DIY: Be My Funny Valentine

In my quest to create three unique valentines this year, I stumbled across another thing Brady loves right now: some valentine-themed jokes.  There is nothing funnier to him than a good knock-knock joke.  So, for Valentine No. 2, I decided to make some microphone bookmarks with a joke on the back so the kids could be little stand-up comedians. When they're done making their friends peel over with laughter, they'll have a fun bookmark, to boot!

You can download the files here: front, back-page-one and back-page-two (each back has different jokes).  Print the front first, then insert the printed page opposite of how it was originally and print the back.  You may want to do a few practice runs until you become familiar with how your printer handles the paper.  For my bookmarks, I used 80# cardstock, punched an 1/8" hole in the bottom of the microphone, and threaded some black embroidery floss through for the cord.  

Do you have any funny (and clean, please!) jokes for Valentine's day?  Please share in the comments!

See Valentine No. 1 and Valentine No. 3

How to Be a Pirate

Halloween has always been a bit of a struggle in the costume department as far as decisions go.  There are just so many possibilities that Brady has never been able to decide on just one costume without a lot of convincing.  But this year there was one thing he definitely knew he wanted to be: a pirate. 

I really love making his costumes so we ended up doing a bit of creating and a bit of collecting.  Here's how we made it happen:

• Pirate Hat and Eye Patch: Borrowed from a friend


• Vest: Sewn from the Oliver + S book, Little Things to Sew


• Shirt: J. Crew, from his closet


• Pants: From his closet


• Sash: Cut from an old shirt


• Pirate Loot Bag: Sewn from this tutorial and stamped with a crossbones potato stamp


• Boots: Polarn O. Pyret


• Sword: Target

We also had a bit of fun making this amazingly fast and cute vampire pumpkin that I saw in Martha Stewart Living.  All you do is carve out the mouth area, wedge some vampire teeth into the hole, and add two red-headed pins for the eyes.  Easy and adorable.

For a few Halloween parties we had over the weekend, Brady also dressed up as the old man, Karl Fredrickson, from the movie Up, which was the greatest.  But he did that more for me than as his own idea.  I'll share pictures of that costume and how we put it together on Facebook later today.

How was your Halloween?  Did you or your children dress up?  What were your favorite costumes?

DIY Gift: Homemade Ice Cream

Here's a simple and easy DIY idea for a summery gift everyone is bound to love: homemade ice cream in a jar.  All you need are some supplies that are probably already in your cupboard: a mason jar, a small square of fabric, some ribbon or twine, a tag, and a freshly mixed batch of your favorite ice cream.

Make the ice cream according to the directions and then pour the soft-serve-staged goodness into a clean, empty mason jar.  Put the jar in the freezer for 2-3 hours to allow the ice cream to ripen, or freeze completely.  When you're in need of a gift you can pull it out, place a square of fabric between the lid and the ring, and finish it off with the twine and a tag.  Or, you can always just grab a spoon and help yourself...

Here are some amazing ice cream recipes:

• Strawberry Ice Cream (as pictured above)


• Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream


• Mixed Berries Sorbet


• Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream


• Mango Ginger Frozen Yogurt

What are your favorite frozen treats to make for summer?  

 

What I'm Working On

WORK: The last few weeks the holiday rush has slowed down a bit and I've been able to get to work designing again.  My latest projects are these two cards, featuring illustrations of things that just belong together.  They were designed with Valentine's Day in mind but I think they'd also be great for a best friend or anyone you hold dear.

SPOTLIGHT: Have you seen the latest issue of Greetings, etc.?  Take a look at page 20 and you'll see my Ribbon Invitations!  It's Lily Jane Stationery's first magazine feature.  I'm flattered and pretty excited.

THE HOMEFRONT: It's been dinosaur week at preschool.  I've never seen my three year old so chatty about what he's done there...he is loving it.  So we're taking a trip to the dinosaur museum today to cap it all off.  

I'm also going to be finishing up the last of the New Year's purging; I've been going through every nook and cranny of my house cleaning out and tidying up.  There will be victory dancing when it's all done.

SOON TO BE: There's a sweet DIY project underway.  It involves chocolate and toothpicks and I can't wait to share it with you.  It's coming next week!

What have you been working on lately?  Any plans for the weekend?

DIY: Bunting Advent Calendar

I am a big time procrastinator.  I wish I wasn't and I have seen improvements over the years, but here we are - December 1st - and do you know what I spent the morning doing?  Putting together this advent calendar.  Because it's time to start it already!  Can you believe that December is already here? 

I'm hoping that you're in the same boat as me (or know someone else who is) and need a quick and easy calendar that you can put together with things found around the house, too.  That's exactly what this calendar is: a raiding of my craft cupboard.  It turned out so darling, though! 

Here's how to do it yourself:

SUPPLIES:

• Paper scraps


• Scissors


• 1/8" hole punch


• Numbers: either rub-on, stickers or you can write them yourself


• Twine or string


• Ribbon

STEPS:

1. Cut the paper scraps into various widths and lengths.  You should have 25 in all (if you're starting with Dec. 1st; you can always start a little later in the month, too).  Fold in half and cut diagonally across the bottom corner to create points at the bottom of your "flags."


2. Using the hole punch, punch two small holes in the top of each flag, one in each corner.  Be careful not to get too close to the edge, so your paper won't rip when you thread the twine through.


3. Arrange the flags in a row in an eye-catching pattern.


4. Starting with the first flag add a number to the bottom, centered just above the points.


5. Flip each number over and add an activity for that day or a clue as to wear a toy or sweet is hidden.


6. Thread the twine through the holes and tie a ribbon bow on one side of the twine, if desired. 

That's all there is to it!  It's really very simple but looks fantastic when you're done.  We've decided to put a good range of different activities along with a few small goodies, so it's not all about the presents.  A few of my favorites:

1. Attend the city tree lighting


2. Make paper snowflakes


3. Make a gingerbread house


4. Go ice skating, tubing or sledding


5. Build a snowman


6. Visit Temple Square to see the lights
   


7. Make egg nog


8. Bake Christmas cookies


9. Make presents for friends


10. Make wrapping paper using potato stamps

What types of activites do you look forward to during the Christmas season?  Do you have fond memories of using advent calendars when you were a child?

DIY: Walnut Boats

Today I'm sharing a tutorial for how to make walnut boats over on Hip Hip Hooray.  They're adorable and so easy.  Take a peek!

{image by me}

Lavender Sugar

Thanks to a little wild lavender bush growing in my front yard, I was able to dry my own batch of lavender this year.  It smells heavenly and I can't wait to try all the things I'll be able to do with it.  My first project was lavender sugar, which is so simple to do.  Blend 1 Tbs. dried lavender buds in a blender until powdery and mix with 2 cups of fine granulated sugar (Caster or Baker's sugar works best).  Or put it all in the blender together for something a little more like powdered sugar in consistency, like I did.

It's a beautiful, thoughtful and inexpensive gift idea.  You can substitute lavender sugar for regular sugar in countless recipes, like sugar cookies, or serve it sprinkled over a bowl of fresh berries.  If you'd like to try cooking with whole lavender buds, there are recipes like Lavender
Spritzer to try.  Personally, I think my powdered sugar variety will
make some amazing Mexican Wedding Cookies.

{images by me}