Valentine’s Day Delights ~ Part One *Decorating*
January 16, 2009 by Lauren · 10 Comments
For me, Valentine’s Day is like a friendly little life-preserver in the middle of the long winter. After the hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, I find myself unwilling to let go of that cheerful holiday spirit! The charm of Valentine’s and the idea of dedicating a whole day to expressing love to others keeps my heart warm during these coldest winter months.
Which is why I’d like to focus my next few contributions here at Little Window Shoppe on the 3 D’s of Valentine’s Day Delights – Decorating, Dressing and Dining!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve just finished packing up all the Christmas decor and the house may be looking a little empty. But all the “merry making” usually leaves me a little cash-poor in January so I’ve come up with clever ways to make my Christmas decor do double duty! These fun ideas are easy, inexpensive and will definitely spread some Valentine’s cheer.
Candle Bling
A quick and cute way to dress up some plain candles (maybe leftover from the holidays?) is to press thumbtacks or brads in them! You can go with the basic red dots (less than a buck at Walmart) or hit the craft store and get creative!
The Year-Round Candy Jar
You’d be amazed at how far you can go with a clear jar w/ red lid from the dollar store! All you have to do to change the look is fill it with seasonal candy and hang an ornament from the lid. Come summertime, this same jar will be all decked out for the 4th of July. During Autumn I tie an orange and yellow ribbon around it to bring out the fall colors. At Christmastime it looks quite merry full of holiday treats and “decked” with holly.
Garlands of Hearts
With just some construction paper, scrapbook sheets and ribbon, you can add a sweet Valentine’s touch to any spot in your home. I selected several different kinds of scrap-booking paper which incorporated the colors of my home, and cut out hearts about 8 inches wide, 5 inches high. After gluing them onto white construction paper, I cut about an inch outside of the hearts to create the white border. Then I hot glued them onto red ribbon saved from our holiday gifts! You can hang them separately throughout your home, or glue several onto one ribbon to make a Valentine’s garland just perfect for windows, doorways, fireplaces, etc.
Hope these ideas bring a little extra love into your home! Next Friday I’ll be showing off great picks to help you dress to impress on Valentine’s Day. See you then!
Written by Lauren of Supermom Central
Make Your Own I Spy Bottle
January 13, 2009 by Vanessa · 8 Comments
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
This was a very fun simple craft to do and will help me when my daughter needs something quietly to play. I have been keeping it in my purse and it has gotten me out of a few tantrums all ready.
- First, find a plastic bottle – I found the Bolthouse Juice bottles work the best, they are the perfect size and have no ridges or indentations on them. Clean and dry it out very well.
- We collected anything we thought could fit in the bottle from bottle-caps to charms to stickers. When we used a sticker we just rubbed whatever substance we were going to fill the bottle with (sand, rice, beans) on the back side of the sticker so it would not stick to the edge of the bottle.
- Then we added rice, beans, or sand (or a mixture to the bottle) to the bottle (fill it up just enough so that when you twirl the bottle around you can find the objects). Note: If using sand, make sure the bottle is absolutely dry, I even took a blow dryer to it, or it will make a big mess for you.
- Finally, I put some glue on the lid and screwed it shut. While adding the objects to the bottle we kept a list going. Then I typed up the list on the computer, laminated it, and attached it with a string. A perfect craft to do with any age.
You could also try these ideas for fillers:
- A bottle with alphabet letters in it, to help your kids recognize their alphabet.
- A bottle with numbers in it.
- Bottles to go along with each season.
Written by Vanessa of I Never Grew Up
Creative Craft Project: Fabric Binder Clips
January 12, 2009 by Emily · 16 Comments
Last week I found this fun little craft project from My Favorite Things that will take you only 5 minutes to make! I loved it and couldn’t wait to share this one with you. Isn’t it creative?
Supplies:
- Fabric, Scissors, Fray Check, Permanent Spray Adhesive, Binder Clips
- Gather the supplies.
- Trim your fabric with your fancy fabric only scissors.
- Use fray check on the fabric edges.
- Spray the backside of the fabric with adhesive and adhere to your notebook clips.
Simple as that!
Activities for Kids: Homemade Bubbles
January 7, 2009 by Emily · 6 Comments
January has been the perfect month to help spark my mommy creativity. Since it has been quite chilly outside, I have been looking for fun activities and projects to do indoors with my toddler. He loves bubbles and is easily entertained with them, so bubble-blowing has been a regular part of our day these last few weeks. How about you? What are a few of your favorite indoor activities to do with your kids?
Want a quick way to make your own solution? Here it is:
Bubble Solution
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons light karo syrup or 2 tablespoons sugar (this thickens the mix)
- 1/2 cup dishwashing liquid (Dawn or Joy) (you can even use baby shampoo too)
Mix the solution together in a bowl or shallow pan and if you have an empty bubble container and wand, simply reuse them and have fun! Tip: Letting the solution sit for a day may improve the bubble quality.
