SIGN OF THE {VALEN} TIME'S

wowsers...have i really been gone for over a month?...what the heck happened?...where'd the time go?...well...the bean has been under the weather...darn that vertigo!...insert fist shaking here...but now i'm all ready to get my craft on!...

so...how can you say those three little words without actually saying 'em?...in sign language!...and that's how this "i love you" shrinky pin came about!...what's that?...you've never worked with shrinky dinks?...well maybe this little cutie will change your mind!...

 

here's a close up!...this turned out better than i imagined!...

 

i wanted to keep it super simple with the inside...because the front of the card says it all!...

 

using the cricut and don juan cartridge...i cut the hand image at 4" inches...when i work with shrinky dinks...i like to use the deep cut blade...that way you'll know that it'll cut through...

now...don't worry...this can be done without a cutting machine...kick it old school and use scissors!...just trace one of the kiddies hands and take 'er from there!...then it really is a personalized keepsake!...

 

preheat your oven according to package directions...place the shrinky dink on a piece of brown paper bag and then place on a cookie sheet..when oven reaches temperature, put in oven...let bake for about 5 (like the hand's saying) to 10 minutes...they're going to start to curl...don't panic! that's just part of the dinking process!...

 

they're done shrinking when they're all flat again...grab a pencil and take dinks out of the oven...now bend the fingers down over the pencil...you're going to need to move quickly because they cool pretty fast...but don't worry...if this happens, just pop back in the oven and let them get soft again!...

 

all done...add a little heart sticker on there for the finishing touch!...

 

to make it a keepsake...i put a pin back on there!...just slap 'er on with some super glue!...

 

now do you think you're ready for shrinky dinks?...i sure hope so!...because how can you not love this?..

 

***supplies***
paper - the doodlin' around stack by dcwv
stamp - you had me at chocolate by my creative time with emma
shrinky dinks - for computer inkjet printers (michael's)

oopsie!...i forgot to give you all the machine settings for cutting!...

pressure - high
speed - medium
blade depth - 6
multi cut - 3

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CANDLE COUTURE!

so...if you're like me...you kinda get tired of the same 'ol gift bag for odd shaped presents...well...with a trip to the "i don't wear anymore but can't seem to get rid of" pile in my closet got me thinking of a super cute way to dress up a candle!...

that's right...this guy is now sporting the the lastest fashion in winter wick wear...oh you didn't know?...teeny tiny toboggans and scarves are the rage!...and with just a couple of easy steps...you can have this candle couture too!...


take an old sweater and turn it inside out...then cut about 6" inches off the sleeve...



gather up the rough end and wrap a rubber band around there...



turn right side out and flip up the finished edge...now isn't that just the cutest darn thing?...pretty brrr-illiant if you ask me!...



plop on top of your candle and finish 'er off with a ribbon scarf!...now it's all ready for gifting!...but you don't have go running to your closets and start cutting up sweaters...the more i thought about it...using socks would do the trick too!...

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A TART-WARMING GIFT

so...had some leftover wax i had from candle making that's been staring at me...after some thought...gathered up what supplies i needed and got my tart on!...i must say...i'm pretty darn proud!...they came out great and smell so amazing!...

now...the hardest thing about these little cuties is actually bringing yourself to melting them!...because if you keep reading...you'll see that making them is quite easy!...



you'll need some wax flakes...got mine at michaels...they're soy...but normal paraffin would work too...and some fragrance oil specific for candles...it will be in the same area that the wax is...you really want to use the candle fragrance because it has a higher flashpoint...and although there won't be any flames near it...you still don't want the chance of fire...



grab a measuring cup...then some type of silicone mold...



fill 'er up with the wax flakes...



then pop in the microwave according to the instructions...



when all melted...add the fragrance oil...



start pouring in the molds!...i filled each cavity half way up...



keep going until you run out of wax!...then sit aside and let cool...



look at the finished product!...that mold had tons of detail!...a tiny work of tart!...lol...



packaging couldn't be easier...grabbed a tin and just stacked 'em in there!...didn't even have to decorate since this one's festive enough already!...



i kept mine on the simple side...with no color...you can buy the chunks of color wax and make 'em however you want....but for me...the snowflake mold and jack frost scent made the perfect holiday combo!...at least the house smells christmas-y...because it's certainly not looking it!...lol...

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FAST AS FAST CAN BE

you'll never catch me!...or at least that's what the gingerbread man thinks!...because it sure looks like i did!...well..at least in treat form!...rice krispie treat form that is!...

picked up some of these yummy gingerbread flavored marshmallows and got to thinking...that i could totally whip up some rice krispie treats!...just used them in the recipe instead of the regular ones!...



didn't want to cut into boring 'ol squares...so i grabbed a shaped cookie cutter and got working!...here's all the little gingies!...



then packaged up in some cello baggies and topped off with a festive striped ribbon!...now...of course...you can decorate up these little guys more if you want...

these ended up being such a fun festive twist on the rice krispie treat...and are oh so rum pum pum pum yummy!....

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GIFTIE GALLERY

maybe you've noticed that i've been gone for a couple of weeks...i know...i know...i'm a slacker...but i have a good reason for my absence...i've had a major case of the ickies!...it started out as allergies...then turned into a sinus infection...as if that wasn't enough...i can't take any meds that help...'cause the bean's allergic!...which means i just get to suffer through it...and suffer i have...but slowly getting back to my beanie self...

so...while you're waiting on my full recovery...thought i'd do up a little giftie gallery...you know...some goodies from last christmas!...just click on the pics and magical internet elves will take you to the original posts!....

 

{ho ho ho handscrub}

 

{glamour gloves}

 

{sn"oap" balls}

 

{mess free glitter ornies}

SCRUB A DUB DUB

so...seems that my hand scrub post from last year has been pretty popular...and i thought it was time to take it to the next level...that's right...how 'bout a body scrub?...that will bubble up when you rub rub rub in the tub tub tub!...or shower...lol...



grab some sugar...and then your shower gel...mmmm...banana nut bread....



fill up your container with some sugar and start squirting in the shower gel...



that's about enough...



mix 'er up!...now if at anytime...you feel it's too thick...then add some more shower gel...if it's too runny...add more sugar...



all done!...



since this batch is for gifting...i'm putting it in a purtier container...this is one i had on hand...but you can pick these up at almost any craft store...just take a looksie in the soap section...oh...and i'd suggest using plastic...because glass and the shower don't really mix...



just spoon it in until it's all filled!...and if you're lucky...you made some extra to keep for yourself...



here's a test run on the arm...see all that scrubby goodness?...yeah...imagine that every where!...that's the reason for using the shower gel!...



i did some really simple decorating by doing just a stripe of patterned paper tape around the container...then found a great little flower to add the finishing touch!...



now remember...this stuff isn't just for gift giving...this is fab to have on hand all the time!...

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BRAIN FOOD

well...more like brain candy...lol...ended up making this spook-tacular treat that would be perfect for any zombie...just took some candy melts...microwaved per directions...tinted with a little red food coloring...and poured into brain shaped molds...



see...how great these turned out?...



yeah...there's a couple bubbles in there...maybe i could've tapped the mold a little bit to get the air out...note to self for next time....



decided to package 'em up to look like specimens in the laboratory...perhaps from young frankenstein's?....lol...



of course...chocolate can be used too!...but since i had the vanilla on hand...it was a no brainer to use that...insert evil laugh here....

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