a glitter and pink themed rollercoaster ride into crafting.
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Morning all my fabulous crafters! Thank you for joining us today, we have another super amazing post for you today! Please allow me to introduce our very first guest post {EVER}…
I love, love, love the post she has for you today and I’m sure you will too! Don’t forget to visit her blog for more crafty inspiration and amazing projects! Thanks, Daniela!
Hello there! My name is Daniela, and I blog at Put A Bird On It, where you can find lots of easy craft tutorials, DIY projects and always some holiday love. I am so excited to guest post here at My Paper Craze. Becky and I have been planning our blog swap for a while now, and I think we have some great projects to share! Definitely stop by my blog {click HERE!} to see what Becky has for you, too.
Holidays are always right around the corner. It feels like Valentine’s Day just ended — and St. Patrick’s Day is already knocking at the door. I am sharing with you a super easy treat idea to get a jump start on celebrating this lucky holiday. DIY chocolate cupcake toppers! I L-O-V-E cupcakes. Who doesn’t?! Even more than eating them, I love decorating them! I usually use my beloved Silhouette Cameo to make a paper topper of some sort for cupcakes, but I wanted to switch it up this time. Instead of paper – I used chocolate! I had seen a pin about making your own chocolate cupcake toppers from Catch My Party and they looked so fancy, I figured it must be hard, but I tried my own version of it, and – someone pinch me – these were SO easy! It only took a few “ingredients” to whip up these delicious cupcakes and their irish toppers. I made shamrocks and spelled out the word L-U-C-K! I am also including a free printable of the “pattern” I used, which you can download on my blog {link below}. So it’s even more easy for you to make these St. Patrick’s Day party ready cupcakes! Enjoy!
Supplies
candy melts, green
shortening
wilton squeeze bottle
printed “stencil” paper
parchment or wax paper
{cupcakes, frosted & sprinkled}
Instructions
Melt candy melts according to package directions. Add about a tablespoon of shortening before melting. This helps make the chocolate creamy {otherwise, you risk getting lumps}.
Spoon melted chocolate into squeeze bottle. Prep stencil by placing a piece of parchment/wax paper over your stencil paper. {remember – your chocolate goes on the parchment/wax paper – not the printed paper}
Following the lines on the stencil, squeeze the chocolate onto the parchment/wax paper.
NOTE: THIS TIP IS SUPER SUPER SUPER SUPER IMPORTANT!!
You want the chocolate to make somewhat THICK lines. I had 5 out of my 6 shamrocks BREAK, because the chocolate was too thin to withstand being taken off the parchment/wax paper. Remember to make them thicker than the ones pictured {just a little}, or you will end up with this:
Luckily, {irish luck!}, I had one shamrock that was thick enough. But both of my letter Y’s were too thin, so my LUCKY turned into LUCK. Which is still magically delicious.
Let the chocolate harden. I took a nap and came back, so mine took a couple hours. You can pop them in the fridge to speed things up, if needed.
Add to your cupcakes. If you’re lucky, there will be leftovers for you to take home.
Thanks again to Becky for letting me share a fun, festive treat with you all! Don’t forget to stop by Put A Bird On It to see Becky’s guest post and download the free stencil for these charming cupcakes. Have the best day!
xo
Daniela
Thanks, again, Daniela!
Here are a few of my favorite projects from Put A Bird On It… be sure to check them out!
Also, don’t forget to hop on over to Put A Bird On It and check out the super cute project I am sharing today… here is a sneak peek…
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Morning and welcome back to join us for another {CRAFTASTIC} day! We have a super-special surprise for you today… We are co-hosting our very first {LINKY PARTY}! How exciting!?!?
For anyone who isn’t sure what exactly what a linky party is {besides FABULOUS!}, it’s a chance to share your crafting and creativity with others! We love to link, link and then link some more {LOL}! Today we’re fortunate to have been chose to co-host… wait for it…
{SQUEAL!} I am so honored to be co-hosting with these fabulous ladies! You absolutely must hop on over to their blogs and show them some bloggy-love! Yes, they really are that amazing.
