Free Printables

Tis the Season.... and there are a tone of FREE printables out there right now... yeah! You will find everything from gift tags, to treat containers and even dome great frame-able art.
Get Printing!

The Twinery has gift tags, favor boxes and paper HERE

U Create has gift tags HERE

You will find all sorts of free printable  HERE from How Does She. Gift tags, Reindeer food labels, Reindeer nose  labels, Candy stickers, and artwork.

I Share has a great printable section with anything your heart desires, HERE

Share some of your favorite recipes with cute Recipe cards. Retro Fleur; HERE. Simple and elegant (4 colors to choose from) HERE.

At The TomKat Studio, you will find a Gingerbread recipe along with some CUTE tags to go with them HERE

Well, those should keep you  busy for now ;)


UPDATE 12/16: Here are a few more :)

Cards Labels, menus and more from West Elm.... find them HERE

Retro, teal and red... Candy Cane gift tags, recipe cards from The Celebration Shoppe are HERE

And be sure to "like" Lil Blue Boo on Facebook for some more free downloads that can be used on just about anything.... but hurry to get the current download and be able to get all of the future download offers

Monogrammed Hand Sanitizer

I think that I may have just found (at least part) of the kids teacher gifts this year.
AND, even if you dont think of yourself as uber crafty... Im pretty sure that you will be able to handle this one. :) These will also make great hostess gifts or gifts for co-workers.

You can find the tutorial HERE

SOURCE: Infarrantly Creative

Free Pattern: Kids Apron

I LOVE free! You can find the tutorial and free pattern HERE

SOURCE: Paint in My hair

Edible Cornucopias

Here is an easy project.... just in time for school Thanksgiving parties this week :) AND you dont even need to be crafty to pull this one off :)

Find the tutorial HERE

Paper Bag Turkey

Looking for something fun for the kids' Thanksgiving table or need a great idea to take to school? Look no further.... you NEED to make this:

Yes that is a paper bag turkey  :) Best part? It's filled with popcorn!!!

Find the tutorial HERE

SOURCE: One Charming Party

Turkey Tshirt

Have fun fabrics lying around? How about create one of these fun shirts for Thanksgiving? :)

Find the templates and tutorial HERE courtesy of  The Cottage Home

Not a seamstress? Thats ok... just get the no sew fusible web.... voila, with just some fabric, fusible web and an iron, you have a great Holiday shirt for your little turkey :)

Book Page Wreath

Are you a bookworm and looking for some fall decor inspiration? Well, look no further..... HERE you will find directions how to make this inexpensive creation.

SOURCE: The Pleasures of Homemaking

Free Pattern: Pocket Purse

Bear with me, I am finding great joy in all of the cute purse and bag patterns and tutorials that I have been coming across lately. :)
You can find the download for this Pocket Purse HERE

And check out this version of the same bag HERE

SOURCE: AllPeopleQuilt.com

Photo Confetti

A photo collage is great way to include a bunch of photo memories in one spot... You could of course head to the store and purchase a frame that has a bunch of photo openings, but where is the fun in that?! This photo confetti version takes it to the next level and creates a custom look.

Find the instructions HERE

SOURCE: The Blackberry Vine

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

I really don't think that I need to say much about this one :)

Find the recipe HERE

SOURCE: We Are The Joneses

Post It Holder

I'm pretty sure that ALL teachers LOVE post its..... well, some of my teacher friends and my son's past teachers any ways. :) So if you are looking for something EASY and inexpensive to create for your children's teachers, this will be a great one to try.

And go ahead and make one for yourself too while you're at it.

Find the tutorial HERE


SOURCE: Idea and photo from Tidbits of my life

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Since everything IS better when it's homemade... try making your own microwave popcorn. Great idea for party favors... or just because

 

Find the tutorial HERE

DIY Chalkboard Paint

Who needs regular old black or green chalkboard paint when you can have ANY color you can think of?!

