DIY Flip Book

This is a project I made to help me with anxiety and panic attacks. Some of you may be familiar with that bag of worms but most probably not. Its something I deal with from time to time and so much of it is rooted in negative thinking. When things get rough for me I like to put positive affirmations up all over my house to remind me to hang in there and to reprogram my negative thoughts with positive ones. Sounds silly but it works for me. However, when things get better I throw them all away. The next time I need them, I find myself having to look them all up again online. This got me thinking of a more permanent solution so that I could have all of my favorite quotes and affirmations where I see them often and easily accessible.


I came up with the idea of making a flip book. This now sits on my nightstand where its the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. The cool thing with this concept is you can replace what I have used it for with your own favorite quotes, scriptures, calendars, recipes, family pictures, Halloween or Christmas mini albums or whatever you want.

Here is an example of one of my favorite positive affirmations.

A lot of my anxiety stems from me worrying about my anxiety flaring up in public and how that will effect what others think of me. I have to remind myself that it doesn't matter if people think I am weird because I get panic attacks. It only matters what I think of me and I have to remind myself that I love and respect myself the way I am even with my anxiety no matter what anyone else thinks.


This particular page has a little bit of symbolism on it. The handwriting (ok traced handwriting hehe) and the crackled paper are to remind me that I don't have to be perfect to be beautiful. The number one in the corner is to remind me to put myself and my happiness first.

This was REALLY easy to make for anyone interested in doing their own. I'm keeping mine simple because I don't want it to get too big. My supplies for just the flipbook all came from my local Hobby Lobby or home and were:

2, 8X8 pieces of thick cardboard from the back of a sketchbook
1, 12X12 and 1, 8.5 X 11 piece of cream cardstock paper
1 8X8 piece of patterned scrapbook paper
Tim Holtz grungeboard book (This will be for the different sections) I will use a thinner grungeboard paper for the individual affirmations so the book isn't so thick.
Photo splitz and a gluestick

I used the tutorial found here to make my blank flip book. It took me maybe an hour and cost less than $15.00 (Can be cheaper using coupons).

The stand looks like this from the side:

I'm really excited about this because its so easy and customizable to whatever you want.

Here are a couple other similar ideas using rolodexes:

Enjoy!

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Bake - It - Forward!

This is a great gift idea for any holiday.  It is a Bake It Forward plate!  I found this great idea at http://www.infarrantlycreative.blogspot.com   What you do is you make this plate, add goodies and give it away.  When the recipient finishes the goodies there is poem underneath telling them to do the same and “Bake-It-Forward.”  How fun is that?!?!



Supplies:
Plate ( Goodwill for $.25-$1.00)
Envirotex Lite (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Amazon) $7-$10 on sale
Mod Podge (any craft store) $2
Foam brush $.20
Scrapbook Paper $.25
Bake it Forward Poem

1.  Open the poem (right click on the link to save it to your desktop) and size it so that it will fit on your plate.  Print it on scrapbook paper of your choice.
 
2.  Next cut the paper down to the size of the plate.  The first one I did happened to be a 6” square so that was easy.  If you have a circle plate you will have to use a compass or a circle cutter to cut out the paper.


 3.  Using a foam brush and Mod Podge (any sheen will do) spread a thin, even coat of decoupage glue onto the back of the paper.


4.  Press the poem into the plate and burnish (press really hard) the paper making sure there are no air bubbles.  Let it dry.

5.  Put two coats of Mod Podge on it (drying in between coats).  It is really important that you seal the entire piece of paper.  If you don’t the resin will seep through and darken spots on the paper and it won’t look as nice.  Note: If you see bubbles form put some Mod Podge on your finger and press it out.


 6.  Once the Mod Podge is dry prepare your resin ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS.  That is very important – believe me!  Make sure you use a container and spoon that you can throw away.


7.  Pour the resin onto the poem.  It is self-leveling so it should spread to the sides by itself.  If it doesn’t - use a plastic utensil to spread it.


8.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.  At that time all the air bubbles will rise to the surface.

9. Take a long lighter and wave the flame over the top (touching the resin slightly) and the bubbles will disappear.  I usually babysit the resin for 30 minutes and use the lighter once more if necessary to get all the bubbles out.

10.  Let it dry overnight.  Meanwhile, bake your signature dessert and think of who you can give a sweet blessing to.  In the morning the resin will have cured.  Make sure you only hand wash this plate.  Now add some yummers and give it away.


