Making Class Gifts: Part 2

Finished and delivered! They couldn't have turned out any cuter. Well, unless we used glitter, but I'm not crazy.

I really wanted Daniel to be able to make most of everything, but I knew he would never get through 18 cards! So he made one and we photocopied it. So much easier, more fun and looked great!

We drew a snowman on the front, put a cute little poem (that I still have memorized from my preschool days) inside and he signed his name. Attaching the rainbow heart crayons was no easy task! I tried double sided tape, tape loops and contemplated an elaborate ribbon structure and crazy glue. But then my genius came back.

I put a tape loop on the card where I wanted the crayon to go, topped that with hot glue and pressed the crayon on. Worked like a charm! Now it won't ruin the card, and the glue will just peel off of the crayon. When all was said and done, I also decided to pop them into cellophane jewelry bags just in case the crayons came off. Better safe than swearing. Ahem, 'sorry'.

So if you need a simple class gift for your little one, go back to Part 1 and create away!

Making Class Gifts: Part 1

Daniel and I are working on a little craft for his school buddies this weekend. I wanted to make something simple and fun that Daniel could actually help with, so we decided on rainbow crayons. He helped me peel off the paper labels and break up the crayons.

I found a silicone ice cube tray at Ikea for $2 and we made cute little hearts! Keep in mind the ice cube trays aren't actually crayon molds and all the packaging encourages you to use only water in them, but it worked great for us!

We preheated the oven to 250 F, broke the crayons up into little pieces, arranged them in the molds and popped them in until they were just melted. Make sure you are patient and let them cool ALL the way. I got a little excited and had to redo one.

This last little guy is my favorite :) Part two will follow soon with the finished product!

Simple Favor

I had a local customer put in a big order and wanted to add a little something to say "thank you" while I was packaging it up.

The problems with this are many...
you have to keep costs down so you don't have to raise prices
you want it to be something fun or useful so it doesn't end up in the trash
you want your little parcel to still be able to fit through "The Slot of Doom" at the post office

Stroke of Genius! Hand stamped napkins. So simple, thoughtful and fun. Everyone uses napkins and they pack down flat.

Here are my adorable green matryoshka napkins. I think I want some for me! I think they would make great hostess gifts, add-ons for a foodie or fun to stamp in your theme for a party. Just make sure that you use waterproof/archival ink, or your guests may end up with mustaches!

Hand Dyed Magnet Tutorial

I just tried dyeing wood for the first time and it went quite well. So well, in fact, that I've posted the final product on my Etsy shop, but I wanted to give my readers the opportunity to try this one out themselves!

How to Dye Wood with Food Coloring:

1.) In a bowl, mix boiling water (1-4 cups depending on batch size), food coloring (enough to make the water brightly colored) and unfinished wooden cutouts (Michael's sells lots of shapes).

2.) Let sit for 15-45 min, or until the wood has absorbed enough dye. Stir every 5 minuted or so to ensure even coloring.

3.) Remove wood for food coloring. Use gloves, or wash your hands RIGHT AWAY! Food coloring stains like crazy! Place on paper towel lined plate and let dry. It took mine a full 24 hours before being dry, and I turned them a few times.


How to Make Magnets from Dyed Wooden Cutouts:

1.) Make sure wood is DRY!

2.) Stamp images onto the best looking side of the cutout. I use Archival ink, but you can use acrylic paint (test it first and wash paint off the stamp immediately), water proof ink, or paint your own design on.

3.) Dab of hot glue on the back side of the cutout and stick the magnet on.


TA DA! It's simple, but time consuming.

These little magnets make great stoking stuffers, add-ins to gifts, kids gifts (careful though, can be a choking hazard), favors, or a little something to top gift wrap with. I'd love to see some in red and green for Christmas party favors!