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Don’t Blink!!  

It’s never too early to start planning for Halloween, especially if your ambitions are this big.

Check out this incredible build by HalloweenForum poster MacabreRob.

He built not one, but TWO weeping angels (of Doctor Who fame), and describes the entire process – from building the body, to molding the face.   LOVE it… I was thinking what a cool project building an angel would be, but I don’t think I’m up for anything quite this intense for our halloween decor.

Maybe we could figure out some way to fake this?  Any ideas ? :)

[More Halloween]

Summer Inspirations – Cool things to do this summer…

[prw username=”dorsner” boardname=”summer-inspirations” maxfeeds=”9″ divname=”myList” printtext=”0″ target=”newwindow” useenclosures=”yes” thumbwidth=”170″ thumbheight=”170″ showfollow=”medium”]

Direct Links: Citrus Vodka |   Personal sized baked oatmeal  | Little Monster Birthday Party – Watermelon Fruit Monster | Pop Rocks Rimmed Cocktails!  | Oreo Popsicle Recipe | Edible Cookie Dough Bracelet! | Beaded Crochet Bracelet Tutorial | Strawberry chocolate jello shots |  Guiness Ice Cream Car Bomb Sundae

How to add a Pinterest Pin Board to a Blog Post (WP)

This was not overly obvious, and required a bit of research, but basically there is an RSS feed for any of your pin boards on Pinterest.  Example: http://pinterest.com/dorsner/summer-inspirations/ board’s RSS feed is http://pinterest.com/dorsner/summer-inspirations/rss . Once you know that you have a feed, you’re halfway there, and there are probably multiple ways to handle it.

I took the quick way out and snagged the Pinterest RSS Widget plugin so I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel.   Conveniently enough, not only does the plugin allow you to add a widget to your sidebar with any Pinterest feed, they also include a shortcode that makes it super easy to embed the pin board directly into a post.

So for the board above I used the following shortcode – replace the curly brackets } with square brackets ], obviously.  The syntax is pretty self explanatory, but the explanation for each field is here.  The username is your Pinterest name, the boardname is the name of the board.  Max feeds is the number of posts you want to show.   The divname is for styling (I didn’t worry about that here).  Printtext determines if you want to include text- I didn’t.  I set the thumbwidth/height to 170 to make 3 across, nicely spaced.

{prw username="dorsner" boardname="summer-inspirations" maxfeeds="9"

divname="myList" printtext="0" target="newwindow" useenclosures="yes"

thumbwidth="170" thumbheight="170" showfollow="medium"}

And that’s really all there is to it.  It was easy to do, so I will probably do it again sometime, as a good way to collect links.  I know there are mixed feelings in the crafty blogging world about Pinterest, and I’ll admit I haven’t really done much with it yet, but I do think it does have some excellent potential.

Love this idea from Duhlicious!

Jello Easter Eggs made in the shell… and plus the idea of making them into Jello shots?  Awesomeness.  Will have to try these!

Go read the whole thing and get the instructions: Jello Easter Eggs

• I first heard about Leprechaun traps a few years ago when we used to get Family Fun mag. Here are their ideas..very kid friendly to make.
• Not Martha’s awesome Leprechaun trap CAKE!  (pictured)  There’s a rainbow inside!
• Geeky and fun to build Leprechan traps at Wired.
• Here’s the whole process of catching a leprechaun at Raising Southwells
• Another roundup of trap ideas at How Does She.

More leprechaun/St. Pat’s links:

A Leprechaun Lunch (he stole a bite!) from Gourmet Mom on the Go

Rainbow pudding from Craftzine

Chica & Jo make (Harry Potter) Butterbeer, green for St. Pats!

40 Crafts for St. Pats at Dollar Store Craft

Rice Krispie Shamrocks at Little Birdie Secrets

So when I was invited to participate in the blog tour in promotion of the new movie coming out (in theaters March 2nd. Visit the official site for the movie preview, pictures, downloads and more!) I couldn’t resist doing a project featuring those wonderful trees.

The Truffula Tree-Shirt!