Diane @ Vintage Zest ~ Google+ ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bloglovin’
Tori @ Lil’ Mrs. Tori ~ Google+ ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bloglovin’
Lisa @ Mabey She Made It ~ Google+ ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bloglovin’
Alicia @ A Sweet Fragrance ~ Google+ ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bloglovin’
As a {GUEST CO-HOST}, I also get to choose my very own features from last week’s Do Tell Tuesday Linky Party… so here we go! Each co-host gets to choose their own features, so be sure to hop around to each blog for some crafty inspiration! Click here for the full rundown on how to participate!
I personally am on a home décor kick, so hope everyone enjoys…
My first feature is Creative “PLAY” Art for the Playroom ~ linked up by Bre from Average But Inspired! I’m totally feeling the use of non-traditional media to create this fabulous décor!
My second feature is a fabulous Thumbprint Family Tree ~ linked up by Marcy at Day2Day Super Mom! I love the creativity, yet simplicity of this project! Involving the kiddos is a super-bonus in my book!
My final feature is this awesome Kids Command Center ~ linked up by Tammy at the colored door! I just love, love, love the idea of the kids having their own space, reminders and artwork!
One more project peek before we move on to this weeks party… the most viewed link was…
Shimmer verses Matte MakeUp ~ linked up by Kat at Confessions of the Perfect Mom!
Congrats on being featured and don’t forget to pick up a button for your blog! If you were not featured here, check out Vintage Zest, Lil’ Mrs. Tori, Mabey She Made it, and A Sweet Fragrance for even more chances to be featured!
Features will be pinned to our new Do Tell Tuesday Features Board, so be sure to follow!
Be sure to grab the party button below and put it somewhere on your blog, then read the rest of the rules below!
<!– start InLinkz script →
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
All of the Valentine’s Day decorations have been taken down and put away… everything is in it’s place and back to normal… no more red… no more pink… it’s just {BLAH}. BUT… part of me is also relieved to be moving on to more economical crafts for St. Patrick’s Day, YAY! So I ran over to the dollar store to stock up on some cheapie supplies and inspiration struck! All I needed was a few candles and some napkins… to create custom candles!
Here are the few supplies you need to complete this project.
First, grab your napkins. Usually the are 2 ply so the layers will need to be seperated. I found it easier to tear one of the corners to get it started, then simply pulled them apart.
I then cut the napkins into rectangular strips sized to fit my candle. I just used my best judgment, but if you want a more exact fit you could measure your candle on this step. Once you’re happy with your strips, you’re ready to put them on the candle and get to the fun part. Place your napkin strip around your candle and hold it in place with one hand. Using a regular blow dryer, start blowing the heated air onto your napkin and your strip will actually melt into the candle. You will be able to see the difference by looking for the napkin to start to get a shiny gloss to it. Be careful not to burn your hand and try to keep the heat moving so that you don’t melt the candle to the point that it runs.
Once you’ve gone over the whole napkin strip and created an even shine, let it cool for a minute or two for the wax to re-harden. Ta-da! You now have a unique candle to match whatever theme you choose without spending an arm and leg. I do want to point out that the napkin strip is flammable and I would be hesitant about actually burning this candle.
What holiday or celebration do you have coming up that you’d like to customize a candle for? How about Spongebob or Dora on a candle added to your party display? You can apply this concept to any napkin design you can find!
Thanks for stopping by again today, we hope you enjoyed our fun little project! See you soon!
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Afternoon and welcome back to our little journey into crafting. Today is another short a sweet and includes two of my favorite things… crafting and coffee!
I am a huge fan of the dollar store and often just browse around to see if I can find any hidden goodies to craft with! They are a big help when it comes to crafting new ideas since there is not a large investment with your medium. A few days ago, I bought a few of the cheapie white coffee mugs, seeing a blank canvas and a whole lot of inspiration!
Introducing… Mr. and Mrs. Right!
I just love these little guys… although my husband was a little less thrilled {LOL}. I think these make an awesome wedding gift, what better way to start a marriage off on the right foot!
