Creative Spring

Fiesta Invitations

2010-03-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hi There! Well, I guess it is a good thing that I did not delete this blog entirely, because I have something to post about. Recently, I helped plan a Fiesta for the women at my church. These are the cute little fiesta invitations that I made. Everyone loved them. They took some time, but they were not hard. I just used a bowl to trace some circles onto off-white cardstock, then I cut out the circles with scalloped scissors. I folded some green and red shred into the middle and put the information about the party on the outside. (I stapled all of this together.) I then glued a knot of raffia over the staple. Cute!

A little longer - at least.

2010-01-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

I have heard from several people who want me to leave this blog up. For some reason, I feel guilty about having a blog that I neglect. However, since I have had so many requests, I will leave this blog up and running, at least for now. Who knows - maybe I will even post a time or two this year. Happy New Year everyone!

So. . . This is it.

2009-12-17T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone. I just wanted to let you know that I have decided to shut down Creative Spring. I have enjoyed my experience blogging about all of these fun things, but with four little ones, I just can no longer find the time - at least not at this point in life. So, as of January 1st, this blog will be deleted.

Thank you to my good followers. It has been a pleasure.

T.

Cookies for Santa Plate

2009-10-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have not posted in awhile. I have been busy with getting ready for baby and with being in charge of our women's craft day at our church. The craft day is finally over and I will be posting a few of the things we made. The first is this Cookies for Santa plate. This project was a hit. We made them with plates from the dollar store and vinyl lettering. Once the lettering is applied, the plate is no longer dishwasher or microwave safe and should be cleaned only with a damp cloth - but hey, for a plate you use once a year - I figure that is fine. Anyway, I was pleased with how they turned out and the ladies loved them.

**If you are interested in purchasing the vinyl to make a plate for yourself, I am selling the vinyl only in my etsy shop. The cost is $1.00 for the vinyl and 50 cents for shipping.**

Mini First Aid Kit

2009-09-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Over a year ago, I had a post on this blog about other uses for plastic baby food containers. One of the ideas I collected for the post was to put a couple of band aids and antiseptic wipes in it and you have a portable first aid kit. I thought this was a great idea, so I did this and put it in my purse. Recently, when I pulled it out of my purse, my husband mentioned that he would like to make a bunch of them with his fifth grade class. Well, I no longer have a baby eating baby food, but luckily I had saved almost enough for his class to make kits. (I did have to get a couple more from a friend). The kids loved this project. They just filled them with a few band-aids and antiseptic wipes and then put a red cross sticker on the top. They are useful, turned out cute, and were a real hit.

Frugal Friday - All Purpose Cleaner

2009-09-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

As the wife of a school teacher - I am always trying to find ways to add a few more dollars to the grocery budget. I am going to try to use Fridays to share some of the things I have found that help me save a few pennies. Maybe you will find them useful too.

I recently ran out of glass cleaner and found this old recipe laying around. I gave it a try and it works pretty well. I like the fact that it can be used as an all purpose cleaner and disinfectant as well. Sure I can buy glass cleaner at the dollar store - but this recipe cost just a few cents to make and can be used for a lot more than just glass.

Homemade Disinfectant / Glass Cleaner

2 cups water

1 cup clear rubbing alcohol

2 Tbsp non-sudsing ammonia

Mix well in squirt bottle.

Pom Pom Throw

2009-09-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

I love this cute pom pom patchwork throw. Head on over to Sew 4 Home and check it out.

Play Make-up

2009-09-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

I found this cute tutorial at Not so idle hands for making faux make-up for your little girls. I don't have little girls, but my sister is always complaining that her daughter loves to play with make-up, but always makes such a mess with her "play" make up. This tutorial shows you how to make mess-free make up out of old make up containers and dollar store nail polish. Such a cute idea.

Whole Wheat Waffles

2009-08-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe for whole wheat pancakes or waffles that I have loved ever since I was a kid. Now, my kids love it too. These are great served with fresh fruit and whipped cream, or just good old fashioned syrup. My son loves it when I put blueberries in them, and he will eat them without any syrup if I fix them this way.