This is a simple “Freezer Paper Stencil” project. Just print out the stencil I’m providing, and follow the directions below. Any color will work for your truffula poofs, I choose Tangerine here.  Click on any of the below images to see them larger or as a slideshow.  Click Here for the Stencil.

Supplies:

• Tshirt (I used black)
• Cutting Mat & razor knife
• Freezer Paper
• Fabric Paint (I used cream and tangerine on a black shirt)
• Sponge brush
• Iron
• Printer to print out your stencil

Preparing the Stencil:

Place the Stencil.

• Heat up your iron on medium.
• Place a piece of cardboard inside the shirt to keep the paint from bleeding through.
• Attach the stencilI lined up the bottom of my Truffula image (the ground) with the bottom seam of my tshirt.
• You can clip the image to keep it in place.
• Carefully use the iron to adhere the image correctly to your tshirt.  It’s a little hard to work with this complex a stencil, so take your time. Once you’re sure everything is in place, iron the stencil in place on the tshirt.

 Paint

Want to see more The Lorax craft projects? Here’s a full list of the blog tour–go check them out, and maybe meet some new cool crafters!

Get Creative with The Lorax Blog Tour:

Feb 1 Today’s Creative Blog
Feb 2 Katydid and Kid
Feb 3 Zakka Life
Feb 6 Smashed Peas & Carrots
Feb 7 Whimsy Love
Feb 8 Little Birdie Secrets
Feb 9 Art Projects for Kids
Feb 10 Dabbled (You’re Here Now!)
Feb 13 Prudent Baby
Feb 14 Tonya Staab

Thanks to Universal Pictures for sponsoring this post!  I hope you all enjoy the project…

So simple and clever.. The arrow toothpick is the perfect touch!

Go there and get the directions: Struck by Cupid’s Arrow Cherry Tomatoes

This post is sponsored by Serve from American Express. Sign up for Serve and receive $10 credit towards your first use. Comment below within the next 7 days for your chance to win an extra $100 credit to your account!

We all know how it is this time of year… we get so busy with shopping & family & busy schedules. So what I REALLY need this time of year is just a fun night out with the girls (no offense, guys!). So that’s what we did the other night — left the kids and the boys at home, and hit the town! Well, hit the town as much as moms who have to get up early the next day can, at least…

Recipe for a successful girls night:

1. Good friends (and mine are the best!)
2. A good place to go that’s conducive to talking and sharing.  We decided on tapas at Pura Vida (highly recommend, for those of you in Atlanta).  This worked out great since we just orders bunches of good food to share.
3. Fun cocktails – my favorite for the evening was a margarita made with grapefruit soda, which I’m determined to recreate… Stay tuned for that!
4. Money to spend*.  The nice thing about tapas for dinner is that we set a general budget at the beginning, and then just split the bill up 4 ways at the end.  No stress.  Consider it a Christmas present to your mental health!

*This girls night was especially fun since we had some money to spend from Serve, the new service from American Express.  It’s super easy… we all signed up for Serve online first, then it is simple to just email your friends money.  Plus you get $10 just for trying it if you sign up right now… a great start to your girls night out budget!

Want to treat your friends to a girl’s night out?  Just comment here, and one lucky winner will win $100, perfect for just that purpose!

Remember to sign up for Serve and receive $10 credit towards your first use. Comment below within the next 7 days for your chance to win an extra $100 credit to your account! Official sweepstakes rules and regulations may be found by clicking here. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Whether we like it or not, the colder months are officially upon us and the holidays are just around the corner.  Using items you already have around, transforming your home into a warm and welcoming place is easier than you ever imagined. These quick and simple tips for do-it-yourself decorations will have you sitting back and relaxing with a hot cup of cocoa in no time at all!

