Monthly Archives: November 2012

Craftin’ Up the Holidays on a Dime

Posted on November 28, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

I have the honor and privilege to be invited as a guest designer for Decorate to Celebrate today! I love this challenge blog and it is full of such amazing inspirations. To be a part of the inspiration team is such a “pie al a mode” moment for me. Thank you Amy and Decorate to Celebrate for this wonderful opportunity!

The challenge is to make something in the scope of home, party or table decor that revolves around celebrating the Holidays, using paper crafting (Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years, etc.). I am a total Christmas fanatic and have been wanting to start decorating my house since before Thanksgiving, but thankfully crafting Holiday cheer during that time staved off my need and allowed Mr. Tom Turkey to shine instead. Be sure to head over to Decorate to Celebrate and get see the other amazing creative ideas and LINK up your great Holiday project!

What I decided to make is an inspiration from the pages of the Holiday Crate and Barrel catalog I saw this idea last year and again this year and just had to tackle it. It can be used as a center piece for a holiday table or just a fantastic decor added to an end table or sofa table. Thankfully, the hubs has an elaborate workshop in the garage so I have access to to pull this off – under the watchful and teachable eyes of course. I think he is getting nervous that I may be expanding my crafting space into his workshop soon. 🙂

How To:

I started with going to Home Depot and gathering up two sticks of 1/2 inch trim and 1/4 inch dowels (in the baseboard and crown molding department). After doing a quick and dirty calculation I came up with the sizes I wanted and cut the 1/2 trim down to the sizes I needed.

Large Tree:

Long sticks: (roughly) 17 1/4 inches,
Short stick 11 1/4 inches,
Tree base cut down from a 3/4 inch thick block to 6 x 2.5 inches

Small Tree:

Long sticks : 12 3/4 inches x 8 3/4 inches
Tree base cut down from a 3/4 thick block to 4.5 x 2.5 inches

Once all pieces were cut down, I sanded down the rough edges and glued together with wood glue using clamps on each corner of the trees so they would set firmly and dry overnight.

Once dried, I released the clamps and sanded down any glue that may have leaked out due to the pressure of the clamps. I mixed up some epoxy and with the help of the hubs cut down the dowels to fit in the cavity of the trees and quickly and I do mean quickly adhered the dowels to the tree. BOY DOES THAT EPOXY DRY FAST!

After that, I wrapped a piece of wire around the peak and hung from a tree branch so I could paint them. I used Rust-Olemum Textured Metallic spray paint and painted it with about 4 coats (I should have had a layer of primer first; live and learn). Regardless,I loved the sparkle this paint gives off.

In between coats, I fired up my Silhouette and ordered two different 3-D ornaments for .99 each. Using Bo Bunny’s North Pole designer paper (needs to be two sided designer paper), I cut out various sized ornaments. These are a little tricky to put together- need more patience than talent :-). But once I got the hang of it, the assembly went faster. These don’t need any adhesive and I found a tutorial on putting together a round 3-D paper craft from the designer of these ornaments that I was able to crossover for making these. Once they were assembled, I added ornament hooks and cut them down to size using wire cutters.

Note: You can use glass or plastic ornaments as well.

Ornament Cuts:

Ball Ornaments

Large : 6.25 x 6.0
Medium: 5.22 x 5.0
Small: 4.20 x 4.0

Long Skinny Ornaments

Large: 6.0 x 4.91
Small: 4.77 x 3.85

This project was very fun to make and it was a great way to incorporate some creative time with the hubs as well. I am thankful he likes to guide me in learning new things, even if it may mean he may be woken out of a dead sleep hearing his chop saw or scroll saw hard at work in the middle of the night (that is when most of my crafting gets done). Also this project cost about $20 to make and you can’t beat that!

Thanks for sharing a piece of ” you can make what you want on a dime” pie with me! And be sure to head on over to Decorate to Celebrate by clicking HERE to join the party!