Whole Wheat Waffles

1 1/4 C. whole wheat flour

1 T. baking powder

1 1/2 t. salt

3 T. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

3 T. oil

Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl. Separate the eggs. Combine the egg yolks, milk and oil and then add to the dry ingredients and whisk together. Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy and fold into batter. (I usually just put them in my stand mixer and let it do the work while I am getting the rest of the ingredients together.) Bake in waffle iron or on hot griddle. Makes about 16 4 inch pancakes or waffles.

Homemade Lotion

2009-08-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm not sure that this lotion is actually homemade, but it is definitely improved at home. My hands get very dry in the winter and it was expensive to buy any lotion that would combat the problem effectively. I finally found this recipe at recipezaar and whipped up a batch. It made alot for very little money. I just used the cheap store brands of lotion and petroleum jelly. It worked wonders for my dry skin. Click here to check out the recipe on recipezaar.

Is Anyone Still Out There???

2009-08-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hello again! If anyone is actually checking this blog anymore, I just want you to know that I am still here. We found out in early March that we are expecting another baby and it has been a difficult few months. But, now that I am finally feeling a little better, I plan to get posting again. My goal is to have at least one new post up each week. Sorry for the long silence.

T.

Going Green Popcorn

2009-03-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

Click here to go to Bright Ideas for this fun recipe that would be great for St. Patricks Day.

Taggie Animals

2009-03-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

I have really been neglecting this blog. Sorry! We have just been soooo busy - but I will try to do better. For today, check out this tutorial on how to make these fun Taggie Animals at homemade by jill. These cute little things can be attached to car seats, strollers, etc with a plastic ring. Love them!

My Oreo Pops

2009-02-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

I just wanted to create a quick post to share how my Oreo Pops turned out. My little boy was happy to give them to his friends, and I got several compliments from the moms. I think they were a success.

Oreo Pops

2009-02-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of getting our house ready to sell, so my days are pretty busy and posts may be rare for a week or two - but for today . . .

These are what I am planning to make for my sons preschool class for Valentines Day.

Click here to go to Happy Birds Crafting Haven and see her tutorial.

Sweet Valentine Treats

2009-02-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

"Gourmet Mom on the Go" has some very fun ideas for valentine treats.

Click here for her tutorial on how to make these heart shaped cinnamon rolls. Yum!

Click here for her tutorial on how to make these fun edible crayons. Wouldn't these make a great valentine for kids to give to their friends? So cute!

Valentine Hand Sanitizer

2009-01-27T12:39:00.001-08:00

Check out this cute tutorial from Just A Girl. She touts this as a teacher gift idea, but I think it would make a great gift for anyone, or even a cute shower favor. Love it!

Valentine Watercolor Project

2009-01-26T14:33:00.001-08:00

What a cute art project for Valentines Day, using nothing but paper, crayons, watercolor paint, and rubber cement. I love this blog. She has so many good ideas. My husband uses them often for art in his fourth grade class. So make sure you check out the rest of her blog too. Click here to go to Art Projects for Kids and be inspired.

Valentine MP3 Player

2009-01-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

Look at this cute idea from Family Fun. It is an MP3 player made from a box of conversation hearts and a couple of mini peanut butter cups. The instructions come complete with the printouts to make the MP3 player. So cute!

Valentine Bingo

2009-01-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is approaching, and today, I found this cute, free, printable Valentine Bingo game at Making Friends. Click here to take a look and print it out for yourself. Looks like fun!

CD Clocks

2009-01-13T14:22:00.000-08:00

I found this idea for making CD clocks at Blissfully Domestic. So cute!!!

Blackboards

2009-01-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law made these for two of my boys for Christmas. What a great idea! She just got quarter inch boards, painted them with chalkboard paint and edged them with wide grosgrain ribbon. She then stenciled their names on the boards with paint. She made crayon rolls for the chalk. So clever!

Chocolate Bon Bons

2009-01-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

I made these little babies before Christmas for my husband. He loves them, and I only make them once a year, which is strange because they are soooo easy. Probably, because I love them too and cannot stop at one (or two, or three...).

Chocolate Bon Bons

3 large Hershey Bars (with or without almonds)

1 13 ounce tub Cool Whip

1/2 tsp peppermint extract (optional)

crushed vanilla wafers, flaked coconut, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, etc.

