All the Crafts You Can Create with American Crafts Paper

I’m completely obsessed with American Crafts paper pads.  There are so many fun things you can create with their unique styles of paper.  I never realized just how much I use their paper to craft until recently I made a list of all the things I use paper to create with and it seriously surprised me.  I thought it would be a good idea to share with you today all the things I use my American Crafts paper for.

Scrapbooking-This is the more obvious one.  A lot of people who don’t craft think that scrapbooking paper is only used to scrapbook.  They couldn’t however be any more wrong.  Yes, scrapbook paper is perfect for scrapbooking and very durable, but it can also be used for other crafts too.  I love to use my American Crafts paper for all my scrapbooking needs.  Not only is it unique, but its bold and stunning colors add style and design to every page.

Word Blocks-Many years ago I sold homemade word blocks at a local boutique near my home.  To make these word blocks I cut different sizes of 2x4’s, sanded and then painted them.  After they paint was dry I added scrapbooking paper with Mod Podge and vinyl lettering on top.  These word blocks are so popular & easy to make.  The scrapbook paper I use for these blocks is seriously what makes them.  The trendy designs that American Crafts creates are perfect for any home decor.

Homemade Cards-I make a lot of homemade cards.  I’m part of a card group that makes cards each month and trades them.  It’s a lot of fun.  I always look forward to creating and seeing what design I’m going to come up with next.  It wasn’t until recently that I realized just how much paper I use for these cards.  Each card I design has at least two if not three or four different kinds of paper attached to it.

Picture Frames-Picture frames are another great way to use paper.  In my home I have taken a bunch of old worn out frames and turned them into something new with some paint & paper.  All I did to create new frames for my home was repaint my old frames, add scrapbook paper with Mod Podge & a couple of cute embellishments.  My old frames which were ready to be tossed now look new and amazing thanks to the help of some simple paper.

Banners-Another great way to use paper is to make banners for parties or home decor.  Banners are very popular right now and I completely love the way they look.  I recently made one for my sons 2 Birthday.  I love how it turned out and couldn’t have done it without paper.

American Crafts makes an amazing line of scrapbooking paper.  I seriously use it for almost every craft project I create.  If you need some for your supply closet, https://www.craftdirect.com/american-crafts.html is a great place to get it.  Start discovering all the amazing things you can create today with the help of American Crafts paper.

Fun Summer Date Ideas

There is nothing I love more than getting away for the night with my husband.  Don’t get me wrong, I love little Steele, but date nights are the best!   I have found in the summertime there are a lot of fun date nights that don’t cost a lot of money but are a lot of fun while helping to build your relationship as a couple.  I’ve put together a list of fun date night activities that my husband and I enjoy doing during the summertime.

Go on a Hike

There is nothing more rejuvenating than getting out into nature and going on a hike.  I love finding new hikes that we have never been on to try out.  I love the talks we have while hiking to our destination and the bond we feel once we get there.  A hike is a great way to connect with your spouse.

Go Golfing

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I really got into golfing with my husband.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not any good, I just love going and spending time with him.  It’s so relaxing to drive or walk around the golf course while hitting golf balls.  I always look forward to our date nights to the golf course.

Go for a Bike Ride

Another thing I love to do with my husband is go on bike rides.  We love to Mountain Bike and have found some favorite trails near the mountains in our home.  There is something about working hard together while enjoying the great outdoors.  I love biking with my husband.

Go for a Ride up the Canyon

Another thing I love to do with my husband is go for rides up the canyon.  I love to lay in the back of his truck and look at the stars & I love to laugh and talk while we adventure in the mountains.

Date nights are seriously the best.  They are something I look forward to & something every couple needs to do.  If you have found that you are in a dating rut, follow my simple tips above and discover how much fun you and your spouse can have together.

For more great date ideas check out http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Cheap-Date-Ideas-26949115

How to Make Mini Cheesecake Cups

I recently had a party and was trying to decide on a dessert that everyone would like.  After talking with a friend I decided to try making some little cheesecake cupcakes.  I’ve had them at parties before but never actually made them for myself.  My friend gave me her favorite recipe to try and it was a success! I love how it turned out! I seriously couldn’t have planned a better dessert.  I thought it would be a fun idea to share this recipe with you today so you too can make it for your family or for your next party!

Ingredients:

Pre-made Mini Cupcake Tins with Graham Cracker Crust

1 8oz of Cream Cheese

1 C. Powdered Sugar

2 C. Cool Whip

2 T. Milk

½ Tsp Vanilla

To Make:

To begin, take out your cream cheese ahead of time so it can soften up before you need it.  I usually do this about an hour before I’m going to make my dessert.

After your cream cheese is nice and soften put it in a bowl and use your electric beater to beat all the lumps out of it.

Then, add the cool whip & beat again.

