Hi, I´m Renee and I wanted to show you two designs to decorate your phone case for this Independence day. One design is more traditional and the other one is funkier and a little abstract. I guide from trough materials … Read More...
Did you know you could hand letter on wood with markers? Well, yes you can and I did! This rectangular plaque already had the flag shape, so measure and sketch in the star field and stripes with a ruler and … Read More...
I’ll admit that while I have knit a few pairs of ankle socks or short socks in the past, I never really enjoyed wearing them until this spring.
They are really nice when you don’t want a big, long sock, … Read More...
It’s pretty common to use the same colors in a cross stitch project as those that are used in the chart, but sometimes you might want to change a color or two in a design.
It’s not always as … Read More...
Learning the multiplication tables is a big part of early math, because a lot of things build on knowing those basic calculations.
Flash cards can help kids practice these figures, but they aren’t the most fun way to learn.
These … Read More...
When you travel, is your suitcase a hot mess? These packing cubes will help organize your clothes and also allow you to pack more efficiently. Courtney at A Little Craft in Your Day shows how you can sew packing cubes. … Read More...
There are some pretty common shawl shapes in the knitting world: rectangles, triangles, circles and half circles among them.
But there are lots of different shapes that can be used to make a shawl, including this kind of funky square-missing-a-piece … Read More...
I love how Khristina used two side by side pages in her Traveler’s Notebook to create one large layout. She used a large tropical leaf stamp in black for her all over background pattern adding colorful pattern paper and dies … Read More...
This post is sponsored by Plaid Enterprises.
Give dads something to smile about this Father’s Day with these DIY pasta planters! While working on this project, we’d been calling them “papa pasta planters” and, really, that’s exactly what they are! If you’re as big a fan of pasta-based crafts as we are, you likely have some fun shaped noodles in your stash perfect for this project. If not, this is your excuse to go find some at the supermarket or local specialty food store!
And the crazy thing is that some of the less traditional shapes don’t end up looking like pasta at all once they’re painted, don’t you think? For this project, we used our handy set of Apple Barrel paint. We went for a bright and colorful look, but wouldn’t these be neat painted all white or grey? They’d almost look like stone! Keep reading for all our tips and tricks below.
Step 1
Begin by painting the outside of your terra cotta pots. We also chose to paint the top couple inches of the inside of the pots too, but you can leave this unpainted if you prefer. Let dry completely.
Step 2
Time to make some silly faces! Gather up all the pasta you have and start playing with the different shapes to form faces. The possibilities are endless! Farfalle makes excellent bow ties while radiatore can look just like a mustache. If you’re in the market to increase your pasta collection, we suggest checking at specialty grocery stores for the widest variety. Whatever noodles you pick, lay them out as you like on your work surface and give each one a coat of paint. Let dry completely.
Step 3
Once the painted pot and pasta are dry, use tacky glue (or a hot glue gun) to attach the features onto the planter. If using tacky glue like we did, you’ll want to leave the pot horizontal as it dries so that the pasta doesn’t slide off. If you have an empty bowl or similar to rest the pot in to prevent it from rolling around, that tends to work best. Allow to dry for several hours. If you plan to use the planter inside only, you’re ready to put your new plant inside! If you’d like the planter to be weatherproof, apply a coat of Mod Podge Outdoor to seal everything in.
Happy crafting!
Is your Dad a bowler, golfer or your Hero? SugarPea stamps has 8 great ideas for Masculine cards to get you inspired to make the perfect card for your Dad this Father’s Day.
Click here to check out their blog … Read More...
Polymer is a pretty great jump right in medium if you want to try making cake toppers. For best practice, make the base of your topper something that is more food safe than clay (clay isn’t topic but it’s not … Read More...
It is a 10 minute DIY idea to create a beautiful statement necklace for Halloween that you can wear throughout the year too. You can see the full detailed tutorial here. … Read More...
Yippie, Summer is finally here! Take some time to relax in the warm weather and color up these fun Summer scene coloring pages. There are 6 to download and print, all FREE from Dover Publications.
Click here to get them… Read More...
