One Dollar Wednesday... it's all about FAMILY

I have said it before, and I'll say it again... I have a plethora of picture frames. Yes, they are random as can be. Different colors, different shapes, and different styles. For today's project, I'm focusing on some that I picked up recently at the dollar store/thrift stores.

See~~random...



but, a quick trip out to Spray Paint Place, and they're starting to look a bit more uniform!


I selected some fun scrapbook paper (from my VAST COLLECTION), and proceeded to print out the word FAMILY. Each letter, on it's own piece of paper, and in it's own FONT.


I framed them up lickety split...


and laid them out on the floor, as I wanted them on the wall.


Here's the final product...adding a little color to this quiet corner of my kitchen!

How to make a pool table out of cardboard

Image via Instructables

Children can get tired of toys pretty quickly--especially, dolls, which seem to need a never-ending kaleidoscope of accessories to remain interesting. It's prudent to begin making a few of these components yourself. You can craft an entire dollhouse yourself, but start with just a few objects then work your way up. Follow this guide to make a pool table that dolls and action figures alike would be proud to rack.

Using sharp scissors, cut two strips of poster board two inches wide and four inches long.

Working along the four-inch side, create a fold every inch. This will turn your flat sheets into two square columns. Secure with masking tape. These will be the legs of your pool table.

Cut another section of poster board into a three inch by six-inch piece. This rectangle will be your tabletop. Paint it green or apply green felt with craft glue.

With the tip of your scissors, carefully poke holes in each corner of the tabletop.

Cut out four one by one inch squares of nylon stocking. Flip the tabletop over and tape the stocking square over the holes in each corner. This will create the pool table "pockets."

Attach the tabletop to the legs with the stockings facing down.

With colored clay, roll out 15 balls of even size. They should be small enough to fit through the pocket holes. The balls should be baked at 275 degrees to harden. You could also paint marbles, but they will likely be too big to fit in the holes.

To create pool cues cut barbecue skewers into three-inch sections.

Glue three one-inch pieces of skewer into a triangle. This can be used to "rack" the balls.

Your billiard room set will be the envy of every doll in the playroom, rack 'em up!


Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys spoiling her niece with homemade goodies. Danielle is particularly fond of needlepoint, working with pipe cleaners and the smell of a fresh box of crayons. Read her work at eatbreatheblog.com

Christmas Crafts

This poor little blog has been neglected lately, sad but true. Since we were much more on top of things last year, I thought I would link up some of our Christmas posts from last year.

It is only December 3rd, so you still have time for an advent calendar!!

Here is a cute gingerbread one....

Or the classic paper chain.
If you are needing some decor, here is quick and easy Christmas framed art.
Faux gingerbread cookies.
And snowman spoons. All of these crafts are super inexpensive, most using dollar store supplies.
If you need some neighbor gift ideas here are a few. Sand art brownies.
Homemade candied almonds.
Or, Have a "grate" Christmas!
Hopefully we will have more ideas to show soon!

Lazy Halloween Post

We have been lazy bloggers lately, it's true. In my defense I am buried right now, so blogging is at the bottom of the list. We listed our home for sale, and as many of you know, it is an intense, time consuming thing, trying to sell a home. I haven't done any Halloween crafts, honestly, sadly, I don't even feel like it is Halloween. That is really sad since Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.

I thought I would share some of our favorite projects from last year, because really that is all I have time to do!

Halloween Pedestals

Milk Jug Skeleton

Halloween Dinner Ideas

Do you have any Halloween crafts or ideas that are cute and SIMPLE, since I have no time?

Crafting With Tape Measures: Featuring Danielle of EatBreatheBlog

Danielle from EatBreatheBlog is sharing a crafting tip using old tape measures. A great way to recycle!

Crafting with Tape Measures



I’ve long been interested in incorporating repurposed art into my home – that is, the sort of thing I could make myself out of found objects. I seized the opportunity when I moved to the New York City (NYC) area and moved into a home that needed a lot of attention. As the NYC remodeling expert I hired went through my home with her team, I found myself inspired by the tools of the construction trade and decided to use some of them in my renovated home.



The first room the crew worked on was a workspace where I could work on messy projects, like gardening. I tried to be artsy with screwdrivers and hammers but the result was nothing I was eager to display in my home. I found success, however, when I started working with cloth tape measures. I decided to make something small for a few rooms in the house, wanting to incorporate a design theme through my space. I had hung up photos that spoke to my interest in gardening and decided to replace the thin sliver of matting with sections of measuring tape. All I needed to do was section off the tape and glue it in place. Doing so gave the pictures a unique look and proved to be a conversation starter.



The remodeling crew also worked on the kitchen, which is where I decided to hang a dry erase/corkboard to keep track of coupons, recipe cards, and notes to myself. On the dry erase half of the board, I cut up a measuring tape to form a 1-10 numbered to-do list. I glued the individual numbers down and drew lines with a permanent marker to separate each list item. My initial idea was to use the numbers for a grocery list, but it didn’t take long to realize that would prove problematic when it came time to actually go to the store.



