DIY Upcycle Key Wind Chimes

I have these beautiful rainbow colored keys that don’t go to anything, and some too-small necklace chains with no charms. I had seen on Pinterest the idea to make wind chimes out of keys, and I had plans to do so with my massive collection of keys. However, I decided to just use the rainbow keys for now, and hang them on the necklace chains. I arranged them about half an inch apart from each other on a clear plastic straw I don’t use and piled on clear Hobby Glue (under the chain and on top of it). Then, using a pipe cleaner hooked onto a long, skinny ribbon, I pulled the ribbon through the straw. I tied several knots on either end of the straw to keep it as in place as possible, then tied a bow on the top to hang from an S-hook outside in my back yard.

Materials:

• keys (pretty ones are favorable)
• necklace chains
• clear plastic straw
• clear Hobby Glue
• ribbon
• pipe cleaner (to get the ribbon through the straw)
• place to hang!

By the way – the sound the keys make is soft, tinkly, and beautiful! I am in love.

Inspired? 

• If my post inspires you, and you blog about it, I ask that you credit me! Also, I’d love to see it!

DIY Woodsy Initial Nursery Art

Materials:

• Recollections 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper (Green Linen) [Michaels]
• Recollections 12″ x 12″ card stock (brown) [Michaels]
• light pink card stock (for bow)
• white printer paper
• Recollections 5/8″ butterfly punch (blue) [Michaels]
• Knock Outs .625″ mini bow punch (pink)
• Elmer’s Craft Bond Extra strength glue stick
• MS Word, printer ink,
• scissors, paper cutter

OrganizationLove Pro Tips:

• I was inspired by the nursery of a friend’s upcoming baby. Her nursery colors were woodsy – brown, spring green, white.
• I made the C in MS Word (word art) and printed it – then cut on the line. I went ahead and trimmed the green paper to 8″ x 10″ and adjusted paper size before printing to make sure the C would fit on the brown paper (also trimmed to 8″ x 10″)
• Added a light pink bow to make it just slightly girly
• Glued the butterflies all around in each direction
• I cut the brown paper into 8″ x 10″ so I was able to frame it! (see bottom picture)

Inspired? 

• If my post inspires you, and you blog about it, I ask that you credit me! Also, I’d love to see it!

DIY birthday card with pinwheels

Materials:

• Recollections Value Pack cards and envelopes set 5″ x 6.5″ (kraft) [Michaels]
• Recollections Craft It 4-piece pinwheels [Michaels]
• Doodlebug Design square sequins (Halloween assortment)
• Light blue card stock
• White card stock
• Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue 4 fl oz
• MS Word, printer ink,
• paper cutter, scissors

OrganizationLove Pro Tips:

• I cut out everything and then glued it on in the following order: white card stock (sticks), happy birthday, pinwheels (actually a sticker), sequins. This way everything was layered the way I wanted it to be.
• I used liquid glue, but had to wipe up excess around the sequins and in the sequin hole – I just used my finger to get the excess
• As always, I placed everything down where I wanted it before gluing

Inspired? 

• If my post inspires you, and you blog about it, I ask that you credit me! Also, I’d love to see it!

Want it?

• This card is available for purchase on my etsy store:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/270088080/birthday-card-pinwheels-blue

DIY cupcake birthday card for girls

Materials: 

• The Paper Studio value pack ivory notecard/envelope 4″x5.5″ [Michaels]
• MS Word, printer, black ink
• scalloped scissors
• The Paper Studio “La Petites” 3-D cupcake stickers (6 piece) [Hobby Lobby]

OrganizationLove Pro Tips:

• I chose to arrange the stickers at an angle as opposed to right next to each other to take up more space as well as account for imperfections
• Instead of pairing same color cupcake wrappers, I made sure each card had a brown icing cupcake and a white icing cupcake

Caption Ideas:

• Because there are already words on the front of the card, outer captions are not necessary

• Inside notes:
  • Yum!
  • Don’t forget to share!
  • Happy birthday
  • Enjoy your day
  • Have a great day

Inspired? 

• If my post inspires you, and you blog about it, I ask that you credit me! Also, I’d love to see it!

Want it?

