Oz-Inspired Birthday - Yellow Brick Road Cake

What better way to present a birthday surprise or two than in the form of a cake AND what better way to present a Oz themed birthday present than in the form of the yellow brick road? "Follow the yellow brick road..." - you never know where it might lead. Plus, I like to make a statement (sometimes with glitter, glitter, and more glitter). (Yes, if you have noticed a glittery theme - you're right. I pretty much glittered everything within inches of being nothing but glitter for this collection.)

Supplies Used:
* Yellow/Gold card stock. (Two sheets - one for the base and one for the lid.)
* Craft glue
* Loose glitter - I used green.
* Spray glitter - I used gold.
* Tissue paper (red). (Just enough to make a small carnation flower.)
* Twisty Tie.
* Wide ribbon.
* Scissors.
* Printer. (Optional)

Putting It Together:
I printed a brick pattern on one side of my yellow gold card stock. I did an internet search looking for brick patterns until I found the one I liked (took a bit, but I found it). Here is the link to the one I liked and used: Click here. (You can find pretty much anything on the internet if you look hard enough and long enough.)

On the backside of each piece of  card stock - I printed a template for a cake shaped box I found on Martha Stewart's website. (Found here.) I printed one slightly smaller than the other so they would fit together top and bottom. (100% and 95% to be more precise.)

I cut out the two side, folding and assembling the top and bottom with the brick side facing out. Then I secured the ends with thin layer of craft glue and trimming lid down as preferred. I glued a medium thickness of decorated red ribbon around the bottom edge of the lid. (I didn't want it to look like a hunk of cheese - a careful task.)

Let dry.

Using the craft glue and the thin end of a a paint brush I painted the words "Follow the Yellow Brick Road..." along the top of the box, then liberally covered with green glitter, shaking off the excess. I let dry.

I took small squares of red tissue paper (of course something I already had on hand in my supply) and a twisty tie to create a little tissue paper flower, trimming off the extra bit off twisty tie wire and curling it up along the bottom to attach easier. (I wanted a flat bottom to the flower.)

I sprayed it with a touch of gold glitter to give it a mystical poppy appearance. I glued it securely to the top of the yellow brick box by the green glittered lettering. Then I let it dry. I let everything dry.

As everything is secured and let dry - it's ready to start putting everything together. Stand back and be careful - no houses are falling on this birthday creation or the birthday girl it was intended.

Mother's Day Envelope Book with Cards

Celebrations, holidays, special events, and just everyday happenings send me to constantly find new inspiration. Mother's Day is no exception. If anything, there is something about Mother's Day that raises that stakes to make it more meaningful. Flowers are overrated sometimes and my mother tends to kill houseplants. Candy is fine for those that like it, but she's not a big candy person either. Plus, candy and flowers don't last. I, of course, wanted something different.

I starter with cards for my mother and grandmother - a multiple folded card spanning four generations of the women in my family; that included a young pictures of me, my mother, my grandmother, and my great grandmother (entirely maternal lines) with a short poem I wrote. The initial idea from something from Martha Stewart's Family Tree cards. I made one for each my mother and grandmother.

For my mother I wanted to make a non-traditional scrap book type thing. (Last year I made her a mini book full of quotes about mothers and motherhood with a clay rose.) I got inspired when I found a new twist on an envelope scrapbook. Admittedly, I often come across projects that I have already done or taught, but this one gave me a few ideas. (Check out a Flip Flop Envelope Book here.)

I decided to use six envelopes I had on hand left from Christmas cards, figuring one pocket for each one of my mother's five kids and one overall pocket. I looked at using more traditional scrap book paper, but decided against it. I stuffed the pockets with a card inspired from the four generation  card above, but created one for each pocket, each one fitting the theme of the pocket. I embellished each card with various pictures takes over the years with poems and quotes about mothers, Mothers Day, and motherhood.

Attach end to end by flap, making sure not to seal top. Making one long strip.