Once your white mixture is nice and smooth you can then add the powdered sugar, milk & vanilla.  Use your beaters to mix it together until there are no lumps left in the mixture.

Then, take your pre made graham cracker crusts and pour your cream cheese mixture in each cup until it is nice and full.

Place your filled crusts in the fridge and let them set up for at least 4 hours.

Once your cheesecakes are all set up you can add toppings like strawberries, raspberries, bananas, blueberries, etc.

Your family will love this amazing dessert!  Not only is it easy, but it looks like it took you hours to make.

You can find more great cheesecake cupcake recipes at http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/philadelphia-mini-cheesecakes-143464.aspx

How to Organize Your Life

If you are anything like me you feel like a crazy person unless you are organized.  I am a neat and tidy person who has order and place for everything.  When trying to decide on my next blog post I thought it would be appropriate to write a post about organizing your life.  With summer coming and the kids out of school sometimes it’s easy to get off track.  Hopefully these simple tips will help you get your life organized.

Tip #1 Have a Place for Everything

When it comes to having a neat and tidy home it’s so important to have place for everything.  Don’t just set stuff piled up in corners or hidden somewhere where visitors can’t see it.  Purchase yourself some good totes & place items where they belong.  Always remember that even if a guest can’t see your clutter, you can.  Keeping your home nice and organized is key to having a less stressful life.

Tip #2 Use a Good Planner

Ever since I started using the Heidi Swapp Memory planner I will never use another planner ever again.  This unique planner is the perfect way to keep all the happenings in your life organized while keeping record of important events and memories as they happen.  I LOVE all the different planner accessories that you have to choose from.  I always get my supplies for this unique planner at https://www.craftdirect.com/heidi-swapp/memory-planner.html.

Tip #3 Focus on One Thing at a Time

Not only am I in school, but I also work & have kids.  Sometimes life can get a bit overwhelming.  I have found that if I only focus one thing at a time I don’t get quite as overwhelmed.  It’s good to just put everything you have into each item as it comes and tackle it.  This has helped me immensely with not getting so overwhelmed with everything I have going on.

Tip #4 Don’t Take On More Than You Can Handle

I cannot focus on this subject enough.  Many times in my life when I feel like I am already bitten of more than I can chew, I take on one more thing.  Whether it’s coaching the kid’s soccer team, teaching a class somewhere, etc.  Sometimes I simply can’t do it all.  If you have a lot going on, try and prioritize what is most important and go from there.  Before taking on a new assignment or project make sure it’s something that isn’t going to overwhelm you.

Organizing your life is probably one of the most important things you can do.  If you focus on making yourself happy & your life balanced, you will find that your family & everyone else around you benefits from it.  Start trying out my simple tips today to discover how you too can have a life that is stress free and properly organized!!

How to Make a Set of HOME Word Blocks

Many of you who know me know that I love to create word blocks.  Before I had my son I sold my work at a lot of craft fairs and at an actual retail store near my home.  They were very popular and were constantly selling out at the store.  Recently I was going through some of my pictures and came across this design that I sold at the store.  It’s a design that was very easy to make but very popular.  I thought it would be fun to share with you my readers how to make this design for your home today.  You can use whatever color of paper & die cut letters you want.  These are just some colors that I like.

Craft Items Needed:

A lot of these craft items are items I purchased from https://www.craftdirect.com. They have a large selection of items to choose from.

Die Cutting Machine

Scrapbook Paper
Vinyl Paper
Mod Podge
Sander
2x4 Wood
Craft Paing

The first thing you will need to do when making these word blocks is cut your wood.  I usually cut my wood blocks 3.5”, 4.25”, 5.5” & 3.75”, but you can seriously do whatever you want.  Just cut your woodblocks to the desired sizes you want.

After your blocks are cut use your electric sander to sand them down.  Continue sanding until each block is nice and smooth on every side and edge.  You don’t want any rough areas anywhere on your blocks.

After you have sanded your blocks take out your craft paint and paint them.  You can use whatever color you would like.  Try and use a color that coordinates great with your scrapbooking paper.

If your first coat of paint doesn’t look perfect, wait for it to dry and add another coat.  Continue this process until your paint looks absolutely perfect.

While your paint is drying, take out your Die Cutting machine & cut out the letters H...O...M...E in your favorite font.  I first cut these letters in Cream and then in Brown.  I then stack them to create a unique effect.  However, you can just cut one set of letters in one color if you are going for easy.

Once your letters are cut take out your paper cutter and cut your scrapbook paper to size.  You should cut each paper so that it fits perfectly on the front of your word blocks.  I usually cut my scrapbook paper ½” smaller than the size of my wordblock.

After your paper is all cut, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the back of it & attach it to the front of your blocks.  Rub out any bubbles that may form.  Then let your paper dry.

