Yeah, I'm still here, running around like a crazy woman and trying to recover from a Thanksgiving trip and Christmas decorating . . . I'll post something real soon . . . in the mean time, some scary outtake pictures of me. (The hunny doesn't get home when there's still day light so when I needed a last minute picture for this We got some scary pixilated lighting, alas).
The winner of the thankful giveaway sponsored by Simple Serendipity is number 16, Sarah! She said:
I'm so thankful for my best friend AMY. I love her like a sister! We met in school and have remained BFFs through births, deaths, moves, ups, downs and life. We are 1/2 a continent apart but she inspires me to better every time we talk.
We will be in contact so we can send your best friend Amy her $20 gift certificate.
After gathering some great recipes the last couple of fattening days. I thought I would provide a way to write them all down nice and neat. I already posted the recipe cards, but this time they are better. THIS TIME YOU CAN TYPE YOUR RECIPE IN! The same is true for the dividers-you get to write in whatever you like! Then you can organize things you're way-with as many as you need. Fun fun.
They could also be fun put in a recipe box (modge podge an old one?) and given as a gift with your favorite recipes. Or just send a favorite Christmas recipe with the homemade goods as neighbor gifts. The possibilities.
Anywhoo. The only downer to making them editable is that I can't just link them up-scribd isn't a fan of editable fields apparently. Oh, and the other downer is you can't save the edits. That means you have to type it in and print it out immediately because it won't save what you typed. Alas.
So here are you're options: email me at yellowmum (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know what you want-the cards, the dividers, both . . . your Christmas wish list. (joking). I'll send them as soon as I can.
Or, don't worry about the neatly typed look and download the empty dividers here and recipe cards here and write them in by hand.
Sorry for the weirdo freebie. Email me so you can Enjoy!
I'm guest blogging over at Whatever DeeDee Wants today. Go check it out and print some free give thanks cards and place cards-just in time for a last minute Thanksgiving table spruce up-or as little grateful reminders!
This, my friends, is the answer to your ink jet running dilemma. When I have something home printed that I'm worried might get wet and then run or bleed, I spray a light coat of this cheap aqua net hairspray on it and it seals in the ink so it doesn't run if it gets wet-I mean, a little wet. Obviously if it gets soaked it's going to ruin your paper AND run. But anyway, it works well. Just make sure you hold the hairspray about 12 inches away when spraying and then only do a light coat. If you're worried, do a couple light coats.
A giveaway AND a freebie? How great is that? But this is no ordinary giveaway, after all, we've got less than a week until Thanksgiving! So, today we're doing a THANKFUL giveaway thanks to Sara, from the awesome etsy shop Simple Serendipity . Her great shop is full of gorgeous jewelry all under $5. A great option for Christmas, no? Seriously, go check out her shop! I think I'm grateful for this ring . . .
photos via simpleserendipity
Anyway, in the spirit of giving, rather than receiving, she's is giving away a $20 gift certificate to a person you're thankful for.
Me? I'm thankful for my best friend Alicia. We now live across the country from each other, but somehow she is always doing nice things to keep us close. She's the best and I'm so grateful to have her in my life!
To enter the person you're thankful for
1. Leave a comment letting me know who you are grateful for
2. To give your thankful nominee a second chance, go to her shopand comment on something you wouldn't mind getting yourself-or what you think your thankful nominee would like.
GIVEAWAY ENDS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25th.
Doesn't it feel good to think of someone else? I think so! Keep it rolling with . . . a little freebie for a little sweet girl in your life:
I think I will make a couple of these as Christmas presents this year. But I can't very well do spring clothes now can I? So, here are some winter clothes for us to enjoy! Click here to download.
Oh, and one note, I took these pictures before I made some changes-so the one you download will be different-similar, but just different colors-like a blue princess costume instead of pink. (I'm kind of fickle . . . and lazy). If I suddenly become un-lazy and take new pictures, I'll put them up.
I made this fabric doll envelope specifically for storing your lace up dolls when not in use. A package of lace up dolls with fabric envelope would make a fun Christmas present for someone special too . . . When finished the envelope roughly measures 6 x 8 inches.
