Valentine in a Pot

I know I am a little late in getting the craft post up, but please forgive me.  I have had one of my kids home all week with.....the flu.  Yes, we all got our flu shots!  The problem with my job, is that just because I am home with a sick a child, doesn't mean I am off....the work still has to get done and it is year end....which means long, long hours.  So, I apologize for being late, but I hope the wait is worth it!

First, take a good look at the photo.  Yes, those are Halloween sticks that I made and stuck in my plant (dying plant).  My kids have been giving me a hard time - begging me to remove them, but I love Halloween/Fall and just haven't gotten around to it yet.  However, my Christmas decorations (including outside lights) are all down and put away (only because we had a weekend that was over 60 degrees!!). So when Melissa asked if my craft was Valentine theme, I said no.  However, I decided to re-think it!

I ran to Michaels tonight and purchased these for less than $5.  They were right when I walked in on the their big Valentine display.  Red glitter hearts with a bow on a stick and K & Co. 3-D Valentine embellishments.  I love K & Co. crafts.

All I did was stick three of the embellishments onto the glitter heart and stuck them in my plant.

Front

Back

Even looks kind of cute from the back!  Next I stuck three of the sticks I made and two of the glitter hearts with a bow into the plant.  I added three of the smaller embellishments to the pot and done!

This seriously took me less than 5 minutes to make.  Now we will see if my kids notice in the morning!

Note:  My plant is looking rather ill - it is some sort of cactus.  My son really wanted a cactus this summer and we found this at the farmer's market. I have a feeling it isn't liking being stuck in my kitchen window given it is below zero out!  It is really flimsy and shrunk up.  Any green thumbs out there that can give me some plant/cactus advice?  Seriously, I could kill a fake plant.

Quck and Easy to Make Valentines

The other night, my girls and I sat down and made up quick Valentines.  They made them for their classmates and I made them for work.  All together we made 75 of them in about 60 minutes.

Here are the ones I made for work.  I picked the following sayings:

Have a Dino-Mite Valentine's Day! (Dinosaur in the center)

Hopping By To Say Happy Valentine's Day! (Frog in the center)

Have a Beary Valentine's Day! (Bear in the center)

Supplies List:

• My Creative Time Classmate Valentine Stamp Set
• Plain paper (I used white)
• Valentine pattern paper (or colored paper)
• Paper Trey Ink pads - scarlet jewel and true black
• Adhevsive - pop dots and glue dots
• Punches - 1 3/8 inch circle and 1 3/4 inch scallop circle
• Candy - I used Dove chocolates and my girls are going to use Valentine suckers.

Step 1 - stamp outer circle with your favorite sayings, in whatever color you chose.  My girls also used:

• You're Purr-fect Valentine (Cat in the center)
• I'm a Sucker for You, Valentine (Sucker in the center)
• Have a Wild Day Valentine (Zebra in the center)
• Happy Valentine's Day, Teacher (Apple in the center)

The sayings we didn't use were:

• You're Out of This World, Valentine (Rocket ship in the center)
• Happy Valentine's Day, Little Bug (Ladybug in the center)

Step 2 - stamp the center item in whatever color you chose.  I used black.  My daughter decided to color hers in - which added some piazza!

Step 3 - Using the circle punch, punch out your sayings.  Using the scallop punch and pattern paper (or colored paper) punch as many scallops as you need.

Step 4 - Assemble.  We used the pop dot to adhere the circle to the scallop.

Step 5 - Using glue dots, adhere the scallop to the chocolate (suckers once I buy them from the store!!)

Step 6 - Share with others!

If you have any comments or questions, please leave a comment and I will reply.  I hope you enjoyed this easy to make Valentine.

I originally posted January 23rd on Outnumbered 3 to 1.

Homework + Crafts = Smiles for All!

Hello everyone - I am so sorry I have been MIA with craft projects and reviews over the past few weeks.  My daughter's appendix ruptured over two weeks ago and we are still at the hospital.  She is improving daily, but we have a long way to go.

We are trying to keep up with her school work and trying to make it fun (since not much else is!).  As the nurse was writing her name on the whiteboard, I had an idea!  I went to Walmart and purchased a plate.  Even though I am totally exhausted, the previous sentence is not an error.  I purchased a plastic plate for $1.97.

I also purchased dry erase markers in bright neon colors.  They are also WASHABLE!  Who wouldn't love that!  The pack of 6 was $7.97.

