5 DIY Gifts to Support your Best Galentine

Valentine's Day is this week!! I absolutely love February because it is all about love & expressing our love to others.  This year, I'll be focusing on giving some care to my self with a long bath & probably a good movie with a bottle of wine.  We all need a little me time.  But this Make it Monday I want to share with you some easy DIY projects that are supportive for your best Galentines!  Make something for them that will build them up and make them feel like they are awesome!!

Oh, and if you check out the bottom of this post you can in on the last minute registration for the FREE LIVE Essential Oils & Self Care class tonight!  So check that out too!

Printable Positive Affirmation Cards

Build your best gal pals up with a set of printable affirmation cards.  They can draw a card each morning and repeat it while they prepare to move through their day inspired and empowered.  This deck of 36 empowering phrases can be printed at home and assembled rather quickly.

A Handmade Mala Tied with Love & Intention

Speaking of affirmations, hand bead and tie a mantra for your galentine so that they can repeat their affirmation 108 times during a meditation.  Choose beads that you find inspiring - they don't have to be wood or crystal, just something you think they will love.  Choose the embroidery floss based on a Chakra you know your bestie is working with - red for the root chakra of groundedness & security, orange for the sacral chakra of creativity & desire, yellow for the solar plexus chakra of joy & and empowerment, green for the heart chakra of self love & gratitude, blue for the throat chakra of expression & communication, indigo for the third eye chakra of intuition & openness, or purple for the crown chakra of enlightenment & divine guidance.

An Energy Clearing Kit to get rid of any Bad Vibes

Set your gal pal up for a Spring full of good vibes with an energy clearing kit.  Include an essential oil or Palo Santo + a crystal aligned with some good juju so that she can break through anything that has been holding her back!

Custom Scented Bath Bombs

A long, refreshing bath is one of the best self care activities.  We take time to release ourselves from all other burdens to focus on our own well being.  Essential oils can help align us with the emotions we'd like to feel so we can become rejuvenated and restored.  Create a bath bomb for your gal pals that will help them feel they can reach their highest potential!

A Beautiful Journal to Keep Wonderful Thoughts

One of the best ways we can keep track of how awesome we are is to journal our thoughts.  A handmade journal using your Cricut Explore is a great way to get crafty for your BFFs.  Share a creative space where they can feel inspired & supported!

There is still time to sign up for the Essential Oils & Self Care LIVE class this evening!  Head over to the Facebook event page or register here for a FREE self care planner.  I hope to see you tonight!

How do you build up your besties?  

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // Create & Use an Energy Clearing Kit

During this new spiritual journey I've embarked upon, I've found quite a few things that have resonated with me.  One of these is energy clearing in order to align myself with my highest good.  Clearing the stagnant, negative, or all around garbage energy from myself and my space allows for a clearer area to work - both spiritually and mentally.

this post contains affiliate links, please see my full disclosure here.

My favorite part of energy clearing is using the scent as an identifier.  If you cleanse your home or space enough you'll begin to associate the scent with positivity.  That gets you in the right head space already!  Rituals should be sacred to you.  The best part of an independent spiritual journey is that you can decide what is special and sacred to you.  This is a personal journey to connect with your higher self, to develop your best self.

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supplies :: fire proof bowl or surface (I use a metal trinket tray - similar)*, Palo Santo (incense or sage can be used instead), crystal (optional), essential oil (optional), drawstring bag, printable instructions, diffuser necklace (optional)

To assemble your kit simply print & trim the instructions.  There are folding instructions included but the image below shows how it should look once you've folded it up.  Fold the paper in half along the longer axis, then flip the pages until you have a little book.  Place each item into the drawstring bag.

When it comes to choosing the crystal and/or essential oil to work with, I have some tips below, but the over all purpose is to consider the intentions you're setting when clearing your home.  It can be as simple as ushering in positive energy or more complex as wanting to open lines of communication for all inhabitants of the home.  I often cleanse my home/space on the New Moon and cleanse myself when I do a bigger tarot reading (New Moon, Full Moon, month ahead or week ahead spreads or when I read for others.)

