Mini-Scrapbooked Calendar

This is a mini-scrapbooked calendar that Heartland Paper came up with. The link to download the calendar pages is here. Kinda cute...and a LOT more simple than our Craft Club Scrapbooked Calendar!

Ooohh, Baby, Baby!

Need I say more??

Candles, Anyone??

I don't know where I stumbled across "Just A Girl's" blog...but I can say that that girl has got TASTE! Totally into the earthy tones....and I can honestly say I would put any one of her decorations into my own home! I love this candle idea...I actually did a similar thing in our bedroom....but I like her take on it, and can't wait to copy it!

BEFORE

AFTER

Decor for Girlies...or BOYZ!!

OK...so this COULD be for boyz if you change the colors AND wording...you know what I mean! I found this on "It's a Sign's" website. The green threw me off a little...I would probably choose a different color...but I like the overall concept that they were going for! I also found an adorable sign at The Quilted Bear that was painted with pink and white stripes like the one above that said:

No Boys Allowed
Except Daddy

SOOOOO Cute, huh!!

Homemade Cocoa & "Mallows"

I found this on Homemade By Jill's blog. She has a little newborn...and doesn't blog as often as she used to...but when she does, they are fun ideas! So - this is another "take" on the home-made version of Hot Cocoa & Marshmallows.
I really like how she packaged the marshmallows with cute labels...the recipe she used was from Your Heart Out.

She got her recipe for the hot cocoa from Citrus. I will have to compare these recipes to the other homemade cocoa one to see which I like better. Yummy!!

Heartland Paper Christmas Crafts

This is a fun and unique little project. It was made using a lunch tin, scraps of paper, rub ons and ribbon. She made the tag and Holly leafs using their Die Cut machine....which is open to the public. I mostly like the holly leaves and the button idea!! Here is a recipe book, from Imaginsce. Here's a list of supplies and the recipes they include. I would probably use some of my own if I ever did this one.

This was made using paper from Basic Grey and Chipboard and wires from Bind-it-all.

Home-made bags...I LOVE the cute tree idea! I could do this on a card!

This is also pretty cute, huh! What a fun tree!

CUTE Christmas Boxes!

Ok - so this ISN'T one of their boxes...I can't copy the pics from this website...but HOLY HANNAH...these are the MOST DARLING boxes that you can make to send gifts in! They have pics of the final product as well as a list of the materials you will need AND a step-by-step tutorial on how to make each of them! Adorable! Check out their link here!

Darling Christmas Decor

Here is a simple, yet elegant centerpiece. I found it at Emmer's Ideas. Jamie gave me a Silouette for Christmas...which cuts out vinyl...so I am excited to try projects like this!

Kid's Christmas "CHRIST" Advent Calendar

Remember THIS Advent Countdown from Heartland Paper? I made one for my Sista-In-Law...and ME...and NOW I have found something darling to put inside along with the candy! It's a little puzzle that puts the "Christ" back into Christmas! HERE is the link to the pdf file you will want to print off.

It comes with puzzle pieces, a scripture to read each day, and an activity for the kids to do. Merry Christmas!

Wrapping Idea...

I thought this could go along with the Christmas Children's Book Advent Countdown I posted about earlier. How cute to wrap them all up and number them!! Fun, Fun!

Christmas Goodies for Kids..

How cute are these? Little Birdie Secrets had a post on them...you can find that here. I think these would be SO fun to make with kids! I will have to keep this in mind for our Class Christmas Party next year!

Sewing...MORE Aprons!

Am I becoming obsessed with Aprons? This is the second post I have written about DARLING aprons I have found! Maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something...like I should be COOKING more!?!? Tee, hee. My husband would TOTALLY agree!

On the otherhand...maybe I am supposed to break out the sewing machine Jamie got me last year...that I have yet to use! :) I found these adorable aprons at Little Birdie Secrets...and I am posting links to MORE designs they had...below!

http://tipnut.com/56-free-apron-patterns-you-can-make/ http://lululollylegs.blogspot.com/2007/07/lined-apron-tutorial.html http://morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2007/02/valentine_tree__1.html

Ok...THIS is Next Year's Christmas Gift!

Little Birdie Secrets had this GREAT idea! A home-made hot cocoa mix...and in the picture below, they found an electric milk frother at IKEA for $2.00!
Here are further details she had posted on her blog...

This simple hot cocoa mix is another great neighbor/co-worker gift that you can put together super fast. We used these mini "quilted" jars, mostly because they're just so little and cute, and because for one person, it provides several cups of cocoa. (One jar holds one cup of mix.) If you wanted to make some for a couple or family, try using a pint or quart jar. Just add more mix!

Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

10 cups dry milk powder
4 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups powdered non-dairy creamer

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store in a jar or airtight container.
Yields 15 cups (enough for 15 of the small jars pictured here).
To make the cocoa, stir 3 heaping Tablespoons into 3/4 c. hot water or milk. I always advise topping it off with whipped cream as well, but that's just me (and my sweet tooth).

Cheater version: Buy the bulk size Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix at Costco or WalMart and add 3 teaspoons of flavored non-dairy creamer per serving to make a gourmet flavor (see below). Try the Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate mix plus a few teaspoons of Ghiradelli Sweetened Cocoa for a dark chocolate flavor. Go ahead--cut corners. It'll be our little secret..

If you really want to make an impression, why not make gourmet hot chocolate flavors? Or add layers of sweet treats for a cool presentation.

Here are a few more ideas for truly gourmet hot cocoa:

*Substitute the non-dairy creamer with a flavored non-dairy creamer, like hazelnut, amaretto, vanilla, or cinnamon for gourmet flavors.

*Peppermint cocoa can be made by crushing candy canes and mixing them with the cocoa mix in your food processor (this makes the pieces even smaller so they blend well with the cocoa). Add a layer of crushed candy canes in the middle or on top of your mix to show off the flavor in the jar!

*Add a few teaspoons of instant coffee crystals per serving for mocha cocoa.

*Layer fun dry toppings with the cocoa mix in your jar. Try mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, red and green jimmies (sprinkles), or crushed candy canes.

*Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave and dip the head of a plastic spoon in it. When it dries, wrap the chocolate-covered head in a plastic or cello bag and tie with a ribbon. Attach it to your jar of hot chocolate to be used with the first cup. The chocolate will melt when they stir, adding a little extra creaminess!

Now for the jar…. All supplies are Stampin' Up! We traced the inside of the ring lid on the back of patterned paper, cut it out, and glued it to the top of the lid. Then we layered a strip of coordinating patterned paper on a piece of card stock and wrapped it around the jar, securing it with adhesive. We stamped tag stamp, layered it on card stock, and adhered it to the front. Then we tied a matching ribbon around the top and tied on a little tag with the instructions for mixing the cocoa (see above). Another classic idea is to put a square of Christmas fabric between the lid and the ring for an old-fashioned look.

Christmas Gifts For Teachers...

30 Days had this idea posted...which she got from Schlosser Designs.... When I first saw it, I thought, "Hmmm...Ok..another simple Christmas gift to throw away!"...(Isn't that terrible!).....but when I went to the link - it's actually pretty cute! You can get the link to print off the tags here.

For each package you'll need:

1 1/2 cups rice krispies

1 1/2-2 cups mini marshmallows

1 sandwich bag

1 snack size bag

Just add the rice krispies to the sandwich bag and the marshmallows to the snack size bag and layer together like the photo above. Then fold the ends on the top in slightly and staple.

Print out the package with instructions (Use a piece of white cardstock. It's in a PDF format. Be sure that when you print it you DON'T tell it to scale it or print to fit page. It's just the right size so if you print it at 100% it will work perfectly!) After you print it, just cut down the middle and fold each piece. You'll have two pieces that are 8 1/2" x 5 1/2". Staple to the top and you're done! Super easy! If you click on the image and try saving and printing it may not print out the correct size!

The only thing the person that receives this needs is one tablespoon of butter and they will have a yummy treat!

Next Year's Christmas Presents..

OK...this is probably SUPER funny that I am going to post about this...since a bunch of the gals in my neighborhood AND craft club read this blog....but you will now know what you are going to get for Christmas NEXT year! ....unless I find something I like even better! What a cute idea! Jamie & I were just mentioning how we are going to get SICK from all of the yummy food that is given to us by our wonderful neighbors & friends...so I really like this idea! I found it on the "30 Days" blog. She made the dough, scooped them into little balls, and put them in sealed plastic containers. She attached the label below...I will probably create my own with a little style and print on sticky labels...She then attached the cute poem above with the recipe below! So fun! All ya have to do is throw them in the oven for INSTANT homemade and HOT chocolate chip cookies! Mmmmm-MMMmm!!

The MoThErLoAd of all Gift Tags!!

...or so "Tip Junkie" says...who referred everyone to this amazing link! I stumbled across this when I was trying to find cute tags for our friends and neighbors Christmas gifts WITHOUT scrapbooking them. (That scrapbooked calendar BURNT me out for awhile!)

