Creative Mom Cafe

Happy Valentine’s day!

Are you ready to enjoy the day? Treats made, crafts done, trinkets and small presents ready to go? Or are you like me and putting everything off to the last minute? If you still don’t know what to make or do today there are a few easy and quick ideas that you can do last minute. After all, just because you are creative does not mean that you are timely. Some of the most creative people are also the mose scatterbrained. Or, that’s what I tell myself.

• Beaded Valentine - make a cute bead and lace Valentine that’s easy for kids to make.
• Woven Hearts card - for the more advenced creative types create this beautiful card by weaving ribbons into hearts.
• Satin Heart Box - this beautiful heart shaped box looks like a lot more work than it really is. If you can cut satin and use a hot glue gun you can create this elegant little box.
• Plastic Canvas Mailbox - This is a fun little mailbox you can create out of plastic canvas and yarn. Perfect for putting those little goodies in
• Cross Stitch Valentine Gift Bag - Here is a simple way to decorate a bag into a special Valentine bag.
• Sweetheart Necklaces - bake these simple little hearts with your kids to give as cute gifts
• Felt Conversation Hearts - These are another simple craft that you can do with your kids. Have fun making the hearts the decide what you want to say with them.

Hopefully you will find something there that you can whip up for a last minute fun craft.

Valentine’s Day, crafts, gifts

Spring is in the air. Or not, depending on where you live.

But no matter the climate there is a feeling of spring coming on soon. Or at least a yearning for spring to come along soon and end this nasty snow.

If you are looking to burn some creative energy and anticipate the spring thaw a great creative idea is to start planting some seeds. No matter how old or young your kids are they can help in some way with this. Even just sprinkling the seeds on the dirt can make them feel happy. With Valentine’s Day coming up you can turn this into a fun last minute gift idea. Paint and decorate some interesting pots and plant flower seeds in them.

If you want to be eco-friendly and creative you can look to your own garbage for interesting planting ideas. You might just be surprised at what you are tossing out that could be used again as a nice home for your seedlings. If digging out the trash is too much for you visit your local thrift shops and see what can be given new life as a funky flower pot. Old tea cups, glass jars, and large bowels all hold the potential to be cleaned up and turned into a flower pot that will turn heads.

If you are really feeling creative here is something you could try to create yourself using old milk jugs. Warning, it does requiring wiring and electricty, so you might want to save this for the older children only.

plants, environmental, recycling, trash

There are only so many things you can do with paper, right? What about making beads? You can make cute and simple beads using small scraps of paper. This is perfect for the scrapbookers out there who always seem to have little bits and pieces left over. It’s so simple that you can even make these beads with your kids. Craft up some cute beads in red and white for a Valentine’s necklace or make some in pastels for a Spring theme.

You will need paper, a ruler, scissors, and straws. Use regular drinking straws for larger beads to string through yarn or ribbon. If you plan to use thin wire or string, such as fishing line, you can use the small straws used for stirring coffee. You will also need glue, and if you would like a clear varnish to coat the beads in once they are finished.

Start with your scrap paper. Cut small rectangles 1/2 inch wide by 2 inches long. For more variation you could cut a long triangle rather than a rectangle. This can give the bead a more intresting shape. Experiment with various cuts to see what you will get.

Paint a thin layer of the glue on the back of the paper. Roll the paper around itself on the straw. You can do this several time to crate many beads at once. Let the glue dry completely, then cut away the straw from both ends of the bead. The straw should only be inside the paper beads with none sticking out on either side. If you like you can paint on a coat of clear varnish to help seal the paper beads and make them last longer.

This is a very simple craft that can b done with most children from preschool up. As long as the child can cut, glue, and wrap paper they can easily make these beads. This would be a great craft project to do at a birthday party. Of course paper beads arn’t just for kids. You can make one of a kind earrings, beautiful necklaces, or funky bracelets from paper beads.

paper, beads, paper beads, craft

I was tagged to share 7 things about myself. I don’t really think there is anything that intresting about me, but I’m going to try anyway.

