Necklace Extension

Necklace Extension ( 2 1/4")

Looking to make that necklace or bracelet fit?

Visit our store for the solution

http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

Merry Christmas from Hoffman's Treasures

Merry Christmas!

All of us here at Hoffman's Treasures would like to say Merry Christmas to everyone out there!

Plus, there still time to order something unique from our store for that someone special in your life.

Visit our store today! We have great prices. www.hoffmanstreasures.com

Forever Free Eagle Wood Burning

17 1/2 Length X 23 1/2 Height ( inside Measurement) Wood burned Eagle with the words Forever Free burned on it. Hand crafted from recycled materials, this wall hanging has a beautiful Eagle. The words Forever free are put on to reminding you of our countries promise to us. Picture has been treated to several coats of varnish for it's protection. This one is a one-of-a-kind.

If you're interested in purchasing this great Eagle, or anything else you've seen on this blog, please visit our store at http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

We would appreciate your business.

Great Gifts

If you're looking for a great gift for that special person in your life, then you have to visit our online store

http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

We have unique gifts for everyone on your list.

Wooden Feather Clock

Wooden Feather Clock

Very nice Clock! This clock is made from recycled Pine and Oak. Hand cut and crafted to make a unique centerpiece. Clock face* is removable for battery replacement. There are only a couple to choose from, so hurry and buy one today.

* Picture on clock face may be different from the one pictured here.

Made from recycled woodhandcrafted, so no two are alike

High shine works well with Indian and/or animal collections

Measures approx. 5 1/4" Lgth X 7" Hgt

If you like this item, or any other on this blog, please visit our store at http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

We would appreciate your business

Hoffman's Treasures Unique Gifts & More

Hoffman's Treasures Unique Gifts & More

Christmas is coming! With the ecomomy going up & down like it has been lately, you're probably looking for some great deals this Holiday season. Hurry over to our store for some great deals on unique gifts for your loved ones. We use recycled materials whenever possible, so you can be assured that what you buy from us is better for the environment than most stores. We have everything from mirrors to jewelry.

Visit us today! http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

Hurry, There's still time to order before Christmas!

Santa's Hats

Santa's Hats Earrings

Bring the joy of the Christmas season into your life. These great earrings are shaped like Santa's hat. Each pair are very shiny and they sparkle with every movement.Handcrafted so no two are exactly alike. These earrings would make the perfect gift for that special woman in your life.

Each hat measures approx 1- 1 1/2.

Very unique gift idea.

Supplies are limited, buy yours today!

"Santa" Jewelry Set

Santa Jewelry Set (3 Pieces)

HO! HO! HO! You can almost hear Santa's belly laugh when you look at this Holiday Jewelry set. Three handcrafted Santa's. Two are fashioned into earrings, and the third a Necklace made with Holiday Ribbon. These are perfect for Christmas.

If you're interested in these items, visit our store for more!

www.hoffmanstreasures.com

Golf Desk Set

Golf Desk Set

Just in time for Christmas! This cute Golf Desk Set would make a great gift for the golfer in your life. Handcrafted from reclaimed wood and recycled golf balls. Comes with a clock and pen.

Fits most standard pens. Don't let this one pass you by, supplies are extreamly limited.

Visit our store for more details or to purchase this great clock.
We would appreciate your business

http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

Red Presents Earrings

Red Presents Earrings

What better way to say welcome to the Holiday Season then to wear a pair of earrings that look like presents.

These Earrings were handcrafted from clay, and they would make a great gift.

If you're interested in these or any other thing you've seen here, please visit our store at http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

We would appreciate your business.

a Gift of "Presents"?

Green Presents Earrings

If you've been looking for the perfect present for that special person in your life, then look no further. What gift would be better than a gift of "Presents"? These cute Earrings could easily make that statement! Buy a pair today, they may be gone tomorrow.

If you're interested in these Earrings, or any other thing on this Blog, Please visit our Store at www.hoffmanstreasures.com

We appreciate your business. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Christmas Presents Pin

Christmas Presents Pin

Very cute Christmas Presents Pin. Hand crafted from clay. This pin will put you right into the spirit of Christmas. Cute enough to wear everyday or add to Ribbon for a gift tag.

Made from clay, If you're interested in this item please visit our store at www.hoffmanstreasures.com

Christmas Cookie Ornaments

Christmas Cookie Ornaments (Set of 3)

You can almost smell these sweet little treats. Hand crafted Christmas ornaments. These sweet Ornaments are made from clay and other reclaimed materials.

> Hand crafted

> No two sets are exactly alike

> Gingerbread Man> Cinnamon Rolls

> cutting board and rolling pin with dough

> Each measuring Approx 2 1/2" - 3" tall

> absolutely adorable

If you're interested in this item, or any other on this Blog, please visit our Store at

www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

Ouiji Board Charm

Ouiji Board Charm

Created to resemble a Ouiji Board. You can almost imagine yourself communicating with the spirits* with this wonderful charm. You can rest assured that when it comes to this piece, you will be the only one in the room wearing one. If you're interested in purchasing this charm, or any other thing you've seen here, please visit our store at www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

*Please Note that Ouiji Boards can be very dangerous, for this reason, Hoffman's Treasures can not be held responsible for the intentional misuse of this charm.

Damaged Square

Damaged Square

Damaged Square Necklace, made from a fallen Pin Oak Branch. This necklace is a one of a kind. I call it Damaged square because I wanted to always remember where it came from.Made to fit over the head


9 Oak Beads


Strung with Jute


Wonderfully visible wood grain

If you like this item you might also like some of our other items: visit our store

Hoffman's Treasures

Damaged Heart Necklace

Damaged In the Storm

On July 21, 2008 a series of severe storms hit the Mid-West. My neighborhood was no exception. I woke up at 6:30Am to hail pelting my bedroom window. After all was said and done, almost all the trees were down, from the roots up. The trees that survived the storm were hit pretty hard too.

We were all devastated by the damage. My first thought was that I had to make something good, come out of the Bad. I took a fallen branch from our mighty Pin Oak and cut imperfect hearts from it and made it into this great necklace. I have included the pictures of both the fallen branch and the Damaged Heart necklace I made from it's branch.

If you're interested in this necklace or any other item you've seen on this Blog, then you should visit our store. www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

All items listed here are for sale there.

Pale Green Ribbon & Bead Necklace

Pale Green Ribbon & Bead Necklace

Please visit our store for this great necklace and much more. http://www.hoffmanstreasures.com/

At Hoffman's Treasures, we specialize in unique gifts. We update our inventory daily and are adding new items just as often.

Todays New Item is this great Pale Green Ribbon & Bead necklace.

This hand crafted necklace is a one of a kind masterpiece. Made with a beautiful pale green ribbon that matches the centerpiece bead perfectly. Anyone would be thrilled to recieve this piece as a gift.

Visit us for this new item and many more unique gift ideas.

Grand Opening Of Our Store!

Welcome All!

I am very proud to announce that I have finally finished building my store. We are now open for business. I'm sure there will be a few growing pains in the beginning, but I am confident that we will succeed.

Please take the time to pay us a visit. We specialize in handcrafted and unique gifts. Most of our products are one of a kind creations.

We offer a wide variety of items such as Clocks, Jewelry, Picture Frames, Etched Mirrors, Wood Burning, and a variety of Holiday items.

As our blog mentions more than once, we use reclaimed materials whenever possible.

Feel free to offer your feed back, good or bad, we would appreciate your comments.

We will be adding new products all the time, so don't forget to bookmark and return for all your unique gift needs.

Hoffman's Treasures

Dragon Bar Top

Dragon Bar Top

With the almost completion of our Reck Room (The Dragon's Lair) my husband and I had to come up with a truely unique bar top. I have already shown you the bottom and cabinet, but here is the top.

The dragon was drawn out by me onto a large piece of paper, then the pattern was transfered to the wood for the mosiac. The mosiac was done with old tiles we had taking up space. I love this top.

Making a Few Changes

Hey all! It's been a while since my last post. I've been very busy trying to get my business plans together. I realized that I haven't posted the picture of the Dragon Bar Top yet. Watch for the next post. Thanks for being loyal readers.

Recycled Coat Rack

Recycled Coat Rack

Hey, hey I've got a great and easy project for you! This coat rack can be customized to fit your decor. My husband made it from recycled wood and some old fabric we had laying around. There was no real pattern that he followed, it was all in his head, (which is kind of scary).

The knobs are just something we had also, all in all I don't think this project cost more than a couple of dollars. It fits perfectly in my bathroom, I like to hang my bath robe on it, and wet towels.

Graduation Shadowbox

Graduation Shadowbox

After I graduated from college, my husband wanted to do something special for me. He made this shadowbox to display all my special stuff.

Believe it or not, this project is made from recycled materials. The box that you see here used to be an old abstract art work. It really was not my taste, however neat it was. After years of storage, it finally got a face lift. My husband painted the frame and arranged things just so. He also used my graduation gown for the background. I love it, it was the perfect graduation gift, and it barely cost a thing! Yay recycling...

Tile Backsplash

Tile Backsplash

Hey, here's a great way to use up those couple of extra tiles you've got laying around. My husband and I tiled our bathroom before moving into our house. Like most people we bought more than we needed, because it's always better to have too much instead of not enough.

There wasn't enough left to do a big project, so we really weren't sure what to do with the extra tile. Finally, we got an idea when we bought the house there was some old tile behind the sink but since we were replacing everything, that tile had to go too. This gave us a great idea for a backsplash.

Our bathroom is decorated with dragonflies, so we took the tile and made a couple of abstract dragonflies out of broken tiles. The colors are perfect and a little goes a long way when it comes to mosiac tiling. Tell me what you think!

A Real Example of NU2U

A Real Example of NU2U

Last Summer, my Husband and I were out yard sailing (or treasure hunting). Just as we were about to give up on the neighborhood we were in, we stopped at one last house. At this house I spotted the most beautiful and yet pitiful chair. I fell in love with the wood and the slight detail on the legs. Needless to say we bought it for $15. I knew we got a great deal. Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of it before we refinished it.

When we got the chair home, I couldn't wait to strip it and give it new life. When we removed the shower curtain that was used as the seat cover and back cover, we discovered that the chair was older than we originally thought. The seat and back were made of hay! I was shocked, I had never seen a chair like this before. The chair itself looks like a regular arm chair, only it was put on rockers.

After stripping and re staining it, we made a new seat and back, it looks like new! I love it. I'll bet if I decided to sell it now, I could get a heck of a lot more for it that the mere $15 I paid for it. This is the prime example of Nu2U and why my husband and I like to recycle. No way could we have bought something like this chair if it looked like it does now.

Cat Pan Replacement

Cat Pan Replacement

I was watching HGTV last weekend, and they had a great idea that I just had to pass on! Keep in mind that this is NOT my idea. However it was so great that I had to pass it on to everyone that I could.

The show I was watching was the one with Joan Stephen, they do a segment on recycled things. The guy was showing a cat pan. The thing is that he took an old end table with two drawers. The top drawer he took out the drawer and just left the front (he glued it back on) The bottom drawer he put a cat pan in it, cutting the top so it fits. On the side of the end table, he cut a hole and put a curtin over it (for privacy and smell control). This cat pan looked like an end table. You wouldn't even know what it was if someone hadn't told you.

I love this idea, even though I don't have a cat.

Recycled Shelf- Goes with Recycled Candle Holder

Recycled Shelf- Goes with Recycled Candle Holder

This shelf was made to go with the Recycled Candle Holders I have already written about.

My husband simply cut out a pattern for the sides, out of scrap wood. The shelf is pretty easy, the main part of the shelf is the woodburning. I cant take credit for that either, my husband did all the burning. I hope this project inspires you to make something great!

This shelf and the candle holders can be made custom to match any decor. Have fun with this one.

Hanging Candle Holder

Hanging Candle Holder

Have you got some extra fabric laying around the house that you really like? Well this project was designed to use up some of that fabric. My husband and I have tried our hand at doing craft shows in the past (It's not for me). This candle holder is one of the craft items that we came up with for one of those shows.

My husband cut a curly-cue out of a piece of wood, for the hanger. The bottom is blocks of wood cut at different sizes and the base (under the fabric) is just a frame made from scraps of wood. The ball at the bottom was just a wooden ball I had in my collection of crafting supplies. Once the fabric was glued on, I took a small piece of trim to hide the edges. My husband and I made two of these candle holders and a shelf to go with them, that I will write about in a future post.

By the way, as you may have guessed, this project is made from recycled materials.

Heart Chest

Heart Chest

Check out the great hope chest my husband made for our home. This great chest was made from recycled wood. The pattern was woodburned on. I love this chest. There isn't too much left to say about it, I just wanted to show you yet another thing that can easily be made from recycled wood and a little imagination.

I hope to give this chest to my daughter when she gets older and leaves the home. I think it would make a great hope chest. The inside of the chest is quite large, so I will be able to get a whole lot of things inside it.

Recycled Paper Globe

Recycled Paper Globe

Have you ever received a gift that came in a really cute bag? I have. One day my Sister-In-Law gave me a gift that was in a great purple bag. I loved the gift, but I really liked the bag too. (Maybe that makes me weird). I couldn't bring myself to throw away the bag. I had to come up with an idea, something I could do with it, so it looked good, and not like a piece of garbage.

