Puffy Heart Necklace Tutorial

Who doesn't love puffy hearts? I made these puffy heart necklaces a few years ago and never blogged about them. Then I was at the craft store and I saw a cute little box of puffy hearts. First I made a puffy heart wreath and now I made another puffy heart necklace for my daughter - because puffy hearts are always a  good thing and you have hearts left over after you make the wreath!

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Puffy Heart Wreath: 15 Minute Wreaths

When it comes to me and holidays...any holiday, my motto is "It ain't over til its over." And while I realize Valentines Day is right around the corner, I just couldn't resist making this adorable Valentines Day Wreath. I puffy heart love this puffy heart wreath so much! And guess what....? It took my less than 15 minutes to make...and if you make it my way, all of the supplies are reusable.

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Heart Surprise Pound Cake

In my house we are creatures of habit. So, every year as hearts go up around school and stores, cupid makes his appearance, and everything starts turning pink, my daughter begins to ask for the "Special Valentines Bread." I am always happy to oblige...I mean this pound cake with a surprise heart is so darn cute and always surprises not only the kiddos but adults too!

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Printable Valentine Tags: You're just DUCKY!

Do you remember those adorable Just Ducky Valentines from last year...well, guess what? The rubber duck OBSESSION continues!And it doesn't hurt that these ducky valentines were a big HIT last year. This year, my daughter wants to do them again (There is only one kiddo in her class from last year, so it is practically a new idea for everyone else).  However, this year, I designed some CUTIE-PATOOTIE printable tags to go with them!

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Rustic Wood Wedding Sign

I spent many, many years planning fabulous weddings...and I gotta tell ya...I miss it (not the long hours...but everything else). Last year an amazing caterer I know asked me to make these rustic wood wedding signs for each of her couples. I love the idea and they are such an amazing wedding keepsake or unique part of the wedding decor.

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Just Ducky Valentines

I almost ignored Valentines...but we have received such a fun reaction to my daughters idea for "Just Ducky Valentine's" that I thought I'd share. And, yes, I realize Valentines Day is right around the corner...but seriously these are SO EASY and take hardly any time to put together. (be sure to check out my 2016 ducks including FREE PRINTABLES!)

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Fingerprint Heart Pots (An Easy and Inexpensive Valentine!)

I made these sweet pots years ago, and they are still my absolute favorite holiday craft EVER. Every time I see my babies sweet little fingerprints as hearts, my heart melts. They are so easy to make. And just put a special someone's favorite plant in them and you have the perfect heartfelt Valentines gift! I happen to love mine so much, that I always have my pots out on display!

I am obsessed with a lot of things lately...but when it comes to gifts..live plants have stolen my heart: succulents, mini herbs, miniature roses, ornamental grasses - I am not picky...I love it! And I have quite a few gifts to give...so I need a sweet planter right?

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Pipe Cleaner Heart Garland

I have admitted before that I am not the biggest fan of Valentines Day...

BUT I do like hearts...

and I do have a little girl who thinks Valentines Day is amazing!

So..I have been doing some Valentine crafting.

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You and Me Block (Guest Post: Ginger Snap Crafts!

Valentines Day is just around the corner! 

But there is still time to make a cutie-patootie craft

like this You & Me block from Ginger Snap Crafts!

Hi! I'm Ginger, & I blog over at Ginger Snap Crafts.

Here I am with my crazy family! ha! :)

My blog is a fun place where I share my cute & easy craft projects, ideas & recipes.

I would love to have YOU drop by sometime.

Today I'd love to show you how to make

this cute {you & me} Valentine block.

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Mason Jar Valentine Vases (14 Days of Crafting Love)

You may not believe your eyes...I have another Valentines Project!

I am tickled pink with how this turned out!

And there is quite a story behind it!

   Way back last  year I started this project...

I loved it beyond belief.

Then I made a big mistake...

It was cold and wet outside, really cold and really wet.

I was not being careful - I was being impatient.

I thought it just need one more coat and it will be perfect...

well that perfect crackled and crinkled and ruined my sweet vase.

I may have shed a tear...or screamed.

And there was not time to start over...so I scrapped the idea.

But I had to try again...I will not be defeated

(but it may take a year...or two).

 

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Martha Stewart Crafts "Craft Your Heart Out" Sweepstakes

 You did see the sweet Hot Chocolate-y Valentines Spoons I made the other day, right? 

