Dollar Tree...er...tree.

On one of my DT trips, I came across this sad looking 'tree'. I had big hopes for this little guy.

I gave him a little 'fluffling...

And attempted to spray paint him white (which didn't work.. the paint wouldn't take to the green tape that wrapped the branches of the tree)... so it had to be hand painted. So I went through my paint collection.... all my white bottles were dried out and practically empty... so Antique White it was...

Then I decided to paint the pot black...

Then cover up the cheapy 'sand-like' looking dirt with some moss...

Now I just need to make some fun little ornies to hang on it... and I set it on my mantle... my sad bare mantle... and now I think I may want to go buy like half a dozen more to just splatter them all over my mantle! Hmm... stay tuned.Ooh. See a preview of tomorrow's post in the reflection of my mirror...

Announcing...

I've just started listing my new cupcake wrappers! My new design includes the tabbed end for easy assembly! No more straight edges that need stickers! One easy step {Insert tab in slit} and you're ready for cupcakes! The wrappers below are what I have listed already in my Etsy shop! I can even make matching cake/cupcake picks for any wrappers. Just ask!

Want different colors? Want something you don't see? Just ask me! I love custom orders! I have lots of more designs I can't wait to get listed. I'll do my best to post them here as well as I get them done!

Don't forget to check out my clearance stash. I'm trying to clear out the "old style" wrappers to make room for my new ones! Thanks!

Valentine Treats

Wanna know how to make these? Go here to my baking blog.

You can even make these for the big football game!

$2 Apothecaries

I made a 'quick' trip to the DT just for some chenille stems to make more of these. But who can resist a walk through just in case you might see something new?! I came across these for $1 each. I looked a couple weeks ago for some supplies like this, but there was nothing. So I probably looked like a crazy lady filling up my basket with these... giggling inside...well, at least I don't think I was giggling out loud...
I brought them home, applied a little E6000 to the top of the candle holders, centered them on the bottom of the hurricanes/votives and voila!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!!!

Found another version here...and this fun vinyl idea here. Here are a few ways I've displayed them:I was so excited once they dried, I just set them all on my table and threw a few things in them. I will definitely play around with them some more!

Button Heart Tutorial

I've had lots of comments on my button hearts posted here, and thought I'd post a quick tutorial for you all. I also submitted it to Totally Tutorials Blog & Fave Crafts.

You will need:
*Buttons
*Colored Wire in a guage you can bend easily but will still hold form (I tossed my packages that the wire came in so I have no idea what size I used)
*Wire cutters (not pictured)
*Ribbon

Step 1: Cut about a 12 inch wire (this will give you about a 3 inch tall heart)
Step 2: Start stringing your buttons one at a time, leaving 1 inch of wire on each end for twisting together. String 0ne button hole at a time. String the other button hole once your button is in its final position on the wire. The wire will not feed through both button holes at once. I use around 12 buttons per ornament, but it all depends on the size of buttons you use. Just eye ball it!
Step 3: Join the two ends together and twist them tight.
You can cut the remaining wire with your wire cutters or you can swirl a design at the bottom if you wish.

Step 4: Cut your ribbon for hanging the ornament. Feed one end through the wire at the top of the heart and tie the ends in a pretty little bow!And now your 'cute as a button' button heart ornament is ready to hang!I still have some of these available in my etsy shop if you are interested in purchasing!!!


**And to answer the question of one of my readers about the styrofoam balls from this post:

These are made by SIERRA PACIFIC CRAFTS Partners in Creativity. They come in several different color combinations. I purchased them last year at Ben Franklin, in Hawaii, mind you. The retail price was $7.99 but I got them on sale for a lot less. If you have trouble finding these before your party, let me know, I'll be glad to make some ornaments for you. I have some listed in my etsy shop! Good Luck!

CUPCAKE WRAPPER CLEARANCE!!!

I've restocked my etsy shop with the stash of cupcake wrappers that I haven't relisted since we moved! This is so exciting... why?

1) I finally have a full stocked Etsy shop again.
2) I lowered the prices to more than 50% so I can make room for my NEW and IMPROVED cupcake wrappers!

I'll be listing them soon....I'll post pictures when I do! I stayed up late last night creating!!!!

So, go check them out, get them before they are gone, and then come back to see the new ones!

Crystallized Hearts

Over Christmas I saw these snowflakes here among many other various sites. So I thought...why not make hearts? So, here is my version of crystallized shapes... Valentines style.

*First you have to create your desired shape (heart) with pipe cleaners.
(You can used colored pipe cleaners, or you can add a drop or two of food coloring to the borax if you only have white pipe cleaners.) I used white and pink pipe cleaners.

*Tie a string around it and hang it in a wide mouth glass jar with a pencil. Be sure that it will be free hanging and can be covered completely with the borax solution.

*Boil water. Add the borax to water:
3 T Borax for each 1 cup boiling water

*Stir until dissolved.

*Pour solution into jars until your pipe cleaner shapes are covered.
*Let sit overnight in a place that will be undisturbed.

This was just after a couple hours:

As you can see each one progresses differently. And a little side note, don't worry if your jars start crystallizing, just rinse them with HOT water when you are done and dissolve the crystals!

While we wait, here's an explanation as to why this all happens (courtesy wikipedia):

Borax is a material that grows into a crystal naturally. Just like snowflakes are crystals that form when warmer water in the clouds cools enough a borax solution will cool into crystals. The reason we use hot water to make borax crystals is because borax will disolve into water. Hot water can hold more borax than cold water can. So when the borax is stirred into the hot water until no more will fit, it is called supersaturated. As it cools, it cannot hold as much borax in each water molecule, so it realeases some of the borax into it's natural repeating mineral shape. It's just like a sugar crystal or a salt crystal. They will do the same thing as the borax when disolved in hot water, only they take a lot longer to crystalize.

About 6-8 hours later...Hellooooo Gorgeous!