Monday, January 31, 2011

DIY Felt Fortune Cookies



Hey there, cookie! Here’s a little Valentine’s Day good fortune for you. It’s a felt fortune cookie. 


Inspired by the talented Kristine McKay's Studio 5 segment, I created these cookies for my coworkers last year. They come together quickly and make a great and unique surprise for anyone who brings a little good fortune to your life. Here’s the recipe for these cute cookies.
Step 1: Cut a felt scrap into an oval.


Step 2: Cut jewelry wire to the length of the center of your cookie.


Step 3: Apply fabric glue to the center of your felt piece.


Step 4: Position your wire to the glue and secure in place by adding a strip of ribbon across the top. 


Step 5: Fold cookie in half and stitch around edge. Leave a small area unstitched so that you can insert a fortune. 



Step 6: Use your finger to form the wire into the fortune-cookie shape. 



Confucius Say: This is one project you’ll love this Valentine’s Day!
Cheers! 

Monday, January 24, 2011

Lovely Wrapped Wreaths


Wrap a little wreath love using different trims. I'm sharing these projects on Studio 5 today, and they're are so much fun to put together. All you need are the following supplies:


* Wreath Form: (available at your local store) Note: Floral wreaths can sometimes be found at the dollar store. 
* Rosette Trim: Search local fabric, trim, craft, or scrapbook stores for this trim. A few scrapbooking companies that sell this style of trim include: American Crafts, BoBunny, Maya Road, and Webster's Pages
* Straight Pins
* Yarn
* Toppings: Ideas include: beaded trim, pom pom trim, and tulle. 


Rosette Wreath
Inspired by this post on the amazing Maya Road blog, I started by making a few rosette-trim wreath (like the one above)s. Here’s how:
1. Pin your trim in place on the wreath. I used this stunning trim from Maya Road






2. Wrap the rosette trim around the wreath base. Note: For a fluffier wreath, wrap the wreath with two layers of trim.






3. Once your wreath is wrapped, you can top it with a second trim (beaded trim, pom poms, tulle, etc.) and/or other accents (rosette flowers, hearts, etc.)


    4. If you want to, you can also add a light misting of sparkle and/or color with spray ink. If you look closely you'll see pink ink has been applied to the creme rosettes. 




    Yarn Wreath
    Lately, I’ve seen several yarn-wrapped wreaths in the creative world, like this cute example. Yarn-wrapped wreaths take more time to create than the rosette variety, but they sure look cute. The steps are similar.
    1. Pin yarn in place.






    2. Wrap yarn around base. Note: You may want to start with a thicker or fuzzy yarn, which is easier to wrap as you’re practicing. 






    3. Dress up your yarn wrapped wreath. For this project, I used the Valentine’s Day garland I made here





    These are happy projects to try for any holiday or season. Do you hang wreaths for seasons beyond Christmas? If so, I’d love to know what holidays or seasons you find yourself all wrapped up in wreath fun. 


    I leave you with a few more wreath creations I've put together. Enjoy! 


    I topped this one with a smaller Rosette trim and some layered rose flowers, both from Maya Road. 



    You'll find some beaded trim and a large silk flower finishing this wrapped wreath, both of which I purchased at JoAnn crafts. 




    And this spring variation was created with colored rosette trim from Webster's Pages.



    Cheers!


    P.S. To see more of my Studio 5 crafting segments, please check out the Creating Keepsakes website, where we have a complete archive. Thanks so much! 

    Friday, January 21, 2011

    Valentine's Day Garland How-To

    I love creating Valentine's Day projects, and this garland was no exception. It's quick, easy, and lovey-dovey cute. Give it a try! Here's how:

    Supplies Needed

    You'll need twine (I used the baker's variety), pom poms (bitty and a bit bigger), felt hearts, and a needle.


    Step 1: Thread the first half of the heart.




    Step 2: Add bitty pom to center of heart and thread needle through remainder of heart.


    Step 3: Thread a bigger pom.


    Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 until garland is the length you want it.


    Love will really be in the air when you string up this puffy string of sweetness. :)

    Cheers!

    Sunday, January 16, 2011

    Wait. Before you take down those lights and drink that last glass of eggnog, let’s talk Christmas for just a few more minutes. I know it’s mid January, but I have a couple of Christmas cuties to share with you from my holiday. Do you mind prolonging the holiday magic for a few minutes more? 
    A Themed Stocking
    Has Jolly Old Saint Nick ever left you a themed Christmas stocking before? This year was a first for me, and I loved it. What a clever idea! My sweet Santa knows I have quite the sweet tooth and love pink, so he left me all (almost) pink treats in my sock. 


    Speaking of themed stockings, my mom sent her sister a stocking stuffed with gift cards to all of the stores she likes the most. 
    I love the idea of a themed stocking and definitely see myself doing one in the future. What theme ideas do you have?
    A Charming Gift
    This charm bracelet is one of my favorite gifts this year. Each of the little charms on it are from Fossil, and they’ve paid attention to every detail. 


    Check out this sweet camera charm.



    Marketing Magic
    I don’t know if it’s because of my PR background or what, but I have a high appreciation for unique packaging. Fossil sent all of my charms in these little felt bags. 


