MarytheKaytheBlog

Just in time for Christmas giving: My favorite DIY projects!

Christmas is quickly approaching, but there is STILL TIME if you'd like to get crafty!  Heck, there's always time for crafty, right?

I thought it would be fun to gather up some of my all-time favorite DIY gift projects into one place.  I sure hope something here inspires you, and gets your crafty heart pumping faster. 

Now, I am NOT a professional--or perfect--crafter.  I am not presenting you with perfect crafts, but I AM presenting you with easy DO-able projects that don't require a ton of time (or money.)

That is my mantra, after all:  Quick and Easy.

 

Christmas Photo Placemats 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creating Silhouettes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Custom Bulletin Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy DIY Christmas Art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick & Easy Teacher Gift Idea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Scrabble Word Art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Chocolate Popcorn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EASY & BEST Cinnamon Rolls

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does anything inspire your crafty little fingers?  

What do you have left to be ready for Christmas?

Easy DIY Christmas Art!

I just love decorating our home at Christmas with meaningful and sentimental art!  Today, as I was (finally) putting up part of my snowman collection, I thought I'd share 2 easy DIY Christmas art projects that our family is enjoying this year.

This is actually a new china cabinet in our kitchen, and I have to say--looking at it just makes me happy.  Because it's new, I had to figure out how to decorate it for Christmas.  I decided to put part of my cutie pie snowman collection on top, and anchored them with 2 DIY art projects.

 Project #1 - FREE Joy Printable on (in)Courage

I was SO excited when I saw the lovely JOY graphic.  I originally printed this one out to use as a gift.  I even bought the inexpensive acrylic frame at Michael's as part of the gift.  When I slid the graphic into the frame, I put it on top of my china cabinet to see how it looked.  I loved the look of it so much...that I am KEEPING it.  I'll print another to give away!  

(By the way, if you haven't ever read (in)Courage, please click around over there.  I promise you'll be encouraged if you do.)

 

 Project #2 - Poinsettia Sponge-Painted Canvas

This was an art project my creative sister taught her nieces to do last Christmas.  The girls always look forward to Aunt Gina's newest art project for them whenever she comes for a long visit.  Last year, she brought all of the supplies needed to make these simple sponge-painted poinsettias:  Canvases, craft paint (red, green, gold), brushes, pencils (needed for the eraser), and inexpensive dish sponges.

Instructions:  First, they made the centers for 5 poinsettias, by dipping a pencil's eraser tip (or end of a paint brush) into gold craft paint and pressing onto the canvas.  The 4-5 gold dots each should form small circles, and be spread across the whole canvas.

Next, she cut a regular dish sponge into a pointed petal shape.  Each child got 1 petal-shaped sponge and some red craft paint on a styrofoam plate.  She instructed the kids to sponge the poinsettia leaves around each gold dot "center"--giving each flower 6-7 petals.  She told them not to worry if their gold dots were too close to an edge--the picture looks better if a few of the poinsettia petals are "falling off" the edge of the canvas.

The last step is to paint the background, using a greenish-gold they could mix together on their styrofoam plates.  They used brushes to paint the background over the whole canvas--but leaving a thin white outline around each of the flowers/petals.

That's it!  Each of the girls' canvases is unique--and strikingly vibrant and happy!  I have my girls' names and last year's date written on the backs.  

I'm sure these sweet paintings will make me smile year-after-year as I unwrap them, and place them back up for Christmas.

(More DIY art ideas... Inspiring artwork ... Pottery Barn-Inspired Bulletin Board ... Scrabble Tile Decor ...Inexpensive Custom Bulletin Board)

What are some of your favorite easy--and handmade--Christmas art projects around your house?

Linked up with:  We are THAT Family

Quick and Easy Christmas Gift for Teachers

Oh, I do love the words "quick" and "easy!"

Don't you?

I especially love them when they refer to cutie pie little gifts that are thoughtful.

(And also inexpensive...But--shh!--don't tell anybody!!)

Now that Rebecca's in public school, she has at least 10 teachers when you count the extras that help in some of her classes.  That is not even counting the office ladies who are so kind, and some of the administration.  Yikes--teacher gifts can certainly add up in the cash-ola department of who-has-extra-money-to-spend-at-Christmas!

We did want to do something thoughtful for her teachers, but also inexpensive and not too time-consuming.  In other words--QUICK, EASY, and CHEAP.  (Yep, now we're talking!)

I put together these little gift sacks (with a Starbucks gift card and snowmen marshmallows)--and they fit into all three of those categories.  

We're also sending these little gifts NOW, so that her teachers can enjoy a hot peppermint mocha...or a gingerbread latte...or a caramel brulee latte...during this festive, yet busy, season.

