Chalk Board Fabric

All five Craft Tote Winners will be announced on my Today’s Creative Blog Facebook page.  Head on over….maybe you’re a winner!!!

 

This girl gets it.  As do most women in the crafting world…..the more the merrier.  We crafty creative types love to share, love to help, love to inspire others to create…..we love to oogle over another one’s project seeing their own artistic expression.  I love the Creative World… We don’t have time for competition….…..I love women like Kathy!  

Merriment Design-“is all about everyday creativity. Get inspired by my step-by-step DIY craft instructions and templates — all for free.”

Kathy comes from a childhood of craftiness which prepared her for all her crafty attention as an adult. She started a handbag business with a friend, her wedding invites were featured in Knot Magazine and she had a segment with “Amazing Wedding Cakes”.  The girl is talented…….wickedly talented.  Below is the cake she helped inspire…Gorgeous isn’t it?

Not only did she use this fabric below for inspiration, she also used it for her wedding invites!   SHUT UP!!!    I guess that trumps the vellum I used. Before you think you have to use fabric to make cool invites or cards…….wait!  Look how simple and cool this Thank you card is.  This is one card you won’t have to nag your children to make. I’ve always LOVED these Dymo label makers.  Her tutorials are some of the best!  So easy to understand with step by step instructions.    Like this family coloring book.  What a great way to help your little ones recognize family members. Then when you draw a mustache on your Mother In Laws face….you can blame it on the kid.  :)  Great idea though…….and she’ll show you how to make it.My new friend and neighbor Lisa pointed these jam labels out to me…….that actually reminded me that I had this gem of a blog in my FFF just waiting to be featured. Thank you Lisa! Perfect time to use these. She spoils her husband with fun birthday cakes and fun candles.  I love these candles! Of course she made them…… And of course she’ll show you how. I was giddy when I saw that she recycled cling wrap rolls into something beautiful and so useful. Step by step instructions for making your own Napkin Rings. Aren’t her photos great?  She is pretty crafty with her printer and personal photos.  Making unique gifts whenever she can.  She used photos from around her town to make a memory game for children. This beats the barney one I bought my son.  Using her printer and photos, she has created many many other gifts as well…..a recipe book and many others you can see on her site.  These are such thoughtful gifts.  Way better than anything you can buy.  She’ll even show you how to do it.Because she had so much fun creating her own wedding initiation….she now offers this service.  This one below is one of the cutest, most original invites I have ever seen.I titled this post Chalk Board Fabric because she uses it a lot!  And we LOVE chalk board anything. 

Patio pillows……. A gift tag……And these!  This is genius. I am not trying to rush your summer…….I hate it when stores rush your summer…….like putting Back to School supplies on the shelves in July!  Before we know it, we’ll be seeing candy canes on those same shelves.

Kathy is also very crafty in the kitchen. 

Bacon bowls?  YES!  BACON BOWLS!  Holy Mother of all that’s good!  Oh my…….I love it!  I  mean who doesn’t like bacon?How in the heck do you make a bacon bowl?  Oh…….look…….a tutorial!And why I never thought of these before……except for the fact that I don’t like to mix syrup with my bacon…….but my son does…….He would LOVE this.           I had so much fun thumbing through her blog.  So many great ideas…….ideas that I’ve never seen. 

You guys were SO great in leaving Will comments for one of the totes.  I SO appreciate it.  You made me look good……Thank you!

I hope you’ll head over and leave Kathy a few comments too.

 

All comments left on my blog automatically enters you for my Lisa Leonard monthly drawing.  I’ll announce July’s winner tomorrow.

Raising Kids on Real Food!

Yep, I met Vanessa in Utah! 

Vanessa from I Never Grew Up.

Sadly she had to leave early, so I didn’t get a chance to talk her ear off.  Boy I tell ya…..YOU LDS WOMAN make the rest of us look really bad.  I know I’ve said it before, but dang….y’all are good at being creative, domestic and just down right cute.  My sis says I pass for one…..in I could have my coffee and occasional margarita.  She’s right…..except I need more practice at being crafty and domestic.

 

I would have LOVED to have gotten to know Vanessa better.  Now that I’ve spent the last 2 hours skimming her blog, she is fascinating!   She is my kind of gal…..or at least who I want to be when I grow up. 