Snow Globe:

Not only is it super easy to create your own snow globe, it’s a really fun child-friendly activity. Grab an empty mason jar and fill it with water, some sparkles (white or silver if you’re going for a snowy effect) and a couple drops of glycerin. Glue a toy or mini-scene of your choice to the underside of the lid and screw right on, adding a little hot glue to keep things secure. If you’re feeling extra creative, check out this tutorial from TipJunkie on tinting mason jars. Your very own DIY snow globe is complete!  [ed-Pictured: from a great tutorial at Corner House]

Table runners:

I don’t know about you, but I tend to get at least a couple fancy placemat sets each year. We don’t really make use of these at home, but one of the ways I’ve upcycled them is by sewing them together to create a fun and festive table runner. No need to put too much time into this one either – simple attaching the patterns together will give you the look you’re going for. You can even place those festive filled vases on top to finish off the look!

Festive filled jars:

Candy canes, red bows and sparkly ornaments are a holiday staple. Another really quick way to spice up a room is to fill clear glass vases or bowls with items you’re not currently using.

These ones by Jen from Creative Design are wonderful!

Fancy candles:

Candles are one of the simplest ways to update a room and make things feel warm and cozy. Whether you’re stuck with a bunch of leftover stick candles from a party a long time ago, or are in the mood to go out and purchase a few news ones, there is no need to spend money on any particular design. Adding some stylish ribbon around the base or the body of your candy is a really quick way to create a whole new look. I suggest clumping three candles of different heights together to create and using big, embellished ribbon to really make a statement. If you need a little inspiration, Amanda over at Imperfectly Beautiful has a great tutorial. You can also add a little twinkle by covering your candles in mod podge and rolling them in chunky sparkles!

Recycled Card Art:

After years of collecting Christmas cards and never knowing what to do with them, I finally found a way to put them to good use. I frame collages of cards in cheap dollar store frames and place them on my mantles, bathroom vanities and kitchen counter tops. Again, I stick to the rule of three, usually combining a few for a more prominent look.

Holiday themed wreath:

A wreath, either for outside or in, is a really nice way to embrace the season. Using a collection of twigs or tree trimmings, bundle them around to form a circle tying every few inches with twine or wire. Next, take advantage of nature by adorning the circle with pinecones, leaves, and greenery. Add some festive spirit by using the the glue gun to attach bows, ornaments or other holiday themed items to your increasingly beautiful wreath to complete the look.

Brush Mat:

As the cooler air approaches, I usually head out to my nearest home hardware store to pick up a new brush mat after retiring last year’s when summer came along. In my opinion, nothing gets dirty boots cleaner but they’re also nearly impossible to clean. Instead of paying extra for the ones with design, just grab a plain one and head home for a little fun with spray paint. Using home-made or store-bought stencils and fall colored spray-paint, get crafty with your new mat and create a brand new personalized boot cleaner.

Hi my name is Jessica, I’m a passionate do-it-yourselfer and recently started expressing my creativity and sharing my many ideas through blogging. I have the pleasure of working for online DIY resource for homeowners and retailer of Maytag appliance parts, PartSelect.com.  If you’re looking for repair help or simply wondering what we do, pop by for a visit!

Check out this oh so cute Cupcake Ornament tutorial by Diana Evans… love it! And the tutorial itself is just plain adorable… all illustrated with Diana’s adorable drawings. In fact, I think this tutorial would make a lovely “Do it yourself” kit for Xmas presents. Buy the supplies, print the tutorial, and package it all up nicely for someone who’d love a DIY craft gift!

Get the Tutorial

Need more ornament inspiration?  Some great handmade ornament tutorials here:

Adorably cute Hot Cocoa ornament how-to over at Flamingo Toes.

Dollar Store Crafts has several cute handmade ornament ideas.

A christmas ornament roundup over at One Pretty Thing.

Snowflake Ornaments at MegaCrafty – from coffee filters!

Craftypod has a roundup of Xmas tutorial from the past. Some great ones in there!

A sheet music ball tutorial at I Heart Naptime.

Love these little ‘favor’ ornaments, adorning a Favor Tree at Martha Stewart. Cute idea for the regular tree too!

Here’s a roundup that has several great ideas that I posted a few years ago.  Still great stuff like : Felt “Polaroid” Photo ornaments, patchwork balls, vintage eggs, acorn mushrooms, and many more!