My "SANTA" Shelf

I stayed up late doing a little more decorating. My husband was hanging pictures and shelves for me all day... our poor white walls (we are renting) were needing something. This little shelf normally holds 5 little 3x3 pictures, but 99% of my family photos are in this little box I call my laptop. So I thought of some holiday words with 5 letters and decided on "SANTA". I cut out festive 3x3 backgrounds, and had my little cricut cut me the letters. I LOVE how this turned out!

When I finally did go to bed, I brainstormed forever thinking of all the 5 letter words I could use for the different holidays all year round!! I'm kinda crazy like that!

Vinyl Giveaway!

One of my all time fav blogs is having a giveaway, NOT SO IDLE HANDS, you MUST check it out! If you are a new cricuteer, like myself, then a huge roll of vinyl would be the BEST giveaway win E-VER! While you are there, you should take a minute, or 10, or 837 and scope out the rest of her blog! It's awesome, and why I stalk read it every day!

Or, click on her botton on my sidebar to the right!
Contest ends Monday... so hurry! Or don't... that will just increase MY chances of winning!

Christmas Countdown Tutorial

My kids are always asking "how many days until Christmas?" or "When is Santa coming?".... so I decided to make something to help them count down to christmas.

I saw something similar to this in a vinyl lettering catalog and wanted to try it out for myself! Plus, it would be my first "BIG" project I could try on my new Cricut Expression!!! (tee hee)

You will need:
New Cookie Sheet with a hole for hanging
Craft Paper
Scissors
Mod Podge
Paint Brush
Magnet
Letters 1-25
"Merry Christmas" letters or whatever wording you want at the top
Christmas Scene Cut out (optional)
Embellishments (optional)
Ribbon (optional)
Glue gun

1. Lay out craft paper and cut to size INSIDE your cookie sheet. I chose 3 different papers and layered them and cut the edges with craft scissors to give them a little "flare". I also rounded the corners.

I chose red for the top for under the "Merry Christmas", a striped paper for the divider, and a solid green for under the numbers and christmas scene.

*I ended up putting the paper on the bottomside of the cookie sheet because I thought it would hang better, but when I make another one, I will probably make the paper go on the inside of the cookie sheet just because I think the overall appearance is better. (due to the curling of the edging of the pan) It just depends on the style of cookie sheet you have and your personal preference.

2. Lay out your letters, numbers and scene to get an idea of where you want your paper layers to go.
3. Mod Podge the surface of the cookie sheet and lay each layer of paper on the cookie sheet.

4. Lay out your wording along the top and Mod Podge over it to hold it in place. Then place your numbers, embellishments and scene and do the same. I just eyeballed the placement, but if you want, you can draw out lines to make them even and centered.

5. Let dry completely, then take a large foam brush and brush a final coat of Mod Podge to make a shiny finish and lock down the lettering, numbers, ect.

*I added a swirl above my numbers and a fancy circle around the 25 so my kids new which number we were counting down up to.
**You'll notice the paper might look ripply or wavy after applying the Mod Podge. Don't worry, once it dries, it should flatten out. Mine did, anyways.
6. If you have a magnet ready to go, great! If not, you can embellish one like I did to match the calendar. I cut out a circle and a star and Mod Podged them to a clear magnet.

And lastly, depending on your hanging options for your cookie sheet, you can run a ribbon through the holes, or just use a glue gun (Like I did) and glue a coordinating ribbon or two on it.

And voila!

There you have a Christmas Countdown/ Advent Calendar!

The Elf on the Shelf

My sister got my daughter "The Elf on the Shelf" for her birthday. Its the cutest little box with a little toy elf and a book.  The book tells you the elf's story and purpose.  He was sent by Santa to sit in your house and watch over the children. Each night when the children go to sleep, the elf flies to the North Pole to report to Santa the children's behavior for the day...good or bad!

Then before the children awake, the elf returns to your home for another day of "scouting". Only he will be sitting in a different spot!  So the kids get to wake up and see who can find him first!