Look at that simple banner I made using the cupcake stickers?

My daughter "borrowed" it already!

Can you tell that I have been LOVING my Martha Stewart Crafts Products.
You can also checkout a few of the goodies I  

 

Martha Stewart Crafts is having another amazing Sweepstakes!

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Valentine's Day "Creativity" Boats

I immediately fell in love with these little paper food trays from Lifestyle Crafts.

I had visions of tea parties with my girlies and with her American Girl Dolls.

Then I thought about how great they would be for school parties and little snacks...

and then the Valentine bug bit me again!

  So, I made a little boat - the perfect vessel for filling with Valentines treats!

Of course candy would work well...
but I chose to go with a non-candy theme for this project.
I was inspired but what my little girlie loves - to be creative.

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Hot Chocolatey Valentines Spoons!

Seriously...hold on to your socks...

another Valentine's Day Craft!

Yeah, I know - for me - it is craziness!

Seriously, I think Cupid shot me with his arrow!
(P.S. this is pretty easy and fun to do!)

I have about 20 ideas for Valentine's for my daughter

(the 11 year old is o-v-e-r Valentines...always has been).

This particular project reminds me of my wedding

- yep 15+ years ago we did this same project for our coffee bar. 

(just imagine white chocolate drizzled on top and ivory ribbon)

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Valentine Love Banner: 14 Days of Crafting Love

For some unknown crazy reason,
I have the urge to go all out for Valentine's Day this year.
If you have been hanging out with me for any period of time,
you may remember that I have a disdain for holidays...
and I barely got anything up this Christmas....
but apparently the Love Bug has bitten me...
or my little girlie loves hearts and flowers.

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Valentine Crafting (Unleash Your Inner Cupid with Martha Stewart Crafts)

My favorite kind of valentine's are homemade...

they make my heart flutter for sure.

We are in serious Valentine crafting mode here.

Nothing is off limits...especially my my little girlie leading the way.

We received a fabulous box of goodies to help us in our Valentin-ing.

Here's a sneak peek at the supplies we used from Martha Stewart Crafts...

but wait until you see our sweet project we made with these awesome supplies. 

To make things even sweeter,

you can save 20% at MarthaStewartCrafts.com now through Valentine’s Day!

Just enter coupon code BLOG20 at checkout. 

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K-Cup Valentine Upcycle (Guest Post: I Should Be Mopping the Floor)

Hi all! I made a big blogger boo-boo. I spent too much time on the computer and stayed up way too late...and wore my contacts way too long and my eyes are KILLING me!

I am trying to rest as much as I can right now,

and am very lucky to have some friend stopping by to help me out!

There is also an amazing group giveaway happening right now...

Hop on over to enter to win a Fingerprint Heart Duo Necklace.

Now, here's Kristi! 

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Hi there, 504 Main readers! I'm Kristi from ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com. I'm a part-time graphic designer and full-time DIY enthusiast. I love sharing my crazy DIY projects as well as designs and printables over at my blog. So thankful to Holly for having me here today! I'm sharing one of the easiest crafts I've ever put together...an upcycled K-Cup Valentine Box.

Y'all, I'm a total K-Cup addict. I can't get enough and always have lots of empty boxes. I like how the little flap on an empty K-Cup box folds down...similar to an old-fashioned mailbox. So...a little tissue paper, mod podge and less than an hour later....ta-da! It's an easy Valentine holder!

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Fingerprint Heart Duo (Giveaway)

Hold onto your hats...or your hearts.

This giveaway is just simply amazing, stunning...and I want one too! 

This Fingerprint Heart Duo Necklace from Tina Steinberg

is a piece of jewelry with so much meaning and sentimental value..

and here is your chance to win one.

Keeping on reading and you will see Cherrios and Lattes

testimonial about this beautiful necklace. 

"The Heart Duo Necklace is by far one of the most precious gifts I've ever received! My husband knew I had been drooling over Tina Steinberg's Love Touch Collection and surprised me with a necklace kit for Mother's Day last year. I was thrilled! I wear my Heart Duo necklace (pictured above) almost everyday, and those days I wear another necklace I sometimes have this necklace hidden under my shirt, close to my heart.

One of my favorite things about my Heart Duo necklace is that I will always have my two little guys' fingerprints close to my heart. I love that as they grow older, this necklace will always remind me of their tiny days; those years I never want to forget.

