Lucky to Have You St. Patty's Day Gift

If you haven't yet downloaded the Rhonna Designs app, Do. It. Now!!! Its free and provides the cutest fonts and graphics for printables like the one that goes along with this project! I'm obsessed with it (and did I mention its free???)! I recently found the cutest St. Patrick's Day tea towels and knew that I had to make a super cute, printable tag to go along with it. The tag lends itself to lots of different St. Patty's goodies, so fear not if you don't find a tea towel like this one! Here's how to put it all together:

Materials:

-cellophane bag

-scissors

-St. Patty's goodies

-light green cardstock

-printable tag

-stapler

Instructions:

1. Place goodies in cellophane bag. Trim the bag so that about two inches remain above the goodies placed inside.

2. Print out THIS TAG on cardstock (3 tags per page)

3. Cut apart tags and fold in half long-wise

4. Staple tag to cellophane bag.

Top 'o the mornin' to you, laddies!

Bunny Gift Bag

     I have to be honest in saying that I have NOT been in much of an Easter spirit this year, which is a shame, since its my little one's first Easter, but it just doesn't feel like Peter Cottontail is hippity hoppity on his way (or however the tune goes). This may be partially because of the fact that Easter has come so early this year, but the majority of my melancholy-ness is because it is SO FLIPPING COLD and DOESN'T FEEL A BIT LIKE SPRING!!! Yes, I know that I live in Pittsburgh, PA and that cold is to be expected, but its almost April, and I am declaring a legit breakup with Mother Stupid Nature!!!

     Aaaand, now I will carefully step down from my soapbox and get back to the point. The weather has (finally) been warming up a bit, and I am actually starting to get excited about Claire's first Easter (and not a moment too soon, since its on Sunday), so I present you with a simple, quick, and inexpensive gift bag for Easter goodies. I simply bought white gift bags (2 for $1 at my local dollar store, HOLLA! Yes, folks, I did, in fact, just say holla, and I am not ashamed!) and used white cardstock and scissors to cut out bunny ears and bunny feet and pink cardstock to cut out the insides of the ears, nose, and paws. Using double-sided tape, I stuck all of my pieces on accordingly, used a permanent marker to draw on a mouth and eyes and put my little gifts and tissue paper inside. This would also work for a classroom project, egg hunts, or gift bags for an Easter party! And speaking of gift bags, here is a sneak peak at the gift bags for the kids attending Claire's panda-themed, 1st birthday party! In case anyone is keeping track, she will not be 1 until July 1st, but I love an excuse to throw a themed party filled with craft projects, so BACK OFF!!!

HAPPY EASTER, FRIENDS!!!

Quick and Easy Gift Idea-Initial Frame

As a working mommy, I am quickly finding that two of my favorite words these day are "quick" and "easy." I am ALL about homemade Christmas gifts for friends and family, but this year has been trying, as far as finding the time and energy to make the elaborate gifts I once created. Fortuntately for me, I have accepted the fact that I can find balance in crafting and loving on my sweet little girl by utilizing her bedtime to create simple gift ideas like the one below.

Initial Frame

Materials:

-8x11 frame

-scrapbook paper (8x11 or larger)

-wooden letter of your choice (I used "B" for my brother's family, The Beavers)

-acrylic paint

-Scrapbook tape runner

Directions:

1. Paint the wooden letter using the acrylic paint color of your choice.

2. Adhere the scrapbook paper to the cardboard that typically comes inside of a frame using a tape runner (or glue dots or any other fancy schmancy glues or tapes used for scrapbooking). Trim off any access so that it will fit inside of the frame.

3. Adhere tape to the back of the wooden letter and glue it to the center of the covered cardboard (unless you're all about asymmetry, in which case, glue it anywhere!)

4. Place the cardboard back inside the frame. My wooden letter was very thin, so I was able to keep the glass in the frame, but it could be removed for a better fit, if necessary.

TA-DAH!!! I think the entire project took me about 20 minutes (not including paint drying time)! Here's to a low-maintenance yet fabulously crafty holiday!

