First Communion Fireplace Banners

Slowly but surely it is starting to look like a First Communion / 8th Birthday Celebration around here :)  Can I say again without sounding nauseating how much I love the printables from Carli from Dimple Prints!  They are just perfect.  Here is how I used them for a burlap banner and doily banner to decorate the fireplace.  You'll have to excuse my "expert" photography skills!

 

To make the doily banner, I simply punched out the letters with my 2" scallop punch.  I then glued the letters to the center of the doily, threaded through some baker's twine and simple as that, I had a banner!

To make the burlap banner, I had a left over piece of burlap from a feed sack I used for a home decor project.  I cut it to size, hot glued the paper banner to it, added some festooning with hot glue and then glued a pocket for a wooden dowel I had.  Again, so easy!

Thanks for looking!

Happy Memorial Day!

Hope you are enjoying the long weekend and remembering to remember!

Banner - Cakes Like a Party

Jungle Themed Inspired Banner

My very best girlfriend is hosting a 1st Birthday party for her son Dominic this weekend.  His love for giraffes inspired a jungle theme.  I made this sweet jungle inspired banner for the party.  I hope he likes it!

Valentine's Day Roundup

The flu has landed.  It it landed hard.  I thought we were out of the woods with just Ethan getting it, but a few days later Grace had her turn, then Chris.  My strategy was just to ignore it - if I ignored it, I wouldn't get it.  I was pretty proud of myself to be the last (wo)man standing in the house - especially since it seems lately that if anyone gets sick, it is me.  I blame the Swine Flu from last year.  I'm convinced it has permanently compromised my immune system.  But early Saturday morning I could no longer ignore the unwelcomed visitor.  Curses the flu.  It stole an entire weekend and continues to haunt me.

Despite the cold and hot sweats, I managed to get a few Valentine's Day crafty projects done.  For some reason, this year I heart Valentine's Day more than any other year.  So here are a few of my projects that I've been working on.

Be Mine Banner

Heart Felt Wreath

Inspired by eighteen25

I have to admit, I cheated and did not cut all the felt circles.  I purchased them on etsy from The Fairy Felt Mother.  So worth it!!!

 Valentine Day Countdown

Chalkboard Heart - Mothology

I made two versions, wasn't sure if the pink or red would show up better.  Chris and Grace liked the red version the best - after I straightened out "countdown" on the bottom of the heart!  Getting that vinyl straight sure can be tricky!  Good thing it's not permanent!

 Teacher XOXO Treat Jars

 

Using my Silhouette, I cut out the XOXO and heart.  It's hard to see from the picture, but I filled the jars with pink caramel filled Kisses and tied a pink ribbon around the jar.  They are super cute in person!

Personalized XOXO Valentine's Mailboxes

inspired by How Does She?

 

 I saw these mailboxes in the Target Dollar Aisle on several trips to Target and pondered what I could do with them.  They were too cute, but I wasn't sold on them until I saw Alison's idea over on How Does She?.  I had to make one for all of us and my adorable nieces and nephew!

 Valentine's Day Treats

Thank You tags courtesy of Green Apple Paperie, downloaded from Catch My Party.

I'm not going to admit where I purchased the gumball dispensers because my union brothers and sisters will de-friend me.  But sometimes, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do!  The reason I started off this post with over sharing out our bout with the flu is because the flu is what caused me to step into that anti-worker rights store.  My husband was in dire need of Gatorade and that was the only place I could get to at the time.  And low and behold, I found myself in the Valentine's aisle and stumbled across these uber-cute gumball dispensers.  I just couldn't pass them up - even if it meant I was violating worker's rights by spending my money in that place.  I've since gone to confession and we are all good :)

So that's my Valentine's Day round-up.  I've decided that I'm going to surprise the fam with a Valentine's Day breakfast/sweets table next Sunday.  But first things first, time to prepare for the Packer's Super Bowl victory this Sunday.  Stay warm and well!



More Buckets of Ballerinas

The Silhouette and I are getting to know each other better these days.  She has some quirks, but I'm beginning to figure her out :)  In my effort to get to know her better, I decided to make a banner for Grace's upcoming ballet recital.  (Apologies again for the glare - my crafting seems to take place after the kids are in bed, hence no natural sun light for the pictures.) Here is what I came up with.

I hand cut the pennants given that the Silhouette wasn't too fond of the glitter paper.

This weekend my friend Tina and I are having a "Crafting Sunday."  I'm excited to see what we'll come up with!



Valentine Bannner

Now that Christmas has been packed away for another year, my mind is thinking Valentine's Day.  I heart Valentine's Day.  For me, the day is more than the romance and chocolates.  I think of Valentine's Day as another day to make sure all the special people in my life know how important they are to me.  I'm hoping to pass this on to my children as well.  That's why I make them pose for goofy Valentine's pictures each year to send out to our friends and family.

And speaking of important people...  My lovely husband gave me a Silhouette Digital Cutter for Christmas (with a little help from my good friend Tina.)  It took me all Christmas break to think of a special project to "christen" my new toy.  Late Sunday afternoon with hours left of my Christmas vacation, I decided to make a Valentine banner.  So off to JoAnn I went at 4:00 in the afternoon to get my supplies, and yes, in the middle of the most important Packer game of the season!

It took me until 11:00 Sunday night, but here is what I made.  I apologize for the flash issue, but there really wasn't much natural light at 11:00 at night.  If you can't tell, it says, "Be Mine."

Here are a few close-ups. 

 

So then I decided at 11:00 p.m. when I finally went to bed on the night before I had to go back to work that I didn't like it.  And you know when you start thinking about things and you can't stop thinking...  So at midnight, I figured out what was wrong with it - the banner needed some dimension.  So out of bed I got and tried my hand at making paper fans.  I didn't actually make them, but I wanted to see if I could do it.  And sure enough, I could.  So tonight, here is my new and improved banner.

If you look closely, my paper fans are not the same size.  This was my first try so I'm bound to improve!  I still think it needs something, maybe glitter.  I'm sure some of my glitter loving party gals would agree :)

 

I'd love to hear which version you prefer.  And, if you own a Silhouette, I'd love to hear any tips you may have.  I had purchased some glittery card stock for the letters, but I think it was too thick to cut with the machine.  I also had a tough time peeling out some of the cuts, including some of the letters.  But it was my first try.  I told my husband, there must be a learning curve :)  I look forward to hearing from you!