So what in the world does a plastic plate and dry erase markers have to do with home and crafts?  Well, let me tell you.  We would ask Allie to spell one of her sight words and she would write them on the plate using the colorful markers.  Next she had to draw a picture and write a sentence using the sight word.  The creativity and fun just started to flow.  Next, we moved to math.  I would write the problem and she would write the answer.  Who knew homework could be so much fun!

I purchased some extra plates and markers and took them home to my other two kids.  We practiced for the week's spelling test using the plates and they LOVED it.

Don't worry about purchasing an eraser - paper towel works bests and you can use it several times over before needing a new one.  Other ideas you can use the plate and markers for:

• Drawing pictures 
• Making a "to do" list for your kid(s) and have them check items off as they are completed
• Writing the dinner menu
• Posting the day's schedule
• Listing contact numbers for the sitter
• Any other ideas you can come up with!

Hope this helps make your homework go more smoothly and everyone is happy when it is done!  Get creative and have a great weekend!

I originally posted on Outnumbered 3 to 1.

College Blanket

Being the crazy Aunt with too much to do, I tackled a knitting project for my two nieces and sister (and now a nephew) in college.  I thought it would be fantastic and really fast to knit them college blankets.  Since all three girls were the same year in college, I decided to make Jessica's first. She is after all the furthest north and could really use a blanket. Jessica is a senior now at University of Montana. I shipped her blanket out the fall of 2009 (she was Sophomore).  The colors were really pretty: Maroon and Silver.

 Grey Heather

Country Wine

Kelsey was the second blanket I made, given she was in the next northern niece. Kelsey goes to Central Michigan University.....Go Chips (yes, I am an alumni). She got her blanket the spring of 2010. The colors were maroon and gold, and were spot on for CMU colors.

Sunshine

Country Rose

Onto Amanda's blanket. She is the most southern one at University of North Carolina. My plan was to give it to her at Thanksgiving 2010. I spent all sorts of late nights working on it. The problem was, I decided to try a new pattern and the blanket turned out just awful. I ended up scraping it (still tucked in a drawer) and started over.  Fifteen months later....the blanket is done.  I don't know why it took so long to get the blanket done. It is really a super easy blanket to make. The colors for UNC are "Carolina Blue" and white. I didn't want to use white (it would be filthy before I ever finished it), so I used "Carolina Blue" and navy.

 Dark Country Blue

Light Country Blue

The stitches are knit, purl, yarn over and knit 2 together.  It is that simple. The blanket has a "pocket" on the underside (see photo at top) so you can put your feet in it and they stay covered and snug.

I used size 13 (US) knitting needles and 3 skeins (Caron Simply Soft) of each color (holding the colors together and knitting them as if a single yarn).

You can purchase the pattern at Fiber Space. The pattern is P-42 and is called the Icicle Toes LapWrap #1 (I call it the College Blanket).

Currently, I have one more I have to make....during the time it took to make the girls their blankets; my nephew started Central Michigan University this fall.  The way I see it, I have 3 and half years to get it done and I know the colors to use!

Now, I have a question for you all. I need to knit a baby blanket. Do you have a pattern you really liked making? Please leave me a comment if you do. I have one to make and just don't know what I want to do.

I am off to mail my sister, Amanda, at UNC her blanket! Thanks and have a great weekend.

I originally posted on Outnumbered 3 to 1.

Ruffled Knits

I am sure you all have seen those fun ruffled scarfs by now.  I had the hardest time finding the yarn  last year.  Now it seems I can find it everywhere!  Here are a few that I have started and one I have finished.

This is really, really easy to knit.

Step 1. Pick out the yarn that you like (so many to chose from now!).

Step 2. Use the size needles on the label.

Step 3. Loop on 5 - 10 stitches.  This will all depend on how wide you want the scarf.  I stuck with 5 stitches.  See photos for "loop on stitches."  I made that term up....not sure what you really call it!

 First "loop"

Bring the up and over the first loop and push through hole about an inch or so down. 

 Repeat until you have 5 - 10  "stitches/loops on your needed.

Here I have 5 "looped on" stitches.  Ready to knit!

Step 4. Knit every row until at the end of the yarn (leave enough to cast off).

 

 

Step 5. Cast off and weave ends into scarf.

Step 6. Wear it out and about!

These make great gifts and are very easy to make.  They also are not very time consuming, since it is a few stitches and all knit!  Happy crafting!

I posted this originally on Outnumbered 3 to 1.