    And my watch came in this cute tin.


    But it’s the extra surprise they threw in that really made my marketer’s heart sing. It’s a wood ornament wrapped in baker’s twine, with a note to see their special holiday blog for project ideas using the deer. Wow! You bet I checked out their ideas, and I adore the deer. What a creative idea! 



    My Favorite Photo
    Thanks to this beauty from Cor (the Canon 24-70mm/2.8 lens), I took many lovely photos this holiday...



    ...but the one below, which was taken before I opened my lens, happens to be my favorite. The boys are watching for a flying sleigh full of toys. Or maybe they’re checking out Frosty. Whatever it is they’re spying, I adore the look of the three of them gathered by the window. This picture will definitely find its way into my scrapbook soon.


    Okay, that will be it for the Christmas posts...at least until next fall when we get to start the fun all over again. In the meantime, may many blessings be yours this year!
    Cheers!

    Thursday, January 13, 2011

    Bitty Box Scrapbook Storage


    It’s another new year, which means many of us are focusing our efforts on getting organized. As you already know, I’ve been spending a great deal of time getting my craft room in tiptop shape. While organizing my drawers, I came across this storage idea that I first shared in the “Tips & Tricks” column of Creating Keepsakes magazine in 2009.
    I took little 2” x 2” boxes like this, which are from Expedx...


    And added  small accents to the lids of the boxes in various categories (eyelets, brads, bling, small tags, and flowers), which I set up by color...  

    Finally, I lined one of my shallow drawers with the boxes. They fit in the drawer perfectly! 

    The outcome: an affordable storage approach for those bitty scrapbooking delights. What is your favorite way to organize your small supplies? I’m always looking for new suggestions and ideas to try. 
    Cheers! 

    Wednesday, January 5, 2011

    2010 in iPhone Photos

    It's no secret that I like to snap pictures with my camera phone. In fact, this year alone I did a couple of Studio 5 segments on this topic and wrote about using camera phones in Creating Keepsakes magazine.

    What's the deal with this obsession? Well, a phone is one thing we almost always have on us. If you're lucky enough to have a camera built into yours, and so many do anymore, this means you always have a camera at the ready. Perfect for those everyday shots!

    Inspired by an idea Margie Romney-Aslett posted on Facebook, I decided to post a few of my 2010 phone-photo highlights. I have close to 1,000 images on my phone at the moment, so I really had to narrow. Here are a few. I love the glimpse it gives into my year. You bet I'll be keeping that camera busy in 2011.

    Note: I'm breaking all the blog/online rules with this lengthy post. Please accept my apologies for all of the scrolling. If you want to opt out now, I'll completely understand. 

    JANUARY

    Jan. 1: Cory and I try our hand at homemade marshmallows. Aren't they cute? They were tasty, too!



    Jan. 7: Jewels and I catch a flick. I can't remember what we saw, but I know we enjoyed pausing to play with the jumbo chipmunks.



    Jan. 12: I do my first of many Studio 5 segments for 2010. I was really stressed about what to wear, so I posted this pic for my personal team of fashion consultants. In other words, I posted it to Facebook. ;)



    Jan 23: My cute coworker, Kim, and I join friends for a fun-filled day at Disneyland before the CHA craze begins. I can't go to D-land without stopping for some Dole Whip. It's delicious!



    Jan 27: CHA (the Craft & Hobby Association trade show) is in full swing. Love the opportunity it provides me to see amazing new crafting products and beautiful friends. Speaking of friends, I adore these two gals, Jill (Jillibean Soup) and Stephanie (Bella Blvd.). We go way back to the new exhibitor days when they were patient enough to put up with my amateur film making skills. You can watch the outcome of those visits here and here.


    Another sweet CHA friend. I don't think they get more passionate than Maggie. Check out her Cuttlebug Challenge blog for bunches of projects to make with your die-cuts.



    Jan. 30: On my way home from Cali, I stop to enjoy a little Viva Las Vegas with these pretty people (my DH and parents). Here, we're waiting in line to go up in the Eiffel Tower at the Paris (where we stayed), something I had never done before. Very cool, BTW!


    Part of my Vegas experience includes my first frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity. Super num!



    FEBRUARY

    Feb. 4: The stunning Lori and I fly to Portland, OR to teach at the first CKC event of 2010.


    Of course, a trip to Portland meant a stop at the legendary Voodoo Donuts. Oh. My. Gosh. SO good! It was in a semi-ghetto part of town, but the risk to our lives was totally worth it. ;) 



    MARCH

    March 14: I spot the March issue of Creating Keepsakes on newsstands. I happened to make the layout on the cover of this issue, which makes this moment even more exciting than it usually is for me. Naturally, I move it and its sister pub, Card Creations by Paper Crafts, to the front of the display.



    March 15: I make one of my first posie bracelets, snap a picture, and send it to my friend for feedback.



    March 17: Edward and I show up for work in our glorious green.



    March 23: A HUGE day. Mom has her last cancer treatment. Our family goes out to dinner to celebrate.




