You Made That? Custom Comic Book Giveaway

Hi Everyone! I have been M.I.A. for a very long time. My etsy store has been busy and I kind of lost touch with my blog. I'm ready to get back into the blogging world.  I thought for my first post back I would give you something!

To promote my You Made That? facebook page, I am doing a giveaway!

Just go here to enter

It's easy, just like the facebook page for 2 entries, tweet about the giveaway for an additional entry, and/or answer a poll for another entry.

I will give you an ADDITIONAL BONUS entry for repinning my pin on Pinterest as well! Just repin and comment here or on my facebook page that you did so.

Good luck! Please share this giveaway with anyone you think may be interested!

Jamberry Nails - Buy, Host, Join my team!

I just recently started selling Jamberry Nails nail shields. They are AMAZING!

All of my photos are of "real" customers, not models! These nail shields are vinyl shields that are applied with heat and pressure. (Blow dryer or small heater) They last on fingers for up to 2 weeks and toes for 5-6 weeks! They have a shiny protective coating so they won't scuff or chip at all!

There are over 165 different styles that can be mixed and matched! They are MADE IN THE USA!!!!!

As long as they are removed as directed, they will NOT damage your nails!!!

There are NO harsh chemicals at all and are totally safe for kids to wear or for moms with babies!

Interested??? Feel free to contact me with any questions... www.melaniebyrd.jamberrynails.net

You can buy them online...they are on sale through the summer - Buy 3 Get 1 Free!

You can host a catalog party and earn FREE products and 1/2 off products!

If you are looking to start a business, now is the time to join! This is a pretty new company and you can get started at ground level! There are not very many reps yet...just think of the potential! It is only $99 to get started. Just by wearing the shields, you are your own advertisement!!!

Easy Kids Journal or Drawing Book Tutorial

I love volunteering my my kids classes! The Kindergarten teacher has the best ideas and I get to make a lot of creative things for the kiddos to use. Today she had me make journals for them to practice their writing in. I'm not sure where she got the idea from, but probably from Pinterest.

I'm sorry about the cell phone quality photos, but I didn't have my regular camera with me.

You will need a large piece of construction paper, white copy paper (or lined paper), a rubber band and 2 popsicle sticks.

(I cannot get this photo to flip around!!!!)

Fold the construction paper in half and hole punch with 2 holes.

Cut the copy paper in half (or to the size you want them to be) and hole punch them with 2 holes just like the construction paper.

String a rubber band through the back cover and the copy paper. Then put a popsicle stick through that rubber band to hold in place. Take the other end of the rubber band and string it through the other hole of the cover and papers. Now string that side through the front of the cover and slide a popsicle stick through the end of the rubber band. 

Remove the first popsicle stick and pull the rubberband through the front cover. Slide the other end of the stick through the rubber band and you're done!

The Wide World of Geekery!

Ok, so my husband is a comic book/figure collector. I never knew that there were so many of these men and women out there until recently. I have been selling a bunch of my comic book wall hanging letters on Etsy, most for kids room decor. You can check them out here.

So now that I know how many adults are comic fans, it has opened up a whole new part of my crafty brain!

I started by making this jewelry box, which I absolutely love.

I just finished some awesome coasters with heroes on them.

 and just listed this amazing wine rack in my Etsy store.

Sometimes when I finish a project, I just can barely stand how excited I get to share it with anyone who will even remotely care. This is one of those projects!

Yoshi (Super Mario Bros) Handmade Birthday Party Invitations

My son wants a Yoshi themes birthday party, so we created these super cute invitations tonight. It was a lot of fun to make them with both of my boys. We had a crafty night and accomplished something for the party! I  am planning a couple of really cute favor/game ideas and will post them after the party!

Mod Podged Comic Book Jewelry Box and Cell Phone Charging Area

When I found this cute jewelry box at a thrift store for $2, I knew it had to be Mod Podged with Comics! Since it's a girly item I thought it would be best to use all female characters.

The jewelry box was in great condition, but had a couple of nicks and the paint was old. After being Mod Podged, the nicks are not noticeable at all! I removed the screws and hardware from the front and removed the glass pieces before working on it. I then painted the drawers and entire inside of the box black. Then I touched up some other areas as well with the black paint.

The only real problem with this jewelry box is that there is a drawer missing. So, after Googling ideas, I found an idea to drill a hole in the back and make a cell phone charging area...brilliant!

More Mod Podged Comic Book Letters

I have had a lot of interest in my Mod Podged Comic Book Letters lately. I am so flattered that my project has been pinned so many times on Pinterest!!!

Here is my latest creation:

These are so much fun to create and I love doing different characters. I also made the word READ for one of my friends that is a teacher. She wanted to hang them in her classroom. What a great idea! I am going to make them for my sons teachers as end of the year gifts. I had her send me a picture of them hanging on her wall:

Here are some other letters I have made as well:

You can find these custom letters in my Etsy shop here: www.melrowe.etsy.com

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Fringy Scarf Photo Shoot With Some Beautiful Little Models!