*I may also be posting 4 more winter outfits for the lace up dolls in the near future . . .
What you need:
Envelope Template (click to download)
1 thicker weight fabric for outside (I used an old pair of khaki slacks) at least 14 inches square
1 cotton weight fabric for lining (cheap walmart fabric)
1 inch piece of velcro (male and female)
button-optional
sewing supplies
1. Print out and put together envelope template following instructions in pdf.
2. Using envelope template, pin and cut out one envelope from each fabric.
3. Find center of flap by fold lining in half and crease on top "blue" flap(outline color of template) Place velcro across crease and 1/2 inch from edge. Pin and sew down.
4. With right sides together, pin together. (It appears that my right sides aren't together-they really are, it's just such low quality fabric that the print shows thru almost as good on the wrong side). Start sewing on the long flap (purple) where my finger is with 3/8 inch seam allowance. (This is an out of the way spot that is straight, not curved). Remember to leave an inch or two opening to turn it right side out.
5. Clip curves and corners
6. Turn right side out. I used the flat end of a skewer and ran it along all the edges. Iron edges. You'll notice a little picture on the opposite side. *See notes at bottom for explanation.
7. Fold up flaps starting with orange, then purple, then blue. Pin in place and hand stitch shut taking care not to sew all the way to the back (You want to be able to open the envelope when you're done)
8. Fold down top and determine location of second peice of velcro. Pin and sew, again taking care not to sew back two layers. (this is kind of tricky-but you can do it.)
9. Sew a button on top so you know which end opens.
*note: I wanted a label on mine. So, I stretched a piece of cotton tight and taped it to a letter size sheet and then printed out a little label on the computer onto the "fabric." It isn't super clear and it kind of printed wiggly, but it's okay. After doing so, I realized you can buy printable fabric. Alas.
I just sewed it to the right side of the outer fabric before sewing them together. If you're interested in having a label let me know.
So, i've been working on a fabric envelope for my lace-up dolls. Tomorrow I hope to have a little tutorial for you and a pattern too! I hope I'll also have some boy lace-up dolls before Christmas (no promises though). It's just a crazy busy time of year, eh?
In other news, today the free Christmas card designs are up on Becky Higgins Blog-and I'm so excited to say one of the designs is mine! (the green striped one). Go and get yourself a free christmas card design!
Finally, I've also updated the shop with some flags and Christmas Nativity art . . .
So, whenever I right "sneak peek" I always seem to write it sneek peak and then I have to go back and change it. But sneek just seems more sneaky with two ee's rather than an a doesn't it? Or maybe I just think too much about weird stuff.
Anyway, I really like my laminator. It's not a hot laminator, and it's not a big one, but it's fast and easy, and fairly inexpensive. It's the xyron 5" creative station, not to be confused with the sticker maker. It has cartridges that change-this is the double sided laminate. I also have the permanent adhesive (it turns anything under 1/16" thick (roughly) into a sticker). I really need to get the magnet/laminate one. It laminates on one side and puts a magnet on the other.
Anyway, you just stick things into the front and crank the side arm thing around and out comes your stuff on the back. The best part is it doesn't require a plug or batteries. It just uses pressure. Anyway, I found it's very useful. The only downers is that the laminate isn't very heavy, when I cut things apart it can make my scissors a little sticky, it's max width is five inches across, and the laminate is very slick and doesn't adhere well to things (esp. a hot glue gun-peels right off). But I still love it and use it all the time. It's perfect for flashcards and things the little buddy is going to play with.
I think this will be the last of the thanksgiving freebies. My mind has moved on to Christmas. Christmas. . . panic. . . excitement! I keep going back and forth. So much to do so little time. But, I'm THANKFUL for Thanksgiving between Halloween and Christmas.
So, put this little 2 inch square box at each guests table on Thanksgiving-or give them away as little gifts, or not . . .
side note: the color in these pictures is a little warm, but in the scribd its a little green (of course every printer prints different too! It'll be a surprise!)
