Princess Party Gift

My niece had her 6th birthday recently and I was invited to her Princess Party. I was honored! I wanted to make something special and wanted something different than the items I have made before. I remembered that my crafty friend (and neighbor) had made some bottle cap necklaces for party favors for her daughter's birthday and I decided to give it a try!

I had leftover bottle caps from years ago when I decoupaged some for a scrapbook layout of my sons' birthday party, so I pulled them out. I wanted to make princess caps because it was a princess party. I remembered a set of mini playing cards that I had picked up probably years ago in the Wal-Mart check out line that had all the Disney princess on the back. Yay, I hadn't thrown them away!

So, I got to work. It was trial and error, but I was super pleased with how they turned out.


For the record, although I might not be well versed in all things girly, I do know that Tinkerbell isn't technically a Disney princess. But, she is super cute and she fit perfectly with the girls. *grin*

I included magnetic pink and white choker necklaces that are interchangeable.


I packaged the necklaces in a tiny little Chinese take-out box.


Then I made a quick card using a clear princess stamp and my copic markers.


I was very pleased with how everything turned out and the Birthday Princess seemed to like them, too.

And, here's my sweet niece, Julia, who invited me to her princess party (actually, my sister, Christy, really invited me) so I could leave my three boys at home and enjoy some girl time with pink, purple, sparkles, make up, dress up and giggling.


And they all lived happily ever after...

Finally, a new pendant!

I have been wearing a photo pendant with a picture that is at least a year old! It's okay if the kids aren't with me, but if they're with me, you can tell they've changed a lot. Mainly, Russell has his glasses and that changes his whole look!

So, after a fun day at Sci-Port, the boys and I enjoyed some time at a beautiful waterfall across the street and I got the perfect picture!


I had already decided I wanted a tall pendant, so I just needed a tall picture. I am so, so pleased with the final result and I've been wearing it all the time!


I get lots of compliments on it. This shape is very eye-catching.


For a look at all the photo pendant sizes available, check out my etsy shop!

Congratulations, Graduates!

My mom wanted some simple, can be for a boy or girl, no school colors, graduation cards, so I made a set of 10 in an assembly line style.


I did 5 red and 5 blue. The images were stamped in black ink and colored with copic markers. If you look closely, you can see that I pierced a little curly-q thingy that makes it look like the hat just flipped. At least, that's how it's supposed to look.


After printing, cutting out and mounting the words, "Congratulations" for the inside, I realized that I probably have a stamp that says that. Oh, well. At least it all matches since I didn't have a stamp for the phrase on the front. And we all know matching is best, right?! :-)


Simple, but I was very pleased with how they turned out.

Congratulations, Graduates! Or is that Congradulations, Gratuates?...

Chore Jars

Well, we've started consistently doing chores around here. Okay, I already was doing them, but now I've allowed my children to partake in the great joy that one receives as a result of doing chores on a daily basis.

Ever since I posted about wanting the boys to have regular chores, I've been "testing" them to see what they can do. I have been pleasantly surprised to see all that they are capable of and how eager they are!

I'm also wondering why I didn't start this sooner! These kids are a huge help!

I took popsicle sticks and wrote the boys' chores out, one on each stick. Then I used baby food jars (the large ones--I knew I was saving them for a good reason!) and decorated them. I know, I know, that step was unnecessary, but it was fun!

I just used fun clip art images I found online. Russell got an alien in a space ship:


And Randall got a rocket ship:


As you can see, each boy gets two jars. One has "To Do" on it and the other has "Done". I choose the chores each morning and put them in the "To Do" jar. As they finish them, they, obviously, move the popsicle sticks to the "Done" jar.

I also have extra chores that they can do (after they've finished their regular ones) and they can earn extra money for doing them. They are marked with a red dot so I remember that they are extra. And, I have an extra jar for the chores that aren't necessary that day (like emptying the trash or putting away clean clothes, etc).


For a list of the specific chores I gave each boy, check out my family blog!

Some of these still require my supervision, but I've been so pleased with their willingness to help and with how teachable they've been to my instruction on how to do the chores!

Well, we're enjoying blasting off to chores!


And, I leave you with a joke.

What did the alien say to the rose bush?

Take me to your weeder!

Ba-da-dum!

Venting

I am frustrated and want to vent.

I did a search last night for "magnetic scrapbook" to see if my etsy stuff shows up in searches. I was curious how many pages you would have to scroll through before finding my refrigerator scrapbooks. What I found was someone that makes the exact same magnetic scrapbooks as I do. Her description was even very similar to mine, almost word for word in parts.

Now, I realize that I don't have a copyright on my idea, but she could at least give me credit, like when I stamp a card and "case" someone else's.

Or she could have made it look a little different than mine! She used the same idea of using a brand new, plain metal tin and the same kind of magnets, same placement of magnets and everything.

I know that some of you might be rolling your eyes at me and think I'm making a big deal out of nothing. Am I? I don't know. I'm not trying to be ugly, I'm just bummed that the very thing I was afraid would happen, did happen. I should have known it would happen since I did put my idea up on the world wide web, but she's even selling on etsy.

Aargh.

I could get a copyright, but it looks like it's very expensive and there's still no guarantee that someone won't see my idea and copy it anyway.

There's nothing I can do (at least I don't think there is). So, I have a choice. I can sit and think about it and be mad (which is what I want to do) or I can get over it (which is what I *want* to want to do).

Oh, well. It's not like we can't both make them and both sell them. I love making them and I imagine she does, too. It's not the end of the world, is it?

Okay, I feel better after venting.

I was pleasantly surprised to see, in my googling, that someone blogged about a tin and some magnets that they ordered from me last summer. What a nice surprise!

So, I'll end on that note!

Happy Birthday, Cap'n Aidan!

I sold a pirate paper bag album on etsy the other day and what a fun album to personalize. Cap'n Aidan is just a little younger than Randall and I can imagine what a fun party he had!


Have fun putting pirate memories in your album!

Teacher Gifts

Back when I made Russell's teacher a crayon initial, I had grand intentions of making one for each of Randall's teachers, too. It just didn't happen. So, I was determined to make them for the end of the year.

My neighbor, Allison, wanted to make one, too, so we spent a few hours together one evening and cut up crayons. We're such cut-ups. Ha, ha. Ha. Hmmm.

Anyway, I was very pleased with the result! So, of course, I had to take a picture. For some reason, when I make a gift, I like it so much, it's hard to give it away. Although, I don't know what I'd do with two crayon intials (especially considering I don't have a 'K' or a 'P' anywhere in my name...). But, if I take a picture, I have no trouble giving it away. I know, I'm weird.

So, here they are:


And, just because I'm so crafty and cool like that, I even wrapped them up in a very professional manner.


Oh, wait, I must've forgotten to take a picture of them all wrapped and spiffy in their matching paper with handmade bows. Or... Maybe the whole "matching wrapping paper and handmade bows" was just in my wildest dreams. You spend too much time cutting crayons and sniffing tacky glue and you, too, can have wild dreams...

I used the basic idea of the crayon initial from Dawn's blog. She helped me last time (because I don't have PhotoShop and I waited until the last minute before beginning my project), but this time, I was a big girl and did it by myself. It was much easier than I expected. I used Word and made mine to fit an 8 1/2 x 11 frame.

No handmade cards this time with the busy-ness of the end of the school year. I know, I know...

By the time the kids graduate from high school, they will have left a trail of initials and broken hearts... er, crayons.