Lifestyle Crafts

Don't forget, if you want to order from Lifestyle Crafts, you can get 20% off if you use my affiliate code button on the side (KAMINSKI). 

Here's the link.

Happy shopping!

St. Patrick's Day Wreath

This week is our Spring Break (I'm a teacher) and this weekend, I finally found the time to make something to decorate the front door for St. Patty's Day. I call it a wreath because I wasn't really sure what to call it. But here's what I ended up making.

Here's how I made it. I had fabric leftovers from making St. Patty's pillow covers, so I just cut the leftovers into 2 inch strips.

I've had this frame from Goodwill sitting in the garage for a while. It came with this artwork but no glass. I didn't want the artwork anyways. Just the frame.

So I took the lovely artwork out and just wrapped the frame in the fabric strips.

I used my staple gun to staple the strips. 

The corners were a little tricky.

And I ran out of fabric (I had about 1/4 of a yard and an 11 x 14 frame. Next time, I'll make sure I have 1/2 a yard.

So since I didn't want to buy more fabric (Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays anyways), I decided to make pinwheels out of paper.

I cut them in various widths (2 inch, 3 inch, 3 1/2 inches) but always the same length of 12 inches. I tried one at a 4 inch width but it tore. So I don't recommend 4 inch strips (unless you have maybe 3 strips or something...I'll have to try that).

Fold each strip, according style. My folds are slightly larger than 1/4 of an inch.

Hot glue the ends of them together, so you 1 one according folded paper.

Hot glue the ends together and stand the paper up as seen below.

Press down with your fingers.

And hot glue together in the middle.

Then I hot glued it to the frame.

And I added buttons to cover the hot glue in the middle.

I attached black  ribbon across the frame using a staple gun. Then I glued foamy shamrock stickers onto the ribbon.

I staple gunned a variety of ribbons to the top using my staple gun and tied it into a knot.

And here it is again, finished. Cheap and festive!

Linking Up With These Great Blogs:

Alderberry Hill,      Tutus and Tea Parties,      The Rustic Pig Designs,      Or So She Says,      My 1929 Charmer,      Super Handmade Sunday @ A Cat- Like Curiosity,      Lil' Luna          Craft Geek,      Simple As That,       House on the Way,      Sassy Sites,      Mindy May's Market,   Skip To My Lou,        Sugar Bee Crafts,      Cheap Crafty Mama,      Be Different, Act Normal,   Homemaker In Heels,     The Busy Bee's,      Fireflies and Jellybeans,    The Shabby Creek Cottage,     30 Handmade Days,     52 Mantels,     The Shabby Nest,     Lovely Crafty Home,  See Vanessa Craft,     Blissful Bucket List,     Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo,     Lena B, Actually,     Pocket Full of Pink,     Family Ever After,      I Heart Naptime,     Six Sisters Stuff,  Nifty Thrifty Things,     Homemaker on a Dime,     Under The Table and Dreaming,     Flamingo Toes,    It's Overflowing,    Ivy And Elephants,    Clean and Scentsible,    Creations by Kara,     Tip Junkie,      Love and Laundry,      Create. Craft. Love.,     Sarah Dawn Designs,     One Artsy Mama,      Tatertots and Jello,     The Grant Life,     The Hubby Made Me,     Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons,       The Chiffon Diary,     Manic Mother,     The Thriftiness Miss,     Say Not Sweet Anne,     Becoming Martha,     Too Much Time On My Hands,     Destination Craft,     The Dedicated House,      Katherine's Corner,   C.R.A.F.T.,    Fluster Buster,     Nap Time Creations

Spring Mantle

Today, I'm linking up with The CSI Project to feature my Spring Mantle. 

My name is Erin Kaminski. I'm a mother of a beautiful little 4 year old girl named Sophia. I've been married to my best friend Russell for almost 15 years. And I'm an art teacher at an elementary school. And in my spare time, I love to craft and decorate for the holidays. 

One of my favorite things to decorate is my mantle. I try to change it out for every holiday or season. Here's how I decorated my mantle for Spring last year....

I picked up this birdhouse at Joanne's on clearance for $3 (way back in October, it's been sitting in my closet just waiting to be used) and spray painted it blue with paint that I also got on clearance for $2.50.

I found this ceramic bird at Marshall's on clearance for $7.

I made these FAMILY tags at The Little Blue House.

I hung a wreath from the window I bought at Canton that I've had in my closet for months. I originally bought it in Granbury way back in 2004?? I used it as a centerpiece around a large candle on our formal dining room table (it was originally kind of peachy colored but I spray painted it green). But I'd gotten tired of it. 

I added a BLOOM bunting across the corner. If I had it to do over again, which I could but I'm too lazy, I'd make the BLOOM bunting slightly larger.

I found this bird nest at Canton for $4. I couldn't have made it myself and cheaper (and it has 3 eggs inside you can't see).

I found these eggs at Joann's which go perfectly with my color scheme (just had to yak the yarn our each one because they're supposed to hang on a tree). 

