Bunny Cake

It's almost Friday!  Hurray!!

About 4 years ago, I made this cake for Easter.  It was in the Food and Family Magazine by Kraft Foods.  The recipe calls for coconut but my family doesn't really like it so I didn't use it.

 Here's the cutting diagram to use to get the shapes: 

 

It was very easy to make and decorate.  If you want the recipe you can find it here:  Bunny Cake at Kraft Recipes. 

I hope this inspired you to make an easy and delicious Easter Cake!  Have a wonderful Thursday and we'll chat soon.

Sand Art - "Emotions"

If you've never seen this before I can only describe it with one word - AMAZING!

****As the sand art is done to music, please be sure to pause my playlist at the bottom of screen before beginning this video.****

This comes from Ilana Yahav of SandFantasy.  She is a world renowned Sand Animation Artist and her work is something to see!  With only her fingers, she draws on a glass table with sand.

Sit back and watch - I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Have a great day!

Crochet Tear Drop Earring

Well, it's Monday, again.  Hope everyone's weekend was great!  Today is a teacher workday so no school today.  Cristian and I are just relaxing!

Today's post is a link from my favorite crochet blog -  Art of Crochet by Teresa .   I just love the look of these drop earrings, don't you?  I'm thinking of giving them a try.  The link to her blog gives you not only hand written instructions, but also video instruction (via YouTube) to follow.  Awesome!

Glass beads come in so many different colors that the sky is the limit with this project.  I'm not a huge fan of white crochet thread but it works with the beads she has chosen.  I would probably use a color of thread that coordinates with what the bead colors I decide to use.  Of course, there is no right or wrong to this project - whatever you fancy is the perfect choice!

So, if you're feeling crafty today and want a pretty pair of earrings when you're done,  go check out the tutorial.  I'm definitely putting this on my to do list!

Hope the rest of your Monday is fantastic!  See you soon.

Personalized Word Clouds

TGIF - Finally!!!!

Have you noticed the Wordle (or click here to go there) link under my Sites I Love in the right side bar?  If you haven't you should take a few minutes to go there and see what it's all about. 

Here is a Word Cloud I did for Cristian's 3rd grade class when I first discovered the site.  I was thinking of a photo cube for his teachers for end of the year gifts at the time (still on the fence on that one).  But anyway, this pic gives you an idea of what you can do at Wordle.

I picked this color scheme, but there are others to pick from.  Also, you can choose from several different fonts and layouts.  It really is quite versatile. The possibilities are endless - subway art, t-shirt transfers - where ever your imagination takes you.  So take a look and have some fun! 

Have an awesome Friday!  So long for now.  See you tomorrow.

Crochet Crocodile Scale Stitch Tutorial

Good Afternoon all! Just a short post today. A crochet tutorial from Art of Crochet by Teresa again. I hope you've had a chance to check out her blog - isn't she terrific?

I think that is the coolest looking stitch ever!  I can't wait to give it a try - what about you?

Happy crocheting!  See you next time.

Teacher Appreciation Gift

Hi! 

I know it's only March but the end of the school year is right around the corner.  And Teacher Appreciation Week is at the beginnning of May.  So regardless of which one you prepare a gift for your child's teacher - it will be here before you know it!  

When Cristian was in 1st grade I made his teacher an end of the year gift that looked like this:   

I tried to incorporate some things that I knew she liked - the color purple,  chocolate,  and diet soda.  I did a photo coffee travel mug and a couple other little things.  The drink carrier came from Subway, but I suppose you could use one from Sonic, too.  I liked that there was a handle (more places to decorate - LOL) because it made it easier to carry.  

It took only a few simple steps to put the whole thing together.  First, I resized four digital brag book pages with pictures from the school year to attach to the sides.  Then made a tag and laminated it with a badge holder so it could be tied on.  Next, I printed and covered the candy bar and soda with wrappers.  I used paper easter basket grass from the Dollar Tree in the bottom and then filled it with all the goodies.  Here's a couple of pics showing more views:

Maybe this gave you an idea for this year.  Glass tile pendants are on my list of things to do for his teachers now - I'll let you see when they are done.  Have a good one! See ya!

