Spring is in the air!!!!

Do you remember these cute banners I bought a couple of weeks ago from Peachy Cheap?

Well, I just had to show you what I did with them!!!  I love Kathyrn's tutorial on Nanny Goat.  

But since I had already bought my chipboard, I had to do something a little different.  I also made a summer banner with the other banner I bought from Peachy Cheap and I plan on making other banners with chipboard I'm going to cut with my Cricut.

-Anisa

Wood Craft Classes

Hello everyone! This month I thought it would be fun to do blocks. You can do your kids’ names, sayings you like, or whatever! This month is special, because you can bring your kids with you if they would like to paint their own. Please only bring those who will sit and do their project of course… as we don’t want things to get too crazy! I have a gazillion colors of paint to choose from, so if you are trying to match décor, maybe bring an item with you to match. The cost is 50 cents per block. Class dates this month are: Wednesday, April 15th 6 pm – 9 pm Thursday, April 16th 6 pm – 9 pm Saturday, April 18th 9 am – 12 pm Saturday, April 25th 9 am - 12 pm Tuesday, April 28th 6 pm - 9 pm Let me know how many blocks you will need when you sign up! This one will be fun! Thanks, Shannon

Crayon Rolls

Several months ago when I was first discovering the joys of craft blogs, I came across Skip to My Lou and her super-cute (and very easy-dare I say beginner easy?) idea for a crayon roll. I'm always looking for fun new things like that to keep my kiddies entertained, especially things that help them stay quiet at places like the doctors office, church, etc. I also liked the idea of making one for each of my kids to eliminate the inescapable fighting-over-the-crayons that always happens at church. Here's the one I did for my little all-star:

The girls' rolls are still in process. I'll update with pics when I get them finished.

In the meantime, if you want to make some for your own kiddos, click here or here for some great, easy tutorials.

When crafts go toooo far!

Sometimes we just get in the mood to craft.  So we think up things to craft that don't need to be crafted.  My brother once learned how to crochet, so he made his wife a bikini....

Maybe sometimes just a plain old t-shirt is a better idea. Do you have an obsession with scrapbooking and the way cute patterned paper?  I know I do.  But do we take it a little too far sometimes.... come on, who needs a scrapbooked chair? Happy April Fools Day!!!  Just thought I'd bring you some of the crafts I've seen that have gone way too far.....

-Anisa

Getting Your Own Work Out There

There are so many opportunities to publish the crafting or scrapbooking that you have done or share your ideas with companies or publications that may or may not be willing to offer you compensation.

Here are a few links, listed in a frustratingly random order:

Lotus Paperie design team opportunity

Scrapbook Design Team Scrapbook Design Team

This link will get you information on how to submit to any of the following publications: Scrapbook Trends magazine, Bead Trends mag, Simply Handmade mag or Cards mag.

Bead Style magazine link

Threads sewing magazine sewing challenge

Creating Keepsakes magazine's latest Calls for Submissions list

Crafts 'n Things accepts entire crafting articles here

It's not hard to do. May be it takes a bit of courage. Go for it! I've been trying to get Anisa to submit her scrapbook pages for years.

(or you could get a photo of your work on here by sending us a digital image through email by April 24th! twiddlethumbs@rocketmail.com. See right sidebar) --C

One Craft-3 Ways: Decorative Pillows

Our topic for 1 craft-3 ways this month was... decorative pillow. I copied these little guys from Pottery Barn Kids and made a little owl to match my pillow from our applique last month.

To make it, I hand drew a pattern on paper. I used my light yellow as my main fabric. Then I ironed on the other fabric pieces and did some machine applique around the pieces. It was a lot of fun and it turned out really cute!!!

-Anisa

I've been reading about print-making and thought it would be fun to incorporate a print of my favorite poet onto a pillow for the couch where I often do my reading.

This pillow was the first 'quilting' I've ever done and was probably waaaay over my skill level, but in the end I learned a lot and I'm quite pleased with the result. It measures around 18" x 18".

The print is actually an iron-on created by me using a photo of the poet which I manipulated/enhanced in Adobe Photoshop Elements and printed on ink-jet iron on transfer paper.

-C

About a month ago I found a pillow pattern by Amy Butler that I just had to make. Needless to say, I was excited our "one craft, three ways" post was pillows. When I found this basketball fabric, I knew I definitely had to make one and it had to be for my basketball-obsessed little guy. Using this pattern:

I secretly made this pillow:

I left it in his room after he had gone to bed. The next morning I woke up to, "Mommy! Thanks so much for my new beanbag!!" (Which it's not-totally a pillow, but why argue?) I will definitely be making more of these.

-Ang

P.S. Finished size is about 18 inches across and 9 inches high.

Spring Photos

Crafting or decorating with spring photos should not go unmentioned. It's a great way to lift your spirits, especially if it's snowing outside (like it is here). Make a photo collage: Print them small and use on a scrapbook page as embellishments: May be you could print out a huge window cling at a copy center and plaster it to your windows so that it looks like spring outside... :)

Wood Craft Classes

I'm really sorry that I dropped the ball on the wood craft classes.  On Tuesday night when I was coming home from my class, I remembered that I hadn't posted.  There is still time, if you want to do the classes this month.  She still has one class on Tuesday the 31st. Contact Shannon at jsnmea.lewis@gmail.com  if you are interested.

Easter Sign $15 Bunny $18 Wreath $20