I also made a Spring banner. I layered blue paper on top of white. I used Friskar paper edger scissors to cut out along the lines after I cut out all my triangles. I inked the edges. I made pinwheels. Then I used my Cricut to cut out the word SPRING. I also used Glossy Accents on my letters to add a little shine. Tied it all together with ribbon and ta-daaa!!!!!

Welcome SPRING!!!!

Linking Up With These Great Blogs:

Alderberry Hill,      Tutus and Tea Parties,      The Rustic Pig Designs,      Or So She Says,      My 1929 Charmer,      Super Handmade Sunday @ A Cat- Like Curiosity,      Lil' Luna          Craft Geek,      Simple As That,       House on the Way,      Sassy Sites,      Mindy May's Market,   Skip To My Lou,        Sugar Bee Crafts,      Cheap Crafty Mama,      Be Different, Act Normal,   Homemaker In Heels,     The Busy Bee's,      Fireflies and Jellybeans,    The Shabby Creek Cottage,     30 Handmade Days,     52 Mantels,     The Shabby Nest,     Lovely Crafty Home,  See Vanessa Craft,     Blissful Bucket List,     Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo,     Lena B, Actually,     Pocket Full of Pink,     Family Ever After,      I Heart Naptime,     Six Sisters Stuff,  Nifty Thrifty Things,     Homemaker on a Dime,     Under The Table and Dreaming,     Flamingo Toes,    It's Overflowing,    Ivy And Elephants,    Clean and Scentsible,    Creations by Kara,     Tip Junkie,      Love and Laundry,      Create. Craft. Love.,     Sarah Dawn Designs,     One Artsy Mama,      Tatertots and Jello,     The Grant Life,     The Hubby Made Me,     Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons,       The Chiffon Diary,     Manic Mother,     The Thriftiness Miss,     Say Not Sweet Anne,     Becoming Martha,     Too Much Time On My Hands,     Destination Craft,     The Dedicated House,      Katherine's Corner,   C.R.A.F.T.,    Fluster Buster,     Nap Time Creations

A Fall Craft Finally Finished

A while back, in September I think, I was recruited to make a sign for a friend that said "Peace, Love and Candy Corn" for her house. And I started it in October, knowing I wouldn't get it to her in time for Halloween but at least thought I'd get it to her by November. Well, life happened and I never finished. But this weekend, I FINALLY finished it. So now she'll have it for next Halloween and Thanksgiving. 

So here's the process.

I bought an old cabinet door at a flea market (Canton) for $1.

I spray painted it white.

Then using a bright orange and yellow, made it look like candy corn.

Then I cut out the words using my Cricut and black vinyl.

I decided to use the other side for  generic Fall decor. So I left it the color of the cabinet door alone and cut my vinyl letters out using my Cricut. I didn't have a peace sign on any of my Cricut cartridges so I had to have my friend Dina, who has a Silhouette cut one for me (it's going in the blank space beneath Peace).

As you can see below, I spray painted it a burnt orange color and peeled the vinyl off. I had my husband drill 2 holes for me.

Using a really thick gauge jewelry wire that I had on hand, I ran some wire through the hole, added a bead and twisted the wire using my jewelry tools (pliers).

Then I strung some fun chunky beads on the wire.

I ran the other end of the wire through the other hole, added a bead and twisted it as well.

Can't wait to give it to her!

Linking Up With These Great Blogs:

Alderberry Hill,      Tutus and Tea Parties,      The Rustic Pig Designs,      Or So She Says,      My 1929 Charmer,      Super Handmade Sunday @ A Cat- Like Curiosity,      Lil' Luna          Craft Geek,      Simple As That,       House on the Way,      Sassy Sites,      Mindy May's Market,   Skip To My Lou,        Sugar Bee Crafts,      Cheap Crafty Mama,      Be Different, Act Normal,   Homemaker In Heels,     The Busy Bee's,      Fireflies and Jellybeans,    The Shabby Creek Cottage,     30 Handmade Days,     52 Mantels,     The Shabby Nest,     Lovely Crafty Home,  See Vanessa Craft,     Blissful Bucket List,     Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo,     Lena B, Actually,     Pocket Full of Pink,     Family Ever After,      I Heart Naptime,     Six Sisters Stuff,  Nifty Thrifty Things,     Homemaker on a Dime,     Under The Table and Dreaming,     Flamingo Toes,    It's Overflowing,    Ivy And Elephants,    Clean and Scentsible,    Creations by Kara,     Tip Junkie,      Love and Laundry,      Create. Craft. Love.,     Sarah Dawn Designs,     One Artsy Mama,      Tatertots and Jello,     The Grant Life,     The Hubby Made Me,     Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons,       The Chiffon Diary,     Manic Mother,     The Thriftiness Miss,     Say Not Sweet Anne,     Becoming Martha,     Too Much Time On My Hands,     Destination Craft,     The Dedicated House,      Katherine's Corner,   C.R.A.F.T.,    Fluster Buster,     Nap Time Creations