SuperMoon and Dragonfly Brick Paver

Happy Spring!! 

Did you all see the "SuperMoon" on Saturday?  It was absolutely beautiful!  I had never heard of it before but, apparently it's the name for a rare phenomenon that occurs when a full moon is at its closest point to the earth.  NASA says that a Supermoon is 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual.  Supposedly, the last time we had one was almost 20 years ago.  I can honestly say I don't recall hearing about it then.  Do you?  Sadly, if you missed it on Saturday, the next Supermoon won't happen again until 2029! 

Anyway, I'm thinking of outdoor spring chores since our weather is getting nice.  All my flower beds need cleaned out and tended to after the winter months.  It's almost time to get the deck ready.   The front porch furniture needs to be scrubbed and set up.  And the list goes on and on and on.....

I guess thinking about the flower beds reminded me of this project. So today I thought I'd take a minute to show you the Dragonfly I made a couple of years ago for my Grandma.  I originally thought she would put it in her flower bed but she ended up keeping it in the house as a door stop.

This picture just makes me think of spring!  Well, enjoy your day.  Talk to you soon. 



Chainless Double Crochet - Who Knew???

I absolutely love this technique!!  If you crochet, you know that the worst part of starting a new project is the foundation chain and then the return row.  At least for me it is - LOL!  This tutorial combines both and is totally awesome!  Take the 4 minutes time to watch - you won't be sorry.

The gal who did this tut can be found at this location: Art of Crochet by Teresa

She has so many patterns and tutorials it's crazy.  I find that her blog is my go to place when I'm unsure about a technique or I'm looking for ideas for a new project.  Her blog is soooo informative!

I'll be showcasing more of her tutorials in the future.  Stay tuned!

Have a fantastic day.  See you soon.

AWESOME Digital Scrapping Tutorial

Happy Friday!

A few years ago I wanted to do something with all the hundreds of pictures I had taken of Cristian.  But just putting them in plain photo albums didn't really interest me.  So I considered starting paper scrapbooking.  Then I discovered just how expensive that can get if you want to do it right.  Back to the drawing board, so to speak.  And that is when I found out about digital scrapping!  It is totally awesome and so much less expensive than straight paper scrapping! 

After some surfing, I came upon many blogs that offer 'freebies'.  Being new to the digital world of scrapbooking I was happy to find 'Quick Pages' or 'Ploppers'.  But, what ever you call them - they make it easy to get caught up with your pictures.  Basically, it is a scrapbook page already made and all you need to do is put your picture in it!  And it's all digital!!!  Absolutely Brilliant!!

Here is one of the QP's that I found and inserted Cristian's picture in....wasn't he a cute baby?  This is on his 'Gotcha Day' in Guatemala City in 2003.

After finding several very talented and creative bloggers** with 'freebies' I began my journey into the digital world.  **Check them out for yourself - see my blog list in the right side bar -  believe me, that's just the tip of the iceberg!

Since then I have learned so many things.  I started with Photoshop Elements 5.0 and I'm currently using Photoshop Elements 9.0.   I've learned that while the QP's are easy and fun - it's also great to be able to create some pages of your own.  Some 'kits' that have papers, elements, and alphas, etc. are offered as 'freebies' and are also available quite inexpensively in online stores associated with many blogs.  The beauty of digital is - you can use and reuse any part of the kits over and over again.  Unlike paper scrapping where once you use it - it's gone.  

Here is one that I made from scratch...it was taken at the beginning of 1st grade.  As you can see I was still learning but for my first try I think it turned out alright.

