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Tag Archives: Crafting

Amy’s Notebook 04.03.13

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washi tape thumbtacksSource: How About Orange

I’m loving these super easy and fabulous thumbtacks covered with washi tape.

Here are some great DIY ideas to help achieve pretty, styled bookshelves.

I want to borrow some of these creative ways to use indoor plants to bring more spring green into our house.

With the arrival of spring, this list of amazing cleaning tips is just what I need!

Braided hair with diy flowerSource: Sugar Bee Crafts

I think these matching bow-ties and hair flowers turned out adorable, and I’m totally in awe of the fabulous braid the diy flower is resting in.

This stenciled wall of horses is seriously fantastic!

I’m loving this bike-themed birthday party and think it would be great for any age – so clever.

These are the cutest spring chalkboard and flower jars – and a great way to reuse all those glass jars.

Trail-Mix-Energy-BitesSource: Gimme Some Oven

For all the things I’d like to accomplish, I’m sure I’ll need the energy from these awesome looking trail mix bites, don’t you?

I’m thinking the lemon-tarragon flavors in this pasta salad would be so refreshing – a great way to celebrate spring!

My family will love this slightly sweet maple popcorn.

I’m looking forward to trying some of these great recipes for using up leftover ham.

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

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Amy’s Notebook 03.27.13

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diy_shoelacesSource: Make It-Love It

Easy and packing a wow, I think that these diy fabric shoelaces will make fabulous gifts for the kids on my list.

I’m loving these cute Easter hair clips – and the fact that they are easy enough to finish in time for the holiday!

I’m also excited to find this sweet Easter tag printable for my holiday goodies – another quick and easy holiday embellishment.

These cages full of nesting materials for birds is such a great idea – and a great way to use our art supply leftovers!

t-shirt_rugsSource: Olino Hobby

I love these colorful rugs that are made by crocheting yarn around old t-shirts!

This Easter party decorated with vintage items like mason jars and rustic wood has given me some great ideas to use on our holiday table.

I adore the tree wall mural in this cool baby boy nursery remodel.

Lemon-blueberry-cakeSource: The Kitchn

It’s the lemon cream on this yummy looking Lemon-Blueberry Cake that makes me want to make this as soon as possible.

This colorful strawberry and spinach salad sounds fresh and seasonal right about now, doesn’t it?

Thanks to this simple method, I may be cooking all our brown rice in the oven from now on.

Eggs and hash browns all in one easy-to-make cupcake shape? Yes, please!

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I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

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21 Fun Easter & Spring Projects

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spring-easter projects

I’m back with another round-up of great ideas for you – this time it’s lots of fun (and simple!) Easter & Spring projects. Between the Mom Advice archives and all the other inspirational projects I found, I knew I couldn’t limit myself to only one area, so you’ll find projects for the whole family to cook, craft, or decorate – for the holiday and beyond. In other words, something for everyone!

Cooking Projects:

Bread_Machine_Bunny_Bread

Bread Machine Bunny Bread @ Mom Advice

Bunny-Easter-Carrot-Dip

Bunny Carrot Dip @ Pizzazzerie

Peep_Martinis

Peep Martinis @ Mom Advice

Easter-Egg-Bark

Jelly Bean Bark @ The Frugal Girls

birds-nest-macaroons

Bird’s Nest Macaroons @ Faux Martha

bunny krispie pops

Chubby Bunny Krispie Pops @ Shaken Together Life

And when you’re ready for nourishing food,

vegetable soup with pesto

Spring Vegetable Soup with Pesto @ Healthy Delicious

Crafting Projects:

Rolled_Ribbon_Rosette_Hairbow

Rolled Ribbon Rosette Hair Bow @ Mom Advice

DIY_Peep_Wreath

DIY Peep Wreath with Rolled Ribbon Rosette @ Mom Advice

Paint with cotton tips

Paper Eggs Cotton Tip Painting @ Danya Banya

easy_felt_flower_brooch

Felt Flower Brooch @ Mom Advice

egg-carton-spring-sheep

Egg Carton Painted Sheep @ Blog Me Mom

spring-craft-daffodil-bunting

Daffodil Bunting @ Nurture Store

DIY Easter Stickers

DIY Easter Stickers @ MerMag Blog

Decorating Projects:

Embroidery_Thread_Easter_Eggs

Embroidery Thread Eggs @ Mom Advice

Simple Spring Tablescape

Simple Spring Tablescape @ Love of Family and Home

Bunny-boxwood-wreath

Boxwood Bunny Wreath @ Simplicity in the South

yarn-egg-wreath

Yarn Egg Wreath @ The Sweet Survival

pinata-eggsPinata Eggs @ A Subtle Revelry

Easy-Easter-Decorating-with riceColored Rice Easter Decoration @ Today’s Creative Blog

And last, but not least, how about some help cleaning up after all this fun?

