November Home Lunch Bags and Printables

Last month, I sat down and wrote my kids names on their lunch bags for the whole month in advance. It took about 20 minutes. You can see it here. It was a hit! I did the same this month for Thanksgiving, and I thought they turned out darling!!!

Each day, they also get a Thanksgiving joke in their lunch bag that I have printed, cut out, and stacked in my pantry in advance.

If you want to find the jokes I use, check out my Thanksgiving Pinterest board.

I hope you are having a nice November. I have a few fun things I will be sharing in the next few days. I will also be on Studio 5 this Friday at 11. I hope you'll tune in!

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Brigham City Women's Forum

I was lucky enough to be asked to be a presenter at The 18th annual Brigham City Women's Forum last Saturday. 

It was a super snowy day, but I loaded my minivan up, picked up my mom, and we headed up to Brigham City. We made it safely, and I was able to present twice. My topic was party planning and crafts. I shared all sorts of things from my blog, and things that are not yet on my blog.

I shared a few tips on creativity, and my favorite tip is this:

YOU ARE MORE CREATIVE THAN YOU KNOW 

& 

CREATIVITY COMES AT CREATIVE TIMES

I told the women that I am no more creative than anyone else, the only difference in me than some others is, I have learned to recognize a creative thought, and act on it, weather I am in the grocery store or it's 3am and I am in bed unable to sleep.

It was a great day, and I met some fantastic women! Thank you for being so supportive Brigham City! I am still amazed that anyone would want to sit in a class taught by me... I feel so honored!

I have to give a BIG shout out to my mom, who babysat for me a ton last week, so I could get organized! She also came and helped me set up and take down. Thanks mom YOU'RE THE BEST! I am the luckiest daughter in the whole world.

If you didn't get the chance to go this year, you should try to make it next year! It is a fun filled day with talented women yummy lunch, and friends.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Built-in Curio Cabinet with chevron backing!

Have you decided what you want for Christmas this year? I have a suggestion! Why not turn one of your kitchen cabinets into a curio, to display all your lovelies? I love mine!

This is how it looked before:

Then I took the doors off, and it looked like this for a while, before I got the new doors.

It stayed decorated like that for a while after I got the doors as well. I like it to be bright in the spring and summer. I got the doors from The Closet Butler in Kaysville, UT. The Closet Butler is fabulous! They have built many things in my house, including the built-in shelves in my laundry room, and the lockers in my mud room. I never posted final photos of either room, and I should. They are fabulous! Okay, putting it on the list!

I am LOVING the treatment I gave it for fall and winter. I tacked, yes tacked (with a thumb tack) a piece of chevron fabric (Riley Blake, purchased at Lily Bella Fabrics.) to the top corners, put the shelves back in, and filled it with my lovely collection of milk glass! I love the serenity and calm feel the white brings this time of year.

I know you want to know where I got everything... ;)

Top right: Cake stand I won from a blogger night from One Charming Party!!!

Top left and the whole 2nd row down: DI

3rd row down: The vase was made my my husband's grandma, and has her initials on the bottom... so sweet! The other pot was DI.

Bottom Shelf: Set of bowls from Consign and Design in Farmington, UT, and an old picture frame I painted.

Now, don't you think you should swap out your old cabinet doors for glass doors to brighten up your kitchen?

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Reusable Shopping Bag tutorail and LIST!

I got to film a fun episode for MY CRAFT CHANNEL a month ago. It was a blast, and Kristine Mckay is a doll! I am so glad they asked me to do it!!! Thank you My Craft Channel!

You can watch it below!

Here is another reusable shopping bag idea I didn't share that day, that I thought you might like, It's a SUPER easy pillow sham!!! Links to the rest of the projects I shared on the show can be seen at the bottom of the post.

Reusable shopping bags make perfect pillow shams for indoor or out. They are easy to clean, and easy to make!

I have posted a tutorial in the past for the same technique to sew a pillow case. You can see it HERE. Let's get started. Use a bag preferably without any writing on the front or back. I got mine at Homegoods for $1.

Cut off the straps, and cut a square out of the front.

Leave the bottom attached to the back.

Make the back piece the same width, and then fold in half and cut in half.

Place the top of the half on top of the front of the bag, with the nice sides facing each other. You will want the finished edge to be in the middle of the bag, as this is what you will see after you have sewn the pillow and turned it right side out.

