Headbands

My daughter-in-law Dana found here an idea on Pinterest for an elastic headbands station to have at her shower.  She liked this idea because it allowed the guests to personalize something for baby Laila during the shower.  I set about figuring out how to get it done! After visits to JoAnn's, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby I found all the requisite supplies mostly on sale.  Luckily the main part, the stretchy headband materials was sold by the spool at Hobby Lobby and I caught it on a sale day.  I was able to pick up about six different colored spools and ended up getting about six headbands per roll.  I cut them in about 12-14" lengths and sewed the ends together.

In addition to the headbands I picked up matching colors of felt, fabric flowers, pre-made bows, jewels, small butterflies, and small button shapes. The flowers were different colors and patterns (polka dots), different styles (zebra print), mostly daisies, and some other flowers.  I took and pulled off or cut off the flowers from the stems and then hot glued them on the bottom to make sure the centers and the flower layers stayed together.  When I looked at putting them on to the headbands though I felt they weren't going to lay flat on the headbands and would be too heavy for the headbands.  I looked at the original idea and saw some felt circles in the example so went back and picked up some matching felt.  I took my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die and cut the felt using the largest flower on the die.  I cut about 6-8 of each color so they could be used to glue the flowers on and then glue on to the headbands.

So we set up a separate area at the shower with hot glue guns and all of the different components laid out on the table and told everyone at the beginning of the shower where everything was located and invited them to make their way into the dining room to create their own special gift for baby Laila.

To make sure Dana and Kyle knew who had created each of the headbands, I cut tags with my Cricut and cut 12" lengths of thin ribbon (1/8" wide).  On each of the tags I stamped the word From: on one side and then asked each Guest Headband Designer to sign their creation and tie the tag to the headband they made. The guests were eager participants and enjoyed creating some really pretty headbands for Laila.  We can't wait to see her wearing each and everyone of the gifts.

Here is a group shot of all of the completed headbands.  They really turned out nicely. She will be quite the styling little girl!  Keep on Imagining, Creating, and Enjoying every day!

Mesh Wreath

Mesh wreaths have become all the rage as of late.  I decide my first try would be to make one for Laila's baby shower.  I spent a couple of different trips to Michael's, JoAnn's, and Hobby Lobby to check out the supplies, costs, ideas, and colors of mesh.  I spent some time reading through one of the books while standing in the aisle at the store.  After looking at the picture directions in the book I figured I could do this without spending the $10 on the book.  I'd rather spend the money on the supplies for the wreath.

Since I had already started the diaper cake with the bright pink colors, I followed through here.  I chose burlap looking mesh and then a hot pink mesh to coordinate with it choosing to alternate the burlap and pink mesh (I used the smaller 6" rolls versus the large 12" rolls). Once I had finished fixing the mesh to the wreath base (by using pipe cleaners in hot pink), I started adding flowers.  I took pretty Gerber daisy flowers in various shades of pink and white and glued them around the wreath with some pearl accents behind them. The pearl accents were a strand picked up from the floral section at the craft store.  I separated the different strands to maximize them as I wanted some behind all of the flowers. Additionally, I added some pretty butterflies from the floral section of the hobby store and the word Love across the bottom of the wreath. It was in the wood letters section at the craft store and already painted white, so I left it exactly as it came. The letters spell out Laila's full name: Laila Olivia Vivian Elizabeth. She will share names with two of her great grandmother's.  A beautiful tribute to both sides of the family!

Once I hot glued everything together I added a small butterfly on the corner of Love.  Kyle really liked the wreath...enough so he wants to put it in Laila's nursery.  Now I've gotta figure out how to ship it to them in Indiana!

Until next time...Imagine, Create, Enjoy!

Hanging Mirror Baubles

I don't recall exactly where I saw or heard of this idea and I certainly can't find a pin on my Pinterest boards that is representative of it but likely I've seen it somewhere online.  I thought it was a cute idea so decided to make some for Christmas gifts. I bought small  mirror pieces that you can find at any craft store.  I chose small rounds, probably an inch in diameter.  I cut approximately 6 inch lengths of thin craft ribbon in holiday colors doubling them over to make a loop and hot glued them between two of the mirror rounds.

