Crafty Texas Girls

3/14/14

Spring Decor Inspiration

Has Spring made its way to your home yet? We came back from our Spring Break trip to Georgia and were greeted by sunny skies and warm weather. It has put me in the mood to bring out my Spring decorations.

Last year, I decorated for Spring on both inside and outside of my home.
See my 'Easter Decor for your Front Door' (here).

Last Monday, I helped host The Scoop's "Mega Spring Linky" Party. It was an opportunity for bloggers to share their best spring projects with over 35 blogs. (For non-bloggers-- once you write a post, you want to people to read it. A linky party is a great way to engage new readers!) So today, I thought I wanted to feature some of my favorite projects from that party. These ideas are inspiring me to decorate for Spring!

Spring Mantle via "Setting For Four"

Rain Boot Door Decor (Wouldn't this be cute for a baby shower??) by "Refresh Restyle"

DIY Rope Vase by "The Pinterest Mom"

A Spring Dining Room by "Repurposed Vintage Finds"

Brighten up your house with Spring Pillows by "Michelle Lea Designs"

Painted Pots filled with Fresh Herbs by 'Stone Gable'

Which idea do you like best? Are you ready to decorate for Spring?

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3/12/14

PB Inspired Crate for Boys

Do you ever see something in the PB catalog and think "I could totally make that!"?? I am the exact same way :) For instance, take this cute rustic art for a boy's room. It is basically letters on a board. Really cute letters on a really cute board.

And you know where we can get really cute letters right? From our Silhouette Cameo**! This rustic art would be a great gift for a birthday, or for a 'new big brother' or at baby shower. The letters can be applied to a crate like I did, or to a painted canvas, a burlap canvas, or any board of your choice. Size your letters to fit the surface you choose. Since I had most of the supplies on hand, my cost for this project was $10! Nice compared to the $69 PB version.

Want to make one too? Here is what you will need:
1. Silhouette Cameo
2. Adhesive Cardstock
3. Crate (I found mine at Joann's on sale for $10 and added some gold paint) or Canvas or Board etc
4. Mod Podge

**Don't have a Silhouette Cameo? Stencil on the letters by hand with paint and stencils. Or find adhesive letters in the scrapbook section of your favorite craft store.

Here is an overview of the project:
1. Cut letters using Silhouette Cameo
2. Apply Letters to Crate, Canvas, Board of your choice
3. Paint over letters with a light coat of flat finish Mod Podge

Now let's take a closer look at the project :)
1. I looked through my font library on my Silhouette software and chose "Britannica Bold" .

I used the adhesive backed cardstock from Silhouette in cream.

2. After the letters were cut by my Silhouette, I stuck them in place. The letters are adhesive, but they are not permanent on wood without being sealed to the crate using Mod Podge. This is good because it gives you a change to reposition as necessary.

3. Once you are happy with the look of your project, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to seal the project. As you can see above, my letters were lifting up at the edges. They need the decoupage to keep them flat and permanently attached to the crate.

I am thrilled with the final product. It is cute and cost a lot less than the original PB version!

3/10/14

18 Slumber Party Ideas {Party Planning}

My girl is turning 8 years old at the end of the month. And all she really wants for her birthday is a sleepover. So with a few guidelines in mind, I am setting out on Pinterest to see what cute ideas I can find for her big day.

Invitations: I really like this idea of making little pillows or sleeping bags and then tucking the invite card inside. Since she is only inviting 3 friends, this will be fairly easy to make. And then the pillow or sleeping bag can be used for the girl's dolls at home. The little sleep masks are super cute too.

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Cake: So many sweet ideas for a sleepover cake. I will probably take a photo up to my favorite bakery at Market Street and see what they can whip up for me :) I used to try and make everything myself, but I find enjoy the party more when I enlist some help. Although the 'shoe treats' look like something that would be fun to make myself!

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Activities: My daughter already has lots of great ideas for keeping her guests busy. She wants to go swimming in the hot tub, jump on the trampoline, watch a movie, do some crafts, and of course play. I also like this nail polish game and it would be fun to decorate flip flops to wear in the spring.

Each spin, paint one nail. At the end- the winner is the one with the most nails painted the same color.

Use this 'iron-on' to decorate a shirt or tank top for each girl.

Gumball Necklaces- made with real gum balls!

