Category Archives: Crafty Corner

Mad Money

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Money has been on my (mad) mind a bit…you know, now that I’m rockin’ the stay-at-home-mommy gig. I thought I’d start a running conversation about some ways I am trying to cut spending, save greenbacks, but still live life in between.

Today’s topic: Last time we chatted about budgeting but today’s topic is WAY less complicated than that. Like, it’s stupidly simple but I figured it was still worth a mention. You can decide if that’s actually true…

Remember way back, over two years ago, when I declared my cessation from buying craft supplies? Well, I’m still staying true to that promise. Admittedly, I’ve bought sheets of felt and a few cheap supplies for Christmas gifts (for this and this) but I have resisted the temptation to buy extraneous goodies for my bin. I’ve been very good! *pats back*

What does this have to do with saving money, outside of using stuff up? As you know, the only crafting I do is make cards. I never buy store bought ones even though I am a *serious* paper goods admirer. Instead, I whip up a bunch of handmade ones at a time to use throughout the year for birthdays, thank yous, etc. They are far from fancy:

Recently, I’ve been keeping track of the gifts we’ve received for Miss Amelie in a spreadsheet so I can stay organized. It was then I realized just how much I have to be thankful for. I’ve written 80 thank you cards between my showers and the gifts people have dropped off or shipped to us just in the last few months!

I KNOW. I’m so spoiled. That’s a lot of thank you cards.

By using what I have instead of buying packs of new cards, I figured I’ve saved a good hunk of cash. I recognize these cards weren’t free to make even though it feels like it now since I haven’t bought new supplies in over two years. But truthfully, it wouldn’t take that much money up front to get started on making your own cards if you wanted to do the same. Beware, this IS a hobby that could easily get expensive if you start collecting cutters, stamps, decals and the like. I try to keep my cards super simple, almost formulaic. I have even been known to recycle parts of cards I’ve received because it pains me to just toss adorable paper goods in the trash.

I did have to buy a 100-pack of white envelopes from Amazon but I believe it’s still saving me money in the long run. Hubs will even dive into the bin to make me cards for our special events like anniversaries, birthdays, Valentines, etc. Sweet, huh?

Best of all, making cards a pastime I really enjoy. So it’s a double win!

Any little things you’re doing to save money but still have a grand old time doing it?

Candace’s Crafty Corner: Reinbeer!

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I had grand visions of making lots of cutsie Christmas gifts, but buying a house and getting a second job put a damper on all of that enthusiasm. I did manage to muster up one crafty gift for Hubs and it was a hit!

Behold, a herd of reinbeer.

Aren’t they so cute?

Of course I snagged this idea from Pinterest. To take it further, you could buy bigger googly eyes and poms to dress up a wine bottle too!

Supplies/Cost:

  • Beer: $20
  • Googly eyes: 0.59
  • Small red pom poms: 1.00 (I still have some leftover)
  • Glue gun/glue: already owned
  • Brown pipe cleaners: already “owned”

Actually, JoAnn’s was totally out of brown pipe cleaners but luckily I was able to reuse a few black ones that my MIL bought for her adorable Jill-o-lantern when she came out to visit us in October.

Total: $21.59

Not too shabby, eh?

Candace’s Crafty Corner: Makeup Brush Holder

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This may be the stupidest craft yet but meh, let’s keep going.

I got this soy candle as a wedding gift from a friend (HER NAME IS TAI) and I loved it so much I just couldn’t bare to toss it out when it was spent.  So, I put it in the freezer…

I took a minute of my Saturday night (wiiiild) and chipped out the wax with a butter knife.  It was easy peasy.  Then, I scraped off the sticker and wick and viola!

A NEW MAKEUP BRUSHES HOLDER THINGY:

Which is now living in my bathroom:

Cute, eh?

Candace’s Crafty Corner: More onesies?

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Yes.  More.  Seriously, it’s baby mania out there, I can’t keep up!

I had to reference my own blog (how precious) to re-learn how to blanket stitch, like I did for these mustache onesies.  Speaking of which, those were gifted to these two cuddle bugs who I just recently met a few weeks ago, when I snuck back to MN without telling you…

Sam:

and Madeline:

Oh, the cute!

Where was I?  Yes.  Baby crafts.  Two more little bundles arrived in May and June, a boy and a girl.  I whipped these up, using material I already had in my craft stash. As an aside, I’m still on a craft buying freeze that I declared over a year ago, you should be proud!

They are crude but made with love/ineptness.

for Hadley:

and for Jordan:

My plan is to get them in the mail tomorrow but I’ve caught a bad case of the Doesn’t Do Much as of late.  Wish me luck!

Be My Guest

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We’ve had a handful of house guests since moving out to the mountains (mentioned here, here, here and here and I have yet to tell you of MamaP’s last trip out!) and we always prep in the same way: clean, buy groceries – especially breakfast foods since Hubs makes a mean one, put out fresh sheets/towels and Hubs roasts coffee.  Oh and lastly, and I set out this skinny basket we got for our wedding (love you, Leia) in the bathroom with a card, washcloth and miniature bath goodies.

I didn’t get the chance to use it much when we lived in Minnesota, except when our house was on the market.  Coincidentally, the one time I forgot to set this out to ‘stage’ our bathroom was the *only* time we got an offer.  Maybe I should take a clue and stop using it but I think it’s just too cute.

The fuzzy basket tucked inside was gifted to me from a friend (thanks, Mary!) long ago and I think it’s perfect to slip in an arrangement of bath yummies.

It’s nothing much and not especially crafty, but it gets me super excited for the arrival of my guests.  Plus, now I can justify the decision to put this on our registry, even though Hubs gave me the side eye at the time.

