Handmade with Love: SuperBundle is here! #crafting #handmade

Snow’s about ready to fall in the Northern hemisphere, and what will you be doing when it does?
Sitting by a crackling fire…
Hot cup of tea nearby…
Soft yarn and smooth needles in your lap…
Sounds like you’re ready for colder weather :).
If you’ve been on the run all summer and fall, it’s about time for your schedule to slow down just a bit… which means you’ll be reaching for your next handmade project.
I can’t think of a better way to welcome winter than to tell you about a collection of digital resources you’re going to be starry-eyed over.
It’s called the Handmade with Love Super Bundle.
Before I tell you what’s in it, can we talk about that name? It’s almost like this was created with you in mind. 🙂
Everything you make, every stitch you count, knit, sew, crochet, quilt… you do them all with love, don’t you?
I feel exactly the same way.
That’s why I’m so excited to tell you all this bundle, so you can soak up more of the joy and relaxation that comes with handcrafting.
Okay, let’s talk about what’s inside :-).
With over 200 patterns, projects, and step-by-step tutorials, you’ll find dreamy projects to create, new ways to sharpen your skills, or even a whole new technique to play with (quilting! fabric dyeing! rug making! weaving!).
This bundle covers: quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, applique, embroidery, cross-stitch, dyeing, fiber arts, and crafting in general.
It’s basically a crafter’s dream collection. Swoon.
And even better? You’ll get all these projects and fresh patterns – created by hip, modern designers like Allison Glass, Elise Blaha-Cripe, Anne Weil, Rebecca Langford, and Liat Gat (plus 47 others)…
…for just $29.97. (They’re worth over $1,000!)
Curious how it’s possible to get all of this so inexpensively?
The creators of these patterns, tutorials, courses and more joined forces to offer this incredibly special bundle, but just for a super short period of time. Once the sale’s over, they’ll go back to selling their products and patterns at full price.
I really can’t speak highly enough about the quality and value of what’s inside, especially for this price!
Want to check it out and get your own Handmade with Love Super Bundle?
This is how it works:

1. Visit the website https://us154.isrefer.com/go/HWLSB2017/a3732/, take a quick look at all the delightful projects you’ll be able to create with this package, then click the pink “Get my copy now!” button to go through their simple and secure 3-step checkout process.
2. You’ll receive an email with a login to their online access portal, where you’ll begin downloading your eBooks and patterns, signing up for your online courses, and redeeming your free bonus offers.
3. Use their Getting Started Guide to pick the project or technique you want to try your hand at first and start creating!

The most important detail, though, is that this bundle is available for just 8 days! (I told you it was short!)
After Monday night, December 4th, the sale ends and you’d have to buy all of these products individually.
It’s even backed by a 30 day full money-back happiness guarantee, so you can make sure it’s right for you.
Their customer service is amazing, and they truly want to make sure you’re taken care of and that you love your bundle.
If you’re ready to spend more time making and unplugging from technology this season, this is just what you need.
Create one-of-a-kind items to wear, gift, decorate with, and simply enjoy, with this curated, convenient, and super affordable library of patterns and projects.
Learn more or get your bundle here href=”https://us154.isrefer.com/go/HWLSB2017/a3732/”>https://us154.isrefer.com/go/HWLSB2017/a3732/

Accomplishment and Fulfillment In Crafting Your Own #DIY #handmade

As you’re here, you clearly love the feeling of creating something of your own – and you know that the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment is pretty hard to match.
The great thing about crafting and DIY is that there’s so much to get involved in! You may have started with decorating, or creating gifts, or photography, but there’s this huge world of crafting opportunities out there, and you’ve probably only scratched the surface!
The only problem is… how do you decide which project to dive into next? Not to mention, it can get expensive so quickly, buying more resources, more books, more patterns. What if you had a wide variety of inspiring resources right at your fingertips, but for a fraction of what you would usually spend?