1. When I pick up a new hobby I obsess over it. I can’t just learn to knit, I have to knit every single pattern I find and buy every ball of yarn I see. At least until I pick up the next hobby.

2. Crocheting was my first caft. My mother can crochet and taught me how when I was 6. I’m still not very good at it though, because the motion and the needles hurts my hands. Luckily knitting seems to have spared me.

3. I have a giant chest of drawers in my living room that is just for my scrapbook supplies. The drawers are all full and need to be gone through. I also need to finally organize the pages and books I have finished.

4. I used to sew cloth diapers and sell them. I quickly burned out on it though, even with all the adorable fabrics I had. And yes, there actually is a really good market for cloth diapers today. A lot of parents use them.

5. I like to listen to No Doubt or Veruca Salt when I am crafting. They just put me in the mood to be creative.

6. I have always wanted to try painting, but never have. I took a basic art class in college that required some painting, but that was the most I ever did. I would love to just spend the day with a few blank canvases and some paint.

7. I like making purses. I have a huge collection of bags and purses that I love. Being able to make my own just helps me feed the addiction.

OK, now I know I’m supposed to tag someone. But I don’t know who all to tag. So I’m leaving this part open. If you read this, consider yourself tagged.

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Don’t forget to enter to win a collection of fabric for your crafting fun. Click here!

crafts, crafting, crative, tag, 7 things

I’m a scrapbooking addict. I love cutting and gluing and playing with paper. It’s a bit like kindergarten with prettier paper. Hey, some of us never grow up.

Digital scrapbooking, however, is a huge hit right now among a lot of scrappers. As much as I love playing with things online I’m still oldfashioned about my scrapbooking. Luckily I’m not the only one hesitant to take the digital plunge. Still I can see the fun in going digital. Drag and drop your photos into premade templates for instant perfection. Or play around with images, backgrounds, and designs to create unique pages. Then you can save them on your computer and have them whenever you want. Email them to friends and family to show off. And being paperless you are also saving some trees from being cut down.

If you are interested in getting started in digital scrapbooking here are a few places to start.

• If you want to test the waters of digital scrapbooking I have a site for you. Create a free Smilebox scrapbook in 5 minutes. Just drag photos into amazing e-designs. Email them free. You can get a 14 day trial subscription to see what you think.
• You can download for free the ebook 15 Things You NEED to Know to Become a GREAT Digital Scrapbooker from Scrap Girls. This is a very simple book for beginners to understand the basics of digital scrapbooking.
• Free Digital Scrapbooking has free page elements that you can download. They also have some great tutorials to help guide you along the way.

Of course those are just a few of the helpful sites out there on the web. But they are my favorites for getting into the beginnings of digital scrapbooking.

scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, Smilebox

One of the links I shared in the Saturday speedlinking post was on making soap. It is something that I’ve dabbled in myself, but have never really tried to make a full batch of. I admit I’ve felt a bit intimidated about the process. Not at all like my friend Sara, the soap making wizz! She makes and sells bars of soaps in so many beautiful and delicious scents that it makes me want to take several baths a day.

I thought that if there are any creative moms out there thinking about making soap themselves it might be useful to hear from a pro. So I shot a few questions over to Sara and she was sweet enough to answer then and let me share her tips with you. Read on and soak up her knowledge, then visit her shop and see what I mean about her amazing soaps. You won’t be sorry!

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Aprons have been making a comeback in kitchen fashion. They were once seen as old fashioned and tired, but recently many women are bringing them back. With fun and funky new prints they aren’t the 1950s staple anymore.

Despite the stigma some have against aprons and what they represent, they really are quite useful. Anytime you are in the kitchen cooking and baking having an apron on hand can keep the mess to a minimum. Even when you are crafting a good apron can save your clothes from paint, glue, and an assortment of other stains waiting to happen. You know what they say about all work and no play? Aprons can be fun and playful too! Forget the ideas of standing in th kitchen in heels and pearls with your little apron on, today’s apron look is whatever you want it to be. Blogs such as The Apronista and Apron Memories are great reads for those with an apron love going on.