Melt chocolate carefully and pour over Cool Whip which was placed in large bowl. Pour slowly and fold in chocolate as it is poured. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least two hours. Drop by teaspoon in wafer crumbs (or coconut, or nuts, etc.) and roll into a round ball (about bite size). Place on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper and freeze. Yum!

Gone Fishin'

2009-01-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

I made little fishing sets for some of my nieces and nephews for Christmas. My boys did not want me to wrap them up, as they were having a lot of fun "testing" them for me. I guess I will have to make a few more for them. I blogged about this project in an earlier post - the only change I made to her instructions was to use a washer for the hook instead of another magnet. It was just easier, for me, to avoid drilling the hole in the magnet, and they still worked great. You can find her tutorial here.

Neighbor Gifts

2009-01-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I am not very timely in my posting on this, but I didn't get a chance to blog about my neighbor gifts before Christmas. These are the gifts I made for my neighbors this year.

This is how I packaged them.

Business as Usual

2009-01-02T18:33:00.000-08:00

I am finally back from my Christmas break and I will start posting regularly again. I thought I would start out by posting a few of the things that have been keeping me busy over the past month or so.

I am going to start with the superhero capes I made. Two of my boys are in a major superhero phase. They are always bugging me to put something around their neck as a cape, so I decided to make them their very own superhero capes. My sister's children are about the same age as mine, so I decided to make some for them as well. They ended up being a big hit with all the kids! I found a good tutorial at Puking Pastilles which was very helpful. I made my own little changes, but the method is the same.

Easy Breadsticks

2008-12-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my lack of posting recently. Between the holidays, my family, and my businesses, I have been completely swamped. Today for lunch I was making these fast and easy breadsticks and decided to take a few extra minutes to snap some pictures and post this great recipe. I use this all the time when I want fresh hot bread to go with a meal and I haven't planned the hours in advance that it normally takes.

Easy Breadsticks
1 1/2 cups HOT tap water
1 Tbsp yeast (heaping)
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix the water, yeast, and sugar together and let it sit until the yeast bubbles and looks about like this.

Combine the flour and salt in another bowl. Add the yeast mixture and mix. Dough will look something like this.

Turn the dough out onto floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes (no more), adding more flour if necessary - dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes. In my opinion, the longer the better. I have even made this in the morning before work or church and put it in a bowl with a tight fitting lid and let it sit in the refrigerator until I was ready to roll it out.

Punch dough down and roll out.

Cut into strips. (I use a pizza cutter and a pastry sheet)

Twist the strips and place on greased baking sheet. Brush with butter. Top with salt or parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 for 8 - 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mmmmm lunch. Perfect for a cold winter day.

Gift Tags

2008-12-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Click here for a whole bunch of printable gift tag ideas.

Forgiveness

2008-11-25T12:40:00.001-08:00

Today, I decided to let bygones be bygones. My boys have been begging me to play with play dough for weeks now. Today, I decided to allow it. One problem - I had thrown all the commercial Play-Doh out months ago, due to an incident where I found hot pink Play-Doh smeared all over my new carpet. After lots of time, work, and elbow grease, my husband I and were able to get it out of the carpet (It does not come easily). Play-Doh was then outlawed in this house.

Since I decided to give my children another chance today, and I did not want to run to the store for Play-Doh, I dug up an old recipe that my 4-H leader had given me years ago for Cooked Play Dough. It has a nice texture and stays good for weeks, if stored properly. You can probably find this recipe all over the internet, but I decided to share my particular variation. I highly recommend it.

Cooked Play Dough

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Cup water

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/4 cup salt

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Food coloring

In a medium sized saucepan, mix all the ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The dough will begin to look very lumpy and then it will come together into somewhat of a ball. Remove from heat and dump onto waxed paper or a plate. Cool until it is easy to handle and knead for several minutes until smooth. Give it to the kids and let them have fun - with strict instructions to keep it off the carpet!!! Store in a sealed container.

Thanksgiving Ideas

2008-11-19T11:59:00.001-08:00

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I decided to post a few good Thanksgiving ideas I have come across.

Tons of great ideas at A Stirring Life

BHG's festive table accents

Leaf napkin rings

Festive non-alcoholic drinks

Reindeer Cookies

2008-11-12T07:19:00.001-08:00

Check out this super cute idea for making reindeer cookies from Tiny Stitches! Click here to see just how cute they are, and for the recipe and instructions.

