Simple Felt Crafts To Do

Felt is one of my daughter's favorite craft material to work on. She loves stitching chibi dolls and keychains. So, there are plenty of felt materials in our craft stash that can be made to more beautiful crafty projects.

Here are some photos I got from BHG.com which are great felt projects you can make. They are simple and yet colorful and easy to make. You can hand stitch them or sew by machine. It does not matter how you tackle the project because the result will be fabulous!

pin cushion

framed felt leaves

owl pen holder

felt coasters

tablet case

(all photos from bhg.com)

Easy To Make Christmas Card Kits Project

I have been very busy with a project for a friend lately so some of the usual stuff I do has to be pushed aside. Not only that, I was under the weather too for few days so my movement is a bit restrained and I need full rest to recover.

A commitment is a commitment for me so despite of the fever and achy joints, I managed to complete the 30 pieces Christmas Card kids for the young ones. This project is commissioned by a friend from work who is into arts and crafts as well. I do appreciate the fact that she contacted me to prepare easy to make cards that can be assembled by the youngsters attending her Christmas Party this December.

I am honored that she chose me to make these cards. So, I made 2 samples and they are very simple to follow. I prepared the kit which consists of the following:

1 patterned paper matting
1 Christmas image/graphic
1 small ribbon embellishment
1 paper lace cutout
1 Christmas sentiment
1 A5 cardstock

The items (except for the base card) have all been pre-cut and I already applied double adhesive tapes for easy sticking. So, there's no need for those sharp scissors and glue sticks. Everything will be assembled in a jiffy!

Free Travel Paper Piecing Patterns

Do you love crafts? How about scrapbooking or making handmade cards? Do you enjoy piecing papers together to create fun embellishments? If you do, then here are some free paper piecing patterns from BHG.com for you to enjoy and incorporate in your projects. You have to sign up first to be a member before you can get the patterns. Have fun!

All these photos are from BHG.com. Patterns can be downloaded from here:

Paper Patterns - Travel

Simple Card Tutorial With Flat-Back Pearl Embellishment

Hi everyone! This is my very first tutorial. I am going to show you how to make a simple blank handmade card for any occasion using easy to find materials and one of my favorite embellishments to use in my projects - flat-back pearls.

What you need:

• Plain card stock for the card, I used 4 x 6 inches cardstock
• Patterned papers cut in various sizes (my favorite brand is Bo Bunny and K & Company but there are a lot more with fancy designs in the craft mart)
• Matting papers (any solid or block colored card stock or art paper will do) for background and framing
• Cut-out letters - H E L L O or any greetings or sentiments you want to use
• Scissors
• Glue for the flat-back pearls
• Fine tip tweezers to pick up the small flat-back pearls
• Double-sided tape or roller adhesive tape
• 3-d foam with double adhesive
• Ribbon, about 8 to 10 inches long and folded for double-ribbon effect
• Embellishments: butterfly chipboard and flat-back pearls (about 3mm diameter) in pink and cream. I got the flat back pearls from Qrhinestones of Etsy. (You should check Emily's Qrhinestones for more beads and fancy gems to use on your projects. She ships very promptly too!)
• Optional: Pigment inkpads for side-inking effect (I used a pigment-based ink to ink the edge of the yellow matting paper)

(This project can be done in less than 15 minutes as long as you have everything you need within your reach.)

And here's how you do it:

1. Gather your materials.
2. Apply adhesive at the back of the matting and patterned paper .
3. Layer the papers together, arranging them in gradual decrease in size. Do not stick the papers on the cardstock yet at this point as we will add ribbon later. I always tuck the edge of my ribbon beneath the matting papers for a clean finish. I also inked the side of the yellow paper for some drama and emphasis.
4. Cut out some small strips of 3-D foam with adhesives and adhere to the cut-out letters.
5. Fold the ribbon in half and make a bow. This method will create a double ribbon in one knot. Tuck the edges under the biggest matting paper. Now, apply double-adhesive tape on the biggest matting. Peel off the protective film of the adhesive.
6. Stick the matting papers which is now your card topper on the card stock.
7. Stick a butterfly embellishment at the edge and dot some glue to stick the cream flat-back pearls.
8. Now dot an undulating line on top of the letters and stick the pink flat-back pearls.
9. And now,  you have your simple card done!