Linking Up To:

Craft-O-Maniac
Everyday is an Occasion – Sunday Fundays
Paper Issues
I Gotta Create – Wildly Orginal Link Party #28
Paper Playtime Challenge #89-Anything Goes
Go Fish Challenge #29-Home Decor
My Sheri Crafts Challenge #99-Tis the Season
DL.ART Thankful Thursday- December Holidays

18 Comments

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog # 139 – Holiday Wishes

Posted on November 26, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Happy Cyber Monday! Thank you for taking a moment out of your cyber shopping for those great holiday deals to join in the challenge fun over at Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog! In step with the holiday season officially in full swing as of midnight this past Thursday, the challenge is to make a holiday card! Make sure you use at least one Cricut cut and head on over and see what the design team has in store for your inspiration and link up a fabulous holiday card yourself!

For this card, I really wanted to break into some amazing holiday designer paper by Authentique (Yuletide and Jolly) I happened upon at my local scrapbooking store. I cut the card down to 5.5×4.25 inch (it fits in an A2 envelope). I then cut down the next layer by a quarter of an inch and used a Chomp-A-Dile 1/2 inch to round out the edges. I inked the edges of both the base card and first layer with Close to My Heart- Topiary.

Using Storybook cartrige, cut two rectangles at 3 and 2.75 inches. I again rounded out the corners with a Chomp-A-Dial and inked the edges. The sentiment was from My Pink Stamper- Christmas Wishes. The ink was Close to My Heart– Holiday Red. I finished this sentiment tag with Pop Dots for layering and twisted the waxed twine around the top layer.

For the candy cane, I used Gingerbread cartridge and cut the first layer only at 3 inches. I cut it 3 times and then using Pop Dots, I layered each candy cane. Using the Crop-A-Dile, I punched two holes into the top layer and then added the poinsettia brads. I then added waxed twine bow using a Glue Dot.

Thank you for stopping by and head on over to Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog and link up an inspirational project! Thanks for sharing a piece of “getting into the Holiday Spirit” pie with me!

Linking Up To:

Paper Issues – Happy Holidays

10 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Gingerbread, Cricut Cartridge: Storybook Cricut Cartridge, FCCB(Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog) Design Team Projects and tagged candy cane cards, Christmas crafts, Christmas papercrafting, easy and elegant christmas cards, easy christmas cards, fantabulous cricut challenge blog, holiday cards using Cricut, using paper to make candy canes. Bookmark the permalink.

Happy Turkey Day Week!

Posted on November 20, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

So if you have been feeling neglected, you have been. I am buried alive with projects (which is such a good thing), holiday happenings and LIFE. I have decided that I WANT TO CRAFT/CREATE IT ALL this holiday season. 🙂 We also are starting to host friends and family gatherings starting tonight and then it is Turkey Day dinner prep, doing my traditional midnight madness on Friday with a buddy at the local mall and then heading out of town to see my husband’s side of the family on Friday morning.

In all the busy mix my pooch decided to take on a war with the backyard squirrel and has managed to injury her front leg and ripping off a good portion of her skin trying to get after her annoying smack-talking nemesis of a critter by getting it stuck either under our fence or under a tree root. That little guy just taunts her and he has no idea how she has taken out a few of his relatives and brought them to us as peace offerings…. Poor little guys. This time though, the stats are Sadie Dog: 3 Squirrels: 1. So now we have been playing vet with trying to keep the wounds clean and covered and now it looks like we are going to have to take her to the vet for stitches. Oh how she hates the Head Cone of Shame.

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday. It is more because I can cook and get lost in my kitchen for a few days. One my favorite recipes is my Brie Mashed Potatoes. AMAZINGLY RICH AND SINFUL! It is such an easy recipe:

Ingredients:

10-15 Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled, diced and boiled (you can use any type of potatoes- I just like these since they are a very creamy potato!)
1/4 cup of butter (room temp)
1/8 of a cup of half and half or (milk will work to)
2/3-1/2 of a round of the Baby Brie wheel from Costco (it is around $6). Cubed (just at room temp -keeps the potatoes from cooling down too much)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

While potatoes are HOT add butter and Brie salt and pepper. Begin to whip together. I use my Kitchen Aid, but a hand mixer would do the trick. Once it has been combined mostly together add the half and half/milk until it is to the consistency you would like. Transfer to a serving dish and add a pat of butter to the top! You will have the most creamiest and amazing potatoes you could ever imagine!