If you’re still looking for the perfect sewing project to take on why not try making an apron. There are dozens of tutorials online that will guide you through any apron style you like. You can make a retro styled table apron, a small craft apron, recycle a dishtowel into an apron, and even a cute little child’s apron. There are so many more tutorials out there, all you have to do is look.

One site that is overflowing with apron tutorials is My Byrd House. In fact she loves aprons so much that right now she’s putting together an apron swap. Sign up ends on January 20th, but you have until MArch 1st to get your apron made and swapped. I signd up and am already looking for the perfect spring prints. Go join me!

sewing, aprons

Whip Up os doing a month of crafts for kids that you don’t want to miss. Check out these cute, and simple, pencil toppers or these creative glove puppets!

I showed you all on Wednesday that I was sewing something up with pink felt. It was a cute little felt bag, perfect for Valentine’s Day. Jut fill it up with candies, a toy, and a card and you have a sweet way to say you care.

The inspiration came when I saw these cute felt Valentine gift bags
from Hearth Song. They are so adorable, and so simple. I knew I could make them myself. As it turned out they are so simple anyone can make them! All you need is some felt, a needle and thread, and a basic blanket stitch. Don’t worry, it is a simple stitch to learn. I recently learned it myself when I attempted to make some felt christmas ornaments. Use this tutorial on sewing felt and you can’t go wrong!

Now here’s how I made the bag. (more…)

wordless wednesday, felt, sewing

If there is anything I love more than making my own creative goodies it is wining someone else’s. Are We There Yet Mom has a cute give away going on right now from Under My Umbrella. This is one of the cutst Etsy shops I have seen. Melinda, the creater, makes adorable little magnets and decorative letters cut from wood. You don’t often see a woman working the jigsaw, but she does it well.

I found another great giveaway going on at Tea time with Valerie. This one is a box full of cute scrapbooking and card making supplies. This givaway has a little of everything. Paper, cardstock, stickers, embellishments, and tools. All of the goodies were donated from Sara of Stampin’ Up, so definitely go over and check out what she has. You might just get inspired.

For those with love in their hearts and creativity flowing from the fingers there are two very cute hearts being given away by Saucy. Now this is pure creativity. Cute heart shaped candy boxes filled with the kinds of goodies creative moms love. Ribbons, buttons, glitter, a stamp, and more. It will at least get you into the coming Valentine’s day spirit.

At The Apronista you could win your very own apron and autographed copy of EllynAnne’s “The Apron Book”. Doesn’t every mom need a good apron? Especially the creative ones. This is a great contest even if all you’re looking for is a good read that takes you on a stroll down memory lane.

Not a giveaway but still worth mentioning is that Sara from Crafts of Texture is having a 10% sale at her Ebay shop right now. If you’re in the UK and want some inspiration and supplies check out what she has. Like this great embroidery/needlework kit for begginers. Perfect for anyone interesting in learning a new creative art.

Look for more giveaways popping up all ovr the internet soon. The quarterly Bloggy Giveaway Carnival will be coming up January 28th. The last time I gave away some crafty books and had a huge turnout. Who knows what I’ll be giving away this time. You’ll just to stick around and see!

giveaways, contests, crafts

I actually did this project back before Christmas and had planned to share it, but kept forgetting to. I had posted before about finding some cute fabric in my stash and wanting to do something with the scraps. I had enough to make a large tote bag for my oldest to use to carry his stuff in and with the scraps made three small bean bags.

Because I was using scrap pieces of material and I wanted to make the frogs the center of attention on each side of the bags the peices were cut into some unusual shapes. So far that hasn’t affected how fun they are to play with. The filling is lentils, from an old bag I found hiding in the back of the cubbard. I did not follow an exact pattern on making these. I sewed up three sides, turned them right sides out, filled with the lentils, and hand stitched them shut. It took about 15 minutes for the machine sewing and filling, then an additional half and hour to hand stitch them closed. It was a really quick and simple project that both of my boys have gotten hours of fun out of.