So where did I ultimately learn how to put it all together?  Well, there are great tutorials out there offered by some of the most creative people I've ever seen.  Here is one that I came across the other day and have been wanting to try.  I think that the selective coloring will add interest to my pages!  Doesn't it look cool with just the hat being colored???  I love it.

Chelle's Creations: Oh So Simple Selective Coloring Tutorial!

So whether you're new to the digital world or have been scrapping this way for awhile or want to give it a try and are unsure where to start - check out the tutorial above and do some searching - you'll be surprised at what you can find!  I know I was and happy that I took that first step.

Have a great day!  See you tomorrow.

DIY Cake Stand

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Are you wearing your green today?

I've recently made several layered cakes and I unfortunately don't have a cake stand to put them on.  So I thought to myself, maybe I can find a tutorial for making my own.  As luck would have it, I came across this blog - goldiloks - which has simple DIY instructions on making very pretty cake stands.



Isn't it cute?  And very easy to make.  So if you're interested in making your own - head on over to her blog to get the step by step instructions!
 

Easter Bunny Brick Paver

Hello. Just a quick post today. 

A few years ago I came across brick pavers made into animals and such.  I thought they were cute and decided to make one.  At the time, Easter was just around the corner, so I figured a bunny was in order. Here's my version.

Painted, decorated and Voila! Easter bunny shelf sitter or door stopper.

Hope your day is terrific - see you tomorrow!

ATTENTION!! ATTENTION!!

Hello, everyone!  If you crochet, you will appreciate todays post.

Wait until you see this!  I love quick tips and tutorials and YouTube has so many.  I had to share this with you - it is brilliant!




Hope you can use this tip. Have a good one!

Soda Tab Bracelet

I wanted to show you my latest 'kreation' - a Soda Tab Bracelet.  As you can see it's made with soda can pull tabs and is joined by crochet thread. 

I got the pattern in my Crochet! magazine, the March 2011 edition.  I had seen these done and wanted to try one but didn't know what stitches to use.  So when the pattern was in the magazine, it immediately went on my to do list!

It took a couple of tries to get it right.  At first I was using cotton yarn and it was too thick and made the cuff part too wide.  So next I went to the combo of 2 crochet threads.  For the one pictured, I used Red Heart Fashion Crochet Thread - Silver Metallic Size 5 and Black Size 3 (both were available at Walmart).  I think they worked well together. 

My thought is that I would always use the metallic thread but combine it with different colored Size 3 thread.  This way the bracelet could ultimately match anything you wanted.  Although, I'm thinking it might still be too wide.  Maybe just a single thread or a double thread with a single stitch.  I'll have to experiment some more...  

But, I still like it and think it's a great way to recycle those soda can pull tabs!

Have a great day and we'll chat soon!

My First Washer Necklace

This is my first attempt at a washer necklace.  Who could imagine that a washer from Lowe's Home Improvement could become jewelry?

I'm actually quite happy with how it turned out.  I spent a lot of time researching how to do this.  I found that there were many websites and blogs with an abundant amount of information to get you started.  YouTube even had some cool instructional videos to give you ideas. 

The supplies for this project came from several places - Walmart, Lowe's, Sun and Moon Craft Kits, mainly.  It was the first time I used glaze and am totally amazed at how easy it was to work with. 

This is just one way that a washer can become a pendant.  I've also started collecting the supplies to be able to do metal stamping and can't wait to give that a try.  I'll probably give glass tile and scrabble tile pendants a whirl while I'm at it - LOL!

I love the idea of being able to have some fun jewelry pieces that you make yourself.

Well, that's it for today.  Have a terrific Saturday!

FREE Block Posters Created By You

Hey, ya'll.  Here's something interesting to check out!

As I was searching for something online the other day I came across this site: Block Posters - Create large wall posters from any image for free!  So, of course, I had to take the time to play with it!

It is quite simple really.  Upload your picture from your computer.  Choose how many pieces across you want it to be and the program automatically slices it and gives you a PDF file to print or save for later.

