Follow Your Arrow – DIY Arrow Ornaments

 

I’m a firm believer in handmade gifts. There’s something so special about receiving something that was made just for you by the hands of someone you love. Likewise, it feels really rewarding to make something for someone that they will not only love but that will also have a special meaning to them.

That was the idea behind the gift I made for my sister Cecily this past Christmas. In all honesty, I had been planning this gift for months…. but being the world class procrastinator that I am (le sigh) I didn’t finish it till after Christmas. I know, major Christmas gift fail. But I swear Christmas comes faster every year and we all know just how very slyly it sneaks up on us. But I did finally finish it (yay me!) … and thanks to me, my sister got to open one more Christmas gift in January lol.

These cute little arrow ornaments were actually a last minute addition to her gift. I came across this tutorial by the lovely Jess Gatlyn of Boho Baby Bump and knew I had to make one for my sister. One of her favorite songs lately is “Follow Your Arrow” by country singer, Kacey Musgraves. I hadn’t heard the song until she put it on a mix cd for me some months ago. I’m not a huge fan (and that might an understatement lol) of country music but this one isn’t too bad, I guess (in other words, it’s listenable). Because of the message of the song she had mentioned that an arrow had kind of become a special symbol to her. So naturally I thought of her when I saw this craft.

I was going to use it as an accent on top of the wrapped gift in place of a bow but that didn’t end up working out. So instead I just tucked it into the case of the mix cd I made for her (we recently started sending each other mix cds in the mail).

They were so easy and fun to make that I made about 5 of them for myself. I posted the video of Jess making them below and I’ll also link to her blog. But basically all you do is paint wooden skewers, cut the arrowheads out of scrapbook paper & hot glue them on, glue on feathers and a string to hang it and cover that with a strip of washi tape, and voilà! There was something really relaxing about painting the skewers in different colors and patterns. Just a really fun & cute craft!

Now this baby, this butterfly dream catcher/wall hang was the real gift… the one that took me a while to start and to finish lol. 

She and I had found this cute & hippy looking butterfly doily when we took a day trip to Austin last summer. We went shopping on South Congress for the first time ever and saw it lying on a shelf in what became one of our favorite shops, New Bohemia. I believe she said “If I buy this will you make it into a dream catcher for me?”. That was in July… so needless to say, she wasn’t expecting it lol. I had been making myself dream catchers out of doilies for a while just as a fun and decorative diy to hang in my bedroom.  This one was a lot of fun to make and I was really happy that she loved it!

This was how I used my arrow ornaments, to decorate a Valentines tree! I’ve been seeing cute little Valentines trees all over Pinterest and wanted to try it! Loved the way it looked with the arrows! It made for some cute and quirky Valentines décor, I think!

Some more Valentines décor in the kitchen, just because I believe in being festive! :)

Hope you guys spend an afternoon making a few of these lovelies for yourself or someone you love!

For Jess’s written tutorial , click here.

Glitter Pumpkins (An Easy Fall DIY)

Fall crafts have become one of my (many) favorite things about this time of year! There are just so many fun DIY’s on Pinterest to get your house all ready and decked out for the season. This is the second year I’ve made these cute glitter pumpkins and I’m sure I will keep making them every year. They are so fun, festive, and super easy peasy.

 

I made these lovelies with my sister over Skype yesterday. Skype crafting, baking, and cooking sessions are kinda like a new tradition we started. It’s become our thing since she now lives in the peach state so we can keep doing all our favorite hobbies together. I think we both loved how our pumpkins turned out! And it was the perfect day for some fall crafting since we Texans finally got some cool, breezy weather! Hallelujah!

If you want to do this project all you need is: Pumpkins – we used real ones but you could probably use fake ones if you want. Modpodge, fall colored glitter, and sponge brushes.

 

Just cover the pumpkins with a layer of Modpodge and coat with your choice of glitter. Let dry, shake off any excess, and give them a place in your home!

So pretty and could not be simpler! :)

Pumpkin obsessed?… Just a little.

Think it’s safe to say that fall is upon our home lol. ;) Hope you’re enjoying this lovely season!

Smash Booking!

I have talked about my mad love for art journaling quite a bit on this blog and now I think it's time for me to talk about my new obsession: Smash Booking.

It's official, I have fallen in love with Smash Booking! I knew it was only a matter of time before it happened. I have been drooling over these lovely books full of their pretty paper (I'm a total sucker for pretty paper) in the Wal-Mart craft section for months now. So finally I caved... I bought one for me and one for my sister, (who I just turned on to the craze, she has now been bitten by the Smash Book bug too).

Smash Books are a lot like art journals except the backgrounds are already done for you and you can just freely "smash" in whatever you like. Pictures (I have been using it as a scrapbook of sorts), ticket stubs, notes, quotes, anything at all really. It's basically art journaling's little sister, in my opinion. And it's so much fun, I'm seriously addicted!