That’s why you need to check out The Ultimate DIY Bundle! It’s your instant go-to library for a whole range of carefully curated DIY and crafting eBooks and eCourses. There are projects that the whole family can get involved in – from pet photography and home decor to chalk pastels and sewing.
For the crazy low price of just $34.95, you get access to a carefully curated library of over 76 eBooks and eCourses from the world’s leading DIY and crafting bloggers – enabling you to pick a project and jump straight into it with confidence. It’s the perfect tool to skip the information overload and throw yourself straight into a new activity.






Hurry though! The Ultimate DIY Bundle will only be on sale for 6 days – from 8am EST on Wednesday, January 21 until 11.59pm EST on Monday, January 26.
You can buy with complete confidence because you’re covered by the Ultimate Bundles 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you have a full 30 days to enjoy all the eBooks and eCourses in the bundle, and if you don’t think they provided enough value, you’ll get a full refund.
Not only that, but The Ultimate DIY Bundle comes with 5 awesome bonuses, worth over $150. That’s 3x the price of the bundle alone! These include…
A free $15 Store Credit PLUS 8×10 Art Print from Hope Ink ($43 Value), a free online class from Craftsy (up to $60 Value), free $15 store credit to Fawnsberg.com, a free sewing pattern PLUS a Premium Video Class from UpCraft Club ($19.99 Value), and free, full digital copies of Where Women Create Magazine and Greencraft Magazine ($20 value) from Stampington and Co.

So, don’t miss your chance to grab The Ultimate DIY Bundle, and get 76 incredible eBooks and eCourses for just $34.95. All you need to do is take action by midnight on Monday, January 26!
This amazing deal ends in just…



Pick up your copy right now, before it’s too late. Or, learn more here.




Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.

Are You Overwhelmed? How To Overcome #DIY #ultimatediybundle #ebooks

(Just a small sample of ebooks and ecourses offered)

Do you ever look at the bare wall in the den, that tired and sagging couch, or those tatty tablecloths, and feel absolutely overwhelmed by the thought of tackling any of them?

Which one do you start with? And then once you’ve decided, how do you know which steps, instructions or advice to follow? Just getting to the point where you’re ready to start can often take so much time and effort!
It’s frustrating, because you know just how satisfying it can be to create something of your own – that sense of accomplishment and fulfillment can’t be beaten. What you need is for someone to pull together everything that you need to get started, to make it as easy and painless as possible.

Good news – when the Ultimate Bundles team created The Ultimate DIY Bundle, they had you in mind! The Ultimate DIY Bundle is your instant go-to library for a whole range of carefully curated DIY and crafting eBooks and eCourses.
No more trawling through the internet looking for good-quality, easy-to-follow information and advice: it’s all right here! For the crazy low price of just $34.95, you get access to a carefully curated library of over 76 eBooks and eCourses from the world’s leading DIY and crafting bloggers – enabling you to pick a project and jump straight into it with confidence. It’s the perfect tool to skip the information overload and throw yourself straight into a new activity.






Hurry though! The Ultimate DIY Bundle will only be on sale for 6 days – from 8am EST on Wednesday, January 21 until 11.59pm EST on Monday, January 26.
You can buy with complete confidence because you’re covered by the Ultimate Bundles 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you have a full 30 days to enjoy all the eBooks and eCourses in the bundle, and if you don’t think they provided enough value, you’ll get a full refund.
Not only that, but The Ultimate DIY Bundle comes with 5 awesome bonuses, worth over $150. That’s 4x the price of the bundle alone! These include…
A free $15 Store Credit PLUS 8×10 Art Print from Hope Ink ($43 Value), a free online class from Craftsy (up to $60 Value), free $15 store credit to Fawnsberg.com, a free sewing pattern PLUS a Premium Video Class from UpCraft Club ($19.99 Value), and free, full digital copies of Where Women Create Magazine and Greencraft Magazine ($20 value) from Stampington and Co.

So, don’t miss your chance to grab The Ultimate DIY Bundle, and get 76 incredible eBooks and eCourses for just $34.95. All you need to do is take action by midnight on Monday, January 26!
This amazing deal ends in just…



Pick up your copy right now, before it’s too late. Or, learn more here.




Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Please see my disclosure policy page.
Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.

Do-It-Yourself Cleaning Solutions #diy #frugal

Credit to Picklee for this cute infographic
I have used all of these and they all work fabulously, save money and time! Just follow the directions and find your new go to cleaning solutions.

Tuesday Tips: Fill Your Home With The Smells Of The Holidays

It smells like the holidays are around the corner, love this recipe for filling our house with the sweet scents of the season.
Mix these ingredients, place on the stove and boil, adding more water as needed. Turn on some Christmas music and you are ready to decorate or wrap presents.
Enjoy!

Handmade Bath and Body Gifts or Pampering for You! #atozchallenge

Handmade Bath and Body Products, so many to try at home and they are very easy! Yes you can do it!

These recipes and links to other blogs are some very easy ones to try yourself , love the Cheap Crafty Mamma blog http://cheapcraftymama.com/diy-bath-and-body-products-create-and-share/

1. Bath Bombs by One Good Thing by Jillee, 2. Lavender Body Butter by May DIY, 3. Lavender and Peppermint foot Cream by Rebecca's Soap Deli News, 4. Body Butter Bars from Green Experiments, 5. Peppermint and Lemon Foot Soak by Or So She Says..., 6. Snowflake Soaps by Torie Jayne, 7. Chapstick by Tidy Tipsy, 8. Citrus Salt Scrub by Adelyn Stone, 9. Homemade Sugar Scrub by Maybe Matilda, 10. Lip Balm by Martha Stewart

Create some Handmade Homemade with love gifts today, or pamper yourself, you deserve some time for you too mom!

Coconut Oil : 100 ways to use it in your household

This has to be the most versatile oil in my kitchen and bathroom cabinet now, I love it!

I found this awesome list on the web with a list of over one hundred ways you can use coconut oil.

You will be amazed at what it can do for your skin, hair, scalp, lips.....any sore noses. My hubby has a chronic skin condition that we have tried all sorts of creams and prescriptions to help ease the discomforts and itch. I tried using coconut oil on it instead and he says it works much better than anything he has ever tried before. 

It even makes grilled cheese sandwiches taste much better than using butter, and I am a (or was a) butter-holic before I discovered coconut oil. 

Trying it on the dogs now also, one has a sore spot on her paw and the other one has a rash on her little belly that is red, we will see how it works. 

The Awesome 100 ways to use Coconut Oil in your Household List

Credit to : Megan at

http://blogs.cincysavers.com/the-many-amazing-uses-for-coconut-oil/

Please consult with your doctor first if you are planning to use Coconut Oil to treat a medical condition and use at your own discretion.

Health:

• Eat a teaspoonful for an energy boost or take a spoonful with your vitamins to help increase absorption.
• Use Coconut oil to help soothe chicken pox, shingles and other skin irritations and rashes.
• Another health use- apply it to athlete’s foot, ringworm or other fungal infections
• Dab a little on a baby’s diaper rash
• You can also use the oil to help with cradle cap.
• Spread a thin layer on a burn to quicken the healing time
• Ingesting Coconut Oil is said to help thyroid conditions.
• Use in replace of massage oil
• Consuming Coconut Oil while nursing is said to increase your milk flow
• Apply to bug bites to sooth itch and sting
• If you happen to get nose bleeds in the winter, coat the inside of your nose with a small amount.
• It is said that taking a spoonful will help reduce and eliminate migraines
• Massage into tired, achy or sore muscles to help relieve the pain
• Mix a small amount with oregano and apply to the first signs of a cold sore
• Dab on a canker sore to speed up heeling and help soothe the pain
• Ingest a small amount and let it dissolve in your mouth and run down the back of your throat to ease the discomfort of a sore throat

Beauty:

• Use as a super conditioner for your hair. Apply to dry hair, then shampoo as normal.
• You can also use it as a styling agent for dry hair. Rub a small amount into your palms and apply to hair.
• Put some in a small container to use as lip balm.
• Dab a small amount under your arms to use as a natural deodorant.
• Use it in place of shaving cream
• Add a small amount to your bath water to create a moisturizing soak
• Use as a make-up remover
• Use around your eyes to help prevent wrinkles
• Use to reduce the visibility of stretch marks
• Apply to stomach when pregnant to aid in preventing stretch marks
• Use as a mascara brush cleaner
• Brush on eyelashes to help strengthen them
• Use on pimple and acne to help heal it
• Apply on cracked or rough heels
• Massage into your nails and cuticles to help strengthen them
• Mix with the spice nutmeg and apply to blemishes for 15 minutes. Wash off and notice a difference in your skin
• If you wax at home, Use on your skin after waxing to help with the redness and to remove any access wax.

DIY:

• Use it as a base for a homemade body scrub, toothpaste or lotion.
• In addition, you can also use Coconut Oil as a base for a vapor rub.
• Try mixing it with lemon balm, tea tree oil or rosemary for creating an insect repellent
• Use instead of WD-40
• Mix with baking soda to create a non-toxic form of Goo-Gone
• Use as a metal polish, however, test a small area first.
• Also use it to season cast iron pans
• Use to remove chewing gum from the bottom of your shoes

Home:

• Use to condition your wooden cutting boards
• Use as a leather moisturizer. However, test a small area first!
• If you have gum stuck in your hair and before grabbing the scissors, try using a small amount of coconut oil. the gum should come right out.
• Use as a guitar string lubricant
• Use a little on a damp cloth to clean a slimy shower. Wipe the surface again with more oil followed by spraying with vinegar and wipe dry
• I’ve read Coconut Oil works as a non-toxic flea treatment for cats and dogs
• Use on artificial or real plants to shine leaves in replace of the chemical-filled spray that can be purchased.
• Add a small amount to a cloth to detail the inside of your car
• Use to clean brushes and hands after painting with an oil-based paint

Cooking:

• Replace the less healthy oils in your kitchen with Coconut oil
• Add a teaspoonful to smoothies to help add flavor and added nutrition.
• Use to oil your pans and baking dishes instead of pan spray
• Put a small amount on toast and add cinnamon for a healthy cinnamon toast
• Use as a base for homemade candy, such as chocolates.
• Mix with garlic and use it to make food extra flavorful
• Add a teaspoonful to soup for added nutrition
• Add flavor to baked goods
• Make your own peanut butter with the base being Coconut Oil
• Use to lubricate scissors when cutting up sticky things such as marshmallows for recipes
• Use instead of shortening when making pie crusts or biscuits

Making Cinnamon Stick Santa's and more

Such cute little Santa's made from cinnamon sticks and other bark that you and the kids can easily make for your tree or to give away as gifts to family or friends. I found this craft idea via Herbology. along with several other cute ideas using cinnamon. 

How to Make Cinnamon Stick Santa's

Equipment: What you will need
Red craft paint
White craft paint
White puffy paint or fake snow paint
Black craft paint (I used a black Sharpie instead)
ribbon
craft glue

The process is easy enough.  Paint I wide band of red for the hat, followed by a smaller band of pink for the face.  I did not run the pink right around, preferring my face to just be in the front.  Once these two are COMPLETELY dry, you can add the eyes (and mouth if you like), and a long bushy beard.

You could try running the beard all the way down the quill, or you could paint a red ‘coat’ on as well.
I gave Santa a smile on the bigger cassia bark pieces, but left it out on the smaller quills.  No coats for my guys as I wanted the natural bark look.

To finish them off, add a blob of glue on the back or inside the top and attach a ribbon for hanging.  The colours stand out beautifully on the fresh evergreens.

I have been looking for this recipe for Cinnamon ornaments for a while and I found this great one on the Herbology site too. Love the smell of these! 

Recipe I used:

• 1 c. cinnamon
• 1 t. nutmeg
• 1 t. allspice
• 1 t. ground cloves
• 1 c. applesauce

Combine dry ingredients. Add applesauce a little at a time, mixing thoroughly. Roll out and cut shapes. Allow to dry 4-5 days. Or dry in a slow oven for 2 hours. Paint after completely dry.