My kids are so excited to start this new tradition!  I am excited to "see where he sits each day"! And can I tell you I've already had to say "uh uh uh.. the elf is watching!" and it stopped a tantrum right in it's tracks!!! Can you find our little elf?  My 5 year old helped name him "ELFIN ELFA".

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Amanda!  She is the "chosen one" thanks to random.org !
Thanks to everyone who entered! Check back again soon for lots more crafting and fun... and possibly another giveaway!

Hello Love...

I am madly in love with my new Cricut Expression. I have only begun to scratch the surface of all its abilities, but I'm in heaven!!!

I started out making tags/labels for my Christmas gifts this year.  My kids are always snooping around to see whose is whose... so I have made some semi-discreet labels that blend in with my wrapping paper so its not quite so obvious.

I placed the first initial of my kids' name on the top corner of their packages.  You can't really see it unless you look really close because the letters match the color of the wrapping paper! Then, I made shadow name labels for my brother and brother-in-law's gifts. 

As for Santa's gifts... I made a few fancy ones to coordinate with the wrapping paper I'm using for those special gifts!

I love the swirly designs

Here's a sneak peek at a fun project I've been working on. I'm already a week behind on this, so I'll hopefully have the final photo up soon!  Maybe tonight!

And lastly, this has nothing to do with Christmas, but since we have moved into our new house, the kids have had to get used to wearing coats.  And since 3 of my 4 can't reach the hangers in the closet, I found these letter hangers at Hobby Lobby and hung them inside our door near the laundry room.  Now the little ones can hang up their own coats and school bags when they walk in the door. 

I just love it and wanted to share it with you!

And as always, if there is anything you see here that you'd like, shoot me a line and I would be glad to list it for you in my Etsy shop!

I'm Baaaaack.... With a Winter Giveaway and a Black Friday Sale!

*I'm extending the deadline for entries for the giveaway until the 7th!

I'm mostly settled in our new home in Virginia. Boy, it's a lot different then living in Hawaii.... at least the weather is!  But I love it! I've unpacked enough to function.... the rest can wait until I'm in the mood... I'm totally going to decorate for Christmas first! hee hee

Since I've been absent for a while due to not having my household goods for nearly 2 months, I thought I'd kick off again with a winter giveaway and some Black Friday/Weekend sales in the Etsy shop.

I've listed some winter/holiday cupcake wrappers in the shop at super low prices for the weekend, so get them before they are gone.  And if you purchase something in the shop, enter the code: BLOG in the checkout message for FREE SHIPPING! You can wait for a revised invoice, or get credited back after payment!

Now, on to the giveaway:

Embossed Snowflake Cupcake Wrappers (set of 12)

AND.... an adorable set of 3 wooden snowman ornaments. Keep them for yourself for the tree, or garland, or gift them out or use as gift toppers/tags!

Now, how to enter...there are many ways, but be sure to always leave your email address so I can contact you are the lucky winner!!!

1) Simply comment on the blog below.
2) Go to Yummy Cuppy Crafts on Etsy and come back and let me know your favorite item in the shop.
3) Blog about my giveaway with the link to my blog post (come back and leave a comment with your link)
4) Tweet about the giveaway (come back and leave the link)
5) Post the giveaway on Facebook
6) Become a Follower of my blog (let me know if you already are)
7)FOR 3 EXTRA ENTRIES: Purchase an item in the shop! (leave 3 seperate comments)

The giveaway will be open until MIDNIGHT EST December 7th. I'll contact the winner via email and post it on the blog.
Well, that should just about do it!
Hope you all are having a great Thanksgiving!

Guess what I just got!!!!

A Cricut Expression!!!! Yippee! I got a great deal on ebay! I have only played with it a couple times....I am still in transit to Virginia from Hawaii.  We are visiting family before getting settled into our new home. (a.k.a. waiting for our household goods to float across the Pacific Ocean and trucked across the USA)

Stay tuned for some fun items in the Etsy shop!