This kit is perfect for gifting.  It is seriously great for this grad season.  Imagine embarking on a new life adventure with a way to center and cleanse yourself + cleanse your new dorm or apartment.  I need to assemble one to give to my sister who has just moved into a gorgeous apartment with a gorgeous view.

I chose Palo Santo rather than Sage for this kit mainly because I find that Sage smells like burnt hot dogs!  I don't quite like the smell and I find it more distracting.  I can't center myself because it smells so....funky.  You can also use incense to bless and cleanse your space.  My favorite to use is sandalwood.  This whole thing is about intent.  The ritual is unnecessary but I find the motions help with the intentions and make it more real. 

What is energy cleansing?

Energy clearing is either the physical removing (like working with herbs such as sage & Palo Santo or incense) or visualization of removing negative energy with in a space or from a body.  Whether you are using smoke to waft away negative energy or visualizing the space being filled with positive energy, this cleansing process has roots in age old traditions from many cultures. You may have seen incense used in churches and you may have heard the term Smudging.  I've been trying to do some research to understand if the term Smudging is being appropriated when used to refer to any energy clearing and it seems that the consensus leans towards yes, it is.  I choose to respect the word and therefore will continue to call the process of removing negative energy from yourself or a space as Energy Clearing.  The best part of a spiritual journey though, is using this technique as it speaks to you.  Using Sage, Palo Santo, or incense to cleanse your space or body also draws upon one of our most powerful senses - the sense of smell.  Which is why I choose Palo Santo, or sandalwood incense, over sage.  

How to use the energy cleansing kit

Once you've assembled your kit, it's time to start using it.  As mentioned above, this kit is perfect to break out when you need to clear the air.  Staring something new - a new job, new home, new relationship, new adventure - is a great time to cleanse yourself and your space.  Cleanse yourself before big events - interviews or stressful social obligations - or before meditation.  Cleanse yourself after sicknesses, arguments, or returning from trips.  It is like a mental and spiritual shower, resetting your energy or ridding your of leftover negative or stagnant energy.  For this post I'll be sharing how to cleanse your home, space, or yourself with the motivation of setting new intentions but you can simply sweep away the negative and usher in the positive.

Blessing & cleansing your space

Before you start and if you're so inclined, walk through your house and clap (or bang a pot if you're brave) in each room.  This will break up the energy, especially stagnant energy, and prepare the room for blessing.  You can also use this time to decide if there are any intentions you'd like to set - to bring love into this space, to bring abundance into this space, to bring creativity into this space, etc.

Light the Palo Santo until it starts to smolder.  If the wood catches fire (don't worry, it's not going to combust!) gently blow out the flame until there are only embers smoking.  There isn't a need to place the Palo Santo in your fire proof bowl, you can simply hold the other end of the stick.  However, if you feel the need place it in the blow and carry both with you.  You may need to carry the lighter or box of matches with you if the smoke begins to dwindle.

Begin your blessing ritual.  This ritual is completely personal to you but consider starting at the front door of your home and working towards the four corners.  Using your hand, waft the smoke into the rooms and corners of your home.  Recite your intentions (aloud or in your head) and work intentionally around your house.  If you're blessing a small space, like your altar, waft the smoke over the altar, recite your intentions, cleanse any tools you use (tarot cards, crystals, etc) with the smoke as well. This is the perfect time to work in mindfulness.  Concentrate & focus at the task at hand.  Carve out time to perform this ritual with dedication and connect with yourself and your intentions.

Once you have finished your blessing ritual, you can either extinguish the Palo Santo and safely pack it away until it is needed again or let the wood smolder a little longer while you meditate (place it in the bowl this time).  I prefer the later option.  Again, this is your personal thing.  You do you.