They have different color Smash Books you can choose from and each have different paper that coordinates with the theme, such as: Pretty Pink (which is the one my sister & I have), Retro Blue, Doodle Red, Mod Black, Eco Green, Simple Orange, etc.

They also come with a really convenient pen that has a glue stick on the other side, it's pretty awesome, I love it! The Smash Book company (K&Company) also have tons of products and embellishments that make the experience even more fun, so definitely check those out as well. I love collecting them!

Below is a little flip through my Smash Book. Hope you enjoy taking a peak at the pages I’ve done so far! They were so fun to make! :)

My “Pretty Pink” Smash Book. I have yet to decorate the cover but definitely plan on doing so soon!

The inside of the front cover and first page of my Smash Book. My introduction pages, if you will. I used a picture of a dream catcher I recently made for my room and a quote that I love from Madeleine L'Engle.

A summer themed page. I added a list of summer goals, an old post card with a picture of the bay in my town, and a picture of the sun that my cousin drew a few years ago.

Pictures of my visit to Walton's Fancy & Staple in Austin!

A totally random, fun page! Some things I used were a magazine clipping, paint sample, Starbucks Via package lol, an envelope, an old ticket to an Imax movie, and another drawing by my cousin that I had lying around (Yes, I’m that girl, I keep everything…but I refuse to be called a pack rat! lol).

A page dedicated to my visit to Le Cordon Bleu in Austin last month!

A 4th of July themed page I made using a picture of the fireworks my sister (who came to visit from GA that week)  took at the bay in our town. As well as a picture of the Key Lime Pie we made for dessert!

This is another random page, I used an old birthday card (loved the bird embroidered on it), a page from an old book, stamps, washi tape, as well as other embellishments. This page turned out to be one of my favorites!

So that's my Smash Book so far! I hope you guys are now inspired to pick one up and start smashing for yourself! It really is a fun creative outlet! :)

D.I.Y. Cake Stands

 

Maybe it’s the fact that I’m an obsessed baker or because this is a really fun, easy, and low cost project to make; either way I’ve been making quite a few of these D.I.Y. Cake Stands. Um, if you don’t believe me, just come look at my kitchen… I’m running out of places to put them lol.

When my sister was visiting a couple months ago, there were a few craft projects we planned to do together and this was one of them. Neither of us had ever made one before and we were so surprised at just simple they are. We made one for each of us, and thus began the addiction.

One of my favorite things about making these cake stands is shopping for the pretty plates and bases. There’s a antique and resell shop in my town that I love and probably frequent way too much. In fact, it’s kinda become a Sunday ritual (they’re only open on certain days) for my mom and I to go and search for little treasures. And lately we’ve been scouring the place for antique plates and candlesticks to use for cake stands. It’s so fun to match up the plates with different and unique bases. 

For this cake stand, I used an antique plate with a lovely bird & flower design on it, and a small crystal candlestick for a base. You can mix it up by not only using candlesticks for bases but also drinking glasses, small vases, and sundae dishes. You can just have fun with it and experiment with different variations. Really anything that has a sturdy base with a flat top. One of my favorite things to use are milk glass candlesticks and vases. It always looks so classy!

Don’t think you can only use cake stands in the kitchen, they are so versatile. In fact, I have one sitting on my vanity holding my perfumes, lotions, ect. You can also use them in the bathroom to hold soaps and other toiletries. 

I really hope you give this project a try! But I’m going to give you the same warning I kept reading on other blogs, there is a good chance you will become addicted to making these. In fact, you may not be able to look at a plate and candlestick without wanting to make a cake stand. You will walk out of the store with five plates and five candlesticks and people will look at you funny. But we will both know… it was all worth it! :)

Supplies Needed:

plate

candlestick

epoxy glue (E – 6000)

a heavy book

Instructions:

Step 1 – After you gather your supplies, you might want to see how you’re positioning your base. I always like to make sure I know the exact spot I want it in before I glue it down. If it helps, you can mark the spot with a pen or marker, as the candlestick will cover it once it’s glued.

Step 2 – Apply epoxy to the top of the candlestick and place it in the middle on the back of the plate. After you have it where you want it, press it down gently. Carefully wipe off any excess glue.

Step 3 – Place heavy book on top and allow to dry over night.

And in the morning, wake up and admire your hard work!

