I'm stuck on you...

If you are looking for a super easy gift to give to a teacher. I've got just the thing.
Magnets.  
Yes I am sure you have seen these, they are everywhere and so easy that you can make them in 1-2 hours and have them ready to go.

Flat on one side and curved on the other. They come in all sorts of color and the clear ones are my favorite.  There are multiple sizes and the ones I choose were a med size a little bit bigger than a quarter and they came in a bag of a zillion or so.   For these I used a round punch, paper I had on hand, but you can custom tailor based on the event.  For a teacher I might do school items, or if I know what the teacher likes something one of a kind.

I made these for my daughters teacher and she like to travel. I had some paper with old european stamps on it and punched them out.

I glued the picture on the flat side of the marble, let set 15 min. 

then glued the magnet on. Set for 15-30 min and you are done.  

You could decorate a metal tin with leftover paper or put them in a small material bag. 

Have fun with it.

This set will be what she gets

Here is another paper I found using the same technique. 

One more kinda paper 

Make & take class on these magnets is currently scheduled for July 1st 6:00pm-8:00pm

Cost: $6.00 includes 6 magnets

Each additional item will be $1.00.

RSVP is required at Creative Juices Design Studio.

It should be summer, but still feels like spring.

I love spring and technically we are still in it, but normally at this time we're wearing shorts and t-shirts, but today I contemplated a long sleeve t-shirt. June 10, hmmm. I didn't do it but instead wore a sweatshirt over the short sleeve t-shirt.


Back to spring Mer, I love it, and look forward to spring every year.   I get this feeling inside and I just want to sing.
I made these's  a few months ago and was inspired while making birthday cards. These colorful butterflies currently are clipped to a ribbon in my front room. They definitely add to the spring feel.
Years ago I purchased some small clothes pins(approx. 1" long), and used them on the back of the butterfly.  From top to bottom, these butterflies measure approx. 3".  
While I was putting ribbon on a present I added a butterfly to the ribbon and clipped the card to it.  A nice embellishment to the package.  I have also attached them to gift bags to hold the handle closed again including the card. (When using on the handle I had to use a bigger clothes pin.)

These butterflies are detailed and can be used for home decoration or for presents.  You can purchase a  single butterfly or a set of 3, click here to view my Etsy store.

You can get an idea of the size of the clothes pin I used, but you can use what you have around the house even a large paperclip.

These butterflies really turned out amazing. I was even thinking of cutting some out of material and making a butterfly mobile. the possibilities.

I had some small round dowels 12" long and I put them in between the body of the butterfly. You could use a kabob stick too and the pointy part could be put into a plant.

These two were an added bonus, Pinwheels, (display only they don't spin) the center is a brad. I was on a roll. 

I had both the butterflies and the pinwheels on the dowels in a small vase.

Save the date:

Make & take class on these butterflies & pinwheels is currently scheduled for June 24th 6:00pm-8:00pm

Cost: $5.00 includes 1 butterfly and 1 pinwheel

Each additional item will be $1.50.

RSVP is required at Creative Juices Design Studio.

Giving the gift of Creativity!!

For the last few years a good friend of mine has asked me if I wanted to donate to her daughters fundraiser and every year I say yes and... I don't. The event comes and goes and no donation from me.  Know why? because I didn't think I was creative.... Well Well Well how do I preach that we all have creativity, and not believe I have any myself?  I have no idea, but I have. Maybe in a moment of weakness, maybe when I feel vulnerable, or maybe I am just PMS'ing.  Whatever the reason this year I made a New Years resolution and that was to get rid of any negative thoughts of not being creative.  Yes that is right so when I hear that voice, you know "THAT VOICE" it says something like blah blah blah you are not creative blah blah blah. I change the voice, I am creative Yes I am creative.  I can make and create fun crafty things.  I always feel better after that.

So guess what.... yup I did it, I was creative and made a box not just any box one out of cardstock....for a fundraiser, and I put things in it.   I realize I have been making cards and tagss just for this moment.

Look  I put all sorts of things in the box:

Variety of hand crafted cards, tags and more

5 x 8 box 

Box top is on the left bottom on right

The box was very very very easy to make. 

Supplies you will need: 

Either a Martha Stewart scoring board, and a bone folder, or a fiskars paper trimmer with changeable blades. (I have the fiskars paper trimmer and scoring blade). 

Paper trimmer to cut paper

Tape or glue

2 pieces of paper

Lets say you want to make a square box  the base is 4 x 4 x 2.  Your paper size should be 8x8

 1. Using your paper trimmer (cutting blade on) cut 1 sheet of paper 8 x8. On the second piece of paper you want to cut it 8 1/8" on two sides 

2. Using the scoring tool go in 2" on each side of the paper and score you will have lines on the paper that makes it easier to fold.  Do this on both pieces of paper.

3. You will notice small squares on the corner of the paper cut 2"  only one par, one side of  the scored paper. Do this on each corner. You will have a flap to glue or tape inside the box.

4. Glue and fold the flap inside the box to create a corner. Do this for all 4 corners. you now have the bottom of the box. 

5. Repeat for top of box. the paper for the top that was a little bigger will fit perfect over the bottom of the box.  

If you have any questions on the box or need help making one, leave a comment and I will get back to you shortly!

So the fundraiser this year,  ohhh yeah I did it, ahha  I did  it!!!!!

Creativity grows bigger every time you believe, you are Creative.