Go Fish

2008-11-11T08:17:00.001-08:00

I have been spending a lot of time making Christmas gifts and searching the internet for more easy and inexpensive gift ideas. I ran across this one this morning, and I will be getting to work on my own this afternoon. Love this idea for homemade magnetic fishing poles and fabric fish. So cute. Click here to take a look at the tutorial.

2008-11-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

I ran across this great idea for a halloween countdown calendar at a Bushel and a Peck. She also includes a list of "thankful activities" to go along with each day of the countdown. I don't think I will have time to make such a cute advent calendar this year - but I do think I will come up with a fun little countdown and have my boys do the activities each day. Click on both links to check out the calendar and the list of activities.

Halloween

2008-10-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

Halloween is finally here. My kids are soooo excited and my day is very busy. But enjoy this virtual pumpkin carving activity - if you have the time. Happy Halloween!

Christmas Book Countdown

2008-10-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Well, with Christmas coming up in less than two months, I have started to think seriously about all that I need to get done. I am making a lot of my gifts this year, so I had better get moving. In my search for great Christmas ideas, I ran across this cool idea for a Christmas countdown using books. Now, if I only had 25 Christmas books. Maybe I will have to start investing in a few more - because I seriously love this idea. So, click here to go to Savoring the Details and read all about it.

Halloween "Whack-O-Lantern"

2008-10-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well, only one week until halloween and my family will be carving pumpkins soon. I have never had a lot of luck carving pumpkins - so my husband will be the one to help the boys with the traditional carving. I think I will try this cute idea called a "Whack-O-Lantern". I found it on Disneyfamily.com and it looks like something I can definitely handle. You make the cool polka dots by pounding a golf tee into the pumpkin. Click on the link to go to Disney Family and read their tutorial.

No Sew Quiet Books

2008-10-21T12:27:00.001-07:00

I just found this amazingly great idea for making no-sew quiet books out of file folder games. Go to Our Cozy Nest to check out her great ideas! I love this one so much I am seriously thinking about making a couple for my boys for Christmas.

Baby Food Jar Pumpkin

2008-10-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

I have been collecting baby food jars at my house over the last few months, in hopes of coming up with some brilliant idea to use them. I finally decided to come up with a Halloween art project for my husband's 4th grade class. My boys and I made this little pumpkin by doing the following:

Brush the entire outside of the jar with mod podge - avoiding the screw-top portion.

Cover the mod-podged portion of the jar with a layer of orange tissue paper that has been cut into approximately 1"x 1" squares.

Brush another layer of mod podge over the tissue paper and add another layer of tissue paper in the same fashion.

Brush a final layer of mod-podge over the tissue and allow to dry.

When dry, draw a jack-o-lantern face on the jar (hopefully you are better at this than I am).

Add rafia and put on the lid (that has been spray painted green).

These, of course, could be filled with candy, or some other Halloween surprise.

My husbands class will be doing these next week. Wish him luck :)

Apple Stamps

2008-10-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

My boys and I did some apple stamping the other day. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we received a big box of apples from a neighbor. So, we decided to use a couple to stamp some gift bags. It was really easy and the boys loved it. This is what we did:

Cut the apples in half.

Dry the cut side on a paper towel.

Press the cut side on an ink pad. (We used red and green.)

Press firmly on your desired surface. (We used inexpensive white lunch bags.)

Draw in the seeds, stems, and leaves.

Gumdrop Pumpkins

2008-10-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

My boys and I made these gumdrop pumpkins yesterday. They were so easy and the boys had lots of fun helping me make them - then they delivered them to some to our nearby friends and relatives. I have seen this idea a few places, but I like the tutorial and pictures (their orange slices are way better than mine.) on this fun new blog I found called Craft-i-ness. Check out this tutorial and the blog for some fun holiday craft ideas.

Halloween Advent Calendar

2008-10-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

I found this totally cute idea for a halloween advent calendar today at "Just a Girl". My boys would love it. Click the link above for her instructions.

Here is the reason I have not been posting

2008-10-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my lack of recent posting. I received two big boxes of peaches and apples from a neighbor and between trying to get all of that fruit preserved, trips to my kids doctor, and keeping up with my businesses - things have been crazy. I plan to get back to my regular blogging schedule in the next few days.

