Crafty Christmas

I made handmade stuff for Christmas.  I was pretty happy with how it all turned out...

 My first attempt at making Bakerella's cake balls.  It was really messy and time consuming, but they were really yummy!

 I made these two popcorn bowls with a bowl I got for about $2.50 from Walmart and some vinyl I cut out with my Silhouette.  The names were really difficult to center on the bowls so I added the polka dots and I think it helped a little.  Next time I will research more about putting vinyl on curved surfaces and how to make it easier.  I added a movie, popcorn and some candy and they were very popular gifts!

This wine glass was a gift for my Aunt Jean.  I cut out the "J" and polka dots with my Silhouette and added them to a $2 plastic wine glass I got from Target.  I wanted plastic so she could toss it in a bag and take with her to tailgates without worrying about it breaking.  One letter is definitely a lot easier to center than an entire last name!

Christmas Craftiness!

This year I have been a pretty big Scrooge.  I haven't put up a Christmas tree, nativity, stocking, anything.  I have been so focused on baby everything that I just decided I would be satisfied with my mom's decorations in Bishopville, which is where we spend Christmas eve and day, anyway.  I'm just stocking up on Christmas cheer for Lydia Jane's first Christmas next year!  That is what I tell myself to not feel so badly about it, at least.  I did put up a little Christmas flag outside and yesterday I finally finished the wreath for the front door.  Do not even mention that it is less than a week until Christmas.  I do not care.  I simply want to bask in the glory of this accomplishment.  I finished a wreath.  Hooray me!
This is the one I saw on Etsy and Pinterest.  I like it, but it is a little over the top for my taste.

This is the toned down version I made for our door.  I think next year I may add more ribbon to it, but I'm satisfied with it for this year.

At least now our visitors will get a nice warm Christmasy welcome before entering the Scrooge den! :)

Conference Craft

I have started the tradition of doing a craft every general conference weekend. Since I have to slow down and not make plans for a weekend, it works out as a really good time for crafting! Today my mom came over and we made Easter egg wreaths together! It was fun being able to spend some time with my mom while making such a cute wreath! We both saw it on Mom&Wife and bought the supplies to make it this weekend. I happened to mention my plans to her so we decided to make them together. It was SO EASY and I think it turned out really cute! Mom made the bow for me because I am still pretty hopeless at doing that. Everything else I did myself and I even have the hot glue burns to prove it! :)

I had to go to the grocery store tonight and when I drove up and saw it on the door, it just made me smile. Goofy, but true!

It's Elementary, My Dear

I have started using Photoshop Elements. So far it has taken me a couple of days to figure out how to use the layers and I still have no clue what most of the buttons mean (We all know how I feel about buttons...) but I am making progress. I have discovered several helpful YouTube video tutorials and am well on my way to becoming a novice. :) I used my newly acquired skills to create this invitation to send to our Young Women and their mom's for an upcoming stake activity.

Not bad for a first timer, huh?

A Crafter is Born

Here I am on Christmas morning with my brand new Silhouette cutting machine. Here is the first project I made with it yesterday.

Why the over 2 month gap, you ask? Well, I happened to be terrified of not bears, snakes, or the dark but buttons. Lots and lots of buttons. A couple of weeks after I opened up my Silhouette, I finally took it out of the box and installed the software. Thats when things get scary. I expecting something like Paint and instead got buttons on every side of my screen, none of them recognizable. I tried clicking around a little, had no clue what I was doing and decided to leave it for a little while. I left the program up to keep up the pretense of actually working on it but the truth was, I felt like I was never going to figure it out. Needless to say, it was still up yesterday when I started my project and not a thing had changed. Except me, that is. Our big family birthday party was coming up and I was determined to make a project for my aunt. So I sat down with the instructions and Viola! it was SOOO easy. I finished the entire project without a hitch. Now don't I feel silly! Anyway, I guess I have learned my lesson not to be intimidated by buttons, or anything else for that matter. Now I can't wait to get started on more projects I have seen on Uvinyl where I got the idea for the cute plate and think up some projects of my own!

Halloween Advent Calendar

I love Conference Weekend. The messages and feelings I get out of this weekend are just amazing. The hard part about it for me is staying awake while the most soothing voices tell me all these messages! :) So this year I decided to work on some crafts during the sessions to help keep myself alert. Well, it worked because not only did I stay awake during all sessions, I also finished this adorable Halloween Advent Calendar from Oopsey Daisy I posted about last month. I'm really happy with how it turned out! Without Candy.

Candy!!!