Keychains and Luggage Tags/Identifiers

So...travel much?  If you answered yes, you know that most everyone in the world has luggage that basically looks like this: 

Rectangle.  Black. And almost exactly the same.  And, if you are like me and have such nondescript luggage, you likely also resemble me when I'm at baggage claim at the airport, lifting up lots of luggage as it comes around the turn-stile, not quite sure if it is mine.  "Does mine have handle like that or not?" "I don't remeeemmmber a pocket there, but maybe it's just because it's upside down?"  And then I wonder, again, why I didn't tie something to it to help me identify it easier, or why I didn't duct tape a giant "X" across the front and back with neon colored tape.  ;)  Which is why something like the following would be useful:

I made these handy-dandy little things just using my Silhouette as gifts for my nieces to put on their backpacks and one for my roomie who is just about to go on a trip (to Russia!).  The butterfly and cat are my nieces' respective favorite animals, and the "S" was meant to be reminiscent of the OSU emblem for my roommate Sarah who is getting ready to leave her work at OSU and move across the country to start med school.  Way to be, Sarah!  Each was simple to make with just some scrap fabrics, and each would be easy to tie to some luggage, a child's backpack, or to use as a personalized key-chain. 

Obviously, such thing won't help you spot your luggage or bag as easily as, say, buying bright orange and yellow stripped luggage might, but it's an easy (and cheaper) alternative.  ;)  Plus, they're just kind of fun to have. Here's how to make them using your Silhouette:

Materials needed:

*Silhouette Fabric Interfacing (sewable or clean cut both work fine for this)

*Fabric scraps (large enough for the various pieces--the size you desire.  My two smaller ones were each about 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches, so obviously only need scraps, especially for the lettering.)

* Ribbon

* Key ring (optional)

Cheap End of the Year Teacher Gifts

Need a quick and cheap gift for your child's teacher this year?  Here are two simple ideas that cost less than $5.00! I created both of these tags using my Silhouette machine and then printed them out on my printer.
 The first idea, is a potted flower with a tag that says: "Thanks for helping me GROW this year!"  I changed the 'o' in grow to a flower to make it look a little cuter.

 Our next idea is some nail polish with a tag on it that says: "Teachers like you PAINT bright futures!"  I like to this one for the specialty teachers that my child sees- computer, art, music, aids, etc.  They tend to get forgotten and this is a cheap gift that you can give to a lot of different people.  If your child has a male teacher- change up the nail polish for some finger paint or watercolors.

And there you have it, two simple and cheap ideas that you can give to your teachers at the end of the year!

Teacher Appreciation Week

I am the room mom for my child's classroom this year, and for teacher appreciation week, they asked us to create a candy poster for them.  However, I didn't want to do the same thing that everyone has already done.  So after collaborating with my sister, we came up with an idea to make a 'wanted' poster.  I think it turned out pretty cute and should stand out from the rest of the posters around the school. 

While I was creating this, I found a cool function on my Silhouette called "offset".  When you have your Silhouette program open, look under the 'object' file and it will be there. What does it do you might ask?  If you look at the word reward on the poster, you will see that it is all one big word cut out together. It didn't start this way though. I typed my words out using whatever font I wanted and then 'offset' it.  Then when you cut it, you will have the word cut out in one piece.  It was totally awesome, and I loved how it looked.  This is a great function if you are cutting out of paper and don't want to glue each individual letter down.

I also put together this gift basket for our teacher with some fun things for her classroom and for her.  I found this cute blue basket at the dollar store and to personalize it, I cut out the teacher's name in vinyl and stuck it on.  It just made it that much more cute, and only took a few minutes to do. 

So there you have it, two nice and easy things you can make for your child’s teacher for teacher appreciation!  We are so grateful for all the teachers out there and for all that they do to help teach our children!  

Easy DIY Laundry Room Decor

If you haven’t noticed I have gone on a vinyl kick in my house lately.  What I love about it is that it is so easy to use and can really transform a boring wall to something more.  I wanted to spice up my laundry room, so I searched all over Pinterest and found a quote that I liked.  The two fonts that I used were Century Schoolbook for “The laundry room” and Lucida Handwriting for “loads of fun”. I wanted this quote to be pretty big, since it was going on a big blank wall.  Here is the font size for each set of words: The- 217, Laundry room- 390, Loads of fun- 140.  Hopefully the font names and sizes will help you recreate this project easier. However, you could use whatever fonts you wanted and make it the however big or small you wanted.  After I cut the letters out of vinyl, I used transfer tape to help me put it up on the wall and get it positioned just right.  Transfer paper is a must for projects like these! You can find it on our website here: http://www.makeitscrappin.com/products/cricut/cricut-vinyl/cricut-vinyl-transfer-tape.php

 After I added this quote, I realized that I needed to finish decorating my laundry room.  So, I found some frames that I had laying around the house, spray painted them black and you guessed it- added some matching scrapbook paper in them.  Also, since they were small frames, I stapled some ribbon to the back of them to make it look like they were hanging from the ribbon.  I really just used the picture hook on the back since my ribbon wouldn’t hold that much weight.  Then, I added a button on top of the ribbon for a finishing touch.  Just like that, I turned my boring laundry room into a nicely decorated room and it only took a few hours  to do!

DIY Bathroom Decor Addendum

After the post about DIY bathroom decor ideas, I realized that I forgot to post one more idea.  It is super simple and can be adapted in many different ways.  My girls were constantly forgetting which towel hook was theirs and were always complaining to me that one or the other had their towel.  Thus, I added their initial above their towel hook and problem solved!  If you didn't want to just do their initials, you could do their whole name, favorite shape, or for an adult bathroom- his/hers, husband/wife, mine/yours... the possibilities are endless!

