Heart Crayon Valentines

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching... another holiday where kids get a TON of candy.  However, it doesn't have to be that way.  : )  The play group at church is having a Valentine's Day party, so my friend and I made heart crayons for each child.  All you need is a silicon tray and some crayons.  If you want to see exactly how to make them, click here.

They are super simple and fun!  We're so excited to pass them out.  

There you go: SWEET Valentin's... hold the sugar. : )

Happy Crafting

Pop-Tab Can Gift

I have a hard time shopping for some people for their birthdays.  I think, "I really wan to get them something that is cool, but that they will use."  I look and look, but to no avail.  So, I end up being the boring one at the party that just gives a gift card or money.  Hey, at least I know they'll be able to use it.  Sometimes I'm cool and give kids a small toy with it like a Hotwheels  Car or Silly Putty or some candy.  

Well, I saw a Pop-Tab Can (like Campbell's soup cans) used as gift wrap, so I decided to make one.  I made one to wrap a tie that we were giving to my dad with all 10 of his grandkids' thumb prints on it.  It was fabulous, but I didn't take a picture of it... OOPS! 

Well here is how you make it:

First, you need to have one of those nifty can openers that breaks the seal of the can instead of cutting through the metal on top.  This is important because most of the cans that have the pop-tab lids have the rounded edged bottoms, which don't work with can openers.

Open the can and make something yummy with the contents in the can.  

Okay... here is where I was dumb had a mom brain moment.  I forgot to put the stuff inside the can first.  MAKE SURE THAT YOU PUT THE GIFT INSIDE BEFORE THIS NEXT STEP! :)

After the can is washed, place the gift inside and then hot glue the can shut. 

 {I used JB Weld on the first can that I made and that worked really well too.}

Now spray paint the top and bottom of the can.... the rest of it will be covered. 

Cut a piece of paper (any color, patterned or not) to 8 1/2" by 3 3/4" approximately.  Glue it on the can.

Get creative with puffy paint, ribbon, stickers, or markers and decorate the can.  Now, they will be able to open up the can and be surprised by what's inside! 

No more being the boring "just a card and gift card" person at those birthday parties. :)

{Since I forgot to put anything inside this can, I just finished making it for the fun of it. Haha.}

Happy Crafting!

Use discretion when deciding whether or not the recipient is old enough to open this gift as the edges of around the top will be sharp after opening.  

Diaper Cake

I know that SO Many people have made diaper cakes, but a few months back I took a stab at making one.  I think it turned out pretty cute.  Just in case you haven't seen how to make one, I'll post some pictures  on the steps to making one. 

Diaper Cake

I started with a charger plate from the Dollar Store.

Roll up the diapers and place a small rubber hair band around each one to hold it in place.  It's easiest to do this all at once and then assemble them. 

Place a large baby bottle with a rubber band around it in the center.  Slip 6 diapers around the bottle inside the rubber band.  Then place another rubber band around the set of 6 and slip 11 or 12 more diapers inside that rubber band.  Do the same thing with 18 diapers around the outer edge. 

This is the base of your cake.

Build the middle tier in the same manner as the first, with 6 diapers and then 11-12 diapers.  

Now build the third tier.

It will require a small bottle to complete the top tier. 

Place ribbon around the middle of the diapers to cover up the rubber bands.

I only tied a bow on the top tier, but you can do this on all three if you want.

Now, complete it with fun as well as practical things like stuffed animals, baby spoons, wash cloths, nail clippers and small toys. 

So cute. 

Happy Crafting!

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

Finding beauty in the simple things is just the best.  Right now, I absolutely love brown paper.  As I was wrapping presents for a couple of different events, I realized that I had leftover pieces from various projects that I had done, so I used them to decorate otherwise very simple wrapping jobs.  

Gift one: 

This gift was for a baby shower for a little boy.  If you remember the 'artwork' that I made for the bathroom, I had used a branch that I purchased from the dollar store {since we don't really have good branches in Tucson}.  I had a branch leftover.  I also made very simple flowers out of hearts {as seen on Pinterest} and glued them onto the package.  With a coordinating card, that made this brown package look pretty spiffy if you ask me. 

Gift Two:

This one was for an ornament exchange.  I totally forgot to take a picture of the CUTE little handmade owl ornament.  It took me quite a long time to make it, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Perhaps I will be able to get my friend {that received it} to take a picture of it so that I can post it sometime. Anyhoo... I decided that a handmade ornament deserved a handmade bag {just because I'm nerdy like that}.  All of the trouble to MAKE a brown bag can be avoided if you want to just buy one for about $0.50.  Either way, once you get the brown gift bag all you need to do is make a paper flower and glue it and a couple of toilet paper roll pieces on the bag.  I thought it looked pretty sweet.  

Well, that's that for my brown paper packages.  

Happy Crafting!