Don’t Just Pin – Do December 28, 2011

Ok, I’ll admit it, I love me some Pinterest, BUT I see so many great ideas that I am constantly just pinning and have yet to get around to actually DOING most of the things I have tagged that I love. So what about actually doing? Have we gotten so wrapped up in our electronic lives that we all of our time searching for the perfect craft.. the perfect decor item… the perfect organization idea, but less time actually DOING? I hope not… I just created this to remind me. I am all for inspiration and I think Pinterest is great, but let’s not forget to DO!

Happy Crafting!

Make Room For Mushrooms! December 20, 2011

Who knew mushrooms would make thier way into Holiday decor this season? Whimsical, colorful mushrooms add playful touches to holiday decor.

Pumpkin Painting Inspiration Board October 17, 2011

Forget carving this Halloween, why not paint your pumpkins. I created this inspiration board to help you get started!

Quick Candle Holder Craft August 6, 2011

I had these Ivory Chimneys from Gold Canyon and I wanted to add a little splash of color to them to fit my decor in my living room. I decided to do a quick and easy candle wrap. Here’s how you can do it too!

Supplies You’ll Need:

Supplies

• 3″ Ribbon (to match your decor)
• Scissors
• Double Sided Tape

Cut the ribbon to fit the diameter of the candle holder.

Attach it to the holder by placing a small amount of double sided tape on each ribbon end and secure them together. It’s important that you don’t use the double sided tape on the Chimneys themselves because it could peel the paint up.

 That’s it! You have a splash of color in your candle arrangement. Since the ribbon is not attached to actual chimney, they are also easy to remove so you can still burn tealights inside.

Finished Candle Display

Cute Corkboard Craft July 17, 2011

I saw this 4pk of corkboard at Michael’s Arts & Crafts and without being entirely sure of what I would do with it, I bought it (they always get me with that ast minute stuff!). I actually came up with something that I think is super cute and functional, so I had to share it! Check it out.

For this project you’ll need:

• (1) 4pk of corkboard 12″x12″
• (4) decorative sheets of scrapbook paper 12″ x 12″  I used this “lace” pattern because of the holes, I didn’t want to poke holes through regular paper because it would leave marks. With this paper I can poke around the design.
• Craft glue
• Polycrylic Clear Gloss Protective Finish (Spray)

First I layed all the boards out on a flat surface. Then I brushed the back of sheets of scrapbook paper with craft glue. I watered the glue down a little bit so that it wouldn’t clump. Then I layed the sheets directly onto the corkboard. I took another glue wash and brushed it over the surface.

Once the glue dried, I sprayed it with a little bit of the Polycrylic Spray. The spray gave the cork boards a nice sheen and got rid of the stickiness from the glue.

Then using the adhesive stickers that came with the corkboard, I just hung them up!

And there you have a cute & functional corkboard!

Here’s the before & after of my craft room desk area.

This project took me about 20 min and  only costs $20.00!!!

Happy Crafting!!

What’s New for 2010- Handbags and Greeting Cards! January 29, 2010

Happy New Year Crafters!

I am excited to start this new year for many reasons, the first and most exciting reason is that I am expecting my first child- sometime in February!! I am also excited because I finally have time to get my handmade items up for sale on etsy! I think it is going to be a great year and I can’t wait to share my adventures with you!

Here are a few items that have just been posted on sale in the DabbleArts etsy store. If you don’t have an etsy account, don’t worry, these items will be up on the website soon and I an a verified paypal vendor so you can safely purchase online.

Happy New Year!