Blessing & cleansing yourself

I usually cleanse myself while in front of my altar (or in front of any working altar) when I am sitting to read tarot or meditate.  So you can light the end of the Palo Santo as before, place it in the fire proof bowl, and set the bowl on your altar.  Using your hand waft the smoke over your altar, cleansing your tools, and waft the smoke over yourself.  Again, do this process with mindfulness.  Set your intentions, clear your mind, and usher in positive energy.

If you don't have an altar, you can find the room you feel most comfortable in and set the fire proof bowl down on a table and waft the smoke over yourself.  If you're standing in your kitchen or your bathroom or your bedroom, light the Palo Santo and while holding the stick waft the smoke on to you.  You can wave the stick around you if you wish (be careful of smoldering embers, I've never had this problem though!)  Keep your mind clear, focused on your intentions. and usher in positive energy.  

Again, I like to meditate after this process as it's normally why I'm cleansing myself to begin with.

Cleansing & using the crystals

While performing your blessing rituals, waft smoke over the crystal in the kit.  Focus your intentions on the crystal as well.  Different crystals will have different effects on you and your space.  If you're choosing to gift this kit to someone, look into crystals that will work with that person.  Some crystals to work with are

• Quartz - The 'master healer', use this for all around positive vibes
• Sodalite - Use this stone for opening communication, better intuition, & developing truth
• Amethyst - Use this stone for stress relief & peaceful sleep
• Citrine - The stone of happiness! Use this crystal for happiness, abundance, and good things

Since working with crystals is a purely personal endeavor, you may choose to place this crystal in a prominent place in your home or in a more private place where only you will see it.  Hold the crystal, interact with the crystal, mediate with the crystal.  Work the benefits of the crystal into your everyday life.  For example, place rose quartz in a prominent place to draw love into your home or place sodalite in your pocket to remind you to focus on communication through out the day.

You may choose to work with different crystals at different times in your life or spiritual journey.  You can also omit this whole section if it doesn't speak to you!

Using Essential Oils
Just like the crystal in this kit, you can include an essential oil for yourself or the recipient of the gift to work with.  You can choose to include the essential oil as well as or instead of the crystal.  This is another way to connect with the intentions of the cleansing.  Some essential oils to work with are:

• Purify - This blend has a pleasant odor that freshens the air & lifts the spirit.
• Breathe - A blend that opens airways.  It is said minty aromas help with the throat chakra of communication.
• Lavender - Peaceful, calming aroma that relieves stress & helps with sleep.
• Lemon - Bright aroma with uplifting & energizing

Using an aromatic diffuser, diffuser jewelry, or applying the diluted oils topically can reinforce the intentions you wish to set.  If you'd like to make your own diffuser necklace (as show in this post) click here for the DIY tutorial!

Now that your space is cleared you can carry on with your regular life.  Hopefully this little ritual has brought some mindfulness into your life and created a sense of peace & positivity in your home or space.  Your ritual doesn't have to be so involved, please do as you see fit!

This ritual is simply to bring you into alignment with your intentions.  I find that I can say "you know what, I want to listen more" but if I don't do anything to reinforce it....I won't give a crap about it less than 24 hours after uttering those words.  This is a way to keep yourself accountable to your goals and a way to better yourself.

ps. You can also print and gift a set of these positive affirmation cards to go along with the cleansing kit!

Do you cleanse yourself before or after a big change?  What intentions have you set in order to advance your personal growth?

xoxo, Moe

*Please use caution when working with flame.  Not all bowls are fire proof!
** Additionally, information provided in this post is not intended to diagnose or treat any ailment.  Please see a licensed practitioner for professional advice.  Information on essential oils has been taken from the Doterra website, personal experience, and personal research.

Ready to get started on your Essential Oil Journey?  Click here to learn more about doTERRA!

Trend Tuesday // Give the Gift of Origami Owl

I made the announcement a little bit ago - and even unboxed my starter kit on my YouTube channel - but I'm now an Origami Owl Designer!  I am so excited to share this with you.

