9 Ideas for Using Tea Lights This Holiday Season

I've had tea lights on my mind this week.

Someone asked me for some ideas in a local craft store of what you can do with tea lights. Of course my mind was just racing with ideas and then I got to thinking I haven't made anything using tea lights before. So.... I did a quick scan on Pintrest. Okay, maybe not to quick, because who can get on Pintrest and not get absorbed with all the great things you find there.

But I did find these ideas that include tutorials.

If you're looking for ideas to warm up your home or special occasion with tea lights this holiday season check out these ideas from other paper bloggers:

1. Paper lanterns from Lia Griffith. You can download the tutorial on how to make these here. 

2. Tea Light boxed holders for gifts by Michelle Last. See tutorial here. 

3. Halloween #spook decoration. Find out how to make one here.

4. Floating tea lights in a bowl. Idea thanks to: theartofdoingstuff

5. Wine Glass Lamps with tea light candles and scrapbook paper shades. See how to create them here. 

6. Teal Light Card to "light" up someone's day. Instruction video here.

7. Tea Light Wall Hanging. I love this idea! It's my favorite of all. I'm currently saving my chicken cans to make one. You can probably us tuna cans, too. Check out how to make one here. 

8. Another recycle can project using tea lights. Click here to check out this one. 

9. Spruce up your home this fall with tea light pumpkins! Check it out here.


Got other tealight inspired ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments or over on my facebook page. Can't wait to see them all!

The Best of 2013

Happy New Year!

2013 has been a year of learning new things for the Lower family. 

 We learned new hair styles for the girls. 

Designed and made our own hair barrettes. 

Made our own Valentines using Bell's Violin, a paper heart, and Moxley (Bell's pet lizard) as our props.

 Boy and I attempted to make our own version of lego cookies for his class on his birthday. 

Taught Boy to crochet dish cloths.

Celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary

Had fun doing a DIY Journaling workshop with a great bunch of ladies

 Spent time with family and splashed in a relative's pool

Bell went to art camp and helped paint this mural in the front of local church.

Dug for fossils 

Learned how to make jelly.

And... we made snow angels. 

2014 Here we come!!

Masquerade Pen Holder in Plastic Canvas

I've been thinking up so new ideas for accessories to go with my books in the shop this year. I got to thinking about the different types of pens and not a lot of pen holders. I've made pen holders from wood and painted and decorated them, but I really liked the idea of making one from plastic canvas. They're more flexible and easier to ship. I used rice in the base of this design to give the holder weight so it wouldn't tip over when I inserted the feather pens.

 I was inspired by a book design I'd done last year for a masquerade ball guest book for a sweet 16 birthday party. 

I'm working up the pattern and will have it available soon. Wouldn't this pen holder look snazzy in a metallic like silver and purple? I've got to go get some silver thread now!

Thanks for stopping by!  Won’t you take a minute and like me on face book?  Right over there to the right?!  Why thank you!  Also sign up to receive these posts by email so you don’t miss out on any projects, easy do it yourself tutorials, or all the fun we are having here!!! 

The Best of 2012

As we prepare to go into the new year, I thought I'd do a year in review of what I think are some of my most creative designs. Okay, I admit, they're just my favorites!

I can't wait to see what 2013 brings! How about you? What was your favorite thing about 2012?

Wishing you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MrsChadT

Watch It Wednesday - Holiday Card

Hey Everybody,

While I'm busy down in the studio I thought I'd share this video of the holiday cards we'll be making for November's workshop.

Have a great Wednesday!

Together We Can Create a Smile

I snapped three needles in half stitching a book this morning, as I've been anxiously awaiting my new Close To My Heart Consultant Package. I've really never been one to store up much patience. It's like Christmas morning when that package arrives. I just can't wait!

But in the meantime, I wondered if any of you noticed the new widgets on my blog? Most importantly, did you see the one that says Together we can create a smile?

Even though Bell, my oldest wasn't born with a cleft lip, she was born with a hemangioma on her upper lip. But she and I agree that we can appreciate what these children a going through. It's tough being different.

What is the first thing you look at when you see someone? It's more than a face, it's their smile. And it is a great feeling to make someone smile, don't you think? Isn't that why we send a card to a friend whose feeling down or sick? How about celebrating those moments like birthdays and graduations and wedding? They make you smile.

Everyone should have a beautiful smile. Together we can make that happen.

I've added the widget to the blog along with a donation tally starting here in the month of August.

Did you know that every time you make a purchase from Close To My Heart, that a small portion goes to Operation Smile? It's one of those little factors that teetered me over the edge to becoming a consultant. And I wanted everyone to see their contributions as well. So every month I'll be updating that number, and hopefully we'll turn those zeros into larger numbers before the end of the month.