The idea for these little baubles is that you hang them between the branches of the Christmas tree and they reflect the sparkle of the Christmas lights and add more twinkle to your holiday decor. I packaged them in groups of six and they were a lovely little stocking stuffer and a little something to give to those individuals whom you want to remember in some small way at the holidays.


They were a quick, easy gift and one I would do again!  Great for your child's teacher, the mail deliverer, the paper boy or girl, babysitter, whomever.



 Keep on crafting!  Until next, Imagine, Create, Enjoy!

Shadow Jingle Boxes

I found the post for these Jingle boxes on Pinterest and when I clicked through it came from here.  I wanted to replicate the idea for Christmas gifts for family and friends.  I pretty much followed the picture as it appeared in the original post.  I made almost a dozen for various friends and family members.  They are a cute addition to Christmas decorations and can be specialized in color, background and the colors of the bells to coordinate with any decor.  When the original one was done the crafter utilized a smaller frame from IKEA.  Truth be told, I didn't really look at her directions until I started writing this.  I just took the picture and ran with it but on a larger scale. My frames were the 8x8 frames you can pick up at craft stores.  I picked these up at Joann's with a 70% off sale.  Around $4 to $5 I believe.  The original design just used a patterned piece of scrapbook paper and a pre-cut sentiment from Stampin Up!  I utilized my Cricut and ran the letters through my mini Xyron to apply adhesive to the back. I started with the same sentiment but after a couple decided I needed to change things up.  I used patterned paper with Christmas trees in the background and added snowflakes next to the words on this first one.  I also wanted to utilize the various colors of jingle bells available during the holidays, so opted for red and silver in the first box and some green gold and red in the second box.

Because the frames came in white, I left them that color.  My biggest challenge was finding ribbon the right width to go around the frame.  Well, there wasn't any.  I believe the frame is 1 1/4 inch wide, all of the ribbon I could find during the holidays was 1 1/2 inch wide, so I went with it.  It means there is a little bit of over hang around the edges but it looks good.  I also chose wire-edged ribbon as I wanted the bows to stand up and be able to be shaped and formed.

Once I got the first couple of boxes done I decided to go with some different sentiments, thus the boxes that follow.  I had some paper with sleighs on it so highlighted that image in the lower corner and tucked in some red, white and silver bells along with glittery red letters.

For this one the background paper is of candy canes and gingerbread men, sugarplums and all the associated words and images that go with that thought...thus the Visions of Sugarplums title for this box.  Once they were completed, I added a light spray of glitter to them to punch them up just a bit.  These pictures don't do them justice and it is difficult to see the bling...but it is there.

There are still a couple sitting in my closet to be delivered to some friends.  I hope they like them.

Until the next time, Imagine, Create, Enjoy!

Another Collage Frame

I recently featured the heart shaped collage here that I did for my son and new daughter-in-law as a wedding present.  Close to the same time I had picked up another collage picture frame at Michael's that was 50 percent off!  Love those deals!  Anyway, I have fallen in love with this three dimensional concept of scrap booking.  It gives us the chance to highlight special events and pictures and have something that is visible on a wall, bookcase, or coffee table to be seen more often by family and friends than typical scrapbook pages that are filed away in an album.

Recently Kyle, Dana, and Nicky lost their beloved dog Shadow.  Shadow was a Doberman rescue dog and a wonderful pet!  A sweet, sweet boy who was afraid of his own shadow but would protect everyone in the house!  The loss of our pets is always hard, Shadow's was harder because it was so swift and unexpected.  I decided to use my recently purchased collage frame for a tribute to Shadow.

I had previously found some cute paper with glittery dog bones and paw prints at JoAnn's and decided these papers were perfect for my project.  I added some red shiny matching paper to these and  lined the 4 x 6 openings on the frame.  I added these different shots of Shadow to each of the frames and then accented them with a set of dimensional dog stickers and some three dimensional doggie buttons in different shapes.

The banner above the lower right picture was blank and an ideal place to add Shadow's name.  The upper right photo of Nick and Shadow was perfectly accented with the My Pal sticker.  Despite Shadow's size and breed we know he thought he was a lap dog!  He certainly slept as if he were small enough to fit in the cat's bed, which he frequently did as is seen in the lower middle picture!