DIY Bathroom Decor

How many of you have ever decorated a room and struggled to find wall art that matches? Then, if you do find something in the right colors- its ugly! I run into this problem all the time. My solution- PAPER!  I love to decorate with scrapbook paper, and with my Silhouette and Cricut machines, it makes it so easy to do!  I go to my local scrapbook supplies store, find paper that matches my colors, break out my Silhouette/Cricut and next thing you know… you have a custom picture that matches perfectly. 

I recently redid my girls’ bathroom and wanted a cute picture to hang up- and this is what I created.  I used a 12x12 picture frame and 12x12 paper for the backdrop.  Then I found this cute bird and branch on Cricuts cartridge Straight from the Nest (buy it here: http://www.makeitscrappin.com/products/cricut/cricut-cartridges/straight-from-the-nest.php 

for only $29.99).   

After I cut it out, I inked the edges and glued it all together.  So simple and it was just what I wanted! After I hung it up, I cut out a swirl design in vinyl and placed it directly on my wall right above the frame.

I also thought it would be cute to add some vinyl saying to the wall.  Using my Silhouette, I used the font Throw my hands up in the air, which was a free font I downloaded online.  I made the first letter in each sentence slightly larger than the rest of the letters on my sayings to make them stand out. 

To top off the girls' bathroom decorating, I took some old 5x7 frames that the glass had broken out of and wrapped strips of fabric around them.  To get a more frayed look, rip your fabric and take off some of the loose strings of thread.  For a finishing touch, I found some matching buttons and glued them on.  So simple and easy!

 I also had been looking for a quote to put in my master bathroom for some time and while I was at my friend’s house, I found it!  I wanted something uplifting to think about as I was getting ready in the mornings, and not something ‘bathroom related’.

Since it was going to be in my small toilet room, I didn't want to put it on a big, clunky wooden board. So, after I cut out my vinyl I just stuck it right to the wall.  The font I used was called Digs my hart, which was another free download.  Then, I just created my tally marks.  I love the way it turned out and now everyday as I get ready, I am reminded to count my blessings!

Cute Easter Gift Idea

Looking for a cute and simple Easter gift idea? I know I was!  Then I remembered that Silhouette's free shape of the week has an Easter basket on it and this idea was formed.  I had seen this idea on Pinterest and wanted to recreate it.
My favorite Easter eggs are Reeses, but you can use whatever kind of eggs you want.  I also could have used the print and cut feature on my Silhouette, but I was feeling lazy- go figure.  Once I had my tag, I put some chocolate eggs in a basket along with some plastic ones and delivered my gift to my neighbor.  So there you have it, a simple and quick Easter gift idea.

Candy Center Flowers

Saw this idea on Pinterest and had to make some of my own.



They take about...mmm...2 minutes to make, so they are a perfect last addition for your Easter decorations.  I love the idea of leaving these candy-filled Spring flowers trailing down the stairs on Easter Morning, or surrounding your child's Easter basket,  nestled in the grass outside amid your egg hunt,  or, I especially love the idea of creating a variety of flowers like these and scattering them down the table runner for your Easter meal.

These candy-filled flowers are simple and a nice touch to your Easter-fare.

Silhouette Cotton Canvas Easter Tags

So I love the Victorian feel to many decorations now-a-days.  Stuck in the past.  Right?  Sort of. Not in every way.  The images and styles just brings back a feel of nostalgia... for a time I never lived in and one that lacked many of the conveniences I now enjoy.  But STILL.  Some of the feel is just romantic and lovely. That feeling for nostalgia and for beauty is what I wanted to tap into, even if just faintly, when I went to make some quick Easter tags.  I did this primarily through just two mediums--the images themselves, and the material used.  

I certainly could have added a lot more opulence to these to get that feel, but 1. no time, and 2...didn't really care to.  So if you want to add a lace or ribbon edging, or some gold fabric paint around the edges, and make the cut more intricate, go right ahead.  Now that I've tried the cotton canvas I am wanting to experiment more with it. But this first little experiment proved to me that I really love the stuff, and that it is far easier to use (and prints better) than I had ever expected.

To make these tags, all you really need is:

Silhouette Printable Cotton Canvas

Ribbon or twine

Milk bottles on the door again, like the old days.  Just this time, filled with candy. :)

The printable cotton canvas is super easy to use...just like the print and cut function with a piece of paper, except this time it is with a thin canvas.  

"Egg"cellent Easter Card

Remember how I told you not to throw away your scraps from your Easter banner?  (See this post: Fabric Easter Banner.) Well here's why.

Did you know that your Silhouette interfacing can be used to adhere fabric to cardstock? Yep.  Not just to adhere fabric to fabric.  Seems like it would make sense, since this was primarily a scrapbooking or paper crafting die-cutting machine.  But yet, this stuff is great! So, with all those extra little scraps and edges you had left over from your banner making....

Put these scraps to good use!

...you can make a simple and delightful Easter holiday card.

Make this "egg"cellent card with fabric or paper scraps.

Supposing you didn't make a cute Easter banner like in our last post, or supposing you (gasp!) accidentally threw away all your little scraps, you can easily replace the fabric with paper scraps, and just use glue to adhere it instead.  But I think it's easier with the fabric because you can adhere it all in one fell swoop of the iron.  Yep.  Fell swoop.  Irons do that?  Yes.  They do.

Here's your step-by-step instructions.