Valentine's Day Gift Jars

Valentine jars for each of my classroom assistants



A view of one of the jars



Here are the Valentine gifts I made for my fabulous teaching staff! I simply used glass, airtight containers I bought at a dollar store and filled them with cute, Valentine-y stuff (Valentine socks, lipstick pens, candy necklaces, chocolates, etc.). I then hot glued artificial roses and leaves (also purchased at a local dollar store) to the tops of the glass containers and added glittery letter stickers (bought at...you guessed it! Dollar stores rock!) to spell out each of their names on the front of the containers.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

A view from the top of a jar

Another glance

Scrabble Tile Coasters-third and final Scrabble gift, I promise!

Scrabble tile coasters for my mother-in-law, Francie, and my father-in-law, Bob

Here is another SUPER simple Christmas gift idea using (you guessed it!) Scrabble tiles! Using blank coasters (I found  a pack of 6 blank coasters at my local craft store for just under $2, score!), I arranged 4 rows of 5 Scrabble tiles, spelling out the names of the recipients in the second row (for my mother-in-law, Francie, I obviously also used a portion of the third row, as well!). After determining the order of letters, I removed them and painted a thick coat of Mod Podge across the front of the coaster. I then put the letters back onto the coaster in their appropriate order, making sure to center them as much as possible. After allowing the Mod Podge to dry for about 20 minutes, I spread two more layers of Mod Podge over the top of the Scrabble tiles and allowed them to dry. Using an acryllic sealant, I sprayed the coaster, allowed it to dry, and Voila!!! An unbelivably quick and easy craft project that works as a functional and personalized gift for any recipient!

Scrabble Tile Name Plaques



Scrabble tile frame featuring my name, my husband's name, our last name, and "Love"



If you've read my previous posts, you know that my newest craft material obsession is Scrabble tiles! In addition to the Scrabble tile pendants I've been making, I am now branching out to Scrabble tile frames. I simply bought a frame and cut out houndstooth scrapbook paper to fit the inside of the frame for the background. I then laid out the words I wanted to display in crossword puzzle fashion (this part was probably the most time-consuming, as it was a little difficult to make everything fit the frame and look balanced). Once I decided on the layout, I used double-sided tape on the backs of each tile to adhere them to the background and placed them in the frame. Fortunately, the Scrabble tiles are thin enough that everything fit perfectly and I was even able to keep the glass on the frame (which I had not originally expected!). I had so much fun making one for my house for my husband and I (above), that I decided to make one for my brother as a house-warming gift.




Frame made for my brother and his family

 

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Toodles Pillow



Derek's Toodles pillow-front view



Check out my Etsy Shop to purchase a Toodles pillow similar to the one shown!

When my sister-in-law, Jen asked me if I could make my nephew, Derek a Toodles pillow (based on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse character), I immediately agreed that I would try. Little did she know, I had NO idea whether or not I could actually pull it off or how I would even begin! But, for Derek, I was sure willing to give it my all. I started by drawing out a Mickey head and ears on paper as a template then traced it onto two pieces of red felt. After cutting out the felt, I began to cut the pieces to be placed onto one piece of the red felt and (slowy but surely!) hand-stitched them on. I then cut out a half circle of red felt about the same size of  the head to create a pocket for Derek to put the extra pieces I would be making him into and pinned it to the red felt cutout opposite to the hand-stitched one. Placing the sides of the red felt that I wished to be the outside of the pillow together, I pinned the pieces and sewed along the edges, leaving about a 2 inch gap for stuffing. After turning the felt inside out, I stuffed it with Poly-fil and sewed the open edge shut. I then cut out purple, blue, green, and orange felt "wedges" that Derek would be able to manipulate on top of the Toodles pillow (You really must watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to truly appreciate all of Toodles' accessories). Using iron-on decals, I printed a picture for each wedge and ironed each on to complete my pillow. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how the pillow turned out and was so happy to see the joy on my nephew's face when he opened it! Mission accomplished!!!

Note: I have made an Etsy-version of this pillow for purchase. Please visit my page HERE!!!


Pocket view

 

Toodles "accessories" for Derek to manipulate




The grateful birthday boy giving me the "extra large" hug!