Wow -- I've been chosen!

Y'all know I love Etsy....
Well, I opened up my very own Etsy shop (BSimpleCrafts) a few weeks ago.... AND one of my "LoveTubs" was featured on "Honey, it's a BeeBee Shower."
Of course, I have yet to make a sale (online, that is), but it was way fun to be noticed on Etsy! :)






You can visit my etsy store and see MORE LoveTubs and other crafty doo-dads by clicking HERE!

My boys...

Wow.
I have the two cutest guys living in my house!

The June Craft Challenge

I discovered a really fun craft blog, Christy Nelson's site, by happy accident a few weeks ago. I noticed that she has a store on etsy in which she sells "craft challenge packets." Of course, I HAD to find out what that was all about! :)

The basics of this whole craft adventure comprise the following: for $5, you can purchase a craft challenge packet for the upcoming month, and you get a shipment with some random craft supplies that you must use to make.... well... something! Then you send in a picture of your creation to be entered into a contest. When Christy receives photos of the various craft items created with the challenge packet goodies, she posts them on her site, and people vote for their favorite project! The winner receives a fun little prize... and some crafting bragging rights, I suppose!

At any rate, I decided to join in on the fun, not knowing at all what to expect! I mean, I like crafts, but I am not an expert crafter or anything. I don't have any fancy tools or handy dandy things to help me out, either! It's just some dull scissors, a bottle of glue and my two hands!

I was quite anxious - and I think a little nervous - to get my packet. And here is what I received in the mail: (directions, 2 sheets of glitter paper, 1 pill bottle, some blue clay, a pile of raffia and 1 white favor cup)


Using only the items supplied, here is what I created:


I first took the raffia and created a fun "bracelet" thingie by cutting it into tiny pieces and knotting it in a decorative way.


Then I attached that raffia thingie (very technical terminology, here!) to the favor cup and added a little glitter paper to the top. I also used the glitter paper to decorate the pill bottle in a polka-dot pattern. Then I molded the clay around the cap on the pill bottle and attached it to the bottom of the bottle, for support. I used a little more of the clay to spruce up a plain candle and stuck it down into the pill bottle with some more clay to hold it steady!


Next, I slid on the decorated cup, which is a handy - and cute - little wax catcher! ;)

Ta-da! A cheery candle holder!


June's craft challenge was quite fun. And it was definitely a challenge! :)

Thanks to Christy for her ingenious way of snagging us craft-happy peeps who are always eager to take on a fun new project!

Wordless Wednesday

I Got Into the Paint... Again!

I don't know WHY I have been adding extra projects to my never-ending list, of late, but I just got a wild hair, I suppose, and recently decided to paint Jaiden's room. (I just painted our tiny bathroom a few weeks ago!)

Well, I didn't paint her ENTIRE room. I just did a little "decorative" painting! I had spotted this really cute stripe technique in an Uppercase Living idea a while ago:


So I decided to try it out in J's room -- in her favorite colors: BLUE! Now, the painting itself was SO very easy. But the prep work -- and the taping -- was very tedious. BLECH! Why do I get myself into these projects!?!?

Anyway, I think it turned out cute. More importantly, Jaiden LOVES it!

Bookmark fun on Swap-Bot

I enjoy crafts and love to get things in the mail, so I've thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Swap-Bot community, where you can join random swaps -- for just about anything! -- and make or buy things to send and swap!

For example, so far, I've swapped things like lip gloss, note cards, hot chocolate, candy, bibs, letters and e-mails with folks from all over the world! Just for fun!

And two of the most recent swaps I was in called for handmade bookmarks! I discovered that my first random swap partner liked stained glass and irises... so I made a bookmark that incorporated those things, in a weird, puffy paint sort of way! :)


The second swap partner mentioned in her profile that she loves tulips and all things Fitzgerald. The first bookmark was fun, so I made her a similar one with some tulips and a nice Fitzgerald quote about flowers and friendship!


Just thought I'd share...

Perhaps you, too, love to get fun, little things in the mail. You may want to join us swappers on Swap-Bot!

"Project Night"

As an independent demonstrator with Uppercase Living, I've decided to get a bit crafty and host a "project night" in June. We will be making party tubs, and I just created one yesterday as an example. I think it turned out cute! (The photo does not do it justice, though... it's a bright yellow and so very cheery!)


The flexible, colorful 5.7 gallon tubs are simple to make and are SO handy -- for just about anything: clothes, toys, baby items, pet supplies, gardening tools, knitting stuff, beach gear, games and gaming supplies, etc., etc. AND they are only $20!

If you or anyone you know would like to make one (or just have one: I can make it for you), let me know ASAP! I am taking orders for the tub colors and the expressions now and will place the final order on Sunday, May 30!

Here are some more examples of what you can put on your party tub. Of course, the options are endless. Feel free to visit http://bethalcazar.uppercaseliving.net to see more ideas, fonts, color choices, etc., etc.!


Oh, and here's a picture of just the tubs. They come in silver, green, blue, yellow and red (not pictured).


UPDATE: Just made another one -- for fun! :)