Please feel free to COPY this easy idea!  I am also including a FREE PRINTABLE of the gift tags we used!!

 Download Peppermint Mocha Gift Tags -  Adobe/PDF 

Download Peppermint Mocha Gift Tags  -  Microsoft Word

I'd sure love to hear if you use this idea--or something similar!  

Not a Starbucks fan?  Is Sonic more your style?  Here's another Quick & Easy gift card wrapping idea!

What kind of Quick & Easy gifts do you like to give?

My Favorite Pinterest Finds Lately

(Woo Hoo!!!  Tonight our family celebrated red-white-blue style at our town's Honor America.  Seriously, this event is the world's BEST small-town celebration of the 4th of July!!)

And now...on to our previously scheduled programming.

 

I really LOVE Pinterest.  Sometimes, though, I love it the same way I love Martha Stewart magazine, or Real Simple magazine--I love to look at the great ideas, and swoon over the pretty pictures...But, usually forget about them once I pin them.

However, every-once-in-a-while I stumble across a really fabulous ideas that I ACTUALLY TRY OUT.

(If you just said, "What is Pinterest?"  Well, then, have I got a treat for you!  Click here, and you can thank me later.)

Here are some of these recent fabulous ideas that are ON MY LIST to try out!  I thought it would be fun to share them with you.

 (Click on the pictures to go to their links.)

 

Cupcake Pizzas - I want one of these RIGHT. NOW.  Such a simple recipe!  What FUN snacks my kids can create all on their own!!

Source: reallyfrompinterest.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

 

 

 

I'm going to grab a binder clip RIGHT NOW, and attach it to my nightstand here in our summer cabin.  I have to reach down every single night and find my phone charger cord to plug in my phone.  Brilliant!  Hang on...I'll be right back... 

Source: teamimhoff.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

DIY Lawn Twister - My daughters went to a darling outdoor water party recently and saw this CUTE idea in action!

Source: youplusmeforalways.blogspot.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

 Party Food Station Ideas - I especially love the breakfast cereal bar and the trail mix bar ideas!!

Source: creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

Clever Cupcake Packaging - an easy and CUTE way to give a thoughtful gift of a cupcake.  Leave one on a nightstand for a house guest...fun way to thank a Sunday School teacher...a friend who needs a little smile in her day...a new mom in the hospital...  And don't you just LOVE the spoon tied onto the bow?

Source: lisastorms.typepad.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

Easy Blueberry Crisp aka Fresh Blueberry Dump Cake - I already am IN LOVE with the simple YUMMY-NESS of dump cake.  But, using FRESH blueberries or blackberries???  Yes to the tenth power!!  I am going to try this SOON!!!!

Source: asouthernfairytale.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

 

And my FAVORITE category of all my Pinterest boards:  Makes Me Smile

I just have to share a couple of these...because...you know...they make me smile.

I hope they make you smile, too!

 

Source: mommysavers.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

 

I want these stickers for MY plugs!!

Source: etsy.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

Aw man!  Why didn't I think of this when I named our home wifi??? 

Source: Uploaded by user via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

This is more true than I care to admit...

Source: someecards.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

Now, TAG YOU'RE IT!  What are some great ideas YOU'VE stumbled upon recently?

Just think...if we ALL share our great ideas...the world will...have more ideas.  Brilliant.

Linked up with:

How to make a beautiful custom bulletin board: In pictures!

For Mother's Day, my mom wanted a bulletin board for her cutie pie grandkids' art.  I knew I couldn't find anything shnazzy and oversized enough in my price range, so I decided to make one!

After a quick browsing through Pinterest, I decided to hit some thrift stores to find an oversize frame to start with.

Lucky for me, my wheeling-dealing husband went along, and got the cheesy picture frame for HALF PRICE!

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the explaining.  'Cause ya'll know I could chat your ears off trying to explain each step.  I think the pictures are pretty self-explanatory.  The whole project took me about 3 hours to complete--start to finish.

Is it tacky to say that I LOVE the finished product??!

(By the way, this ain't my first bulletin board rodeo...bulletin boardeo...Click here to see the Pottery Barn knock-off I did for my daughter's room!)

 

Now, heretofore are the project pictures:

 

DRUM ROLL for the finished project:

 

 (I can't heeeaaaarrrr youuuuu)

 

 What do you think?  

The bright red frame just makes me HAPPY!  The colorful striped fabric makes me smile, too.  (And did you notice I used a $5 flat sheet from Walmart for the fabric?  I have admired the fabric in these sheets for a while, and decided it would cheerfully complement the bright red frame!)

