The Crafty Lefty

[Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.] Ok - we've all seen those super cute felt ball garlands on Etsy, on Pinterest, they're even at the Dollar Spot at Target! But if you're like me, you're tired of just stringing them from a doorway or your mantle. And what if you don't even have a mantle (like me)? Well, today, I'm giving you 7 unique ways to display your felt ball garland around your house! I swear, if I come home with another felt ball garland this holiday, the hubs might stage an intervention. I have a #feltaddiction. #sorrynotsorry Idea #1 - Cloud Felt Garland As Curtain Tie-Back I first saw this idea on Etsy as I was looking for a felt ball garland to display in my daughter's nursery. What a great way to incorporate your theme colors in any room, and add a soft touch to your drapes! I added clouds to this felt ball garland because we have a hot air balloon theme in our daughter's room. I actually purchased the clouds and the felt balls separately from Shop Cherry Sprinkles on Etsy, and strung them with pink twine. I had never made my own felt garland before, but wanted to mix and match different colors to see what combination I would like. Turns out, her shop has this really easy-to-use Needle Kit for $1 which includes a super long needle and some baker's twine in the length and color of your choice. It was such an easy 5 minute craft project, that I ended up making many more garlands using the felt balls from her shop! See below. Idea #2 - Felt Acorn Garland on Holiday Wreath I absolutely love making holiday wreaths and adding felt flowers to them, so adding this acorn felt garland instead of flowers was a fun twist on that idea. I purchased this acorn felt garland from West of Chelsea on Etsy several years ago. Instead of stringing it from a doorway like I usually do, I decided to add it to a small wreath. I didn't want to add too many extra details, and tried to go with a minimalist approach so that the tiny felt acorns would stand out. First, I got a small 11 inch white foam wreath from Joann's, and covered it with chunky off-white yarn. I already had the bird ornament from before, but you can get these super cute ones on Amazon. I got the orange ribbon from Michaels. After I positioned the hanging bird, I strung these 5 colorful felt acorns on white and gold twine and looped it around my wreath towards the bottom. I made sure to use twine that would blend in with the yarn, so all you could see were the bright colors of the acorns. I ended up hanging this on our coat closet door since that's what guests see as soon as they enter. Idea #3 - Felt Christmas Garland on Mug Holder I was super excited to spruce up my mug holder this holiday season, and wanted to add a Christmas-y touch to it. (I'm not really a coffee drinker, tea is more my jam, hence the mug display.) I purchased these felt balls from Shop Cherry Sprinkles on Etsy, and strung them with red and white twine. She has lots of really cute peppermint patty ready-made wool felted garlands, but since my colors didn't match any of the ones she had, I bought individual peppermint patties, mint, red, and white felt balls from her shop, and strung them myself using her $1 Needle Kit. To complement the felt Christmas garland, I got some mint-colored paper straws from Amazon, candy canes from Target, and some coffee-mocha flavored hot chocolate spoons. Idea #4 - Acorn Felt Garland On Tier Tray So if you know me, you know I love a cute (but cheap!) tier tray display. In fact, I did a step-by-step tutorial on how to decorate your own tier tray with only $1 store finds. Check out the video here. So after I decorated it, I thought why not switch things up a little bit and substitute the green leaf wreath for an acorn garland? I thought it came out super cute, and was a fun way to use my extra acorn garlands for the fall. I got this particular acorn garland from West of Chelsea on Etsy several years ago. Idea #5 - Cloud Felt Garland On Picture Frame Again, I got this idea from spending waaaaaay too long clicking through Etsy one day, but I saw that folks were using their felt garlands to add as an accent to their felt letter boards. I thought, why not string my felt ball garland on the door sign for my daughter's nursery? As I mentioned, her nursery theme is hot air balloons, so we decorated her nursery with mint and pink clouds and hot air balloons. I used the same set of colors and clouds that I purchased from Shop Cherry Sprinkles on Etsy, and strung them with pink twine using her $1 Needle Kit. To make sure the garland stays in the right place, I taped the twine to the back of her sign. Idea #6 - DIY Felt Leaf Garland As A Table Runner Ok, I know this isn't a felt ball garland, but it is felt ok?! I got this idea from Alice and Lois, and their holiday felt garland. I put my own spin on this DIY Felt Leaf Garland by adding some darker green shadow leaves and hot glueing all of the felt leaves to a green ribbon I got from Michaels instead of to each other. I think it turned out to be a great accent to my table runner for my Thanksgiving table scape, and I got lots of compliments. :) To learn how to make this DIY felt leaf garland, definitely check out Alice and Lois's tutorial in the link above. And if you want me to show you how I did mine, leave me a message in the comments! Idea #7 - Felt Pom Pom Garland Around Cake Stand Why not add a felt pom pom garland to decorate your cake stand? I used my Mini Heart Cupcake Toppers for a party the other day, and decided to decorate the cake stand with my leftover pink and white pom pom felt balls from Shop Cherry Sprinkles on Etsy. I strung them with light pink and white twine, and secured the garland to the cake stand with tape. ...and that's it! How do you use your felt ball garlands at home? Let me know in the comments below!

[Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.] Hi ya'll! It's that time of year -- turkey dinner, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and endless amounts of biscuits...am I right?!? It's also that time when large gatherings are the norm, and it's a great excuse to break out that fancy tablecloth you got on the holiday sale last year. With fancy tablecloths come table settings and with table settings, yes, you guessed it, place cards! Even if you're not fancy enough for place cards, who cares? It's a great excuse to craft, and look at how cute these thanksgiving name cards are? They are relatively easy to make with a few key craft supplies. Prefer watching the YouTube tutorial? Head on over - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0DHRxNBcQ4 Thanksgiving Name Card #1: 3D Pumpkin with Vines Supplies: scissors leaf ribbon with wire glue marker pencil ruler tape off-white cardstock paper - 6" tall by 4.25" wide orange cardstock paper - 10" long by 3" wide bronze/brown paper - 1" square 2 large foam squares Optional Supplies: bone folder 2" circle punch The first thing you're going to do is cut your off-white cardstock into 6" tall by 4.25" wide. Using a bone folder or just your fingertips, fold the card in half, so that it becomes 3" tall and 4.25" wide. This is your name card base. Then, take your 1" square bronze/brown paper, and accordion fold it into super thin folds. This will be the stem for your pumpkin. This is what your stem should look like now. Next, take your tape and wrap it around one end of the folded stem to secure the folds together. Place the stem off to the side. Next, take your 2" punch and the orange cardstock. Punch out 4 orange circles. If you don't have a punch, no worries! Just cut out 4 two inch circles from your orange cardstock. Then, fold your circles in half. Now we are ready to build our pumpkin. Take your first half-circle, and put glue on the flat side. Take the next half-circle and add it on top of the half-circle with the glue. Keep building one half-circle on top of the next until all 4 circles have been glued together. Now you'll have to work quickly before the glue sets. Take your stem that you made earlier and squeeze it between the 2nd and 3rd folds in your semi-circle. Apply some pressure on the folded half-circles to secure the stem inside. When you open your pumpkin, it should now look like this: Next, take your wire leaf ribbon and cut 6 inches of it. Take a pen or pencil and wrap your ribbon tightly around it. Pull the ribbon off the pen or pencil, and ensure the coil stays tight. Find the halfway point in the ribbon and tape it to the back of your pumpkin. Bring the coiled vine in front of both sides of the pumpkin. Once you're happy with the way the vines are placed, take two foam squares and place them on the back of the pumpkin. Stick the pumpkin to your place card down on one side so you have room to write a name on the side. Apply pressure to the pumpkin to secure it to the card. Congrats -- you just finished making your Thanksgiving 3D pumpkin place card! Thanksgiving Name Card #2: Paper Flowers on a Wooden Disc Supplies: hot glue gun marker 4 paper flowers 3.5" wooden oval disc 2 large foam squares shimmer paper (or any paper that will complement your wooden disc and flower colors) Optional Supplies: oval punch The first thing you will need to do is place your paper flowers (and leaves, if your flower packet came with leaves) in the design that you would like on your wooden disc. If your disc is like mine, there will be a hole (for hanging it as an ornament). I wanted to cover the hole so I placed one of my flowers on top of it. Once I was happy with the design, I took each flower/leaf and placed a few dabs of hot glue on the flattest part to secure it to the disc. Next, we need to prepare our name tag. This is what happens when you write directly on the wooden oval disc with a marker. Because of the grains of wood, the marker will bleed. For this reason, you will need to write on your shimmer paper, and then cut that into an oval shape to adhere to the wooden disc. You can certainly cut your paper into an oval by hand, but I had an oval punch, so I used that. After you have written a name on the paper, add a few foam squares to the back of the oval. This will raise the paper slightly higher than regular glue would, and will give your name card a more 3 dimensional look. Secure your paper to the oval disc and try to wedge it under the leaves and flowers that you previously hot glued. Since you didn't hot glue each petal down, it should be easy to lift them on the sides and place the paper underneath. And that's it! You're done with your Paper Flower Place Card! Thanksgiving Name Card #3: Falling Fall Leaves Supplies: leaf punch - this is not the exact one that I used, but any leaf punch will work small foam squares glue marker pencil ruler off-white or tan cardstock