Blog Buttons 101: A How To

How to Make a Button For Your Blog

My fabulous pal Amy at Consider Me Inspired  has been posting some great information for

the techno challenged bloggers out there (me included) and I would love to share what I
learned. 

Once again another code thing that took me a little bit to figure out. 

I wanted to have the blog button that had the code below.  

Simple and easy....just wait you will have a button made in no time.

Step 1:
Decide on the image you will be using and upload it to a photo editing program. 

Amy used Photoscape because it is awesome and it was free, I prefer my Photoshop Elements

Step 2:
Alter your image to an appropriate size that will fit on your sidebar.

Step 3:
Upload your button to Photobucket, ImageShack or some other photo storage
program that creates an HTML code that you can copy and paste.

Double check your photo size before you grab the direct link code.

Step 4:
Go to: http://www.mycoolrealm.com/sandbox/gbgen/ and follow the instructions.  

It doesn't save your code, just gives you an easy and effortless button experience. 

All you do is preview and if it looks the way you want it then copy the code.

Head on over to your Layout page in Blogger; click Add a gadget; 

pull up the HTML option and insert your code; move it where you want it.  

Preview your page before you save.

Here is my button created with the code box:

<div align="center"><a href="http://chipsofftheoldblock.blogspot.com/" title="Chips Off the Old Block" target="_blank"><img src="http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg121/blockmom/blog%20images/chipsofftheoldblockbutton.jpg" alt="Chips Off the Old Block" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

And here is Amy's button you can share ~~ you can click on the snippet of her button and it will take you to her blog, it's awesome!

That was super easy, Thanks Amy for the info and teaching me how!

Dough,Flubber,Gak Mommy DIY

 How to Make your own Doughs, Flubbers, Glurch and Other Homemade Concoctions Art Supplies at home

Terrific list of resources I found via Pinterest from this website today: 
Ohdeedoh.com

• Basic Playdough - Homemade by Jill for on Skip To My Lou
• Uncooked Playdough - Karol's Kitchen
• Gluten-Free Playdough - Celiac Sprue Association
• Kool-Aid Playdough - Chocolate On My Cranium
• Edible Chocolate Play Dough - Instructables User Its Your Dime
• Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough - Instructables User Its Your Dime
• Scented Playdough - Minieco

• Watercolor Paint - Lilac Silhouette
• Puff Paint - One Crafty Mumma
• Milk Paint - Pantry Spa
• Finger Paint - Creative Kids At Home

*note: some of these names are used interchangeably and without consensus so one man's glurch is another man's gak!
• Flubber/Silly Putty - Pepper Paints
• "Clean" Slime/Oobleck - Ohdeedoh (sometimes referred to as oobleck after the Dr. Seuss book Bartholomew and the Oobleck.
• Gak - Polliwog's Cakewalk (sometimes spelled "gack")
• Silly Putty/Glurch - Toms River Mom
• Glurch - My Little Gems (another version)

• Beeswax Crayons - Wee Folk Art
• Soy Wax Crayons - Wee Folk Art
• Crayon Nibbles - My Magic Mom

• Sidewalk Chalk - Tiffany Teske for Craftbits (find Tiffany at Art, Food and Motherhood)
• Egg Shaped Sidewalk Chalk - Skip To My Lou (slightly different recipe) I also found some great blogs and websites that list multiple recipes for homemade art supplies all in one place:
• Artists Helping Children - roster of recipes including facepaint, clay, and glue.
• Fresno Family - over a dozen different dough recipes.
• Play Dough Recipe.org - all dough all the time.
• Kid Activities.net - all kinds of doughs here and other recipes here.
• My Mommy Makes It and here - crayons, dough, fingerpaint, gack, and more.
• Better Budgeting - 20 recipes for homemade art supplies.
• Creative Kids at Home
• Blue Bonnet Village - doughs, clays and over six kinds of paints.
• Kinder Art - comprehensive list of recipes.

Have fun!

