Craft Group: Christmas Candles

In my planning for our November craft, I was thinking a head for Christmas and was trying to come up with something that was inexpensive that you could give as neighbor gifts, teacher gifts or that would work in with holiday decor.  I came across Stylizmo's Christmas Candle, and thought it would be perfect.  I hunted for the just right napkin, but ran into the fact that - unlike now - not very many places had Christmas napkins or tissue paper out at the end of October.  So I ended up using an everyday foil tissue I found at the Dollar Tree and digging into my supply of Christmas tissue paper (the Christmas colored stripe and the snowflakes).  

This is what I came up with:

I got the candles at Hobby Lobby in a 2 pack (except the one with snowflakes-it's an old candle I've had for years), I used my Cricut machine to cut out the tags and used a stamp from Stampin' Up that I already had. You could use stickers or if your penmanship is better then mine, then you could always write it. 

A couple days ago, my hubby gave me a list of more I need to make. 

I better get a meltin'.

Happy Crafting!

Holly

Can it Still Be Haunting Time?

I'm really embarrassed at how late this is - It's almost the beginning of December, my Christmas decorations are almost all up and yet I'm just now posting about my Halloween decorations.
So here is some of what we did this year:

Countdown to Candy

I use the same cookie sheet that I use for my Christmas Advent Calendar. I change out the paper, which just sits inside the cookie sheet un-adhered to anything. And I glued the bow to a larger magnet so it can be changed out really easily.

Banner

On top of my armoire 

(I know it needs a little more especially on the plate side, but I haven't found the right thing yet)

Specimen Art 

(My cats decided to play on top of the piano and knocked my little lantern off and broke the glass hurricane that was in it - I'm now on a hunt for a tiny one to fit) 

Halloween "mantel" 

(this too is still missing something - I have been looking but everything that catches my eye is either orange or a pumpkin. So I'm still on the hunt for the right thing.)

And of course the placemats I shared with you HERE are on my kitchen table.

Sorry it's so late - Hopefully it will be an inspiration for next year.
Holly

Craft Group: Halloween Placemats

A quick apology for my lack of posts. The summer was a CRAZY, CRAZY summer. I'm back and hopefully won't be AWOL like that again.

As I have shared with you before, a friend and I host a monthly craft group. 

So our craft for September is Halloween Placemats.

 I bought painters drop cloth canvas (8oz).  I cut the 14"x18" rectangles using a rotary blade and cutting mat. Being lazy - I didn't feel like doing rolled hems - I used a decorative stitch about 1/4" in from the edge, then frayed the edges.  I think it adds to the look of the placemats.

Using my Cricut, I cut vinyl to use as stencils. I then stuck the reversed image of the vinyl on to the canvas. (The part I didn't want painted). Using painters tape and newspaper, I covered all the edges that were not covered by the vinyl. Then using Rustoleum black spray paint, I painted the canvas. 

Here are the designs that I used for mine:

You could add others ideas like witches and bats, Trick-or-Treat, etc... 

NOTE: My placemats have been washed twice so they do have a little weathered look.

Also, during Craft Group we had a couple of cans of Krylon paint.  Those that used the Krylon had a little bit darker black design-it didn't seep into the canvas as much as the Rustoleum. I do not know how those will wash up-I'm assuming similar to mine.

Happy Crafting!

Holly

Up a Tree with Cats!

As I shared previously, we have a new little kitten in our home and 2 more joining us shortly.  Knowing how much they like to claw at things, the fact that we don't feel that it is right to declaw cats and how much we don't want to replace our furniture any time soon  (well my husband doesn't), we decided that we would get the kitties a cat condo/tree (what ever you want to call it). After looking and deciding that we didn't want to fork out $150 for one at the pet store, I started searching on the internet for ideas to build my own.  In my searches, I came across plans on https://dadand.com/diy-cat-tower/ He was able to build it for $25. That was all the motivation that I needed. I didn't have the scrap wood laying around that he had, so it did cost me a little more. Plus I modified the plan just a little which did add a little more cost. It cost me about $40.00. It was fairly easy to make as a beginner. I did have a second set of hands, thank you again Hubby, which did make things go a little easier. Plus I borrowed a Kreg jig from a friend.