Well, naturally, Martha has a way to make even pink chalkboard paint possible.....
Check out the tutorial HERE

Frosted Glass Jars

I found a tutorial for this cute and oh so simple Frosted glass jar over at A Little Tipsy

Find the tutorial HERE

Free Pattern: Hot Momma Bag

Check out this FANTASTIC bag from Sew A Straight Line... It's not just a purse, and it's not quite a diaper bag, but it has tons of space and still doesnt need its own zip code... so I, myself am dubbing this the HOT MOMMA BAG. So go make one, you HOT momma!

I love everything about it... I think I'm going to have to start making bags and purses.... I'm adding this one to the LOOOOONG and growing To Do List :)

Get the Pattern and Tutorial HERE

You can find her post HERE

Photo, Pattern and Tutorial from Sew a Straight Line

Pumpkin Giveaway

Be sure to enter the pumpkin GIVEAWAY over at Deck The Halls...... get there quick, there is only a few hours left. The winner will be drawn on Friday 10/15 in the morning.

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 10

In Camera Metering ~ Day 10

View Day 10 in the series HERE


Series and photo from Life with My 3 Boybarians

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 9

Scales~ Day 9

Check out Day 9 in the series HERE

Series and photo from Life With My 3 Boybarians

Carmel Apple Cupcakes

Don't these cupcakes just scream FALL?!

You can get the recipe HERE from Red Couch Recipes

$10 Pottery Barn (Knockoff) Ledges

Well, what could be better than getting the Pottery Barn look for your home at a fraction of the cost? I'm thinking that there is just about nothing that could be better :)

The Knockoff

The real deal

While the Pottery Barn ledges are quite a bit deeper.... I think that the price for these knockoffs more than makes up for it. By creating the Knockoffs, you will be saving about 110%..... can't beat it, right?! Didn't think so. 

I would have to go to the store and do some figuring (yes, I am a visual person... I would need to stand in the lumber aisle to figure this out), but I am pretty sure that you would be able to make these deeper than the instructions say.

Find the instructions HERE

SOURCES: Ana White & Pottery Barn

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 8

The Exposure Triangle~ Day 8

Day 8 in the series can be found HERE

This series is brought to you by Life With My 3 Boybarians

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 7

Tackling Depth of Field~ Day7

Day 7 in the series can be found HERE


This photo series is brought to you by Life With My 3 Boybarians

Freezer Paper T-shirts

Have you ever heard of using Freezer paper for stencils? Well you can, and the end result is somewhat like a brand new, custom silk screened shirt (in my opinion). What a great idea!

Pic from Living with Punks

See the tutorial HERE

 Think out of the box on this one.. do you have a special event coming up. One of my friends is doing a breast cancer run/ walk this weekend..... wouldn't this be a great idea to liven up a shirt with a ribbon?

These robot onesis were shown over on Dabbled

Check it out HERE

SOURCES: each photo is from the link that is below them

Owls, Owls Everywhere! : Bookends

How cute are these little guys?!

If you have fallen into the Owl trend (which I am quickly falling in love with myself), then these will be a must make.

Find the tutorial HERE

SOURCE: idea and photo from That's So Cuegly

http://cuegly.blogspot.com/2010/10/ovo-owlbookends-ovo.html

Upcycle: Paint Chip Art

Bloom 

with these great leaf shaped Behr paint chips from the Home Depot.

I think that paint chips are awesome..... and with this great shape, they are even BETTER! :)

You can see the project HERE

SOURCE: idea and photo from Oops, I Craft My Pants

Pumpkin Leaves

I had to share these because they are made using one of my favorite things... FELT :) And what a fun touch to your fall decor.

Find the tutorial HERE

SOURCE: idea and photo from TheSmallObject.com

http://thesmallobject.com/stenopad/wordpress/?p=1756

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 6

Understanding Aperture Part 2~ Day 6

You can find day 6 in the series HERE

Series and photo from My3Boybarians

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 5

Understanding Aperture Part 1 ~Day 5

Aperture means opening.

Day 5 in the series can be found HERE

Series and photo from My3Boybarians

Organizing~ Extension Cord Holder

So... how many extension cords do YOU have lying around or crammed in a drawer? Probably quite a few, I'm guessing! ;) Here is a great idea to get you organized , and the best part?! It can be FREE or practically FREE! Wohooo! Gotta LOVE that!