Jeni

—————————————-

BONNIE MAE QUILTED LILY TOTE $65

Bonnie Mae Quilted "Lily" Tote Bag

This retro & trendy tote bag is a perfect carry-all handbag, diaper bag, travel bag, or shopping bag! It has 4 pockets, 2 large pockets on the outside of the bag and 2 slightly smaller pockets inside the bag which are perfect for cellphones, pacifiers, or any other small items that you don’t want to lose! The black & white retro floral fabric is accented with a vibrant fuschia cotton fabric that lines the top of the bag and the entire inside. The straps are made from a solid black cotton fabric and measure approximately 12″ high and are reinforced with extra stitching for stability. Find it here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39574676

VINTAGE BLACK & WHITE NOTECARD SET $16

Vintage Black & White Notecard Set

This set of handmade cards comes with four different black & white vintage patterns. The cards measure 4×6″ and are made from black pearlized card stock which are then covered with the black & white vintage cardstock.  The cards are blank inside for you to personalize. Find them here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39579943

Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas December 15, 2009

With the tough economical situation this year, money for the holiday gifts is tight, but a popular solution to this dilemma is to make handmade presents. If you aren’t feeling crafty, or have no idea where to begin, you can find some fabulous handmade items for sale on sites like www.etsy.com. Etsy offers a variety of handmade gifts that will suite any budget. However, if you do want to try something crafty, here are a few ideas that are easy to make and won’t break the bank.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

HANDMADE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT:

Ornament Stuffed With Gold Ribbon

Plain glass ornaments can be found at your local craft store. I got a box of 4 for $2. With a little time and a few simple embellishments, you can turn them into beautifully decorated ornaments that will make a perfect gift for a friend. The ornament in the picture above I made by stuffing it with gold ribbon and then I wrote Merry Christmas on it with a metallic god pen.

——————————————————————————————————————————————-

HANDMADE GREETING CARD SET:

Variety Set of Handmade Cards

You can get a set of blank cards at almost any craft shop and personalize them with stamps, speciality paper or scrapbook items. I decided to make a set of cards to fit a few different occasions. I made a few happy birthday, get well, thank you, and congratulation cards that I plan to give as a gift set to a few of my family members.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

KIDS CRAFT BOX:

DABBLE Craft Box for Kids

This gift is perfect for a child, or even a novice crafter. Get a shoe box, or a pastry box and put a few uncompleted craft projects in the box. Just make sure you’ve included all the parts for the craft kit. For instance if you’re giving wooden projects to paint, include the brush and the paints. I created a few craft boxes (like the one pictured above) that I sold through Dabble Arts & Crafts. For $15 I have included a wooden frame, ornament, paints, brush, and fun dough.

OTHER CRAFTY IDEAS:

A DATE IN A BOX:

I gave this gift a few times and each time I do it a little bit differently and I try to cater it to the couple I am giving the gift to. It’s pretty simple, get a large shoe box, or a cake/pastry box (you can find a variety of boxes at Micheal’s for $1 or less). Decorate the outside of the box with decorative paper and the couple’s name. Inside the box, you can put all the items they will need for a romantic “date night”. Some ideas are: a bottle of wine, a blockbuster gift card, a bag of popcorn, dessert mix or chocolates, a massager, oils, basically anything that will fit in the box and can be used on a date!

COOKIE INGREDIENTS & RECIPE IN A JAR:

This crafty gift has been around forever, but I just love it because who doesn’t love cookies? You can usually find a set of empty mason jars at your grocery store, fill them with all the dry ingredients you’ll need to make your cookie recipe. Type up the recipe instructions and print it on decorative paper then glue it to the jar. Wrap a ribbon around the jar with a gift tag adn your done!

HAND-PAINTED WINE OR MARTINI GLASS:

I have seen a ton of these at small boutiques from Maryland to California and I decided to try some of my own. It’s an easy way to personalize a gift not just for Christmas, but also for bridal showers, birthday parties and more. I found the cheapest set of glasses at Linens N Things, or Bed Bath & Beyond because you’ll get more for you money. They cost about $12 for 12 glasses. However, you can buy a single glass at places like Home Goods, or Ross.