I immediately knew what I was going to use to try this out.  I have all of Cristian's Art By Me magnets that he draws in art class at school.  Always wished I had something bigger to frame and hang.  So, I scanned the current years refrigerator magnet (isn't it cute? it's supposed to be a self portrait) and saved it in jpeg format. 

Then I went to Block Posters and uploaded it.  I decided that 2 across would be big enough.  It gave me a PDF file to print or save.  I now have 4 larger pieces of his artwork to frame and hang in my hallway.  I can't wait to show you how it turns out!  So, I'll take a picture and post it once I have them framed and hung up.  I'm thinking I'll probably do this every year, now!

Well, that's all for now.  Have a great day!

181 Calories Chocolate Muffins? Count Me In!!!!

Good morning.

Yes folks, you didn't imagine it - you read that right!  I came across this blog a few days ago when searching how to make candied lemons for a cake I want to make.  Anyway, the 181 calories for a chocolate muffin caught my eye.  You can check it out for yourself here: ButterYum 

The recipe couldn't be easier.  2 ingredients and voila you have muffins - LOL!!!  Well, I don't know about you, but these are definitely on my to do list. Don't they look amazingly yummy? 

Be sure to spend some time on her blog - there are some awesome recipes! Enjoy and see you soon.

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness

Good day! 

As I mentioned a few posts back, my dear friend was diagnosed with MS last year.  She has started her very own Blog about her experiences with MS.  She is hoping that it will become a place where people can go to ask questions, get support, and find links to important sites concerning MS.

So if you or someone you know is suffering with this disease, I'm sure she'd love to hear from them.  Please direct them to her blog, (my ms matters dot com.)

Have a great day and chat with you soon.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Hi!  Anyone in the mood for mexican food?  I get regular e-mails with all kinds of recipes in them.  This is one in particular that I found enticing.  I thought you may want to give it a try, too.  It sounds easier than rolling the tortillas to make the enchiladas.  I'm definitely all about easy and good.  Just click the link below the pic to get the recipe!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Enjoy!  Talk to you later and don't forget to feed the fish at the bottom of the page!!!

In a 'What's for Dinner' Rut????

Happy Saturday!

I LOVE to cook and find new recipes.  Although, sometimes it seems like we are eating the same things over and over again.  We tend to find our favorites and stick with them.  Hey, don't get me wrong - my friends and family are pretty adventurous when it comes to food - LOL.  They aren't a bit shy about trying a new recipe and then we decide if it's a keeper!

But, every once in a while I look in my freezer and have no idea what to make for dinner.  With that being said, I found this cool gadget 'How to Cook Anything' (it's on the right side bar right underneath Sites I Love) and now there is inspiration anytime I need it.  Just type in a main ingredient and click Cook It. It pops up with other stuff you can check that you have on hand and at the bottom there is a tab for 'Get Recipes'. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.  Now, I'll never be at a loss as to what's for dinner!!!!  Try it for yourself and you'll see!

Have a great rest of your day and see you soon!

Show You Care - "BEE" Aware

Hey, everyone!  Did you know that March is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month?  Neither did I until my dearest friend in the entire world was diagnosed with MS last year.  It affects more people than you or I can even imagine.  At its worst it can be debilitating, and people with MS struggle daily with symptoms.  It breaks my heart to watch my friend deal with this disease every day. 
                                        

That's why you need to join the fight!  We need a cure!  Let's wipe out MS for good!  Just click here - HOPE - to link to the National MS Society web page for more information about this devastating disease and to find out what you can do to help.  

Thanks!  See you tomorrow!

He's Not That Type of Weiner Dog!

Good Morning!  Been busy the last couple of days, but I saw this last night on my facebook wall and had to share it with you.  It makes me laugh even though it's just crazy!  Check it out here.....

He's Not That Type of Weiner Dog! - The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Have a great day!  Chat with you soon.