The Perfect Stencils: Made from Sponges...

Nothing is more fun and exciting than being able to do an at-home t-shirt design. One that looks somewhat professional and is super cheap to do that is! Kids of all ages absolutely love doing this.

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EASY, Fun Jack O' Lanterns Made From ORANGES!

 

I started out my day trying to do something in the Halloween spirit with the kids. I thought of carving the pumpkins that we had just bought while visiting the pumpkin patch. We picked out pretty small pumpkins to carve into our very own Jack O' Lanterns. I figured the smaller the pumpkin, the less work it'll be. I have never carved a pumpkin before and was pretty excited to try it out now that I have kids to share that experience with. 

As I sat down and stared at these cute, perfectly shaped pumpkins, I realized that they looked beautiful as they were. In tact. I glanced over at a bag of HUGE oranges on the kitchen counter and the rest is as follows...and to my surprise, which I can only guess, was MUCH easier and less of a mess.

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T-Shirt Art at Home! *NO PAINT NEEDED*

Bloody and creepy. Here is a fun activity to do for Halloween. This is intended for older kids or adults. I did this for my toddler but I did not want to scare him too much so I placed the image on the back of his shirt. At least he can scare others but not himself!

Things you will need:

1. Black shirt
2. Bleach
3. Water
4. Cheap paint brush
5. Piece of cardboard

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SPOOKY DIY Ghosts for Halloween...

 

As Summer is suddenly gone, Fall, is boldly taking front and center stage. Leaves have already begun to shed and I immediately feel the mood of all the upcoming fun holidays...sigh, I embrace it. This past weekend I got into the Halloween 'spirit' and made a few crafts with the kids...I mostly used things that I already had at home. I made SPOOKY hanging ghosts! Maybe they were a little too spooky for the kids...

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Make a Children's Play Tent with a Hula Hoop & Curtains!

Hello all, hope every one's having a wonderful summer so far. I have been super greedy with my time and spending it all with the kids outdoors as much as possible in this great weather we are having. As summer is coming close to an end, we have to find ways of entertaining children indoors and that can be challenging sometimes. I try to have little play areas all over the house so that where ever they roam, there are toys and books to entertain them. I always wanted to place a play tent or some sort of tee-pee for them near their books and toys but I was amazed at the prices of these things!

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Tailor That Dress at Home!

So, while trying to clean out my closet a few weeks ago, I noticed one of my favorite dresses hiding all the way in the back. It was hiding with the other dresses, pants and shirts that I wore pre-kids and pre-weight gain. I know you allll have that section in your closets! The section that we keep around because we think we will eventually loose the weight and fit back into them. I gave up on most pants. Those were given away. It took me three years to snap out of denial and realize that I will never, ever fit into a size 27 jeans ever again. I'm OK with that. Really. 

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Glowing Magical Butterfly Garden-Great for Weddings or Parties!

This has been such a beautiful start to the summer and I am enjoying every bit of it. The birds, the backyard barbecues, the smell of grass, trees and flowers. The feeling of humid, late night gatherings with candle lights and string lights up above. Tucked in big overgrown, branching trees. I cannot get enough. It is so cozy and romantic. Although we do not have a dream backyard, I do have a tiny patio that holds a few pots of plants. I usually sit there on a cool summer night with a glass of wine enjoying my plants and the night air. I thought it would be so pretty to have butterflies nestled between a few of the plants as a garland or individually...and why not make them glow! This would also be great for any outdoor wedding or party!

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My Fabulous Jewelry-Tree Display

Spring cleaning is in full effect in our home right now and I am coming across things that I have no idea why I felt the need to hold onto. Even things that I have never and will never use. I am finally getting rid of, or giving them away. Even the 40 or so baby food jars that I kept thinking I will do a craft with someday!! I closed my eyes and slowly placed them into the recycling bin. Hubby refuses to ask questions anymore and just surrenders to all the extra pileup of unnecessary things around the house. I spent months organizing and like a maniac, at night, will loose sleep over what next to organize and get rid of. I have to say it's coming along pretty well and things in the house are almost all organized and clutter free! It does feel good. My make-up drawers and costume jewelry collection were the worst. I collected so much over the years and found myself repurchasing the same things over and over because I had forgotten that I already have the same product or earrings somewhere buried in a shoebox. With the new and improved organized me, I gathered all of my shoe boxes filled with jewelry and decided to display or showcase them a bit better. At least a few of my favorite forgotten ones. I want to show you how I made my very own beautiful Jewelry-Tree Display. Check it out -- Mind you,  I might need about 40 of these trees...

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For Mothers's Day or Any Day-->Straight From The Heart

I remember, as children, my sister and I would always make our own cards or gifts for our mother on Mother's Day. As the years went by, we started buying her "real" gifts such as jewelry, sweaters etc...But the ones that always meant the most to her were the homemade gifts. Those are the ones that are truly unique and cannot be bought last minute anywhere. The ones we took our time to make and put extra pride into. Now that I have my own children, I wanted to have them make things are fun and special also. Since both my mother and my mother-in-law are such amazing mothers in their own special ways, I wanted the kids to make (with lots of help from me) something for them both. A finger painted flower pot. And yeah, kids love paint+hands+mess. Make sure you do not do this on the uncovered wood dining table like I did.