Get Your Swap On

Go to Tip Junkie and check out their swap they've got coming up!  You can still sign up until Oct. 1st.

Sounds like a great swap! Go check it out!

Remember Me?

I know it's been FOR-E-VER since I've posted on my craft blog. Needless to say, it's been a bit nutty around here.

My mom flew in from Iowa to stay with me for a few weeks to help with the kids and the arrival of our new baby.

My son, Tyler James, was born a few short days later on July 28th.

Two weeks later, my husband returned from his 7 month deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan. Yay!

Now, we are preparing to move from Hawaii to Virginia in less then 6 weeks!

EEEeeeeks!

So, I haven't been listing very many new items in my Etsy shop. In fact, I've actually been dropping prices on some items to help clear out my inventory before we move! So hop on over to my shop Yummy Cuppy Crafts and check it out.

I did, however, list a few seasonal items.

This is my last remaining set of 6 Turkey cupcake wrappers, so grab them up before they are gone!!! And I only have one CORRECTION: TWO set(s) of 12 November/Fall cupcake wrappers.

I will keep my PDF patterns available during our transition, as I will have access to my computer the entire time.

So, check back often, and I will get items back up in full force once I get settled in our new home on the East Coast!!! Thanks to all my followers for hanging in there!

Featured on Another Etsy Treasury!!

Check out my ladybug cupcake wrapper on this treasury made by Juliekope at Beauty by Hand.

My New Scentsy Warmer

I WON! And received my fabulous prize in the mail a few days ago! Andrea, a consultant for Scentsy sent me a totally patriotic wickless candle warmer! I LOVE IT! Thank you Andrea!!!

Check out her blog and all the fabulous Scentsy products below:
http://thecrazyconsultant.blogspot.com/

A quick trip to the thrift shop on base...

Finds at the thrift shop on base this week...

I grabbed these two bottles just because... the one with the cork is a real pretty teal... and the candle holder thingy is from Home Interiors... and a cake pan to add to my collection, to which my husband will be so thrilled!

These two frames don't have the glass or anything to them, but I liked the detailing and thought they would be pretty painted white and hung on my bare walls...

All the above for $5

Stay tuned for results... I've been busy the past few nights.

1/2 OFF ON PATRIOTIC CUPCAKE WRAPPERS/CAKE PICKS

In an attempt to clean out my stash before we move in a few months, I am having a sale on my patriotic cupcake wrappers and cake picks in my Etsy Shop! The wrappers are all 1/2 OFF! And cake picks are also on sale!

YUMMY CUPPY CRAFTS SALE ITEMS

Here are just a few examples of what you will find on sale:

Get them before they are gone! It's never too early/late to get ready for next year!!!

A Quick Framed Monogram

I have been checking out all the Monday reinventions from fellow bloggers' weekend thrift finds. I love the monogrammed picture frames.... so I ran back to my craft stash and pulled out a small frame I've had forever. I got it at Wal-Mart for $1.
I dry brushed some red paint on the frame, and then cut out some scrapbook paper, printed out a fancy "T"... tediously cut it out, then glued it to the paper and framed it!

I LOVE IT!
And I put it on my reinvented mirror I did a couple weeks ago!
...and, it literally took me less than 10 minutes!

Weekend Finds and Results

I missed out on Saturday's yard sales, but tried to catch a few Sunday morning. There wasn't much, but I did grab a couple pairs of shorts for my little Addi-bug.

We were running errands to get some last minute items for my daughter's week long camp, so we ran into Ross. I DID find a few ugly signs I could paint while we were there.

The top one was tin, already had a wire hanger on it, and was only $3.99. The DO NOT ENTER is wood, has hangers, and was only $2.99. And I grabbed the little lampshade for $1.50 for that light blue lamp I grabbed the other day. I was thinking of embellishing it somehow.

I spray painted the inside section of the black tin sign with chalkboard paint. Easy Peezy! Done.

These frames I had tried to play with months ago.... what was I thinking? Ugh!

So, I took the glass out of them and spray painted them all white. Not sure where they will go or what will go in them, but they do look a lot better than before!!!