Today was a lot of fun. A friend of mine offered to take some really nice photos for my Etsy site. Her daughter and another friend's daughter were my little models. They did such a great job and the photos turned out so cute!

My scarves made really cute Christmas or Birthday gifts and can be purchased in my Etsy Shop here. I also have a large variety of adult sized scarves in the shop as well. I love doing custom orders, so if you're interested in something specific, let me know!

Stretchy Fabric Headband Tutorial

I see these headbands on Etsy for up to $8 each. A friend wanted me to try to make some for her girls. They turned out pretty cute! 

Supplies:

1/8 yard cotton fabric (this will be enough fabric to make 2 headbands)

4.5 inches elastic - I used 1/4 inch wide

sewing machine and matching thread

2 safety pins 

cardboard to make a pattern piece

To make the pattern, I recycled some thin cardboard. Use the photo below to draw the shape. The length across is 8 in. The height of the right side of photo is 3 1/3 inches. The height of the left side of the photo is 1 1/2 inches.

Fold your fabric in half, trace the pattern and cut with the folded edge on the 3 1/3 inch side. 

Next cut a rectangle about 6 1/2 x 1 3/4 inch. These are the 2 pieces you will now have:

Fold the main fabric piece in half lengthwise and press.

Sew along the long side, leaving openings on each end.

Pin a safety pin to the end and push through to turn the whole piece right side out.

Press open so that the seam in on the underneath side.

Sew the rectangle lengthwise.

Use the safety pin to turn the rectangle right side out. Attach the safety pin to the end of the elastic and push through the rectangle. I like to pin each side now and sew each end so that the elastic won't move.

Turn the end of the main headband piece under and put the end of the elastic piece inside that end. Sew across, making sure that you are sewing through the main piece, rectangle AND elastic. Repeat with other end.

That's it!

These measurements are for a child size. If you would like to make an adult size, just adjust the rectangle and elastic accordingly!

I just had to share this one...

I have seen this a few times on Facebook and love it!

Scrappy Rosette Headbands

I have been making loads of dance skirts out of a sheer fabric. Therefore, I have some really great scraps of that fabric left over. I have seen a lot of really cute fabric rosettes on blogs lately and decided to try to make some. They are really easy!

I just twisted the fabric and rolled it into the rosette. Instead of sewing it together, I just hot glued it here and there so that it would stay together nicely. I had a bunch of jewels, so I glued them in the middle. These stretchy headbands were at Walgreens for $1.99 for a pack of 6 and 6 ponytail holders. They are really pretty and I loved the colors. I actually sewed the rosettes on the headbands and then hot glued them. Hopefully they will stay on!

Super Cute and Easy Bottle Cap Key Chains for Party Favors - Tutorial

I really don't like most of the cheap toys that are considered party favors for kids parties!

This year I have decided to make something unique for all of the kiddos. My son wanted a Super Mario Bros. themed party, so I made key chains. I figured that they can hang them on their backpacks since it's the beginning of the school year.

These are really easy!

You will need:
1 inch round graphics - Buy the ones I have here
1 inch circle punch
glue
bottle caps (flattened or not)
metal punch or nail and hammer
jump rings
chain and ring or clip
1 inch epoxy adhesive dots

Buy some printable round graphics on Etsy (or use your own), print them, and punch them out with a 1 inch circle punch.

Punch a small hole in the bottle cap where you want the jump ring to attach the chain.

Next, glue the graphic into the bottle cap with a tiny amount of glue.

Stick the epoxy dot on top of the glued graphic.

Attach the jump ring and chain into the hole in the bottle cap.

That's it! They are really easy and super cute!

You've heard of an Easter egg hunt, but not a birthday present hunt!

My son's 5th birthday was just last week and he came up with a great idea. I always hate wrapping presents and wasting the wrapping paper!

This is what he told me, "You've heard of an Easter egg hunt, but not a birthday present hunt!"

What a great idea...I love having a reason to be lazy...

My mom and I hid his presents all over the house and he ran around finding them. He had way more fun hunting for them than he would have unwrapping them! Give it a try!

His favorite present was from Grandma and she was so nice to buy his big brother one too!

My New Dance Skirts...enter to win one!!!

I am so excited to announce that I am going to be selling my handmade girls wrap dance skirts in a local dance studio!!! One of my friends is an amazing photographer and has just sent me the photos from our shoot..

I am so happy with them that I am going to be giving one of the skirts away!!!

I am going to use one of these photos on my tags to hang from each skirt and am not sure which one looks the best. So, I would love some input from you!

To enter my giveaway, please follow my blog and leave a comment telling me which photo you think I should use on my tags. For an extra entry, like my on facebook. The winner can choose from a few different fabrics and sizes!!!

The winner will be chosen on August 31st...so make sure I have your email address.

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