Big-Spring-Clean-Part-1

The Big Spring Clean @ Living Well Spending Less

Happy Easter!

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22 Spring Break Boredom Busters

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It’s that time of the year again – over the next month it will be Spring Break somewhere in the US and MomAdvice has you covered with Spring Break Boredom Busters for your kids. No need to worry about how to fill those days when you have fun and free Spring Break activities to do at home.

If you’re anything like me, you’re looking for some quick, clever, and kid-tested ways to fill some of those school-less hours. How about a list of twenty-two awesome Spring Break Boredom Buster Ideas I found – everything from classics like homemade playdough, fun foods, and games to a “how’d you make that?” activity such as glow-in-the-dark jello?

Here are six Mom Advice classics:

homemade_playdough_recipe

Homemade Playdough
homemade_bubbles

World’s Greatest Homemade Bubbles
car_smores

How to Make Car S’Mores
Glow_In_The_Dark_Jello_1

Make Glow-In-The-Dark Jello
butterbeer-lattes

Homemade Butterbeer Lattes
shower_curtain_canvas

Shower Curtain Art Canvas
Coffee_Filter_Flowers

Easy Coffee Filter Flowers
And sixteen more fun boredom busters:

Fizzing Sidewalk Paint @ Kid’s Activities Blog

Food Coloring Art @ B-Inspired Mama

Make the always popular Gak-Slime @ Skip To My Lou

DIY Indoor Obstacle Course @ Crumb Bums
ladybug-game

Ladybug Spots Game @ Piikea Street
Lego Capes

Duct Tape Lego Capes @ Busy Kids Happy Mom
Painted-Garden-Marker-Rocks

DIY Painted Rock Garden Markers @ Mom Endeavors
pretzel letters

Easy, Soft Pretzel Letters and Shapes @ An Oregon Cottage
Scribble Card

Tape-resist Scribble Card @ Lines Across
rice-rainbow-main

Rice Rainbow @ Kid Spot
sandpaper-print-tshirt

Sandpaper-Print T-Shirt @ Alpha Mom
tp birdseed feeder

TP Tube Bird Feeder @ Juggling With Kids
Make-a-Pretend-Birds-Nest

Pretend Bird’s Nest @ My Nearest and Dearest
kids_chips

Custom Tortilla Chips @ Martha Stewart
create-a-tornado

Create a Tornado @ KC Adventures

Do you have any tried-and-true activities you like to do on Spring Break?

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18 Easy St. Patrick’s Day Ideas

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St.-Patricks-Day-2013

Are you looking for some simple, fun, and creative crafts, recipes, and decorations for St. Patrick’s Day? Me too! So I pulled a couple ideas from our archives and then found a few more to inspire us with their simple ingredients, kid-friendly steps, and fun presentations.

Here are a couple of Mom Advice classics:

rainbow_cake_in_a_jar

Rainbow Cake in a Jar with Cloud Frosting
s_Day_Straw_Printable

Free Printable St. Patrick’s Day Straw Tags
And sixteen more easy St. Paddy’s day ideas:

felt shamrock craft

Felt Shamrock Hair Accessories @ Molly Moo
Irish Potato Cakes

Irish Potato Cakes @ Irish American Mom
Chocoalte-Covered-Pretzels

Chocolate Covered Pretzels @ Love From the Oven
Framed Luck Tags

Framed Luck Tags @ Organize and Decorate Everything
lucky-charm-necklace

Salt Dough Shamrock Necklace @ 2 Clever Blog
pot-of-gold-marshmallow-pops

Pot o’ Gold Marshmallow Pops @ Babies, Bellies & Beyond
candle collage

Decoupaged Candles @ Mess for Less
St-Patrick-Day Candy Bark

Pretzel & Cookie Candy Bark @ Formula Mom
St.-Patricks-muddy-buddy

St. Patrick’s Day Muddy Buddies & Printable @ No Biggie
St-Patricks-Day-Block

Kiss Me Block @ Celebrations
Mint_Brownie_Ice_Cream_Push_Up_Pops

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Push-Ups @ A Pumpkin and A Princess
st-patricks-day-streamers

