I Need More... Easy Art [I Am a Child of God Frame]

I'm not sure that this counts as a "craft" worthy of a post on my craft blog, but... it did take me all of ten minutes to create but it left me feeling like I accomplished something today.  So I think that makes is post-worthy.

I found this fabulous baroque frame at TJ Maxx and filled it with a simple, sweet sentiment (and a favorite song of Amelia's).  The font is "dirty headline", the text is printed on a plain piece of white cardstock, and trimmed to size for the frame.  It now hangs in Amelia's bedroom by the door so she sees it every time she exits her room.  And I hope that it always helps her remember who she is.

I Need More... Giveaways [I love Roberts Crafts!]

And I am very sorry if you live outside of Utah and do not have a Roberts Arts & Crafts store anywhere near you.  (One silver lining of living in Salt Lake, I suppose...)  Not only can you pick up a 40-50% off discount coupon at the front door any day of the week (Michael's, you stingy store - take note!) but now and then they have really fun promotions.  This week is their 50s week and they have decorated with balloons, a soda fountain with free drinks, have crafts inspired by a 1950s drive-in, etc.

This morning I stopped in and noticed numbers scattered throughout the store, pasted to the floor.  I asked about them and learned that at the top of every hour today Roberts would be giving away two Cricut cartridges.  Just stand on a number and if your number is picked, you're a winner.  Well, guess what?  I WAS A WINNER!!!  Thanks, Roberts.

UPDATE:  I just found out that they are doing the drawing again all day tomorrow (4/25).  It's just one Doodletype cartridge per hour.

I Need More... Delicious Details [Velvet Ribbon Flowers]

I needed some velvet flowers for a project but decided that I was too cheap to pay $5 for a package of three teeny, tiny flowers.  Flowers that I was sure that I could make myself.  Here are the instructions to save you $5, too:

Supplies: 4-inches of velvet ribbon per flower (the scalloped-edged ribbon makes a really fantastic flower), pearl beads (I used super cheap plastic ones that I found in the bottom of my bead drawer), sewing thread and needle, and scissors.

1) Knot your thread and stitch (in and out) along one edge of your ribbon.  If using scalloped-edge ribbon, this would be the straight side.2) Pull your thread and gather the ribbon into your flower.  Pull gently.  Yanking only results in broken thread and frustrated crafters!3) On the backside of your flower, stitch together the start end and finish end of your ribbon, completing the flower shape.  This will leave you with a small opening in the center of the flower.  Loosely stitch this opening closed.  Don't make a mess of things.  It does not need to be water tight, just closed enough that you won't lose the beads into it when you move to the next step.4) Stitch your beads into the center.  There is no exact number of beads to use or perfect arrangement that I've found.  Think about the variation found in nature as your guide.  (I used five pearl beads because they fit well, covered the gathering, and I like odd numbers.)

Super simple!  Super cheap!  And now I'm looking for projects for just these little flowers.

I Need More... Visitors [House Warming Frame]

"Blogging around" as I often so, I was inspired by a House Warming Book featured on the House of Three blog.  (House of Three is really fun.  Three well-known scrapbook designers, Heidi Swapp, Rhonna Farrer, and Janet Hopkins come together to share their creativity and differing perspectives on similar projects.)  Houseof3.com sells a digital kit that has this Edgar A. Guest quote beautifully laid out and ready to include in your project.  But of course, I had a frame in mind that required the poem be oriented differently.  With a quick visit to Adobe Illustrator, I had re-set the quote and then printed it on a clear transparency.  I glittered up the way cool chipboard mat inside the frame and backed everything with a piece of scrapbook paper.  That's about it.

It was the frame that I found at a TJ Maxx that started me searching for a great quote in the first place.  I wish I could include the link to purchase the frame but I looked on the company's web site (SixTrees.com) and apparently, they only sell wholesale.  Apologies.

I Need More... Giveaways [Die Cut Machine, Simply Handmade]

My favorite craft magazine, Simply Handmade, is giving away a QuicKutz Silhouette and a Sizzix Big Shot to two lucky winners.  And, news flash!... I'm going to be one of them.  (It's all in the power of positive thinking.  Hee hee.)  If you feel like competing against me, even though I am sure to win, go to their site and simply post a comment.  It's that easy folks!

I Need More... Holiday Handouts [Easter Candy Tube ]

I wish I could take credit for this idea; it's so fabulous.  But alas, I cannot.  It came from a blog called Paper, Scissors, Superheroes and I instantly fell in love with it!   (Click on the link for a simple tutorial.)

Note: Invest in and use for all gluing in the project Terrifically Tacky Tape.  (This stuff is my favorite and holds like nothing else.)  Originally, I tried using my Xyron for the paper bands around the edges of the tube and they kept popping off.  So I switched back to the TTT.

I did design and print the Easter chick tags, print them on white cardstock, and cut them out with a scalloped punch.  That was my creative contribution to the idea aside from the manpower.  All credit goes to Paper, Scissors, Superheroes certainly.
Filling anything with candy is always the fun part.  Layer 1) a little paper shred, 2) sour gummy eggs, 3) a Peep, and 4) more gummy eggs.
I'm only sorry that the polka dot paper that I used to create the tube ends isn't more visible in the final product.  I might have swapped out the lime green bands for the polka dot paper.  But, I love this project so much that it's sure to make many more appearances as other holidays roll around.