paper - 4" by 5" orange cardstock paper bronze/brown paper cardstock paper mustard cardstock paper green cardstock paper red cardstock paper Optional Supplies: bone folder large foam squares lighter-colored paper for name darker-colored paper. for frame The first thing you're going to do is cut your off-white/tan cardstock into 4" tall by 5" wide. Using a bone folder or just your fingertips, fold the card in half, so that it becomes 2" tall and 5" wide. This is your name card base. Next, start punching out a few leaves in every color cardstock. Now you will place your bottom layer of leaves on your name card. Arrange them in a design that you like, and then secure them to the cardstock with glue. After that, you can take a few of your remaining leaves, and curl them around a pen/pencil. This will give them a more realistic look. Then, strategically place them on top of your first layer of leaves and secure them with small foam squares. At this point, you can either: 1) write a name directly on your cardstock with a marker or 2) you can write a name on a separate lighter piece of paper, and then cut a darker piece of paper as your frame for the name. I did the latter, and added large foam squares to the bottom of the lighter piece of paper so that it would be raised. ....and that's it! You've just finished your Falling Leaves Thanksgiving Name Card!

Prefer watching over reading? Head over to The Crafty Lefty's YouTube Channel to see all the action! PRODUCT REVIEW - PAPER SOURCE'S FALL FOLDED LEAVES GARLAND Are you looking for an easy leaf craft idea? Look no further - The Crafty Lefty's got you. Keep reading for a super cute leaf craft project. So anyone that knows me knows I love ALL things Paper Source. It's my favorite craft shop because it has the cutest crafts, unique supplies (sticker maker, anyone?), and I just love going there for craft inspo. I've attended their craft workshops a few times, and totally love their easy-to-create kits, but I've only made a few of their garlands. So, I was super excited to try their Folded Leaves Garland Kit, and thought I'd go ahead and do a product review on it. First things first, you're going to need the following supplies - a ruler, scissors, double-sided tape, and a bone folder. The bone folder is optional, but the salesman at Paper Source assured me that it is a "life-changer". *Full disclosure, it didn't change my life, but it's definitely a super handy craft tool, and one that I will definitely be using for all my future paper folding needs. Paper Source also give you a set of instructions for how to create your Folded Fall Leaves Garland (say that 10X fast) on the back of the packet. Fairly simple instructions, and since it's a skill level of 2, I wasn't anticipating any issues. The kit comes with 12 perforated leaves on 6 different fall colored papers and a long length of kraft twine. The first thing you're going to do is cut 7 inches of twine. This length will be used to tie your leaf together at the end. You will need 12 strands of 7 inch twine, one for each of your leaves. Next, start punching out your leaves from the perforated papers. Paper Source usually does a great job of providing everything you need for their craft kits without having to spend a lot of time cutting/tracing. This kit did not disappoint! I had a few issues with some of the corners, but other than that, it was a breeze. Next, you are going to fold your leaf in half by lining up the edges and leaf points together. Next, if you have a bone folder, use it to press down all along the fold you just created. This will give you a sharp crease which will come in handy later. Next, you will start accordion folding the leaf, starting on one side and making your way to the other. I decided to use a bone folder about half way through the folds just to make those creases very sharp so it was easier for me to hold the paper in my hands as I was weaving it back and forth. Then, you will fold your leaf in half on that first crease mark you made when you first folded your leaf in half -- told you you that bone folder would come in handy! Use your 7 inches of twine to make a few knots around your leaf at that halfway point. After that, you will need to use double-sided tape to ensure that your leaf stays together when you match the edges back up. The middle of your leaf should be the tallest part, so those two strips of paper in the middle need to stick to each other to ensure your leaf stays open. Take a few pieces of double-sided tape to stick on those two strips. Then, apply pressure to join the two flaps together. After that, you just need to create the rest of your leaves! Finally, take the remaining length of twine, tie each leaf on it, ensuring that you are adding leaves to the twine in the order in which you would like to see them hang once complete. Also, you will notice that even after a double knot, the leaves are still easily movable on the