Free Halloween Tag

I made this last year to put on a drink I gave my secret sister, but....it was a secret all year, so I had to wait until this year to post!  You should be able to hit the link here for a free printable.  :)

Donut Valentine

 I saw these pinned last year on pinterest and then this year when I found this little wax paper bags at Hobby Lobby, I decided to make my own.

I created a printable and printed it on card stock and then I taped the edges of the bag over the print where I wanted my message to go.  I ran it through again and was left with my Valentine's message
 Here's a free printable link.
And just in case here is  a video for printing on odd sized papers.

Add donut, and they are ready to go.  Fun, and cute and adult or kid friendly....just saying.

Coal Gift Bags

 I thought I was so ahead of things this summer as I was making Christmas gifts...until I read one of my other friends said she was WRAPPING Christmas gifts!  OK....so...I'm not ready to wrap them, but....I did decide to make some easy gift bags with some left over white bags I had from another craft.

 I typed the word coal and printed it on a piece of cardstock.

 I taped the bag onto the paper and positioned it where I wanted it to go.  I taped the top where it would start running through the printer and then both sides right by where it was going to print (to help stabilize it and keep the ink from smearing).

I carefully lifted off the tape and now....I'm ready to wrap.  OK...not really, but I could be.  And clearly, I have a bunch of naughty people getting gifts this year.

Printing on Post It Notes

I can't see a blank page in a planner and be OK with it.  I'm working on those issues, but in the meantime...
       I recently got a Plum Paper Planner (I get nothing for letting you know about my new toy, I only wish I did).  There is a page at the beginning of each month called 'notes.'  I haven't totally decided how I want to use it, but....I see a lot of folks using pages like this for 'dash boards.'  I decided to do the same, but to create some post it's I can move around.
I posted a video for how I made my personalized list here.
https://youtu.be/w0GOtcW3FTo
I also have a free printable if you want these same choices here.
I keep an ongoing list of meals I want to try, books I want to read (that are coming out that month), things I need to get at the craft store etc, and a grocery list (not to be confused with the shopping list b/c crafts take up a whole different part of my checkbook).

Plum Perfect Planner ING

The new verb in my life is planner.  My friend, Tammy got a planner for Christmas and has been youtubing her planning adventures.  These plum paper planners are somewhere between a calendar, to do list, scrapbook, and diary. This happens to be right up my alley.
I've been pretty terrible about all of the above lately...minus the to do list.  I make to do list daily-truly, and carry one in my purse.  I lost it for a day this past year and thought I might need a straight jacket.  I shouldn't be able to lose this big girl.  I'm sure you will hear more about it.  If you don't know about the world of planning....it's me and you both.  Here is my video alllll about my new obsession.
https://youtu.be/3QmqYX-2DYQ
I also made some free printables if you beat me to the obsession.  You can download them here.
I get nothing for saying this....I just really love a good planner.  I wish I got lots of freebies so....hook a girl up!

Carrot Cake Balls

 I put some of these together last year for Easter gifts.  I gifted these cake balls in egg cartons of all shapes and sizes-depending on the sizes of the group.

 I wrapped each up and added these tags I made-I was inspired by a sight in a craft store I saw.

 Here is a free printable of the tag.

 To make the cake balls, just use your favorite carrot cake recipe and cream cheese frosting.  As soon as you bake the cake, stir it up with a fork, add the icing and stir together.  Place your mix of cake and icing in the freezer for a few hours.  Pull it out, roll it into balls.  Again, you can freeze these for up to a few months.  When you are reading, melt some chocolate and dip your frozen cake balls in chocolate.  Let it dry on wax paper.

 It hardens quickly b/c the cake ball is frozen.  I added some chocolates to the mix.

I bought some royal icing carrots at a local cake shop, but you could pipe your own with royal icing.

Carrot Candy Holder

 I made these little carrot shaped candy holders last year.  I cut out half circles from scrapbook paper.  Here is a free template to the size I used.

 After I cut my half circle, I glue it together so it was a cone shape, and then I glued some tissue paper to the rim so I could fill it with candy and tie it shut.

 I'm all about the themes for Easter baskets, and I also take Easter more seriously than I take Christmas when it comes to giving gifts.  It's kind of a big deal....this is eternity we are celebrating.

...and this year.....the celebration color scheme was all around carrots-carrot candies, and fun greens and oranges.  I've seen these carrots around, so this is just my version of how to put one together.  :O)

Free to a Good Home: 2015 Calendar Printable!!!

