{Alphabet Arts & Crafts}

For "mommy school" with my daughter, I have chosen a letter for each week and we do a bunch of activities based around that letter. We have done A, B, and C so far and I found some cute alphabet crafts to do with each letter. I didn't take pictures of the process because it's dead easy, but have included a list of supplies.

{"A" is for Alligator}
- Green construction paper ("A" and bumps for eyes)
- Googly eyes (I buy tons of them at the Dollar Store and Michael's Crafts)
- White paper (cut into triangles for the teeth)

{"B" is for Bird}
- Blue construction paper ("B", small feathers for head, large feathers for back}
- Orange construction paper (for feet)
- Yellow construction paper (triangle for beak)
- Googly eye (not pictured...it fell off and I haven't stuck it back on yet :)

{"C" is for Cloud}
- Any color paper cut into a "C" shape
- Glue (Elmer's glue works well)
- Cotton balls (as many as you can cram on your "C!") 

We have them hung up on the wall and add to them as we complete each letter!!

{Paper Ornament}

Here is an easy DIY ornament that cost pennies and can be customized to any color scheme. Just grab your supplies and plop down in front of "A Christmas Story" to pump yourself up for the holidays and get crafting! The ornament pictured is from a tree my sister and I decorated and donated to the Festival of Trees that benefits Primary Children's Medical Center here in Salt Lake City. We made a scrapbooking-themed tree (I'll add pictures of it later...)

Supplies needed:
Styrofoam ball (3-4" for the circle sizes listed)
1/2" circle punch
1" circle punch
2-4 coordinating cardstock papers/patterns
Straight pins
Clear seed beads
3/4" ribbon

1) Punch out an equal number of 1/2" and 1" circles from your cardstock. You can choose how to coordinate the different colors and patterns, but it looks really cute if there is a good mix of all of the patterns/colors between the two sizes. If you only have two colors, make both sizes circles of both colors.
2) Take a straight pin, and layer as follows: clear bead, 1/2" circle, clear bead, 1" circle
3) Poke the pin into the styrofoam ball
4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 and until the entire ball is covered, leaving a space to attach a ribbon
5) For the ribbon hanger, make a long loop, and attach the ribbon to the ball with straight pins. You can make it as long as you would like.

These don't have to be Christmas ornaments, they can be used as decorative balls matched to any decor. You can also hang them from fishing line or twine as decoration.

{Great White Balance Photoshop Tip}

I just found this tip and it has been unbelievably helpful!! It makes your pictures pop, and it only takes 2 seconds (and you don't have to be a Photoshop pro...)

1) Open your picture
2) Open your Levels adjustments- you will find it in Image>Adjustments>Levels
3) Choose the white dropper, and choose the best white color in the picture
4) Choose the black dropper, and choose the best black color in the picture

It works best on pictures that either look washed out or are too dark. Changing the black balance takes out the washed out look (which is what really helped the picture below). Check out the difference!!!

{And I love this pic...}

{DIY Baker's Twine}

Apparently baker's twine is in. So in. But also expensive. You can use it for wrapping, cards, scrapbooking layouts...so versatile and cute! I found some online, but didn't think I wanted to pay $14+ for one roll. So I found a tutorial online to make my own. And less than $5 later, I have bundles of my own twine!! You can make any color of twine that you have a marker for :)



Supplies needed:
White Crochet Thread (Size 10). I used Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread found at Walmart for about $3.50
Sharpie markers (Bic brand didn't saturate enough- make sure the marker is thick and juicy)
Ruler
Masking tape




1) Cover your ruler with masking tape (this is just to protect your ruler from getting colored on with marker



2) Wrap your thread around the ruler, then slide it to one end so there are no spaces between the thread




3) Draw straight lines across the thread (space them to your liking- you might have to experiment to see what you like). MAKE SURE you really saturate the thread so it leaks through to the back side of the thread and can be seen all the way around. Other than the saturation, don't get too caught up in how straight your lines are, or if they are spaced evenly apart. You won't be able to tell after it's unwrapped.



4) Unwrap and enjoy!!



