New Year, Time to Get Crafty!

Every crafter's resolution: make more stuff in the new year.

To get this off to a good start, I'm inviting some friends over to felt with me on the first, tomorrow. No time to waste!

Check out these super-cute projects by Martha Stewart:

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/felting-projects?lpgStart=1&currentslide=1&currentChapter=1#ms-global-breadcrumbs

The little colored balls and beads might be just right for a single felting session as we're all newbies, however I'm really intrigued by these adorable needle-felted birds:

The video is great to watch. The guest has a site with a gallery of the incredible little critters she's made: http://jenndocherty.com/bears.html

Cute Last-Minute Gifts for the Neighbors

I made these packets of hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows for the neighbors as easy last-minute Christmas gifts.

I didn't do it alone, I had a little help from two able assistants.

Colin and Ethan helped me with the recipe for the marshmallows I found on Martha Stewart's website:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/homemade-marshmallows

We had everything we needed in our cupboards to make these up. The hardest part was being patient while the thing whipped itself up to amazing volume in nine minutes.

You pour the mixture out and let it set for a couple of hours while the kids try to lick all the sticky goo that has accumulated on their bodies.

Later, you cut it up into cubes and roll it in a generous amount of powdered sugar.

The hot chocolate was even simpler. Just measure and mix up some dry ingredients. I got premium cocoa and it really tastes great!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,173,149189-254196,00.html

I scooped some into some cellophane bags, arranged some marshmallows on a bit of wax paper in another, made a cute label with directions (and our Santa photo) and stapled it all together.

Super easy!

The boys and I delivered them today. Fun!

Cancer Card Brightens a Day!

No other card I make gets me the kind of feedback that my "Hey Cancer! Take THAT!" card gets me.

If you haven't seen it before, it features the popular iconic Rosie the Riveter image... but with a twist.

Pull the tab on the right and her bent arm moves in a rude gesture, to put cancer in its proper place.

In one of my giveaways, one of my winners asked if she could substitute this card for the card that she'd won, giving me a bit of the story. I recently received this feedback from her:

Hi Molly,

I just wanted to let you know how much my mom loved the cancer card.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, our family was worried, of course, but also positive. We were fortunate in that the doctor's found the cancer by accident (if there is such a thing) and in a very early stage.

From the first night we found out, we decided we were going to kick ass and take names. Even though it was my mom's body, we were all in this together and we were strong. Luckily, surgery did the trick and now she's cancer free! We feel like we dodged a bullet and we are so, so happy. Your cancer card fit our situation perfectly. "Take That, Cancer!"

Thank you so much for making such a great card.

Take care,

Darcy

Feedback like this really makes my day! This is EXACTLY why I love to send this card out so much -- making a sale is always fun, but the thought of brightening someone's day with this defiant sentiment is the real motivator for me!

Thank you, Darcy, for taking the time to let me know your story!

Tutorial: Personalized Tacks

I decided I wanted to make tacks for my coworkers for Christmas. They look soooo cute displayed on a piece of leftover bulletin board cork cut to fit inside an Altoid's tin.

The red border of the front of the tin is ready-made for holiday embellishment!

Anyone who's ever made these flattened glass fridge magnets or tacks knows how incredibly simple it is. The hardest part for me was finding nice clear flat marbles -- I used to get them from the craft store or even the dollar store, but lately all I've found there are opalescent or riddled with pock marks.

I finally found some nice ones at a local floral supply store.

My 1/2" circle punch is sure handy for punching out the photos (you can cut out with scissors but it sure does take a lot longer!)

Here you see the different stages. On the left, just a plain, flat glass marble.

Next step: add a small drop of Diamond Glaze (what a wonderful adhesive!).

Press your photograph face down into the drop, pressing down so that some gooshes out of the edges (then you know it's covered the whole photo).

Add another drop of Diamond Glaze.

Press down the tack.

That's it!

It's so simple I did them all in one quick crafty evening. What made this gift a little extra special was the presentation. I cut the cork to fit the inside of the Altoids tin. The tin would be an equally cute way to gift refrigerator magnets made with this same technique.

Enjoy!

One Pretty Thing: Craft Roundup!

Ever wish that someone could take the work out of browsing the web for the good stuff?

One Pretty Thing does just that, for people who love to craft! Every day, it features one daily do-it-yourself theme, like "Crafts for Kids," "Gifts for Grandparents," "Printable Roundup" and delivers the very best online tutorials for the very best the web has to offer.

Myself, I have my eye on that cute soldered photo pendant tutorial...

Check it out! Enjoy!

Customer Spotlight: Jungle Invitations for a Baby Shower!

Oh my GOODNESS! Is that cake the cutest thing or what?

And the amazingly decorated cookies! Yow!

I had a customer who wanted to use my jungle invitations for a baby shower -- they've been used that way probably more often than for birthday parties already, a super cute theme!

Rovie was kind enough to send me photos recently of the shindig. Doesn't it look amazing?

I loved hearing this:

"The invitations were a BIG HIT! Oh, yes!! Everyone raved about them (both kids and adults alike).

I am super thrilled that you made them because it set the tone for party which, by the way, was a huge success!"

This is what went on the back of the invitations (all of my spinning wheel invitations can have overflow text go on the back easily):

I love books as a gift for a baby shower! I know that of all the wonderful items we received when the twins were born (clothes, gear, toys, etc), it's the books that we still have and still look at occasionally.

Rovie was such a fun customer! We worked together on getting these absolutely perfect -- she asked me to substitute a lion in place of the tiger as the new mom and dad are associated with a monkey and a lion.

So much fun!

Thanks so much for sending me photos, Rovie!

Online Auction -- amazing and wonderful items!

Looking for a way to snag some amazing gifts this holiday season AND give back a little bit? Here is a great opportunity! Starting today, there will be a charity auction at BLOOM (www.placetobloom.blogspot.com) to benefit Claire and Benson Skinner.

Here's a helpful link to the entire list of auction items! Mine is #53.

As explained by their parents, "Benson and Claire were born with a rare genetic disease in which their liver produces too much oxalate--called primary hyperoxaluria. Claire's condition has progressed much faster than Benson's. She has been on dialysis since she was 3 months old and is on dialysis 3 hours a day, 6 days a week. She is now on the waiting list to receive a combined kidney / liver transplant. It is expected Benson will eventually need similar transplants."

Read more about the Skinners' experience.

All proceeds from the auction at BLOOM will go directly to Claire's COTA (Children's Organ Transplant Association) account to help pay for her transplant. Please head over to BLOOM now for the auction! It ends on Saturday!

Check out the auction now! (remember to click to see all 82 items!)