These girls’ shortie leggings are perfect for layering under summer dresses! Girls can run and play and twirl and tumble without worrying about underwear showing. They’re easy to sew with a free pattern by Emily from Life Sew Savory. Her … Read More...
This little tree cross stitch design from Hawthorne Tree Designs is super cute. It’s one of her free charts, and it’s particularly adorable with the addition of a button shaped like an owl living in the tree.
Either way it … Read More...
What an interesting combination of elements! Generally speaking chain link fences aren’t considered pretty but add some knitting and plants and boy what change. This would be a fun idea to upcycle your swatches into plant pockets or in my … Read More...
I was just thinking the other day that during the summer I should really carry a backpack instead of a purse. With all the things that get added to my bag this time of year — sunscreen, bottled water, a … Read More...
When kids are learning to write and to spell, it’s helpful for them to see and work with words in lots of different ways.
This idea for using “magic paint” on the sidewalk from Gift of Curiosity is a great … Read More...
This yummy cupcake card from Lydia looks good enough to eat! She created her realistic frosting with texture paste using re-inkers to color it. This is a great way to get a custom color for your paste!
Visit the Altenew … Read More...
Turn those old jeans into a cute new tote! Trash to Couture has a great tutorial at Brother Sews showing how to do it. There’s a big pocket on one side and the corners are boxed. The denim is sturdy, … Read More...
Suzanna created this fun Summer Hiking Layout with lots of pattern papers and embellishments from Echo Park. All the trees, signs and compass are perfect for an outdoor adventure page!
Visit the Echo Park blog for a closer look at … Read More...
These wedding flowers are so easy to make and the perfect way to add details to plain flower girl dresses or headbands. Such an easy way to bring down the costs of your DIY wedding. It is a cute way … Read More...
After crafting some wooden moths and dragonflies, I knew I needed to throw a summer garden party, and make some matching cupcake toppers! All you have to do is trade out the wooden body and head for Styrofoam, and add some Glitterific! These would also be fun for a bug bash, and the colors could easily be swapped for a more masculine or gender-neutral scheme.
Any budding entomologist would be thrilled with some moth toppers, and the kids could make the wooden bugs as a party craft, or take one home as a favor – along with a butterfly net and magnifying glass. Outdoor parties can be so simple, and nature is the perfect backdrop. Just add watermelon, a kiddie pool or sprinkler, cupcakes, and bug toppers!
• Large Styrofoam egg
• 1” Styrofoam ball
• 24 GA (.51 mm) black vinyl coated bead wire
• Wood shapes (raindrops)
• Tacky glue
• FolkArt Acrylic Paint (black, and colors of your choice)
• FolkArt Glitterific Acrylic Paint
• Scissors
• Sponge brush
• Paint brush
• Toothpick
• Extra-long toothpick
• Wood glue
Step 1
Paint your Styrofoam egg in the color of your choice, and allow to dry. Next, paint a coat of Glitterific in a coordinating color, and allow to dry.
Step 2
Paint two large wooden raindrops in the color of your choice, and two medium wooden raindrops in a second color. Allow to dry.
Step 3
Use a sponge brush to paint your Styrofoam ball in black acrylic paint.
Step 4
Use wood glue to glue a medium wooden raindrop to the bottom of a large raindrop, with the points lined up, and a sliver of the medium raindrop showing on the side. Glue the second pair of raindrops together, mirroring the first set.
Step 5
Use a toothpick to paint small lines around the bottom edge of the large raindrops. Next, paint lines, shapes, and dots that mirror each other on each wooden raindrop “wing”.
Step 6
Use tacky glue to attach the black head to the narrow end of the egg. Place a large dot of glue on the bottom of the narrow end of each wing, and attach the wings to the egg body – with the narrow ends near the head, and fanned out just a bit.
Step 7
Cut two 1” pieces of black wire, and stick them in the top of the head to look like antennae.
Step 8
Poke the tip of an extra-long toothpick in the bottom of your moth’s body. You may want to make some of them stick into the “belly”, and others in the “tail” end, for some variety when you place them in cupcakes.