Any old wedding gifts recently resurfaced like mine or any special routines you do when you have overnight guest?

Candace’s Crafty Corner: A girly gift bag

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I know, I know, I can’t help myself.  I made *one* more craft using those adorable rosettes.  You know the ones.  The ones from here, and here and then again, here.

I turned a boring (if not a little worse for wear) gift bag into a so super cute one.  See?

Sigh.  I think I’ve squeezed as much as I can out of this new found rosette making talent of mine.  Except…wouldn’t one look kinda sweet super-glued to a headband?  Think about it.  I have been so don’t be appalled if it shows up, like the rest of them, in another Candace’s Crafty Corner.  Speaking of gifts and talents, please send any my way, should you have extra.

Pocket full of posies

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Now that the holidays are over, I can finally spill the beans on my Christmas crafts.  It’s nothing fancy, but it’s homemade and from the heart.

Some history.  Almost a year ago, inspired by this wreath, I made myself a little rosette pin that I’ve been wearing on my winter jacket.  I’ve collected quite a few compliments on the funky piece, which made me erratically decide that every lady I know should have one for their jacket too.  Well, everyone except my friend Becky…

Becky: “Cute pin, Candace!”

Candace: “Thanks!  I made it!  I could make one for you too!”

Becky, politely: “No, thanks though.”

Undeterred, I made one for my MIL for Mother’s Day, which she thoughtfully stabbed to her coat when she came out to visit.

Then, while at my Grandma’s for Easter last April (suffering from a ham coma which rendered my thinking a bit salty), I offered to make one for all of the ladies in my family.  It totally seemed doable, except for the small fact that I was trying to sell my house, quit my job, say goodbye and move across the country…

Needless to say, my goal of finishing them in time for my cousin’s bridal shower in late May DID NOT HAPPEN.  No big deal, I was headed back to MN for her wedding that September, which would give me plenty of time to make the goods and hand them out, since the whole family would be together again.  That also DID NOT HAPPEN.  Fast forward to December.

I finally got my act together and finished them up.  It took me a long time.

I kinda love them.  I made little monogram gift tags to go with each posy pin, using supplies from my enormous craft bin.

Most importantly, I made them with love.

I sure hope they liked them.  Did you get crafty for Christmas this year?

Candace’s Crafty Corner: Must Have Mustache

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A few weeks back, when my MIL came to visit, we did some secret crafting in honor a few buns baking in the oven.  Behold, the mustache onesie.  You can go on and on about how cute it turned out, I don’t mind.

Together, with Betsy’s crafty know-how and my grand plans which I never intend to execute on, we made quite the team.  We gathered up the necessary supplies and then Betsy taught me how to applique and blanket stitch on a test run…which I promptly forgot the moment she headed back to Minnesota.

Enter, youtube.

An action shot:

Notice the much too long thread.  That “rookie mistake” gets placed (gently) in the bucket of What Knot To Do and now I know better.

In spite of the some knotty hurdles, I soldiered on and actually finished the project I had started.  A surprise ending!!

I paired the hairy onesies with this card, which I made back when I had the honor of working with the lovely and talented Emily Griffith:

Inside:

The back (look close!):

I’ll be honest, my cheeks flush and my neck gets all splotchy when I think about my name anywhere near hers.

Next up Christmas crafts.  *rubs hands together*

Candace’s Crafty Corner: A Thankful tree

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This is my corner of the world to make things and post them on the Internet.  Whether they are ugly or not.  You’re welcome.

Being that Halloween days scooted over for November, I decided to re-purpose my “scary” stick into a Thankful Tree.  Basically what I am saying is, I used the same decorations for two holidays because I’m afflicted with a case of the lazies.  I made the Hubs play along because after I made him this killer butternut squash soup, how could he deny me a little crafty time?

I stole this idea from the delicious depths of Pinterest (see here) and convinced Hubs that I thought of it all by my lonesome.  I simply cut out circles of craft paper (that I’ve been hoarding for years)

and together we wrote things we were thankful for one night in front of a warm fire.

Then, I adorned my scary stick with our blessings.

It didn’t cost me a thing, except gratefulness for my life.  I’m so very blessed and I know it.

My dearest bloggy buds, what are you thankful for?

I’m a Hoot

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A PSA:  So, maybe you’ve been living under a very heavy rock and haven’t heard of Pinterest.  That must change.  Seriously, “pinning” is a verb you needed to know about YESTERDAY.  Follow me (and anyone else you can think of) to get started.  You’ll thank me later!  No, really!

Two of my favorite blogs, Young House Love and Bower Power, decided to issue a Pinterest Challenge, where you are supposed to take something from Pinterest that inspired you, DO something about it, then show it off to all of blogland.  Since the Pinterest Challenge show-n-tell is today, and since many of you asked how I came up with such an adorable Halloween costume (how come not one of you even asked?), I figured I’d be transparent and tell you that I COPIED it from the internet.

Here are my Halloween “eye-candy” pins.

Can you see my where I got my “pinspiration”?

Here’s my version:

To do it, I cut a bazillion “feathers” out of old Tshirts salvaged from my Goodwill pile (see below) and hot glued those babies to a dress that was also waiting to be donated.

My mask was thrown together last minute (made out of cardboard and cardstock).  Pay no mind to the very scary off-center eyes.

Best part about it?  I don’t mean to shout, but IT WAS FREE!!

FREE!  That’s way cheaper than my garden gnome costume of yore!

You know what’s really cool?  Hubs knows the founder of Pinterest, Ben Silberman, from when they were both living in Silicon Valley, working all day and all night on their respective startups.  Looks like Ben’s hard work paid off, no?