Get the tutorial for this super cute and handy craft HERE

SOURCE:Idea and photo from ApartmentTherapy.com

Fun Pumpkins

Here is another fun and easy to do pumpkin Tutorial.
Grab your fabric scraps and get busy! Dont have a fabric stash? You could go buy new fabric.... but before you do, take a look in the closets in your house, you can probably find some old clothes that dont fit, are torn or maybe have a small stain, etc.... there you go a free craft :)

Find the tutorial HERE

idea and photo from: Oh So Happy Together

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 4

31 days to a Better Photo~ Day 4 ~ Learning ISO

ISO is a measurement on how sensitive your camera is to light

You will find day 4 in the series HERE


Series and photo from Living with my 3 Boybarians

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 3

Day 3~ Shooting fast vs. shooting slow

Photo means light in Greek. Graph refers to recording on paper. Photograph translates to recording light on paper. Shutter speed controls how long you will literally graph your photo – or how long you will record the instance of your image.

The 31 Days To a Better Photo~ Day 3 can be found HERE
and is brought to you by Life with My 3 Boybarians

Halloween Skirt and Appliqué shirt

Want one of the cutest Halloween outfits for your little princess? Check this out!

You can get the pattern for the the Witch hat appliqué HERE

and the tutorial for the ultra cute skirt HERE

Both were created by Izzy & Ivy Designs

Halloween Candy Bark

This is another treat that can be consumed any time of year.... but wont this recipe come in handy on November 1st? :) Yes I believe it will!

Find the recipe HERE from Babble.com

31days To A Better Photo~ Day 2

Day 2~ Find your camera manual 

To be successful in this series, it’s important you know how to adjust settings on your camera. Please try and find the follow things in your manual....

Read all of day 2 HERE

This series is being presented by Life with my 3 Boybarians

31days To A Better Photo~ Day1

I found this great series "31 days to a Better Photo"

It is already 7 days in.... so we will play some catch up in the next couple of days. Each day I will post 2-3 days of the series until we catch up. And then it will be just once a day after that.

You can view Day 1 HERE

So, today’s lesson? Day 1 to a better photo – take the photo. Always, always take the photo. You will never get a second chance at that moment. It’s a simple one, clearly. But how many times have you meant to bring the camera but didn’t?

The series is brought to you by Life with my 3Boybarians

Pumpkin Pancakes

Who's up for a little bit of seasonal fun with food?
Jessica @ Zakka Life has shared a fun (and Im sure quite tasty) recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes HERE

Candy Corn Parfait

Need something fun and creative treat for your upcoming fall parties, and you want something different than the usual cupcake or cookie? Take these for a spin.... Candy Corn Parfaits..... ah, but of course!

Baked Bree has come up with this new fun treat

You can find the recipe HERE

SOURCE: idea and photo from BakedBree.com

Pez Dispenser Art

Yes, you DID read that correctly... Pez dispensers CAN be art..... Just take a look!

Stephanie over at Under the Table and Dreaming has created this fun and subtle art piece using Pez dispensers, of all things.

You can find the tutorial HERE

How fun would it be to change out the dispensers for each holiday or each child's birthday, using a theme of dispensers. Another idea would be to put one dispenser per frame and display as a collection on the wall. Go! Get creative :)

SOURCE: idea and photo from ByStephanieLynn.com

DIY Adjustable Waistband

As soon as I saw this I had to share it with all of you.

My friend Angel and I have been talking a lot lately about adjustable waists on kids clothes and how wonderful they are... when you can find the cute clothes that actually have them... and usually the very inexpensive clothes tend to not have them. So here is your remedy.. make your own. 
You will need a sewing machine for this one... or a LOT of patience to hand sew button holes. :)

Find the tutorial HERE

from Leafy Treetop Spot

SOURCE: idea and photo from Leafy Treetop Spot 

Coffee Filter Wreath

This is the perfect wreath, whether you are a coffee-holic or not. This is one of the most inexpensive projects that you will find. And will be a great addition to your Fall or everyday decor.