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Food: The evening of the party, we are going 'old school sleepover' and ordering pizza! Then the girls will eat birthday cake and some popcorn with their movie. In the morning for breakfast, I am thinking fruit and donuts, or maybe personalized cereal boxes, or homemade pancakes. The birthday girl will have to make the final decision.

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I have to be honest, I was a little hesitant about hosting a sleepover for second grade girls, but I am hoping for the best! All the girls are super sweet and since there are only a few of them... how much trouble can they be?! Lol!

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3/9/14

The Truth about 3D Fiber Lashes

Ok, I am going 'off topic' today and sharing something other than home decor and crafts :) Today I am talking about eyelashes!

If I had to choose only one make-up to apply each day, it would definitely be mascara. I am an eyelash girl. I have been known to wear fake eyelashes for Mardi Gras and both my sisters' weddings. The truth is, if I could wear fake eyelashes everyday-- I totally would! I think I have good eye lashes, but I love the look of over-the-top eyelashes. The kind of eyelashes that almost eliminate the need for any other make-up.

My friend Stephanie is a rep for Younique and she contacted me about trying the 3D Fiber Lashes. I have seen several people post on facebook about them, but I was honestly a bit skeptical. My lashes are pretty good. Would the 3D Fiber Lashes be that much better? Would they make my eyes itch? So being a 'mascara loving' girl, I decided to give them a try.

People-- I am hooked. I LOVE them. In the past, I applied coats upon coats of regular mascara to try and get the 'eyelash look' I was searching for. Now I can apply just ONE coat of the 3D Fiber Lashes and BOOM! Pretty, long, soft lashes.

I watched this video (here) before applying them the first time. Basically it is just two tubes, one is a gel, the other is the fibers. Coat your lashes with the gel and then 'blink' the fibers on. Seal the fibers with the gel. And you are done. They last all day and then come off easily with your regular cleanser.

Honestly, they remind me of those beautiful lash extensions that people get-- but the 3D Fiber Lashes are only $29 for a two month supply!

So there you go-- the truth about 3D Fiber Lashes according to a Crafty Girl :) If you want to order some, head on over to Stephanie's website HERE. I can honestly say, they are worth a try. I will be re-ordering in two months!

PS-Yes I was given 3D Fiber Lashes to try for free, but the opinions are ALL my own! I love this product. If you decide you want to order a 2 month supply to try it yourself-- click on my 'party' here :)

3/7/14

DIY Monogram Candle Holder

Last month I compiled a list of easy DIY Spring Projects to do with my Silhouette Cameo(see it here)--and this past weekend, I got my chance to make the first one on my list!

My inspiration came from this image I found on Pinterest here. I loved the big curly letters used in this monogram and the idea of a monogram on a candle. I think it would be the perfect accessory for a sofa table or by the bed. And who doesn't love a personalized gift? This Monogram Candle Holder could be given for a birthday, at a shower or as a hostess present.

To make your own, you will need:
-Silhouette Cameo
-Printable Gold Foil by Silhouette
-Glass Container or Jar
-Candle

The overview of this project is:
1. Download Font
2. Cut Letters using your Silhouette Cameo
3. Stick the letters to the Glass Container

Now let's take a closer look at the steps!
1. Before I began, I downloaded this interlocking script font called "Monogram KK" from fonts2u.com here.

If you have never downloaded a font, or you need help, just follow the simple directions for downloading fonts to a PC or Mac here.

2. Once you have downloaded the font, open up your Silhouette Cameo software. (If you are new to Silhouette, I recommend watching some tutorials on YouTube or visiting their site. I love my Silhouette, but it took a few times to get used to it and figure out how to use it. I am by no means an expert yet- it's kind of like a sewing machine. The more you try, the better you get!) Any font you download on your computer will automatically show up in your Silhouette font library.

I measured my glass container and determined my letters needed to be 2.5 inches tall and 3.5 inches tall (the middle initial is taller than the side letters). Since my three letters didn't take up a lot space and my gold foil paper is 8.5x11, I decided to cut out a few more letters and save them to make gifts for family members in the future :)

After sending the document to cut, I carefully peeled off the letters and stuck them onto the glass. This candle holder will not be safe for washing- but I don't really see why I would need that option anyway! The letters are the perfect font-- a beautiful interlocking script.