twine. That's great for us because that means you can string all your leaves and then adjust them on the twine to your liking afterwards. These are some ideas for how to showcase your Paper Source Folded Fall Leaves Garland (did you say it 10x yet?): -as an accent to your table runner for your fall tablescape - - as a place card holder for your Thanksgiving table - -as a super cute addition to any fall decor you have at home - THE CRAFTY LEFTY'S PRODUCT REVIEW PAPER SOURCE'S FALL FOLDED LEAVES GARLAND great beginner craft for the Fall easy and quick to make; you can knock this out in an afternoon requires simple supplies that you should have at home, otherwise, very readily available colors of the leaves blend in easily with most home decor I did notice that some paper colors were easier to fold -- the white and kraft colored papers, for example. I had a harder time with the metallic paper, and really needed to take my time to ensure that I was folding the leaf along the score lines. My suggestion for improvement: Ensure all paper weight is the same so it can easily be folded along the score lines. And that's it, folks! I hope you liked the product review. If you have created the Paper Source Folded Fall Leaves Garland at home, definitely let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear what your take was! Again, if you want to watch the full video tutorial and product review, be sure to visit our YouTube channel here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GDbMHrT-Wg

[Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.] Tired of drooling over those fabulous Pins of beautifully decorated tiered trays for the holidays – but don’t want to break the bank? If so, keep reading to learn how you can decorate your own Fall tiered tray with only dollar section buys! Also, check out my DIY video tutorial to see me building it all from scratch! Tiered Tray This is the tier tray that I have. I know it looks pretty rustic, but after I started decorating it for each different holiday, I thought it was pretty versatile. You want to find a tier tray that can blend in with your own decor and also be a blank canvas for all your decor pieces. What I appreciated about this tier tray was that it was: Multi-purpose - It can be used year-round for any holiday. Versatile - It won't compete with the décor items that you place on it as it has a muted color and finish. Larger - The bottom tier is larger in diameter (15 inches) than most tiered trays so you are able to display more items. Customizable - This particular tier tray comes with 3 different top decorative pieces – gold, silver and black – to match your décor/holiday vibe. The tier tray itself also has come in three different color options -- black, white and rustic brown. I chose the latter. So, in case you're interested in purchasing this exact tray, you can find it here. First, before you start selecting pieces for your tier tray, there are three things I try to keep in mind: Varying heights - Be sure to select pieces that are shorter and taller than most of your decor, and place them sporadically across every tier of your tier tray. Different textures - Be sure to select pieces that have varying textures. Find pieces that are smooth, but also ones that have soft and rough textures to them. Colors - Select 2-4 colors for the pieces on your tier tray. If you stay within the same color family, your tier tray will have a more cohesive look. Below are the pieces that I selected for my Fall Tiered Tray decor. Another thing I like to do when starting any new decorating project, is to find an inspiration piece / pieces first. Let’s say you really love a set of ornaments for Christmas that you want to feature on your tiered tray. Build the rest of your items around those ornaments. Let those ornaments determine your color scheme, and find other items that will complement – not compete – with those ornaments for attention. In my case, I found this Target tiered tray starter kit first and then found the pumpkins, candle holders, etc. to match/complement those pieces later. Unfortunately, I can't find these exact pieces on Target's website at the moment, but they almost always have one kind of tier tray starter kit in their dollar section at this time of year. (Sorry, I don't have a picture of the packaging because I was so excited to get it, that I opened it right away before taking a pic!!) #newbieblogger They also have lots of other types of Fall pumpkins on their website. Click on these links to see the different types - velvet, plush, wood, etc. Fall Tiered Tray Decor & Prices 99 Cents Only Stores Pieces 3 votives - $3 2 short candle holders - $2 1 tall candle holder - $2 2 mugs - $2 Target Pieces Tier Tray Starter Kit - $5 2 big pumpkins - $3 each - $6 3 small pupmkins - $1 each - $3 Wreath - $3 3 Mini Wreaths - $3 After I had collected all of my pieces, I realized that I needed to accent the tier