    APRIL

    April 1: I show up for work extra early to pull a series of office pranks, including kidnapping this doll and holding it for ransom. This is the picture I sent to the doll's owner when asking for my payment.



    April 8: I fly first class for the first (and probably only) time. Look at all of that legroom. My legs actually fit without squishing up against the seat in front of me. I was so thrilled by this that I grabbed my camera and obtained some photographic evidence.



    April 10: Kelly and I take a break from teaching at CKC St. Louis to visit "the arches." Some 20 pictures later, we finally got a shot with both of us and the arch. (BTW, "the arches" is what cute Kelly called them. I still LOL every time I think of that. I later told the CKC St. Louis crowd to ask Kelly about "the arches" whenever they saw her. Yeah, she was thrilled. Hahahahahahaha! Good times!



    April 25: Cory wins big on a penny slot in Wendover, NV. Way to go, baby. Dinner's on you!



    April 30: At last, after nearly two years of growing, my hair is cut for Locks of Love.




    MAY

    May 8: Schmom, Pop, Cory, and I participate in the Race for the Cure. Mom's lookin' extra good in her pink survivor's shirt!



    May 15: Cory and I take Cory's parents to see one of our favorite comedians, Brian Regan. If you haven't heard of him, I highly recommend you check him out here. He's heeeeelarious!



    May 17: I make my way to NYC for the Nat'l Stationery Show. I couldn't go that far without making a trip to Tinsel Trading. It was just as incredible as Martha promised me it would be. ;)



    May 23: I take a break from teaching at CKC Buffalo to visit Niagara Falls.



    JUNE

    June 14: My cousins visit from Denver. We go to a family-favorite destination--Lagoon. I rode these same boats when I was their ages.



    June 27: Jewels and I visit the Utah Arts Festival, where we purchase darling handmade purses.



    JULY

    July 24: Cory and I take in a ballgame as part of our family's July 24 celebration (UT holiday).



    July 29: Time for CHA Summer in Chicago, which means meeting up with more delightful friends, including these two sassy ladies, Kerri and Liz. Love these girls! Ummmm...yeah...Liz is standing on a stool in this shot. She's actually quite bitty, but she wanted to appear taller than me and the step stool did the trick. LOL



    AUGUST

    Aug. 21: After teaching at CKC Charlotte, Cory joins me for a little summer vacation, which included a stop in Denver, CO, where I bought this M-A-zing card catalog.



    Aug. 27: I take a Creative Escape in Phoenix, AZ, where I get to play with paper and see a bunch of sweet friends, including Miss Maggie, who was teaching at the event.



    SEPTEMBER

    Sept. 5: Cor and I join Curt and Gina for some of the best pizza in Utah. If you're going to have The Pie pizza, Curt (my brother) insists you go to this location at the University of Utah. It's worth the drive.



    Sept. 11: I visit the flag fields in Sandy, UT to remember those lost on Sept. 11. The many flags on display, each representing somebody lost, were both beautiful and sobering.



    Sept. 25: I take many of my phone photos at the mall. This is one example. I was totally inspired by this Fossil display at Dillards. Wanting to remember the colors, the font, the patterns...basically everything about it, I took a pic.



    OCTOBER

    Oct. 8: The Creating Keepsakes team takes Joannie (associate editor) to Texas Roadhouse for her 40th birthday celebration. Yippee ki yi yay!



    Oct. 25: Mom and I head to Denver, where I film a few scrapbooking/paper crafting videos for work. After a long day of filming, Mom and I crawl into bed with Aunt Ruby to watch the nightly news. Yeah, we're a wild bunch like that. Look out, D Town!



    Oct. 29: The Creating Keepsakes editorial and events teams get together for a frightfully fun Halloween celebration. Our magazine team came as Cackling Keepsakes, a coven of crazy witches.



    NOVEMBER

    Nov. 5: Time for the holiday craft fairs to commence. I was selling my posie bracelets at my friend Holly's boutique. Here they are, all set up and ready to go home with happy shoppers.



    Nov. 22: I puppysit for PK. This pic was to let mama know that Lex Pup was doing just fine. Well, she was a little chilly, but we got along okay.




    Nov. 28: Bobby comes home from Iraq. We (he, Jewels and I) spent the day crafting and went to a movie that night. After the cinema, we went for this, the best yogurt in town. I'm sure I'll never hear the end of the fact that I thought it would be regular yogurt and not frozen. This also happened to be the day of a major snow storm here in UT. Why on earth would I knowingly go for FROZEN yogurt when it was a blizzard outside? Oh well. My puffy coat kept me warm and this tasty treat was totally worth the chill.


    DECEMBER

    Dec. 4: Another favorite phone use: creating a shopping list. If I see something I want, I snap a photo and send it to Cory. It's a good way for both of us to remember wishes.


    Dec. 14: The Creating Keepsakes team takes a break from writing and editing to enjoy a holiday breakfast and Secret Santa gift exchange. Isn't my present pretty? I couldn't resist the photo op.



    Whew! What a year it's been. Thanks for taking a look back with me. I hope this inspires (and didn't bore or frighten) you to take more everyday photos with your camera phone.

    Cheese!