When you order a necklace from Tina, she sends you a fingerprint kit in the mail with clear instructions on how to capture the fingerprints of your loved ones. You then send the molds back to Tina, she magically creates a beautiful one-of-a-kind necklace for you then sends it back to you. I admit that I impatiently checked my mailbox everyday until it arrived. When my necklace arrived I didn't want to take it off and proudly showed it off to everyone I could! I was one proud Mama! :)"

-Mackenzie from Cheerios and Lattes

This Valentine season, Tina Steinberg, some awesome bloggers,
and I are offering YOU the chance to win this precious necklace!

Best of luck to all; we can't wait to announce our winner!

The is one winner. 
Open t U.S. and Canadian residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

disclsoure: This giveaway is a collaborative blogger giveaway. There is one winner.

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DIY! Wood-Dyed LOVE Banner

I have written about it before...Valentines and I have a love/hate relationship.
I love the sweet nostalgic details
but I hate the hype associated with it
and in my family nothing good happens on Valentines day.
This means every year I procrastinate when it comes to this special day.

Late the other night I had inspiration - more like I just had to try something and I had to try it NOW (yep, it was 1 am, but I knew I could not sleep until I knew the answer!).

I already had cut the shapes with  my Jigsaw that I recently received from Rockler, but decided to use them for this experiment.

Supplies:

• 1/4" sheet thing wood (at craft stores) or thin plywood. I used the basswood I had on hand...cut very slowly with the jigsaw - this wood does not hold up well to the saw - the edges chip and split - which is OK for this project. The slower I went, the "smoother" the cut. HOWEVER I wanted a more rustic look for this, so it was fine. I have since cut more shapes out in a better quality thicker wood (from hardware store) and the edges are clean and lovely. (more on that very soon!)

        OR
        Precut shapes of your choosing from the craft store (circles, hearts, etc.)

• Sand paper/sanding block
• Jigsaw, Rockler
• Drill, Rockler
• Transtint (red) from Rockler (and water)
• Bucket or I used a clear plastic show box
• Twine or cord
• Masking tape - real masking tape - not painters tape, etc.

DIY IT!
This is a concentrated tint - it will stain - be sure to protect your work area and wear gloves (I did not wear gloves - I had red fingers for days)

• Cut shapes- I cut triangles that measure 5" across the top and are 6" long I just marked them directly on my board and cut with my jigsaw (make a 5" straight line; find center (2.5"); make a perpendicular line that measures 6" down from the center point; connect the two outer points to the bottom of the center point. If cutting on a large sheet of wood, you can line these up side-by-side). (I will try to add photo tomorrow)
• Sand edges
• Drill holes in both top corners of the triangles (NOTE: I drilled my holes when I was all finished, but drilling them now is a better idea); sand
• Using masking tape I applied it to the triangles, centered, to spell LOVE. (NOTE: I assume you could use stickers or cut letters too). This was an experiment to see how it the tape would work - I ended up loving the effect.. I chose LOVE because the letters were straight. for the O I used small pieces and (1/4 to 1/2 inch) and placed them into an O.

• Press down tape so it is very secure (NOTE: My E was not as secure and some tint leaked, but it is OK for me).
• Prepare tint - the direction say 1 ounce to 1 quart of water. I did not need that much. I used more like 1/2 ounce to 1 quart water using the plastic shoe box.

• Dip each triangle in the tint. You can let it sit for a few minutes.

• Pull out, then run a thing line) along the top edge of the triangle and then stand up straight holding over the plastic box. The wood is wet enough so that it drips down and creates an slight "ombre" or dip dyed effect. I then dipped it back in the tint really quick.

• Let dry.

• Once all dry, peel off the masking tape.

• Run twine through the drill holes.  Here is a visual of how I did the knots - they are all on the front of the banner. Ties 2-3 knots in the same place; thread through and come up the other hole; tie 2-3 knots; measure over about 3-4 inches (just be consistent) tie 2-3 knots and repeat.

So, there is my eclectic, rustic,

very handmade wood dyed LOVE banner.

 

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

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DIY! Be My Valentine Coin Cards

I actually have a Valentine's Craft...before Valentines!
OK, it is a repost from last year...but I am counting it.
I actually have a few more hearty crafts...but seeing as how my family cannot stay well for more than 24 hours, I may never finish them...so a repost it is!

