crafts

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU ARE MIMA OR NANA STOP READING NOW  :)

Yesterday the boys and I worked on part of the gifts we are going to send out for Mother’s Day in a few weeks.  My mom and Greg’s mom live across the country from us so we know they love anything tangible that is a reminder of the boys.  What’s better than seeing their little hand prints on something they made and knowing they can carry them around anywhere they go?

These totes are great on their own, or you can use them as a gift bag and fill with other goodies for Mother’s Day….photobooks, a frame, gardening tools, candles, jewelry, bath and body products, baked goods etc.  Here are some simple instructions for how we made ours.

What you’ll need:

-Canvas tote (Micheal’s had a huge selection ranging from $2-$10 based on size & quality-these are just the $2 ones)

-Fabric paint (green for grass/stems, black for the writing, and whatever colors you would like for hand print flowers)

-Paint brushes

-Pencil (to sketch out placement of writing)

-Paper grocery bag or cardboard

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I used a paper grocery bag and slipped it right into the canvas bag.  It fit inside the tote perfectly so the paint wouldn’t seep through to the other side of the bag.  Next place the bag on a hard surface and paint on the grass and where you want the flower stems.  I did two flowers so there was one for each boys’ hands.  If your child is old enough they can definitely help with painting this part.

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Once the green paint dries it’s time to have your children come help with their hand prints.  Nathan liked squirting out the paint on a paper plate and rubbing his hands all around in it.  This didn’t work for Shane (complete mess), so I suggest just applying paint directly on your child’s hand if they are younger.  Wait for their hand prints to dry then go back in and touch up the leaves & stems if you need to.

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After the flower hand prints dry you can add any writing you would like.  I went in with a pencil and sketched in where I wanted the lettering to go, then went over it with black paint.  Let the paint dry completely and then remove the paper bag.  Fill with their favorite things or give it to them as is.  Hope you give it a try….Happy crafting friends!

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If there is anything you will come to learn about me it’s that I am wreath obsessed.  I have them hanging all over our house, and I will change up our front door with each passing holiday and season.  While I could go crazy and transition my Valentine’s Day wreath into a St. Patty’s Day one and then an Easter wreath…I’ve decided to keep things simple and make one I can have up for all of Spring.  See how easy I made that for you?  And in the spirit of saving time and money I will go ahead and say this is one of the simplest ones I have made in both effort and supplies needed.  It also just so happened to turn out to be one of my favorites too!

All the supplies I used were from Michael’s. You will need:

1 large twine wreath (I believe this is a 16″)- $5

1 bag of Spanish moss- $4

1 large roll of burlap- $6

1 wooden birdhouse- $1

1 branch of Easter eggs- $1 (you can use whatever kind of egg you like.  I just picked these for their size and because they were the least expensive)

1 birds nest- $2

1 small bottle off white acrylic paint- $.50

Of course I used some coupons, and took 50% off that burlap roll.  I ended up spending less than $15 for everything.  You will also need a hot glue gun, glue sticks, scissors and a paint brush.

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I started with painting the bird house and 3 of the eggs in the off-white paint.  You can get creative here with color or you can go the more simple route like I did.  I also cut off the rope from the bird house and painted over where it was originally connected.

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Then I made a huge mess and started glue gunning on the moss.  I would add a pretty good amount of glue and add moss in about 6″ sections.  1 bag will stretch nicely across this size wreath.  Use the whole bag and shape it when you are finished, filling in some patches you may have missed.

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I then used my glue gun to attach the eggs inside the birds nest, and then attached both the nest and birdhouse to the wreath with the glue. You could also use wire to attach these items, that way you can take them off if you would like and add other items with the changing of holidays.

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Then take your burlap roll and cut a really long piece that you can trim after you are done according to the length you want to hang it.  I cut about a 9′ piece.  String the burlap through the wreath and pull it right to the center so the wreath is dangling from the middle point of your burlap ribbon.  Hold the burlap on both ends and tie a knot about 12″ up from the top of the wreath.  This is where you make a bow and pull the loops out as big as you would like them.  Fluff them out a little and shape them to the size you would like.  Let the additional burlap hang down and trim the ends so they are even.  Then cut again at an angle to give it a more finished look.

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Hang on your door with a wreath hanger from the point of the bow’s knot.  This will make sure it is securely attached to your door and at a strong point on the wreath.  Stand back and enjoy your beautiful new wreath that took about $15 worth of materials and about 15 minutes of your time!  Happy crafting and bring on that Spring weather!

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Holidays are my favorite excuse for getting crafty and adding some festive DIY projects to our home decor.  With February a day away, I thought it would be fun to share some of the Valentine’s Day crafts I have completed.  I think I have hit my quota for all things pink and glittery this past month, but that’s what makes this one of my favorite holidays to get festive with!  Moving forward I will try adding some of my favorite projects to my blog with the addition of some simple DIY tutorials.  I hope you enjoy them!  Here’s to spreading some love in month of February!! xo

wreath mantle living room heart hand


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