I made a sturdier and rectangular shaped top flap with a piece of card stock cut to fit over the triangular flap. Then  secured.

Using jewel inspired magazine cut outs I decorated the exterior of the long strip of envelops. I kept this decorative, but rather simple.

I then decorated the inside with more collaged pieces cut from magazines and mixed with a picture and name for each pocket. (I used pictures here form when we were all younger, including a picture with all five us for the top one.)

I then turned to folding and decorating my cards (made from half a sheet of card stock folded accordion style into four equal sections.)  for each pocket with pictures, poems, quotes, and other bits.

I stuffed each pocket, including a printed history of Mothers Day in the top pocket. (With room left for cards or more in each one.)

Folded closed and ready to go. Happy Mothers Day!

Pin Cushion Jar

Anyone who sews or crafts knows how important the tools they use are. Taking a little inspiration from Queen Martha (as in Martha Stewart and her website), I made this to keep on hand and as a handy gift for other sewers in my life (Mom, Grandma, Aunt someone or other, or just a best friend). I use this one as a button jar. (Something we can all use on hand.)

So, use one of those jars you might have on hand (especially if you or someone or know is into canning), a scrap of fabric, a bit of cardboard, a little extra bit of filling/stuffing and make one for yourself (or someone you know).

Memory Jar - FL

Scrapbooks are great and with computers and the internet we can take and store tons of pictures and videos, even burn them them onto discs or DVDs, but there is more to keep memories close than just books.

Recently, my family headed south to my cousin's wedding, that just happened to be on the beach. Like with most trips, I came back with a selection of pictures and bits that are perfect to scrap book, but I also came back with some other special things that hold just as much memories from that special day. Instead of having them scattered around in various places I took a little inspiration from Martha Stewart and combined the bits into a Memory Jar.

I started with one clean jar with lid. (In this case it was an empty pickle jar, I cleaned and socked really well. I liked the smooth sides.) I cleaned the jar with hot soapy water, removing the label, letting it soak for awhile to remove glue left from the label and any residual vinegar smell.

I filled the bottom of the jar with about and inch or so of sand I had collected from the beach where my cousin's wedding and reception was held. (I brought it back in an empty plastic water container in my beach bag.) This gave a good bottom and base for everything else.

Then came the arranging. I used included shells, a small chunk of coral collected from the beach, bubbles from the wedding & reception, a glass votive wedding favor from the reception (it had their names and the date printed on it in their colors), and sprinkled paper flower confetti (from the reception tables). Using the sand as a base, I placed the large items first (the coral and votive), then placed the shells, confetti, and bubbles around them to create an attractive display. Without anything else added it was already a nice reminder of the wedding and that nice day on the beach with family & extended family.

I painted the lid with acrylic paint (white with a slight marbling of blue streak through it) in it and glued a layer of sand (from what I brought back) to top. Using hot glue I attached a couple of the shells to the top. The let everything dry.

I decorated the outside of the jar too, but it isn't necessary by any means. (I've done others that didn't include anything on the outside.) First, using little dots of hot glue I attached ribbon around the edge, left from a wedding program. Then, I adorned the ribbon & sides with a couple of pieces of the flower confetti and small stick of purple gems I had on hand. (While the gems were sticky on their own, I considered what they were being attached to and  decided to re-inforce them with a bit of hot glue.) I used a little clear glitter paint to add a few extra finshing touches.

With everything dry, I attached the lid, and now have a lovely jar full of memories.

Almost everything came from that trip... adding only the jar (which came from my recycling bin), a bit of paint and glue, and a couple stick on flower jewels that I already had on hand.

Crepe Paper Carrots

My family does holidays in a big way - big family, big food spread, a big gathering. When things in your life are often big (like family and holiday dinners), it's nice to remember the details. This year, I got inspired by Martha Stewart's Crepe Paper Carrots and decided to make a basketful to share with the many bunnies in my family.