I am sorry that the picture is so poor - but I am trying to show that I have been busy making applesauce, apple pie filling, peach-raspberry jam, canned peaches, dried peaches, frozen peaches, and dried apples. It has been a marathon, and my kitchen still hasn't fully recovered. Thank goodness for an awesome steam mop!!

Pumpkin Book

2008-09-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

What a cute idea for recycling an old paperback. Click here to go to Crafster.org and enjoy her tutorial on how to make this cute pumpkin or apple out of an old book.

Shirt to Jumper Tutorial

2008-09-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my lack of recent posting - I have been having some internet problems. I found this tutorial on how to make this darling jumper out of a button up shirt. If I had a daughter, I would definitely be tying this. Click here to go to Craftster.org for the instructions.

Child's Messenger Bag out of Old Jeans

2008-09-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

Check out this great tutorial on how to make a child's messenger bag out of a pair of old jeans. Courtesty of Snazzorama. I just might have to try this one.

Easy Placemat Pillows

2008-09-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

I love a project that is practical, easy, and inexpensive. I ran onto this project today and I love it. Basically you just use a placemat to make a throw pillow. Such a great idea!! Click here for the simple instructions at Schlosser Designs.

Baby SpareWear Giveaway

2008-09-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

Jo-Jo's Place: BabySpareWear ~ Review and Giveaway!

I ran onto this giveaway tonight. What a good idea. I could have used one of these handy kits twice this week. Take a look.

Candy Corn Garland

2008-09-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you ready to start thinking about decorating for Fall - - here is a cute idea. Bienvenue has a fun tutorial on how to make this creative candy corn garland.

Cute Button Projects

2008-09-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Check out this article at Scrapbooksetc. It has 16 cute and easy projects to make with buttons. Very fun!!

2008-09-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

I love this door hanger checklist from Simplify 101. My mom used to leave us little notes on the door, so that we would be sure to remember everything when we left for school. I have found myself doing it too as an adult. This provides a very cute way to post those notes and stay organized.

Flirty Reversible Apron

2008-09-04T15:59:00.001-07:00

Such a cute apron - and reversible too. If you like to sew, this is an intermediate level project. Click here to go to Quamut and get the pattern and instructions. Wouldn't this make a great handmade gift for the gal who has everything? Who can't use a cute apron? Love it!!

Little Birdie Secrets: baby hangers and appliqued onesies

2008-09-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

I found a great tutorial on how to make these cute baby hangers. Wouldn't they make the cutest handmade baby gift? What a fun and easy idea!! Click the link below to see for yourself.
Little Birdie Secrets: baby hangers and appliqued onesies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-09-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

Don't we all need a good chocolate chip cookie recipe? This recipe never fails. I have given it to several people and it has become their "go-to" chocolate chip cookie recipe as well. It is so easy and the cookies always turn out perfect.

3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
1 C butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (opt.)
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream together the sugars, butter, vanilla, egg, baking soda, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the flour and stir until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (or a #70 cookie scoop) about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Tooth Fairy Pillow Tutorial

2008-08-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

I found this great tutorial on how to make these cute tooth fairy pillows at HdMac's Crafty Blog and More. Aren't they adorable?

Fantastic Cooking Blog

2008-08-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have become quite a fan of a cooking blog called Dinner's on Me. I tried to pick out just one post that was a favorite - but there are so many, I couldn't decide. All of her recipes look like things I would like and they seem pretty easy to pull off. I also enjoy her good tips. If you need some new cooking inspiration, I think you will enjoy her blog too.

Fabric Wall Decal

2008-08-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

I found this great idea at a blog called "How about Orange." She made the cutest decal for her door out of fabric and starch. This method will allow you to put some fabric on your walls without damage. I love this idea and I really enjoyed her blog. Take a few minutes to check it out.

Cool Placecards and other Table Setting Ideas

2008-08-22T11:06:00.001-07:00

I found this article at Sunset.com with some great ideas for using natural items as placecards and centerpieces on your table. Click here to take a look.

How to Apply Vinyl Lettering

2008-08-22T09:33:00.001-07:00

I have a vinyl lettering business, and I am often asked for instructions on how to apply vinyl lettering to a wall, or other surface. I decided that it would be a good idea to post these instructions, so that if I am unable to just hand over an instruction sheet, I can refer people here and they will have access to my tips.

