create.

"As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness,
you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you"

Dieter F. Uchtdorf






Friday, February 26, 2010

Blog Swappin' with {Miss Crafty Pants!]


Hi Creative Crate fans!

I'm Erika from the crafty blog "Miss Crafty Pants". I'm so excited Stacie has agreed to swap with me for the day!! If you have nothing better to do and would like to get to know me better, you can read all the good dirt about me HERE.


Now on to the tutorial!



Pre-printed picture or favorite scrapbooking paper
Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue
Epoxy glue or super glue
1.5 x 1.5 inch piece plexiglass cut to size
Bail or jump ring
Necklace or chain
Plexiglass cutting tool, or miter saw


Usually..plexiglass has a thin layer of plastic protecting each side that 's perfect for marking. Leave plastic on until finished cutting. With a plexiglass cutting tool or a miter saw, cut a 1.5 inch strip from your plexiglass. Mark on the protective coating 1.5 inches from the end, cut again. This will give you a 1.5 inch x 1.5 inch square.

*Depending on the size of the strip of plexiglass you can get several pieces of plexiglass squares using this method.

Trim your favorite picture or scrapbooking paper down to size. Apply a generous amount of Aleene's clear gel tacky glue {found at Joanns} on the plexi glass. Press your picture or paper facing down onto the plexiglass. While pressing the picture down start from the middle and press outward in all directions. Wipe away any excess glue. Let dry.

{Mod Podge can be used, but it will leave streaks that will be seen at an angle...as you can see in the first picture. Aleene's glue works much better as long as you get enough on there.}

*If the picture is smaller then the plexiglass you may sand the edges with a sanding block down to size.

Once dry, apply epoxy glue or super glue to the bail. Glue the bail onto the back of the pendant. Let dry.

*If you don't have a bail you can drill a small hole into the top of the plexiglass using a 1/16th size bit. Apply a jump ring through the hole. Complete by adding to your necklace.

***************************************
If you are using the picture provided in my download, it's already scaled to fit a 1.5 inch size pendant. Simply drag,drop, and re-size your picture to fit behind the template.

FREE DOWNLOAD HERE
********************************************

Thanks Stacie for letting me invade your space for the day! I am simply amazed by all you do!




If you would like to help Stacie earn a free custom digital scrapbooking kit and enter for a free custom plexi glass necklace template for you, please become a follower on my blog. Let me know in the comment section that you are a follower of Stacie's, and now a follower of mine. The drawing will close Sunday evening at midnight.
{Isn't she AweSome!! Go check out her blog...she has a TON of FuN ideas and helps!}
Thank you Erika!!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Have YoU made these yet???

"Play Dough" Lollipop Cookies
Awhile back...I saw this FuN idea at The Idea Room...and thought I would give it a try. I am not the greatest of cooks...sooo I was a little worried these wouldn't turn out. But...they ended up being a whole-lotta easier than I thought! They were a HUGE hit in my family...and my kiddos had a BLAST helping... especially by rolling the dough into "snakes & snails".
One thing we added to ours... is that we sprinkled colored sugar to the tops of the dough before baking. {What can I say...we LoVe SuGaR!}
For a complete recipe & instructions...go HERE!






Sooo.... give it a try...
and make it a {Lollipop Cookie} night!!
Amy...thanks for sharing this FuN idea!
HaVe FuN!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Spotlight: {Madison Reece Designs}



Look what was in my mailbox!!!....


Madison Reece Button


Melissa from Madison Reece Designs sent me this beautiful handmade necklace for my daughter {just because}! I am speechless!! How sweet is she?!! When I opened the package...I was blown away by how beautiful it was! Melissa is so talented...and did an amazing job...and I thank her!



Melissa wanted to spread the JoY to all of my readers also...by offering you 20% off your purchase...just by mentioning my blog {the CrEaTiVe CraTe} at checkout! How AweSoMe is that??!! Here are a few of the other necklaces that she makes:



Sooo.... go visit her shop HERE and her blog HERE!! You will be blown away by her BEAUTIFUL designs!! And... with Mother's Day around the corner...these might make the PERFECT GIFT!!!

Melissa...thanks so much for sharing your beautiful talent with us!!

{Personalized} Initials Board!

Yesterday...I had so much fun bloggin' over @ brown paper packages. Kierste is such a sweet girl... and always has FaBuLouS ideas! I absolutely LoVed her burlap tic-tac-toe board she shared on here! What a great idea for a Christmas or Birthday gift!