Yesterday, I shared with you the great two for one deal that is going on this month through Close To My Heart. But in just a few days, an additon offer is coming your way. So stay tuned.

Until then, I've got to go get a new pack of needles to finish stitching up a very special baby shower guest book.

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How To Create a Wooden Heart Pen Holder

So I was in the mood to paint today and had a few little hands to help in this fun project. As you can see we're not done yet. These are 3" wooden hearts and candle stick holders that I picked up at our local craft shop. 

The kids and I spent some time after school putting a base coat of white on them. I left the bottoms and insides of the candle stick holders unpainted. That's tomorrow's project - painting the unfinished places.

Once the parts are painted, then the candle stick holder is glued (hot glue works or even wood glue) to the heart base.

This is just a miniature version of the heart pen holder that I showed you in a post earlier this week.

Now to spruce these pen holders up with some personal touches...

Olive Swirl

I had one piece of this olive swirl paper left and couldn't think of a better way to put it to use than to create this elegant guest book with matching pen.

The binding is wrapped in a bronze fabric that gives a slight shimmer in the right light.  I binded the edge in a 4-hole stab stitch with white satin ribbon.

The pages are white heavy weight paper and ivory card stock.

Instead of stamping these pages, I predesigned them using my Microsoft Publisher Software with simply the word "Guests" at the top of every other page.  So when you open the book, you have guest written on the top right of the right page and the left pages is completely blank.

Wedding, Bridal shower, Baby shower? Or how about graduation? What would you use this guest book album for?

A Lifetime of Love Album Video

So I said I would show you my video of the A Lifetime of Love Album. First, however, let me give a little disclaimer.

Here is goes:

DISCLAIMER: This was MRsCHADT's first attempt in making a video of one of her creations. Therefore she gives no guarantee of the quality of this video.

Okay so now without any further ado... I present (drum roll....) A Lifetime of Love Album Video:

I'm actually quite proud of this first video. I know some of you aren't equally impressed, but like a child learning to walk, I feel like I've just taken my first step. I'm planning on making more videos of my creations. Since etsy only gives me five photos, I'm thinking a video show of each album linked in my description would be helpful to those viewing my books in the shop, don't you?

I've signed up for a class on making movies over at our local college, but if you have any suggestions of resources I can use to improve these video book previews I'd love to hear them.

Tinkerbell Journal with Felt Bag

I had this fabric in my scrap bin, left over from a previous sewing project. I thought it would make a nice little tween journal. It's a 5.5" x 7.5" journal I binded together using my Zutter Bind-It-All (affliate link).

I started putting it together before Christmas, but my sewing machine broke and I had to wait until this week when my new sewing machine arrived to finish the felt bag.

Included in this little set is a felt bag with flap, journal, and a ribbon bookmark.

The felt bag is about 8" W x 9" L with a Velcro strap. Made from two pieces of felt, front and back a different shade of blue and matching fabric to the journal for the straps.

Inside the journal I put in a few "surprise" scrapbook pages amongst blank white sketchbook pages.

 

 









I placed it in the shop. My oldest daughter loved the design and asked me to make her one.

Here's one last photo of the bag and book together:

I just got finished making a few cookbooks inspired from some fabric I picked up last month. Now that I've got my sewing machine, I'm planning on using the left over fabric from the covers and creating matching oven mitts. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you and posting them in the shop.

Creating a Book Cover

I was feeling pretty crafty over the weekend, so I made up a bunch of book covers. That's usually how it starts for me. I know there's this cliche' that says, "never judge a book by it's cover". I don't...but I do get inspired by the cover first, then decided what goes into the pages.

Of course, I had some helping hands while I worked on these ones.

Basically when I make a cover for one of my albums or books, I start with a piece of chipboard or "book board" cut to size. These covers are 5.5" x 7.5".

Next, I choose my papers. I use one sided scrapbooking paper most of the time. On some occasions, I'm known to use newspaper, magazines, old calenders, and other recycled items on my covers, not excluding fabric. I tend to use a different print on the inside of the book cover then I do on the outside. I like the contrast.

After I've selected my papers and cut them to size, we begin the gluing. PVC glue, or just your ordinary Elmer's glue will due.

Like most bookbinding professionals will tell you, it's best to start with the front of your book cover and wrap the excess around the back. (tip: clip your corners, it's neater and folds nicer.)

Then I glue my second piece of paper on the back to complete the book cover. Of course, you have to do this twice, to have a front and back cover for your book. They don't necessarily have to be matching.

I made up quite a few this week. I'll be featuring each book as I complete them. Feel free to toss out some suggestions if any of the covers inspire you for the pages inside.