Next, attach your Vinyl Lettering to the front of your paper.  Once again remove any bubbles that form so your letters look flawless.

Once everything is in place apply one more coat of Mod Podge over the top of your letters and scrapbook paper.  This will give your blocks a finished look.

Then, let your blocks dry completely.  Once dry, add any embellishments or ribbon you would like!!

Making word blocks is a lot of fun.  It’s my way of relaxing after a crazy busy week.  I hope you have fun with this project & I would love to see your completed designs!!

Have a good week!!

Fun Free Activities to Do with Your Kids in the Summertime

As summer is quickly approaching I thought it would be fitting to write a blog post all about ways to entertain & have fun with your kids for free during the summertime.  Our family does a lot of fun activities that are rather inexpensive or completely free.  I am going to share them with you today so if you are on a budget or looking for some fun inexpensive things to do with your kids you have all the ideas you need right here!

Go on a Bike Ride

There is nothing more fun and exhilarating than a family bike ride.  My husband and I love to go mountain biking up in the mountains by our house so we love to take our kids on bike rides so one day they too will have a passion for mountain biking like we do.

Go on a Hike

There is something unique about getting out in nature and going on a hike with your family.  There is nothing I love more than after a long hike reaching the end point and feeling like you have accomplished something great.  It’s great to teach your kids from a young age to enjoy nature & to get out and exercise.

Visit a Splash Pad

We have many splash pads by our home right now.  Almost weekly during the hot summer months we pick and choose different splash pads to visit.  My kids love to run around and play in the water while I enjoy some time laying out catching some rays.  It’s a win, win for both mom and child.

Visit a City Festival

Throughout the summer months all the cities around put on festivals for their town.  Many of these festivals have free planned events that are fun to attend.  They have things like concerts in the park,  fireworks, live entertainment, craft booths, parades & other fun things to do.  Your children will love attending these events.

Summertime is a magical time of year and a time I always look forward to.  Nothing makes me happier than getting out of the house and doing fun activities with my husband and children.  I hope this list gave you some fun ideas for the upcoming summer to do with your family.

For more great ideas check out http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/free/

How to Update Any Room in Your House in a Couple Easy Steps

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love to change up the home decor in my house on a regular basis.  I find myself getting sick of all my old items and long for something new.  My latest transformation was my family room.  For quite some time I have had a red living room.  Everything in it was Red & Black.  Recently, I changed it up a bit.  It looks completely different and the best part is, it was rather inexpensive to complete.

If you are someone who has been longing to change up the look and feel of a room in your house this blog post is for you.  Keep reading to discover just how you can change your home decor in a couple easy steps.

Give Old Items a Makeover:  I am all about saving old home decor if it can be changed and used to match the new style of a home.    Recently when redecorating my living room I took some old frames that had been sitting on my shelf.  I had a couple different frames that were various sizes.  I took the frames, painted them white & glued them together to give them a more chunky look & feel.  I then distressed the edges and they look brand new.  I’ve had a million compliments on these frames that I made from old decorations that I otherwise would have thrown out.

Another way you can reuse old items is by painting them.  I had a large metal plate that sat on a shelf.  This plate was Red and seriously one of my very favorite decorations in my home.  I spray painted this particular plate glossy Yellow and applied a glaze over the top.  I love the new look of this plate just as much as the old look.  You really can do a lot with the old decorations in your home.

Update Your Throw Pillows on Your Couch:  Another tip that can totally change the look of your home is updating your couch pillows.  To save money I made my own pillow covers and placed them over my old pillows that were sitting on my couch.  I then used some heat transfer paper that I recently found at https://www.craftdirect.com/silhouette/material/heat-transfer.html to add some design to my pillows.  I added an “M” to my newly covered pillows and it totally added a charm to them that really made them pop.

Add Some New Curtains:  I absolutely love gray and white striped curtains!  When I was changing the look of my family room I knew that that was the style of curtains I wanted.  When all the decorating was done in my room the finishing touch was my new curtains.  It really helped change the look & feel of the room.

Now that my family room is newly decorated I love to just go in there and sit.  I love to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and vibe that I get from my room.

You too can change the look and feel of any room in your house by following my simple tips above!! Enjoy!!

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats

As you read my blog you will discover that I have a weakness for Nutella.  I love that stuff! I recently went to a party where someone made these amazing Rice Krispie treats.  Not only were they so delicious, but they were the best Rice Krispie treats I have ever tried.  It wouldn’t be a lie if I told you the very next day I went home and made some of my very own.  They turned out just as amazing and were pretty simple to make.  Of course I had to share the recipe with you today so you could enjoy some of these yummy treats at your house.