Thanks again Kierste...i had a blast!!


Here is the project I shared on her blog:

Personalized Initials Board


First...I printed the letters on card stock {to the size that would fit on my scap 1x10}...and cut them out with a exact-o knife....



then painted the board...


then stenciled the letters on...
And...if you like the old "warn" look...you could sand the edges...and the top.
Then...I wrapped it with a piece of tulle!


And...there ya have it!!

Sooo SiMpLe and CuTe!!



With the wedding season upon us...wouldn't these make a FuN {inexpensive} gift??!!


Happy Crafting!


Friday, February 19, 2010

Blog Swappin' with {brown paper packages!}

Hello CrEaTiVe CraTe fans! I'm Kierste from brown paper packages and I'm SO excited to be doing this blog swap with Stacie today. She has an amazing blog, and so many fun ideas--I love The CrEaTiVe CraTe!


I can't wait to show you this project! Last week I made some adorable burlap curtains for my girls' playhouse under the stairs in the basement, and since I had some leftover burlap, I wanted to do something else fun with it.
This burlap tic-tac-toe game is perfect for their little table, or for on the floor. I used their initials instead of the traditional x's and o's, and they love having their own letters to play with. How FUN would this be for a personalized gift? Next up? Checkers!

BURLAP TIC-TAC-TOE





ITEMS YOU NEED:
  • burlap, cut in a square--mine is around 2 1/2 feet
  • craft paint and foam brush
  • painters tape
  • foil
  • ribbon--I used 7/8 inch
  • heat 'n bond
  • felt
  • scissors
DIRECTIONS:
  • Tape off your burlap like this:


    Make sure you place aluminum foil or wax paper underneath your burlap, because the paint will soak through. Make the tape long enough so it goes past your burlap and sticks the to the table--this will keep the burlap secure and in place to paint.


  • With the foam brush, paint down the middle of the pieces of tape, using a blotting motion.


  • After the paint has dried, remove the tape. Then tape again, for the lines going the opposite way:

  • Paint as you did before:

  • After the paint has dried, remove the tape.
  • Following package directions, apply heat 'n bond to the ribbon--paper side up. Do one side at a time--planning ahead which ribbon you want to be on top of the other (overlapping on the corners).
  • For one side, I just cut the ribbon a little longer than the burlap, and ironed it on. That side was going to be the one with the ribbon on the bottom. On the side that was going to be on the top, I folded the ribbon over, and ironed it flat. I then applied the heat 'n bond on top of the fold, and ironed it down. Don't worry about having excess burlap --you will trim it off later. It's most important to get the ribbon straight.

  • It will look something like this when all the sides are done:

  • Trim off the excess burlap, cutting right next to the ribbon.

  • Print a template for the initial you need. I used the Century Gothic font, sized to 400. Trace your template on to the felt. Since the felt is the same on each side, it doesn't matter if you trace your letters on backwards or forwards. However, I prefer to trace mine backwards, so there is no evidence of my pencil on the front side when I cut it out. It's much harder to get rid of pencil lines on felt than other fabrics. Cut your letters out.

Ta-da! You've got a super fun, personalized game.


Thanks so much, Stacie, for letting me be a part of your blog today! Have a great day everyone!

Photobucket

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

CrEaTiVe Readers Show & Tell!


Remember these...
{I LoVe U} Boards??!

Check out what Lolly Jane Boutique did with the ones she made!! How stinkin' CuTe!! I never thought to use them in a picture! And...on the back side of those...she put her, and her hubby's initials ...so she could leave them up year round!! LoVe it!!


*********************************************************************
{Super CuTe} DIY Wooden Play Kitchen!

Check out this FaBuLous play kitchen by Crafty Chic Mommy!

Most of the items she used to make this... came from IKEA! Don't ya just LoVe IKEA!

GreaT JoB!!

Check out her awesome tutorial HERE!






Monday, February 15, 2010

{BeAuTiFuL} Spring Wreath idea!


Isn't this wreath BeAuTiFuL??!! Taylor @ Mary Janes and Galoshes made this awesome wreath out of brown paper lunch bags!! Who would have thought??! I absolutely LoVe the colors!! Wouldn't these make perfect decorations for a spring or summer wedding?!! For more info...and a complete how-to...go HERE!!
Taylor...thanks for sharing this FaBuLouS idea!!

Don't stop here...Click on "OLDER POSTS"!!