree is dry, rub glitter glue* onto the tree. Allow glitter glue to fully dry before continuing.
Apply a small bit of all-purpose adhesive* onto the end of the Q-tip. Insert the Q-tip into the bottle and add the glue to the bottom center of the bottle.
Using the reverse grip tweezers, insert the tree into the bottle, and stick onto the glue.
Pour glitter or micro beads into the bottle.
Add a thin layer of adhesive around the side of the cork and place it back into the bottle.
Screw a loop screw onto the top of the cork and add a necklace.

If you’re feeling a little funky…how about making your tree pink or purple?

If you liked the Christmas Tree in a Bottle here’s another project you might like.

Click here for the Mini Ketchup Bottle Snow Globe Instructions. ↓

A Joyful Village

December 19, 2016August 6, 2021Leave a comment

As the Christmas Season gets closer…

I wanted to share this simple little wood project that I made for the “Creating with Joy” blog.

Being Joyful, is my goal not only at Christmas but throughout the entire year.

For my “Joyful Village”…

I started with some wood trim scrap pieces cut into simple whimsical house shapes.

My pieces measure 4″ x 2″, 3″ x 2 3/4″ and 3 1/2″ x 2 1/4″.

I painted the house with a couple coats of Americana Decor Satin Enamels 8oz-Grey Taupe*. (*Amazon affiliate link)

After painting the houses… (*Amazon Affiliate Links)

- - I created a roof using Black Corrugated Paper*.
  - I added color to my white iron-on embroidered letters by dampening them and rubbing color directly onto the letters using my Distress Mini Ink Pad-Fired Brick*.
  - After the letters are dry, glue the letters onto the houses using a craft glue.
  - I created a mini wreath and mini pine swags using Pine Craft Stems*.
  - I created small number charms by printing the numbers onto white cardstock and punching with a small circle punch. I added the numbers inside Metal Type Charms by Tim Holtz Idea-ology*.
  - I tied the charms onto the wreath and swags with thin twine and glued them onto the front of the houses along with a little tiny bow.

The village wouldn’t be complete without a cute little red truck.

I picked up the tiny red truck at the Elkhorn Flea Market in Wisconsin and I glued three little

bottle brush trees to the back of the truck. I rubbed the trees with clear glitter glue

for added sparkle.

This project was sponsored by Joy SA and DecoArts.

Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*

How to Make Wood Slice Snowmen

December 16, 2016October 23, 202414 Comments

**What to do with a basket of Wood Slices*…**

This past summer, when my husband was trimming the old pine tree,

I asked him to save a few logs from the branches.

I wasn’t sure then what I was planning to make but I knew I wanted

to save some just in case.

I asked my husband to cut wood slices out of the smaller logs using a circular saw.

If you don’t have access to a pine log or don’t feel like cutting Wood Slices*

you can also purchase them online.

I picked out four wood slices of varying sizes.

I laid out the wood slices to determine placement of how I wanted them to go together.

I drilled small holes on the end of the wood slices with a fine drill bit approx. 1/4-1/2″ into the

end of the wood.

Using small dowel rods or bamboo skewers for reinforcement,

I inserted the rods into the holes with a squirt of Wood Glue*.

Each wood slice has a small wood dowel piece in between to

hold the snowman together.

Once the wood slice snowman was completely dry and stable,

I drilled a hole in the center of the largest wood slice to use as my base.

The Snowman is attached to the base using a small dowel and wood glue*.

To decorate the snowman…

Cut a piece of flannel slightly larger than the area around the head.
Fold and glue a small cuff using Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive*.
Glue the ends of the flannel together to create a tall “tube”.
Glue tube onto the top of the Wood Slice Snowman’s head,
Tie the top of the tube with a piece of string or thread.
Trim and fringe the excess fabric on the top of the tube to make it look like a hat tassel.
Cut a longer 1″ wide piece of flannel to tie around the neck of the snowman. Don’t forget to fringe the ends.