If you're unsure about Origami Owl, it is a jewelry line featuring the Living Locket that allows you to create a custom piece with charms, plates, dangles, and more.  Create a custom look to tell your story.  One of the things I've noticed is that if you're new to O2 you may be a bit overwhelmed with all the options.  Whether you're looking for a gift for yourself (who isn't) or you want to introduce someone to Origami Owl there is a gift set to start out on the right foot.  Here are some of my favorites from the Holiday Gift guide.  Shop any of the links below for these uniqu gifts!

Happy Holidays Gift Set - Perfect for the friend or coworker who just loves Christmas!  Do they sing Christmas carols all year long?  Do they decorate their desk for the holidays?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, they will love this traditional yet whimsical holiday look.  Features the Seasonal Exclusive Candy Cane Twist Living Locket as well as a few of the exclusive charms on a 16-18" silver cable chain. 

A Charmoji'ed Life Set - This set is my personal favorite because I am all about the emojis.  If you have a sister or girlfriend who speak emoji fluently, this gift will suit them wonderfully.  Featuring the three charmoji charms (plus they are reversible - so its really like six charms!) in a medium brushed silver Living Locket on a 16-18" heart link chain, she'll get a kick out of wearing her emotions in a trendy way.

Gold Wrap Snowflake Gift Set - This classic yet unique look is perfect for a chic friend or neighbor who loves adding something trendy to her outfits.  It captures the essence of the season with the Seasonal Exclusive Medium Silver Snowflake Window in a stunning locket on a Gold Wrap bracelet.  This will look super classy for any Christmas party or event.

Bad Day Be Gone Gold Necklace Gift Set - The Moodology line is another one of my favorites from Origami Owl.  This gift set is perfect for someone who needs to keep their mind even during and after the holidays.  Featuring a medium locket with a gold filigree design, the mood disk will diffuse a lovely scent from a 100% pure essential oil throughout the day.  The vintage design is a beautiful addition to any jewelry collection.

Black Friday Deals - This is where you don't want to miss ANYTHING!  Select styles & pieces are $10 and under.  Create super affordable looks & great gifts to introduce friends, family, and coworkers to Origami Owl.  Mix with some current locket bases and charms too to create a unique look.  The Black Friday stock is limited - so hurry, hurry, hurry!  Here are some looks to check out.

The best part of these gift sets is that each of these looks can also be customized with a dangle, engraved plate, or additional charms.  You can even change the chain or add or remove charms, etc once any of these looks is in your cart!  These are one click looks to give you a start, then let your creativity take over from there!

And, if you's like to get the inside scoop on the Origami Owl Black Friday exclusives, please join my VIP group to find out more.  You won't want to miss this...really!!

What are your favorite gifts from the gift guide?  Are you making your own wishlist now?

xoxo, Moe

Three Last Minute (Thoughtful) Holiday Gifts

So......it is December 22nd and you're still looking for that one gift to give that actually means something.  But you really can't wait on shipping and nothing stands out in the stores, so what are you supposed to do?!?!  Don't fret - I've got 3 awesomely thoughtful holiday gifts that are sure to impress (even if they are last minute!)

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

image above created using the app Phonto, read a review here.

Online Classes from Craftsy

If you read this blog then you're probably a crafty person, which means you probably have a crafty friend (or two) that might want to learn something new.  If your friend (or you) have been eyeing trying something new for the new year, right now Craftsy is offering up to 50% off all online classes!  So if someone has been saying they are interested in learning to quilt, learning more about photography, or learning how to watercolor...Craftsy is the place to grab up the perfect last minute, learning gift.  If you're unsure of the something new they might want to learn in the new year, snatch up a Craftsy gift card so they can choose the class that is right for them.