I am trying to finish up my other projects this week before my mom comes on Friday. Then a few days later, hopefully baby will be here! Then there probably won't be much time for crafting or thrifting... (i'm a little sad about that, I've really enjoyed driving around on the weekends looking for great deals) I would LOVE to get my hands on some furniture to redo, but with a big move coming up in a few months, my husband would probably kill me.

Weekend Finds

This week was crazy busy with the kids and VBS... and yet another soccer game today, so I didn't get to hit the yard sales like I wanted. My friend, however, had a HUGE yard sale fundraiser for some missionary friends moving to FIGI, so I did stop by there and see what was there.

2 giant sconces $0.50 each

I also came across this lamp... no shade, but that's ok. I have seen some cute ideas on blogs that I'd like to try.... I still need to make sure it works too! It's a pretty light blue, but I think I'll paint it white. I don't have any blue in my house.








Then this morning before I headed to the soccer game, I drove past a neighborhood yard sale and found this tray for $0.50...

Then a small pile of brand new or like new baby clothes for $2. Since I don't know what I'm having, I grabbed things for boy or girl! hee hee

I have quite a pile of things to work on out in the garage. I just haven't had the time this week (or the energy) to work on anything. I hope to do a little this week before baby comes!!!

Not so thrifty weekend...

This weekend was a bummer in the thrifty department. I didn't get to catch many yard sales Saturday because my son had his first soccer game! But I was okay with missing some sales for the big game! It was so much fun watching a bunch of 4 year olds chase after the ball like a bunch of magnets and kick the ball into the closest goal, whether it was their team's or not!

Today I ran to a few places and this is the only find I came up with all weekend.

$1 step stool...
I want to paint it up for our bathroom for the littles to reach the sink. Right now they are using the potty chair/step stool. Which at present is not being used as a potty.

I did, however finally get to making some chalkboard plaques. I found these ugly plaques at Target on clearance a few weeks ago. My daughter was so embarressed when I filled up my cart with a couple dozen of these... but at the price, I couldn't resist!

I sprayed them with chalkboard paint, drilled a couple holes in the top for the tripled up ribbon to hang it. Then I glued black polka dot ribbon around the edge for some extra umph! Oh! And then I attached a loop of ribbon on the top edge to slide a piece of chalk in!

My daughter is going to a birthday party, so I thought it would be a fun thing to give as a gift. I thought it would be cute to hang on a bedroom door for messages like:

DO NOT ENTER

" SO & SO's ROOM"

GIRLS ONLY... etc...

But for starters, I wrote a quick "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
I have some great ideas to spruce them up a bit too. I'll post them if I ever get around to making more anytime soon. Baby #4 is coming soon! Better craft while I have the time.... and energy!

Kendee Watches Giveaway

Go check out one of my favorite blogs over at MAKE IT AND LOVE IT for this fabulous watch giveway from KENDEE WATCHES. Check out her fabulous items on her BLOG or in her ETSY SHOP.

They are just too cute!

Thrift Store Results...

"NO WORKY" CLOCK
I painted this clock black, and then painted the outside rim of the face silver. I'm not thrilled with how this turned out. It's better than it was, but am thinking of something else to do with it. Not only that, the stinkin' thing doesn't even work. So, its just a 'still life'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAMILY FRAME
At the last second, I grabbed this brassy gold backless frame for $0.50... The glass just needed a good cleaning, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it...

I painted it white,
washed the glass,
covered some cardboard with fabric,
and with some helpful advice from Amanda of Imperfectly Beautiful,
printed out the word FAMILY on some cardstock.
(Cutting out the letters was painful and tedious, but definitely worth it!!!)
Thank you Amanda for your great advice!!!

I am in LOVE with this!

I might even make a few other carboard backings so that I can change it out!
I debated on what words to use... TURNER, DREAM, TOYS, etc...
It might be fun to change it out during the year... hmmm, seasonal?

That's all for now... more to come soon, I hope!