My super talented friend, Kelly, made these super precious 2015 calendars for *you.*  Because she made them on behalf of all things I love, there is even a precious little list column on the side where you can add special events, a grocery list, or general to do items.  HERE is the link to the free printable.  12 months of utter cuteness!  Above is just a sampling of what one page looks like!  Free, free, free, just because!

MistleTOES with Printable

I know this isn't an original idea.  I've seen it all over the net the last few years, but last year it was the perfect gift for my cousin-in-law.  Every time she comes into town, we go out to get our nails done.  I put together a little something for her to enjoy when we don't get to treat our feet together.  The idea isn't new, but I made a free printable to share with anyone in need.   Socks, nails polish, files, whatever....who doesn't like to treat their feet?

Legend of the Candy Cane Cookies

 Last year I hosted a cookie decorating party with some of the gals in a bible study I met with.  I made a bunch of candy canes to bag up for friends.  Here is a free downloadable printable I created to attach to the cookies.  I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe (it doesn't spread while baking).  This time for the red, instead of using a dye, I had one of the girls bring some already mixed in the decorator tubes you find by the cakes.  We squeezed it out, added Karo syrup (about 1 T per tube) and then put it into bags for piping.  The karo syrup helps the icing harden enough for bagging.

Letter to Santa Free Template

I'm putting together a few things for a Santa Party...I made these templates for writing Santa a letter.  You can download it for free here.  Stay tuned, lots more Santa details to come.  :O)

Christmas Photo Props

 I'm putting together quite a few crafts for a few segments coming up on GMT.  So many that I'll be posting a lot more than usual (and usual is at least five times a week) to get them all up with tutorials etc.  This project is a little extra something I put together.  Photo props are super popular right now at Christmas parties, so I decided to put together a few of my own for some fun photo opportunities for upcoming Christmas parties.  I saw some items like this for sale and I thought....uh....I'm pretty sure I can make that.  There aren't many things I can say I do well without a lot of practice, but I've always loved cutting randoms shapes with a pair of scissors.  I cut these shapes out and hot glued them to bamboo sticks to be used a photo booth.

 Mix and match.  And...I made a template to cut your own if you to want to have fun with photos at your Christmas party.  You can download them for free here.

Photos to follow soon.  

Christmas Cookies: Milk and Cookies Exchange Idea (Neiman Marcus Cookies)

I saw this cute little printable here, and I knew exactly where this would be headed this year!  Last year I spent a lot of time considering my cookie packaging, and...of course, I saw this AFTER I sewed 25 sleeves and committed to a different idea.  This is such a fun way to exchange cookies, and I knew the perfect recipe to fill these little guys up with.  My friend Regan's dad introduced me to Neiman Marcus cookies years ago.  They are a really great cookie with a touch of coffee.
Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:  1/2 c. stick butter (softened), 1 c. light brown sugar, 3 T. sugar, 1 egg, 2 t. vanilla, 1 3/4 c. flour, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. salt, 1 1/2 t. instant expresso coffee powder, 1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips. 
Instructions: 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2.  Cream butter with sugars. 

3.  Beat in eggs and vanilla. (about 30 seconds)

4.  Si in flour, baking powder, and baking soda on low.

5.  Stir in expresso and chips (I finally found the instant expresso at a higher end grocery store). 

6. Make 2 T. balls.  Drop on greased sheet.  Gently press down (into 2 inch circles).
7.  Bake 20 minutes. 

*Makes 2 dozen.  I made mine a little smaller so they would fit inside my milk cartons. 

Milk and Cookies Shower Prep

I'm going to post the rest of the Milk and Cookie shower details over the next few days.  I covered the invitations, and cookies I made, and now...a few of the other details, and the links I found to put these guys together.  More extensive details to come tomorrow...and the next day...and the next day. 
I grabbed the above fabrics at JoAnnes for the tables.  Browns and yellows.  I grabbed one more (not shown...yet) because I became a lunatic fabric purchaser.  I promised (myself) to put these to good use! 
Melissa, Heather, and I made these pom pom puffs to hang from the ceiling.  We used the instructions on Martha Stewart.  It uses a lot of tissue, but they sure are cute! 

I also grabbed various sized cookie jars like this at Walmart.  I put random brown and yellow scrapbook paper at the bottom to add a pop of color. 

I've been collecting milk jars from antique stores (prior to planning this party), and I used these for the tables (pictures to come).  I filled them with daisies and some 'other white flower.' 

Last, Heather and I put together these cookie bags, the cookie bar is our favor station.  I found a cute printable for the front of the bags here. 

I'll be back with a ton more pictures, and what the rest of the hostesses brought...it was a fun one.  

...but first, how did I live my life before google?