• All three cards are available for individual purchase on my etsy store:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/268116393/cupcake-anyone-sweet-birthday-card-for

DIY Wedding Cake Congratulations Card

Materials:

• Recollections 4.5″x6.25″ pink shimmer card “Hydrangea” (envelopes not included) [Michaels]
• Recollections 12″x12″ paper “Tan Hearts” [Michaels]
• Recollections 12″x12″ embossed card stock (textured) [Michaels]
• Recollections 12″x12″ white/silver glitter card stock  [Michaels]
• White card stock (glossy side up)
• Martha Stewart corner rounder
• Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue 4 fl oz
• Ultra fine black Sharpie
• Fine silver Metallic Sharpie
• ruler, scissors, pencil, eraser

OrganizationLove Pro Tips:

• I measured each cake layer to 1.25″ tall to fit the card well. Then I trimmed the middle and top layers’ sides at my own discretion. Corner rounder step was last.
• Paper is difficult to cut using the corner rounder. It’s a good idea to put some card stock behind just to hold it steady when using the punch.
• I used a silver Metallic Sharpie for the letter on top of the cake (the couple’s last initial) and the hearts in the corners of the congratulations banner at bottom.
• It was difficult to fit the word “congratulations” at the bottom just right. I practiced several times to get it right, then wrote in pencil, traced in Ultra Fine black Sharpie, waited for the Sharpie to dry, and attempted to erase. Erasing is difficult on glossy card stock. But I knew the glue would hold better on the matte side.

Caption Ideas:

Because the card already says “congratulations”, I’m not sure any are needed! If you wanted to, though,:

• Enjoy your life together
• Two become one
• Glad to be a part of your big day

Inspired?

• If my post inspires you, and you blog about it, I ask that you credit me!

Want it?

• This card is available for purchase on my etsy store:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/256067191/congratulations-wedding-cake-card

(rather than an “H” on top, there are two hearts. Check it out!)

DIY It’s Your B Day Card

Materials:

• Recollections Card/Envelope 4″x5.5″ white
• Letter stickers (gift)
• .35mm Archival Ink pen
• Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue 4 fl oz
• ruler, pencil, eraser

OrganizationLove Pro Tips:

• Use a pencil and ruler to draw a straight line to write “It’s Your” on. Trace letters in pen or ultra fine marker, wait to dry, then erase pencil lines.
• Any sticker letters could be used for this. The ones I had happened to fit the card well, which is important.
• If you wanted a perfectly polished look, you could also use a pencil and ruler to draw a straight line on the bottom of the card to precisely line up your sticker letters.

Caption Ideas:

Not sure any are needed, as there are words already covering the front, but perhaps inside:

• Enjoy your day
• It’s your special day
• Happy birthday
• Have a blast

Inspired?

• If my post inspires you, and you blog about it, I ask that you credit me!

Even Easier DIY Holiday Notecards

In my previous post, Easy DIY Holiday Card (and the trick to mass production), I made 30+ cards for friends and family, including a letter and two pictures. I mailed or handed these out to my family members and close friends.

But here’s show another easy holiday card I made this year. This version will be put into the mailboxes at the elementary school where I work. It includes a short, personalized, hand-written note and of course a name; otherwise each card is pretty near identical.

As an added bonus for me, I had all the materials I needed already in my house – kind of needing and waiting to be used. I don’t know what I would have done with this stuff otherwise.

4″ x 6″ index off-white index cards were the base. These cards are huge compared to regular index cards, and a lot of them didn’t have lines on either side, so I didn’t know what to use them for. I think colored cards of this size would be fun, too.

I made a very simple tree. I had 3″ x 3″ squares of green paper. They are the same size as Post-it notes, but did not have a sticky part, therefore I (again) had no idea what to use them for.

Because the slips of green paper were squares, I folded them diagonally and cut them apart to make two equal triangles.

I used a glue stick to paste the first triangle’s wide base parallel to the bottom, just below the center of the index card.

I glued the second triangle about 3/4″ above the first triangle. This way the whole top triangle was showing.

Last, I drew a trunk with brown marker. No need to be perfect.

I wrote the name of the receiver in cursive above the tree, at the top of the card, in red skinny marker, and the message in plain black pen. For my convenience I also wrote the full name of the receiver so it will be easier for me to find their mailboxes (which only contain last names).

My custom messages were short, and said things like “I love coming to your classroom”, “Thanks for always saying hi in the halls”, “Hope you have a wonderful break”, etc.

Dear readers, I hope your holidays are extra special, too!