Micro Paris Planner

Hello blogging friends,

It has been a while since I posted.  I've been wanting to share with you my custom micro planner.  It turned out better than I could have imagined!

I finally have a pretty portable planner, which allows me to have a grocery list, meal planning, wish lists and so much more on hand.

The planner is the same size as a Micro Happy Notes, which is 3" x 4".  Great for on the go!

Since I love all things Paris I knew the first cover I created would be a Paris themed one.  The images were composed and then the cover was printed on heavy white cardstock and laminated.  Yes, I finally bought myself a laminator.  Actually, it was a birthday present to myself back in November.

Journaling cards by Cloth & Paper fit perfectly in the planner since the cards are already 3" x 4".  No cutting was needed for those.  Divider tabs keep everything organized and easy to find.

The discbound system works great for me so I can just pull out my grocery list or meal planning sheets and take them with me to the store.  I used aluminum 3/4" inch discs from Eleven Discs to keep everything together.  I've already started creating different covers for the seasons.

Do you still use a planner or rely solely on your Smartphone?

Wishing you a blessed Sunday!   

Happiness Jar

Hi friends,

I hope everyone is staying safe.  I want to share with you my "Happy Jar".  I've been wanting to create one and today I finally had the time to be creative.

The concept of a happiness jar is so very simple.  A jar you can fill with happy memories as often as you like.  There are no rules!  Just jot down on a slip of paper the happiest moment of your day or week; fold up the paper and drop it in the jar.  I also like to write on my slips of paper the date.  

I'm amazed over time the little things I have forgotten had I not jotted them down.  I am realizing in uncertain times my happiest moments are common every day things, from watching the birds at the feeder, to having Pippin snuggle up on me.

To create my jar, I took a mason jar and painted it with blue chalk paint and then distressed it.  Studio Manu Sound of Music scrapbook paper was used for the lid top, jar band, tag and pocket envelope.  This is one of my favorite paper designs.

The label for my jar was simply computer generated using the 1942 Report font (simple and quick) :-)

A band for around the jar was cut with scallop edged scissors and adhered with double sided tape.

A view of the jar top, which has a cream crochet flower with a flat back pearl in the center. 

Digging deep into my stash of die cuts, I located a Sizzix pocket envelope perfect for my slips of paper.

I decided to get extra creative and added a text graphic to the top of each one before cutting them out.

Have you created a "Happy Jar"?  If not, I hope today I have inspired you to make one!

Supplies:  Mason Jar with Lid
Text:  1942 Report, Enjoy the Little Things Text Graphic
Paper:  Studio Manu Sound of Music Scrapbook Paper, Whisper White
Accessories:  Vintage Tea Stained Seam Binding, Cream 12mm Flower Flat Back Pearl, Cream Crochet Flower, Spellbinders Small Circles #4, Labels Four #3, Small Labels Four #4, Large Classic Rectangles #3, Sizzix Pocket with Scallop Edge Die Cut, Scallop Edge Scissors

DIY Glitter Monogram Ornaments

Hello there,

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve!  Are you all ready for tomorrow?  A couple of weeks ago I was in Pottery Barn and I saw these glitter monogram ornaments.  They caught my eye, but I wasn't impressed with the quality of them as they were made out of cardboard.  I thought it would be easy to recreate these at home.

Pottery Barn Silver Ornament

A few days later, I swung by Michaels Crafts and picked up 3 wood letters for 99 cents each.  I used some Champagne Metallic Paint, Mod Podge, and Fairy Dust Glitter to create monogram letters for our Christmas stockings.

I started by drilling a whole in the corner of each letter then sanded the wood lightly to remove any rough spots.

Next, I painted each letter with a coat of Champagne Metallic Paint.  Don't worry if it doesn't come out perfect as the glitter will hide any imperfections.

After waiting about 30 minutes or so I painted each letter with a thin coat of Matte Mod Podge and then sprinkled ... sprinkled ... and sprinkled glitter all over them.  Tap off the excess glitter and let them sit for a few minutes to dry.

Because I didn't want the glitter to rub off onto everything I sprayed an even coat of sealant over the top of each one.  To hang each letter from our stocking I used Baker's Twine and tied a knot around the loop.

Pippin's Stocking

Can you see the glitter?

Donna's Stocking

Michael's Stocking

What a super easy project, which allowed me to create letters to match our Christmas stockings and they are better than Pottery Barn!

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,

not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

DIY Essential Oil Perfume

Hello,

I have a quick and easy project for you today using two of my favorite things - essential oils & stamps!

This natural DIY perfume not only smells wonderful it also looks beautiful displayed on a dresser or in a powder room.  You can mix it up however you like by changing the scent, the bottle color and scrapbook paper.  Below are the basic supplies you will need.

• Therapeutic-grade essential oils
• Carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil)
• Glass atomizer bottle (2 oz.)
• Scrapbook paper
• Rubber stamps and ink
• Bows, ribbon or embellishments
• Small cotton bag

In an atomizer bottle combine 1 oz. of carrier oil with your essential oil.  I can't really tell you how many drops as that depends on the desired intensity and how strong your oils are.  I would recommend starting with 10 drops and go from there.  You can add additional essential oils to create your own custom scent.

Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to fit around your bottle and adhere with glue.  I also added some trim to the top of my paper for a finished look.  Next, attach a bow or embellishment to the glass bottle.