 

P.S.  How about a BONUS PROJECT??

Cute little custom pushpins!!!

What projects have YOU been working on lately?

Linked up with:

Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family

Quick and Easy Teacher Gifts

What is it about me...that I love the words "quick and easy" so much?  Today's edition of Quick and Easy is brought to you by the Letter "T"...for TEACHERS...and TARGET!!!

Ya'll know how much I love to plan ahead, so on Wednesday--my daughters' last day of school--I ran to Target to find their gifts.  Nothing like some good old fashioned out-of-time-stress to inspire a great idea. Right?

I started in the $1 aisle to find containers for my gifts.  I knew I wanted to give gift cards, but in a creative and thoughtful way.

I SCORED in the $1 aisle--because everything I bought there was on a half-price sale.  So, that made each of my containers 50 CENTS each. (My math skills are impressive.)

I bought some cute packs of thank you cards to add in.  

I finished off the gifts with darling teacher-specific gift cards, and a large cellophane basket bag (that I cut in half to use for the 2 larger containers.  I do LOVE a cellophane bag, ya know.)

Here's what I came up with.  What do you think?

Here they are up close...

Not bad for a 10-minute shopping trip, huh?  Like I said--I do love these words...QUICK and EASY!!!

(Want some more quick and easy gift ideas?)

What is your most recent great "Quick and Easy" idea?

It's Teacher Gift Time!

This is one of my favorite little teacher gift ideas.  I am actually re-posting this, in case you didn't see it the first time around.  I love this idea because it is quick and easy--which is what we all NEED this crazy time of year!

------------

How about a Sonic Happy?!!

Just today I needed some last-minute gifts for our daughter's choir teachers.  I love to be able to give small, thoughtful gifts to the adults who help with our church's children's musical.  Somehow, I had forgotten all about these gifts...until THIS MORNING--the MORNING of THE MUSICAL.   AAAHHHHHH!!  Sometimes, I really wonder what is wrong with my feeble brain.

The quickest thing I could think of was a $5 gift card from Sonic.  Because WHO doesn't like Sonic???  And, in my world, Sonic = Happy. 

In order to help the Sonic gift card look more thoughtful and creative...you know--to AMP IT UP a little...I thought it would be fun to place the card inside a small Sonic cup and wrap it in a clear cellophane bag.

Stick around here a while, and you'll find that I use these bags for everything!

Quickly, I printed up some colorful gift tags that said,

"Thanks a 'TOT' for helping with our choir!"

(Update:  My niece used this idea for her school teacher, and chose to use this cute phrase:  "Thanks for all you 'TOT' me this year!")

I punched a hole in the corner of each, and slid them into a ziploc bag.  (An easy way to print these creative gift tags is with MS Word, using the insert "Word Art" feature.  I used the rainbow-colored template to type out my message.  After sizing my message to the size I wanted on the page, I copied it, and pasted it 5 more times down the page.  Literally, this took me 60 seconds to create and 60 seconds to print.)

I gathered some yellow ribbon, cut into appropriate lengths, and slid those along with some cellophane bags into the same ziploc.

I also thought it would be fun to have some colorful M&Ms in the bottom of the Sonic cup, for the gift card to rest on top.  (If I'd had some Hershey's Kisses, I would have LOVED putting those in the cups.  M&Ms are what I had on hand, so that's what I used.)

 

Here's a pic of my very-quickly gathered supplies to take in the car with me to Sonic:

At Sonic, I ordered 6 $5 gift cards, along with 6 small cups and straws, and 2 empty bags.  It took 2 tries to get Mr. Sonic to understand what I was asking.

I began assembling those puppies right there in the Sonic parking spot!

First, I plopped a handful of M&Ms in the bottom of each cup, then placed the gift card on top.

 

Then, I put on the lid, slid in a Sonic's happy red straw, placed the cup into the cellophane bag, and tied on the yellow ribbon and gift card.

 

Voila!  You have zee Sonic Happy!!!  Doesn't zees just make you SMILE?

I placed the 6 Sonic Happies into empty Sonic sacks to transport them into church.  I sure did notice lots of glances toward my Sonic sacks.  I think they were wondering if I was transporting TOTS into church!  Yum Yum, me love tots!!

There you have it!  A QUICK, CREATIVE, THOUGHTFUL and INEXPENSIVE gift idea! 

 Those are my 4 favorite words when it comes to gift-giving!  How about you?

(Need MORE teacher gift ideas?  Click here!) 

What is your favorite teacher appreciation gift?

Linked up with:

Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family

Let's tell some truth together...