Etsy Gift Card

If you have a crafty friend who likes to make crafty things, mots likely he or she also appreciates other's crafty work.  An Etsy gift card is a great way to help them support their handmade buying habit and to support small artists.  Also remind them to sign up for Ebates!  I can say that the usual rebate is 1% for Etsy but the percentage will go up on assorted dates - like on Black Friday (no guarantees though).  If they shop Etsy through Ebates they will save money but they won't take any money away from the artist selling through Etsy.  You can also use Ebates through a variety of other online shops as well.  Your friend might appreciate that thoughtful tip too (and that tip was free!)

Amazon Prime

If you have a crafty friend who likes to save money (see how this all connecting here?) then they probably will appreciate getting their crafty supplies at a discount and with free two day shipping.  Soooooo the gift of Amazon Prime is a great last minute (yet thoughtful) gift!  Not only will they get the free two day shipping, but it also includes access to Amazon Instant Video and access to borrowing ebooks from the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.  (I don't have a kindle but I can assume there are some crafty related ebooks out there.)

I hope this has given you a few last minute ideas to wrap up and place under the tree.  They don't take up a lot of space but they are definitely very thoughtful & helpful!

Hope you all have a very happy Holiday!  Enjoy your Christmas!

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // Crochet Wine Cozie, Again

In December of 2012 I shared this DIY Wine Bottle Cozie.  This December I want to step it up a notch and do it a little better.  It's still crocheted, and it's still a wine cozie, but it is a little more festive!

I followed the same pattern and took my own advice about making the cozie a bit taller.  I used some left over yarn as a closure.  And since I'm obsessed with those little felt appliques I added a few here too.  How. Stinking. Cute!

Picking up my crochet hook again is so fun!  Especially working on something so repetitive and simple - great for watching TV.  These would be great to knock out for a few neighbor gifts or for some coworkers.  Love it.

Hope you're nearly gift giving ready!

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // PicMonkey + Zazzle for the Perfect Gift

It is nearly Thanksgiving which means we all really need to be on top of our Christmas shopping.  Mine is nearly done - I picked up a lot of things on one of our mini trips to northern Michigan - I just have to pick up a few things mainly for people that are hard to buy for in my family.  If you have some of those hard-to-buy-for-people on your list, I have an idea to share with you today.

this post contains affiliate links, please see my full disclosure here.

Have you ever heard of the site Zazzle?  Not only is this site great for invitations, announcements, and more (check my shop here), Zazzle.com has an amazing array of personalized gifts.  Not only can you choose from customizable designs but you can also create your own!  There are tons of blank canvases to work on and tons of inspiration.  I chose to go with creating a vanity tray gift since I thought it was super unique. 

I decided to work in PicMonkey even though I know Zazzle has some fun design tools.  PicMonkey offers some clipart, backgrounds, and fun fonts to play with.  I'll be using one of the brand new fonts available on PicMonkey!  They've added 7 new fonts and some of them are the ever popular calligraphy style.

First start off with an 8x10 canvas.  Crop it to the 16x9 selection to get the closest ratio to the small vanity tray.  This will give you a canvas to start designing on.

If you'd like to do a new take on a monogram, add a label overlay.  There are plenty free options to choose from but the Royale (or paid option) from PicMonkey offers more fonts, more overlays, and way more fun creating!  The cost of Royale is totally worth it - $4.99/mo or $33/year!  PicMonkey is an awesome design tool.

After adding the label overlay, use a fun calligraphy font to add the last name of the family you are creating for.  Under the Overlays tab, there is a floral option.  Use this option to place some flourishes on the scrip text.

There are a few floral overlays that play well with this design.  Adding them to the corners works great for a feminine touch!  Save your design, but don't close out of your PicMonkey window in case you need to make any changes.

Now it's time to move over to Zazzle.  Choose the small vanity tray and using the Add Image button, upload the design you've created in PicMonkey and saved to your computer.

For the most part, your image should fit in the constraints of the tray but you can also use the crop to fit button to trim off a little excess on the left and right sides of the image.

View your tray from multiple angles to make sure you like the way your design is displayed.  Then add to your cart!

