Twice the Easter Gift

I've wanted to do one of these spring celebration trees for years, and finally, the one piece that pushed it over to getting it done.

I heard you take down the cute tags Easter morning and put them on the easter baskets. I love this, celebrate decorate for a while and then pass them along... don't have to store them, decide when to take them down. Just naturally happens with the season. Love it...

The tree itself one of the Christmas season ones from

Bi-Mart, Mixed with black and white sticks.

I  created my tags single sided so I could put a note on the back.

I used the free shape down load  for the silhouette. But these would be easy to cut base outer edges and then decorate to your desire.

Making the most of small gifts

I love a good child care provider. Occasionally leading me to want to give a little bonus. However I am not sure if you all are like me, but I frequently find myself thinking, "I only have ____ to give."   It only takes a few minutes to make it a real heartfelt gift. Making the response a hug and treasured memory instead of an awkard money exchange.

 These are the simple match boxes I posted last month. Take your currency fold in half. Wrap tightly around a pencil, remove from pencil wrap with ribbon use glue dot to hold in place.

 

Love at first sight!

 

 A few weeks ago I stumbled on these little jewels when I was searching ideas for decorating small gift boxes. It was just a matter of time to find a reason to build. I found myself pleasantly surprised at the ease of cutting, assembling and then decorating. Nice addition to easy open ended crafts. Simple cut, and assembly directions... 



Storage ~ thinking outside the box

Scrap booking scissors in silverware caddy.

Sometimes when I look at new things I see an alternate use, sometimes I have to search for something thinking beyond the traditional use to fill the current need.

From the very first moment I seen this black metal basket from Spectrum Diversified Designs, I fell in love and I knew exactly what I would put in it.

This is a silverware caddy sold in the housewares section at
Bi-Mart. The perfect place to put my scrap booking scissors so they are conveniently within arms reach.


Life is short, Celebrate every moment of it!

 

Gifting a gift card inspires me to really take the time to make this amazing. I find any one can give, a gift card in a store bought greeting card. I wanted this gift to be super special.

4 mini matchbook notepads personalized with paper watermarked with the couples names and momogrammed.
Cutsom box for these to nestle inside.

a personalized crafted congratulations card.

personalized card specifially made to insert their gift card. Nicely placed inside matching envelope.

In the top of the bag are 2 (sour cream containers) personalized treat containers filled with a few of the new couples favorite treats.

A few final touches on the bag.
This moment has been celebrated!

 What's your next 'moment'?
Find a way to 'celebrate' it in a more meaningful way.

COLOR! Quick, easy, endless...

Bright colored matchbook notepads.

I find this time of year I am ready to add some color. Christmas busyness is over. I need to feel productive, and am looking for instant results. Matchbook notepads are all of the above. These cute little projects make great gifts and can be made from anything. Currently I put to use scraps from all the Christmas box making, add a punch of color with the insert pages.

Cutsomized matchbook notebooks for Christmas thank you.

So simple...
Covers are 2 1/4X 6. Score and fold at 2 1/2, 2 3/4 and 5 1/2.

Insert pages are 2 1/2 X 2 about 16 pages seems to staple well, also you can cut them from one sheet of  8X10 paper.

On the ones pictured to the right I also perforated the sheets. Takes more time, but for a more formal pad the papers tear out much nicer.

Cut your paper to 8X10.

Perforate (optional) the 10 inch side closest to you perforate at 2 1/4, 4 3/4, 7 1/4, 9 3/4.

Cut your paper at 7 1/2, 5, and 2 1/2. Your strips are now 2 1/2 X 8 inch strips, cut them at 6, 4, and 2.

Insert papers inside lower 1/2 inch fold on cover and staple. Fold top flap into bottom.

Decorate covers any way you desire.



Monograms add that personal touch. Use as gift tags

Creative Thoughts

Run your insert sheets through your printer or copy machine with a faded or watermark background for more personalized pages.

Mix your insert sheets for color variation.

Use recycled paper for your sheets. Use recycled brown paper bags for the covers.

Put newly married couples name on insert sheets and monogram the front. Make several, tie with a bow.

Put a note on the inside first sheet, or on the back telling guests thanks for attending your latest event.

Use your scraps from whatever you've been making and put them on a shelf to insert with your next gift or use as gift tag.

 

A few more minis matchbook notepads.



Wrapping paper storage

I love it when I can find that simple little spot for something special that otherwise is stuffed in a corner somewhere, and this week it happens to be wrapping  and tissue paper. This is such a simple inexpensive project I am kicking myself for not doing it much sooner. And it carves out space that otherwise is never touched anyway.

Supplies:
8 - 1/2 inch wooden dowels
12 - gold cup hooks
4 - L brackets
2 - 12 1/2 inch small pieces of wood
spray paint

6 of your dowels will be used as is, two of them will be cut into thirds.
I painted my hooks black to match my decor, I've seen others go white, as well as paint the dowels. I left mine natural, do what fits your decor.
My two pieces of wood were from an old shelf I took apart (it was the face plate) so they were 1 1/2 inches wide by an inch deep. Something similar to that is important for your wood.

The instructions:
Cut your 2 pieces of wood 12.5 inches long. The top piece will have 5/8 inch holes drilled all the way through it, and the bottom only half way through it.
I marked out the top piece first, every 2 inches with 1.25 at each end so the marks to drill are 1.25 3.25, 5.25, 7.25, 9.25, and 11.25. I drilled a smaller pilot hole all the way through and lined up my bottom board and drilled it into mark the top of the bottom board.
After all the pilot holes are drilled and the bottom board is marked then use a spade bit to complete the 5/8 hole. For the bottom wholes you want them drilled only half way through your wood, so for me that was 1/2 inch. You can mark your drill bit with a piece of tape, or a permanent marker so you will know how deep to drill.

Mount these to the inside of your door making sure they are far enough apart to fit wrapping paper between them, but also take into consideration where shelves are mounted. In the picture you can see the top piece is mounted just below the shelf.

Cup hooks put in 2 inches apart vertically and no more than 11 inches apart horizontally.
Cut your wooden dowels into thirds. My husband was kind enough to mark the right side of the dowels against the hooks and notch them so they won't slide. A great bonus, not essential.