To secure the papers in the wood frame I used the Terrifically Tacky tape from Michael's.  It's super strong adhesive tape and I'm certain those papers will stay affixed to the wooden frame.  The frame came with a small oval handle on the top.

The project turned out nicely and I know the kids are going to love it!  A special tribute for a special family member. RIP Shadow!

Until next time, Imagine, Create, Enjoy!

Christmas Panorama

This month's Monday2Create evening focused on a Christmas Panorama.   My friend Tina over at The Crazy Stamp Lady had featured a Christmas Frame gift box she did last year for Christmas gifts.  One of the options was a panorama of the Nativity.  We decided to make this the project for this month's group and liked the idea of doing it using blue papers.  I popped over to Jo Ann's for some blue papers, various shades, and I picked up a silver pigment stamp pad.  I have many blue and silver Christmas decorations so this project was made to blend with the rest of my decorations.

We chose three shades of blues, the outside piece stayed a 12 x 12 paper, the mat for the panorama was cut to 10 x 10, and then the third piece of paper was cut into 3 x 3 squares and then stamped with the images for our picture.  Frames with scripture, the Nativity scene and wishes for Peace on Earth, and the rest of the elements of the Nativity, shepherds, wise men, Bethlehem, the Star.  I chose to ink my stamps with silver pigment ink by Colorbox, and then added Embossing Tinsel with silver in it and embossed each frame.  I added a silver jewel to the middle of the star over Bethlehem.  Once I completed stamping and embossing all of the frames I added pop dots to the back and centered the frames, three in each row and column to reveal the Christmas story.  Once it was completed, we added some shimmer mist to the entire project.  I had picked up a white shadow box frame at Jo Ann's and framed the completed project.

It's a little hard to see the glitter and sparkle but it is there.  I love the colors and the simplicity.  Until next time, Imagine, Create, Enjoy.

Baby Gift Shadow Box

When my children were born, I saved some of those things of importance that reminded me of their birth, their hospital wrist bands, their hospital pictures, their hospital crib cards, etc.  Recently I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought what a great way to display your child's collectibles.  Well my babies are grown men now and one of them is expecting his first child, a son.  I figured this would be a great gift for him at the baby shower.  I had my hubby find the storage tub with baby memorabilia in it and found my boy's things.  For this project I used his hospital going home outfit, the ankle ID band he wore, his first picture at the hospital, his crib card, the measuring tape that measured his length, and a ceramic plate my best friend from high school made when my boys were born.  It had their vital statistics on it and a cute little poem about boys.

I happened into Jo Ann's during one of their Moonlight Madness sales and got a 16 x 20 shadow box frame in basic black.  I took off the back and covered the insert paper with blue scrapbook paper for the background of the shadowbox. It also complemented the outfit he wore home.  I attached the outfit on the right side of the background and I used fasteners to hold them in place on the board so it wouldn't slip down board.  Along the top the case I put the measuring tape and with his length circled on the tape.  In the upper left I put his going home from the hospital picture here.  I cropped it an oval and added a blue and white set of mats under the picture to make it more visible.  Below his picture I put his crib card from his hospital bassinet. I also mounted it on coordinating mats as well.  Between the picture and the outfit I put his hospital ID band.  Finally, in the lower left corner of the box I set the ceramic plate my best friend made.

After getting it all mounted in the frame, I didn't have any room for his first shoes, so I had to come up with a different idea for those.  I was describing to my friend Judith what I'd made and about my dilemma about the shoes.  She gave me the solution which you see here.  I tied the shoe strings of the baby shoes in bows and then ran a 3/8" blue grosgrain ribbon with brown edging through the lace.  One for each shoe and one longer than the other so they would hang at different lengths.  I knotted the ends of the ribbons for each shoe and knotted those two together.  The back of the frame had two eyelets.  I picked up another role of blue ribbon like the one I used on the diaper cake.  I cut two pieces of ribbon the same length.  I knotted one end around the eyelet on the back of each side of the frame and brought them together at the top of the frame tying the first part of the bow and then looping the ribbons with the shoes through the knot and draped them in the middle and tied the bow.


And here is the finished project.  I hope my son likes it, maybe he will hang it in his son's room.  What a special treat it was to make for him.  I'm sure he will be a great Daddy!


Congrats to Nathan and Tiffany!

Until the next time, Imagine, Create, Enjoy.

Fall Decorations

So I have been perusing Pinterest as I know many of you do.  I found this cute little idea for a Christmas decoration, but because I have so many Christmas decorations I decided to use the idea with a Thanksgiving or Fall theme.  The original post was found here.  I decided to do the word Thanks.  I found these cute wood letters on sale at Jo Ann's and picked them up along with a bottle of Folk Art metallic bronze paint.  I painted the entire set of letters front and back with the bronze color.  I think I did about 3 coats to make sure it was covered well.

In the original idea the letters are painted white and hung with green ribbon.  Because I have a brown china hutch and this is where I wanted to hang the letters I decided the letters needed a little more "punch" so they would be seen against the brown hutch.  I found in my craft stash some pumpkin colored glitter.  It was the perfect color match for the letters so I glittered each of the letters up and sealed them with Mod Podge.  I then found some glittery fall ribbon at Michael's (on sale of course!) and picked that up to hang each letter from.  Since I wanted the letters to drape down from the top of the hutch I needed a piece of wood to hang them from, something that was sturdy enough to hold the ribbons and weighty enough to stay on the top of the hutch but would remain hidden.  So off to Jo Ann's I went again and found a 1/4'  by 3" by 24" piece of craft wood to use as my mounting board to hang the letters from.  I spaced the letters evenly but staggered them slightly so they were not all at the same level.  And here is the finished product!  I'm still thinking I might add some more accents to the top of the letters, maybe some small colored fall leaves or pieces of pine cones, maybe some buttons?  We'll see!

Go on, Imagine, Create, Enjoy!

Gift Sets

Earlier this spring my co-worker Tamara asked me to make her a prayer journal gift set for the ladies retreat at her church.  She wanted to give it as a raffle gift at the retreat.  She wanted a really pretty prayer journal so we set off on a lunch hour for a Jo Ann's supply run.  She found this beautiful set of papers from KandCompany, their Susan Winget Botanical Speciality Paper Pad. I found the matching stickers and other dimensional embellishments so we were all set!  The first picture is the Prayer Journal.  I pulled two of the beautiful floral papers from this pad and trimmed them down to fit the journal.  On the top I added some of dimensional stickers including one of the word Faith.  I had some pretty pink satin ribbon in my stash and for the tag on the front I cut an oval shape on my Cricut.  I believe it was from Merry Tags cartridge.

I printed on an off-white piece of card stock the words Prayer Journal, cut it in a smaller oval shape using my Creative Memories oval shape cutter and mounted that on the pink tag and added some more of the dimensional stickers along with some pearl bling.  I then hooked a small heart clip through the tag opening and tied it on in a bow with the ribbon that was tied around the front cover of the prayer journal.
Since this was for a raffle gift I wanted to make a complete package so with the scraps I had left I made the small matching notebook that you see here.  I used the same matching satin ribbon and I punched a heart tag with my Creative Memories heart punch.  I punched a grommet hole and added a pink grommet, threaded it with white cotton cord, stamped the word notes and glittered it up.  I added a small butterfly sticker to mirror the one on the notebook and three pink pearls above the word notes.  I also added a little dimensional sticker to the bottom of the notebook.

And finally, with the remaining scraps from the two original 12 x 12 papers that I started with, I made some clothes pin magnets.  I originally saw this idea over at Scrappin Cat's blog here.  I loved the fact that it was such a great way to use up scraps from your paper projects.  In this instance it worked perfectly to complete this gift set. The embellishments I had for this project had some great small ones, butterflies and dragonflies that were the perfect size to fit on the magnets.  To showcase the magnets and keep them all together, I copied Cathy's idea of mounting them on card stock.  I used plain white for the background and embossed the paper with a pretty swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I then used some of the remaining scraps from the project and made a topper and the band that the pins are anchored on.  I then enclosed the whole thing in a cellophane envelope.  Here they are.

And finally, the complete set ready for the raffle. 

Hope to see you again soon!  Until then, Imagine, Create, Enjoy!