If you'd like to make similar designs for multiple gifts, keep your PicMonkey Screen open and design as many as you'd like.  If you'd like to have something similar to this design, click here to download the floral image.  Then open it in PicMonkey to customize your design.  You can read more of my PicMonkey tutorials here....you know you want to!

Be sure you check out if there are any coupon codes going on with Zazzle at the time of your purchase and don't forget to use Ebates to get money back on your purchases!  This a great way to whip up a custom gift after you've stuff your face with a delicious Turkey dinner!

You can check out the stationery, invites, announcements, and more in my Zazzle shop here.

Who in your family is hard to shop for?  Would they like a personalized gift?

xoxo, Moe

Uncommon Goods Holiday Gift Guide // Personalized Gifts

I can't believe we are another week closer to the holidays!  Honestly I am counting down the days until I can see my family.  Unfortunately I won't be spending Christmas day with my family but I will be traveling down from Indiana to Virginia.  I've already booked my flight and I've already thought about packing!  Is that too soon?

I've been thinking a lot about gifts this year and how sometimes we just find something that is sort of meh to give to our loved ones.  Sometimes it's too stressful to find an meaningful gift that is so perfect for someone that we may just settle for mediocre.  That got me thinking about what kind of gifts I could give that would tell a story.  How can I share with my loved one that I care about them through story telling?  That is when the idea of personalized gifts hit me!  Today I want to introduce you to a site that has an amazing selection of items that are perfect for anyone in your life.  From this selection here of gifts for him, to something for her right here, you're bound to find the perfect something that just suits them so well.  What site am I talking about?  Uncommon Goods!

Uncommon Goods approached me to review a product just in time for the holidays.  While looking through their assortment of quirky and mostly handmade items I cam up on the perfect gift that would tell the story of us....and it's an amazing one.  I chose these State Love Glasses personalized with our initials, date we met, and the state Michigan (for Zach) & Virginia (for me).  When I saw these I knew they would be perfect to surprise Zach with.  It was such an ordeal and a big part of our young lives meeting and then moving 800 miles north to start a life together.  This personalize gift just spoke to me in a way nothing else had in a long, long while.

First off, let me introduce you to Uncommon Goods.  In case you haven't heard of the site Uncommon Goods - let me fill you in.  Uncommon Goods is a privately-owned retailer headquartered in Brooklyn, New York that features unique designs and hand crafted gifts.  They are a company that stands for designers by holding a high respect for the creative individual.  Uncommon Goods is a company that gives back to it's workers and contributes to the community.  I highly encourage you to check out this page of their website where it is outlined how the privately own company contributes to various charities such as RAINN, American Forests, and Women for Women International.

Now onto these State Love Glasses that are so impressive!
I chose these glasses not only because they could be personalized with something so close to us but also because I wanted to see the quality of the etching.  Sometimes, when you get an etched glass, the etching seems to sit on top of the glass and not look like the glass is, in fact, etched.  I wanted to talk about this first - over the packaging and anything else - because when I opened the box I uttered a wow.  The quality of these glasses would impress anyone who receives this gift.  The etching also stands up to hand washing.  The site recommends not to place this in the dishwasher and in order to make any etched glass wear last, you really should wash by hand.

Since many of the items sold on the Uncommon Goods site are handmade I feel a connection to the designer behind these.  On the listing page here I learned the history behind the designer who imagined this product and then in the actual packaging the story was printed again.  As a lover of stories and a person who is intrigued by how we are all connected, this feature touched a personal spot for me.  I love that I was able to bring a unique piece of practical art into my home.  The quality ensures they will stand the test of time and I can't wait to keep them on display for others to hear the artist story as we share our own.

These arrived in a box filled with peanuts, wrapped in bubble wrap, and securely wrapped in brown paper.  When I felt the weight of the box, I thought that it might not be packaged well because it was so light but I was totally wrong.  Whenever I am anticipating a personalized item like this I get a bit nervous that something will be damaged.  However the packaging and care that went into packing up this item really ensures that you will get your item in pristine condition.