Easy, right?

More Art Stash! More Creative Projects!

Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on the art supplies I got today! I wish the weekend is longer as I have plenty of stuff in my head and the creative juice seems to be flowing freely lately. Thank you Lord for that. I thought I'll never be able to create stuff anymore after that long sabbatical.

I made a grunge/Victorian/Shabby inspired tag last night. I'm starting to get the hang of making shabby chic projects. I have yet to learn the tips and tricks of masking, embossing, distressing and mixing inks to have that old look and feel. I'll get to that. Meanwhile, I need to sort my arts supplies and better find a bigger table to accommodate my expanding tools.

I bought a heating tool for embossing, some dye/pigment based inks for stamping, some patterned papers and card stocks and finally got my much awaited cutting tool - Silhouette Cameo! And all these were purchased from the fruits of my blogging earning. I'm so happy and blessed to be able to follow my dreams and actually live it.

I hope it's always weekend! I have so many projects to do and so little time!

MyMemories Suite Project - Bow Tie

Summer is officially here and kids will be off from school any time soon! So, parents, what do you have in store for your kids this long summer months? Summer camp? Travel out of town? Perhaps lessons to learn new skills? Have you considered engaging them in arts and craft to develop their creativity and love for arts? Well now, this post is for you!

MyMemories.com regularly offers paper projects for everyone out there to enjoy.  I have already posted many paper projects in the past courtesy of MyMemories.com and this week's project is fairly easy and great as gift toppers - Bow Tie.  And since Father's Day is just around the corner, this cute little bow tie will be a great gift topper and even a card topper for the best Dad in the world!

If you don't have the MyMemories Suite Digital Software, you can get the software from http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software and use this 10% discount code for your purchase: STMMMS30652

The free template can be downloaded for your personal use only. Please do not redistribute or resell. You may get the template from my blog's side bar at the right with the heading Freebies. Enjoy!

The free templates are valid until 16th of June only so save them now.

MyMemories Suite Project - Spring Flowers

Check out these great freebies courtesy of MyMemories.com!
They make great Party Favors! Easy and fun to make!

Use these to decorate your lawn or string them together and hang them.
Perfect for spring birthday parties or anything else you can think of!

Available free until May 5th. You may download the free template from my blog. Please check the right side under the FREEBIE header. Please do not sell or re-distribute. This is for your personal use only. Thanks!

If you don't have MyMemories Suite Software yet, you may purchase it from http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software and use my 10% discount code for your purchase: STMMMS30652

Have fun!

(Photo credit: MyMemories.com)

The Last Project

I have mentioned in my previous post about my lack of creative mojo these days. I had it few months ago before it went into hibernation without prior notice. I am quite worried because I don't know when I'll have it back or if it will come back. That's the biggest worry I have about this dilemma.

I am glad I already finished the special scrapbook page I made for my friend's 50th birthday last April. Imagine if I had lost it then; it would really break my heart because I had set my mind (and heart) to create the page for her as a special birthday memento. I am so happy I finished it in the nick of time.

Here are the pictures of the last project I made. I do pray and hope it's not the last because I seriously miss making handmade cards for my family and friends. I still have tons of patterned papers and other craft supplies in my cabinet and I don't want to spoil them.

Please, please creative mojo, come back! I miss you!!! I will welcome you with open arms... and mind.

10% off Digital Scrapbook Software Using MyMemories Suite

Arts and craft is one of my favorite past times. I love making handmade cards and scrapbook pages. I also create digital scrapbook pages once in a while and I use MyMemories Suite software to create the perfect memory!

Here is a sample page I made recently using MyMemories Suite:

The software is very easy to use and not as complicated as Photoshop or other photo editing programs. I am not very familiar with Photoshop so doing my layouts before was so time-consuming because I kept researching for helpful tips and tricks.

