28.11.11

DIY Apothecary Style Candy Jar

This beautiful candy jar is being featured over on the My Minds Eye blog later today and I promised to explain how I created this candy jar from thrift store finds. 


Step 1: First you'll need to find a medium size candy jar with a lid. I found a variety of styles at local thrift stores, an army surplus store in our area called Smith & Edwards and even a Dollar Store or two. You'll also need to pick up average size glass candle sticks. Take a grocery sack and wrap around the jar, tucking the bag inside the jar and place the lid back on the jar. 
Step 2: In a well ventilated area spray paint the lid and the candle stick with the same color. I found that rustolium spray paint worked the best. Cheaper versions were very temperamental for me and would either bubble, crackle drip. The other thing I noticed was if the glass is too cold or two hot then the paint has issues, so room temperature is best.

Step 3: After your paint has completely dried -- about 24 hours should cure the paint. Once you've done that you'll need to take your E-6000 glue and place it along the edge of the candle stick. Be careful this adhesive is missy and very sticky!
Step 4: Turn your glass candy jar upside down and place the candle stick WITH glue on the bottom of the jar. Make sure the surface your jar is setting on is level so you don't have a lop sided jar (I know this from experience) and also do not let your teenagers or children touch the candlestick for at least 24 hours. But once it cures you cannot remove the candlestick...it's STUCK!
Step 5: Fill your jar with coordinating treats and wrap a bit of ribbon around the top to finish off the perfect handmade gift item.

As a side note, I cannot take complete credit for this project. Over a year ago, a dear friend of mine Janet Wilkins made me a jar very similar to this that sits next to my computer monitor filled with M&Ms (yummy Cherry ones right now). I love this gift item and have had so much fun knocking off her idea repeatedly for an entire year!! These are addictive and before you know it you'll be making these in all shapes and sizes for every holiday!! Once you track down a good source for the jars I find that the cost of each jar can be as low as $2-$5.00 depending on the jar. One can of spray paint goes a long ways...about 6-10 jars easily!! Enjoy making your DIY Apothecary Style Candy Jar!

Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

22.11.11

Composition Notebook Holiday Planner + Printables

I know many of my friends are in shock that I blogged twice in one week, but with the extra time off I have coming up with the Thanksgiving holiday I have been planning my handmade gift projects. This darling Composition Notebook Holiday Planner was created last year for the Cricut Circle e-magazine and remembered several of my friends and family asking to create them one this year. So I pulled out the printables and updated them for this year and figured I should share with all of you too!! 


I printed out the page inserts onto white cardstock, trimmed down and placed on pattern paper/cardstock pages that I inserted right into the book with a little adhesive along the inside edge to hold it in place. The tabs are super easy to create if you have a circle punch. And don't forget to scroll down because I've included the 2011 version of the printables you will need to create this project for yourself or a friend. 

I used my Imaginisce i-top tool to create the small custom brads you see on the cover. For the flower center I covered that with paper and tulle to create the fun texture.

And here's the printables for you all to enjoy as well. This really is a quick and easy project that will hopefully make your December much more organized. 

Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

21.11.11

Thanksgiving Decor & Holiday Host Gift Idea

I thought I would share some ideas for a couple quick and very simple holiday decor ideas for the upcoming holiday. I used my Cricut on these girls and because they were originally published in the Cricut Circle e-Magazine I can't share specifics. But I hope it will inspire you a bit. 

For your Holiday table setting cover some wood blocks from the craft store with paper. I hammered a small nail in the top and then removed it and placed bent wire in the top with a bit of glue. The wire is bent in a spiral so I could then place the nameplates in the top of each block (example shows 2 blocks on top of each other, but I would just use one). A fun technique I used on the paper leave was cutting them out, spritzing them with a brown glitter misty, crinkling them up and setting them aside to dry. They look just like fall leaves!! 

This next project was something that I thought would be a great "Holiday Hostess Gift." I purchased the lighted glass block at my local Hobby Lobby and using my Cricut, a vinyl negative and some etching cream I etched "Give Thanks" on the block. I then cute the beautiful flourish style leaves out of brown vinyl and place that around the etched words. I think wrapped brown tulle around the blog and glued a small leave/foliage sprig to the top of the tied vinyl.

Thanks for stopping by!!
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

3.11.11

November Guest Designer for My Mind's Eye

I'm so excited to announce that I'm the November Guest Designer over at My Mind's Eye. I was thrilled when Amber approached me to see if I'd be interested and I jumped up and down and said YES!! I'm a long time fan of MME as you will read in my intro on their blog today

Here's a quick sneak peek of a couple of old-time favs and newer projects featured on the MME blog today...

Yes this is one of their older Frame-ups...isn't he cute!!
I would like to add that the title on this layout was HANDCUT...
I created this before electronic cutters or die cut alphas were a plenty!! 
I hope you like what I created up for this month!! 
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

So Blessed it's November

I came across this quick and easy card I created last year for the Cricut Circle e-magazine and thought today would be a great time to share it with you. 


I loved using the pumpkin embossing plate as the background and need to do that more often, isn't it yummy? Then of course I broke out my Glimmer Mists to mist my pumpkin and I loved crinkling up the leaf and inking it for a more realistic texture. By the way, the stem is just twisted paper, looks real right?
Supply List: Apple Cider Collection by Imaginisce, Assorted Cardstocks, Cricut & Cuttlebug Embossing Plate.

Last year I started listing something I was thankful for each day of November on Facebook. However, I made the mistake of not writing them down or documenting them in any way, so they just went out to the blogsphere somewhere never to be read again. So this month I'm going to do it and try and keep track of them. I'll create something with them at the end of the month and share here on my blog. So the reason I'm telling you this, so so you thing about doing the same. 
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

1.11.11

My New Favorite App - RunPee

RunPee...because movies don't have a pause button! 

 A friend of mine showed me this new app, RunPee the other day after we finished watching a movie and I giggled all the way home. But honestly this comes in handy, even if you never leave a good flick to take a potty break. What the RunPee app does is tell you at what point in the movie would be a good time to get up and run to the restroom and how long you have...it even goes into what you may miss. But my favorite part of the app is the fact it tells you if there's anything after the credits you need to stay for because nothing sucks more then watching all the credits and then nothing comes up at the end.
Oh the other feature I really like about RunPee is the timer...so for some of my friends that really need this, you can hit start and it will tell you when it's time to run and pee. What a relief huh??
Check out RunPee for both iPhone and Droid phones.

Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

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