Year of Memories Jar...and a super cool discovery!

Friends, are you ready to see the next project Cammie {my fabulous Silhouette Cameo} helped me to make?  Here it is!

I saw a bunch of these all over the internet right around New Year's Day, then last week's most viewed project at Shine on Fridays {made by Phaedra's Adventures} reminded me that if I wanted to make one, I better get started before the whole month of January got away from me!  

The idea is that each time a really special memory happens throughout the year, you jot it down on a slip of paper and put it in the jar.  Then, at the end of the year, you have a fun and easy way to look back on your memories!

Materials:

- jar {mine is from Walmart, $4}

- adhesive vinyl

- Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Studio software

- scrapbook paper

- ribbon

- pencil and scissors

- Mod Podge Super Gloss

Here's my plain, boring jar, all ready to hold our memories for the year!  In fact, you can see that I was so impatient to begin that there are actually a few in there already!  {Like our visit to LC's potential school and the Jacoby Jones touchdown reception that helped the Ravens go to the AFC Championship!  You know, important things like that.}

STEP 1: Cut label of your choice from adhesive vinyl and apply it to the front of your jar.

I thought about doing a black and white chalkboard-esque label like I did for my canisters, but I wanted to do something different and I thought it would be fun to make it colorful and bright.  How did I choose the colors?  Well, after hours of careful deliberation...just kidding.  Yellow was the color I had enough of to get a 3x3 label out of it. ;)  That's how I roll.

 STEP 2: Choose your favorite font {mine is LD Carefree Black, in case you couldn't tell} and cut out the year.  Adhere to your label.

STEP 3: Cut out the word "memories" and adhere it to your label.  

Now here's where things got really cool.  I complained in an early Cammie-inspired post about how my letters were crooked when I applied them, so several people suggested that I try transfer tape.  Which I fully intend to do...once I buy some.  In the meantime, I suddenly wondered if washi tape would do the same thing?  I put the washi tape on my cut vinyl, and sure enough...it pulled the letters right up!  Score one for washi tape!!

I peeled the vinyl out of the 'e's' and 'o' and then stuck the whole thing on my label.

Lookie!  When I peeled it off, sure enough, there were my letters, nice and aligned just like Cammie cut them out.  Except that the entire word may or may not be slightly crooked.  Shhh.  That's just between you and me.  Oh, and the rest of the blog-reading world.  Poop.

 STEP 3b: Admire.  Ooooh.  Aaaahhhh.  And congratulate yourself on not spending money on transfer tape when washi tape works just as well.

STEP 4: Trace your lid onto scrapbook paper.  Cut it out and Mod Podge it on.  I put Mod Podge on the lid surface as well as over the top of the paper to make it waterproof and glossy.
I applied my Mod Podge with a super high-tech tool that you can't imagine the price of.  My finger.  Ah, the secret habits of the Artsy Mama...

STEP 5: Using your high-tech spreading tool, apply Mod Podge around the rim of the lid and press ribbon into place.

STEP 6: Tie a bow and glue it to the front.
*TIP* screw the lid on first, before you randomly place the bow.  If your jar is like my jar, the same spot will always end up in front.  Pretty nifty.  Unless, of course, you glued your bow in the wrong place.  Just sayin'.  So yeah, replace lid first.

STEP 7: Enjoy!  Begin inserting memories!!!

Does your family have a memory jar?  How do you remember the special things that happen throughout the year?

Hugs & Glitter,

Resolved: A Resolution Reminder Bracelet

Do you have a "Word of the Year" for 2013?  Mine is Refocus.  That one word sums up my hopes for myself in this new year; each day I want to refocus my priorities by remembering this acronym:

Read the Bible

Exercise

Family time

Organize

Create

Understand my goals

Simplify

I don't want this to fall through the cracks like so many other resolutions over the years, so I created this to remind me...

I first saw the idea of a resolution reminder bracelet on Pinterest via room 6, and I absolutely loved it.  We all know how easy it is for our goals and resolutions to slip away from us as we go about our daily lives, so the thought of wearing something I would see all day long that would remind me of who and what I want to be really appealed to me.  On New Year's Eve, one of our activities was for each member of the family to make his or her own resolution bracelet.  We used waxed linen and beads, and they turned out something like this:

Cute, huh?  And they really do work...yesterday, glancing at mine reminded me to sit down and do my daily devotion, and also to close up the laptop and play a game with my family instead.  It also reminded me that I didn't exercise, but I ended up eating ice cream instead...oops.  Not the bracelet's fault, eh?  Anyway, I decided that while I like my little jute version for some days, other days {and outfits} call for something a little more chic.  So, I decided to attempt something bigger, something that would also include the word REFOCUS instead of just beads.

I love how it turned out, so I'm going to tell you how you can make your own!  First, let me say that I'd never worked with memory wire before {shocking, no?}, but it was so. stinking. easy.  Honestly, the hardest part about it is that the wire is really strong {hence, it retains its shape}, so cutting and bending it on the ends took a little more force than the wire I usually work with.  Other than that, easy peasy!!  

So, I want to encourage all of you who aren't seasoned jewelry makers, this is a great project for beginners!  Never made jewelry before?  Start here!  Ok, maybe not with the metal stamping part, but the memory wire part...you can't screw it up!

Materials:

Bracelet

- memory wire

- wire cutters

- needle nose pliers {preferably round}

- assorted beads

Word Charm

- small metal disc

- metal stamp alphabet set

- hammer

- stamping block

- painters' tape

- jump ring

Instructions:

Bracelet:

1. Cut a piece of memory wire the length you want your bracelet to be...this differs based on personal preference {and how many beads you have}.  

2. Bend one end of the wire at a 90 degree angle, then roll it into a small loop using your needle nose pliers.

Here's a photo of a different project, just to give you an idea of the technique.

3. String your beads as desired.  You can use any colors, any size, any pattern.  I used 3 brown beads, then an accent bead, 3 brown, then an accent, and so on.

4. When you get almost to the end of your wire, repeat step 2 to form a loop.  This secures your beads in place.

That's all there is to it!  No clasp necessary; the wire retains its shape and will just wrap around your wrist and stay there!

Word Charm:

{for a full metal stamping tutorial, see my guest post at Sunny Vanilla}

1. Tape your disc to the stamping block.

2. Count out your letters to determine the center letter.

3. Stamp center letter, then work forward and backward to stamp the rest.

4. Attach to top loop of bracelet with jump ring.

What do you think?  Think it will help me meet my goals on a daily basis?  I'd love to hear what your word is!

Hugs & Glitter,

Refocus

A new year.
A time to re-evaluate.
A chance to start over.
A time to set goals and get priorities in order.

 

This year, I spent some time reflecting using a printable I found at Thirty Handmade Days.
Here's what I came up with.

WANT - What I really want in 2013 is:
- quality family time
- to make memories
- to create
- growth and success for my blog
- to exercise regularly
- to make the right decision about LC's education



NEED - What I really need in 2013 is:
- to make a decision about my dance business
- joy
- contentment
- spiritual growth
- to develop and strengthen meaningful female friendships and build in some girl-time

 

SHARE - What I will share in 2013 is:
- inspiration
- myself
- wisdom
- my crafting supplies {especially with Erin and the Crafty Ladies}

 

SUCCEED - In 2013, I will succeed at:
- inspiring others
- finishing my e-book
- being an awesome mom
- learning Argentine Tango
- Craftgawker...haha
- starting a monthly crafting group

 



As I looked at my goals and responses, I came to the decision that my word for 2013 is going to be:

Refocus

 

Refocus on my family.  Refocus on God.  Refocus on relationships.  Refocus my priorities so I spend more time doing what I love with the people I love.  Refocus my ideas about work and business.

Read the Bible daily
Exercise
Family time
Organize
Create
Understand my goals
Simplify
 

What about you?  What is your word for 2013?

 

Hugs and Glitter,



Top 10 Posts of 2012

As we get ready to head into a New Year, it's a time for new beginnings.  Goals, resolutions, and fresh starts can be a really good thing in all areas of our lives.  But before we move on to 2013, I wanted to take just a moment to revisit 10 of the most well-loved posts and projects here at One Artsy Mama in 2012.  To see the original post, click on the title of each project.  Come along, take a walk down memory lane with me...

Cutest Clothespins on the Block

I made these fun clothespins back in February and use them constantly, either as magnets to hold LC's artwork, or as chip clips.  I thought they were such a simple project that no one would be interested, but they actually got featured on Tatertots and Jello and were repinned like crazy on Pinterest.  I love how cheerful they are and how quick and easy it is to make as many as you like!

Easy Character Magnets

LC and I made these magnets on the spur of the moment back in October keep us both from going crazy when we were stuck in the house all day.  I grabbed a magazine and some things from our crafting stash and came up with these.  I took the pics with my little point and shoot camera since the DSLR had been sent away for repairs, and lo and behold, this simple photo made it onto craftgawker and went viral. 

 

Shabby Chic Jewelry Organizer

This project was particularly special to me because the wooden organizer itself was made by my grandfather, who passed away more than 10 years ago.  I love the idea that somehow we worked on the project together, just years apart.

 

Grow Your Blog Series

Early in the year, I was brainstorming what kind of new things I wanted to do on the blog, and I just kept thinking of tips and advice I'd learned during my first year of blogging that I wanted to share with others who were just starting out.  The ideas just kept coming, and as a result, the Grow Your Blog series was born.  Initially, it was a week-long series with a new tip each day, but since then, I continue to add new installments periodically.  You can find all of the posts listed with links on the sidebar.  I may or may not actually be in the process of writing an e-book including some of this information as well as other info that hasn't been posted about yet.  I continue to get a great response to this series, which is a real joy to me because my goal was to be a help to other bloggers and fill them in on what I wish I'd known when I was starting out!

 

 

Monster Jeans Patch

I saw an idea similar to this one linked up at Shine on Fridays one week {by Watch out for the Woestmans}, and couldn't resist trying it out myself.  LC's jeans had a teeny tiny almost invisible hole in them, so I ripped that sucker apart and made these.  To this day, they're his favorite pair of jeans and he wears them every time they're clean {and sometimes when they're not}.  They were a huge hit on Craftgawker and Pinterest, and the best part is how many people have emailed me links and photos of the monster patches they made that were inspired by this tutorial!  I just love that!

 

Stenciled Vanity

I still get ridiculously excited about this project because it was the first time I ever tackled furniture.  I had just received a stencil to try out from Cutting Edge Stencils and I wanted to use it on everything in the whole house.  This vanity used to be old and ugly, but I knew it could be something much more chic.  I'm so stinkin' proud that I actually did it!  Yay!

 

 

One Crafty Contest

In the early spring, I decided I wanted to try something new and exciting by running a craft contest.  It took SO much work, like organizing sponsors, coming up with official rules, choosing judges, selecting contestants, figuring out how the contest would run, and successfully moderating it, but oh, what fun it all was!  If you missed it, check out the aMAzing entries we got in each of the 5 rounds.  Be ready to have your socks knocked off!  And yes, the contest will be back in April by popular demand, so start getting your entries ready!

 

Fall Leaf Coasters

LC and I saw some tissue paper leaf coasters on Inner Child Fun and immediately knew we needed to make some of our own to help decorate for fall.  We bought a few cheap tiles at Home Depot, added some tissue paper and Mod Podge, and ended up with these!  We used them until the Christmas decorations came out and they held up wonderfully.  They were featured on Fun Family Crafts and Craftgawker, and I really hope it inspired other people to make some because they're so easy, inexpensive, kid-friendly, and fun!

 

 

Peanut Butter Balls

You all know I'm not typically a recipe-poster, but these Peanut Butter Balls from Taste of Home are simply a-MA-zing.  I made five batches between the time of the original post in November and Christmas Day.  They were a HUGE hit at church, in our family, and even with the plumber.  Everyone seriously loves them...and they got me my first and only feature on Foodgawker!  Really, if you haven't tried the recipe yet, you're missing something deLICious!

 

 

Bottlecap Snowmen

My friend Kelly and I got together back in November for a crafting date and made these cute little guys based on a picture we saw on Pinterest.  They went absolutely viral on Craftgawker and Pinterest, were featured on Fun Family Crafts, and featured on a number of independent sites in ornament roundups.  I was shocked by how much attention they got, but I do think they're awfully cute!


What about you?  What were your favorite posts and projects from 2012?
I'm looking forward to another fun year, filled with more Blogging Tips {hopefully an e-book}, a new round of One Crafty Contest, and lots more tutorials for all kinds of artsy things.  I promise they won't all involve Cammie the Silhouette Cameo...lol.
Will you join me?

Hugs & Glitter,

 

 

 

Ringing in a New Year, Artsy-Family Style

We had some really great plans for New Year's Eve.  Hubby and I were going to get all dressed up for going out to dinner and then dancing with some of our good friends.  But then, the day after Christmas, we all got sick.  Fortunately, Little Crafter and I are doing considerably better.  But hubby, not so much.  So, we decided to keep our germs to ourselves and play it low-key instead.  We didn't want to be party poopers {tell me I'm not the only one who hears Arnold in my head saying "Don't be a pah-ty poop-ah!"}, so I decided to throw together some things to make our evening at home festive and fun.

The silver lining is that Little Crafter is beyond excited about having an at-home celebration with us...and I have to admit, now that everything is coming together for our little party, I am too. 

Here's a little sneak peek at how we're going to ring in the New Year, Artsy-style!  Let me first say, thank goodness for Pinterest, other blogs, and of course, Cammie {my Silhouette Cameo} which made it possible for me to pull this all together in 48 hours.

 



THE PLAN:
Our party will run from 5-9 PM.  Every half hour, Little Crafter gets to open one of these bags and we'll do the activity described inside!



Huge kudos here to KC from The Real Thing with the Coake Family; she linked up this idea {link #1} at this week's Shine on Fridays party, and I just adapted the specific activities to fit our family.  THANK YOU, KC!!  Stop by and give her some love for such a great idea!

 

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5:00
Activity - Follow the leader {Little Crafter} to the table and Eat Dinner
In the bag - Noisemaker/blowers
On the table - Cracker Placecards

 

These are made with toilet paper/paper towel rolls.  Little Crafter helped me put a beaded necklace and a deflated balloon inside each one, then wrap them up with silver wrapping paper.  We secured the ends with wired garland, and I cut out our names and the year on adhesive gray vinyl {with Cammie's help, of course}!

 

********************************************************

5:30
Activity - Make paper plate noisemakers
In the bag - stickers, dried macaroni, jingle bells

This pic is from two years ago, but gives you an idea of what we're going to be making!

 

*************************************************

6:00
Activity - Write goals and resolutions for 2013 and share them
In the bag - Resolution printables

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6:30
Activity - Make resolution bracelets
In the bag - Waxed linen, jute, assorted small beads
{Idea from room 6}

 

These simple bracelets are made by knotting your linen or jute, stringing on as many beads as you like, knotting it again, and tying it off.  If you tie each end in a knot around the other string, it will even be adjustable.  The idea is that when you wear the bracelet, every time you see it, you'll be reminded of your resolutions, instead of forgetting them like we all tend to do.  For example, if you resolve not to gossip, every time you're tempted to talk about someone, your bracelet will be a reminder.  Or if you resolve to eat healthy or to exercise, each time you see the bracelet, you'll be reminded not to eat that candy bar or to make time for your workout.  We'll see how effective they are...!

 

**********************************************************

7:00
Activity - Play games!  Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Angry Bird UNO, and eat cookies!
In the bag - Card game
{Idea from the Coake family}

***********************************************************

7:30
Activity - Make festive streamer wands
In the bag - Craft sticks and curly ribbon
*This would also be a great time to make wishing wands, if we hadn't done it already!

 

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8:00
Activity - Funny Photo Booth with props
In the bag - Silly hat
{Idea from the Silhouette blog}

I downloaded these designs from the Silhouette online store and Cammie cut them out on black cardstock for me.  Little Crafter helped me glitter them and we put them on craft sticks when dry! {Thanks to Craftprojectideas.com for the fun glitter shakers and the craft sticks we used!}
Stay tuned to see how our pictures turn out!!  We had fun testing the props ahead of time...

 



 

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8:30
Activity - Dancing in the dark: dance with flashlights and glowsticks to "Firework"
In the bag - Glowstick
{Idea from the Coake family}

***************************************************************

9:00
Activity - Ring in the New Year by watching You Tube videos from other countries where it's already midnight, drop our own "New Year's ball," and toast with sparkling cider
In the bag - Wine glass charms
{Ideas: YouTube video from the Coake Family, Sequin ball from the 3 R's blog}

 



 

The ball is a styrofoam ball covered in sequins.  Each sequin is held in place by a straight pin.  The process took forever, but I think it's a super fun effect!

 

 

To make the charms, I just added a few seed beads and a letter bead on an earring hoop for each person.  Super-simple!

 

 

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I also included bonus activity suggestions in each bag in case we finish early and need to waste a little time before opening the next bag.  Some of those include: Play a round of "Pop the Pig," play a round of "Don't Break the Ice," play "Bop the Balloon," talk about our favorite 2012 memories, etc.

What do you think?  I think we're going to have one fabulous party!  What about you?  How will you be ringing in the new year?  Best wishes and blessings for a Happy New Year!

Hugs & Glitter,



New Year's Centerpiece and Wishing Wand

The New Year is almost here, friends!  How are you celebrating?  Are you decorating?  Hosting?  Partying with the family?  Here are two of the things we whipped up here in the Artsy House; I thought I'd share them for a bit of last minute inspiration!  Both of these were made in less than 10 minutes and used only things we already had in the house.  Easy, quick, and free; some of my favorite things!

I made a glitzy centerpiece using some silver ornaments I had laying around and some of the gold leaves I had left from the Ravens wreath I made back in October.  All I did was arrange them in my hurricane vase...I love this vase; I change it out seasonally for all kinds of fun centerpieces!  I put the leaves in first around the bottom, added seven ornaments, and stuck one last leaf in the top.  Voila.  Two minutes, no money, and lots of New Year's glamour!

 Here's project #2...this one's for the kiddos!  I saw this idea on Pinterest and immediately knew we needed to make it!

WISHING WAND

We already had all the supplies:
- cardstock
- contact paper
- scissors
- assorted sequins and glitter {ours came from our friends at CraftProjectIdeas.com!}
- marker
- a stick/dowel/pencil
- ribbon or wired garland

The original tutorial is great; we followed the instructions almost exactly, and they give a great tip for cutting a halfway decent looking six pointed star.  So, no need to reinvent the wheel.  You can check out the step by step tutorial on babycentre, but here are a few pics of LC making his version.  He looooved sprinkling and arranging the glitter and sequins on the contact paper!

As we worked, I talked with him about what it meant to set goals and make resolutions, then we wrote his around the star on both sides.  Here's what he came up with:

FRONT: In 2013, I want to play soccer, pass another belt test, earn a new belt, go to the beach.

BACK: Learn to read, play basketball, learn to divide, start eating dessert after breakfast.

Good luck with that last one!  Here he is in all his sock monkey-Angry Birds-Mommy's boots glory...

What about you?  What are your goals for the new year?  Will you start eating dessert after breakfast too?

Hugs & Glitter,