Have Creative Youth? Sure You Do!!!

Photo taken from HERE

I don't know if any of you have noticed this announcement posted around your ward building. Ours is posted on our bulletin board next to the bishops office (you know the place where you can occupy your time when you are waiting to get in). 

This was mentioned at our stake training meeting last month and I forgot to post about it. The church is offering an international art competition for youth ages 13-18 to create a piece of art that goes along with the 2012 Mutual theme.

This would be a great opportunity to get your youth to create something that shows what the theme means to them and I am sure that somewhere it could go towards personal progress. Click HERE to get more information and the requirements for the competition. Good Luck and Have Fun!!!

Table decor...for cheap!

So here is the post that I mentioned earlier about decorating a table for Halloween. Our YW president made these. All she used was some old random candle sticks that she got from the DI and Good Will and some battery operated tea lights from the dollar store and then spray painted them black then to attach the candles to the holders, she used sticky tack(that way you can turn on and off the lights!). It was an amazing table set up and I wish I had a photo of it before it was disturbed. We also took these candle sticks with us during our pumpkin carolling/service activity. So cute!

Fun Idea

I just have to share this idea that I found on sugardoodle while I was surfing for some ideas on personal progres (since that is what we are doing for our mutual activity tonight). Anyway, I saw this idea and I am so wanting to make one (at least for myself) since I bought my first sewing machine. *Gasp!* Yes, I know...how can I be a young women's leader and not know how to sew, right? Unfortinately it is true...but I am hoping that since I am now the proud owner of one, I will put it to good use and this idea is perfect for me!

So what is this idea you ask? Its a personal progress book cover...or really holder...you can find this idea and directions HERE.


So I finally made my personal progress book cover and here is what it looks like (the outside fabric is glittery...that is why it looks like there is a bunch of white stuff on it!)

Camp Crafts....Part 2

OK...so I am back with a part two of our camp crafting adventures. Our stake had several crafts to do while we were up at camp. Besides rolled fabric rosettes and fabric die-cut flower clips we made button bracelets.

I know bad lighting and I am so not a jewelry model

Here is what you need:

Assorted buttons (any where from 20-30 give or take)

Clear beading/jewelry cord that stretches

Scissors

First you will take the cording and wrap it twice around your wrist. This way you will get a bracelet that is big enough to slip on but not overly big while at the same time providing enough extra cording to "sew" or string your buttons on.

Once you have your cord measured, cut it. Then you will string your first button on MAKING SURE YOU LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM AT THE END TO TIE IT OFF!!! 

Depending on how you string your buttons and the size you use, your bracelet might turn out chunky or flat...this simply comes from trial and error and undoing and redoing the stringing. 

Once you have your bracelet the way you like it, make sure you securely tie it off (we tied ours about four times) and then gently stretch it to make sure it wont come undone...once you are satisfied...cut off the extra lengths. Viola! You have a new accessory.

These are pictures of my bracelet...I used all pink and grey buttons to make mine.  

Camp Crafts....Part 1

So as you have probably read from my previous posts (you can tell when I blog from my phone...it looks different) that I am back from girls camp!!! LOL. So I know last night that I promised you I would post some things but the lack of sleep had caught up with me and I crashed...

So I thought I would post some of the craft ideas that we had at camp both at a ward and stake level. The first one I am going to show you we had one of our 4th year girls teach the younger campers and no...I didn't get any pictures taken of them making it so I have searched the wonderful world wide web to borrowed someone's pictures and tutorial (shame on me I know). I am hoping that as soon as I collect enough pop can tabs I will be able to replace these pictures and tutorial with my own...(but I don't drink a lot from pop cans so it could be a while).

Pop/Soda Can Tab Bracelets!
You can find cute pictures and an easy to follow tutorial at Lolly Jane Boutique found HERE (also check out some of their other cute ideas!!!)

Camp is Just Around the Corner....!!!!!

As this post title states...camp is just around the corner. In fact it comes this Tuesday!!!! Eek!!! There is so much to do (little things) to get together and look where I am...I'm blogging!!!!! Shame shame I know my name....LOL.  Anyway, I just wanted to take some time and show you what I have been working on...

Will be posting a tutorial on this as soon as I get back from camp!

A girls camp keep sake....

Hello everyone! Sorry of the last few posts have looked different. I have been blogging from my phone. Anyway, as I was going through my check list of stuff i gotta get ready for camp I remembered these little gems....now I am not sure what to call them, I am currently taking suggestions via email or comment.
What these are are little books, i took plain 8.5 x 11 paper and quartered them, making 4 lil pages. I kept doing this until I have the correct amount of pages for each book. We have 9 girls and 5 leaders so I would make 14 books that have 8 pages (8 instead of 9 because they don't write a note to them selves).
So you give each girl and leader (leader books would have only the same number of pages as their are girls) a lil booklet of these cut pages. The object is for each of the girls to write an encouraging or positive note to each of the other girls. Leaders write a note to each girl. Then who ever is doing this lil project, gather up everyone little papers and then separate them out.
Next you take your covers (these are usually cardstock that have also been quartered) and put each girls papers insode.covers and punch a little hole to put a brad so that they are fasined together. When your done you should have a completed book for each girl with all of the notes written to her inside. These are great and be girls loved hearing the god and positive things their friends had to say about them.
Hopefully will be posting puctures up and when I get them ready to put together! Email or comment if you have questions!