   If you have none of the supplies on hand you could purchase about 5-7 plates and have enough of the resin to do all of them.  So it should cost you no more than $3 a plate. 
 
  With Easter coming up, this would be a great time to bake some spring cookies and "Bake - It - Forward"!

Cd photo cube

Maybe the rest of you already know about this project, but when I found it, I was ready to make hundreds.  I LOVE this!  It is a culmination of all the elements that I love in my life...Family, pictures, crafts, organization, paper, doodads, recycling, trash to treasure, low cost gifts, you name it.  All wrapped up in a thing called a CD PHOTO CUBE.  I got the idea from a blog called "Paper Jewels".

 

On her blog, she has a video tutorial that explains exactly how to make these little pieces of happiness.  She also has a gallery of ones that others have made.  I have been saving CD cases forever and now have a great way to use, display and give them as nice gifts.  If you decide to make one, please post it for all of us to see.

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A gift for the person who has everything...something HANDMADE from you!!!

 My daughter is dating a rich guy.  I know, I should be happy right?  He is only rich because his parents are rich and this is the problem!  My daughter wanted to give her boyfriend's mom a Christmas gift that was something she couldn't just go out and buy.  Of course it had to be perfect and nice enough for someone who thinks money is no object.  No pressure right.  She wanted me to make a set of handmade note cards just for her.  My heart dropped.  Yes I can make some beautiful cards for friends and family that love me and I will never know if they hate them and are just humoring me.  I did not want to be the one to disappoint my daughter and embarrass her for the rest of her teenage years.  Who was I to ruin her for life because I was so full of myself to think someone I did not know would like a gift I made.  (And she really scares me!)  So, I let my daughter pick out the papers and had her help me each step of the way by her approvals.  In the end, I figured that if she was willing to give the gift, she was willing to take the heat.  Her boyfriend's mom loved the gift and wants me to find a way to sell my cards so she can purchase more.  I guess you never really know unless you take that scary first step.


 
 

 

 

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Really last minute gifts

It's Christmas Eve. You need a gift, a neighbor gave you something, and you HAVE to reciprocate before the next day- it's just the way you roll. Only problem is, everything is closed. Well, except the pharmacy on the corner. They will probably be open after the apocalypse- no time off for the zombie revolution for those poor employees! How can you possibly find something that will look thoughtful and not hopelessly tacky at this stage of the game? Answer: Get yourself to the Walgreens, and buy a package of M&M's. If all they have is the individual sized ones, you can get a pack for each family member.  Tie them up with curly ribbon, and add this tag:
M&M Christmas Story
As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them you will see...
The M becomes a W, an E and then a 3.
They tell the Christmas story, It's one I'm sure you know.
It took place in a stable a long, long time ago.
The E is for the East where the star shone oh so bright,
The M is for the manger where the Baby Jesus slept that night,
The 3 is for the wisemen bearing gifts, they say they came,
W is for worship, halleujah, Praise to his name.
So as you eat these candies, or share them with a friend,
Remember the Spirit of Christmas, and never let it end!
Merry Christmas!


You drop them off on your way home, singing some carols to make it look like you meant to do this all along, and YOU have saved Christmas for another year!

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It's not your fault, really!

I thought this was an unintentionally hilarious article ( In the Wall Street Journal! ) on how to shop for craft supplies to make homemade gifts- the author seems to think that it is the fault of the unhelpful sales staff at different craft stores that makes her mosaic projects so ugly! So that's it sports fans- we now have a valid excuse when our projects fail- it was that idiot at Michael's fault! And yes, I am a huge geek for reading the WSJ. I thought this article might be comforting, since we are down to the crafting wire here on making stuff for Christmas gifts. Time to give up and go buy gift cards! Merry Christmas!

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Christmas Traditions Part 2

I included this tradition in with the gift I made all about my family christmas traditions. This one is my favorite.

The Christmas Elf Tradition

I found this really cute Elf at Amazon. I made the journals that go along with him and I typed out this letter:

If you've ever visited Santa's Workshop in the North Pole you'll know that Santa has many elves helping him to prepare for Christmas. But I bet you didn't know that not all of the elves stay in the workshop all year round. Each and every year Santa sends some of his magical elves on a special assignment. This Christmas Elf has been assigned to your family. He will visit your household until Christmas Eve when he will catch a ride home to Santa’s Workshop. His assignment as Santa’s helper is to watch for good little girls and boys. This is how Santa really knows who is naughty and who is nice. He will give a full report when Santa gets to town. So be good…he is watching.