How to Apply Vinyl Lettering

Be sure that you are applying to a clean, dry surface. Dust, wax, oil, etc. will all prevent the vinyl from adhering well.
Mark your wall or object with a pencil, or other removable medium to ensure correct placement.
Slowly remove the lettering from the backing. The vinyl should remain on the application tape. If not, press the backing back into place and rub firmly - then try again.
Hold the vinyl in position and stick. Be extra careful here, once you have put the vinyl in place, there is no going back. You might want to find another person to assist you with this step, especially when applying large pieces of vinyl.
Rub the entire area firmly with your hand or even a sharp edge of a ruler or credit card, making sure that all air bubbles are pushed out. The vinyl is pressure sensitive and will adhere better the harder it is rubbed.
Slowly peel off the application tape by grabbing the top left corner and pulling downward. Your vinyl lettering should adhere to your surface with no problem. If some does begin to lift off, simply place the application tape back over that area and rub firmly, then continue peeling the tape.

How to Remove Vinyl Lettering

Warm up the vinyl using a blow dryer on low. Carefully peel back the vinyl. Vinyl lettering cannot be used again.

Tips

Vinyl lettering will adhere well to most smooth, or semi smooth surfaces. It will not adhere well to rough surfaces, such as heavily textured walls, cinder block, stucco, or unfinished wood.
Do not apply the lettering to freshly painted walls. Allow the paint to cure for at least three weeks before applying vinyl.
If you need to clean the vinyl lettering, do so with a mild soap and water and non abrasive cloth or sponge. Do not use products containing alcohol or abrasives.
Vinyl lettering comes pre-spaced. You can apply it as-is, or get creative and cut and apply it to fit your style.
If you find the lettering is resisting pulling away from the paper backing during the application process, it sometimes helps to warm the backing slightly with a blow dryer.

*Vinyl lettering should not damage paint when removed - however, there may be fading issues, depending on where it is placed (i.e. in a sunny location.)

Pizza on the Grill

2008-08-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

I found this really fun blog today. It is called Lost Button Studio and it is full of great ideas. I especially appreciated her post about how to make pizza on the grill. I have always wanted to try this, but have been too intimidated. Her tips and instructions are really helpful, and I think I might just give it a try now.

So click here to check out her pizza post and be sure to take a look around at the rest of her blog. I think you will really enjoy it.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

2008-08-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's zucchini season around here. I actually love zucchini - but at this time of year, even I have a hard time using everything that I have grown and been given. After preparing it every way that I can think of, today I made a really great chocolate chip zucchini bread that I found on Food Networks website. It is one of Paula Deen's recipes. I made a couple of changes, such as substituting yogurt for half of the oil. I was really pleased with how it turned out. Click here to take a look at the recipe yourself. I highly recommend it.

Easy Bookmark

2008-08-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

I made this easy bookmark in about 10 minutes yesterday. I just found some cute clipart and printed off two of the same image on cardstock. Then I glued them back to back on the top of a jumbo paperclip and tied a ribbon onto the clip. I think this could be even cuter with stamps, embellishments and better ribbon - but I was in hurry, so I used what I had.

Child's Artwork Collage/Display

2008-08-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

I saw this great idea on The Long Thread. What a fabulous way to preserve all of your little artist's best work, without it cluttering up your whole house, or just gathering dust and taking up space in a box somewhere.

1st Year Milestone Scrapbook

2008-08-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Jenny at Crafty Chicks created this adorable monthly milestone scrapbook for the first year of her baby's life. I wish I had thought of doing this for my little boys. Love it!!!

Adorable Apron Giveaway

2008-08-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Isn't this apron cute!! I just ran across this giveaway at a great blog (Posh Point of View) Click here to take a look. You will love them!!!

Other Uses for Plastic Baby Food Containers

2008-08-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have a 7 month old baby, so we have quite a few of those plastic baby food containers hanging around our house. For some reason, I feel a little guilty about throwing them out. I have been asking around a little and found that people have quite a few good ideas about how to recycle these little containers into useful things.

Throw a pacifier in one of these containers and it keeps it clean and easy to find in your diaper bag or purse.

Use them as snack containers for older children.