Your moth toppers are superfly! Happy crafting! :)
Who else is excited about the live action Lion King movie? I know I am! It’s probably my husbands favorite animated Disney movie and it’s also one my very faves too so I’m curious to see how this new one … Read More...
As much as I love/am delightfully intimidated by big cross stitch projects, there’s something so fun and sweet about little cross stitch patterns. I end up wanting to add them to everything, from table linens to skirts.
I don’t actually … Read More...
Summer time is a great time for going to the beach or doing learning activities related to the beach and the ocean.
3 Dinosaurs has a huge collection of beach and ocean printable learning activities, including information on sharks, … Read More...
Sandra fussy cut large flowers from some pattern paper from Altenew to fill this pretty scrapbook page. I love how she used staples to adhere her paper, it adds a hard look to balance the soft florals. She also used … Read More...
It may just be me, but I really think that any project that is worked in stripes goes faster than the same project would if you knit it in a solid color. There’s just something about stripes that makes you … Read More...
Today I am super excited to bring you a look at a newer stamp company called Hello Sweetums. I recently came across their Instagram and fell in love with their totally adorable stamps, dies and stencils. They are … Read More...
This stunning bunting garland is perfect for garden parties or boho weddings and features upcycled and repurposed vintage linens. Josie from Sew For Soul shows how you you can make one. The tutorial has clear step by step instructions and … Read More...
Domo arigato Mr. Roboto! This friendly robot is about to be your new best friend – grab an empty tin can from the recycling bin and you’re halfway there! Since his features are magnetic, you can arrange and rearrange his face to suit your mood. Inspired by the classic Mr. Potato Head, this futuristic toy comes together in a jiffy and you probably already have everything you need to get started! Make a whole family of robots using different sized cans as you have them – wouldn’t a tomato paste can make the cutest baby robot? Watch the how-to video below, and keep reading for the full instructions.
Step 1
Cut out circles of white cardstock – you can do this with a circle-shaped paper punch, or trace around a bottle lid (or similar) and cut out. Make sure these circles are the same size or bigger than the magnets you’ll be using.
Use markers to draw facial features onto the circles. Think about eyes, noses, mouths, accessories, and different expressions! We made smiling faces, a mustache, and eyebrows – since these are thinner, you’ll want to use thin, cuttable magnets on the backs of these. You could even make funny noses, ears, freckles, bow ties, or hair!
Step 2
Once all the features are drawn, glue them onto the magnets. To make the simple antenna, bend a silver pipe cleaner in half, forming a V. Adhere to the top of Mr. Roboto’s head (the bottom of the can) with hot glue, holding in place until secure. Now start making some silly robot faces!
Note: Make sure the cut edges on the inside of the can aren’t sharp – do this by covering with tape or glue, or even better, use a can opener that doesn’t leave any sharp edges.
Looking for even more robot-based crafts? Make this robot countdown clock to keep track of the days until your kids’ birthdays, vacation, or big event! And if you have a sweet tooth like we do, you’ll love these adorable chocolate robots! And if your kids are crazy for robots, why not have a whole robot-themed party? These DIY robot party hats are just what you need.
Happy crafting!
If you’re looking for a beautiful crochet blanket that can rival dusk itself, check out the Crochet Ombre Textured Blanket. This blanket has beautiful shades of white, peach and dusty rose creating a gradient throughout the length of it. … Read More...
We love these DIY Patriotic wreaths roundup by Mommyevolution.com. She has curated a list of 20 wreaths, red white and blue for the Fourth of July, Memorial day or maybe just because you want to show off your patriotic pride. … Read More...
This DIY mint chocolate sugar scrub recipe smells good enough to eat. It comes with a free label printable, so it’s ready for gifting! The tutorial is easy to follow with no experience necessary to pull this DIY Handmade gift … Read More...
These whimsical flying cats deliver the inspirational message that graduation is a time to take off onward and upward. Each colorful cupcake topper in this free printable wishes the graduate congratulations on their journey. The toppers (and their accompanying free … Read More...
I am soooooo doing this! I send out snail mail using collections of vintage postage I get at Stamp Shows. I love making a collage of them to add up to 55 cents and decorating the envelope. I even have … Read More...
