Gift Exchange at Craftaholics Anonymous! :)

I signed up for a Christmas gift exchange through craftaholics anonymous :) Basically this is what you do .
You sign up on her website ( although it is closed now. Sorry!)
Then once you sign up she will send you an email with your craft partners information :)
You have until November 30th to mail out your package and it has to be something homemade :) ( ugh huge problem for me. just kidding :) You can do as much or as little as you like.

I already started on mine tonite, my person is going to LOVE me :) haha. At least their package will be smelling like Christmas .

*update*
when I originally posted this ( as in a draft ) I hadn't started my project yet. Now that it is past the deadline I have posted and mailed my package and included what is in the package :) I loved doing this exhange because it let me communicate with somebody new and let me craft whatever I wanted to , without keeping it :)

For Ashlee ( who btw makes these AWESOME bows- check her out her website is ( Insert WEbSTIEEEFCEFWFEWF)

We both share a love in the Nightmare Before Christmas- so naturally I made everything with a nightmare theme!

I made A Skeleton Sock Monkey ( To see directions how to make one yourself search sock monkey on blog )
Polymer clay Jack Skellington's with Hotpink and Black Candy Canes
Jack Skellington on spiral hill figurine
Zombie Mermaid

I also included a christmas card and a note

What are some things that excite you?

You're Hot then You're Cold :)

Cute Title Right! Its for my Hot/Cold Packs/ Sachets ( Multifunctional- LOVE IT)

It was super easy to make these and they took 30 minutes total!

What you will need:
Rice Stuffing Mix- which you can find here
Pretty Fabric ( I used an old sweater of mine from forever 21 ...sad day I loved that sweater :( Brown velvet fabric and an old white t-shirt)
Hot Glue Gun
Needle
Invisible Thread ( this does actually exist :)

Step 1) Cut your main fabric ( in my case it was my sweater) into 4 Equal squares 4 inches by 6 inches ( You can make it smaller or bigger depending on your need :) Trim these squares into coffe cup shapes ( do not do a handle yet) set aside.
Step 2- Take your "coffee" material ( In my case it was a brown velvet material) and cut it into a rectangle the width of your coffee cup at the top ( I then cut mine into an oval that measure the width of my coffee cup.)
Step 3 Stitch together the 2 Coffee cup sides from to pack ( or if you are like me and hate sewing and don't have a sewing machine ghot glue gun it !)
Step 4 Fill the sachet with the rice mixture and stitch top shut. add your brown fabric on top and sew it to the cup.

Step 5- Take scrap fabric and create your handle, Add your marshmallows or steam and voila! you are done! :)

To use as Hot Pack - Microwave for 20-30 seconds
To use as cold pack- Simply Throw in Refrigerator or Freezer :)

What do you like to create ?

Im gonna Sock Ya in the Mouth!

Ok not really, I'm a pacifist and very passive aggressive ( So I'm told) But I recently learned how amazingly EASY it is to create a sock monkey. It took me an hour to make 1 sock monkey ( which is good considering I hand Sewed it! )Here is what you will need :)

Socks ( I like the crew length or longer- it gives you more to work with.) ( I got mine in a 2 pack at walmart - the super soft fuzzy chenille socks)
Buttons for eyes
Hot Glue Gun& Glue
Felt
Accessories ( knitted scarf, hat etc)
invisible thread
needle
stuffing/batting

First you need to cut out your pattern ( I used these patterns

http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/images/sock-monkey-main-pattern.jpg



I got my directions from

I only modified the First Direction :
To make the body of the sock monkey you take the end that is the toes and cut a straight line up the middle until you are 1/2 inch from the heel. The sock must be turned inside out . :)

2. Stuffing - cut up old nylon stockings, cotton batting, kapok, shredded foam rubber or polyester fiber. (do not use yams or other vegitables) <-- haha

CAP:
Cut off toe of the sock, leaving 1/2 inch of brown to roll for a brim. ( they used these old brown/white.red socks I used some chenille holiday socks :)

TAIL:
Cut a one inch strip, taper to end of cuff on length of front of sock. Seam and stuff.

MOUTH:
Cut the heel from the sock, leaving a brown edge around the white. Fasten on lower part of the face, whipping around the bottom; stuff and finish sewing around top. The mouth can be improved by a running stitch of either black or white across the middle.

These are the original instructions from the 1920's, once you obtain a pattern it is prety self explanatory on what you need to do :)

Here is my first attempt at a sock monkey! I made mine from Halloweentown- Nightmare before Christmas style ( and I must say I loved the outcome! I hand knitted the little scarf with my Wonderknitter- It works SO well!

Reindeer Pin or Hairbow!

Since Initializing my 12 days of Craftsmas I have gotten a job at a craft store ( which to me is super dangerous!) I also got ANOTHER job working nites at a nursing home ( needless to say I have been busy) I decided before all the hecticities of the season are upon me to at least post my pages ( or attempt to schedule them ) Nobody is following me yet, so it doesn't really matter if I post or not , but you never know :)

Make Your Blog into a book! :)

so I found this site,that is AMAZING!It would make an excellent wedding, baby, kids graduation or craft book/cookbook! there is no limit to the posts you can have and it presents it so nicely! It's 24.95 for a hardcover one and 14.95 for a softcover one~ I think it is Definatly worth the investment :) I am planning on making my own craftbook for this blog! Its nice because you can edit posts so that you don't have to keep the posts that dont neccessarily have anything to do with what you want in your book :) Like a giveaway or something. Since we are in the Christmas season it would be a fantastic time to go and make or invest in updating your blog and making it into a book! I plan on ordering one for myself when I have enough on my blog haha :)
Check it out!