 

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Another DIY Tree Wall Decal-FREE Down-loadable Template!!

Hello everyone! Since receiving such great feedback and a great deal of emails for more down-loadable tree decal templates, I have decided to do one for a child's room...A happy little tree.

Use the same guidelines from the First Tree Template I designed. Follow the same steps to print and assemble etc.  See below.  The leaves are in three different sizes and can be cut out of any color paper. You can use contact paper, adhesive wallpaper, construction paper, polka dot gift paper, sticky notes, scrapbook paper or even felt.   

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DIY Swimwear for PENNIES!

 As Spring is quickly approaching and warm weather is near, swimsuit season is almost here! Hey that rhymed!! :)  I was online looking for a bathing suit and realized that I LOVE this brand of swimwear Beach Bunny Swimwear. They are soo soo sexy and looks almost like lingerie. These are always worn by the gals on the hit TV series Real Housewives of Orange County.  I'm so addicted to that show BTW...OK, so I was amazed at the prices of these items but they are gorgeous! They averaged about $230. Totally worth it to some, but to me, no. Not if I could make it myself  that is...
I love the color combination that they use. Blue/Purple, Pink/Yellow, Blue/white, Pink/White, Black/Black and my favorite, Leopard/Teal Blue...

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Frozen in Time: Priceless Castings That ANYONE Can Do...

 

It was just the other day I gave birth to my youngest son, Jake. Well, at least that's how I feel.  Last Saturday was his first birthday.  I have no idea where the time went-Any mother or father would tell you how fast time really does go by and that we should all treasure every second of every day with our kids.  It's only a matter of time before they grow up and forget all that we go through raising them from day to day.  Maybe that is why I have this crazy fascination with preserving my two boys in any way that I can. I want to remember the sweet innocent days. I have many more tutorials of preserving items into treasured keepsakes to come. In this tutorial, I will show you how you can cast their little hands or feet in no time. These things are so precious and priceless to me that I cannot even begin to explain. Anyone can do this.  It is extremely easy and very safe to use on skin.  The cast below, is Jake's little hands at just two weeks old...

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Make a Photo Frame From BAMBOO Placemats...

As I was spring-cleaning, I found 2 old bamboo placemats that I had bought about 6 years ago at Pier 1 Imports. I bought only 2 because it was just hubby and I back then (pre-kiddies). We had a small dining table that only seated 4 but it was so small that only 2 placemats could fit on it.  With all that being said, I didn't want to throw them away so I instantly thought of a way to recycle them into something else.  I made a beautiful, classy photo frame with it! Lots more were left over to make a wall full of them...So let's begin!

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Embellish Your Cheap Tank Tops With Your Own Jewelry!

There is just something about reusing beautiful things that you already have on hand to make something else that's even more beautiful. I paired a favorite (but getting boring) tank top with a bracelet that I had laying around for years...and what a difference!

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Garden Brunch-DIY Matching Coasters & Planters...

I know I'm not the only one looking forward to the summer...Enough with this cold already! Here is something I did over the weekend that got me into the mood for those hot weather days to come. I want to show you how to make your own coasters and matching planters. This took no time to make and it was so fun to see it come together so beautifully (and quick)...I used Krylon Make it Stone textured spray paint to cover the plastic planter-this made it look like stone. (I've been using this stuff since my teens to cover almost everything in stone!) I used some mosaic tiles to make coasters and used the rest to adorn my pot! Visually it all ties in perfectly :) Perfect for those spring or summer brunches. 

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DIY Tree Wall Decal-FREE Downloadable Template!!

 

I was working hard on this tutorial all week and I'm so excited to share it with everyone! I wanted everyone to know how easy it really was to make your own Tree Decal for the walls in your home! I took a trip to my nearest Lowes and purchased wall paper. I wanted to make birch trees, so I purchased textured wallpaper to mimic the bark of that tree's look and feel.

Above, I digitally composed the pattern onto a wall to show you an idea of how the tree will look. Also, how they would look when painted (black). You can also frame parts of the pattern...You can flip the pattern over onto your wallpaper and get a mirrored image tree as shown above. Use different colors if you'd like to create depth. Use the extended tree height (later explained) to create different heights of trees.

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How to ROCK Fake Lashes...Step by Step Instructions!!!

I wanted to share an easy, step by step beauty tip: Fabulous Fake Lashes...It's a quick, easy step from looking frumpy to fab in minutes. I discovered them about two years ago.   I was a bit late reading the How to Be Fabulous memo :) Working in New York city, Fashion City, I noticed a lot more women wearing them on a daily basis. To work, to the supermarket, to the park etc. It's not only worn on special nights or events anymore. I found them really affordable at this store in Manhattan, New York...just doors down from work. They charge about $2.50 for lashes. That's dirt cheap!! helena collection --They have an amazing selection of wigs, hairpieces and lashes. They have a very famous list of clientele posted all over their walls. I started experimenting with lashes and got hooked. I shared this with a lot of my fabulous female peers and they love it.  I'll show you how to apply fake lashes in no time.