Below are some photos of the other cake stands I’ve made:

 

Linking up today with Six Sisters' Stuff blog for their Strut Your Stuff Saturday

D.I.Y. Song Lyric Wall Art

Because this is the first ever craft project I’ve posted I must admit I had the slight temptation to name it something really cheesy… such as “Craft Corner” or “Crafting with Krystal”. But for your sakes, I’m trying my best to resist. ;)

Truth be told, I’ve never been the crafter type. It’s actually a rather new hobby that my mom & I both picked up in January thanks to Pinterest and all their inspiring ideas. It became a really fun hobby for us, a way to relax, be creative, and get our minds off the stress of the day. We’ve really had a blast with it! In fact, it admittedly became a little bit of an obsession. To the point where we’d see certain objects and wonder what we could make with them lol. I think that’s just what crafting does to you. ;)

Neither one of us thought we’d be good at crafts but in doing them we’ve discovered that we’re not half bad after all. I think with all the awesome craft tutorials out there now a days anyone can craft and have so much fun with it! :)

I’m so excited to share our latest project with you today! I found this D.I.Y. Song Lyric Wall Art on Elsie Larson’s blog, A Beautiful Mess. I thought it was so cute and it totally appealed to the music lover in me! Plus I was in desperate need for some new and pretty art on my walls. I’ve had it pinned and planned to do it for a few months now and finally got around to it last week. And I was beyond thrilled with how it turned out!

It’s so easy to make which is perfect for a newbie crafter such as myself; and it only takes a few supplies.

Supplies Needed:  

Art work (I bought two medium sized paintings at Hobby Lobby)

Letter Stickers

White spray paint

Instructions:

Step 1 – After you gather your supplies, decide what lyrics you want to use! This was kind of a hard choice for me because there are so many awesome songs with amazing lyrics out there. But I ended up choosing a line from one of my favorite songs, “Beautiful Things” by Gungor. I love this song and the words mean so much to me, so I thought it was the perfect choice.

Step 2 – Plan out the placing of your words. Elsie recommends cutting out each letter and plotting your layout before sticking the letters on. I skipped this step because it was taking so much extra time lol, but it’s probably a really good idea. I admittedly became a little perfectionist about it and there was a lot of sticking, removing, and re-sticking the letters till I got them just how I wanted them. So always listen to Elsie lol.

Step 3 – Once you have your design figured out, stick the letter stickers onto the painting.

Step 4 – Cover the whole painting with spray paint. Allow to dry completely.

Step 5 – Once fully dry, carefully peel off the letter stickers and voila! You now have beautiful art with your favorite lyric to hang on your wall!

How simple and awesome is that? I really loved the way it seemed to brighten up the room when it was hung. And I love seeing one of my favorite lyrics hanging on the wall. It serves as a good reminder and it makes me smile. I really hope you’ll make one of your own! Happy crafting! :)

Spa Day: Citrus Salt Body Scrub & Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

Hey lovelies! Today we are talking homemade beauty treatments! Sound good, ladies? I thought so! We are bringing a little bit of the spa into our kitchen and making a sweet smelling body scrub and hand scrub. After making a couple homemade brown sugar scrubs in the summer, I had been wanting to experiment with other recipes. There are so many different variations you can make with just a few simple ingredients. They smell so lovely and make your skin super soft! Enjoy them as a mid-week spa retreat or give them away to a friend as they would make great gifts!

Citrus Salt Body Scrub –

(Recipe found @ Martawrites.com)

This citrusy salt scrub is the perfect beauty treatment to refresh your winter worn skin and make it ready for warmer weather. It even smells like spring/summer with the fruity aroma of the lemon, grapefruit, and orange zest, and just a little lemon extract. This is the first salt scrub I’ve ever made and I think I like better than the sugar scrubs; the salt is a little bit more abrasive and it seems to make a better exfoliant. The oil in it acts as a moisturizer and leaves your skin feeling so silky and smooth.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of kosher salt
2 Tbs. lemon, grapefruit or orange zest (I did a combo of all three)
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 small glass jar or other container

Directions:
Fill your jar with the kosher salt (a 48 oz. box of kosher salt makes enough for 4 jars of scrub) and sprinkle citrus zest on top. Using the long, blunt end of a wooden spoon (or mortar and pestle if you’ve got one) distribute the zest throughout the salt evenly by stirring the dry ingredients together. Next pour the oil first into a measuring cup. Stir the lemon extract into the oil. Now pour half of the oil mixture into your jar and stir with small spoon to combine well. Pour the rest of the oil into the jar and mix well. Stir before each use.

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub -

(Recipe adapted from @ http://www.bystephanielynn.com)

This lemony sugar hand scrub is great therapy for chapped, dry hands. The sugar acts as a gentle exfoliant and the olive oil restores the moisture. The lemon juice and rind gives your hands a fresh and clean scent.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2-3 tbs. lemon rind
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tbs. lemon juice or scented essential oil

Directions:
Begin by stirring lemon rind into sugar, then spoon into jar. Stir in olive oil; mix well until gritty paste forms. Add in lemon juice or essential oil. This mixture will make enough to fill a 12oz. Mason Jar. Stir before each use.

I’m really loving of these scrubs, they were both fun, easy, and maybe just a little messy to whip up. The only downside is the rind in them does leave the shower/sink a bit of a mess. Feel free to leave out the rind and just use the juice or extract. Also, if you feel so inclined, you can print out these lovely little labels that I used for my jars. :)