Holiday Cards at Shutterfly!

Recently a dear friend of mine referred me to shutterfly, to check out their inventory and to see what they have going on! I don't know if any of you do Christmas Cards with pictures- I always seemed to buy generic ones because I thought to buy photo cards would be too pricey. I was wrong! Shutterfly.com has SO much to choose from! They have this amazing special going on and I decided to share it with all of you bloggie buddies! I have used shutterfly before and I LOVEd IT! The prices are fantasticI am absolutely in love with their holiday story cards! These are my top 3 favorites, I think I am going to use the calender story card ! I love that it has 12 spots for 12 different pictures of the month! This would be especially fantastic if you had major life events! ( graduation, wedding, engagment, losing a loved one, bought a pet etc. etc. ) These are the Story Cards!


Of Course my new all time favorite - it's Christmas time in the city- I LOVE how it looks vintage and yet modern all at the same time!

if you liked these cards you should see the selection they offer at shutterfly.com, there are so many more I loved- I don't know how I can choose just one!

*Disclaimer- I am not endorsed by shuttefly nor are these their opinions- I did it voluntarily and just wanted to share the love with you all!*

If you would like to snag your own shutterfly cards go to www.shutterfly.com- you won't be disssappointed ! =)

What are your plans for Christmas cards this year?

12 Days of Craftsmas!!!

I am SO excited!! I signed up for homemade gift exchange at Craftaholics anonymous =)
Anywho I decided to create the 12 days of Craftsmas! For every day ( The first 12 days of December anyway) I am going to put up a new craft!
Here is a sneak peek at what wonderful tutorials are on their way!
December 1- Coffee Cup Sachet OR Hot/Cold pad :) w/ homemade rice/vanilla/cloves stuffing ( I wasnt sure how to write this haha)
December 2- Sock Monkeys!
December 3- Polymer Clay Ornament ( Disney Princess- Not sure which one yet :)
December 4th- Knitting a Scarf! ( MY style- I don't know how to write stitches or a pattern, I just do my Thang :)
December 5th- How to make a memory collage ( using Picnic and scrap materials
December 6th- How to make a Tie Snake
December 7th- How to make a memory quilt * disclaimer* my memory quilt is all peices NOt put together because my sowing machine from the 1940s is broken. ( true story)
December 8th- Nightmare Before Christmas Ornament! ( Jack with Candy Canes)
December 9th- How to make a Christmas Frame out of Bags, gift tages and Stickers!
December 10th- Handprint ornament ( Super easy and super cheapsy haha)
December 11th- How to make Reindeer/ Rudolph ornament and possible a few other critters- not sure yet( again Polymer Clay)
December 12th- Pappy's Ornament ( Seashell knock off of Hallmarks ) If you lost anyone this would be fantastic for you ! and its Cheap! ( I think maybe cost me 2.00. for pearls and pretty ribbon) ( I am running out of money for this project haha.)

anyway I may change my mind about the items or I may keep them. It depends on my new job ( which is at Michaels- SO dangerous ! :) and how orgainzed I get haha.

I want to do a nativity out of clay- but I am not sure if I will have time. I am going to attempt to make it Peanuts style ( I LOVe snoopy :)



Blessing!

Pumpkin Carving 101

This past halloween I carved 2 Pumpkins! :) Here is a simple how to from me to you!
Step 1 ) Buy awesome pumpkin ( this year I am into the white pumpkins, idk why)
Step 2 ) Pick a pattern or freestyle. ( For the Jack pumpkin I freestyled, It was pretty easy I just traced 2 big circles for his eyes, then 2 tiny little circles for his nose. I used the typical pumpkin toothy smile for his smile, added a few extra stitches and voila! I had Jack Skellington :)
Step 3) Before Carving Cut top of pumpkin out and scoop out the seeds, reserve seeds if planning to make roasted pumpkin seeds with sweet and salty crunc ( which you can find on my Recipe Blog)
Put tealight candle in pumpkin after carving. Light up and VOILA! you're done! C'est magnifique! :-)

Also Posted on ( with Pics)
http://www.kitkatlyfe.blogspot.com/

Halloween Frame - Belated but Still worth it !

I got this idea in my head the one day to frame some halloween packages that I thought were pretty intresting. So after a little work, I came to the finished product. I know stupid but I LOVE it :) It's going to be in my house, not yours..so I guess it works :) In case you want to make it I included total cost and time it took to make this creation.





Intresting food wrappers ( can be for anything, in this case it was halloween)


Silly Bands ( I got mine on clearance for 1.00. Oh yeah! )


BRight flash cards


Pretty stickers ( I got mine at Dollar Tree )


1 Picture Frame, any size ( I got mine at Walmart for 2.88)


Glue, glue gun and or super glue ( I used super glue on the skeletons and regular glue on the other items)


Stretchy skeletons or any little trinkets to glue onto the picture frame :)





I think it's pretty self explanatory on what to do. Just let your creativity flow! I arrange the skeletons so that if I choose to I can lay them to the side as well :)






What kind of crafts do YOU like to do?