Paper Crafts « mama urchin

Archive for the 'Paper Crafts' Category

You’re Invited

Published March 11, 2007 Paper Crafts 2 Comments

These are the invitations for Katrina’s upcoming birthday party. Last year she had a Dora birthday party. I was less than enthused with the theme. This year we convinced Katie to go with something a little more, well, fun for everyone. We offered all kinds of ideas and she picked a gardening party. The inside of the invitation reads:

Katrina, Katrina, Planting Verbena,
How does your garden grow?
With birthday treats and tasty sweets
And lots of friends all in a row.

Then of course we included the party details. Now we just need to hope for a sunshiny day.

On the Head of a Pin

Published March 5, 2007 Papa Urchin , Paper Crafts , Through The Lens 6 Comments

Today is Papa‘s birthday and yesterday to celebrate we got a flooded basement. Well, it was only partially flooded but all of Papa’s rooms — office, woodshop, theatre — were at least somewhat flooded. The worst was the theatre which is still under construction but has carpet — very waterlogged carpet. Actually, it’s not waterlogged anymore, I got a good workout using the steam cleaner to suck it up. Now we have all kinds of fans and de-humidifiers going down there.

So back to the birthday. While I was sucking up gross water from the carpet and Stefan was having a total freak-out I was thinking Boy, I’m glad I got Papa a good birthday gift. The kids and I gave him a new camera but it won’t actually be available until April/May. I decided that maybe Katie and I could make him a camera out of cardboard and wrap it so he would at least have something to open. A quick search led me to a pattern for a very cool pinhole camera that was published in 1979 in Czechoslovakia. This is not a project to attempt with an almost four-year-old. The cutting and putting together requires some serious fine motor skills but was really fun and now he has a new low-tech toy to keep him occupied until the new high-tech one arrives. Now, we just need to find some film…

The Love Continues…

Published February 16, 2007 Crafting With the Urchins , Paper Crafts 14 Comments

These are for Katrina’s preschool teachers. Last year she insisted on giving them the BIGGEST heart of chocolate she could find. This year I planned ahead a little better. I just love these re-purposed frappuccinos. Wouldn’t it be so cute for a little girl filled with four different kids of hair accessories?

Some tips if you plan to make these at home. 1 — Get the super sticky tape to attach the paper to the cardboard and the bottles (if you choose to embellish them). 2 — After draining the bottles and peeling off the labels use Goo Gone to get the sticky stuff off. Then send those bottles through the dishwasher. Wait for them to dry completely before you put anything in them.

Katrina helped a lot with these since they are for her teachers and she was very able to help. If you have a child helping you just keep in mind that the super sticky tape is just that and once you put the paper down there is no changing your mind. Each side takes a piece of 5 inch by 4 inch paper. For the handles I cut another 5″X4″ piece but this time I used cardstock. Trim it so the 5″ side is a little less than 5″ so it slides in easily and fold it in half. Then I just traced the cut-outs for the handles and cut them out with scissors. I’ve seen these without the handle done and this looks nice too especially if the color of the handle coordinates with the paper you’ve chosen. For the little triangle pieces on the side I cut two 2″ squares and then cut them in half along the diagonal. Make sure you tape them down before the side pieces. Embellish the sides as you like, fill your bottles and voilà, an impressive yet easy little gift.

Whip Up folks — I’d be happy to be considered for the Reform School Prize.

Red Hots

Published February 13, 2007 Paper Crafts 4 Comments

Giving Gifts

Published February 11, 2007 Paper Crafts 6 Comments

So posting just photos and not talking is really hard. I didn’t realize it was going to be so hard. Anyway, now it’s back to our regularly scheduled blabbing. And first up are a couple of gifts being given today. We’re celebrating my new sister-in-law Nicole’s birthday tonight so this first gift is for her — a lampwork focal glass bead on a silver chain. I bought the bead from Robin‘s etsy shop last summer intending to give it to Nicole at Christmas. Instead we gave her and my brother a ceiling fan. Yeah, a ceiling fan. Anyway, the amazing bead is for her birthday and I hope she likes it.