And it used up scrap material and that half finished bag of lentils that I had forgotten I had. So it scores one for reusing. (more…)

I’ve decided that every Friday I want to show off a shop or blog that I’m loving right now. This decision is partially inspired by my need to be more organized and scheduled, and also by finding this amazing blog last night that is full of inspiration. InspireMe Crafts is a cute and fun little blog full of ideas that you can do. Like her so cute thank you cards. Who knew embossing was so easy?

She doesn’t just inspire, she also provides clear directions with photos so you can follow in her crafty footsteps. Like the photographic and simple directions for making this cute paper wreath. Follow her directiosn and you’ll look like a pro. Of course you don’t have to just make a Christmas wreath. You can create one for each season, or make one to match your home decor and hang it inside. You could also make a great recycled paper wreath this way from sheets of wrapping paper, magazine pages, or any other fun paper you could get your hands onto. It looks like a fun paper art that anyone could do themselves.

If you are making any crafty resolutions this year InspireMe Crafts should definitely be in your feed reader. Next to Creative Mom Cafe, of course.

Does anyone else have know of any must read crafty blogs? Any that are perfect for inspiration? If so drop me a comment and let me know about them, you can plug your own blog even. Hopefully this will become a weekly tradition around here.

Are you going to be hosting a New Year’s Eve party for kids? It can be a lot of fun decorating and setting up fun things for kids to ring in the new year with. And it can be easy too!

Making a ruckus at midnight is what it’s all about. You can create some fun noise makers for kids of all ages to enjoy. For younger kids you can make a tambourine from a paper plate and some bells. Punch holes around the plate and tie bells to the holes. This can also be a fun craft project to do before midnight. Paint and decorate the plates then add ribbons for shaking fun. You can also use cardboard, craft foam, or anythign else to create unique tamborines.

For a midnight burst fill balloons with confetti and blow them up. Then at midnight pop pop pop them for a fun burst.

Making hats for everyone to wear can be fun too! You could use cardstock, cut it into a crown shape, and have your kids decorate with glitter, markers, and fake jewels. Use a hole punch to put a hole on each end and connect with a rubberband. You could also use construction paper, thin sheets of craft foam, or plain visors that you can decorate into hats.

And don’t forget the decorations! Streamers, ribbons, and sparkles are the basic supplies. But for something more here is intructions to make your own New Year’s Eve ball. Having one of these will really make your child’s party stand out, it works for a grown up party too. But not that kind of grown up party.

Is anyone else doing any fun New Year’s Eve crafts? I’d love to hear about them!

New Year’s Eve, party, fun

Now that the rush of Christmas is over it’s time to start thinking about sending thank you cards. Sending a great card with a heartfelt note of thanks is the perfect way to let someone know their gift was appriciated. Of course with kids you will probably be lucky to get a scribbled “thanks”. At least you can make the cards look great!

One of my favorite ideas is to make handmade cards using the wrapping paper from the gifts. You can use pieces of cardstock cut down and folded into a card or buy a box of blank cards that you can decorate yourself. If you are really organized you could decorate each card individually using the paper that that particular prson used. Though I doubt many people keep track of who sent what gift and used what paper.

This can be a fun project to do with your kids. Cutting and gluing and being creative always makes for ahppy kids, especially if you’re snowed in the house right now. You can be as creative as you want to be. Lay a piece of silver paper down as the background then use red and green paper to stencil out “Thank You”. Cut out images from the paper, presents or snowflakes or Santa Claus and glue them to the front. Or go for a montage of pieces of different paper glued on randomly. Glue on ribbons, add stickers, toss on the glitter. Whatever you and your kids want. It does not have to look perfect at all. This is one case where the thought really does count!

If you’ve already sent back thank you cards to friends and family this is a great idea to store away for future birthdays, baby showers, or any other celebrations.

Christmas cards, thank you cards, cards

wordless wednesday, crafts, Christmas, Christmas stockings, kid’s craft