In honor of Tell the Truth Tuesday, I thought it would be fun to play a little Truth or Dare with yous guys.  

Okay, not really Truth or Dare.  I just said that to make you nervous.  

But, I thought yous guys may get sick of hearing all about me...So, I'm turning the tables on YOU today.  

I will answer some questions about myself.  But ONLY if you PROMISE to tell me YOUR ANSWERS.

Pinkie promise?

Okay, here goes!

1.  What book have you read recently? (I'm currently reading Unbroken, and LOVING it!)

2.  What's your current breakfast of choice?  (Lately, I've been alternating between Oatmeal Raisin Crunch cereal or a cinnamon raisin bagel.  Yum.  I'm hungry now.)

3.  Are your toenails painted right now?  What color?  (Yes!!  I keep mine painted all during my beloved Chaco season.  Right now, mine are painted Revlon's Love that Red.  Speaking of toenail painting...Have you read my brilliant post on perfectly painted toenails???)

4.  What household chore do you like LEAST?  (Hmm...it's a tie between vacuuming, and putting away folded clothes.)

5.  What household chore do you like MOST?  (None of the above.  Okay, if I HAD to pick...it would be washing a load of white clothes, and putting in a leetle beet of bleach.  A capful of bleach makes me happy.)

 6.  What is the LEAST HEALTHY thing you do? (Okay, okay, I admit...sometimes I really love having a bowl of ice cream at bedtime.  I know it is a terrible terrible thing to do...but it just tastes so delicious while I am watching something in bed...)

7.  What is on your gift list for Mother's Day...or birthday...?  (Well, since you asked, I'd have to say...I would love a live plant in a pretty pot to replace an old silk plant that is about to PUT ME OVER the EDGE.  I'd really like something tall, and would love something that blooms--like an orchid.  I'd also like either a Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred dvd, or the book about running written by an old Kamp friend of mine--Run With Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of Poo.

Okay, that's it!  Now, it's YOUR turn!!!

image credit

Favorite Things GIVEAWAY to Celebrate my 2nd Blogiversary!!

UPDATE:  Giveaway is closed.  THANK YOU for participating!  Check back tomorrow to find out the WINNER!!!

In celebration of my 2-year blog anniversary, I wanted to host another Favorite Things Giveaway!  This is my way of saying THANK YOU for taking the time to click over to my little blog, and for your words of encouragement over the last 2 years.  I appreciate you all so much--and feel honored every single day when I see that you have clicked over here to read my blog.

So, here's the loot!!

All of these fun items are some of my FAVORITE THINGS I've written about here over the last 2 years.  I'm actually kind of jealous--I want to win this stuff!!

Here are the items included in my Favorite Things Giveaway:

1.  $15 Amazon Gift Card - Because reading truly is one of my favorite things.  Click here to read about some of my recent book suggestions.

2.  $5 Sonic Gift Card - There is nothing more FUN to give than a Sonic Happy!  You don't know what a Sonic Happy is?  Well, click here to find out!  They would make WONDERFUL little treats for teachers this Valentine's Day!

3.  One Year Women's Devotional - I received this same book for Christmas, and have used it every night since.  The short daily devotionals always seem to talk about just the thing I need encouragement about.  Plus, the attached ribbon bookmark?  BONUS.

4.  Lightweight Spring Scarf from Old Navy - This nautical-inspired navy, red, and ivory gauzy scarf just drew me right in.  It took every ounce of willpower not to buy one FOR MYSELF.  I mean--the scarf IS part of my Signature Look this winter...

5.  Why Hug MarytheKay T-shirt - How could you resist this hot pink number?  Don't understand the "Why Hug" philosophy?  Click here to read all about my awkward hugging hangups.  (Note:  This t-shirt is only still available in Adult S, L, or XL.)

6.  Strawberry Watermelon MiO- I want you to enjoy my favorite way to drink water.  Mmm!  Strawberry Watermelon makes me think I'm eating a snow cone.

7.  Handy Dandy Pan Scraper - It's a simple thing, I know.  But, I use mine every single day (Well...every day that I COOK, that is...which...is not necessarily every day.)

8.  Haribo Gold-Bears - Only my ALL-TIME favorite CANDY!!!  (And...I must confess--I DID buy myself a bag of these!  I mean--it IS my birthday, right?)

9.  Bon Bons- What would a MarytheKay giveaway be without Bon Bons?  In particular, these are my favorite Ghiradelli chocolate-caramels.

And look!  I'll wrap everything up nice and pretty in a red (my favorite color!) gift sack, and ship it right to the winner's doorstep!

How to enter?