Crepe Paper Shamrock Streamers @ Studio DIY
diy-st-patricks-day-wreath

Rainbow Yarn Wreath @ Crafts ‘n Coffee
Irish-Soda-Bread-Biscuits

Soda Bread Biscuits @ Simmworks Family
lucky-decoupage-vase

Lucky Yarn-Covered Vase @ Mod Podge Rocks
mint-chocolate-rice-crispy-treats

Mint Chocolate Rice Crispie Treats @ Better in Bulk
Have a great St. Patrick’s Day!

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Amy’s Notebook 02.27.13

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vintage-style-pillow

Source: At Home on the Bay

These adorable vintage-style pillowcases would be easy to make with this great tutorial. (@ At Home on the Bay)

It would be fun to give (or receive!) one of these stress relief kits. (@ U Create)

Spring may be around the corner, but it’s not here yet, which makes these diy treasure chests perfect for indoor scavenger hunts. (@ A Cowboy’s Wife)

This amazing girls bedroom uses pops of color against a neutral background and really fun, huge pom poms overhead. (@ Daffodil Design)

office in a box

Source: I Heart Organizing

Here’s a great way to easily access and hide papers and office supplies using this office in a box. (@I Heart Organizing)

Creative ways to maximize storage using hooks. (@ a thousand ways)

Are you thinking about getting a family dog? Here are 12 reasons your family should get a dog. (@ alphamom)

Terrariums are a great way to bring a little green inside while we wait for spring. (@Centsational Girl)

chocolate-coconut-chex-mix

Source: Two Peas and their Pod

Does the coconut and semi-sweet chocolate make this yummy-looking Chex mix good for you? (@ Two Peas and their Pod)

Is it okay to eat pumpkin in the spring if it’s in an ooey-gooey French toast bake? (@ whatever)

Aren’t recipes for fridge-clearing pasta bakes a perfect idea for using up odds and ends? (@ Apartment Therapy)

Tilapia with roasted tomatoes and pesto would make a quick and flavorful dinner. (@ $5 Dinners)

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

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Amy’s Notebook 02.20.13

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5 Days Nursery

Source: five days…5 ways

 

I adore this turquoise, blue and yellow nursery with Amy Butler wallpaper and fun butterfly wall art.  (@ Five Days…5 Ways)

These sweet little garlands made with paper and a simple straight stitch look like a fun & easy craft to tackle. (@ Design Mom)

Friendship Necklace Kits would be a fun diy gift for children to make and give to their friends. (@ Inner Child Fun)

Awesome, easy to see and complete kids chore chart tutorial (@ My Name is Snickerdoodle)

lemon-chia-seed-cake

Source: baking bites

 

Chia Seeds are so good for you, wouldn’t it be great to get some into your diet in a Lemon-Chia Seed Cake? (@ Baking Bites)

Banana Bars with Browned Butter Icing  instead of normal banana bread look like a fun twist on this banana bread classic.  (@ Bake or Break)

I love this different take on Taco Soup with orzo instead of tortillas (@ Dine & Dish)

This 30 Minute Skillet Kale, White Bean & Sausage Soup looks like a winner for an easy and comforting dinner (@ serious eats)

Birdseed_Wreath

Source: apartment therapy

 

These five different ideas for diy  bird-seed feeders to make would be a great winter boredom buster (@ apartment therapy)

Make a retro potluck dish cozy from an old sweater (@ makezine.com)

I love this idea for upcycling a maxi dress into an Easy Peasy Tot Teepee (@ awesome sauce & asshattery )

This  little Indoor Fairy Garden would be a fun craft to do with the kids (@ Craft Jr.)

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

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Dollar Store Craft: DIY Chalkboard Food Label Frames

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If you are a regular reader here, you may have been following my obsession with chalkboard spray paint for crafting on the blog. Today I wanted to show you how I used chalkboard spray paint to transform dollar store frames into DIY chalkboard food labels for parties and entertaining.

For this craft you will need one can of spray paint in your favorite color, 3.5 in x 5 in frames (I got ten of these), and a can of chalkboard spray paint. I actually am using the same spray paint that I used for our lunchbox creation station labels and my conversation bubble cookie jars that I created this summer. One bottle will really go a long way!