She has a fabulous segment called “Raising Kids on Real Food”!  As I pull a Totino’s frozen pizza out of the oven, I am feeling extremely guilty looking at all this wonderfully healthy food she makes for her children…..and before you feel too sorry for my son, he rarely gets too much junk….but today….is one of those days.  She shows you the full recipe with a tutorial and makes everything look so simple and pure……as it should be.The night I met her at The Blue Lemon, I was eating one of these…  So good.  I bet your kids will eat this if presented the right way……I am so fortunate to have an adventurous eater….it makes things a little easier.I know that the Fourth of July is over…..but you could make this on any day really…….I mean, she probably made it on the 3rd of July……..since the state of Utah celebrated the 4th on the 3rd……..who’s on 2nd? Never mind…….just eat.  She’ll also take the time to make some of life’s simple pleasures……….like homemade lemonade.Besides schelping good food, she’s looking for simple ways to keep her kiddo’s engaged and happy.  I LOVE this craft!  Kids love it.  It doesn’t take a lot of your help for them to create a master piece they feel proud of.  If you’ve got paper, some water paints…….a straw and a child……you’re good to go. This one may require some of your help, but you’ll be so happy you did.  What a great idea!  Add some leather string or yarn and the kids have some new bling to sport around.  Also a new use for your stamps. Being the purest that she is……not really sure if she is or not………but she makes her own sidewalk chalk…..Kinda cool……I wonder if she knows you can pick it up at The Dollar Store?  :)          But I do like the idea of making it myself……she gets the kids involved, so I guess that counts. Pinwheels!  Make your own pinwheels!  I used to love these when I was a kid….way back when.  And if it means I can run outside in my skivvies, I’m gonna start making some RIGHT NOW!  Another fasinating thing about her, is she’s married to a dog trainer…..a celebrity dog trainer.  Her man is a dog trainer…….which means they are dog people……so tell me this……..why didn’t she offer to take care of my Maybelline while we were in Moab?  She’s got some esplanin’ to do……They would have LOVED her and she would have LOVED playing with that pup.  (she was happy where she was…..lucky me)

I’ll forgive her……

Since summer is in full swing, I think you’ll enjoy her summer recipes and kid crafts!  Go tell her how you found her…..surprise her.  Her site has a lot of other information too……

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Thank you for all the wonderful comments!  I really enjoy them!  All comments are entered to win a Lisa Leonard Creation!

I know this is silly……but I’m in a little competition with someone…..a friendly competition….Can you pleases join my feed burner please……pretty please with sugar on top?

Summer Crafts

Amy finally took her Photo Copy protection off her blog……..so now I was able to steal a few shots so I could feature her.  Sure….I could have asked her for permission for a few…..and I even went so far to email her and ask….but then I fell short in choosing what I needed permission for…….I’m sadly just not that organized. The beauty of TCB is my spontaneity……at least that’s what I want to believe anyway because….it’s what works for ME. 

Since I’m getting ready to head to the land of craft…..the land of creative women…..the land of etched casserole dishes…….I thought I’d show you want just about every LDS woman has in her kitchen. It’s true.  :)

Because they take meals to people who have been sick, or just had a new baby, or just because…….they’re nice like that.  (I better start minding my manners, clean it up a bit so I can hang with the best of them…….My sis says no matter how nice I am, they all know I’m not LDS……my shorts are too short.  But dang I try….If I could only sew like Amy…….her blog is so much fun.  The Idea Room

I’m loving these cute numbers.  Even after the kids are done playing with these, you could use them for something cute…. Don’t worry…..you too can make them.  She has a ton of tutorials.Because she’s a good mama…….she has fun projects for her kids.  Like finger paints……these are non-toxic and easy to make. I was thrilled to find crafts and activities aimed for boys.  My son would LOVE this marshmallow gun.  She even shows how to make it.  Or this tried and true sculpture activity.  We’ve been doing this at least a couple of times a year since my son was 5.  He’s 11 now.  It’s great for getting them to focus for at least 30 min.  This one cracks me up…….her son is really ready to play with this homemade light saber…… I’m excited to try this with my son.  Making your own bouncy ball.  He’s gonna flip. How about some fun finger puppets?  Make these into super heros for the boys and my son would use them for thumb wrestling.  LOL  I was happy to see she made a crayon roll from Skip To My Lou, my media partner.  Those are such a great idea and great gift idea.Amy is pretty gifted in the kitchen too……..of course she is.

Canning her own peaches…….Yum.  She even shows you how.  Or how to make your own popsicles. This is how you slip the good stuff in without your kids knowing.  Besides, they’re much prettier. And you can make special ones for 4th of July.  Who wouldn’t love a fourth of July popsicle?  And just think of the cool mom points you’ll get.She made these for Valentines Day, but heck….just change the sprinkle color and call it a Fourth of July ice cream sandwich.  Yummmm  Or what about Fourth of July Star cookies?  (cool mom points) Her site has a bit for everyone.  If you’re getting to re-decorate a room and you want to make it kind of girly….this lampshade may be perfect.  Yep….she shows you how. And as far as summer projects go…….here’s a fun one for little girls.  All you need is some magazines or old scrapbook paper.   

Well don’t let me hold you back…….head on over and leave her a comment.  Please…..with sugar on top. :)

And don’t forget that all comments on my blog are automatically entered to win a Monthly giveaway for a Lisa Leonard Necklace.

Come back tomorrow for Get Your Craft On.