My Favorite Things for the Last Week of February

Jar photo frames. Most creative way I've seen in a while to display your photos. From Photojojo.

Giant stuffed Microbe, Mono. I had Mono in high school it was definitely not this cute.

Panda Poo Journal from Uncommon Goods. Both unique and eco friendly! Yay!

A pencil holder that brings the outdoors in...

If you are like me you can barely wait for Spring, maybe that's why I came up with this outdoors themed pencil/stuff holder, this is a great kids craft! Thanks to my Mom for help on this one, she's such a creative lady!

You'll need-

• -One tin can (washed, and with the label and any sharp edges removed)
• -A package of plain wooden Popsicle sticks
• -Acrylic paint in your choice of color, I chose purple.
• -Paint brush
• - Foil glue and green foil sheets (found at most craft stores, or online.)
• -Craft glue
• -Bugs and Butterflies of your choice. Pictured below are feather butterfly found at Micheal's craft store, and vintage tin bug pins from SilverCrow Creations.com )

I took an ordinary sized soup can, removed the label, washed it out thoroughly and made sure there were no sharp edges left. Then using a good slathering of craft glue on the can I began placing the unpainted Popsicle sticks on the can, as close as I could get them to each other. I then let it dry overnight. I chose to paint my sticks with Acrylic paint in a light shade of purple, you of course can chose to paint yours whatever color tickles your fancy. After painting I let it dry overnight again. I thought about just using green paint and painting some grass on the bottom but my Mom came up with the idea of using green foil sheets and foil glue, I was curious how it would turn out so I gave it a shot. You can't really tell in these pictures, because my camera is not the best, but the grass is very iridescent.
Next, using a special glue just for foiling, I put the glue over the Popsicle sticks in very organic lines, to resemble grass. Then after letting the glue dry for a little while I followed the directions on the package of green foil sheets. I placed a sheet over the glue, and using a Popsicle stick I began pressing the foil onto the glue to adhere it. It's pretty simple, all the directions are on the package. I loved the results!

Last but certainly not least, I glued a few lovely tin bug pins onto the Popsicle sticks with some craft glue, I had to hold them on for a little while until the glue was tacky enough to hold them by itself. These tin bugs are little pins, but you can easily cut the pin backing off if you find them easier to work with that way. I also considered gluing a feather butterfly on as well, it seemed more girly, but I'm a girl who likes her bugs! Next time I do one I'll do a butterfly. If you make this project with your kids, I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did!

Simple and cute child's bracelet

I was looking through my beads the other day and found a few packages of star paddle beads. As a kid I always loved paddle beads, still kinda do, but alas I feel that I have out grown plastic beads. But! I did think that they would make a pretty cute, simple and sparkly, bracelet for a little girl. All you need is some elastic thread, and two small packages of star paddle beads, in two different complimentary colors. I used a few smaller beads in mine just because I had them in the corresponding color, but you don't have to use my exact pattern, of course. This is a great project to do with kids because it's so easy, and the shape of the paddle beads makes them easy to pick up and thread for little fingers.


-Cut a length of elastic thread, make sure it's long enough that you can tie some knots in it and it will still fit on your child's wrist. start threading the paddle beads on, alternating colors, and fitting them together (interlocking them). When I had about an inch in thread left on both ends I stopped putting beads on and tied a knot, I'm not very good at knots so I tied a couple, just so it wouldn't come undone. Then I trimmed off the little bit of excess thread that was left close to the last knot. Simple, cute, and something fun to do with your kids!

Got Crafty Kids ?

My next two crafty projects are for kids!...and young at heart adults too, of course...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Crafts

I recently found some really great Valentine's Day crafts on a new favorite blogger blog, Zakka Life. This cuter than cute snail Valentine for one......and a how-to for this amazingly adorable pom-pom heart.
I have become a big fan of this blog, and encourage you, if you haven't already, to check it out.

Last Paper Craft

I know, I know...you're saying "How on earth can this be the last paper craft!?" (all two of my readers, including my brother!) It's okay though, I've given you the general idea and now you can go off on your own and try to find your own way through paper craft world. This last one is a good one, or at least I think so, but then I happen to be quite fond of Domo Kun. This paper craft is unique in that it requires no glue or tape, kinda neat! I found this Domo Kun at deviantArt.com by Pikmin789.