Very “Mice” Valentines

I made this Valentine years ago for the boys and decided to make them again yesterday with a friend’s two kids. They are super quick and easy to make (even if you don’t have the punches)! They also make good Valentines for your favorite cat… ;o)

First cut out a large heart from gray construction or cardstock paper that has been folded in half. Just cut out half a heart on the fold.

Then punch or cut out one smaller heart for the ear from the gray paper.

Next cut or punch out two very small pink hearts. One for the nose and one for the inside of the ear. Glue the pink heart into the middle of the “ear”.

Glue the ear and the nose onto your mouse. Draw and eye using a black marker.

Then cut out a small piece of gray yarn for a tail. Tape it to the outside back of the mouse.

    Then write your greeting inside and you’re all done.

Tea Bag Gift Bags

The past year I have officially become a tea snob. I just can’t drink tea from a bag anymore. Buying all that loose-leaf tea means I have lots of empty tea bags. I empty the bags into tins that keep the tea much fresher longer. And all those bags get stored in my craft closet hoping to someday get used for something…

I made these sweet little gifts for my sisters’ birthdays and needed a non-Christmas gift bag to put them in. (I’ll post the gifts after the party.)

Then I remembered my stash of empty tea bags.

Since I wrote the names of the teas on the bags, I couldn’t just stamp directly on them. But I stamped some birthday stuff on white paper, added some extra fun papers and I ended up with two sweet little gift bags all ready to go!

Sometimes holding on to stuff is a good thing… ;o) 

Winter Decorations

Eighteen years ago I made a resolution to have all of our Christmas decorations put away before January 3rd. Our middle son was due on the 3rd and I wanted everything down before that day. Well, he came promptly on time and I’ve kept my resolution ever since!

But I just hate to see all the pretty decorations come down so soon and the winters here are so dreary in the PNW! :o(  So I decided to just put up a few pretty wintery decorations to get me through until Valentine’s decorations go up…

I am so glad I picked up these giant plastic snowflakes at the Dollar Tree clear back in November! They are just what my snow-less January decor needed!

I was also able to get some great after-Christmas deals on some not too Christmas-y stuff to go in my window display…

But my favorite just might be the little glittery paper houses that twinkle after the lights go out!

I got the pattern for the houses at HERE at Just Something I Made.    

Independence Day Crafts

Here are the new decorations I made for the 4th of July this year…

This is just a sheet of scrapbook paper on plate stand

cut out mini vintage postcards to hang on my tree

 

I didn’t make either of these, but I love the vintage magazines and I used to look at the book at my grandparents’ house when I was little

there were three of these tp roll rockets, but the cat demolished one of them :o(

 I made this wreath by tying strips of old t-shirts on a hanger shaped into a circle. Then I hung another toilet paper roll rocket in the middle

I know it is well past the 4th of July but I like to celebrate Independence Day the entire month of July! Patriotism and freedom is good enough to be celebrated all month long!

St Patty’s Day

I really like St Patrick’s Day (except for the pinching LOL)! I like green, I like corned beef and cabbage and rainbows! Here are some of the decorations, I put up this year…

felt shamrocks for the dining room windows

foil shamrocks for the menu board

Beans and peas make cheap vase filler

paper shamrocks for the kitchen table and tree

shamrocks for the entryway

Can you tell I like shamrocks???

Hope you have a happy go lucky St Patrick’s Day!

I Love Valentine’s Day

I decorated LATE this year. I mean REALLY late! But it’s up and I have some new stuff to boot!

Vintage Valentines in the kitchen…

Some pretty scrapbook paper made for easy decorations in the living room…

And for my dinner bell…

I made some other miscellaneous things…

      paper twist hearts for the windows

felt hearts for the divider

 

some glass candy dishes

a scrappy heart wreath for the door

and a quilt to match

I even decided the bathroom needed something this year…

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!  Spend it with those you love!