Then, place the other half on top of that, again... nice sides facing each other.

Pin everything in place, and sew around the perimeter.

Cut the bulk out of the corners.

Turn right side out.

Here is a view from the back. It will be a little hard to fit the pillow into the sham, as there is no give in the material we used, but it will work.

There you have it... a super easy pillow sham that works great for indoors or out! It is one you won't have to tell your kids not to touch.

You might also want to look at:

10 minute Apron - Reusable Bag

First Aid Kit - Reusable Bag

Reusable Lunch Set - Reusable Bag

Party Set - Reusable Bag

$.25 Wallet - Reusable Bag

DIY Jewelry Organizer - Reusable Bag

Pillow Sham - Reusable Bag

 

I am glad you stopped by, and hope you have enjoyed these fun, easy, and inexpensive projects! Now, go out and buy yourself a bag or two, and get crafting!

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Thanksgiving in my Formal Dining Room! 2012 Edition

This year, I decided to add blue to my Thanksgiving formal dining room table setting, and 

I AM LOVING THE RESULT! 

I think Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday for which to decorate, and I try not to ever skip it. We pull out the Christmas decor the day after Thanksgiving, and I am happy to get the threeish weeks we get with Thanksgiving.

The blue still totally feels like fall, but matches my house even better! I love to layer, layer, layer when it comes to setting a show table. You see a charger, dinner plate, salad plate, roll plate and napkin in holder all in one place, in addition to a candle cup and goblet. I don't set silverware out, because my baby likes to take off with things. But if I did, I would use the beautiful gold set I have.

 I added this lovely garland to my $5 thrift store light fixture, and hung all my Thanksgiving charms from it. I love the addition of the blue ribbon to tie in with the blue below!

Notice the turkey, platter and pumpkins on top of my curio? I love the simple touches that still make it feel like fall.

 

 You can see what I have done in previous years on my formal dining table for Thanksgiving HERE.

What are you doing to celebrate Thanksgiving?

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

DIY wooden puzzle tutorial

If you have read many of my other posts, you know I LOVE my scroll saw!!! Love it! I just made a few of these puzzles this weekend, and they turned out SO awesome!

This is my nephew. Isn't he darling!?!

 

What you will need:

2 pictures - I printed mine on my computer, but you could also have one printed professionally.

A piece of thin board from the hardware store. I got mine at Home Depot.

Spray Adhesive, Home Depot

Scroll saw - I got mine at Harbor Freight. They are on sale right now for $64!!! You can see HERE. Pictured in the link, is the exact model I have.

Sand Paper

1) Trace the photo onto the board, then cut the board out. Do this twice.

If you want, you can cut the photo boarder off with the scroll saw, or you can do it before, or leave it on. Whatever you think looks best.

2) Enter one side, and cut an oval around the photo.

 3) Cut the oval into pieces using your imagination. ALWAYS CUT WITH THE PHOTO FACE UP! I drew a pattern on the back to follow the first time, and it messed up the photo.

4) Sand the bottom edges (not pictured).

It should look like this.

 5) Spray adhesive onto the back of the border piece.

6) Attach the border piece to the back piece.

Put the pieces back in!

Now you have a homemade gift that is darling, and SO personalized!

Just a note: These are not waterproof. I haven't figured that one out yet. I will update if I do. I have thought of plenty of options, but need to test a few out.

Here is another one I made for my CUTE nephew for his birthday yesterday. I just pulled some photos off facebook, and surprised his parents.

 Have a Happy and Creative Day, 

...and ask Santa for a scroll saw. You won't regret it!

Risa

Halloween Costumes 2012 Edition

 Thought I would share the Halloween costumes from this year...

Wayne and I had a couples Halloween party to attend. It was Avenger's themed, so we went for it! We bought his costume, and I made mine.

This is the kids before we went to trick-or-treating at dad's work.

Sister told me she wanted to be FLO from Progressive, which was so easy, and SO CUTE! I found the printable name tags at girl and a glue gun. Thank you Kimbo! You rock!!!

The boys were more generic, but still cute! 

Little buddy hung out with me on the porch all night, and put candy in the cute trick-or-treater's bags.

Sister went trick-or-treating with friends for the first time this year... sniff, sniff... So, we didn't get a picture of her until she got back.

It was a fun night! Hope you had fun as well.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa