Beaded Wood Riser

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

I saw these 2 unfinished wood circles on clearance at Hobby Lobby and knew I could use them for something. 🙂 They measure 8.5 inches in diameter and are about half an inch thick. I’ve seen beaded risers in home stores and decided to try to make my own.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I already had some painted white wood beads (you’ll need enough to go around the wood circle), 1.5 inch unfinished ball knobs (you’ll need 4), and white chalk paint in my craft stash. My white beads are about half an inch in diameter, but you can use larger ones, too. Using pre-painted beads is so much easier than trying to paint them!

First, paint the wood circles and the ball knobs with 2-3 coats of white chalk paint (or acrylic paint if that’s what you have on hand). Once the paint is dry, glue your beads around the top edge of one of the wood circles. I used E6000 clear adhesive to glue on my beads. It’s a very strong adhesive, but it takes a little while to dry so you can adjust your bead placement if you need to. Let it dry for an hour or two so the beads won’t shift. Then spread a line of adhesive around the outside edge of the other wood circle and place it on top of the beads on the other wood circle. It may help to place a heavy book on top to keep it in place until the adhesive has dried.

Once the adhesive has completely dried, turn it over and glue on the 4 ball knobs to the bottom for feet on the riser.

I think it turned out really cute! It was super easy to make, but did take some time because of the drying time of the paint and adhesive.

This is a pretty way to add a little height to your decor – and I love having some of my own DIY projects scattered around my house. 🙂

I’ve also made other smaller risers – you can find them in these posts – Farmhouse Mini Wood Riser and Farmhouse Pillar Candle Risers. It’s always fun to take some paint and unfinished wood and turn it into something for your home. 🙂

Anita

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Christmas Crew – April 2024 Christmas Card

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

I have a fun little card for April’s Christmas Card. The stamp I used is called Christmas Crew from Unity Stamp Company. I used the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge #44 from Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers as inspiration for my card. They release a new sketch every month to help us build our card stash before the holidays and there is always lots of inspiration on their Facebook page.

You can find the Christmas cards I’ve created so far this year in these posts – January, February, and March.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To make the card, I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock and colored it with Copic Markers. I die cut around the image and layered it to red card stock cut with the same die set. This particular die set is no longer available, but the Wonky Stitched Mini Slimline STAX Die-namics from Mft Stamps would work great for this card. The Copic Marker colors I used are in the photo below.

I layered a piece of patterned paper to red card stock and attached it to a white card. The stamped image is attached to the card using foam tape.

The Christmas Crew stamp is so cute! You could also turn the stamp so it is vertical – it would look like they are peeking around the corner. 🙂

Anita

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Hello Little One (Handmade Card)

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Welcoming new little ones to the world is so special! And of course I love making sweet baby cards for them. 🙂

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I used the Hello Little One stamp set from Unity Stamp Company to make this cute card.

I stamped the elephant and penguin with light turquoise ink and the giraffe with sage ink onto white card stock. I used my Misti stamping tool to stamp the images a couple of times so I was sure to get the solid images stamped well. (This pressure tool is a must have for your Misti!) Then I cut around each image leaving a small white border. These are my favorite detail scissors for fussy cutting.

I stamped the sentiment with light turquoise ink and used the Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies from Unity Stamp Company to die cut around it. I layered it to patterned paper die cut using the same die set.

I added a piece of sage patterned paper to a white card. The animals and sentiment are all attached to the card using foam tape. Then I added 3 tiny buttons to the upper left corner.

Such a fun little card that can be made with any colors. You could also change the sentiment and it would work great for a toddler’s birthday.

Anita

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Little Zippered Pouches for Travel and More

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Do you like to travel? My husband and I love to! We love anything from a weekend away to our amazing trip to Scotland last year. (You can read more about that trip here, here, and here. 😊)

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My friend Chereé told me about these Little Zippered Pouches that I wish I had known about last year and I wanted to share them with you! I’m sure they’ve been around for a while – I’m just late to the party. 😆 There are several options to choose from on Amazon – this is the set I bought.

This set includes 35 pouches – 5 each of 7 colors. They measure 3 by 3 inches and are the perfect size for taking your necessary prescriptions, over the counter medications, and vitamins with you on your trip. They come with stickers to label each pouch or use a label maker to make your own labels.

You can organize your medications for each day if you want since there are 7 different colors. Or you can organize by type of medication in each pouch.

Of course 35 pouches are way more than we will need for the average vacation. 😉 But I have a few other ideas that these pouches would be great for…

Make a small travel sewing kit. A couple of needles and thread, safety pins, and a few spare buttons will fit nicely in one of the pouches.

They are a great size to hold little packets of sugar or sweetener, especially on a camping trip.

They are great in the craft room for holding so many things – beads, gems, buttons, safety pins, and so much more!

If you or someone in your home takes medications or vitamins daily, you can sort them for each day by color since there are 7 colors. Just label one color for each day of the week and then add the daily medications to each pouch. No guessing if you took them today!

After you’ve labeled all your zippered pouches, you’ll need something to carry them in so they don’t get lost in your suitcase or tote bag. My Crocheted Ridged Zippered Pouch may be just the thing. 😊

You can find the pattern in this post. And here’s a link to the free PDF of the pattern.