tray with something that would brighten everything up. So I found some greenery to wrap around the bottom tier from the dollar section at Target as well as to put inside the top tier coffee mug. Technically, these are wreaths from their Christmas line, but because of the type of leaves on the wreaths, and the fact that's light green, it can double for fall decor. I wanted to add the mini wreaths to the coffee mug on my top tier to almost make it look like a potted plant. I simply unbent the wire holding the wreath together, and instead of keeping it a circle, I pinched it in the middle to make it more of an elliptical shape. Then I just placed it inside of the mug so that the leaves would spill out the top and over the sides. I added another mini wreath placed perpendicular to the first one in the same mug for added fullness. For the bottom tier, I wanted to repeat that same greenery effect, but the wreath is not long enough to go around the whole bottom tier. So, I had to figure out a way to adhere it to my tier tray so that it would be strong, but did not want to use a permanent adhesive because then I couldn't switch out the decor when I wanted to. So, I thought using twine -- to tie to both ends of the wreath -- and then wrap and tie the twine together, was a good option. First, I did the same thing that I did with the mini wreath. I unbent the wire holding the wreath together, and then took some brown twine (so it would match my tier tray) and tied a knot around one of the wire ends of the wreath. I kept my knot about an inch from the end of the wire so it wouldn't slip off. I left an extra long string to make sure I had enough string to tie the wreath tightly to the tray. I repeated this with the other wire end by tying another knot of twine on that side. Then I wrapped the wreath around the bottom tier, and brought the two twine ends together to make a double knot and then a bow. And that's it, yall! Super easy! In total, I spent $29 (excluding tax) on my Fall tiered tray decor, and I think it came out pretty good! Let me know what you think in the comments, and please let me know how you find inspirational decor pieces for your own Fall tiered trays!

Do you want to create this Halloween wreath with just 5 simple craft supplies, all for $20? If so, check out my step-by-step video tutorial here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow_EWreq1F4 Prefer reading? No prob -- Just follow the instructions below. I first saw this wreath on Pinterest a few years ago and thought it was super cute and just the right kind of Halloween vibe I was looking for. Below, I have listed prices and locations for where I purchased all of my supplies. Please Note: You will need to use the Michael's/Joann's online coupons in order to get your wreath cost to $20 or below. [Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.] Supply Checklist: Foam wreath – I used a 16-inch flat foam wreath that you can find at any craft supply store. I bought this particular wreath from my Joann’s store for $11, full price (but it’s even cheaper online now). It’s important that you get the flat wreath, and not the ones that are rounded. The flat part of the wreath is where all of the paper scrolls will be glued, so you want to make sure you have enough room for them. [Warning: Totally unflattering pic below.] Ribbon – I used a burlap, 5-inch ribbon for $5.49 from Michael’s. A few things to keep in mind when choosing your ribbon: Width - A 5-inch ribbon is wide enough that it doesn’t take so many loops to cover the entire wreath, but small enough that it will be easier to bend and loop around the curves of the wreath. Weave – You will want to use a tight weave ribbon, as opposed to an open weave, for this project. An open weave ribbon is more transparent and will require you to cover the wreath with several layers of ribbon so that you won’t be able to see the foam underneath. Design - I wanted to use plain burlap for this particular wreath because I wanted the paper scrolls and the raven centerpiece to be the main focal points of this wreath. The ribbon I used has gold woven into the burlap, so it has a subtle shine. Be careful that you don’t choose a ribbon that has an intricate pattern, as it might make your wreath look too busy when you attach all the paper scrolls on top. Type – For wreath wrapping, I prefer using a ribbon with a wire trim as it helps the ribbon stay in place easier. So, you’ll want to start wrapping your ribbon by placing the end flap at the back of your wreath and when you start wrapping, be sure to leave about 1 to 1 ½ inches between each pleat. When you get back to the beginning of the wreath where you started, fold the ribbon one last time so that it overlaps your first pleat. Then, use hot glue to secure the last fold to your wreath. Paper scrolls – I used old book pages to make these paper scrolls. [This pic's not much better, sorry :/] Libraries