Whose ready to play.....?

OK so I have seen a few sites that have had this little holiday jewel on their sites/blogs and I was like....HEY, I CAN MAKE THAT!!!

Well I did and here is what it looks like...

Here is what I used and what you would need to make one of these cute lil flags.

21 Jenga blocks

white spray paint (ONLY if you have the Jenga game version I had, Truth or Dare....I had to cover the black blocks up some how)

Acrylic Paint in RED, WHITE, and BLUE

Paint brush

Glue Gun and glue sticks

Star (I used vinyl and my cricut to cut the star but you could always stencil it on)

Felt (to cover the back after you attach your sting)

Twine/Jute/Ribbon/Wire (which ever you want)

Staple Gun and staples

Scissors

Acrylic Sealer

Sand Paper (if you choose to distress it. I didn't cause like I said I had some black blocks to cover and I didn't want to take the chance of the black to come through)

Paint each of your blocks to the corresponding color (3 blue, 8 white, and 10 red)

Once dry start to build your flag by gluing them together (refer to picture for pattern...you should be gluing them in rows of three across side by side)

Then attach/paint your star on the blue blocks

Cut your twine or what ever you are using to hang it up with to the desired length. Tie a knot at each end and attach it to the back of the flag  towards the top with the staple gun.

Once attached measure and cut your felt to fit the back and glue.

Then, if desired, if it is going to be hanging out side....apply your sealer.

There you have it....cheap, easy and cute. Perfect for a mutual for girls camp idea or if you are bored.

The blue, white and red....

So after going through some of my camp stuff and evaluating what I had from last year to what I needed for this year and I realized I need lanyards. You see last year I typed up the days schedule and gave copy of it to each girl and leader so they knew what was happening through out the day. The schedules fit inside the badge holders and were hung from a lanyard. This year I wanted to do the same thing but incorporate our wards theme, France, so I chained (crochet) blue, white and red lanyards for every one and if I don't say my self, they turned out pretty cute! Check them out below!!

The chain was about 50" give or take a couple and were made out of three separate strands of yarn with all three being crochet together to form one united chain. I loved this yarn...it was Red Heart brand in the colors of red, royal and snow...the best part of it was that each skein of yarn sparkled!!!

My Semi-done Started Crochet Headbands....

I told you in the last post that I was fan of the blog You Seriously Made That? which is done by the fabulous Cami...anyway she has another couple of tutorials that I tried...the Knotted Headband and the Double Flower Headband.

Here is the pictures of what I have done...The knotted head band is finished but the double flower one is unfinished as I forgot to get more ribbon to finish it off and I am changing the color of the flowers from grey to pink  Yeah, I finally finished the double flower head band....but again you get the idea.  Take a look at Cami's site for the instructions...they are super easy to create and super duper cute! (More so on her blog than in my pictures...they are not the greatest I will admit).

So I told you I was going to change the color of the flowers from black/grey to pink...well here is what my newly finished (after the blog the was posted) double flower headband looks like

 

Go check out the site to see her model this darling headbands!

 

Frayed Rosette Hair Clip

So while I was browsing on of my favorite blogs,YOU SERIOUSLY MADE THAT?,  I saw a tutorial for making those fabric rosettes that I have seen on most every blog and in some ladies accessories and I am like "I could make that...." and so I tried and here is what I came out with...

Here is what you need:

Fabric of your choice -rip a 1" to 2" in strip (I just ripped the whole length of the material...i buy remnants so they generally are only 47" or so)

Felt that goes with your fabric of choice

Glue gun and extra glue sticks

Scissors (not pictured)

Hair Clip (Alligator kind)

Fabric to cover the hair clip (not pictured and optional)

Step 1:

Tie a know at one end of your fabric

Step 2 and 3:

Twist your strip of fabric and start to wrap around the knot. This will form your bud. Then start folding and twisting while you wrap.

Step 4 and 5:

Once I have a decent size bud and start of a flower I take a straight pin and slide it through the entire flower to hold it. This allows me to get my hot glue gun heated up and a chance to glue down some of the petals to hold it in place.

Then I start to twist and turn and start to glue every few twists so that it is secure. If you come to find you are out of fabric and you want a little bigger rosette, take another strip of fabric, and fold it in half and I dab a little dot of glue at one of the corners on the folded end and then glue it to the the spot on the rosette that I would have twisted and turned. Once done and you have your desired size, glue the end to the middle of the rosette to secure.

Step 6 and 7:

Measure and cut a piece of felt that will match the size of the rosette and secure it with glue (at this point if you desire to have it on a headband...only glue down the felt on the sides leaving enough of a space on either end to slide your headband through).

Cover alligator clip with ribbon if you so choose and glue to back of felt. Ta-DA!! Your done.