On a cotton bag stamp your desired images.  I created a 'Paris' theme using stamps by Cavallini Papers & Co., Inc.  All images were stamped in StazOn ink.

Now you are ready to shake and spritz ... that's all there is to it.

Doesn't this make a cute little gift?  Perfect as a stocking stuffer too!  Simple things bring great joy ...  

Enjoy your weekend!

Chocolate Strawberry Lip Balm

I hope you are having a fun filled weekend!  Today I have some Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Lip Balm to share with you.  It's so easy to whip up a small batch and during the winter my lips become so dry.  Yes, it is still winter here and we have snow on the ground.  

For these tubes I mixed beeswax, coconut oil, Vitamin E oil, dark chocolate oil and strawberry oil with a hint of mica for a delicious lip balm.  This was my first time using mica.  It adds a hint of shimmery color to your lips.  This particular one also has a bit of silver in it.  Remember, a little goes a long way.

The items I purchase when making my lip balms are unsweetened, do not use any nut derived oils, are vegan friendly and cruelty free, and are free of gluten, soy, alcohol and parabens.

Full of sweetness without the calories!

So pucker up!

I'm so happy to have tomorrow off.  I've never been much of a procrastinator, but I've been putting off organizing my closet and I think it's time to tackle the task.

Enjoy your day!

Let's Make Roller Bottles

Hi everyone,

Roller bottles are so simple to make and great for on the go!  What better way to enjoy your favorite scents and create gifts for your friends.  I purchased 10 ml bottles since they fit perfectly in my purse. I highly recommend you use a roller bottle with a metal ball, especially if you are using any type of citrus oils.  Metal roller tops help oils glide on smoothly.

You will need:

• 10 ml glass roller bottles
• Fractionated coconut oil or carrier oil of choice
• Small funnel or pipettes (optional)
• Therapeutic-grade essential oils

For 10 ml bottles, I usually use 15 drops of essential oil and then fill the rest with carrier oil.  For kids' blends, I suggest reducing that to 5-10 drops.  I prefer to use fractionated coconut oil because it does not stain your clothes and lasts longer than other oils.  Essential oils do not have an expiration date; although, once mixed with a carrier oil they take on the expiration date of that carrier.  Keep in mind citrus oils can be photosensitive.  It is advised to wait a minimum of 6-12 hours before exposing skin where you have applied citrus oils to UV rays or sunlight.

Vinyl labels can be created for your bottles or use stickers or rub-ons to personalize them.

Do you have any special recipes or blends you like to use?  I always keep a bottle of calming at my desk for those stressful days.

Thank you for stopping by today!

DIY Lip Balm Holders

Hello friends,

It's Christmas eve - how exciting!  I don't know about you, but this time of year I love everything peppermint ... candy canes, ice cream, cocoa and even lip balm.  A while back I made some homemade Peppermint Lip Balm as gifts and thought I would share my project with you.

Packaging your homemade lip balm is so fun and easy to do!  Sometimes the holiday inspiration you need can be found right in your own backyard.  I love to use natural elements like pinecones and Baker's twine to create beautiful gifts.

You Will Need

• Kraft paper or cardstock
• Hole punch
• Baker's twine or thread
• Small pinecones and/or sprigs
• Hot glue gun
• Stamps, ink or rub-on stickers
• Pen or marker

To Make

• Cut Kraft paper 3"W x 4" H.
• Write the name of your lip balm at the top (if you prefer you can computer generate the name before cutting your paper).
• Punch two holes approx. 1" apart in the center of the card.
• Thread Baker's twine from back to front and tie a bow.
• Use hot glue to piece together a pinecone and sprig.
• Arrange the cluster on card and use hot glue to secure everything in place.
• Add stamped images or rub-ons to embellish.

Just like my previous post, these lip balms also make great stocking stuffers and can be made in so many different flavors.

Wishing you a magical Christmas eve and a Merry Christmas!

The Scent of Christmas

Hello,

Happy Tuesday!  I'm back today to share with you a Christmas DIY project that I just finished.  It took about 10 minutes to complete and now my home is filled with the most beautiful fragrance for Christmas.

All you need to create this pretty diffuser are the following items:

• Diffuser reeds
• Fragrance oil
• Amber glass bottle
• Scrapbook paper
• Ribbon, lace or seam binding
• Stamp and ink
• Tag or embellishments

Once I decided on the scrapbook paper I wanted to use, I cut the piece of paper to fit around the middle of my glass bottle overlapping the ends slightly so I could glue them together.  I then wrapped a piece of vintage seam binding and tied a bow.  This particular paper is called 'Gilded Christmas'.  I just love the champagne color with gold snowflakes!

On a piece of Naturals Ivory paper I stamped Merry Christmas in StazOn Timber Brown and cut it out to make a tag.  A small grommet was added to the hole to finish it off.  It was tied around the bottle with gold cording.

I added Christmas Memories fragrance oil to the bottle then placed several diffuser sticks next to the container to see if they were the correct height.  I find it is easier to cut them first before placing them in the bottle with the oil.  I have to say this Christmas scent is heavenly.  A wonderful Christmas pine combined with apple cider, cinnamon sticks, orange peels and clover.

The sticks will begin to diffuse immediately, but it may take several hours before you begin to smell the aroma.  After a few days flip the reed sticks to refresh the scent.

Thank you for visiting me and I hope you are enjoying the holiday season.