Once you’ve picked the glass you like, you then need to get special gel pens that will write on glass (at your local craft store of course). Have fun and decorate the glass with the recipient’s name, the event, flowers, etc.. To set the paint, you will usually have to bake the glass for about 10 minutes or so after you decorate it (the instructions on the pens will tell you if you need to do this or not). If you’ve decorated a martini glass, it’s neat to also attach a favorite martini recipe to the glass with a special tag.

—————————

There you have it, a few simple crafty ideas to use for gift giving this holiday season. Hope you enjoy making your handmade gifts and have a happy holiday season!

-Jeni

Dabble Arts & Crafts

www.dabblearts.com

DABBLE Paper Bag Puppet Owl Pattern October 16, 2009

Since the owl puppet has been so popular and I have had a lot of requests for the pattern, I decided to post the jpegs for you to easily download. Hope this helps!  I promise I will most more projects soon!!

Jeni

No Excuses October 6, 2009

Little Apple Bay, Tortola, BVI

The sky was filled with millions of sparkling flecks lit up by a full moon that blanketed a shimmering glow of light over Cane Garden Bay. The moored boats, scattered across the bay, gently shifted from side to side. It was midnight on the small island of Tortola. The warm Caribbean tide gently lapped onto the shore while reggae beats billowed out of Quito’s bar and I danced at the water’s edge. I was in heaven. I had never felt so free–so beautiful–so calm in my own skin. I felt every grain of wet sand tickle between my toes–the warmth of the water and the warm breeze in my hair as I danced to the rhythm of the island beats. It was then that Jose (nicknamed the crazy Puerto Rican) walked up to my husband and I and struck up a conversation about the magical island.

We quickly learned that Jose grew up in poverty in Puerto Rico, but at a young age was able to start his own video rental store. He made it his life’s goal to one day retire and sail around the world. He was currently living out that dream. The island of Tortola being his favorite destination awarded him a wealth of friends that we too would soon meet.

I didn’t know it then, but our conversation with Jose would stick to my brain like glue, guiding me as a life lesson never to be forgotten. Jose made it clear to us that no matter what our dreams or ultimate goal was in life, we could never give up and never make excuses for how we lived or the choices we made. If we wanted something to be, it would be as long as we lived by these two simple words –“No Excuses”. It was those words that ring true in my head today. When I am feeling the weight of anxiety pressing at my chest I go back to that night and to that moment and I feel calm. I know that I am the champion of my success and as long as I don’t live a life built on excuses I will make my dreams come true.

Bridal Shower Party Favor August 29, 2009

DABBLE Bridal Favor

I have done a few bridal showers, baby showers, and dinner parties in my time… so coming up with unique party favors is one of my favorite things to do. This idea for a potted flower picture would work great for a bridal shower or a summer luncheon. It’s super easy to do and costs about $3 per favor.  You can personalize each place marker with your guest’s photo, or use photos of the guest of honor.

Here’s what you’ll need:

* Scissors

*Craft Glue

*Photo

*Circle Cutter (or you can cut it by hand)

*Stem Wire (found in the floral section of craft stores)

*Foam Ball (also in floral section)

*Small Flower Pot

*Silk Flower

* Sheet of Green Felt

First, place a small amount of glue on the bottom of the foam ball and place it inside the flower pot.

Then, cut a small sqaure out of your felt sheet and glue it over the foam ball.

Then, cut a 1 inch x 4 inch (approx) strip of felt out. Cut fringe into the strip and glue it inside the flower pot.

Cut fringe into the strip

 

Measure the ribbon to fit around the top of the flower pot, cut it and use a small amount of glue to make sure it stays in place. Tie a ribbon in the front.

Cut your picture out and glue it to the front of the silk flower.

Coil the stem wire. You want to make sure that you have at least 2 tight coils. You don’t want to many coils because the picture won’t lay in the coil very well.

Put the flower/picture into the coil and stick the stem into the middle of your flower pot.

 

That’s it! You have a personalized party favor that guests can take home.

For more craft tips or information, check out www.dabblearts.com.

Enjoy!

-Jeni