Store homemade playdough in them.

Use them to hold salad dressing, or other condiments, when packing a lunch.

Put a couple of antiseptic wipes and band-aids in them and you have a portable first-aid kit.

Make tub toys by poking a few holes in them and then let your kids fill them with water and watch the water flow out through the holes.

Paint storage for craft paints, or for touch up paints for your house.

Use them to store chopped onions or celery in your freezer.

Store spices in them. Just label and they stack neatly in your cupboard.

Thanks to all of the smart and creative people who came up with these great ideas. If you have any other ideas about what to do with these containers, feel free to comment and share your inspiration.

Baby Closet Size Dividers

2008-08-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

I found this great tutorial on how to make cute size dividers to help you organize your baby's clothes. This is a great idea!! Please click here to go to Armelle Blog and check out her amazing creativity!

Magnetic Art Display

2008-08-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

I was over at TipJunkie's blog today. I love her Teach me Thursday tutorials, and she had featured one in particular that I loved and wanted to share. It is from Wisdom of the Moon and is a cute and functional magnetic art display strip. I love it! What a great idea. Her tutorial is very good and I think I will be heading to our local home improvement store today to copy this one. Click on the link below to see it for yourself.

Wisdom of the Moon: Magnetic Art Display

Girly-Do's

2008-08-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

I ran onto this site about a lot of fun and cute ways to do your little girls hair. I only have boys, so I can't take advantage of all of her good tutorials - but I can imagine having a lot of fun with this blog if I had a daughter who would sit still long enough for me to copy some of these darling "do's".

Click here to check out her blog.

Paper Dolls

2008-08-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

Do you know a little girl who is a fan of the Berenstain Bears? If so, she might enjoy these cute (and free) paper dolls I found. I am thinking of printing these up and making a set for my niece. Click here to check out the family of paper dolls and all their outfits.

Frozen T-shirt Contest

2008-08-04T15:22:00.001-07:00

I just took my boys to a birthday party and they played a fun summer game. The host had taken several adult-size t-shirts, wet them down and folded them neatly, then put them in separate ziploc bags. Then she froze them. She handed one bag out to each child and instructed them to remove the t-shirt, unfold it, and put it on over their clothes. The first one to accomplish this was the winner. The kids had a lot of fun. It took a few minutes, because the frozen t-shirts were hard to unfold. I thought it was a pretty cool activity for a hot summer day. : )

Crayon Jars

2008-07-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have been working in his classroom, getting ready for the school year. He has buckets and buckets of old crayons, and he was getting ready to toss them. I told him to wait, and I would look for some kids craft projects using old crayons. I found this one using old crayons and a jar. Since I was just giving it a try, I only used two colors, so my jar isn't as vibrant as it could be.

The project was pretty easy and fun. Click here for instructions on how to make one of these jars with your kids.

Peanut Butter Clay

2008-07-29T12:32:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe for Peanut Butter Clay from my aunt when I was a little girl. I made it with my boys for the first time this morning. They played with it for a long time and had a ball.

Here is the recipe:
2 C. Peanut Butter
2 C. Powdered Milk
1 C. Honey
Mix all ingredients together, adding more powdered milk, if necessary, to get desired consistency. Make things and then eat 'em up!

Since this recipe has peanut butter and honey, I definitely would not make it for anyone under one year, and I would be careful when using it with toddlers.

We're Back

2008-07-28T12:11:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the lack of recent posting. My family and I just got back from attending a family reunion in Utah. We will back to our regular posting schedule soon. Thanks for checking back in with us.

Shrinky Dink Keychains

2008-07-10T18:58:00.001-07:00

I made some of these fun shrinky dink keychains with my kids and one of their friends today. I drew the outlines onto the shrinky dink plastic (that I picked up from a craft store), and punched a hole in the top. Then the kids colored them in and we baked them as directed on the package. They loved watching them shrink up in the oven. After they were cool, I added the keychain hardware. It was really easy and the kids loved it. Our friend didn't want to leave when her dad came to get her. She was hoping to make another one.

Leaf Tracings

2008-07-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

My boys and I made these leaf tracings today. It took up some good time and they loved it! This is what we did.

We went into the back yard and picked leaves off of some of our plants. As you can imagine - I supervised this pretty closely.