Instructions (for parents)
The first time the Elf visits your home, be sure to give him a name. He will come back each year, usually around Thanksgiving. He will arrive in all sorts of crazy ways…as a stow-away in your christmas tree, with the mail in the mailbox, under your child’s bed covers, in a specially wrapped package on your doorstep…etc. Come up with an exciting and different arrival each Christmas.


Your Elf comes with his very own journal that he will record in year after year. He will record how he arrived, when kids are naughty or nice, his late night adventures, and notes to the family. Santa can also write a message in the journal before he sends his elf to your home for a visit. You can also add photos. This journal will be fun to look back at year after year.


Each night your Elf will go to sleep in the most unlikely places. It is often necessary for children to search the house in the morning to find the sleepy Elf. Late at night, your Elf can get into all sorts of mischief. Elves have been known to spill sugarbowls (and leave their tracks in the spill), pop some popcorn and grab the remote for some late night television, leave small surprises and notes, hang dirty socks in place of the stockings, leave new christmas pajamas, etc.

I hope you enjoy this tradition and make it your own. I am so excited to hear about your elf’s late night adventures.

My kids have loved having Jingles (that's our elf) around and I look forward to many years of him visiting us. What are your favorite family traditions? I am always looking for new one. :)

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Christmas Traditions

I have said it before and I will say it again...I love love love love family traditions. So this year as one of my Christmas gifts I gave a gift of our favorite family traditions. Here are two that I included:

Tattle Tale Mouse

Hi, I’m Tattle-Tale Mouse.

Place me under your Christmas tree

amongst all your beautifully wrapped gifts.

I will watch them closely to make sure

no one tries to sneak a peek

before Christmas morning.

Santa's Magic Key

(for houses without fireplaces)

Take this magic key tonight,

and hang it on your door so tight.

Santa's on his way to you,

in his sleigh with presents too!

He'll tiptoe in, not missing a house,

jolly old guy as quiet as a mouse.

Whispering magic in each child's ear;

He comes to deliver holiday cheer!

Watch for my favorite Christmas Tradition Post on Wednesday.

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I just saw these at Wal-mart, they are little pop bottles shaped like a ball- They have Coke and Sprite. My quick idea is to give a bucket of these with a tag that says, may your days be Merry and Sprite, but these have grabbed me- once you drink all the beverage, you could take the labels off and paint them, drill them, fill them with lights? You could make a snow globe out of one if you filled it with water, glitter, a little glycerin (from the drug store) and some tiny trinkets. What would you do with them?

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Frosty the Snowman Kit

I made these snowman kits for some of my Christmas gifts this year.

I found a black foam hat at Michaels and decorated it will ribbon. I also found the fake carrot for the nose at Michaels. I bought gloves and a scarf at the dollar store and glued a foam heart on one of the gloves.

For the eyes and buttons I bought craft wood pieces, painted them, and glue short wooden dowels on them to stick into the snow. For the mouth I bought some christmas berries that resembled cranberries and left the wires on them to stick in the snow. I piled it all in the upside down hat and put a little poem with it.

I am a little snowman. I am so fat and round.

I started from a snowflake that fell upon the ground.

I have black coal for my eyes, a great big scarf of red.

I have a carrot for a nose, a hat upon my head.

I have some buttons on my vest, and for each hand a glove.

I have a smile for all who pass, because I was made with love.

Happy snowman making!

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The Magic Versatility of a Pom Pom Ball

Originally I found this idea at Woman's Day Magazine to make yarn pom pom balls to place on top of my wrapped Christmas presents this year. I used their video tutorial and was surprised at how easy and cheap it was to make them. The more I thought about it the more ideas I came up with for uses of pom poms balls.
For holiday decorations, you can drape them from the fold of your stockings, use them as ornaments on your tree, or hot glue them together (different sizes) and make a fun holiday garland similar to this felt one from crate and barrel:

If you have a little girl like I do, you can hot glue a pom pom to an alligator clip and use it in her hair for a cute playful look:

Here is a video tutorial on how to make the pom pom's using more than one color and fastening it to the top of a baby's hat. So cute!

UPDATE: Check out this awesome pom pom wreath made by The Pleasures of Homemaking! Imagine if you made one all in one color like white or red!

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