After I made my first little batch, I started going through and using all my Sharpies to make more colors. Wrap your twine around something to keep it from getting tangled-- I learned that the hard way. I finally used a baby formula container to keep all my twine organized, and it fits my roll or thread right inside!


Happy crafting!!

{Paper Garland Mobile}

I have seen some versions of this online, and wanted to make one to match the nursery. It took a bit to figure everything out, but I think it turned out cute!! I put some instructions below so you can make one, too!

Supplies needed:
Cardstock (thick or textured- sewing will not work well on thin paper)
Circle paper punch
Sewing machine with thread
1- 4" wooden embroidery hoop (just the cheap ones from JoAnn's, Michaels, etc.)- you will only use the inside hoop of this
1- 7" wooden embroidery hoop (just the cheap ones from JoAnn's, Michaels, etc.)- you will only use the inside hoop of this
Paint to match your color scheme (for the wooden hoops)
Foam paint brush


1) Find your color scheme and find scrapbook papers to go with the theme. Remember that both sides of the paper is visible, so you want the back to match as well. I don't recommend white-backed paper unless you plan on putting another paper on the back. And don't go with flimsy paper-- get sturdy patterned cardstock. Textured cardstock also works well. For my mobile, I chose pinks and browns to match the nursery. I had a few pieces of patterned cardstock, and also just plain-colored textured cardstock (dark brown, light pink, dark pink).

2) Choose what size you would like your circles to be, and get a paper punch in that size. It depends on what the size of your completed mobile will be. I chose 1 3/4" for all my circles. Don't just try and trace and cut-- you will be making a ton of circles, and it takes long enough just to punch them out!

3) Choose the pattern you would like your strands to be (brown circle, pink stripes, white floral...whatever...) and lay out all your finished circles in the order of each strand that you would like. I didn't do a set pattern that repeated through each strand, I just organized a pattern that wouldn't have repeating circles (two of the same browns in a row, for example.) But it was all totally random. Figure out how close you would like the strands together, and make that many strands. For the length, just do an assortment of lengths that are not too different (I think the biggest difference in mine was 10 circles versus 14 circles).

{this is after it has been sewn, but you get the idea...}

4) Pull out your trusty sewing machine and choose a thread that matches your color scheme. (I started with cream/tan, but ran out in the middle and didn't want to run out to the store in the middle of my sewing, so I just switched to white, and you can't even tell :)

5) Pull the threads from the sewing machines until you have four or five inches of thread (these will serve to tie the strands to the hoops). Start at the top of one of the strands you have chosen and sew a backstitch, and then and start sewing straight down the middle of the circle. When you get close to the other end of the circle, take your next circle and start using it to push the first circle through. Continue down the center of all the circles in that strand. Backstitch on your last circle. Trim the thread to your desired length for the bottom.


6) Continue with the rest of your strands until you have done all strands.

7) Paint your hoops the color you would like them to be. Once they have dried, tie the strands spaced evenly apart around both hoops. Just organize the lengths next to each other so it looks random but classy. I put the longer ones on the inner hoop for a chandelier look.

8) For my mobile, I used clear fishing line to tie the hoops to a central hanging line. You could also use coordinating ribbon. You could get saucy and wrap ribbon around the hoops over the thread to cover up the thread strands. The mobile is very lightweight, so I just used a thumbtack to secure it to the ceiling.

9) Hang it up and enjoy!!!

{Tulle Wreath}

This was a wreath I made for Halloween, but you could customize it for any color scheme just by using different colored tulle and ribbon. It's extremely inexpensive, and can be done in just minutes!

Supplies needed:
-- 6" wide tulle in the color of your choice {P.S. I LOVE LOVE LOVE www.tullesource.com. I have every color in the 6" wide. So versatile!}
-- Your choice of ribbon to hang- it can be any width, but obviously the wider it is, the more visible it is.
-- Wreath form- I found this "hay wrapped in plastic" one at Michael's for cheap. The green styrofoam ones also work, they were just more expensive. None of the wreath form will show at all, so it doesn't matter what it looks like! I used an 8" wreath, but you can make your wreath bigger or smaller!
-Scissors and ruler

Now, making this is dead easy and quick. The difficult part is trying to explain the knot you use (it's the same kind I use for tutus...)!!

First, cut your tulle in the length you would like. Remember that a couple inches will be taken up in the knot around the wreath itself, so if you cut it 10", the amount of tulle sticking out will NOT be 5". Just experiment until you find the look and length you like.

And now for the knot. I don't know if this knot has a name (anyone? anyone?). What you will do is fold your length of tulle in half. Then put your wreath right on top of the tulle. Take the folded end and open it up, and take the cut ends together and pull them OVER the wreath and through the folded loop to secure the wreath in a "loop" of tulle. Did that make any sense at all?

Continue to tie tulle next to each other around the wreath. Make sure to do them close enough that you cover any visible "under-wreath."

Pull your ribbon through the middle of the wreath and cut the ends at the length you like. Hang from anywhere!!

You can also add embellishments to the tulle, such as rhinestones, flowers, tiny easter eggs...the possibilities are endless, and can be customized to any home or for any holiday!

{Modified afghan scarf}

I have been looking into learning how to crochet for a long time, and my grandma is a master crochet-ist. (??) So my sister and I went over to her house and she taught us how to make an afghan. After three hours of crocheting, I was only about 3 rows into a 116 row afghan, and wasn't seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. So when I got home and back into the project, I decided to modify the afghan pattern and make it into a scarf. Seeing as this was my first time learning to crochet, I think I did quite well! It's nice and thick, and the perfect length for a scarf. I used Super Saver Red Heart worsted medium 4-ply yarn with a size H hook. Next time I think I would use a size I hook and possibly softer yarn (the Red Heart yarn can be kinda scratchy). It took less than 7 ounces (I don't know exactly, but I had a 7 oz skein and didn't use nearly all of it).

The only stitches you need to know are a chain (ch), single crochet (sc), and double crochet (dc).


Ch 201 loosely, turn

Row 1: Sc in 2nd chain from hook, dc in next chain, *sc in next chain, dc in next chain; repeat from * across: 200 stitches, ch 1, turn

Row 2: *Sc in next dc, dc in next sc; rep from * across, ch 1, turn

Row 3 and 4: Rep Row 2. At the end of Row 4, ch 3 (counts as first dc on following rows), turn

Row 5: Dc in each st across; ch 3, turn

Rows 6, 7, and 8: Rep Row 5. At end of Row 8, ch 1, turn

Row 9, 10, 11, 12: Rep Row 2. At end of Row 12, finish off and weave in ends.


For the fringe, use 6 strands for each knot, and make the length twice as long as you would like the fringe (you will be folding them in half). Fold the 6 strands in half, and pull the folded end through the end of the afghan at your chosen places (I did 5 fringes across). Pull the loose ends through the fold, securing the fringe to the scarf. Repeat for each 5 fringes on each end.

Happy crocheting!

{Craft Time!}

I found the cutest idea for fridge clips made out of clothespins...here are some that I made recently, followed by instructions on how to make them yourself!!






Items Needed:
- Plain wood clip clothespins (I found them at WalMart for super cheap)
- Patterned or solid paper that you want to cover the top of your clothespin. I have found that stiff paper works better...maybe not as thick as cardstock, but thicker than computer or copy paper-types. If it's too thin, the Modge Podge will crinkle and tear through the paper, so just be careful with it. I have also used origami paper (shown above in red) which is really cute on these.
-Modge Podge- I use the glossy/lustre, but you can use any kind you want, really.
-Magnet strips with a sticky back
-Scissors/paper trimmer

1. Cut paper to the size of the top of the clothespin
2. Use Modge Podge to glue the paper onto the clothespin
3. Let it dry
4. Paint Modge Podge over the top of the paper, making sure to go over the edge of the paper onto the clothespin to seal the sides to the wood, and let it dry
5. Cut the sticky-magnet to the size of the back of the clothespin
6. Stick on the back.

We have tons on our fridge now, and they're so handy...and SO easy!!