I've been playing around with my leaf cutouts-the insides we didn't use. My two favorite ideas:
Thanksgiving place cards and thank you cards. I used an embossing pen and gold embossing ink. I don't have one of those cool heater things though, so I just held them over the electric burner on our stove. It worked, but my fingers got pretty hot! I used a mini clothespin, but I think I like the pine cone to hold up the place card better! Enjoy!
pink, lace, flowers, a little bling it doesn't get much better for a little niece turning five does it? (well, maybe with princesses . . .) I've never used thick lace on a card before. I think I like it!
I bought this turkey a couple weeks ago with the little buddy. He was so excited to show daddy the "bird." So we had a little talk about what a turkey is. Since then he seems to really like turkeys. So, we've made lots!
A thankful turkey, as seen here at Preschool Daze.
One, that he was suppose to decorate his hand prints with markers. He wasn't into crafting this day . . .
And this one using an egg carton section painted, with feather stuck in a peice of clay on the back. He really liked painting the egg carton. I think that was his favorite part. So much so, that I'd left to take care of the little sweetie, and the little buddy made this bottom turkey all by himself (he ripped a peice of the egg carton off): I love it! If I'd had orange pipe cleaners hanging around we would have added those sticking out the front. . .
There's some serious googly eye love going on over here . . . could you tell?
First of all I want to thank you all for your great ideas. I love getting input. Sometimes it's nice for me to have a jumping off point when I'm in creative brain freeze. I'm always open to new ideas. So. . . without further ado.
The winner of my first ever giveaway is Tabitha! I will be in contact with you!
This was fun. I think we'll have to have another one!
First, a little reminder that today is the last day to enter my first ever giveaway. Tomorrow I will announce the winner!
Okay, so I needed some new bunting. This is what I settled on, I liked it enough I thought you might too. I will warn you it's a little bit of a DIY. It may take an hour or two to cut them out if you do a lot. It's worth it! oh, I've also seriously considered sewing a dark brown ribbon along the backs of all of them instead of using clothes pins to hang. Maybe I still will.
You could do lots of other things with these too: They could work as cards, artwork in a frame, or I suppose even for just coloring. I used plain colored card stock, but child's art work would be an awesome background! Or patterned paper. I would just recommend you use highly contrasting papers for the front and back.
okay a couple notes on the pdf (usually these things aren't issues-and I'm sure most of you don't need all the nitty gitty details of how to do it):
The out line- I don't like how a little bit of it may show up in your cut out if your not really careful. I solved that by laying a brown piece of paper (the one I planned to use) under my white "template." I still tried to cut on the outside of the line in case I end up using the template for something else. But, I realize that is more work. If you don't want to use a template, by all means, it's not necessary.
my printer, and most likely yours too will have a little margin around the edge it won't print on. Cut all the way to the edge anyway!
If you don't cut them in fourth first, DON'T connect the two open ends of the leaf. Just start where the line starts and follow it around. to the other end. When you cut them in fourths (with a ruler or paper cutter) It will automatically cut the rest of the leaf out.
Okay, this was my biggest problem: in illustrator (the program I designed them in) the are each 4.25 x 5.5 inches exactly. But for some reason when I print them out, they don't line up right. the maple leaf and two leaves don't go quite to the center, and the oak goes a little over. I haven't resolved it entirely. But I did fix the oak leaf so it doesn't go over. So don't follow the pattern here! Just cut the 11 inch side to 5.5 and the 8.5 inch side to 4.25. ignore the outlines on this one!
I cut a plain piece of white to go behind these. You could glue them, or not. I didn't. I liked the shadow it created. Using 3D squares between the 2 layers would do this nicely. If you're doing a card, you may want to cut them down a half inch on two of the sides to create a little border before gluing it to your card. . .
The one on the left is my template. The one on the right bottom is the only one I used. I will, of course keep the others for future uses though. . . The actual leaves might be fun as place cards for Thanksgiving. We'll see.
Then I decided I kind of liked it in my living room . . . sorry about the terrible lighting. It doesn't ever get good lighting here. Alas.
And last but not least . . . the printable itself:
