Fashion: Studded leather bracelet

  So....I cheated on this project, but only by accident.  I was wearing this really cute skinny leather belt that happened to be studded.  I was trying to make my belt less tight because...well I don't want to explain, and I broke it!  Then I had a splendid idea.  I wrapped the belt around my wrist and tah dah!  My leather studded bracelet was made.  Try this with your skinny belts.  Forever 21 has really cute ones as cheap as $1.80.  You will have a belt one day and a bracelet the next.  Repurpose your accessories and try things in a whole new way.  You would be surprised how different it makes your outfit look.

Thread/Needle/Fabric: Mini Yard Flag

   When I was buying my felt fabric for this project I had decided that I wanted to make a Fall flag rather than Halloween.  First I know what you're thinking, "She bought more of that dang felt fabric" and "why not Halloween?" I love Halloween I just wanted to make more of a seasonal flag and I love the colors that I picked.

How I did it:
1.  I traced a leaf pattern using my cookie cutters
2.  I cut out my pattern and embroidered the veining on the leaves
3.  I glued the leaves to the front of my flag then glued the front piece to the back by making a  line of glue at the top then about a half an inch down I put down another line of glue on the front piece and placing the back piece to the front.
   You could really do a lot of different things.  Rather than using a normal yard hook you could put a dowel through the top and then tack a string or ribbon to hang it on a door.

Fall greetings in the front flower bed.

Paint/Wood/Metal: Halloween Decorations

   To be completely honest, I had no idea what I was going to do when I first put this on my blog challenge.  I went into the craft store with nothing in mind and came up with something rather quickly.  I saw the signs that said spooky, scary etc. and they were glittery and expensive.  So I decided I was going to make my own.

Supplies:
 3 5x5 wood squares $.99 each
 Letters to spell out Boo $.99 each
 Acrylic wood paint $2.39 each
 Paint brushes
 Hot glue
 Ribbon
 Push pins

How to:
   1.  Paint your letters and wood squares your desired colors and then glue the letters to the squares.
   2.  Attach the ribbon to the back of the squares with push pins
 Hope you guys like this and make ones yourself.  This project was really easy and added a spook-takular touch to my entryway.

My supplies

Painted and set out to dry.

My ribbon attached by push pins.

Boo!  Loving this finished project.

Surprise Challenge: Inexpensive Lipstick

   This challenge actually took me by surprise.  All the lipsticks I bought and tested were awesome and I would recommend them to anyone.  Like I said before all products work differently on everyone but these are inexpensive enough to try and not feel like a waste if you end up not liking them.  Now I am completely obsessed with lipstick.


   From left to right: Maybelline in Totally Toffee, L'oreal in Raisin Rapture, NYC in Fragile Pink.
Maybelline's Totally Toffee is a nude/neutral color.  This is nice to put on with any outfit so when I had a more dramatic eye I wore this color.  It stayed on very well and I actually added the Bonn Bell's lipgloss that I used in my Surprise Challenge lipgloss blog.  The Raisin Rapture is a very dramatic color but it is a great shade for Fall/Winter.  NYC's lipstick was the biggest surprise of them all.  I really love this color.  I will probably wait to wear it more often in the Spring and Summer just because it's a very pink color.

In the Kitchen: Homemade Dog Biscuits

   Yes, I know I was suppose to make cat treats as well.  There was a slight problem...I wrote the recipe down wrong and I didn't know how to fix it so I had to throw it out.  For the dog biscuits I used a recipe off of Martha Stewarts web site.www.marthastewart.com.  At the home page go to the "Pets" tab then go to "Homemade Dog Biscuits".  The recipe calls for wheat germ.  I had such a hard time finding this.  It's not down the baking aisle it's actually down the cereal aisle by the oatmeal.  Surprisingly the mixture doesn't smell...at all.  So at least your house won't smell like dog biscuits.  My dogs did like them but I think they would eat anything.   I did buy my cookie cutters at Michael's.  It had 4 different shapes for $4.99.

The dough all ready to be rolled out.

My finished product!

Thread/Needle/Fabric: Pet Halloween Costumes

   In the middle of the night I had this idea of how to make a Halloween costume for my cats.  I thought that it would be so funny to make fish costumes so they could be "cat fish".  So this is how I did it.

Supplies:
1.  Felt fabric: 2 pieces of the same color for the body, 3 different colors for the fins, scales and straps.
2.  Buttons
3.  Hot glue gun
4.  Thread and needle

How to make it:

1.  I first drew out my pattern and then made a "test" costume out of paper.  I put it on the cats to test out the measurements and mark areas where I needed to change things.
2.  Then I traced the pattern of each piece (the body, the fins and the scales) then cut them out.  For the scales I used a large button to get the "arch" of the scales so they were uniform.
3.  I glued the top part only of the body pieces to each other so the bottom was open.  Then I glued the back fins separately to each body piece leaving the back open as well.
4. I then started gluing the scales on in an arch pattern on the body pieces.
5. Once I had all of the body done I glued a strap just below the neckline of the costume and then one across the belly only gluing one side of the belly strap.  I sewed a button on the inside of the body where the bottom strap would come across then made my slit in the strap.

  This project was a total success considering I made my own pattern and had nothing to go by except my own ideas.  I took as many pictures as I could to show how I did it.  I hope you guys like it.  Please if you have any questions leave a comment and I will be glad to answer.

My supplies

My patterns traced onto my felt.

Hot gluing the top part of the body.

My scales cut out in rows.

The scales cut into individual pieces.

Sewing the button on the inside for the bottom strap.

See how the bottom is open so you can put it on your pet?

Our one kitty showing off her costume.

This one knows how to model the product.

Organization/Cleaning/Decorating: Photo boxes repurposed for the office

   I found these white photo boxes at Michaels one day for $2 each.  The sucker that I am for buying stuff that I can organize with I bought 2 of them not knowing what I was even going to do with them.  Should I paint them?  Should I get really cool paper and cut out designs and then mod podge it?  Then one day I was at Fred Meyer and was looking at more organizational things (yes again).  I found contact paper in this really pretty pattern.  So that's how this project came about.

Supplies:
1.  Photo boxes- Michaels $2 each
2.  Contact paper- Fred Meyer $6.99 for a 24 ft roll
 (of course you need scissors and a pencil)

  Take your photo box and gently remove the silver label holder if your box has one.  Then roll out your contact paper and trace each side of the box and lid.  Cut your pieces out and start to peeling and sticking!  The contact paper is really forgiving and you can peel it back if you position it wrong or if you get air bubbles.  Easy right?

My supplies

My pieces traced and cut out.

Finished and ready to be used.

Side view of box

In The Kitchen: Drying and Preserving herbs

   Ever since I have started to keep a garden I have had herbs.  My first garden had a ton of different herbs and I didn't use all of them.  I really didn't know how to use them after season until now.  Drying and preserving herbs is easy.  Thyme is out of control in my garden and like most herbs the more you pick it the more it grows so this technique has come in handy.  Here's how easy it is.

1.  After cutting herbs wash them and pat them drying.
2.  Wrap kitchen twine around the top and make a loop.
3.  Hang herbs upside down for 4-10 days in a dry, cool place
4.  Once the herbs are crisp pick leaves off the stems and place in an air tight container.

   Label and date them and place in a dry, cool place.  Herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage are good for this particular process.  They will last up to 6 months, so just in time for the next season.

Other ideas I have come up with is seasoned salts.  Dried herbs and salts would be a great and unique gift for someone.  Just take sea salt and dried herbs and mix together, place in an air tight container.  I would label and date it as well and probably give it the same shelf life.

 The containers I bought at World Market/Cost Plus for .99!  They are glass and have colored ceramic tops.  Super cute and fun for gifts.  Here are my pictures below, I hope you guys try this out!

My containers, herbs and twine.

Hanging to dry!  See you in a few days.

Dried and ready to go.  See how much color has faded?

Photo Challenge Blog: Funny photo

   This is my funny photo.  We bought these glasses and had to show them off.

Nothing like wearing our sunglasses at night.

Paper and Glue: Halloween Treat Bags

   I love to give out treats for Halloween, really any holiday I love surprising people with a little goody bag of some sort.  Weather it's sending out packages to our friends and family that are a little further from home or making up baggies for co-workers I love putting the goodies in a cute, decorative package.  So I was trying to come up with a way to use all my Halloween stamps that I have accumulated over the last couple of years and I got this idea.  Goodie bags.  You could also make wrapping paper and cards with just a simple stamp and plain card stock.  I hope you guys like this easy project.

What you need:
1. Paper lunch bags-  I got mine at Winco a package of 50 for .89
2. Stamps- Michaels for $1
3. Ink pads- Michaels for about $2.50

 I took my stamps and just started stamping the bag.  I did different designs and had fun with it.  I really had no rhyme or reason to my design.  Then I just tied Halloween ribbon at the top to close it just for an extra touch.  You could really do this with stickers as well.  Be creative and have fun.  It's a great project to do with the kids.

Surprise challenge: Inexpensive Lipgloss and Lipstick to the Test!

   So I have never really been a lipstick or lipgloss person but I have always wanted to be.  I don't know if it's because I am not very brave to try colors or what but I put myself up to trying out cheap lipgloss and lipstick before I really go crazy building up a collection.  I do realize that there are brands that work for some and not for others but this post is for the ones out there that are like me.  I didn't know where to start and really I didn't want to spend $10 or more on something that I would hate.  I just want to find out what works for me and get myself use to having something like lipstick/lipgloss on all the time.  So this week I bought 3 drugstore lipglosses and next week I will buy 3 drugstore lipsticks.  I have already tested out my lipgloss.
    1.  NYC's Kiss Gloss in #531 City Sorbet-  This didn't stay on my lips the best but I loved the color. I am thinking that this would stay with a lip primer a little better though.
    2.  Bonne Bell's Lip Lites in Cappchino- This stayed on pretty well but I think this would be better over a lipstick to give it some shine.  It did keep my lips glossy as it wore off so I might be able to get past the color.
    3.  Wet and Wild's #576A-  I loved this all around.  It stays, the color is fantastic and I would buy it again.
   I hope this helps anyone out there.  The price range for these were anywhere from $1.98 to $2.98.  Yes very, very inexpensive but somewhere to start.  Look for next weeks lipstick challenge and my results from that.

Bonne Bell, Wet n' Wild, NYC

Photo Challenge Blog: Plants or Flowers

   I chose to take a picture of my garden for this post.  I am very proud of our garden.  I have learned how to can and use everything out of the garden in different ways for recipes.

October's Creative Challenge list

   This month brings so many great creative opportunities it's scary (yes, I really meant to do that).  I can't wait to get started and show you what you can do.  I will be adding something new to my blog that I find will be a lot of fun and maybe spark some interest.  Each month I will note what is celebrated and I will pick a couple daily holidays as well.  For instance, this month is Breast Cancer Awareness and on the 15th it is called Sweetest  Day.  Knowledge is power and the more we know how to celebrate things in life the more we enjoy it.  So, with that all said here is this months list.

In The Kitchen: Drying and preserving herbs from your garden
                          Homemade cat and dog treats
Organizing/Cleaning/Decorating: Photo boxes repurposed for the office
Paper and Glue:  Halloween treat bags
                            Sweetest Day cards
Thread/Needle/Fabric:  Mini Halloween yard flags
                                      Pet Halloween costumes
Paint/Wood/Metal:  Halloween decorations
Fashion:  Studded leather bracelets

Monthly holidays:  Breast Cancer Awareness and Cookie month
Daily holidays:  World Teachers Day is the 5th
                          Sweetest Day is the 15th (every 3rd Saturday of Oct.)
                          National Candy Corn Day is the 30th