We brought the leaves inside and laid them flat under pieces of scrap paper.

We unpeeled a few crayons and then rubbed the side of the crayon over the paper on top of the leaves.

The images of the leaves - and all their cool details appear before your eyes.

My two year old needed a lot of help with this one, but after I helped my 4 year old with one, he was able to do them by himself. They thought it was just like magic. We all had a great time with this.

4th of July T-shirts

2008-07-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

Creative Chicks at Play have done it again! Click here for their simple and fun tutorial on how to make these cute t-shirts for the 4th.

Onesie with applique

2008-07-01T18:55:00.001-07:00

I needed a quick baby gift today, so I tried my hand at some simple applique on a onesie. I thought it turned out pretty cute for how fast it came together.

Sticky Notepads

2008-06-28T09:11:00.001-07:00

These cute little notepads are made of scrapbooking cardstock and post-it notes. Aren't they cute?! Click here for the simple instructions on how to make them.

2008-06-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Family Fun has a short video tutorial on how to make these cute summer flip-flops. Aren't they cute? Click here to check it out.

Homemade Snowglobes

2008-06-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

My boys and I made these homemade snowglobes today. It was a super easy kids craft. We just used equal parts water and corn syrup and then added some glitter snow and beads. (The corn syrup helps the glitter and beads stay suspended in the water) We added the water, corn syrup, and glitter using funnels and then the boys dropped the beads in by hand. They had a great time making them and they think they are pretty cool. I have to admit I like them too. I would recommend that an adult apply super glue or caulking to the lids before screwing them back on, just to be sure they are securely attached. Lots of fun!

Homemade Memory Game

2008-06-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Creative Chicks at Play gives instructions on how to make this very cute memory game out of chipboard and scrapbooking paper. Adorable!!

Click here to see their instructions.

Sponge Balls

2008-06-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Betz White has a great tutorial on how to make these fun sponge balls. Click here to check it out.

Cute Binder Clip Photo Holders

2008-06-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

Aren't these cute! I think they would make a cute shower favor, or just a sweet little gift for a friend. Click here for her instructions on how to make them.

Closet Organization

2008-06-13T12:48:00.001-07:00

I found a great article at BHG.com on organizing your closet with dollar store storage containers. I am a big fan of the dollar store, so this article was right up my alley.

Dollar Store Closets

It's Amazing what a few Baskets and Bins will do...

2008-06-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have been working on organizing my kitchen cupboards and drawers and have a found a few things that have been really helpful
This is my "baking" cupboard. It used to be impossible to reach anything on the top shelf without pulling over the step stool and rifling through everything on the shelf. Now I can simply pull down the whole bin, get what I need and replace it without having to ever bother with the stepstool - and it looks so much neater too. I have also loved the addition of my baking basket on the middle shelf. I put all of the commonly used baking items (salt, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, etc.) in it, and now when I am baking I can just pull down one basket and I have most of the little boxes and bottles that I need for any recipe. I wish I had purchased a lazy susan for the bottom shelf, rather than the riser rack. I can see my spices now, but it is still hard to get to them. I think a lazy susan would have been much easier.
This drawer used to be a jumbled mess. I just added one bin to keep all of the smaller items corralled and suddenly the drawer is neat and easy to deal with.
This drawer used to be a mess too. I found an expandable utensil tray and separated all of my cooking utensils into the different compartments. It is so much easier now to find everything, and to put everything away after washing, due to the fact that I can actually get the door closed now without a whole lot of pushing and shoving.
This is under my sink, an area which I think is notoriously "icky" in most houses. I just put all of my cleaning supplies that I use most often in the bin in front and it keeps them in place. I installed child-proof latches on this cupboard to ensure that my little ones can't get to the cleaning supplies.

Microwaveable Heating Pad

2008-06-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Simply Fun Projects has a tutorial on how to make one of these cute and useful microwaveable heating pads.

Tote Bag

2008-06-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

I made this easy tote bag from a couple of dollar store placemats. I am happy with how it turned out. I found the instructions online and they are really easy to follow, complete with illustrations and everything. Click on the title of this post to go to the website and look at the instructions yourself.

Cute invitation ideas

2008-05-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Simply Fun Projects has some cute invitation ideas. Click on the title of this post to check them out.