Ingredients You Will Need:

Base:

6 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal

1 Package of Marshmallows

¼ Cup Butter

1 Cup of Nutella

Topping:

½-¾ Cup Milk  Chocolate Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Nutella

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil or Shortening

To Make:

First you will need to place your six cups of Rice Krispie Cereal in a separate bowl.  Next, place your Butter, Marshmallows & Nutella in a saucepan.   Turn your heat to medium and continue to stir the mixture until it is completely melted together.

Once your Nutella, Marshmallow mixture is all melted together, immediately pour it into your bowl of Rice Krispie cereal.  Mix it all together until your cereal is completely coated with the chocolate mixture.

After your cereal is completely coated with chocolate, place it in a greased 9x13” pan.  Evenly press the cereal into the pan.

Next, place your bag of Chocolate Chips, Nutella & Coconut Oil into a saucepan.  Just like with the base mixture, keep your heat on medium & continue to stir until it’s completely melted.

Once your topping mixture is melted pour it onto the top of your base mixture and spread it around evenly.

Then, place your 9x13 pan in the fridge for at least a couple hours, or until your cereal is cool.  Once it’s cool, it’s ready to cut up and eat!!

This is the perfect dessert to bring to parties or to make for your families!!

All the Things You Can Do with Tim Holtz Distressing Ink

I am obsessed with Tim Holtz distressing stains, they are seriously amazing!!  If you have ever been to my house before you have probably noticed that i’m into rustic, vintage & love the distressed look of furniture and home decor.  You can probably guess why I love this line of distressing stains for all my craft project needs.  Not only are they simple to use, but there are a lot of fun projects you can create with these types of stains.  

Today I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my favorite projects to create with Tim Holtz distressing stains.  That way you can try them out for yourself & decide how much you like them.

Color Wheel-Before beginning any craft projects with your Tim Holtz stains it might be a good idea to create a color pallet so you know exactly what each stain looks like when applied to paper.  I created my color wheel with some simple 8.5”x10” piece of white cardstock.  I cut each piece of cardstock into 8 equal parts.  I then took each square and applied a different color of distressing ink to each one.  I then wrote the name on the back of each color, placed a hole punch in the corner and put my color squares on a metal ring so I could easily flip through each color when I needed to.  If you use distressing stains at all, I highly reccomend this project.  I can’t count the number of times I have used my color wheel.

Embellishments-I love to go to craft stores & find simple paper embellishments in the clearance section that nobody wants.  I usually can find extremely inexpensive products because of their dull design.  I love to take these simple designs and turn them into a work of art by simply using my distressing inks.  This is seriously one of my favorite things to do with these inks.

Cards-I make a lot of homemade cards at my house.  Once I discovered how to use distressing inks I use them on almost all of my homemade cards.  The ink gives each card a unique flare that it wouldn’t have without it.  These inks are a great way to jazz up all your cards.

Gift Tags-Another great way to use distressing ink is with gift tags.  You can turn a boring, plain & simple gift tag into something great with some simple ink colors.  I love to do this to all my gift tags that I create or find.  

Creating with Tim Holtz distressing inks really is very easy and can be a lot of fun.  If you don’t know how to use these particular types of inks it only takes a few minutes to learn and once you do you will use them the rest of your life!  They are amazing!!

I hope this tutorial helped you today.  If you need help finding distressing inks I like to get mine from https://www.craftdirect.com/supplies/inks/tim-holtz/distress-stains.html I’ve found that they have the best supply.  Feel free to share with us some of your ideas, or some great projects you have made with these unique stains!  Watch for more tutorials coming soon!

Make Your Own Love Notes Journal

I recently came across a great idea while browsing the internet and could not be more excited to share it with you today.  The fun project that I found was a Love journal designed to help you remember special times in your marriage.  The journal was made from  a notebook that is  put together from scratch.  Each day you sit down and either write special moments you had with your spouse that day, things you love about them or even a love note.  On your anniversary you can sit down with each year and read your Love Journal together or even surprise your spouse with it.  It’s a great way to show your loved one how you feel about them while remembering special times in your relationship.

Putting a love journal together is very easy and only requires a few simple items.  If you are wanting to put one of these cute notebooks together here is what you will need.

• Notebook
• Scrapbook Paper
• Ribbon
• Love Die Cuts
• Glue Gun
• Glue Dots

First you will need to cut out a scrapbook paper that will fit on the front of your notebook.  Measure your paper to your notebook before making your cuts.  Once your paper is cut out, use your glue stick to attach it on.

Next, cut a 3 inch wide strip the length of your notebook & attach it on the left hand side.

Once you have your narrow piece of scrapbook paper attached to the left hand side it’s time to add your ribbon embellishments & die cuts.  You can decorate the front of your journal however you would like, it’s up to you!

Once you have attached everything to the front of your notebook you are then ready to begin documenting your love story!  Not only is this a lot of fun, but it is the perfect way to cherish special moments with your loved one.

Check out more great ideas here at http://happybrownhouse.com/2011/02/14/love-notes-journal/