As you can tell, I slapped these mugs together with red and black Silhouette brand vinyl {AND} the mustache and lips are available in the Silhouette Online Store {YAY!}. I do always recommend measuring your work area before you begin so you can design it straight in your Silhouette software.
Looking for some inspiration of your own? Check out our Coffee Mugs Pinterest Board, there are a ton of great ideas floating around!
Stay tuned for more crafty fun right around the corner. We have a lot of surprises coming soon!
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Can you feel the love in the air? They say holidays are what you make them, but I always feel that there is a little extra romance added in on Valentine’s Day that comes from the same place as cute puppies and slobbery baby kisses. ~sigh~ 🙂
For Valentine’s Day, let me let you in on a little secret … I love me some shadow boxes! I look at them almost every holiday to decide which ones are the right ones. They are so super easy to put together but still gives that “wow” factor for your décor. I mean, who can resist picking it up for a little shake? This time, it is rose petals…
Here’s the short and long of it…
Supplies:
**I created my sentiment with vinyl and my awesome Silhouette cutting machine {BUT} you could pick up any adhesive embellishment to adhere to the front of the glass at your local craft store. I’ve seen shadow boxes decorated with glittered chipboard elements, flowers and even stickers. All it takes is a little imagination!
***I find it much easier to layer my vinyl using the clear contact paper, but have received mixed reviews on it’s effectiveness and potentially leaving behind a sticky residue. I have not experienced any problems thus far, but be warned {LOL}.
I started by opening up my shadow box and filling it about 1/2 full with the rose petals. I then placed my pattern paper on the back to use as a background and closed it up. I chose a sentiment, immediately recognizing that layering the black and red would really set the design off.
Once I had layered the black vinyl on top of the red, all that left to do was adhere it to the front of the glass! I lined mine up by sight, but it’s not a bad idea to measure, either!
See how easy that was? Shadow boxes have so many possibilities! It takes all my self control not to stock up on them every chance I get, but they are a favorite at my house!
I won’t take up any more of your romancing time today, but be sure to check back for more crafty goings-ons around here soon! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Morning and welcome back! We’re very excited to bring you another round of projects from our bloggy buddies with the Silhouette Challenge Group! Today’s theme is {FABRIC}! Don’t worry if you’re not a professional seamstress, I can bearly thread my own machine {LOL}.
For our project, we chose to do a {HEART} themed burlap pillow cover and it turned out amazing! It’s been the perfect addition to our Valentine’s décor and it was super easy to make!
Before we dive into the tutorial, be sure to stop in and check out all the other wonderful projects today, you are sure to find some crafty inspiration!
No-Sew Valentine’s Day Pillows by A Tossed Salad Life
So first, you will need the following supplies:
*Don’t have a Silhouette? That’s fine! Cut you some heart stencils and use different colored fabric paint to create your own masterpiece!
Just imagine all the applications this process has! Now you can spruce up those frumpy old pillows in your living room and coordinate pillow covers for each holiday! How exciting! Make fleece pillow covers for the kids {or yourself!}? Make weather-resistant pillows for your deck or patio?
So what do you think? We’d love to have your feedback! Be sure to hop on down and leave us a comment or hit us up on Facebook!
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Morning and welcome back for another fun crafting journey! Today we bring you a kid-friendly craft that is great for a rainy day activity {OR} a Valentine’s Day gift! Our family experimented with this nifty and thrifty craft during our recent “Winter Snow Storm”. Thanks to Mother Nature, we had three lovely days out of school and work to enjoy some family time!
So, first question, what do you need to decorate your very own mug? That’s simple… {A WHITE COFFEE MUG}! I picked mine up from Target, but it’s actually recommended to use the cheapies from the dollar store for the best results. That’s a win-win on my list!
Next, you need the specialized decorating tools… {SHARPIES!}
Our discovery of the day… {Metallic Sharpies!} How awesome!