will sometimes have bargain bins where you can purchase old books for 25 or 50 cents. Look for narrow books because you’ll want your paper scrolls to be no more than about 4 inches wide. Since the look of this wreath is achieved by stacking the scrolls on top of each other, you’ll want the scrolls to be rolled tightly. You will also have to make between 35 to 40 scrolls depending on how full you would like your wreath to look. To make the scrolls, start by tearing out a page from your book. Start rolling the paper from one end to the other. Run a line of hot glue across the bottom of the page and fold it over the roll to keep your scroll together. Repeat with the other book pages and vary the thickness of your scrolls. I think this wreath looks better when the scrolls are varying sizes. String to tie the scrolls – I used a jute twine to tie my scrolls together from Michael’s for $3.49, full price. [Finally! A good pic.] This wreath looks a bit rustic with the paper scrolls and burlap ribbon, so I wanted to continue that look with the jute twine. However, if you would like more print on the wreath, you could use a thin lace ribbon or ribbon with a small print. Once you have 3 or 4 scrolls prepared, you will need to group them together and tie them together with your string. Once you’ve made a double knot, you can keep your ends long or short depending on your preference. At this point, you will need to hot glue all of your scrolls bunches to your wreath. Start by placing them in varying directions on your wreath, and once you are happy with the placement, hot glue the bottom of the scrolls to the wreath. Once you have completed that layer, place the remaining scroll bunches as a second layer on top of the scrolls you just glued. This will give a more 3-dimensional look to your wreath. Raven and Stick - Center Decorative Item – I used a raven because I thought that would be the best centerpiece for this scroll wreath, but a spider, a skeleton hand, or skull would look great as well. You can find a raven at Michaels or Amazon for $5 or less. The Halloween ravens that are sold in stores usually have a wire attached at the bottom of the figure so you can wrap the raven around something to stand it up straight. In this case, you will be wrapping it around a stick that is placed in the inside circle of the wreath. I got the stick for my wreath in my backyard – no joke! Once you’ve found a stick that you like, position it inside the wreath where you would like it. Then, press the stick hard down into the foam. Use hot glue to secure the stick to the wreath. Then, place your raven on the stick, and use the raven’s wire to wrap its feet tightly to the stick. To make the raven even more secure (since this will be hanging outside on your door), use hot glue to bind the raven’s feet to the stick. And that’s it! You’re done! You’ve completed your Halloween wreath, all for just $20!

No clue what to get Mom this Mother's Day? Don't worry -- you don't have to be a pro-DIYer to make her this fab gift! Just grab a deck of cards from your local $1 store, and write what you love about Mom on each card. Better yet, hand out a few cards to your siblings and dad (don't forget the grandkids!) so each family member can design their own. To dial it up a notch, use washi tape, colorful markers and decorated paper to accent your cards. Finish by punching two holes, and add binder rings (found at any office supply store) to keep the deck together. I gave this to my Mom for Mother's Day last year, and she loved it!

We've all been to our fair share of bridal showers and bachelorette parties for our BFFs. Tired of floral tea cups and pink tulle decor? For this bride, we chose bold colors like black, white, and gold and did a stylish, art deco twist for her special day. Black and white striped popcorn boxes holding caramel popcorn were decorated with a gold rimmed message that said, "[groom's name] POPPED the Question!' White and gold cake balls were topped with gold hearts and black and gold arrows. Ferrero Rocher chocolates were placed in champagne glasses with a wine charm in the shape of a diamond ring which was printed with the words, "He put a ring on it!" Guests were treated to a gift in the form of a chalkboard mason jar labeled with each girl's name which was filled with a manicure kit, nail polish, and metallic tattoos. Gold tissue and a black and white striped straw completed the look. (NOT PICTURED -- a table banner that was made using heavy cardstock and gold twine that said MISS --> MRS and black and gold balloons that were placed around the room.)

...and we're back! We took a rather long break for the holidays, but we're back just in time to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow! Hale House on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth, TX is selling our sweet rose bobby pins and some of our Valentine's greeting cards. Stop by to check them out!