If you’re looking for creative bubble wand ideas, try some of these:
Bubble Wand ideas
- Cookie Cutters - they are the perfect size for dipping and blowing bubbles.
- Fly Swatter (unused of course) or a strawberry basket (one of the green plastic ones with the small holes on the sides) - just dip either of these into your mix and they will help you to make a lot of tiny bubbles. You can also cut these up into square pieces and make wands out of them (glue the pieces onto a straw or stick).
- Pipe Cleaners - these are fun to use when you want to make a wand loop with cool shapes (hearts, stars, squares).
- Wire hanger - straighten it out and turn one section into a bubble loop (just be sure to cover any sharp edges with strong tape so that it’s safe for everyone to use).
{top photo: ©iStockphoto.com/Carmen Martínez}
Simple Paper Streamers
December 30, 2008 by Emily · 17 Comments
Looking for a simple homemade way to add extra color to your party decor? *Perfect for Casual New Years Eve Parties* This is so easy that your kids can do it with you! (Although, scissors are involved in this project, so they may need to use “safe children’s scissors” or have extra help and supervision).
SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
- Tape
- Paper - Any color or design you want, (you can use colored printer paper, cardstock or even *reuse paper scraps*) - you could also use plain white paper and color it, write names on it or add glitter.
- Scissors
Once you have your paper and scissors, start cutting a strip (about 1/2 inch thick) at the end of your paper - cut it straight (almost to the tip - but not all the way) leave about 1 inch to the edge. *You can also cut your strips in wavy lines if you want to add a little flair to your streamers.
Then rotate your paper and start cutting another strip right next to it on the other side and follow the same pattern. You can make your strips as thin or as thick as you would like. After you have your entire paper cut into one long strip, you can leave it long or cut it in half for shorter streamers.
It should look kind of like this:
Finally, hang them up with tape wherever you want - from the ceiling, from a door frame, or you can use them to decorate a room or a desk!
I make these paper streamers all the time. I made these this morning in about 10 minutes! You can use them for any party throughout the year too.
$1 Store Finds ~ Turned Into Cute Storage
December 18, 2008 by Emily · 12 Comments
“Storage items abound at the dollar store…the secret, though, is to unlock their hidden potential.” One of my very favorite magazines comes from Better Homes and Gardens Creative Collection. In their Fall 2008 collection, they listed a variety of ways to turn simple $1 store finds into creative storage solutions. I fell in love - it’s amazing how everyday items can be easily turned into sensational organizational accessories, don’t you think?
Food storage containers make great change collectors! Just cut out a slit in each lid and line them with your favorite decorative paper.
Measuring cups are perfect organizers for a hodge-podge of buttons or any other sort of kitchen accessory. You can sort them by size, color or shape and they fit in successfully in any craft room or craft storage area.
The last two clutter-buster tips are so fitting for the holidays! For your ribbon - store it in clear straw dispensers…just slide your ribbons onto the rods and there you have it, a pretty display in minutes.
And I’m sure that many of you have been pulling out the cookie cutters, pass up keeping them in a drawer and simply stack them on a paper-towel holder to treasure on your counter-top.
What are some of the creative storage ideas that you have at home?
Make Your Own Cinnamon Stick Candle Holder
December 18, 2008 by Emily · 6 Comments
Time to shine! When you want to brighten a room with a little bit of ”handmade-holiday”, this festive candle holder ought to do the trick. This easy-to-make Cinnamon Stick Candle Holder is a crafty project idea courtesy of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.
And really, what would I do without Jo-Ann? This craft and fabric store is a place I can lose myself for hours. Oh the craft possibilities.
SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
• 1 Glass container (you can go with any size or shape - round, small, large, square)
• 2 pkgs Cinnamon sticks (may be less if you are making a smaller size)
• 1 spool Green wire-edged green ribbon, 1 1/2″ wide
• 1 Pine sprig
• 1 Small pinecone
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Glass cleaner and paper towels
DIRECTIONS:
1. Clean glass container.
2. Using wire cutters, cut all cinnamon sticks to a length 1/2″ below top of glass container.
3. Refer to photo in placing all materials.
4. Glue cinnamon sticks to sides of container. Let glue dry thoroughly before proceeding.
5. Wrap ribbon around container and tie a knot. Trim ends at an angle.
6. Glue pine sprig on knot. Glue pine cone in center of pine sprig.
Optional design: Add small berries or holiday-themed picks if desired.
Easy-to-Make Pop Up Cards
December 16, 2008 by Emily · 10 Comments
Pop Up Cards are so much fun (and EASY) to make. I actually love to make these all year round for birthdays and parties too (with a different theme of course). I made this Christmas Tree card last night by the light of my desk lamp and it took me just about 5 minutes.
Supplies:
-
Two colors of cardstock paper
-
Scissors
-
A Paper Punch (stars, snowflakes) or brads (for extra embellishments)
-
Paper Glue (or even tape works well)
As you can see, steps 1 and 2 are really easy, simply fold one of your cardstock papers in half and make two cuts in the fold of your paper. Fold the flap in (push it in the opposite direction) so that it pops out.