I know Valentine’s Day is a lot of things to different people. My grandmother believes it is a day just for sweethearts — Stefan and I went on our first date on Valentine’s Day so I certainly believe in the romantic love aspect — but we’ve always given Valentine’s Day cards and gifts to our families too. This little bottle carrier and bottles are going to my sister. She likes making cards so the bottles are filled with buttons, brads, eyelets, and ribbons. My friend Kim gave me this idea and I love how they turned out. They’re super easy to make, the real trick is just to use that super sticky tape to make sure the paper sticks. I used frappuccinos but you could use any fairly smooth bottles that come in a little carrier. We’re making two more of these — one for each of Katie’s preschool teachers — filled with different candy in each bottle.

And speaking of candy, have you tried those Hershey Kisses filled with caramel? I just ate something like six in a row and now my teeth are hurting.

WIP Friday

Published February 9, 2007 Paper Crafts , WIP 4 Comments

Expecting Mail

Published February 4, 2007 Paper Crafts 4 Comments

Have you seen these little mailboxes at Target? One dollar. Unbelievable, I know. I would have bought 20 if my Target had them. Anyway, I got my hands on three — two to give away and one for me. As most of these things go decorating this was not my idea but really, who cares when it’s this cute. Now, I hope someone sends me some valentines…

WIP Friday

Published February 2, 2007 Paper Crafts , WIP 6 Comments

So Alicia has challenged herself to post everyday in February to ward off the February blues. I figured she might like some company so I committed to doing the same. Amanda is doing something similar by posting a photo everyday next week. I told her I’d join her too — I figure I committed to posting everyday anyway. And speaking of commitments, I’m commiting to try to take a little better care of myself — starting now. I told you about the pink eye but I also started last weekend with a cold and then last night I was up sick in the night. A visit to the doctor today confirmed I have a sinus infection. The doctor told me lots of fluid, lots of rest. I laughed.

Really though, I need to start paying more attention to myself and stressing less about the non-important stuff — like Katie’s valentines for her preschool class. Last year I made all of them to my type-A standard. This year I’m letting go. I mean seriously, they’re three and four year olds, they could care less about the perfectly placed embellishments. What they want is the candy. So Katie is making her own valentines this year — with some direction and over-all plan from me. Folks, this is me trying to let go — a WIP for sure.

Five Things

Published January 25, 2007 Cards , Cooking , Embroidery , Fiber Crafts , Homemaking , In the Garden , In the Kitchen , Not Cards , Paper Crafts 3 Comments

As if telling you six weird things about me wasn’t enough now you are being subjected to five things about me I haven’t told you before. I’ve been tagged by Kelly for this one and I figure I’ll change it up a bit and tell you five craft-related things. So, here goes:

Aside from macramé, latch hook, and potholder looms my first creative pursuits were drawing and cross-stitch. I was even in the honors art class when I was in eighth grade.
I was super into cross-stitch when Stefan and I first married until he mentioned that he wasn’t super into having the house decorated entirely in stitched linen.
I like scrapbooking and stamping — both from major direct selling companies. The scrapbooks are of the kids and vacations and the stamps I use to make cards.
In our garden we have plants that are the descendants of plants on my grandfather’s childhood farm — and almost every house in between. This makes me very happy
My go-to meal is chile con carne. We eat this all the time — even in the summer — and it’s requested often by Katrina. Such a super easy meal but oh so yummy.

Welcome and A Year in Review

Published January 11, 2007 Cards , Cooking , CSA 2006 , Embroidery , Fiber Crafts , Homemaking , In the Garden , In the Kitchen , In the Mailbox , Inspiring , Knitting , Not Cards , Paper Crafts , Sewing , Swaps 3 Comments

I’ve been seeing a bit of a traffic surge here at Mama Urchin in the last few days due, in large part, to my recent whiplash win over at Whip Up. Thanks so much Kath for choosing my little pea as one of the winners. And thanks also go to Blair for such a fun idea that I only adapted. Wow, this is starting to sound like the academy awards, and I’d like to thank Jill at my LYS for helping me select the yarn…. Seriously though, thank you.

And, I figured since there might be some new folks hanging around I would share a mosaic of some of the notable creations of 2006. I’ve been meaning to do one of these anyway and, with all the new traffic, now seemed like the perfect time. The links will take you to the flickr photos — for more information about each project you’ll just have to poke around.