I {HEART} TOPIARIES

so...the other day while in target...the hubs starts piling these super cute mini stuffed conversation hearts from the dollar spot into the cart...i'm wondering what the heck is he doing?...then he says "let's see if you can figure something out to do with these"...ummm...was that a challenge?....because it sounded like one to me!...

well...in the great words of barney stintson from how i met your mother...challenge accepted!....and before we were even out of the store...i knew what i was doing...topiaries!...

look at how this little cutie turned out!...and best part...super easy and cheap!...now that should teach him to challenge me!...so...if you're keeping score...the bean...1...hubs...zero....

 

wanna make your own?...

you'll need one of the stuffed hearts with all the obnoxious tags ripped off...bucket...these are from the dollar spot too...and some ribbon...

 

also...grab a wooden dowel...this one's 1/4" inch in diameter by 12" inches in length...tulle...an empty ribbon spool...and glue gun...

 

take ribbon and add some adhesive to it...you could do glue or what i used...my atg...then adhere to the top of the dowel at an angle...and start wrapping around...

 

keep going until all covered...snip off the excess...now...you could always just paint the dowel...but it's actually quicker to cover with the ribbon...

 

shove the empty ribbon spool in the bucket...it's a nice snug fit...now...i always have these on hand...but if you don't have any...then you could just cut a piece of styrofoam and put in there...

 

put a big 'ol blob of hot glue on one end of the dowel...no need to be too pretty...

 

then put dowel into the hole of the ribbon spool...now add more blobs of glue all around the dowel...to keep 'er in place...hold the dowel straight until the glue cools...don't want it all cattywompus....

 

find the center on the point of the heart pillow...make a little "x" shaped slit...

 

slide pillow on the dowel...

 

cut about two feet of tulle...smoosh up and shove in the bucket...then fluff to make pretty...

 

all done!...super cute, huh?...and a little over two bucks make!...can't get much sweeter than that!...

 

look at all the yummy colors these little pillows come in!...

 

had to do up one with my fav color combo!...red and turquoise....

 

now these topiaries will be at the heart of every conversation!...

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GIMME A C-O-O-Z-I-E

so...with the big game coming up...thought i'd get on the football and make a little sports themed craftie...for some reason...astroturf immediately came to mind...hee hee...astrotuf...i love that word...because it's like you're cussing...but not really...oops...need to focus...

anywho...made a trip to lowes and got the 'turf...now...i could only find a ginormous rug...i'm talking like 16' by 19'...and that's feet not inches...so...it goes without saying...that you'll be seeing other artificial grass projects...since i now have a buttload of the stuff!...

 

so...you want the play by play on how to do one up?...well...let's get started!...

you'll need...some 'turf...a beer or pop (yes...i say pop) can...or...if you'll be serving up bottles...then one of those...glue gun...and a piece of paper to make a pattern...

 

measure around the can...

 

cut your paper to the size you're wanting...it seems that 3" inches by 8 1/2" inches fit most cans...

 

take your pattern and trace on the turf...then cut 'er out!...

 

run a thin line of hot glue down one edge...

 

bring the other side around...and press firmly to get a good bond...

 

see...all nice and neat...

 

now...just slip on the can!...

 

you can slap a football on there if you want...i used my cricut and the wrap it up cartridge to cut this little guy out...also...used my cuttlebug and mesh texture embossing folder to get all the little footballish bumpies...

 

when i say can...you say cooozie...can!...coozie!...can!...coozie!....

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PUCKER UP!

so...why is it...that anything you throw on a stick...is freaking hilarious?...try it once...i mean...husband...not so funny...put 'em on a stick...instant funny!...

well...since it's close to vday...i thought that lips would be a perfect addition to my "on a stick" series...use these...and you're looking like angelina jolie!...minus the brad pitt...

 

did 'em up using my cricut and the don juan cartridge...cut one at 2 1/2" inches and another one at 1 1/4" inches....layer 'em up...and slap a lollipop stick on there!...and don't be afraid to use patterns!...makes 'em that much more fun!...

so pucker up and gimme me kissy baby!...

 

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LETS GIVE GIFT CARDS A SECOND CHANCE

so...if you're anything like me....your gift cards are pretty much used up the day after christmas...or even the same day if you can buy online...lol....and with my resolution...new year...new use...i just could not bring myself to throwing away the zero balanced cards...

well...after days of staring at 'em...literally....and trying to figure out what to make...it came to me...little pocket sized notebooks!....i mean...i know i'm always needing some scrap paper to jot tidbits on all the time!...

 

to make these...you are going to need a binding system...i used my zutter bind it all....but if you don't have your own...you could certainly take these to an office supply store and have 'em bind for ya!...

 

you're going to need to measure your gift card...most are 3 3/8" inches by 2 1/8" inches...cut a piece of chipboard to that size...it's going to be your back...grab some copier paper...and cut to size...each of mine are 60 pages...punch everything...then do the normal binding process to finish!...

 

see...aren't these just the cutest?...now it's going to be hard to ever throw a gift card out!....just don't go overboard and end up on the show hoarders!...because i'm not taking responsibility for that...

 

even used up my itunes cards...these were a bit smaller than most at 3" inches by 2" inches...just adjust the measurements with your back and paper!...

i even went one step further...and boxed 'em up in one of my old ipod packages!

 

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GETTIN' MY BUTTONS ON THE BALL (JAR)

so...it's january 1st...resolution time...for me...one of mine is...new year...new uses for items...along with starting to smoke...that way if i fail...i won't feel so bad!...lol....

anywho...had some leftover jars from making holiday gifties....and wanted to figure out a new life for 'em...well...i saw the cutest sewing kits in a jar over at martha stewart and had to do one up!....

 

now my jars were just the little 4 0z guys...so i couldn't do the whole sewing kit...and really....why would i need that anyways?...the bean doesn't sew...lol....but they still ended up being perfect for buttons!...of course...had to toughen mine up with some skull fabric...since i'm a crafter with 'tude...what are you going to do about it?...

this project was easy peasy!...and ended up super cute!...now i have my button organizing on the ball...jar that is!...

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