Now, just go to town with all those awesome colors and create your masterpiece! For children, I do have a few recommendations…
Once your masterpieces are created, here’s what you do to add the “permanent” part…
Congratulations on your finished project! You have now captured these fun little moments to entertain you while you are enjoying your morning coffee… AND the mugs are dishwasher safe***! Here is the one I made for the husband. I think he liked it just a little {LOL}.
***UPDATED: We have received mixed reviews regarding this process working for some crafters and not others. Hmmm, not sure if maybe it’s the type of mug or varying ovens? I say: when in doubt, hand wash! We’d hate for you to lose that sweet little picture your kiddo drew for you {they would be devastated if it washed off in the dishwasher}! Also, there are more expensive paint pens and markers available at local craft stores if you are wanting more guarantee than these cute little sharpies can provide. 🙂
So how do you continue this fun for days to come? Homemade Hot Cocoa! My mom used to make Hershey’s Hot Cocoa for us as kids and I have loved making it for my own this winter. I definitely don’t have time in my day-to-day activities to be reinventing any wheels, so I use the tried-and-true recipe provided by Hershey’s, it’s fantastic. You can get the recipe on the Hershey’s Website, or I have listed it below for your convenience.
1/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1/3 cup hot water Dash salt 4 cups (1 qt.) milk 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Miniature marshmallows (optional)
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Morning and welcome back to our crafty little blog! Today we bring you another simple little Valentine’s Day craft… decorating a Chinese-style take-out box {YAY}! I absolutely adore these boxes and all their different sizes, they are just so darn cute!
This project is pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll give you the short and sweet of it all… think of this as a 3D card, if you will:
First thing is first, measure your box. This will give you the size of the area you have to work with. As you can see below, the top is slightly larger than the bottom, so your sides will be at an angle. You have two choices: cut manually OR set this image up in your Silhouette Studio software (my choice!).
So whether you choose to freehand the shape with your paper-cutter or set it up in the Silhouette Studio software, this is what you are looking for:
You’ll notice that this is the exact size of the front of your box. The reason for doing this is that you can now use it as a template for designing the rest of your “pieces”. I highly suggest cutting this {FIRST} and aligning it with your box to ensure your cuts are angles are correct. If not, you might be disappointed when the project is finished and does not sit well on your take-out box.
From here on out, you’ll decorate this as you would a handmade card. You can use your Silhouette Studio (as I did) and do print-and-cut pieces for your sayings, OR you can use your stamp collection if you have one. Not sure how to use your stamps to make your own die cuts? Check out our long-ago post on Fussy Cutting Making You Fussy?
Don’t forget your layered pieces of cardstock, they really add a nice border to your patterned paper. I cut my first layer (white) 0.25″ smaller than my box to have a nice red layer showing on my box. From then, I only cut the red 0.125″ smaller than the white, and the paper 0.125″ smaller than the red. I think it turned out nice.
Once you have all your little pieces, go ahead and arrange them as you wish on your patterned paper to make sure it all fits and looks the way you intended.
Here is the order you want to apply your designs:
Now, for the fun part…
I think this is a super idea for kids, but really who doesn’t love treat boxes? With the wide variety of boxes available, you can get different colored boxes and decorate them all year long! What goodies would you put (OR want to receive) inside a cute little box? Valentine’s cookies or chocolates, maybe? You can go crazy with them and give them out to your co-workers! Valentine’s Day is on a Friday this year!
Thanks for joining us again today, we hope you liked our fun little tutorial. See you again soon for {MORE} Valentine’s fun right around the corner! ❤
Check out this post and other crafty inspiration over at our new blog!
Good Morning! I’ll keep it short and sweet today, but I just could not pass up the opportunity to share with you guys! One of my fabulous Silhouette Challenge Group members – Meredith from unOriginal Mom – has so kindly compiled a round-up of {AWESOMENESS} for Valentine’s Day crafting! I absolutely insist that you check out each and every one of these {yes, they are that awesome} including our very own DIY Sweetheart Glass Block Tutorial {with FREE CUT FILE}! Happy crafting!
Meet Becky & Glenna
MyPaperCraze 