(If you follow Crap I’ve Made on Facebook you already saw this, but it’s some entertainment whilst I blog Nativity #1.)
Giveaway: Baby Blvd.
December 6, 2010 By 170 Comments
Good Monday morning! I’ve already rifled through an entire candy display at the grocery store on a quest for Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses this morning, how about you? (Found four bags wedged between boxes at the back of the display and bought them all.)
Before we get to our fabulous giveaway, I want to remind you all that TOMORROW is the day for the Nativity Parade I’m hosting!
Get your nativities out and get them posted and then stop by tomorrow to link up!
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Meet Jen from Baby Blvd. She makes and sells all kinds of cuteness! Don’t believe me? Have a look!
And, as a mom of a whole bunch of boys, I appreciate there’s stuff for them, too.
She also makes seriously cute totes and covers for LDS scriptures.
(Totally have that very fabric downstairs right now.)
And again…she doesn’t leave out the boys!
Random tangent: HOLY CRAP! I just realized Keller will be 8 in 45 days. FORTY FIVE DAYS!!! That = baptism and scriptures, if you’re a Mormon.
Don’t have a baby and aren’t a Mormon? She’s got some darling reversible headbands.
And luggage tags, too!
So, what’s in it for you?
Baby Blvd. is giving one lucky Crap I’ve Made reader a $25 gift certificate!
TO ENTER:
Click on over to Baby Blvd. and have a look around. Come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST (on the blog, not on Facebook or in response to your email updated) with what your favorite item in the shop is.
BONUS ENTIRES:
“Like” Baby Blvd. on Facebook. Leave a comment ON THIS POST saying that you did.
Follow the Baby Blvd blog. Come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST saying that you did.
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Jen is also offering all of you 10% off any purchase using code “CRAPMADE”!
Expressions Vinyl winner AND a deal for all of you!
December 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The winner of the $25 gift certificate to Expressions Vinyl is…
#190, aka Tricia, who said:
“I love the ornaments and would love to make them for gifts or for my baby girls first xmas even if i dont win thanks for idea!”
Tricia, shoot me an email to [email protected] to claim your prize!
Didn’t win but still need vinyl? Use code “HOLIDAYCRAP” for 10% off through the month of December!
HUGE thanks to Expressions Vinyl for the giveaway and for providing me with vinyl for many of the projects!
Another giveaway coming your way as soon as I finish typing this morning!
And, don’t forget that TOMORROW is the day for the Nativity Parade.
Peppermint Pillow
December 5, 2010 By 31 Comments
Remember the peppermint platters I made?
Remember how I said I might make a pillow?
I did.
I think it might have ended up a little on the big side, so keep that in mind when I give you the low down on how I made it.
Supplies:
White fabric
Red fabric
Wonder Under
Piping (optional)
Peppermint Swirl Template (for an 18”-ish pillow, you’ll need to print it at 150%)
Polyfill
Covered button (optional)
I cut 2 circles from the white fabric. Mine were approximately 18.5”. I already had a template cut that size from another project, so that’s what I went with. I also cut a 4.5” wide strip. It’ll need to be at least as long as the circumference of your pillow (Pi X the diameter) plus 1” for seam allowances.
I cut 5 “swirl” pieces from the red fabric backed with Wonder Under. I used the piece from the template that does not have the line down the middle, but feel free to change that up however you want.
I peeled off the Wonder Under and positioned my pieces on one of the white circles.
And then I fused them in place following the product instructions.
Next I satin stitched the edges of each piece down, except for the exterior edge, because those will be trapped in the seam allowances.
My pieces don’t “meet up” in the middle, because I’m putting a button there. If you don’t want to use a button, you can make yours meet up.
I only used piping on the top/front side of my pillow. I sandwiched it between the top piece and the edge piece and sewed all the way around.
And then I sewed the back piece to the edge piece with no piping sandwiched between. That’s also when this happened and so I accidentally quit taking pictures at that point.
I stuffed the pillow through with Polyfill through the hole where the 2 ends of the side piece met and then hand sewed it shut.
I then attached a covered button and attempted to tuft it. There will be no tutorial for that on account of thread breaking and people swearing (hint: me). I bet if you Googled it, someone could help you! 
And here it is:
Vinyl Labels
December 4, 2010 By 2 Comments
***Today is the last day to enter the Expressions Vinyl giveaway here.***
Also don’t forget about the Nativity Parade I’m hosting beginning TUESDAY!
Here’s a quick and easy vinyl project that can be done without the use of a cutter. You can do simple rectangles or fancy it up a bit. I used regular old black vinyl and wrote with a chalkboard marker for this:
And white vinyl and a dry erase marker for this:
(So what if we ate all the treats?)
