Now a Star!

In my last blog post I showed how to fold flowers.  Here's another variation on this post. 
Instead of folding flowers and snowflakes, using the same simple technique you can make a beautiful star. 

So here is a quick video I did, to show how to make this star!

How to make a paper star video

There are lots of ways to decorate this simple star too.  You can keep it simple, or you can add glitter, or epsom salts (just spray with adhesive and sprinkle epsom salts on the star and it resembles sparkly snow), or attach stickers or rhinestones to the star, just whatever you have on hand. 

It's an easy craft for kids.  They can color the sheet of paper you are going to use for the star first, then they can fold it and cut it and then add decorative stuff to it after it is folded, cut, and taped together.

I also love how easy it is to attach to the top of your Christmas tree, or if making several stars for tree ornaments, the wire twist tie is so easy to attach to branches all over your tree.

If making the stars to hang from your ceiling, windows, or doorways, just staple the center instead of using a twist tie or wire in the middle of the center crease.  Then tape some yarn or string or fishing line to one of the points of the star and tape the other end of the yarn, string, or line to the ceiling or door frame. 
This is a pretty decoration, hanging from the ceiling or doorway because both sides of the star look beautiful (there isn't a "wrong" side).

Oh, I'm getting so excited for the Holidays!!!!!!!!

Decorating with paper flowers!!!

Origami anyone?  Actually, I don't think this counts as origami, but these party flowers are a blast to make!

All you need is paper, scissors, and tape. A stapler is optional (I used a stapler), you can use tape in place of the stapler.

Here are 2 videos to show you how to make the paper flowers:

How to make a poinsettia video

 How to make paper party flowers video

You can use any kind of paper, but my experience has been that the thicker the paper, the harder it is to fold.  You can use regular copy/printer paper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, a paper sack, etc.  I even used aluminum foil (not so easy to work with), vellum, and tissue paper!



When using an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper, your flower will measure 8" across, and will be about the size of the poinsettia on the left side of the key board.  If you paper that is 4" wide it will look like the one on the right side of the keyboard.  Both sizes would be fun hanging on a Christmas tree!

The really great thing about these flowers is the "no cost" aspect and also you can make them for any occasion and just use a paper to fit it :)

Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiders!!!

This is a fun, spidery, Halloween craft to make,

either by yourself or with the kids. 

The materials you need are:
    black colored paper
    scissors
    stapler
    googly eyes or a pen that will
         show on black paper

All you have to do is fold the black paper like an accordian, then staple it in the middle. 
Now make cuts similar to how you would cut a snowflake.  Unfold and glue or draw on spider eyes.

I put 4 eyes on my spiders, but I've heard they actually have 8 eyes!  Two eyes would also look quite attractive!

If you want step-by-step instructions you can watch the video I did.

How to fold and make a paper spider video

I really don't like spiders, but big paper ones are okay :)

   

Loving Grandkids!!!

Summer is such a fun time with family.  I want to share (with the permission of their parents) a great video of two of my super hero grandkids.  Their super hero names are:

"Static Girl"

&

"Bendy Boy"

I just love my grandkids -- thanks for indulging me!

Just a note: My youngest daughter is my awesome co-blogger.  Thanks Krissy!!!

Hi there again!
Just wanted to share with you these awesome girls who make some AMAZING workouts! You can find tons of their workouts for free on Youtube, but this one has a link below if you go to the site, where you can print it out if you want! :) Happy exercising!

ToNe It uP!

Hi there!
I'm Kristen, the fifth daughter :) . This summer, I will be posting quite a bit on my mom's blog, so I hope ya'll don't mind!  To start out I want to introduce you to the diet/workout plan I have. I want to drop a few for the summer and be nice and trim for the next school year. If you guys want to join me it would be great! I'll be posting lots of online workouts as I do them and maybe some new calorie-cutting recipes and nutrition packed dishes as I come across them!

-Kristy

Mother's Day

Okay, I must fess up . . . I am no scrapbooker/ cardmaker. 
But I thought I would make my mom a Mother's day card and I am actually fairly pleased with it.
It doesn't have any brads, or flowers, or do dahs on it, but it does have some ribbon!

First, I printed a piece of clip art on some white card stock for the front of the card:

Then, I printed a fun picture of my mom jumping in a puddle on the back of the card, and then a picture of her in her gazebo for the inside of the card:

Then I added the paper trim:

(I was trying to achieve the effect of a shade awning of maybe a little cafe in Paris with the striped paper -- um, oh well)

Then, I added the ribbon.  It was a pain to glue, I'm sure there is a better "scrapbooker" way to do this:

Now all I have to do is write in it and stick it in an envelop.  Maybe I'll added some stickers to the envelop.  My Mom loves stickers!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mother's out there!!!

Birthday Gift for my Granddaughter!

My adorable red headed granddaughter turned 1 this springtime month of April.

Here are some photos of the present I made for her:

I made all of the headbands or hairbands to have interchangeable flowers, which makes it fun.

I really like how the pink flower turned out.  But when I took it off and put the gray flower on the white headband, I liked it too.  She has a cute pink, gray, and white jacket that this headband with the interchangeable flowers will look great with.

The yellow and green headbands have three spots to attach the flowers to:

The green headband and flowers were made with regular Red Heart yarn.  The other 2 hairbands and flowers were made with Caron Simply Soft yarn (I like this yarn!).

Happy Birthday baby girl!

She LOVES birthday cake!!!

  

The Leaf and LUGGS!

I have had some requests for a pattern for the crocheted leaf shown in blog entry:
 How to crochet a flower

I found the leaf in a library crochet book in a city I no longer live in, so I resisted putting in the time to create my own leaf pattern, but after the requests I couldn't resist anymore and here is what I came up with:

 Chain 10 (I used a size "H" hook), then work 2 half double crochets (hdc's) in the 3rd chain from hook, then work another hdc in the next chain.

 In the next 3 chain stitches work a double crochet (dc), then a hdc in the next chain stitch. Work a single crochet (sc) in the next chain stitch.

 In the last chain work 3 sc's.  Now working the backside of the chain stitches, work one sc in the next stitch (or other side of the chain stitch -- middle photo), and a hdc in the next stitch, and a dc in each of the next 3 stitches.

Next work a hdc in the next stitch and then work 2 hdc's in the same chain that you worked the very first 2 hdc's in.

Pull yarn through last loop on your hook and pull tight to finish it off!  All done and ready to attach to a flower or anything else that needs a leaf.


Now you may be asking what are LUGGS . . .
They are a project I've been working on for months and months.  I'm so happy and pleased to have this creation finished.  The popular UGG boots inspired this project.  The "L" in LUGGS stands for "lazy" because after marching around in the snow in your UGGS you just want to come inside and relax and laze around in your LUGGS!  A cozy, snUGGly boot slipper that looks good on and feels good on with it's double comfy soul.  Here's a pic of them:

Aw, aren't they cute!!!