a MUST share! : www.save-on-crafts.com!

www.save-on-crafts.com

seeing as Im'm a lover of all things discounted, this site has quickly become one of my new favorites. The craft items and decorating supplies on this website are not only affordable, (better than affordable....down right insane!) but they also carry many hard-to-find items, such as birch paper, antique birdcages (that start at about $20!) and a wide range of apothecary jars.

here are a few of my favorites straight from their site!

Enjoy!

Bird Cages (Set of 3) $35!

Natural Birch Covered Flower pot or Vase $7

French Lavender Bundles $8.50!

Natural Twig Stick Birds nest (would look SO cute as a table centerpiece or displayed on a vanity!) $3

Fun Gifts for Him for Under $50!

As much as a love tearing through wrapping paper myself, one of my favorite parts of the Holidays is gift giving. But who knows what to get anyone these days?! And lets face it, the monogramed flask has been done, and no one needs another new bathrobe for the 4th year in a row... so how bout some fresh gift ideas, (and a few classics..) for that hard-to-shop-for gentleman on your list?

(top row from left)

1. SuperHeadz Plamodel DIY 35mm Camera $35! A DIY camera that lets you not only take the photos- but build the camera too!

2. Freaks and Geeks the Complete Collection $36! Seriously, its the best show ever.. Relive every high school swirlie and akward first dance with this awesome box set!

3. Ticket Stub Diary $12 OK so scrap booking may be Über girlie, but the gents still wanna save the memories of the Yankees taking another world series! This album is designed to document your favorite games, concerts and events... in the most masculine way possible.

(middle items)

4. Recycled Skateboard Cufflinks $20 Get him a gift even Tony Hawk would be jealous of! These one of a kind cufflinks are crafted from the wood of old skateboard decks. Each one is unique and it makes a great gift for your extreme sports dude.

5. Collapsible Trunk Organizer with Cooler $32 Its no secret that I'm a sucker for all things organization... so any chance i have to pass my OCD tendencies on to someone, I take. Plus, no gal likes a guy with junk in the trunk! am i right?!

(bottom row)

6. Jack Black Men's First Class Five Grooming Kit $48 One of the best in mens skin care, this airport security friendly kit has everything you need to keep guys skin smooth!

7. Cardboard Animal Head $28 Its a cardboard animal head! it pretty much sells itself.... Oh- and did I mention it comes in Bison too?

8. Double Horsepower SYMA Dragonfly Remote Controlled Helicopter $46 I don't care what any of you men say... you're all 10 year old boys at heart... and there isn't a-one of ya who wouldn't spend hours playing with a remote controlled anything any day of the week...

9. LEGO® Architecture: Empire State Building Set $24 Following the same rules as remote controlled toys, are Legos... Just TRY to not play with em if they're in front of you! and with Lego's new Architecture line, you can have all the fun and not feel like a total nerd stuck building the Death Star, or Temple of Doom ,or whatever...

Well.. I hope that gives you a few ideas... the websites I found these items on are great as well! (especially uncommongoods.com ) And remember : NO ONE UNDER 92 YEARS OF AGE LIKES FRUITCAKE!

A Bouquet With a Purpose!!

So I was in the bookstore.. flipping through craft books for inspiration, when I came across these simple flower pens. Im sure we've all seen them somewhere before... you know.. the pen with a big silk flower on the end?... well.. I just happen to be in the market for some tabletop decorations and thought, why not a BUNCH of flower pens... in a vase... like a bouquet! Now im not usually a fan of silk flowers but if you're like me, and one of those people who cant ever find a pen when you really need one.. this is little project is perfect! just TRY to misplace these writing utensils now! :)

Below is the (SUPER EASY) DIY guide to making your own!

All it takes is:

• A vase
• 3 or more silk flowers (the kind with the metal running through the stem..)
• florist tape
• a ball-point pen for each flower
• scissors

First, cut your flowers to your desired length (remember, you're gonna attach the pen, so make them about 1-2 inches shorter to compensate)

Next, position the flower next to the pen so about 2/3 are overlapping. Wrap with the florist tape nice and tight.

Last- stick em in your vase!I added a few decoative leafy branches for a more "natural" look.. and Voila! a Bouquet thats both beautiful and functional!

Enjoy! and never lose a pen again!!

~Sarah

Making Something out of Nothing: Scrap fabric into a dog bandana

Now, everyone says they have the cutest dog in the world... but unfortunately for everyone- I am- in fact- the winner of that award....dont believe me? ok... you be the judge....

Meet Gadget
yeah- i know.. its just ridiculous how cute that little thing is...
and seeing how shes so cute and all, its only right that she have adorable little accessories as well. Now im not your “throw a sweater on her and carry her around the mall in my juicy jumpsuit” kinda gal, but i think every dog could use a cute little bandana! its sporty, comfortable, you can dress it up- or dress it down... (ok im getting carried away...)

But anyways, I was up to my usual crafty business when I thought, “Geeze.. you always have so many little scrap pieces of fabric Sarah ,what should we do with all of them?...hmmm what small thing could be decorated with such a small piece of fabric?...
Lightbulb! A small pet!
ergo: Doggy Bandana!

Below is the (SUPER EASY) DIY instructions on how to make your little four-legger fashion-forward!

Step 1:
Pick out your fabric and cut it into a square. What size square you ask? well... i think the bandana should cover about 2/3 of your pets neck, so measure Fluffy’s neck, then figure out 2/3 of that (this is middle school math here peeps...), Then add about an inch to compensate for when you hem the sides under...
soo... to demonstrate....
Fluffy’s neck is 9’’ around....
2/3 of that is 6’’...
plus the 1 inch for the hem...
that means you’ll be cutting a 7x7 inch square! voila!

Step 2.
Turn edge under abut 1/2 inch and hem so you have a nice seam. Repeat for all 4 sides.

Step 3:
Fold the square in half into a triangle and sew up the side open sides starting at the corner opposite the fold.
Now don’t sew the whole side up... what I did, and found is an awesome little trick to making the bandanas last, is leave a hole big enough for my dogs collar to fit through.
That way, you just slide the collar through the bandana, there’s no need to fashion a strap or tie, and its free to move without getting tangled up on the collar!

Step 4:
Slip your collar though! now if you use a leash that attaches to your collar, you can cut a small hole in the top layer of the bandana where the ring for the leash is the stitch the edges (like a button hole).. This way the bandana will stay in place and you can still use the leash!

Now that you’re done- DECORATE!
I used some leftover rhinestones from another project and glued then on to make a “G” (for Gadget...)

Here are some other ideas that are sure to make your tail wag! Enjoy!

~Sarah





**FOLLOW UP: Heres a photo of Gadget (a little camera shy..) rockin her new bandana!!

More adorable photos to come...