Kim Kardashian: Do you really think she was born with those lashes?? She is never seen without them! I don't blame her, they look amazing...She probably wears eyelash extensions instead of the fake strip lashes. Those are individual fake lashes that are applied and glued one by one onto your individual lashes.  See below (way below for eyelash extension info).

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Brownie Stuffed Cookies!!!

A friend of mine fowarded me this recipe online and I was left drooling. I'm not a big fan of sweets or baking but I was so determined to try these out! Especially for Valentine's Day. I got it from picky-palate.com-She is a genius!! Her recipes are amazing...I had no time to bake the brownies or make cookie dough, so I cheated a bit.

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PERFECT Wedding/Party Favors...for a Dollar!

Wedding season is almost here, and a lot of brides are knee deep in searching for the perfect dress, venue, florist, and other details. Things can get very expensive VERY fast. The budget you set out to spend is almost never the amount you end up spending.  It's almost always way more.  These days, couples are spending far less, especially on things like flowers, table centerpieces and favors.  However, that does not mean that the wedding has to be any less extravagant! I found these amazing favors ideas at the Jack's 99 cent store in midtown Manhattan (New York).  I suggest you RUN over there if you are in the area. They do not last very long. These are just a few of their selection. Keep in mind that some of the candles come in many different colors also. They can be used for bridal showers, birthdays, anniversaries etc. They are sure to be a hit at your next event. If there are no Jack's stores near you, find your local dollar stores and hunt for their treasures. You'd be surprised at what you will find!

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Fun Foods for Kids: Cute Cheesy Sunflowers!

Here is round 3 of my quest on how to feed a picky toddler.  In the middle of the night I had this great idea to make a healthy snack with the abundance of block cheese that I have my refrigerator...pretty sunflowers! Great for kids or adult parties. This can also be used to entertain adults at a wine and cheese gathering. YUM. This tutorial was inspired by gourmetmomonthego  I found it while trying to figure out the best way to make them.

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Cascading Garden Pom Poms! Great Wedding or Party Idea!

So I've been searching of ways to start doing crafts for budget weddings and fell in love with the idea of the very popular can't-get-enough-of-POM POMS. I bought bulk 20x30 inches of tissue paper online and started to make them. I couldn't stop. I kept making all sizes. I then hung them from the ceiling and took a million pictures of them. I couldn't stop that either. The photos just could not capture the true beauty of these things. Why is this POM POM tutorial different than any other you may ask??  I have a few ideas that you may like. This is DIRT CHEAP and SO adorable. They are easy, super fun to make and can be made MONTHS before the event date. 

 Things you may need: 

• Tissue paper
• Scissor
• Galvanized wires or any thin floral wire (optional)
• Fishing line or clear sewing thread to hang

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Warm and Cozy Nursery Ideas!

I started decorating our nursery in summer of 2008. I was about six months pregnant and was in my nesting phase of the pregnancy.  I had very clear visions of exactly what I wanted. I wanted the room to be warm, cozy and inviting.  I chose a warm yellow paint color that reminded me of summer, sunlight and sunflowers.

I hand painted the happy little trees on the wall.  My feet were swollen for days after doing this.  It took a whole day to paint one tree! The tree on the left (ABOVE) is a mirror image of the tree (BELOW on the right) I traced it on over sized tracing paper and flipped it on the other wall. It saved me a ton of time. I didn't have to design the look and feel of another tree. Anyway, I don't know where I got the energy from but I would never do that again. Very tedious. I fell in love with this bedding set which I got from Lambs & Ivy. I then based the entire room decor from that.  The Trees and paint color.

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Make Earrings to Match Your Necklaces PERFECTLY!

Ever find that perfect necklace but cannot find the earrings that goes with it? Or if you do find the earrings, its the most hideous thing ever? I have really gotten into chunky necklaces or big statement pieces but at times its hard to find the complete set that actually looks good as a set. I know you girls know what I'm talking about...I wanted to share a really great and easy idea with you to solve that issue. It takes NO experience in jewelry making or skills. Trust me because I have none. At all.
Get out your favorite necklaces that you have no earrings for.  Necklaces that have dangling parts or beads works best. I will show you how I made these earrings from my favorite necklace.

 

Things you will need:

• Super glue/hot glue gun or jewelry tacky glue
• Needle nose pliers
• Earring pieces from craft stores or old unused earrings
• Favorite necklace

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Fun Foods for Kids: Pasta Nest!

 

OK, so as you may know, I have a fascination with putting eyeballs on most of the foods I make for my oldest son.  I made Octo-Dogs before and they were a HUGE hit. I wanted to try it with his pasta and meatballs also. It's very simple and too cute!

Things you will need:

• Cooked spaghetti-(our nest)
• Cooked meatballs-(our birds)
• Candy eyes from craft stores or baking supply stores
• 1 Carrot or orange peel (our bird's beak)
• Sharp pointy knife 

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