Next, design your shape - you may want test it to be sure that it fits when you close your card. Then glue or tape it onto your card and embellish it with brads or paper-punched shapes. And finally, to make a cover for your card, simply glue an extra layer of cardstock over your folded paper.
Handmade cards and gifts are some of my very favorite to give and receive, which is why I love to make these cards. How about you?
Handmade Holiday: Juice Can Lid Ornament
December 9, 2008 by Emily · 6 Comments
This awesome post and handmade holiday idea comes straight from Kathleen over at Katydid And Kid - she has awesome crafty holiday ideas and tutorials on her blog and we think that her limeade lid ornament tutorial rocks! (shared with permission).
Handmade Holiday: Juice Can Lid Ornament - by Kathleen
I love recycling nearly as much as crafting (kinda sad, huh?) so when I was making limeade for some unexpected guests the other weekend, I had an “aha!” moment. I keep a few of those frozen concentrated mixes on hand in the freezer for when I’m in a pinch and want to offer visitors something more than the customary water and iced tea we drink around here. As I was opening the can, I remembered a craft my mom used to do with us when I was little…
She would save the metal lids throughout the year (we had tons, since I have 4 brothers who were sugar addicts) and around Christmas we’d make ornaments for our tree and as tags for presents for teachers, grandparents, and others. These lids are perfect because they don’t have sharp edges like ones you get from steel cans.
This craft requires a hammer, so you may want to do it with more mature kids. It doesn’t require heavy pounding, just a few little taps so you could try it with younger kids. I remember loving the chance to use a hammer as a child. I felt so grown up, and hey, who doesn’t like to pound things every once in a while.
What You’ll Need:
- juice can lid(s)
- hammer
- long nail or awl (if you’re fancy!)
- stack of newspaper (for padding)
- pretty ribbon
- tape
- paper
- pencil/pen
(Optional): Shoe polish or brown acrylic paint and a paper towel and a clothespin for helping hold the nail.
What You’ll Do:
1. Trace the lid from the can so you have a circle to draw your design in. You could draw it right on the metal lid if you wish, but then you have to wipe it off in the end.
2. Cut it out and draw your design. I chose “S” for my son’s name. You could also print letters or images from the computer or take a design from a coloring book. The simpler the image, the better it will turn out.
3. Tape the paper to the metal lid. You don’t have to use red electrical tape like I did! It was the closest thing available.
4. Here’s the fun part. Take your hammer and nail and begin tapping holes in the tin, following the lines of your design. It may be easier to pinch the nail with a clothespin that has some tape on the inside (to hold the nail in place better). This would prevent little fingers from being smacked. Do this on top of a stack of newspaper so that you don’t puncture your table.
5. If you peek under the paper, it will start to look like this:
6. When you’re done, your design will be seen as a series of tiny dots. Be sure to poke a bigger hole at the top for threading the ribbon into. Caregivers might want to do this step.
7. Here’s the finished result with a pretty ribbon for hanging.
8. (OPTIONAL): If you’d like to “antique” your ornament, put a dot of brown paint or brown shoe polish on a paper towel and rub it into the dots. It’ll make your image “pop” a little bit. Do this on top of the newspaper because it might bleed through the back. Rub off any excess paint. And of course, do this before you put the ribbon on so you don’t get paint on it.
9. There you have it! You can cut out a piece of felt to glue onto the back, since you might have some sharp pieces of metal poking through. It’ll save little hands and walls from getting scraped. I’ve chosen to hang mine on a doorknob, as I think it looks quite charming.
If I find some more time, I’ll finish all the letters of my son’s name and string them together to make a little banner for over his window.
Enjoy and happy crafting!
Kathleen’s blog: Katydid And Kid - Adventures in making and doing.
Homemade Ribbon Ornaments
December 5, 2008 by Lauren · 5 Comments
These ribbon ornaments were inspired by some lovely Christmas ornaments I saw in a catalog. I knew I could either afford to buy two, or make ten! And the fun part is, you can decide what colors and patterns to use, tailoring them perfectly to your decorating style.
The supply list is super simple:
- Medium sized Styrofoam balls
- 3 ½ yards of your favorite ribbon (1/2 inch width works best for me), preferably in 3-4 prints
- 10 inches of ricrac
- Hot glue gun
Cut your ribbon in 10 inch strips – you’ll need 12 strips. For the ornament picture I chose to use 4 strips of 3 different prints. Place a small dot of glue on the end of the ribbon and press it on to the ball. Wrap it around so you form a tight loop around the ball, then glue the other end on. Trim the edges as necessary.
Take a ribbon of the same print and do the same glue-wrap-glue process, criss-crossing the first ribbon (see the picture). Always glue your ends to the top of the ball at the same spot.
Attach the ricrac as a loop at the top of your ball so you can easily adorn your tree with these charming, homemade Christmas ornaments!
Lauren’s blog: Supermom Central - tips, tricks and tidbits for the aspiring Supermom.
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