MyMemories Suite is very user-friendly digital scrapbooking software . The interface is simple and to the point. The buttons have names of what they correspond to like photos, Word Art designer, background papers, embellishments, shapes and many more. I don't have to worry about layering because you can right click an image or embellishment or even text and choose send backward, bring forward, send to back, and bring to front. Not only that, you can bring your digital scrapbook page to life with audio narrations, videos and even music. I think those are very easy to follow procedures and great features which do not require elaborate explanation. I just don't want to use difficult softwares so I am sticking to MyMemories Suite.

The simplicity and easiness of this software gives scrappers more time to play around with their projects and actually finish not just one scrap page but more! I did the page I posted here for a maximum of 5 minutes unlike the other projects I did in other softwares. With all the ease of use features of this digital scrapbooking software, I don't think I'll be looking somewhere else for another software to use. MyMemories Suite is a sweet success in the digital scrapbooking world!

Try and click on my code (my discount code: STMMMS30652) to avail of the 10% off from your purchase. Head on to MyMemories.com to purchase your wonderful software. Have fun and enjoy your digital scrapbooking session with MyMemories Suite.

Instant Christmas Bowl Lamp

Need new Christmas decorations at home but you're strapped for cash? Don't fret! There's a solution for that.

If you have an old fish bowl (without the fish of course!) and some tangled and old but working Christmas lights that you want to throw but can't (because you have this inner voice telling you not to...hehehee) then follow what I will have to say.

• Clean the bowl with slightly damp newspaper. Here's a trivia, damp old newspaper cleans spots better than those chemical induced glass cleaner sprays in the market!
• Test your dangled Christmas lights if they are still working. If you need to replace some busted lights, do so.
• Place the tangled Christmas lights inside the bowl.
• Place the bowl on top of your coffee table or on the side table or even in the middle of your dining table!
• Keep an extension nearby if you don't have an electrical outlet near the bowl.
• Plug and switch on! Presto!!!

You're instant Christmas Bowl Lamp... Did it cost you that much? I don't think so :)

Enjoy your new and very easy to make Christmas Bowl Lamp.

Loooooong Weekend Ahead

I did not spell the long wrongly :) I am just stating a very happy fact that we will have 5 days straight holiday due to Eid Al Adha. So, tomorrow's the last day of work and I am cooking up nice ideas and projects to make over the weekend.

Speaking of projects, my handmade cards are making a buzz in my circle. Some people are already asking for custom-made handmade cards and managed to sell most of my work already. I am still having a hard time figuring out how much to charge because I am doing this for the sheer fun and passion but at the same time, I want something to at least support the passion.

I have no plans of travelling this week or the coming month. I decided to cancel everything and just focus on some "me" time.

Well, I can't wait for the weekend so I can dig in my paper craft. I have orders to fulfill!

Happy days ahead! Have fun everyone!

Happy Halloween 2009!

I hope everyone is having a great time trick or treating. I just wish we have Halloween Trick or Treating event here so I can go out too and have some fun! I'll probably dress up our cute dog Millie as a Princess. LOL!

For our Halloween project this year, apart from the mini Jack-O-Lanterns made of oranges, my daughter made some Ghosts lollies. She used white cooking chocolate, choco chips for the eyes and barbecue sticks as lolly handle. Spookilicious!!!

Bath Time is Fun Time

I have always enjoyed a nice soak in the tub especially when I am all stressed out. I like lighting scented candles and filling the tub with few drops of scented oils to calm my nerves.

I never had bath tubs back in the Philippines so when I moved here in Dubai, I made it a point to have a place with a bath tub in my master bedroom. I am lucky enough to have my own bathroom with a tub here with great bathroom vanities! Yes!

My next project is to upgrade my tub to a jacuzzi whirlpool. I know it is a long shot because our landlord will never allow us. So, in my own little dreamland, I decided to have one when I have my own home. I am looking at whirlpool jacuzzi with great water and air circulation to make the massaging power more effective.

I have seen a lot of gorgeous jacuzzis both in magazines and web sites catering to this product. I am not keen on a very big jacuzzi but something that can be placed in the corner so I can maximize the space of my bathroom.

I can't wait to have a house of my own so I can fulfill all my dream projects. And having a spacious bathroom with whirlpool jacuzzi is one of them! Talking of dream home projects, I'll include my dream kitchen with modern and stylish kitchen sinks and kitchen faucets.