I am not a fan of Valentines...but I love the sweet simple crafts my kiddos and I make, and I remember loving the Valentine Card Exchange at school...and later a card at home.

One of my favorite types of cards to receive as a kid were these cards that had slots for dimes all over them. I just did a search and found a few on ebay even!

I so wish I had one of my old cards...surprisingly I do not! I can hardly believe it!

My parents would give us these cards and I thought they were the best. I have actually had these on my mind for quite some time. I just think they are the perfect little "present." Of course I am prepared for my son to just look at me and ask "What I am supposed to do with it?" My daughter will be thrilled - she thinks coins are better than paper money!

So here's the thing...you can make these cards with just about anything...crayons, markers, paint, scrap book paper! I am going to list the specific supplies under each card, but here are the

BASIC SUPPLIES

(I have includes some more specific supplies under

the photo for each type of card  below)

• Cards (I used watercolor cards or creative, about $8 for 10). I get mine at Aaron Brothers.
• You can get card stock cards for much less, about $6 for 25 or $8 for 50. You can also simply fold some paper in half (the good old-fashioned way!)
• Rubber cement or glue stick (I used rubber cement)
• X-ACTO Craft/Utility Knife
• Cutting mat
• Ruler
• Coins (dimes and quarters)

See Below for specific supplies for different styles of cards

BASIC DIY

(I have includes some more specific DIY under each type of card)

1. Determine design (Lay it out - you may want to sketch some ideas out)

2. Transfer to card - cut out design or paint it on.

3. Determine placement of coins: use light pencil marks to mark each side of the coin.

Can you see my pencil points on the heart?

4. Use the X-ACTO Craft knife to cut a slit from point to point.

5. Cut a piece of scrap book paper or cardstock that is the same size/slightly smaller than the front of your card (this is the backing). Just lay the card on a piece of paper and trace around it and cut.

6. Flip card over/open card and use rubber cement or glue stick. Apply glue to edges of the front of the card and throughout the middle. I made "U" shaped swipes around the slits on the back (see photo - I drew in the area to where I did not apply glue).

7. Take your scrap book paper/cardstock from step #5 and apply it to the back of the front cover (this is to cover the slits and money when you open the card. Press to adhere it.

While you are at it you can decorate the inside of the card - or not! I used my Cricut to cut a few heart shapes and just glued them down. With the scrapbook paper you may be able to see the outline of the coins when you open the card...card stock would make this less noticeable.

 (I just realized this is the inside of the pocket heart card, so there is no backing on the front, as the hearts were applied to the front of the card to act as a pocket.)

8. Let dry.

9. Place coins into the slits - you may need to use a knife or skewer to loosen up the slit. I did not - they all slid in fine...but I also used rubber cement which has a little give to it.

SPECIFIC SUPPLIES AND DIY

Supplies for Birdies in a Tree

Water colors and a brush

(and water)

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Supplies for Heart Tree

Water colors and a brush

(and water)

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Supplies for Dinosaur
Originally shared at Sweet Rose Studio Holiday Handmade

Here is a link to the dinosaur template
For a complete dinosaur tutorial, visit Sweet Rose Studio
Template, water colors or colored pencils or good quality pens
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Supplies for Painted Heart Pockets

DecoArt Glamour Dust in Celebration Pink

DecoArt Thickening Medium

Paint brush

(Mix Glamour Dust and Thickening Medium together at a 1:1 ratio and paint on to card. You do not need to use the thickening medium, but I choose to because it gave some heft and depth to the Glamour Dust)

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Supplies for Scrapped Heart Pockets

Scrap book or decorative paper, adhesive.

Use a punch, cut by hand or use your Cricut to cut heart shapes. Be sure to make sure whatever type of coin you use fits the pocket.

Glue the bottom of each heart and up the sides (you want the top portion to remain open like a pocket.

Let dry and insert coins!
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Supplies for Lightning Bolt

 This one is for my son - much more manly, eh? I actually made this a post card by just gluing the back or the card to the front!
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I wish I know how to make a printable!
Here is the tree outline if anyone wants to cut it out or print it out and trace it off.
I'd be happy to email it to you too.

Anyway, I think they are pretty cute and am looking forward to making more..for birthdays and other holidays! I will also I am sure have the title of cheapest mom on the block.
(of course you can make more slits to hold more money!) 

What do you remember from your childhood holidays and celebrations?

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