(Images: 1. Flickr member FrankenberrysKiss licensed for use under Creative Commons 2. Heather Hackett/Lilac Silhouette 3. Sarah Rae Trover/Ohdeedoh 4. Tiffany Teske)

The next rainy day you have no excuse for the kiddos saying "I'm bored" make some Gak and have a blast.   

Life is too Short... Take the Chance

Oh how true this very statement is, why don't we heed this warning that our mother most likely sometime in our younger life said to us. I don't know about you, but as a young girl, I knew it all and my parents did not. Oh they have proved me so wrong since then, and I have had to eat much crow. Always know that your mother is a very smart chick, because she has been thru the fire and come out stronger for it. Yes we as moms make mistakes but we also grow from those mistakes and God sets us back on a path that is even and more clear.
Nobody said that it would be easy.... They just promised it would be worth it.....

~~ Leslie~~
aka: not a know it all mom ;)

Stay tuned for some fun field trip picture from our Friday, will try to post them this weekend.

Giving Thanks: Burlap Scrabble Wreath DIY

I just love this wreath idea that I found on the Living Locurto website from blogger Jen of the tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com blog. It is a Thanksgiving Scrabble Wreath and can be made from simple things you have left over at home, the kids can help out, plus you can add a little spelling lesson in at the same time (Ahhh mom!) You could even do a variation of this theme for other holidays coming up, Christmas with a " Jesus Saves"
New Years, Valentines etc. then coordinate the color of ribbon, interchange the burlap flowers and the tiles for each season and keep the wreath on your door.
Here is what the wreath looks like:

Here’s what you need:

• A wreath form
• Burlap — a 36″ square piece should do
• A few fabric scraps
• Some Scrabble tiles**
• Hot glue and gun
• Two types of coordinating ribbon

**FUN TIP — if you want to make one of these and don’t want to destroy your Scrabble game, you can buy “lots” of Scrabble pieces on eBay or etsy. Or, if you contact Hasbro, you can order a complete replacement set of tiles. It was around $6 for 100 pieces last year.

Here’s what you do:

1. Wrap the wreath with burlap.

Cut two pieces of burlap about 4 inches in width by 36 inches in length. Or, if you have a long piece of burlap you can use a 72 inch strip. Hot glue one end of the strip to the back of the wreath. Then wrap the burlap around your wreath. My wreath form was 12 inches wide, so if you are using a bigger form, you will need a longer piece of burlap. Once the form is wrapped in burlap, set it aside.

2. Make rolled burlap flowers.

 

I made 18 flowers in different sizes. For each flower, you will need a strip of material about 1 inch in width by either 32 inches, 24 inches or 18 inches, depending on how wide you want the flower to be.

Fold the material in half width-wise and then roll it tightly about 8 times. Then add a dab of hot glue and twist the material around the rolled center, adding glue as you roll. The flower will continue to get bigger until you reach the end of the material. Then add some hot glue to the back and glue down the end of the material underneath the flower.

For more in-depth instruction, check out my Rolled Flower Tutorial.

3. Glue Scrabble Tiles to Paper.

Now that you have the flowers made, lay out the scrabble pieces to whatever saying you want to display on your wreath. Then hot glue the tiles onto a piece of paper. Then cut out the tiles, trimming very close to the edges so no paper is showing.

4. Hot glue the Scrabble tiles to the wreath.

5. Hot glue the flowers to the wreath.

Now lay out the rolled flowers on the wreath. Once you are happy with the placement. Hot glue the flowers to the burlap wreath.

6. Cut the two coordinating ribbon for the top of the wreath.

Make a loop of ribbon for the top of the wreath to hang on the door or wall. Then cut another length of the two ribbon and make a bow. Attach the bow at the top of the wreath to the loop.

7. Hang up and enjoy your new wreath!

Thanks Jen! The wreath is fantastic!! Visit Tatertots and Jello for more amazing, crafty tutorials.

Thank you Amy for sharing this on your site, http://www.livinglocurto.com/ Visit for all sorts of fun crafty ideas and printable, I love the kids Thanksgiving party idea on the blog now, might have to share that one also soon. 

~Leslie~~ mommy blogger with 8 arms