Now I will leave you with this funny that I so understand and have the same feelings for!

Thanks for sharing a bit of” jibber-jabber and recipe sharing instead of crafting” pie with me and Happy Thanksgiving!

3 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged brie mashed potatoes, thanksgiving recipes, yummy food. Bookmark the permalink.

Give Thanks Everyday Repeat!

Posted on November 10, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

For my project, I decided to go the frugal time sensitive approach since I was starting this project at 10 pm! I raided my supply closet, embellishment and paper stash and started with this! The 11×12 inch wood box was a leftover from a toy packaging from my kids. The 4×6 picture frame was made out of raw wood and I pulled a glass frame from a broken picture frame. The chalkboard paint is from Rust-oleum and it works and dries like a charm!

I hauled out the craft paint and painted two layers of orange and brown on both the frame and box. After it dried (each layer dried in a matter of minutes since I did light layers), I headed down to the garage with all the pieces and the glass from the frame and sanded the frame and box. Using chalkboard spray paint, I covered the glass and left to dry.

Back upstairs, I put my Cricut to work by using Paper Doll Dress-Up. I cut out the Pilgrim and Indian at 4.25 inches and then used Peachy Keen Dolly Dumplings for the face. I then used Clear Accests for the eyes and Stampin’ Up pastels for the cheeks. I added freckles and white to the eyes with Gelly Roll pens. I embossed the pilgrim hat and apron with Cuttlebug folder Swiss Dots. For the Pilgrim’s shoes, I used black Glossy Accents. The paper was Cloud Nine Holiday Stack, DCWV Harvest Stacker and Recollection card stock.

For the banners, I took some quick short cuts. Using Mini Monograms Cricut Cartridge, I cut the base at 1 1/2 inches and the circles at 1 inch. After I cleared off a large amount of dust from my sticker drawer, I rummaged through my stickers and found some white dot letters from Making Memories. I then found clear page bubbles from Making Memories. I distressed the base of the banner with ink from Stampin’ Up Pumpkin, added the stickers to the 1 inch circles and then placed the circles under the page bubbles. I used burlap twine in cream and natural and ran through each banner pendent. Using Glue Dots, I glued “Thanks” to the frame.

Using some fall paper from Cloud Nine Holiday Stack, I cut it down 10.5×10.5 and used Zip Dry to glue down. I then added Pop Dots to the Indian and Pilgrim and placed them on the box and then attached the banner to each girl using Glue Dots.

Lastly, I added the chalkboard glass to the frame and then the frame to the box with Zip Dry.

For a project that had me burning the midnight oil, I think it turned out super cute!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “whirly wind project time” pie with me!

12 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Mini Monograms Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Cartridge: Paper Dolls Cricut Cartridge and tagged Thanksgiving craft projects, Thanksgiving craft projects with Indians, Thanksgiving crafts using chalkboard paint, Thanksgiving decor ideas using Circut, Thanksgiving family traditions, Thanksgiving gift ideas, Thanksgiving Projects using chalkboard, Thanksgiving Projects with Pilgrims. Bookmark the permalink.

Last of the Halloween!

Posted on November 10, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

So as I was packing up Halloween I remembered that I did not post this project. Thanks to blog buddy Missy from Quick Chick Designs, I decided to follow her festive Halloween lead and make a similar garland that she did this year.

It was super easy and I used a fun pattern of fabric I had on hand. If you head over to her site, you can see all the details!

We are still working on our fireplace, so I have no mantle yet, but I used the screen instead.

Thank for coming and sharing a piece of “getting inspired by friends” pie with me.

4 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged fabric banner, fabric garland, halloween fabric banner, halloween fabric garland. Bookmark the permalink.

Happy Election Day!

