christmas crafts links

i'm not all that creative. i'm muuuch better at just copying people who have way better ideas than me. so here are some of the projects that i totally copied this year:

a gel transfer puzzle on popsicle sticks from {here} for mary brooke. (btw - make sure to use the right copier. i tried to print out the pictures on our printer at home but it didn't work, so i used a copy machine and it was much better)

chalkboard coasters from {here} i totally made myself some too and love them. crazy cheap and super easy (sorry to recipients :)

freaky or fun? i'm still not sure. family puppets based on {this} idea but i printed out pictures of our faces onto fabric using {this} tutorial. i'm still not sure about how these turned out but i do know i love printing straight onto fabric. so easy! put them all in my favorite little drawstring bag from {here}

some tissue pouches for sweet grandmothers using {this}

lots of infinity scarves using {this} tutorial (that i forgot to take a picture of...) these are so easy and quick. i might have made myself quite a few as well...


some great (free) printables from {here} btw- i love these little $5 frames from walmart - plastic frame but real glass and a mat - score in my book, especially when i take the time to spray them with a little oil rubbed bronze paint.

i've had a picture of this chalkboard taped in my calendar since the spring that i tore out of the newspaper. plus i love any gift that "requires" me to buy new power tools. i'm sure my neighbors agree.

and now that i'm looking through all my pinterest boards, i'm remembering all the crafts i meant to do but apparently never got around to. there's always next year, right? (so don't go a-lookin around my boards, em and grace...) but can you even craft with little boys around?? i'm not getting nervous or anything... 10 and a half weeks and counting...

and you though christmas was over...

i love christmas cards. a lot.
but since it is february, i thought it might be time to take them down

my mom always kept the cards from each year and i can remember looking back through albums and thinking it was so funny to see all my friends when they were little.

so here's what i do with mine.
1. cut out a piece of cardboard

2. modge podge some scrapbook paper and ribbon onto it

3. hole punch the top corners of all the cards


4. string them on a ring-thingy

5. and wa-la

all ready to reminisce next year

handmade gifts

this year, emily, grace, & i decided to do some handmade gifts for each other.
i like to try to be crafty and all, but these girls have real talent, like with paint...
can i just say wow.

*sorry for uggg pics, snowy days stuck in the apt = not much light...grrr



em ordered this calendar from etsy and then watercolored it herself. how cute is it?! i mean, learning to watercolor is some serious dedication to a handmade christmas. just look at that little purple flower. and when the year is over, i can cut the top off and frame just the little owls. oooh how i love fun art. awesome job, em!


she also sewed these awesome infinity scarves that i can't get enough of. snow day? yes, thank you. i'm totally copying these.


grace hand-sewed this pin cushion. um, adorable. looks just like it came from anthropologie, don't 'cha think? the jk, the beaded flowers, the buttons, absolutely love it. it's like art on my desk. i never put it up because it's just that fun. awesome!


and wow. grace has some serious talent. seriously. no words. im. in. love.



handmade gifts are so fun because i get to think about the special person who made them every time i see them. thanks so much girls, i absolutely love them. now ya'll need to teach me how to watercolor. love ya'll!

christmas crafts, final round

so this is definitely a different type of craft but when i saw it on { under the sycamore } i knew i wanted to do it for em, grace, and me.

i've always loved to idea of journaling but time usually wins out plus i kinda wonder what to do with them when i finish - am i ever really going to go back and read them...

SO i loved this idea of a perpetual calendar



each day you write down 1 thing that happened. the first year won't be super rewarding, but think how fun it will be in 10 years to look back at all the things that happened on that date.



index cards stamped with each day of the year fill the box



with fun scrapbook paper separating each month



it sits on my bedside table and takes about 10 seconds each night.
so far i've written things like

jan 1 - state beat michigan
jan 5 - logan & cody came to chattanooga
jan 8 - ate with dad in atlanta

not life changing events but definitely fun memories to look back on




next to it sits this pretty little box that jills modge podged for me in all my favorite colors


inside she wrote 31 verses - one for each day of the month - on index cards.
i love reading one each night right before i go to bed.
the best way to end the day.
isn't that the best idea?! go jills.


plus every time i see this handwriting, i think of jills and what a special person she is to me (totally bffl)


so there's my little 2 minute nightly routine with some fun crafts to spur it on.

christmas crafts round 4

what do you get for sweet grandmothers who spend too much time spoiling all the rest of us?
how about something to pamper themselves


first up - lavender rice pads that you can warm up for a few minutes in the microwave and it's aaaamazing. emily made one for me and i often go to sleep with it - james has to pry it from me after i've fallen asleep :)


who wouldn't love some lemon hand scrub and peppermint bath soak?

lemon hand scrub:
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice

bath salts:
2 cups epson salt
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 ounce or 20 drops essential oils


pour into mini mason jars

and add simple tags with fabric scraps and paper



i saw this cute spoon project from i heart nap time and they were really simple to make with some cheap spoons from walmart, needlenose pliers, beading wire, and beads because you definitely need a fancy spoon to dip out your hand scrub


some fancy, over-the-top slippers top everything off. i saw this idea on ruffles and stuff

cut pedals of different shapes and sizes in 3 types of fabric

layered them largest to smallest

put a few stitches in the middle

added some fancy-shmancy pearls

and stitch them onto some wal-mart granny slippers

ooooh yea, these are fancy

put it all together and you've got a little box of pampering

christmas crafts round 3

so this is my favorite thing i made for christmas this year! i read about these rag tag letters here on happy together. i made them out of fabric scraps with some interfacing in between and quilted them.

since mary brooke is obviously suuuper smart, i thought we should get her started on her abc's and number pretty soon :)





i used more of my $1 sheet from dirt cheap for the back of them


and made a fun little bag to hold them all in using this tutorial from made




she was already spelling out her name on christmas morning :)

how cute is she!