My supply list:

1 - 2' x 4' x 1/2" board of MDF

1 - 2" x 4" x 8' 

2 - 50ft of 3/8" sisal rope

2 1/2 ft by 12 ft of remnant carpet

18 - 2" wood screws

6 - 1" wood screws

If you check out the plans and directions, you will notice one change just by looking at it. I wrapped the shortest and the next shortest posts in the sisal rope. I used 3/8". This meant that I needed two bundles of 50ft rope. We considered wrapping all three in the rope, but decided that we didn't want that additional cost. I didn't like the idea of the staples on the rope. I was concerned that it may injure one of the cats if their claw got caught on one of the staples. So in my original searches, I remembered reading how someone had started the rope by using a screw to hold it on to the post, then wrapped the post as tight as they could with the rope, plus they used a hammer to tap the rope closer together to make it tighter. They then ended the rope with the 1" screw as well.  So that is what I did. If I could find the website again, I would give full credit to them, but I just don't remember it and didn't "pin" or bookmark it. Sorry!

I followed dadand.com's directions for cutting the corners of the carpet. Most of my corners met up correctly, but I evidently goofed up the cut on some, because the points didn't come together as nicely so there are gaps.  I don't know if I would use that cutting guide again. I don't care for the corners being "open" (see picture below). When I make the next one, I will research other ways to finish the corners. Plus I may add another tier around 36" so there isn't a big jump from the 24" to the 48".  Just thinking of the little kittens that can't make the huge jump yet.

Mickey took to it immediately and started scratching on it. He likes it enough that he has slept on it quite a bit as well. Hopefully the other two will like it as much.

Holly

????? Gone Cat Crazy ?????

My daughters have been begging us for years, to get a dog. Don't hate me, but I'm not a dog person. So I have been very reluctant to get a dog. I know that it teaches kids lots of things, but I would be the one primarily taking care of it, so I really didn't want to cave in.  Don't get me wrong I don't hate dogs, I just don't want to own one. I had a couple of dogs when I was a young child, but then we found out that my little sister was allergic. So we had to give them away. From that point on we had cats - mainly outdoor cats.  We haven't had pets because my hubby feels that it is cruel and unnatural for animals to be kept in-doors or in small yards. Plus we liked the fact that we didn't have to worry about getting someone to watch our pets while we go out of town.  Ok I'm getting off subject here.

So any way, one evening my oldest asked if we could get a cat. My husband was out of town at the time and I know he isn't much of a cat person, so I thought I was "safe" to have her ask him. I suggested that she send him a text and ask.  She googled cats for sale and found a kitten and sent him a picture of it and ask him what he thought about the newest member of our family. This is how their text conversation went:

Hubby:     I thought you wanted a dog.

Daughter:      It's called compromise.

Hubby:     A compromise would be a chia pet.

Daughter:     Seriously, what do you think?

Hubby:     It's up to your mom.

In the mean time, all three girls were going through the cats available and found a set of kittens, a brother and sister that were available. They were adorable!!!!! So they sent a picture to Hubby and asked if mom should email the shelter to see if they are still available. His response was that he wanted to talk to me. Thus a phone call and our conversation went like this:

Hubby:     I would rather get a little dog. 

Me:     But I don't like dogs.

Hubby:     But I don't like cats.

Me:     I'm the one that's going to be taking care of it.

Hubby:     Yeah, I know. Will you hold off until I get home?

Me:     Sure. But should I go ahead and email the shelter?

Hubby:     Of course.

So without turning this post into a book, we have a new little kitten named Mickey

PLUS we have pre-adopted two female kittens. We are waiting for them to gain a little more weight so they can be spayed. We should be getting them in about a week. They were all rescued from destroy lists by the shelter that we have adopted them through. 

I've bored you with the details of how we ended up with cats, so I won't bore you with the details of why we will have THREE cats.

Needless to say, we now need cat accessories. That has put me to work!  I will show you the first project on my list really soon!

Holly