Brought to you by The Little Brown House

and you will find the tutorial HERE

Check your local Dollar store first to see if they have any of the items needed:

*Foam wreath

*Brown coffee filters 

*Pins (floral or even straight pins would work)

*Ribbon (for hanging)

Seriously, cheap AND easy! Gotta LOVE it!

Root Beer Floats and Cupcakes

How about both... together.... Root beer Float Cupcakes! :)

This version is by the Tidy Mom (and aren't they so cute with their little straws?!)

You can find her recipe HERE

And there are these from Bitter Sweet, and this is where Tidy Mom got her inspiration. 

You can find the Bitter Sweet recipe HERE

Homemade Oilcloth!!!

Oh my!!!! I think that my heart may have just skipped a beat just from the title {LOVE}

Can you imagine....... oilcloth in ANY fabric/ print/ design that your heart desires?!

Imperfectly Beautiful tried out a little known product and had great results.  (and I am drooling over the fabric that she chose too) Now, Im not sure that you would be able to create a full size table cloth with the product, BUT There are so many other things that you can make:
Place mats, Bibs, Bags, Aprons, Buntings (see past post)...... I think that the possibilities may be endless :)

Find her tutorial HERE

SOURCE: Photo and idea from Imperfectly Beautiful

Thrifty AND Spooky!

If you are looking for some VERY inexpensive Halloween decor, this is the post for you! Meg, over at MegaSpooky.com has created a tutorial for Coffee Filter Cobwebs. Fun AND fabulous (and totally cheap)! :)

You can find Meg's tutorial HERE

SOURCE: idea and photos from megaspooky.com

Fancy Smancy Rolling Pins

What's that? You need a fabulous idea for homemade Christmas gifts this year? Well here you go! Who wouldn't LOVE receiving one of these kitchen cuties? So, make them up for everyone you know... you know they're going to be asking you for one of their own anyways! ;)

Find the Tutorial HERE from writeclickscrapbook.com

SOURCES: Idea and photo from writeclickscrapbook.com

Classy Clutch

Another MUST make. I love projects that can use coordinating/ mismatchy prints. AND if they are useful too... even better! :)
At a glance this project doesnt look like this is a beginner's sewing project... but who am I to say. ;)
The tutorial can be found HERE on Skiptomylou.org, and was writen by from Noodleheads

Photo from Skiptomylou.org

Halloween S'mores in a jar

Ingredients:
1 quart mason jar
1 sleeve graham crackers
1 package holiday marshmallow peeps
one bag of holiday M&Ms candies
1/3 cup of brown sugar

Directions:
1. Crush 1 sleeve graham crackers to crumbs.
2. Layer 2/3 of the graham cracker crumbs in a 1 qt jar. Pack down the crumbs a bit.
3. Arrange 8 to 12 marshmallow holiday peeps standing up, facing out around the inside of the jar. Press them up against the glass, but don't squash them.
4. Carefully spoon remaining cracker crumbs in the center of the jar to support the peeps, pressing down to keep it snug.
5. On top of this pour 1-1/4 cup M&M's in holiday colors.
7. Spoon 1/3 cup brown sugar into center of M&M's, gently pressing with a spoon. If you have any room left over, fill the jar to the top with M&Ms.

Cooking directions:
1. Empty the jar contents into a bowl.
Snip the peeps into bits with kitchen shears or cut up with a knife.
Return the peep bits to the mixture. Mix well.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter; add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour this over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Pat into a greased 8" or 9" square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.


*Be sure to include the cooking directions with the jar :)

Source: Photo and Recipe TaterTots&Jello
Find the original post HERE

Upcycle: Doorknob Pumpkins

Because it's Fall and who doesnt love a project using unexpected things.... I have for you, Door Knob Pumpkins. What a great family project! The kids will love helping create these cute little decorations. 

Find the Tutorial HERE from bystephanielynn.com

Source: project and photo from bystephanielynn.com