Blue pattern papers and washes of watercolor behind the rows of scallops on this layout from Jung are a clever way to represent waves on her swimming layout. I love how she stitched the scallops and title down to her … Read More...
It seems to me like a lot of people who like to craft also like to read, though of course that’s a huge generalization. If you happen to fall into both categories, like I do, you might like to stitch … Read More...
Much as I like shawls all year long, I also like to have a cardigan handy pretty much all the time for those times (often) when I feel a chill from the air conditioner or there’s a sudden temperature drop … Read More...
Once your needlework is finished and you decided that you want to use it as a wall decoration, you have few options on how to do that: making it a hoop wall art, framing or mounting on a canvas. See … Read More...
Autumn from It’s Always Autumn has a free sewing pattern for making a waist tie t-shirt. It’s easy to sew and that waist tie is super trendy right now! Her free pattern comes in a women’s size Large.
Click below … Read More...
Whether you are looking for patriotic crafts or red, white and blue ones for the 4th of July this roundup of DIY crafts is awesome. There are projects for your home and projects for your kids too. Lots of fun … Read More...
We have been writing a lot about Dora at the moment due to the new movie coming out, but what would a party blog be without a Dora The Explorer party costume that is totally DIY. This costume tutorial shows … Read More...
We are excited to share this quilting sale with our readers, it’s a great discount if you are looking to stock up on new dies for your cutting machine.
40% off all studio dies & bundles at Accuquilt using the … Read More...
How lovely is this fairy card from Teresa? I love the gold on the black and the best thing about this card is it’s interactive, the fairy swings back and forth! How cool is that?! She used a brad for … Read More...
I have been feeling a desire to knit a lot of summer tops this season, but it can be a tricky thing because yarn is sometimes heavy even though the size of the yarn in question isn’t large.
Using drop … Read More...
Sometimes art projects just don’t work as well for younger kids as they do for older ones. Littles don’t have the same ability to manipulate materials and there is a high potential for mess.
But great teachers know that they … Read More...
Classic recipes are classic for a reason – they’re the kind of easy sweets everyone loves. But even the most beloved classics need an occasional upgrade, and that’s where these cream cheese and cherry blondies come in.
Somewhere between the perfect cookie and a cheesecake, these blondies have a chewy, molasses-infused crumb with a tangy layer of cream cheese and flecks of cherry jam. Best of all, this recipe is simple to make and comes together in just a few steps.
For best results, be sure to allow all the dairy and eggs to come to room temperature. This will allow the butter and cream cheese to fluff up perfectly.
Step 1
An hour or more before baking, set out butter, cream cheese, and eggs to come to room temperature.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square brownie pan with parchment and butter generously.
Step 3
In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and 1 egg, and beat 3 minutes more. Set in the fridge while you make blondie batter.
Step 4
In a small bowl, whisk to combine flour and sea salt.
Step 5
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat 2 minutes more. With mixer on low, fold in dry ingredients, and mix just until combined.
Step 6
Spoon two-thirds of the batter into the prepared brownie pan, pressing batter up the corners.
Carefully spread a layer of all but 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on top.
Dot with all but 1 tablespoon of the jam.
Using a silicone spatula, gently swirl the jam into the cream cheese. Spoon the remaining blondie batter on top, pressing into place. Drizzle remaining cream cheese and jam on top, swirling just a bit.
Step 7
Bake 50 – 55 minutes, or until blondies are completely set when you shake the pan. (Note that the traditional toothpick test doesn’t work here, so just look for blondies to be completely set up.) Cool a full 2 hours on a wire rack before serving, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes: Cut blondies into 9 squares for a sating dessert (and top with vanilla ice cream, if you like!) For bite-sized treats, cut blondies into 16 smaller squares.
Enjoy!
The layers and dimension on this Sand and Sea layout from Juliya are amazing! I love the lighthouse off to the side and how to circle draws you into the center and it reminds me of looking through a porthole … Read More...
I’m super excited to be participating in the Save the Crafty Youtuber Hop! My video is for this fun Wobble Toad Card using stamps and dies from Hello Bluebird. Along the hop you can find lots of great … Read More...