The reindeer food = just oatmeal and glitter. We have the kids sprinkle it on the lawn on Christmas Eve. If you want to gift some, you can attach this cute little poem that goes along with:
Sprinkle on the lawn at night
The moon will make it sparkle bright
As Santa’s reindeer fly and roam
This will guide them to your home.
Simple Neighbor Gift Idea
December 3, 2010 By 33 Comments
I’m over at UCreate today sharing this neighbor gift idea.
Don’t forget about the Nativity Parade I’m hosting beginning TUESDAY!
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I don’t know about you all, but the sheer number of neighbor gifts we give out every year (35 or so 
) forces me to keep it really simple and cheap. I also like to keep it low calorie. And, the punny-er the better.
The gift in all of this is quite simply the soap. What makes it fun is the packaging! You could use dollar store soap or WalMart soap or make your own from the milk of the goats you keep in your backyard…just get some soap! For illustration purposes, I’ll be using Twisted Peppermint from Bath & Body Works. I love that place. The year that we actually did this for neighbors, I stacked enough coupon codes to get the soaps for around $1.72 each, so keep your eyes open for deals!
Supplies:
Soap
Papers for the tag
Glue stick
Distress Ink (optional)
Hole punch
Sharpie, pen, marker…something to write with
Ribbon
Adhesive roller (optional)
You’re going to make a tag that says “Wishing you a holiday full of peace, joy, and hope!” You can make this however you want. I used the print and cut feature on my Silhouette for the first time ever and I’m in love. I then cut a slightly larger background paper (again with my Silhouette).
Take your Distress Ink and ink up the edges, if you want. I wanted.
(Note: This is the same piece of cardstock. I just decided I liked the pattern on the back better half way through.)
Glue your text piece to your background paper with your glue stick and punch a hole in the top.
Brace yourselves because here’s the part where we get CRAZY:
Take your Sharpie and cross out the word hope.
Just do it.
Now write the word “soap” in its place.
See? Punny!
This next part is a little trick I use pretty much any time I need to tie a ribbon to something and don’t want it slipping or turning.
Take your adhesive roller and roll some right down the center of the middle section of your ribbon (the part that will be wrapped around the soap bottle).
Stick the ribbon on your bottle.
Repeat with other colors of ribbon, if you’re using them.
See how those ribbons just stick there nicely? You won’t need a buddy to come put their finger in the knot!
Tie it up and attach the tag and then trim the ribbons as desired.
And you’re done!
Family News Chalkboard
December 2, 2010 By 9 Comments
***Don’t forget to enter the Expressions Vinyl giveaway here.***
You all know of my love for the IKEA as-is section, right? When I picked up the cabinet door for this project, I also found a whole shopping cart full of smooth black cabinet doors. And they were 99 cents a piece. I bought 3 in assorted sizes and decided I’d figure out what I was going to do with them later. BC was thrilled! 
I tried to come up with a newspaper-y title for our board. Coester Chronicles was as good as it got. I cut out some white vinyl with my Silhouette and applied it to the top of the board (the font is Cloister Black). I put a saw tooth picture hanger on the back and hung it up right next to the front door.
Remember those wet erase chalk markers I mentioned a week or two ago? They work like a dream on my cabinet door turned chalkboard.
Here’s why
December 1, 2010 By 22 Comments
The Ghosts of Christmas Past
December 1, 2010 By 6 Comments
***Don’t forget to enter the Expressions Vinyl giveaway here.***
Macy busted out this shirt yesterday:
(Click on the picture to go to the tutorials)
And then I started thinking about projects of Christmases past. I know that some of you have been here for ages, but others are new. I thought I’d take just a second to remind you of some of my favorite holiday projects.
Vinyl-ize your ornaments
November 30, 2010 By 16 Comments
***Today is THE LAST day to get the best deal in the history of Silhouette deals ($199 for the machine and a bunch of goodies). Use code “CRAP” at check out and they’ll be added to your cart automatically.***
In honor of the Expressions Vinyl giveaway this week (go here to enter), I have another vinyl project for you today.
You don’t need a vinyl cutter to do these. You can use a craft punch (my recommendation) or scissors or an Exacto knife or whatever.
My Christmas tree this year looks like a whole lot of crazy threw up on it. I let the kids go nuts with it….and I kind of like it. OK, I really like it. Here’s a little glimpse of the crazy:
Regular ornaments? Obviously not quite our style.
(Green ornament with red vinyl circles punched in various sizes)
(Aqua ornament with red vinyl snowflake)
(Green ornament with red vinyl snowflakes. Also? A prime example of why you shouldn’t worry about getting out or the reflection…you’ll just look like an idiot squatting and holding the camera like that!)
What about a red ornament with a black vinyl “belt” and a little gold buckle?
Think of the possibilities!
