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Simple Gifts: Crispy Cinnamon Toasts

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Delicious. Simple. Fun. And something you can do together with a young friend or relative. This project automatically divides itself into two easy steps which makes it good for small children. It allows them to play for a while in between so they get a nice break between focused efforts. To get started, have everyone first put aprons on; if you don’t have aprons, do it the way my grandmother did back in the thirties: fold a clean tea towel or dishtowel into a triangle, wrap it around your … [Read more...]

Owl Party Favors

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My daughter recently celebrated her first birthday! It's hard to believe its been a year since she arrived. Watching this little girl grow and learn has been an amazing journey. Most will agree that the first birthday party is not only a celebration of life, but also a day to commend those hardworking parents for a job well done. Finding a party theme can be difficult sometimes, but really all you have to do is look around. I found inspiration for Roxy's party in a hat! That's right...a hat. … [Read more...]

DIY Spring Greeting Cards

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Spring is coming and I am pretty excited about it! I have lived in many different places and when people ask me if Portland is really that rainy, I joke that Portland has only two seasons: "Raining" and "Not Raining". And spring in Portland usually falls firmly in the "Raining" part of the year. So to mark the very happy occasion of new things, new gardens, new plants, new life and a new season in general I decided to make up a simple flower card to send with spring greetings to friends. I … [Read more...]

Salt Dough Blarney Stone Charms

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For Saint Patrick’s Day this year we’re having a green potluck. My roommate Beth is Irish and we try to do something special each year- just for fun! Knowing there will be an abundance of leprechaun and shamrock themed food, I wanted to shake things up by making a non-perishable gift that focuses on a different part of Irish culture- The Blarney Stone! There are several legends that are responsible for the mysticism surrounding the stone. One legend says that the Lord of Muscry in 14th or … [Read more...]

DIY Art Coasters

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A favor idea for your next party: add your own art coasters! This is a neat idea for a party or get together for children or adults. Order some coasters, supply pens and then watch the creativity flow. At the end of the party you can round them up and perhaps take a few photos to share with all the party goers- or send them home with guests as a reminder of the time they spent with you. Sometimes being asked to be creative on the spot can be daunting. To aid guests who might feel a little shy … [Read more...]

Valentine Candy Flowers

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My son is in first grade and his classroom is going to be having a Valentine's Day party soon. It's a traditional affair where the kids will hand out valentines to all of their fellow students and eat some sweet treats, probably do some arts and crafts too. He's really excited to show all of his friends how much he loves them, and I thought it would be fun to make something, instead of buying the paper print outs you'd find at the store. We came up with an idea to turn heart shaped suckers into … [Read more...]

DIY Valentine Cards

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Ah, February- when the weather is dark and dreary (and very wet if you live in Portland). What better way to cheer up the gloom than crafting at home with a cup of tea or even better with chocolate and a good friend? These handmade valentines were a blast to make and very easy. Supplies: • MOL labels, of your favorite styles and shapes with valentine words. I used Bible verses, but lines from poems ("Red is the Rose", "Shall I compare Thee...", "Roses are Red...") or classic valentine … [Read more...]

DIY Crayon Heart Garland

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While searching for decoration inspiration, I recently came across this tutorial for Crayon Hearts, and knew I had to make them for my friends and family to give as party favors for my Valentine’s Day party this year. I made as many crayon hearts as I could, using all of the festive colors (reds, purples, and pinks) that I could find in my old crayon box. Then, once my hearts were cut and ready, I strung them together with embroidery floss to be hung near windows for a stained glass effect. I … [Read more...]

DIY Heart Bookmarks

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After reading this tutorial for heart bookmarks on Martha Stewart, I decided I wanted to make them for my friends and family for Valentine’s Day this year. Instead of gluing two pieces of cardstock together as the tutorial shows, however, I decided to simplify things by using personalized heart-shaped labels from My Own Labels. This turned out really well, and made the whole process super simple! If you’d like to make your own heart-shaped bookmarks, you’ll need: • A heart … [Read more...]

Baked Clay Ornaments

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My husband and I are really fond of Christmas, so we always decorate our home just as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is over. This year, after all of our Christmas decorations were up, we realized that our Christmas tree was looking a little sparse. Perhaps some of our old ornaments were broken or lost, or maybe we never had that many to begin with. Either way, we decided we needed more decorative attire for our tree, and came across this fun idea for baked clay ornaments. We went to the craft … [Read more...]