Posted on November 6, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

When you look at the world, you truly realize what a gift America has of having freedom. Freedom does come with a steep price that I do not take lightly. Because of those freedoms, I as a woman, can express my beliefs, have a real voice in the direction of the way I would like to see my community, state and country follow and be able to share that openly if I choose. I can be educated and choose the education methods I want for my daughters. I am a very blessed woman to have been born in this great country that has given me the opportunity to come from a legacy that you can come from nothing and succeed with the added ingredients of hard work, faith in ourselves and faith in God.

Many may not know, but I am a political junkie and today is our Superbowl! We will be decked out in red, white and blue and I will be making a big dinner and sitting down glued to the TV tonight.

Today we will head to our local polls and vote and I understand the long hours the volunteers at the polls sign up for this day to be a success. Many of those volunteers are veterans that are still wanting to serve their country. With that thought, I decided to make little treat bags for the poll workers to bring along with my girls and my ballot. Due to polling regulations, you can’t get crazy on treats and gifts for the polling volunteers, but doing something little is acceptable and very much appreciated.

Using my Stand Up and Salute cartridge, I cut the shape of the United States at 1.5 inches from a chevron pattern I found in a DCWV Summer Stacker I have. I then cut white and red card stock 4×2.75 inches. I stamped the sentiment using My Pink Stamper Itty Bitty-licious. I also cut the blue polka dot pattern paper from DCWV Summer Stacker at 3.75×2.5 inches. Using my ATG I layered the two papers and folded in half using a bone folder.

For the Hershey Nuggets, I cut the 12×12 pattern paper down to 1 inch strips and then cut it down 3 inch strips (it makes 4 strips for every 1 inch strip.) Using my ATG I wrapped each nugget.

I then slipped the nuggets in a 2×4 inch clear plastic bag that I got from Clearbags.com. I stapled the toppers to the top of the bag and added the shape using Pop Dots.

Thanks for sharing a piece of “it is finally election day” pie with me!

Linking to:

Craft-0-Maniac

Everyday is Sunday – Sunday Fundays

Exploring Cricut

6 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Stand Up and Salute, My Pink Stamper - Itty-Bitty-licious and tagged election day treat bags, thank you ideas for election day polling volunteers. patriotic crafting ideas, thank you ideas for veteran's day, treat bag ideas for polling volunteers, veteran's day goody bags, veterans's day treat bags. Bookmark the permalink.

Uh-Oh! Someone May be Two-Timing on Her Cricut!

Posted on November 4, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

I have a confession to make. . . I decided to join the Silhouette Cameo party and just received mine in the mail this week. This will never take away my love for my bug, but I did feel like I was two timing a bit on it! 🙂 However, this machine is soooo cool! I am just getting my feet wet with figuring it out and I started that with this project I made for the father of a very close friend. We were invited to his 75th birthday party and I wanted to make something very special for him.

He has a nickname of the “Pumpkin Man” since he makes family and close friends ceramic jack-o-lanterns with their names carved in the mouth smile. They also light up and they are perfect for Halloween! When we got married, we got a big pumpkin with our last name for a wedding present and when both of my girls were born, I got one with their names carved for a baby gift.

With all that in mind, I decided to make a sign for his front porch. I found a 12×18 wood board at Michael’s and I painted it in two layers of brown, burnt orange and white. I then sanded it down to distress and weather it.

I then cut out vinyl lettering in the Times Roman font and I found a cut at the Silhouette shop of the pumpkins. I used the cut twice, but flipping the second (which ca be done by a simple right click to find that feature). I cut this out on a gold metallic vinyl that I got from expressionsvinyl.com.

I think this turned out really cute and it was a great first-time project!

Thanks for sharing a piece of a tad bit of two-timing on my bug” pie with me.

Linking up to:

Craft-O-Maniac

Pink Cricut- Link Up Tuesday

Everyday is an Occasion – Sunday Funday Link Party

5 Comments

Posted in Silhouette Cameo and tagged elegant pumpkin silhouette cuts, fall pumpkin cuts from Silhouette, gift ideas using the silhouette., gift ideas using vinyl, homemade signs, projects using the Silhouette Cameo. sign making with the Silhouette cameo. Bookmark the permalink.