I saw an actress wear a version of this necklace on one of my favorite shows and thought I'd take a stab at making it myself. Turns out, it's super easy! The first thing you need is to get a clasp for your necklace which you can find at any local craft/jewelry making store. I chose gold lobster clasps from Michaels, but you can easily find them at Hobby Lobby or Jo Ann's. Next, select your twine color and the type of clothespins you like. I opted for the mini clothespins this time, but I think it would look super cute with the medium clothespins that I've seen at Michaels. A packet of clothespins can range from $3 to $4 (don't forget their 40% off online coupons), the lobster clasps were $2.99 for a packet of 5, and I bought the black spool of twine for $1.50. Now all you have to do is assemble --> I cut the twine to the length I wanted for the necklace, and double knotted the ends to the two parts of the lobster clasp. Then, I arranged the clothespins in whatever design I wanted. It works better for the mini clothespins if you string them closer together (as shown in the picture). Otherwise, they tend to flip over and your necklaces looks a bit messy like that. I think next time, I'll mix black and white medium clothespins together and spread them so you can see the twine in between each pin. These would also be great as party favors, Valentine's gifts for your girlfriends or bridal shower favors. You can match the clothespins to the party colors! Let me know if you like the necklace and/or if you made your own!

Hi folks! We're pumped to tell you that the Crafty Lefty's products are now available in another retail location -- Love Sweet Things Bakery! Stop by and you can see our all occasion gift tags, as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas gift tags. They are also selling our Thanksgiving and Christmas cake banners. Check us out at their cute bakery located at 7430 North Beach Street in Fort Worth (and pick up some of their scrumptious cupcakes to go!)

Hurry! Michaels is having a 50% off sale on their Thanksgiving crafts this week! This is the second year that I've bought holiday craft kits from Michaels, and I haven't been disappointed. I find that their selection & types of crafts is much better than the competitors -- JoAnn and Hobby Lobby. I went to a fall picnic last week where I was hosting a craft table for kids, ages 5 to 10. I got the following three kits from Michaels: I found that the fall animals kit (far left) was great for the little ones - ages 4 to 5. I used the turkey craft kit and the foam shapes for the kids who were a little older (or just a little more focused!) The foam shapes kit comes with over a hundred foam fall leaves, pumpkins, acorns, and feathers. Now, if you're not crafty and don't know what you could do with these foam shapes besides having the kids stick them on a plain piece of paper -- scour Pinterest for ideas! It's a great resource for any holiday or DIY crafts. I had the kids make a Thanksgiving wreath with the foam shapes. I also made construction paper leaves ahead of time, on which I had them write what they were most thankful for. I still have a bunch of foam shapes left, so I thought they could make a frame and decorate it with the foam shapes. Here's how I did it: I took 4 jumbo popsicle sticks and glued them in the shape of a frame with wood glue. Then, I stamped "thankful" on the bottom and decorated the frame with the foam shapes. I'm planning on having my nieces and nephew do this when they come home for Thanksgiving. I'll take a picture of them with their family on Thanksgiving Day that they can put in the frame to remember this Thanksgiving. These are the completed crafts: Don't they look fun? Be sure to leave a comment if you are doing any crafts with your kiddos this holiday.

A few weeks ago, I was in Costco, and my mom and I were looking for gifts for my neice and nephew. We were strolling in the Christmas toy aisle, and I spotted the Giant Art Jar. Speaking as someone who regularly has pom poms, felt, popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners at home at any given time, I was amazed that this jar has everything you need to construct over 100 art projects with your little ones! It comes with a detailed instruction booklet, complete with color images for every craft that you can make, and EVERYTHING that you need to build these crafts. My 6 year old niece and I created some crafts from this jar last week. I let her go through the booklet and pick the craft that she wanted. She made the popsicle stick butterfly and the bird nest scene on the paper plate. (Full disclosure: I didn't have the patience to take out every single thing from the jar to see if it included glue, so I used my own glue.) She was the perfect age and temperament for these activities. I don't think kiddos under 4 (unless they're really focused and have developed their fine motor skills) would be good for this, and it's probably going to entertain kiddos all the way up to 8 or 9. I would definitely recommend this for a rainy day activity or a sunny day activity when you've run out of ideas to do with your kiddos!