As usual, I took a bit of creative freedom and read the comments & suggestions added by people since there wasn't much to the directions I found. Then I came up with my own way of working with what I have and found. (As much love as I have for Martha and her website, some of her projects include little or no usable instructions and you have to figure things out on your own, this was no exception.) Mine don't look exactly like Martha's, but I'm not worried. I'm sure they will be appreciated just as they are.

I started with a selection of candy, small toys, and temporary Easter tattoos (most of which I picked up at a local dollar store) for the filling. (Suckers, licorice, pixie sticks, some gummy bunny teeth, bubbles, little horns, frogs, etc.)

To help give a base shape (and with an unneeded concern for running out of crepe paper),  I started with cut squares of white tissue paper that I folded in half diagonal, to make a triangle. Using a long toy or piece of candy I started the basic shape in the white tissue paper, wrapping it up in a cone (or carrot-like) shape, using dots of hot glue to secure the end. (I love my mini hot glue gun!)


Using green tissue paper I cut the leaves for the top. (I folded the paper, cutting them into strands that resembled grass, then cut the sections apart.) I secured the leaf tops to the top of the basic white cone with a dot or two or hot glue. (This was done at the top of the white tissue paper or along the side of a plastic wrapper on the top.)

Starting from the bottom, I began wrapping the crepe paper upward, tucking more candy, toys, or temporary tattoos as I went, helping to keep the shape with the bottom more narrow and the top wider. I secured the crepe paper around the top (adding dots of hot glue as needed, but remember not to overdo it), then wrapped downward. Wrapping each carrot upward once and downward once, I was able to give each carrots a center wrap tissue paper with two layers of colored crepe paper, tucking in little presents as I went. Using another dot of hot glue, I secure the tissue paper along the bottom or side, tucking as needed.

The carrots are nicely arranged in a basket (at least for now), sitting on some green netting I had on hand.

The rolls of crepe paper I got went a lot further than I thought they would. I ended up getting about 35 carrots from about 1 1/2 rolls of crepe paper and about 2 sheets of green tissue paper (for the leaves). The white tissue paper was something I already had on hand and was cut in wide strips from another project.

These are going to make great favors for our family Easter this year, adding something special to the tables.

I have this weird desire to come up with other vegetables full of little present and made of crepe paper and/or tissue paper for a garden themed party.

Felt Doll

This felt doll and her clothes were made using a pattern I found on Martha Stewart's crafting site, with a few adjustments of my own. I had found the pattern and decided to use what I had on hand to try out the pattern. I used brown and gray felt for the body (there wasn't enough brown so I used gray for the legs), black yarn for hair, embroidery floss for the eyes and a heart on her chest, and some pieces of material for the shirt and pants.

Most of this was done by hand.

Crafting a Rebellion

What am I trying to do? Yes, I am trying to Craft  Rebellion (can not resist those puns) of types to encourage others to express themselves. I have worked with kids in one way or another since I was one and it struck me some time ago, that many grown ups (or those perceived as grown ups) are hungry for the days when they could paint something "just because." At camp I always had other staff visiting to make their own treasures. As much as the kids, they needed someone to set the tools in front of them, help them, encourage them, and mostly just give them the opportunity to color in or out of whatever lines that were set before them. Isn't that part of the reason there are scrap booking supply shops in even small towns and card making classes popular? Isn't that why Martha Stewart has made an empire focusing on people who have a desire to do things with their own hands?

Whatever you do doesn't have to look like or be like anyone else's, the difference is where the real beauty and the real art lies. I want people all over to know that it can be your own and your way is awesome. We all need the simple satisfaction of making something with our hands sometimes, even if that means hot glueing seashells to a picture frame.  Too often we seem to lose touch with that as we get older and we forget. No more forgetting! It's time to pull out the stored away seashells, that chunk of clay, or those paints you're just itching to dig into. It's you chance to shine and to ignore the words of that art teacher somewhere you may have given you a lower grade on something just because your person didn't look like he/she thought it should. Just create for the sake of creation. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

"The reluctance to put away childish things may be a requirement of genius." ~Rebecca Pepper Sinkler