Since it's my blogiversary, I want to re-evaluate some things, so I'd LOVE your feedback!  In order to enter, I ask that you answer 3 simple questions in the Comments section: 

(1)  WHAT TIME OF DAY do you typically read my (or other) blog/s? 

(2)  WHERE do you typically read my (or other) blog/s--at home on your computer, at work on your computer, or on your smart phone? 

(3)  WHY do you read my (or other) blog/s--helpful hints, inspiration, funny stories, recipes, other reasons???

For a 2nd entry, please TWEET about this giveaway, with a link back here.  Leave a comment telling me you did this.

For a 3rd entry, please post about it on FACEBOOK, with a link back here.  Leave a comment telling me you did this.

That's it!  The giveaway ends next Thursday, February 16th at 9pm CST, and I will ANNOUNCE THE WINNER on Friday, February 17th!!  (The winner will have 72 hours to contact me with a mailing address.)

So, go forth and enter ye the giveaway!!!

 

And...thank you...really...for spending these last 2 years reading my blog.

The Oddest Christmas Gifts this Year

 I know I tell ya'll all the time how crazy I am. 

Well, today I hope you understand WHERE I get all that crazy from:  My family.  I come by my craziness naturally, and I hope these pictures prove to you that I am only a VICTIM of crazy.  I cannot help myself.  There is crazy surrounding me.

(never mind that I bought half these gifts...)

Here is a small selection of some of the ODD Christmas gifts my family exchanged this year...

Fake mustache sets.  That were purchased at a gas station.  But, a lovely gas station in Iowa.  I think you can see how meaningful they were to my nephew.   This particular mustache was called "The banker"--in case you were interested.

 

This next gift was in the coveted bag of my sister-in-law's Favorite Things.  Every year, the person's name she draws gets a whole sack full of Gina's current favorites.  I always love checking out the yearly Favorite Things!

This year, one of the gifts in particular got the most mileage.  I mean EVERYBODY wanted to try it.  In fact, we couldn't stop giggling about it.

The funniest moment was right when my sister opened it.  I have never seen her husband--my crazy brother-in-law--move so fast.  Within a split second, he had jumped out of his chair, and had laid his head in my sister's lap--READY for her to try out the gift on HIM.

 

Have you met the Tingler Head Massager?  Uhm, but I feel more comfortable just calling it "a scalp massager."

And let me tell you--there was not a scalp in the house that was not tingled...er, massaged.

Also:  It is nearly impossible not to make a funny face when that thing is on your scalp.

 

 

The next person chose NOT to have his face shown with his ODD Christmas gift.  I have no idea why...it's a lovely, and helpful gift...

 

I'm not at all sure exactly what monkey butt is...but I DO KNOW that from the looks of that picture, I sure DON'T WANT IT.  I am definitely ANTI-monkey butt.  And if I ever do get the monkey butt, thankfully, I will know what to do for it.

And GOOD NEWS for YOU!!!  Because I am all about public service, HERE is where you may buy your very own bottle of Anti-Monkey Butt Powder.

Okay, I'm all done saying "monkey butt" now.  Sorry...you know me and my junior high humor.  I just can't help myself.  (monkey butt)

 

 

And, the FINAL ODDEST CHRISTMAS GIFTS this year should win some kind of award.  They are the pièce de résistance of ODD.  Well...unless you are a beard-wearing mountain man of the 1850s.  And then--then these gifts would be like a pan 'o gold, or wagon-load of buffalo chips.

But, instead--my pray-shus daughters, my delicate butterflies, my entirely proper young ladies HOOPED and HOLLERED when their daddy gave them a "very special gift."

 

A BOXful of animal pelts--for them each to choose her favorite one to keep.

For you city folks, let me translate the above sentence for you:

"A box full of dead varmits that most people try to swerve and HIT with their cars...that my dear husband bought so that my precious daughters can hug and snuggle and rub the soft fur of dead animals."

(And, much to my dismay, about a wagon-load of money was used to purchase said box 'o varmits.  Also, my husband would want you to know right now--that *sometimes* I exaggerate for a couple of laughs.  However, in this case, I think you can see that the picture does not exaggerate.)

For your convenience, here are the animals pictured above: 

(L-R) Coyote, coyote, fox, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, raccoon, raccoon.  Rebecca is holding a fox.

I'm sure you're dying to know WHICH DEAD VARMITS my lovely daughters chose, aren't you?

They both chose a fox.

I'm happy to let you know that both foxes are feeling right at home...

 

 

"John Henry, that's close enough.  Stop it!!  Don't get that thing ANY closer to me!"

 

I have no shame left.  Goodbye forever, dearest pride.

 

What were some of the oddest gifts YOU'VE ever received?