Take the frames apart and lay them on a drop cloth to spray paint. For the best spray paint results, shake the can for one to two minutes and during use.

For the frame itself: Hold your can 8 inches away from your surface and spray in a sweeping motion side to side with a slight overlap. It has always been my experience to go thin with the paint, allow it to dry, and then to add another layer for the best results and minimal drip. Allow the paint to dry for one hour. Flip the frames and then repeat the process on the back of the frame. Allow it to dry for another hour.

For the glass inside: Shake the chalkboard paint can vigorously for two minutes. Hold can 10-14 inches away from your project and begin spraying. Spray a thin coat in a sweeping motion beginning off the surface and continuing off the other side. Follow this pattern horizontally and then vertically. Wait fifteen minutes or so and then apply another coat. You need two coats to create your chalkboard surface.

Most importantly though, do not use any chalk on this for 24 hours! The chalkboard paint will need to harden and will not be ready until then. If you try it before it is ready (as I promptly did), it will just scratch the paint through, creating marks and exposing the glass of the frame.

Once everything has dried, you can put it back together. Now it is time to prep your mini chalkboards.

Rub a piece of chalk from side to side and then up and down to prepare your chalkboard surface. Now it is ready for your food labeling at your next party, tailgating event, or holiday feast!

Showcase how you now write like a first grader because you no longer write anything and only type. Jealous?

Tomorrow I will share with you some of these yummy recipes that I have been working on for the tailgating season! In the meantime, happy crafting with this fun dollar store craft!

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Amy’s Notebook 04.27.12

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Welcome to my little notebook of ideas to help improve your life. This is a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. I hope you will enjoy this weekly does of loveliness with beautiful links that are individually handpicked just for you!

 

I am madly in love with this Pottery Barn inspired peony lampshade (@ Sweet C’s Designs)

How cute is this Hunger Games french braid for your hair? (@ love meagan)

I love these ideas for fun new hairstyles for busy moms (@ Prudent Baby)

I love this idea for using a recycled milk jug to create two-toned cupcakes (@ a thousand words)

I love this fun idea of using a decorated wooden box for packaging of homemade cookies (@ You Are My Fave)

I love these six tips for tasting wines (@ the kitchn)

This cheesy chicken & rice soup needs to go in our family’s weekly soup rotation (@ Picky Palate)

Adding cabinet knobs is such a fun way to dress up a thrift store lamp (@ Home Stories A2Z)

This chocolate chip banana cake looks heavenly (@ BruCrew Life)

I love this idea for transforming thrift store ties into luggage tags (@ Craft Test Dummies)

I love this idea for making wine syrup for ice cream topping from leftover wine (@ the kitchn)

This bruschetta chicken looks like a divine idea for putting summer tomatoes to good use (@ The Pioneer Woman)

These are wonderful tips for making your own homemade sprinkles (@ i am baker)

 

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St. Patrick’s Day Straw Tags (Free Printable)

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St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! Today I wanted to share with you an easy craft that you can do for your kids for a fun St. Patrick’s Day snack. Nothing could be cuter and more festive than these adorable St. Patrick’s Day straw tags that you can add to a twisty straw for the holiday.

This month I have the honor of being the moderator for the new Walmart Crafts Facebook Group. In this group, you can share pictures of the crafts you are working on, ask questions about crafts you might be tackling, and gain inspiration from the other members.  Anyone can join in on the fun and I would love to chat with you over there! Just imagine surrounding yourself with people who are just enthusiastic as you about crafting!

For this week’s project I am sharing with you a way to dress up a St. Patrick’s Day snack for your kids. If you aren’t feeling ambitious enough to tackle my Rainbow Cakes in a Jar, this craft is just as fun and something you can whip up very quickly.

Supplies Needed (Available at Walmart)

Sticko Leprechaun Riches Stickers
Sticko Large Shamrocks
Cardstock (white or green)
Hole Punch
Ribbon (any color)
Twisty Straws

Directions

1. Print out our free St. Patrick’s Day printable (link provided below) on heavy duty cardstock.

2. Cut out your straw tags.

3. Adorn your straw tags with cute shamrocks and/or leprechaun stickers.

4. Slide your gift tag on your straw and tie a little ribbon on top.

5. Place in a glass of milk tinted with green food coloring and serve these up with a big plate of festive cookies.

Grab your FREE St Patrick’s Day Printables here!

 

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

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