A personalized gift is a great way to go to show someone you truly care.  There are a ton of unique an personalized gifts in the Uncommon Goods gift guides here that are sure to make the best impression with your loved ones this holiday season.

What kind of personalized gift speaks to you?  Have you considered how story telling could be incorporated in a gift for your loved ones?

xoxo, Moe

**This item was sent to me for review from Uncommon Goods.  The opinions expressed above are my own.  All information about the company Uncommon Goods can be found on their website here.

Make it Monday // Pistachio Bread Gift Idea

For Thanksgiving, Zach's mom sent us a recipe for Pistachio Bread since I didn't know what to make & bring to dinner.  Before this I didn't even think I liked things made with pistachio instant pudding....I don't even think I like pistachios.  But once I made this lovely little desert I was sold on Pistachio Pudding.  It's a great little desert & a perfect take away idea for a party or even a gift idea for neighbors, friends, or coworkers.  I baked a whole pan, divided it into ninths, & packaged up the little loafs in a baggie with a DIY twist tie.  Here's how it goes:

Supplies: this Pistachio Bread Recipe, washi tape (I used some of my Kid Made Modern Tape!), thin gauge wire, scissors, ziplock bags or other baggies.

Making the Pistachio Bread

Follow the recipe instructions & mix up your batter.  The directions say specific ounces for the cake mix, pudding, etc but I just used a box of pudding & a box of the cake mix. (My cake mix was 16.4 oz & the recipe called for 18oz.  It still turned out perfect.)  Instead of 2 loaf pans pour entire mixture into a glass baking dish & sprinkle on the topping.  Bake per recipe.  Let cool & divide into loafs to package up.

Pretty Packaging

The best part of the holiday season is the packaging.  I have so much Kid Made Modern tape that I knew I needed to do something with it for the holiday season.  Who says packaging only has to be red & green.  I thought I'd go for some neon brights.

Tear off a strip of the washi tape.  Lay it, tape side up, on your work surface.  Cut a piece of your wire the same length as or longer than your tape.  Place the wire as close to the center of the tape strip as possible & press down.  Carefully lay down another piece of tape on top of the first layer & tear off.  The two sticky sides should be facing each other. 

Cut your tape & wire into smaller strips to create the twist ties.  I'd suggest cutting them no shorter than 3 inches as you'll need a bit to twist at the end.  Make as many as you'll need to package up your loafs.

If you're fancy, go ahead & pick up some cool cellophane baggies.  Or pick up some ziplock baggies from the dollar tree & cut off the zipper part with a pair of sharp scissors.  Sandwich sized baggies will do just fine.

Now give to all your friends!  How perfect would these be displayed at your office party?  Take them to your Secret Santa get together & give everyone another gift to take home.  Add the recipe to the packaging to share the yumminess with everyone.

Happy baking!

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Make It Monday // Monogramed Holiday Sign with Martha Stewart Paints

This isn't our first Christmas together but is our first Christmas in our new house!  While we're still working on the house, I've been getting my creative juices flowing in gearing up to decorate a bit for the holidays.  I was super excited to get a box of awesome Martha Stewart Paints & Stencils from Plaid to get started on making our home warm for the holidays.  I've always loved Christmas & the way handmade decorations add warmth to any home.  My grandmother still has a load of handmade decor from when my dad & aunts were little and things that she's made and added over the years.  I couldn't wait to have something to add warmth to our home.

I thought of about a million things I could make with all the awesome goodies but I knew I wanted to keep it on the traditional White Christmas side.  I may be a mix of kitsch contemporary when it comes to everyday home decor but with Christmas I love everything just how mom would decorate....if that makes sense! Green, Red, White, Gold, & Silver mean christmas to me & I'll never change!  I think this turned out rather nicely & the glitter is much better in person & really pretty by candle light.

