Teacher Appreciation Week Crafts for Kids

My friend Becca asked me to come up with some fun crafts for her kids to make for Teacher Appreciation Week.  Without further ado, here are my favorites!  Oh, and a very Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week to all my teacher readers!  xo, Ashley

"Thanks A Latte" Printable and Tutorial via Eighteen25

Chalkboard Spring Vases via A Subltle Revelry

Click here for a tutorial on how to make your own Chalkboard Paint

Apple Core Thank You Card via Lisa Storms

Apple Cupcakes with Free Printables via Love From the Oven

Fingerprint Stationary via Family Fun

Mini Oreo "Apple" Pops by Brooke via Skip to My Lou 

Photo Transfer Projects

I'm always looking for new ways to showcase my favorite photos.  Here's a great collection of creative ways to let your photos shine outside of the frame!

Make Your Own Canvas Portrait via A Beautiful Mess

Nature Inspired Photo Transfer Projects via BHG

DIY Tiles Transformed Into Photo Coasters via Cherry Street Cottage

Photo Transfer Cubes via Martha Stewart

Photo Transfer Anniversary Cookies via Erica's Sweet Tooth

DIY Fabric Lamp Shade Photo Transfer via BHG

DIY Photo Transfers On Wood via Photojojo

Wedding Wednesday: Ring Pillow Tutorials and Inspiration

Ah, wedding season is almost upon us!  My bestie Jessica is getting married in a month and I am making her ring pillow!  stay tuned!  Today I am sharing my favorite DIY ring pillow tutorials and inspirations.  P.S. Make sure to check out my rad giveaway!

Yarn Heart Ring Pillow via Style Me Pretty

Silk Flower Ring Pillow via Martha Stewart

DIY Tufted Moss Ring Pillow Tutorial by Laurie Cinotto via Once Wed

DIY Ring Pillow Tutorial via elephantine

Calendar Ring Pillow Template And How To via Martha Stewart

DIY Birds Nest Ring Pillow Tutorial via Ruffled

DIY Chevron Ring Pillow Tutorial by Hank and Hunt via The Sweetest Occasion

Mister G and Me's Easter Crafts Guide

I'm so excited for Easter!  Here are my favorite Easter crafts this year:  

Thread Wrapped Easter Eggs via Martha Stewart

Felt Rabbit Place Settings via Formal Fringe

Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial via Retro Mama

Animal Silhouette Egg Favors Tutorial via Martha Stewart

Vintage Book Page Eggs via Oleander and Palm

Easter Egg Finger Puppets via Wild Olive

Marbleizing Eggs Tutorial via Martha Stewart

Sock Bunny Tutorial via Lil Blue Boo

DIY Fabric Covered Egg Shakers via Pamplemousse 1983

Needle Felted Chicks Tutorial via Martha Stewart

Today I'm going to make the cute shaker eggs and sock bunny for my niece Ivy.  What Easter crafts are you making this year?  Share them in the comments or on Mister G's Facebook page.  xo, Ashley

Canvas + Lamp Project

I was leafing through the DIY Magazine and I found this awesome project where you drip acrylic paint on a spray-painted canvas.  

The directions recommend you use 3 acrylic paints, 3 recycled shampoo bottles, grey spray paint, an old shower curtain, and a canvas.  

It has been REALLY windy lately-- so my spray-painting wasn't so easy!  I didn't have a shower curtain laying around, so I used a kids table cover from Michael's-- 20 cents baby!

I dripped my first color.

Then I flipped it upside down and dripped my second color.  It was windy and my canvas flipped over into the pooled paint on my table cover.  It got "messy" but I just went with it!

And then finally flipped it again and dripped my third color.

I decided to take this project a step further and make John's night stand lamp match the canvas.  I spray painted the lamp shade grey.  It wasn't easy to drip the paint on the lamp shade because the fabric is more porous than the canvas.  Live and learn!

After I painted the lamp shade I realized it didn't match the lamp base.  To remedy this, I primed the base and then painted it using a full tube of Martha glitter paint in Antique Silver.  (I think that's the name!)  Here's a little before and after:

Side note: Have you seen the paint ball swatches at Michael's that show you what the paint looks like?  The glitter one is SO glittery.  Not at all what the glitter paint looks like when you use it!  After what felt like my 90th coat of paint I imagined Martha making Joey (from the Martha Stewart Show) paint all of her paint swatch balls.  Joey's crying, "Martha! My hands are so tired!  I've been painting this ball forever and it still has bald spots!" and Martha snaps at Joey, "If you want to come to Orlando with me for the Pillsbury Bake Off then you better keep painting and hush!"  Ha!  I'm such a craft dork :)

I wanted the glittery base to look like the ocean when it's sunny-- you know, the diamonds on the water!  John says it looks "fabulous" and thinks it's a little too effeminate for his night stand.  I understand that being the husband of a craft addict can be trying sometimes, so I tackled the clutter on my night stand and made the lamp a new home.

P.S.  I'm basically using "candle safety" when I use the lamp-- just until I'm positive that it's not going to combust :)

The first image is from bhg.com and the rest of the images are my own.  

Spring Flower Headband Tutorial

Hey friends!  Want to make this super adorable, spring-y headband?  It's so easy and I'm sharing my tutorial today over at Take the Cannoli!

Make sure to say hi to Nat when you check out her blog!  Have a great day, loves!  xo, Ashley

DIY Wedding: A Perfect Match

If you and your husband to be are not seeing eye to eye on a wedding theme-- here's one I bet you'll both agree on!  Wait for it... A Perfect Match!  So cute, right?  There are so many great (and inexpensive) DIY ideas for all things match-y.  Here are my favorites:

I love these save the date matchboxes!  via Martha Stewart

Send your guest home with a creative favor!  via Ruffled

Lovely free printables to send your guest home with "matchbook" seed packets!  via Martha Stewart

I love the simplicity and elegance of these DIY Matchbooks by Papermade via Style Me Pretty

Use these adorable personalized matchboxes for name cards.  via Martha Stewart

I couldn't find a tutorial for this-- but wouldn't it be so cute to put your engagement pictures on matchboxes?  

Did you/are you planning to have a theme at your wedding?  Share in the comments!  or tweet me @MisterGandMe :)

Happy planning!!!  xo, Ashley

Anthropologie Wallpaper Cards Tutorial

I went to my mailbox last week and found a package from Anthropologie!  I was so excited--someone must have sent me a present!!!  Then I remembered I had requested wallpaper swatches.  Silly me!    

Aren't they so beautiful?!!

I decided to make greeting cards with the beautiful swatches.  You could use wallpaper swatches, paper from magazines or books, fabric, or photographs.  You will also need blank cards and a method of application-- scrapbooking adhesive tape, glue, sewing machine, etc.  

 I used my paper cutter to cut the swatch in half.  The top half was glued to the paper that describes the wallpaper but the bottom half isn't attached.  I trimmed the top half so the description paper doesn't show on the sides.

Apply your adhesive.

Fix your swatch to your card.

You can see several cards with stitching in the picture below.  It adds a lovely texture to the cards!  To stitch your card together, simply center your swatch to the card and sew just as you would with fabric.  I only used the sewing method with my single-layer bottom half swatches.  I felt the description sheet+swatch+card might be too taxing on my little sewing machine.  

Hope you enjoy making your cards!  I'd love to see pictures of your handiwork!  Tweet me @MisterGandMe or post them on Mister G's Facebook page!  xo, Ashley