Crochet Ridged Zippered Pouch

I’m sure there are tons more uses for these little zippered pouches. What will you use them for?

Anita

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Sand and Sea Crochet Tote Bag

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Are you planning a trip to the beach this summer? Or a weekend at the lake? Maybe a trip to the farmer’s market? Then I have a great Crochet Sand and Sea Summer Tote Bag to carry all the things!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The tote is made with a J/6mm crochet hook using 2 strands of cotton yarn held together. The finished tote bag measures approximately 17 inches wide by 16 inches tall plus the handle – so it has lots of room to hold all you need. And you can make it in any color combo or even a solid color.

You can find the pattern in my original post here. And here’s a link to the free PDF if you’d like to easily print it.

Crochet Sand and Sea Summer Tote Bag

The Crochet Sand and Sea Summer Tote Bag works up quickly and makes a great gift. Mother’s Day is just a few weeks away! 😉

Anita

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You Make Me Smile (Handmade Card)

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Are you a fan of Mickey and Minnie? Unity Stamp Company has the cutest stamp set called Mousing Around: Hiya Pal. It includes Mickey and Minnie along with a few sentiment and heart stamps. It is adorable!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To make the card, I stamped Mickey and Minnie with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock and colored them with Copic markers. I used my Misti stamping tool so I could stamp the images a couple of times to get a really crisp image. (This tool helps to add more pressure easily when stamping with your Misti.) Then I stamped the sentiment with red ink.

Using the Scallops & Rectangles Nesting Dies from Unity Stamp Company, I die cut around the image and also die cut a larger piece of red card stock. The stamped piece is layered to the red card stock and attached to a white card.

It’s a simple and quick card to make – but it’s sure to make the recipient smile!

Anita

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Everything But The Bagel Dip

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Are you a fan of Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s? You can use it on everything from meat to veggies. I found this yummy dip recipe at Fantabulosity and it’s super easy to make.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You’ll need cream cheese, sour cream, and of course Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. You can find the complete recipe here at Fantabulosity.

Don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby? You can find this great seasoning here on Amazon!

This dip is so good with veggies or crackers. It will be perfect to take to your next potluck!😋

Anita

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Cozy Crochet Granite Stitch Baby Blanket – Solid Color

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Do you remember my Cozy Crochet Granite Stitch Baby Blanket from a few months ago? I’ve included a picture of it below. I love it in the colors of white, sage, and blue but thought it would also be so pretty in a solid color, too. And I was right! 😉

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I decided to stitch the blanket up in traditional white and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! I used 3 (8 ounce) skeins of Baby Bee Snugs & Kisses yarn in Soft Snowflake with an N/9mm crochet hook to make my blanket.

The texture and stitch definition is just beautiful using this super bulky yarn. And the blanket is so cozy and soft – perfect for cuddling! It’s also thick enough to spread out on the floor to use for tummy time. 🙂

You can find my pattern for the Cozy Crochet Granite Stitch Baby Blanket in this post. Or if you’d like to easily print the pattern, here’s a link to a free PDF…

Cozy Crochet Granite Stitch Baby Blanket

I think this blanket would be pretty in any solid color – neutral, pastel, or even primary colors. What color(s) will you make your Cozy Crochet Granite Stitch Baby Blanket?

Anita

Posted in Baby, Crochet, Gifts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Happiest of Birthdays

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

The Winnie the Pooh stamps from Unity Stamp Company are just the cutest! This one is called Winnie the Pooh: Special Like You and is perfect for making sweet birthday cards.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To make the card, I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock and colored it with Copic markers. Using the Scallops & Rectangles Nesting Dies from Unity Stamp Company, I die cut around the image and also die cut a piece of red card stock. The stamped image is layered to the red card stock and then attached it to a white card.

I stamped the sentiment with red ink on white card stock and die cut around it using the Stitched Mini Scalloped Rectangle STAX dies from MFT Stamps. The piece is attached to the card using foam tape.

Who can resist sweet little Piglet sharing a balloon? 🎈😊

Anita

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No Added Sugar Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Anita

Hi friends,

Are you trying to cut back on sugar but still want a little treat? These cookies are super easy to make and there is no added sugar! There is some natural sugar from the bananas – and I did add a few chocolate chips – but there is no refined white sugar in them. You can find the recipe here at CookRita. These are not an overly sweet cookie, but I think they will satisfy your sweet tooth. 😉

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The cookie dough comes together quickly and you can have warm cookies in 20 minutes or less. I didn’t mix my chocolate chips into the dough – I just pressed a few chips onto each cookie before baking. My peanut butter did have some sugar in it, but you can easily make these with no added sugar by using sugar free peanut butter and if you want a little chocolate on your cookies , use sugar free chocolate chips

The recipe called for rolled oats, I only had quick oats in my pantry so I used those and the cookies still turned out great. My cookies were soft and chewy. I stored them in the fridge in an airtight container and popped them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to warm them up a bit before eating.

Over at CookRita she gives lots of other great ideas for add-ins and tips for making these cookies even tastier. One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s another great way to use up those overripe bananas that you just don’t want to throw away. 🙂

By the way, did you know you can freeze overripe bananas to use later? Just mash them up and freeze in freezer bags in the amount you’ll need for your favorite recipe. Thaw them in the fridge when you are ready to bake something yummy! 😋

Anita

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