***If this tutorial is hard to follow (and I do apologize for that) check out the site where I got the idea from by clicking HERE.

Here is a crafty idea that is easy and cute

I was cleaning out some of my girls camp totes looking for who knows what, I found my journal/notebook that I created and that we ended up doing as a craft project up at girls camp. All of the girls and leaders thought they were cute and easy to make. In fact I had some girls wanting to make a second or third one.

I like this idea because it provides a journal for those who might not have one or brought one to camp but it allows the girls individuality come through. There are also nice in making a boring ol' composition notebook look cute.

So lets get started...

(*NOTE: I will be posting pictures to accompany the instructions soon!!!)

Here Is What You Will Need

Composition Notebook (regular or mini size)

2 sheets of patterned scrapbook paper (12x12 works best)

2 sheets of plain colored scrapbook paper (12x12 because you will need the scraps to create the side binding)

Pen/Pencil to trace outlines

Scissors or paper cutter

ModgePodge (I used the matte finish) or Acid Free Double Sided Tape

Small Foam Brush

Ribbon (optional)

Assorted Embellishments (I used the rhinestones and applied with Jewel It)

Newspaper (to protect your work surface from getting sticky)

The first thing you are going to do is trace the outline of your notebook to the scrapbook paper of your choice. The plain color will be the inside while your patterned paper will be on the outside. ***NOTE: the outside cover can be a little shorter than the width of the outside cover because you will be covering it with the binding  BUT YOUR INSIDE HAS TO BE THE SAME!!! or else you will have an ugly white line/space.***

Once you have your lines traced, cut them out and then line them up to make sure that they fit and that you have the front with the correct cut out fronts and the back with the correct backs.

Once you are satisfied with your cut pieces of paper, starting with the inside covers, modge podge (or tape) your plain scrapbook paper to the inside. Making sure that you get clear to the edges and there is no air bubbles. Repeat with other inside cover.

Next apply the outside covers to both the front and back with modge podge. Again making sure that there is no air bubbles and that the edges are securely fastened down.


Now for the hard part...(OK so it might not be that hard but pay attention)....Take a piece of what ever you used for your inside cover color and cut about a 4 inch wide strip or so that fits the length of the book. This is going to be your new spine/binding. Test it by shaping it to the notebook itself. Making sure that you get the back spine even as you can with the front spine. If this seems to be to small of a binding for you, you can trim it or make it bigger...its your call.


BEFORE GLUING, CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR NOTEBOOK IS FACING THE RIGHT WAY!!!! Now that you have your spine binding measured and fitted, take some modge podge and glue just the back and the middle of the spine LEAVING THE FRONT UNATTACHED.


Take your ribbon (if you have chosen to use it) and loop it around the open part of your spine cover and tie a bow on the front. You might have to take some modge podge and glue down the ribbon in a part or two on the inside of the spine not on front. Once you have your bow where you want it, apply modge podge to the the inside of your spine cover and firmly press down. Again making sure there is no air bubbles and that the ends are securely fastened down.


Then apply your embellishments as wanted.


Ta Dah!!! That wasn't to bad now was it????

Cute Idea For Teaching Lessons

When I was called to the YW's program, I knew that I would end up teaching some lessons. Which at the time was a scary thought as I had only taught nursery lessons up until this point. Anyway, that is another story let me get back to this one. I knew I would be teaching and I love to make print up a wide variety of things so that the girls have something to look at. BUT I hated having to deal with tape or pins or those little clips above the chalkboard that never really seem to do the trick. So as I was walking through one of our local craft stores, I saw an idea that would be perfect! So easy that even I could do it with out messing up to much!

Here is what you need:

ITEMS NEEDED

MODGE PODGE (the glossy one)

SCRAP BOOK PAPER SCRAPS (and I know that most of you have this just laying around)

CLEAR GLASS STONES (found at craft stores in bundles about 1" inch in size is good, I found mine for about $4.00 for about 20 stones)

MAGNETIC BUTTONS (found these in the craft isle at Wal Mart)

PAINT BRUSH

NAIL FILE or FINE GRAIN SANDPAPER to smooth and file the edges

SCISSORS or STRAIGHT EDGE BLADE (the little orange thing in the picture)

HOT GLUE GUN

STEPS (will post step by step pics SOON)

1. Take scrapbook paper and find a nice design on it that you want on your magnet and cut out about a 1 inch square (or large enough to barely fit the area of the glass stone you are using.

2. Once you have your picture, take some modge podge and paint brush and brush some on to the flat part of stone and press hard against the paper and smooth out.

3. Once paper is securely modge podged to the stone, take scissors or blade and trim around the stone.

4. Take sand paper or nail file and file the edge of the paper down to the stone so that there are no rough edges.

5. Take hot glue gun and one magnet and glue to the center on the back of the stone.

6. Repeat steps until you have done all you are going to do. (Yes, I know I didn't write it but easiest thing to do is get all your stones and paper modged podged together  and then glue the magnets to the backs of stones).

It's really that simple and they turn out really cute and hold well on chalkboards (even through card stock!) and the possibilities are endless!!!