Supplies: Martha Stewart Glass Paint in Opaque Metallic in Antique Pewter, Translucent Fine Glitter in Florentine Gold, & Translucent Frost in Wedding Cake, Martha Stewart Acrylic paint in satin white, assorted holiday stencils - Snowflake silkscreens, Script Font Silkscreens, & Letter Stencils, Newspaper to cover your work area, a picture frame, dobbers, a stencil brush, small paint brush, scissors

Optional: Measuring tape & pencil, scrapbook paper

step one: Disassemble your frame, setting the backing & all the insides aside.  Clean the glass with soap & water then clean the surface with alcohol per the glass paint instructions.  Set it aside on another news paper & avoid finger prints.

step two: Since I wanted a distressed, frosted look on my frame I used the stencil brush not as it was intended & pounced on some of the white acrylic paint.  I made sure to cover the entire frame but leave parts of the dark wood showing through.  I really like trying to find multiple uses for craft supplies & this came out exactly how I wanted it - frosted & distressed.  Now I want to do this to every frame!

step three: If you are unsure how to use any of the stencil/silkscreen products, there are little leaflets inside that will give you detailed instructions.  I was so nervous to use the silkscreens but with the leaflet I felt more comfortable & after doing this project I can't wait to use them for other projects!

The leaflet mentioned that there are a bunch of ways to use your stencils - measure our your placement or place them randomly for an organic feel.  I sorta did both.  In order to make sure everything was even, I used a pencil & measuring tape to find the center of the glass -which I lined up with the center fold of the news paper, how convenient!  Then I placed my stencils.  They are adhesive, so they stay in place but you can remove them easily to adjust or re apply.

step 4: Paint! Use your little daubers to tap on the glass paint!  I used the silver color for the monograms at the top & the translucent frost in Wedding Cake for the Christmas & 2012.  Just pounce, pounce pounce.

step 5: I needed to reposition my stencils through this process since I needed another s & another 2.  Remove the stencils while the paint is still wet, carefully, & reposition where you need them to be.  Then pounce, pounce pounce.  Once you're finished, removed the stencils while the paint is still wet.

If you're going to do another set of stencils, let the first layer of paint dry so if you bump it, you won't damage it.  Repeat the steps for your next layer of stencils.  To finish mine up, I used a little bit of glitter around the snowflakes.

step 6: Assemble your frame back together.  Put the glass in, then decorative scrapbook paper or the backside of the place holder paper that came with the frame - that's what I did - & your backing.  I used the white side of the place holder paper the frame came with to give the monogram & text more dimension.  You get almost a 3D look with the way the shadows play with the image.

To cure the glass paint you can bake it in the over, but since this will never see the dishwasher I opted for the air cure for 21 days option.

My favorite of the paints was the translucent frost in Wedding Cake.  I almost didn't use it because I thought it was too translucent.  But I'm glad I did because it ended up looking a bit like etched glass!  Of course you could use etching cream for this but if you're doing this project with kids, the translucent Frost paint is another option to make it more kid friendly.

This would be a great wedding gift or First Christmas gift for a couple.  Bring the kids in on it because the stenciling is that easy!  Use a smaller frame (mine was 14" by 7") & just do a monogram or just a snowflake.  It would even be a great sun catcher sort of deal.  Seriously, the possibilites are endless!

Either hang your frame (like we will after this year) or use it as a center piece.  Our dinning table is rather small but with the two of us it's alright to have a larger center piece.  We've resolved to use the dining room table more so it will be a nice little touch to bring our dinners more holiday warmth!

If you're dying for more inspiration, check out Plaid on Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest.  Want some more cool ideas? Check this Cupcake Gift Jar...pretty cool!

How do you decorate your home? Who will you gift a monogramed sign to?

I wrote this post as part of a paid campaign with Martha Stewart Paint & Stencils by Plaid and The Blueprint Social. The opinions in this post are my own

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