The final project the remodelers worked on was refurbishing a room with great natural light and turning it into a study/library. The crew assembled some bookshelves for me and I created my easiest craft – cloth tape measure bookmarks. My initial idea was to glue tape measure strips along the length of the shelves but doing so made my home’s design theme a little too overwhelming. (I’m glad I taped them in place first to see if I would like it.) For the bookmarks, all I used was a selection of measuring tapes, glue, and a sealant (I used Mod Podge) to protect them from getting grubby. Now wherever my books go, so will the bookmarks.



Ideas for crafting with tape measures abound. I’m glad I was inspired by the work crew that came to my home (and I’m still trying to make that screwdriver art a reality). Working with the measuring tapes was easy and fun to do, not to mention inexpensive. I plan to add a few more details to my home, but for now I’m happy with the projects I’ve completed.

Thanks for sharing this fun project Danielle! Don't forget to check out her blog,EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Saving Money on Craft Supplies: Featuring Sally of EatBreatheBlog

We are excited to have Sally share some tips on saving money on craft supplies...

Save Money on Craft Supplies

All the inspiration here at A Lil Bird got me thinking about ways to find discounts on craft supplies. I tend to stockpile supplies for later. When I want to work on something, I like to pull supplies from my shelves instead of shopping as needed, because I love to shop online. And that means waiting on my things to be shipped. I've also found that sometimes bargains online are better than they are in-store. But not always. So no matter which way of shopping you prefer, I've put together some tips for saving money on your online and offline craft supply shopping:

Search Google for Bargains

A simple search on Google for inexpensive craft supplies is a good way to begin. This will call up sites that offer various sorts of discounts and sales. The internet is a great place to find the best deals because it is easy to compare a wide variety of different providers on the web. Note whether or not the online store is cheaper than the physical store. Don't forget to include the price of shipping in your calculations. I've found that some retailers are including the cost of shipping in the unit price.

Coupon Sites

You can search the internet not only for sites with inexpensive items but for coupons. You can collect coupons on the types of craft items you need and then use them all at once when you shop for craft supplies.

Retailmenot.com is a site that offers coupons on all kinds of items. You can visit this site and search for coupons of all types. This website offers online coupon codes, printable coupons, and even grocery coupons. Valpak has online coupons available as well.

Shipping

Always pay close attention to shipping cost. Choose companies that offer fast shipping for a decent price or even free with a purchase. The shipping cost should always be factored into the price comparisons you do for online art and craft items. You may be able to save money on domestic or worldwide shipping if you are willing to settle for slow rather than fast shipping. Air freight is often expensive and adds to shipping cost. Different shipping companies have different rates, and online art and craft supply providers may use different shipping companies and even have special shipping service agreement with them in order to offer much reduced pricing.

Craft Stores with Donated Supplies

There are certain art and craft stores that deal with donated supplies. These are often offered at extremely low prices. Though it is harder to select specific art and craft brands from these stores, they can be a great way to save money. The supplies are often good even though they represent a cross section of many different types of craft items.

Thanks for sharing your tips Sally! Don't forget to check out her blog, EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Dry Erase Menu board

Today I thought I'd feature a craft that my baby sister made. She's a newlywed, and just starting to get her little house in order. She has some great ideas, and I thought this was one of them. She originally saw the idea on make and takes.

She started with a simple black 12X12 picture frame that she picked up for just a couple bucks.



She added a pretty piece of scrapbook paper from her vast collection.



Then she just used stickers to spell out the days of the week.



Here it is all finished. Doesn't it look cute with my teapot?

One Dollar Wednesday... felt flower tutorial

I LOVE felt and I LOVE flowers. It was inevitable that these two loves of mine would cross paths one day. I have seen so many cute felt flowers around town, and knew that I could throw something together.

I started with my pattern pieces. In this case a drinking cup, and a medicine cup. I used a blue crayola for tracing.



Here are all my circles traced onto the felt. I have five large, four medium, and 4 small.



I cut my circles out.



Then I cut them all in half, with the exception of one large and one small.




I started layering on my large circle, using my glue gun to affix my layers.



Another layer...



and another...working from large to small.



When I finished with my layers, I put a dollop of glue in the center and finished the layers off with the small circle.



For my clip, I cut one more circle and a little strip of felt.



I glued the strip of felt around the end of my clip, then glued the clip to the bottom of my flower. I finished it off with the small circle.



I added a pretty pink vintage button, and it was good to go!

Bib Towels

It has been raining non stop for a month now. OK, maybe not non stop, but pretty close. We get one nice day and then BAM! five days of rain. I am so over it, I just want some sun. I want to play outside, go swimming, and eat popsicles. One a positive note, (I am trying to be more positive lately) this incessant rain has forced me to clean up the house, move things around, clean out, donate, and get rid of clutter. It also finally gave me no excuse not to find out how to make hand towels into bibs. My friend had her little girl wearing one at M's birthday party and I again thought how I need to get more made. These aren't new, they have been around forever, but since I finally figured out how to make them, I thought I would share. If you know your way around a sewing machine, these babies will take you about 5 minutes. For you non-sewers out there, it may take you a few minutes longer, or you can just cheat like I did, I will explain below.