Scrapbook-y Tree Advent Calendar

This "Stampin' Up" gal created a one-of-a-kind Christmas Advent Tree. I think a smaller version would suit me a little better...but how creative is she?? You can find a FULL tutorial complete with more pics here.

Christmas Advent Countdown for KIDS!!

Since I am a teacher...I am a HUGE fan of reading AND books. PLUS - I am a HUGE reader myself! I love reading to kids and I love hearing them read. I get excited when a student gushes over his/her latest favorite part in the story they are reading and I love seeing the excitement in THEIR eyes when I introduce a new book to the class.

SO - you can imagine how excited I got when I stumbled upon this wonderful lady's Countdown that involves BOOKS and CRAFTS for the kids! She has 24 books you can read to your children with a craft that goes with each one! They are cute & fun crafts and I have already read many of the Christmas books she has posted...and she has picked wonderful books! You can find this here. Since December has already started...you can look at all of the ones she has...pick your favorite 12 up at the local library, hit Roberts or Michael's on your way home, and start the 12 days of Christmas with your kids! Have fun!

Soooo....WhAt IS it???

That's what I first thought when I saw this....it's GLITTER playdough! Don't you think the little girls would go CrAzY for this?? You can find the recipe at Just Deanna.....or I posted it below!

4 C all purpose flour

2 C non-iodized salt

4 C water

8 tsp cream of tartar

4 tbsp cooking oil

Cook and stir on med-low until it forms. Careful not to burn. If coloring, mix food coloring in water first. When cooled down, knead dough and put in sealed container.To add glitter just use craft glitter and knead into dough. Keep adding glitter til it is as 'sparkly' as you desire.
This recipe makes a ton. She got 7 individual containers out of less than half.

Tissue Paper Flowers/Pom Poms....

Don't laugh, but I am about to tell you to check out Martha Stewart's website! She has a fabulous tutorial on HOW to create these lovely decorations! I threw a Dinner Party for my students last year and one of the moms made a TON of these to decorate the ceiling. It completely transformed the classroom and the kids LOVED it!! They all wanted to take one home!

Almost Realistic Paper Flowers!!

These flowers looked pretty realistic to me...and not too hard to create! You can find more info on Homemade By Jill....and she will direct you to where you can find AWESOME tutorials on how to do this! I believe this is how she created the flowers for her "Diaper Cake."

Homemade DiApEr Cake

Homemade By Jill created this super-duper CUTE (not edible) diaper cake! What a FUN decoration for a baby shower!! I cannot WAIT to try it out on my next prego friend....or cuz. You never know, they ALL seem to be pregnant right now! Tee, hee!

The Christmas OrNaMeNt Tradition

One Christmas Tradition my family ALWAYS did involved Ornaments. My parents would find ornaments that represented something each child did or accomplished that year. We would open them on Christmas Eve & hang them on the tree. I like the idea of keeping a little book for each of them - to remember exactly WHAT each ornament stood for! A gal over on Errand of Angels blogged about how her family does this tradition...check it out!!

Grocery Clipboard

Anything that can help me stay MORE organized and help with saving money....I am ALL about!! Check out this "Creative Organizing" blog to find out more about this cute clipboard.

My FaVoRiTe Craft Kits from Elle Design

These are a few of my favorite "Craft Kits" from Elle Design. They are ALL reasonably priced...$10 or less. You may have to buy a few more materials for some of them...but none should be going over $15!! I would LOVE to use these for our Craft Club!! Now, if you are NOT into hot pink Christmas Trees....she DOES offer other colors!! Tee, hee!

The SpEcIaL RED Plate..

My family had a tradition growing up of "The Red Plate." Whenever it was someone's birthday...you got to eat your dinner on the red plate! It was lots of fun and gave us "warm fuzzies" inside! I would LOVE to do this tradition in our new little family. I also like the idea of celebrating ANY victories, whether small or big. Getting 100% on a test, remembering to make your bed for a week, getting onto the High School basketball team! One thing I have learned over the years of teaching is that it is EXTREMELY important to give out positive praise! It really does work wonders in children!

Sew Much??

I found this apron on Elle Design Cottage....I still need to find out WHERE she got this pattern! I am not by any means a "seamstress" but I do have a lovely sewing machine that I have not broken in.....grrr...so this could be a FUN project to get me in the "Sewing Spirit."

Thanksgiving Treat

This adorable "Blessing Mix" come packaged with a custom-made scrapbooked turkey! It could be a fun gift for friends & family...OR...this could also be a cute art project with kids. Click here to get her recipe.