Hello from...

Our moving between states has been an adventure and our realtor has been amazing!  She spent an entire weekend showing us houses and then several additional nights showing my husband many more.  I wanted to give her a small thank you so I decided to make these note cards. 

bundled for gifting

The bases are Whisper White and stamped in Stampin Up's Map It Out and Waunderlust in Basic Black, Bermuda Bay, Real Red, Smoky Slate, and Not Quite Navy.  I left the hello tag empty for her to personalize as she wished...state, city, her name or company, etc.  I added a small gem to where we were near in Wisconsin.  I wanted to keep this very flat for easy mailing.  I also stamped the envelopes with the heart trail and plane, before bundling it all up in a bagging and tying it all with baker's twine.  Thanks for looking!  April

Etched Mickey Shakers

As you know, we are Disney people.  Now my family is fine with Disney items scattered around the house, but we are not ready to dedicate ourselves to Mickey dishes and such.  With the new house, we are replacing some worn items and freshening up our decor.  We are updating our kitchen wares, including the dishes.  I was looking for some cute salt and pepper shakers and found some cute etched glass ones online.  However, I was not prepared to spend over $30 for them and knew there was a better alternative.  So, off to the dollar store...no luck.  I found shakers at Kroger for 89 cents each.  The glass etch paste is a whopping $14.99 for a tiny pill bottle size.  Bless Michael's and Hobby Lobby for 40% off coupons! 

showing sides of shakers

I cut the design from Cricut's Mickey Font on some scrap vinyl.  HINT:  Be sure to wipe all fingerprints off before placing your vinyl.  Press well and, again, wipe away smudges.  Follow the directions on the etch paste.  I used a foam brush and a paper plate, easily disposable.  The stuff is caustic but I did not notice much smell and I have a sensitive nose.  When you start rinsing, you will think it did not work.  I used a paper towel to dry and buff as I removed the vinyl images.  As it drys, the image is much more crisp.  I have enough solution to do another set of shakers or maybe a glass vase.  Thanks for looking!  April

Chicagoland Vampires SMASH

One of my favorite book series is coming to an end and I wanted to commemorate it in my SMASH book.  So here you go.  Some glittery letters, pics of the covers, and some quotes and ephemera.  Thanks for looking!  April

Upcycled basket

We are in the process of moving to Wisconsin and I have been working on decorating ideas for my new home.  I have been busy picking paint colors and figuring out what we want to change.  I wanted to add some coordinating storage for my bathrooms but we are on a strict budget and spending $20 on a basket is not an option.

Behold, the crafty upcycled basket!  I wish I could take credit for this but I found it on Pinterest.  Nope, no underwater basket weaving experience needed.  All you need is a small box (mine is a small Amazon 5x7x10ish), thick jute twine (under $4 at Walmart), and some cheap fabric (muslin $1.97/yard at Walmart).
A quick recap of instructions: 1. Cut top flaps off box.  2. Start at bottom of box and hot glue the twine along one side.  HINT:  Leave a little tail.  I curled mine up the corner of the box and hid it under the next layer of twine.  3. Continue moving from bottom to top of box.  HINT:  Hide top tail of twine inside one corner of the box.  The liner will cover it.  4. Measure depth and width of box, adding 1/2" for seam, adding 2" on top for fold over.  5. Sew each side before adding bottom.  HINT: I chose to finish the top seam so it was easier to hide the raw edge.  6. Match corners and pull over box edge.  
I will be honest, if you are not into sewing, you can use fabric glue or webbing, but even a beginner can do this.  Be patient, double check your measurements before cutting, and sew as straight as you can.  I will admit the bottom is the hardest part to attach but it is very forgiving.  I was concerned I would need something to keep the liner in place but it is a very snug fit over the edge of the box.  Directions for liner are in a separate post linked with the box directions.
I made two boxes for about $5.  There is enough leftover twine and fabric for a third small box.  Thanks for looking!  April