A couple months ago a nice neighbor brought me this fun bib to church for my sweet babe. I put it on baby M and I was in love! He couldn't take it off, which is what happens with most bibs, and it covered him so well that not a drop of food got on his clothes. Since that never happens I knew I had to make a few more.

After a fruitful IKEA trip I found some super cute towels for my bibs. I will admit, I splurged. I usually hunt around, find the deal, and love getting something super cute for cheap. This time I just went for the cute, honestly, I didn't have time to hunt for the deal. Splurging ever now and again is OK right? We all do it, or am I alone? Don't worry I saved money on other things, and I stayed within my budget.

I gathered my supplies. I used the blue one as my pattern and I was lucky enough that my Mother-in-law already had some white ribbing, woo woo!
You take your ribbing fold it in half and measure your baby's head. You want to stretch it a little bit since you will be stretching the bib over the head to put it on your babe.
Hand towel size is the perfect size for these bibs, I decided to put the neck line 3/4 of the way over, giving more fabric to the front of the bib.
Fold your towel in half and cut a small circle. Cut it small, a little at a time, constantly trying it on your baby. You DO NOT want to cut it too big, otherwise it won't work with your ribbing and won't fit as well. Cut a little, try it on, cut a little, try it on, until it just barely fits over your baby's head. If your baby is anything like mine, they will absolutely DETEST this process, and try to crawl away from you as fast as possible when they see you with that striped towel.
Once you have your hole cut out, you just sew in the ribbing, with it still folded in half. Just stich around the ribbing and the towel and it will turn out something like this....

Confession time, you all know I don't sew, this last part I did not do myself. My Mother-in-law was kind enough to sew the ribbing in for me. Aren't I lucky to have such a nice MIL? It turned out perfect and I love them! Since I splurged, I was only able to make 2, I would like a bunch more. Now I will be on the look out for some bargain ones.

Speaking of my fruitful IKEA trip, I CANNOT wait to show you what else we got. It is amazing, are you intrigued yet?

What I'm working on Wednesday... ready for summer reading?

I am a stickler for Summer Reading. I insist that my two kids that can read ("the Bigs")read for at least 30 minutes every morning...even in the Summer! I cuddle with the two that can't read ("the babies")and I read a couple of their favorites to them. My "bigs" are getting to the age that they put up a bit of a fight. I stick to my guns, and they are generally happy once they "get into" their books. In an effort to stay ahead of the game, I've been doing a little research about Summer Reading.


Hit the Library...


Our local library has a great Summer Reading program. The kids are always eager to get to the library, as soon as school is out, and get started on the program. It starts early for us, May 26th and continues through July 30th.


Check out bookstores...

Sometimes my kids can't find a book they want at the library. Let's face it, we aren't the only Arizonans using books as an excuse to stay out of the HEAT. When that happens, we head to Half Price Books. They have great deals on books and other media.


Online fun too...

There are lots of "reading reward" programs out there too. Barnes and Noble has a program that allows kids to log the number of books that they read to earn free books. Scholastic also offers a "Summer Challenge" for kids to log the minutes they read to win prizes.

Lastly, I think any crafts that we do that relate to reading help to encourage my kids to read more. Here are a few reading crafts that we will be doing this summer...

A story sack.

What is a story sack? It's simply a tote bag that contains a book, and crafts or games related to that specific book. You could use costumes, treats, puppets, and paints. The possibilities are endless.


An elephant parade garland, courtesy of the long thread.com

This garland is to celebrate Elmer by David McKee. This book is a favorite in our house, and will be read numerous times this summer.


Munch, munch, munch...


I LOVE these page corner bookmarks. What kid wouldn't be excited to open the pages of his book to find a monster munching on it? These cuties are courtesy of I Could Make That. Click on the link above for a full tutorial.

What are your ideas/plans for keeping the kiddos reading this summer?

Personalizing my POANG chair

This week is crunch time for me. My son's birthday countdown is 15 days. I have to have everything done this week, because next Monday I am going to Southern Utah to enjoy my parents and the Easter Holiday. When I get back I have Monday to bake up a storm and then his birthday is Tuesday, and I just want to sit back and enjoy the day. So, all my projects for the party have to be finished this week. It should be doable, I don't have a ton left to do.

My son LOVES books. He will crawl over and choose books over toys. He will sit and flip through the pages and he looks like he is actually reading. It is too cute. Because he loves books we decided to get him his own chair to sit and read in. As cute as I think the chairs from Pottery Barn are, who has $100 to spend on a child's chair? Not me. So we picked up the child's POANG from IKEA.

Really cute, but I wanted to give it a personal touch. So I found a cute font and cut out his name on heat transfer paper using my Silhouette. I am starting to really love that machine, BUT don't get me wrong, learning to use that darn thing has made me want to pull out my hair! It really is amazing though, it can do everything!
Once it was printed I ironed it on the chair pad. Since the pad was so thick I put a textbook underneath it and I had to press extra hard and hold it on longer to iron it on.
Here it is, I love how it turned out!
I really like it, I think my son will love sitting in it and reading his books!
What do you think?