Lovebirds for Your Lovebird: Easy Cardboard Valentines!

Lovebirds for Your Lovebird: Easy Cardboard Valentines!

After my last post, where I used recycled cardboard (a FAVORITE material) to make animals, I wanted to keep going! (And, I still had quite a few boxes leftover from the holiday packages waiting to be transformed!) Years ago, I’d made a few cardboard bird ornaments for a magazine story that never materialized and I thought I would make a few more and transform them into Valentines. Why bird Valentines? I dunno…because I like birds….because…lovebirds? (I know, I know, these don’t look like actual lovebirds!) You can cut any animal (or any shape) you want and give your sweetheart a little art from the heart! Also, don’t you love the way painted cardboard looks?

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Fun-To-Make Balloon Birds!

Fun-To-Make Balloon Birds!

These little balloon birds are from our book, Paper Goods Projects, and are so much fun to make! Water balloons and cupcake papers are the main materials, so you may even have these on hand! (Tissue paper or another lightweight paper for the wings would work too if you don't have cupcake papers.) They're perfect for a birthday party or shower decoration. We hung them from helium balloon "clouds" with a little adhesive dot, so easy! 

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5 Easy DIY Dessert Stands for Etsy Studio

5 Easy DIY Dessert Stands for Etsy Studio

I am so happy to have recently contributed some ideas to Etsy Studio, Etsy's new-ish craft supply market where makers can find unique (and basic) materials as well as project ideas and inspiration. My first post is all about making homemade dessert stands, like this multi-tiered castle stand! I was so inspired by Etsy's wide selection of unfinished wooden blocks and shapes! 

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Easy, Cozy, No-Knit Yarn Crafts

Easy, Cozy, No-Knit Yarn Crafts

I just finished up a few finger puppet necklaces for a little friend who will be visiting this weekend. (Doesn't everyone need a finger puppet on their person?) These are a twist on some tube-knit and other no-knitting-needles-needed yarn crafts I made for Parents magazine a while ago. Instructions for the finger puppets are on the Parents website. To make these necklaces just start with some extra yarn hanging down the tube at the start and leave another length when you take it off the loom. (This will make sense once you start! Alternatively, you can simply thread a necklace length of yarn through the top of the finger puppet when you finish)

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Half-Homemade Halloween Box Costumes in Parents Magazine

Half-Homemade Halloween Box Costumes in Parents Magazine

If you're looking for a unique Halloween costume this year, and especially you'd like to make it yourself but not put tooooooo much time into it, check out this story I worked on for Parents magazine's October issue (on the newsstand now) or on their site here. I love working with the editors over there and the concept they came up with is brilliant: all the outfits utilize a store-bought costume base with a decorated cardboard box container. For example, this bird-in-a-birdhouse costume's wings are from The Land of Nod. Instructions are on the Parents site here.

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Quickest DIY Cards for Father's Day and More!

Quickest DIY Cards for Father's Day and More!

This group of cards was made using leftover cupcake papers. With their ruffled texture and fun colors, they make a cool (and cheap) craft material. Also, after baking I'm often left with a few from each pack and I've started collecting them for just these kinds of projects. 

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Fun-to-Make Wooden Bead Bird Necklaces

Fun-to-Make Wooden Bead Bird Necklaces

I made these little bird necklaces with Tracey Stewart when I was helping out with crafts for her sweet, gorgeous, and informative book, Do Unto Animals. I had so much fun working on everything with her and the Moomah gang, but the necklaces were one of my favorites. They are really easy to make and, like most people, I love birds (real...and fake-wearable)! They're made from felt and wooden beads and you can find the how-to over on her website, Moomah

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Our New Book!

Our New Book!

Amy and I are thrilled to announce that our second book, Paper Goods Projects, is coming out on August 11th and is available right now for pre-order on AmazonBarnes and Noble, and Indiebound! We are honored that our foreword was written by the brilliant Jordan Ferney, founder of the gorgeous blog Oh Happy Day and her fantastic party shop!

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