  

Kids need healthy food in their lunch

Fresh fruit in you kids lunch is very important, as most of my friends know I am very interested in eating healthy. I do also enjoy my sweets (definitely a sweet tooth or two). I appreciate a good salad and homemade food. I started thinking about processed foods and had to ask my husband what we had in the house that was processed.  The best thing he could come up with was cheese I never really thought of cheese as being processed, but I do have a jar of that con queso cheese sauce in my fridge. For some reason that is one processed item I don't mind eating. Yes it grosses me out to think about it, but hey I don't eat fast food unless you count teriyaki as fast food.

So getting back to kids and lunch....I like to pack fresh fruit in my daughters lunch. She likes all kinds of fruit including kiwi (something I never tried) grapes, apples, and strawberries.   I pack one of these in her lunch from time to time with a note on the back letting her know how much I love her, or I am thinking about her right now, or how amazing she is.  Just a little reminder.   These fresh strawberries notes  fit nicely in a lunch bag without getting squished.

These fun fresh picked strawberries are approx. 3 1/4" tall you could even bling them up with a glitter pen.  Just a thought....  :) Family is the most important thing in our lives and we have to remember that we as parents teach guide and grow our future!

* If you are interested in purchasing a pack of "Fresh Picked Strawberry" cards, leave a comment and we can set up delivery!

Being Creative is in everyone of us!

Yes it is true, we all have been given the gift of creativity. How we use it and how we see it are just as important as realizing you have it. Some people are creative in cooking (me definitely not). Some in sewing, some in organizing, painting, or decorating a home.


Me definitely crafts, paper crafts to be more specific. When I was a kid my mom made crafts to make extra money. She made all sorts of things, nothing I was really interested in, but I was lucky enough to know about them and know where to go to get what was needed.

    

I started as a young person painting. I painted boxes yes small wood boxes. I painted them with sunflowers on the top.  I love sunflowers I think they are the flower that sing.  I painted them for years. I even went so far as to sell them one holiday season.  I added silk flowers on the top of some of them.  I really enjoyed painting them. During that time I never really considered myself creative.  


My next experience was with pastels. I love the way they blend and look together, no I cant say I did those very well, but I sure thought I could.  


I did some more painting this time on canvas,  large and small.   Mosaic on terra-cota planters and birdhouses was another craft I tried (not my thing). Candle making was another craft I tried, still not my thing.


Crafts with my daughter came next, all kinds: rainbows on the wall made with my daughters hand prints, valentines, easter egg crafts, hmmmm some other things I am sure.  


Where all these experiences led me was to paper. One of my favorite things (I think that makes 2 favorites now) I am so amazed with all the amazing things we can do with paper and all the different colors and designs paper comes in. Certain colors  and designs make me feel really good.

When I start working on something I usually don't know how it will end up.  I begin with what, what do I want to make. Lets say I want to make a Thank you card. What color do I want to start with I ask myself, and then I listen, This is one of my Birthday creations.


I also really like to journal my thought and ideas, (definitely a place I can go to get thoughts out of my head!!!). Writing is creative, actually it helps me be creative. I get out things stuck in my head in turn my creativity flows.


I am sure if you think back wayyyy back you will find creativity in your life.


What do you do to be creative and how do you share your creativity with the people in your life?


Thank you for being creative!




  

Oh how I love thy Cricut

Oh,Cricut how do I love thy, let me count the ways:

I love the way you cut so many different sizes with a turn of a dial and a push of a button,

how easy you cooperate with me even when I make a mistake, you never hold my mistakes against me.

I love that you show me before I press the cut button what I am cutting, the size, speed and pressure.

I love that I can cut many different thicknesses of paper from vellum to thin chip board. (I even cut fabric and made 4th of July shirts)

When I want to make more then one of a design I can ask you to make more with one push of another button how nice you are to flip my designs to fit reverse pages (when working on scrapbooking) 

All the different cartridges avail at my finger tips. You inspire me, when I feel less than creative. I can do it my way! (Maybe my favorite)

Ohh Cricut, I am so glad that you  are in my life...

Another Birthday Card Idea

Okay so I had a friend over this weekend and we were working on some things. She her scrapbook pages and me cards and a hanging frame set I am making for my daughter (I will include pictures soon).

I wanted to make a few more birthday cards and when I found a fun font on my cricut, I cut out several and placed them on a card and just wasn't happy with it so I added some "garland" well what I call garland is kinda like ivy and placed it under the the mat holding Happy Birthday. I was quite happy with how it turned out.

All of this was done with scraps of paper. I am all for using what you have so if you are making a birthday card, use what you have on hand.

To make this card without a cricut is just as easy and creative. Find paper or cardstock(preferably) in the size of 5 1/2"L x 8"W, folding it in half so it is 5 1/2"Lx 4"W. The envelope size is A2. Find coordinating color to make a mat (I used purple) The purple mat is 3"L x 3/4"W You can play with the size and see what you like best. I used a cut out for the Happy Birthday, but you could use a thick felt colored pen and write Happy Birthday. The "garland" I used the cricut and cutout the design, again you can use the pen you used to write Happy Birthday to do swirly designs on the card itself, glue or tape the mat behind on top of the swirls and you have your card. If you card is a dark color on the inside you can use another lighter color of paper 5"L x3 1/2"W to write your message on.

Give it a try and show me what you come up with.

Time to be creative!