I decided to turn it into a globe. I just tore the bag into small pieces of paper and basically glued it onto a styrofoam ball. Once the ball was completely covered, I sprayed it with clear spray to protect it. This globe has been sitting in my livingroom for a couple of years now. You would be surprised how many comments I get about it. Plus it's recycled.

Recycled Bar (Part 2)

Recycled Bar (Part 2)

I started blogging about this bar in a different entry.

To continue...

After my husband and I made the basic skeleton of our new bar, and after we put in the liquor cabinet, we decided that the front of the bar had to have a rustic look. The theme of the reck room that the bar is in is "the Dragon's Lair" so a new bar wouldn't fit in.

My husband decided to come up with a substantial looking bar. Here's what it looks like - Keep in mind that we have since stained the wood.

All of the wood that is on the front is recycled. The pattern was really very simple. The style matches the look we were going for to a tee. This bar would have cost us a small fortune if we had tried to buy one, or even more if we would have had one custom made for us. BUT... Crafters know the golden rule. Why have someone else make something when you can make it yourself? And most of the time, you save lots of money by doing the work. Not to mention the sentimental value.

Recycled Liquor Cabinet

Recycled Liquor Cabinet

This is just part one of the bar that my husband and I made last summer.

When we moved into our house 4 years ago, we always wanted to turn one of the out buildings we have into a great reck room. Our idea is to take the building directly behind our house and make it "The Dragons Lair". The arbor that we made is on the outside of the building I'm talking about.

Well, to continue, my husband and I decided that every great reck room needs a bar. Since we are crafters, and have almost every tool known to man, we knew that the right bar for us would have to be one that we made ourselves.

This picture is of the Liquor Cabinet that we put under it. (please excuse the dust in the picture)

We made the whole thing out of recycled wood. The lock on it spins and you can either leave it locked or keep it unlocked. We keep it locked because we have kids. This picture is just the raw wood, we have since stained the whole thing, I will post more of this bar at a later date.

Easter Update

Easter Update

This year the Easter bunny was very creative, he spent some time putting together baskets that fit my children perfectly. Here are some pictures of their baskets.

This one belongs to my oldest son Devynn, he's 14. Devynn likes to draw. The Easter Bunny put together a great "Portfolio Basket" for him. It had a sketch book, pencils, pens, a pencil sharpener... many things related to drawing and art. He also got the traditional chocolate bunny and jelly beans. It was perfect for his likes.

This basket belongs to my Daughter Destinee, she's 10. Destinee, like most girls her age, loves Hannah Montana. The Easter bunny put together this Hannah Montana basket for her. The basket is a backpack, it's loaded with Hannah Montana stuff! Inside it was a wig, microphone, and a doll. She also got a new outfit (as did all the kids in my house- per our tradition) She's in heaven (for now!)

My youngest son, Charlie is 8. Charlie doesn't have much of a style yet, he's still trying to figure out what he likes, so I guess thats why the Easter Bunny decided to give him a basket that was fit for Summer. His basket came with a bucket, some water guns, out door toys, plenty of bubbles, and some different kinds of balls. He loves it.

Bow Tie Angel

Bow Tie Angel

Here's a quick and easy project that anyone can make. All you really need is a box of Bow Tie Pasta, a couple of small pom-pom's, some paint, a small piece of wire (strip a bread tie, if you don't have wire laying around your house) and a pin back.

Paint a piece of pasta white, you can add glitter if you want, I did. Glue the pom-pom onto the top for the head. fashion a loop in one end of the piece of wire, this will be the halo. It will look kind of like a lasso when you're finished. dip the loop into glue and then glitter. Glue the wire and pin back to the back of the pasta with hot glue. (position the halo above the head, you can cut off the excess wire if it's too long.) I made these little angels one year for mother's day, they were so easy and inexpensive that I gave one to every mother I know.

Painted Saw

Painted Saw

Yardsale Lovers Listen up! Here is a project that's perfect for one of the little treasures you can find at a yardsale. My husband loves tools! What man doesn't? For this reason, I have 1 1/2 buildings on my property that are full of tools, all kinds of tools. Yet, when we go yardsaleing he is always ready to buy more.

One thing my husband likes to buy are old hand saws, maybe he likes the history. The problem is that we have too many saws now.

One thing you can do to turn that old saw into something new, is to paint the saw. I don't mean paint it brown, or blue, I mean paint a landscape on it, or paint an abstract painting, paint a self portrait. I opted for the landscape, mainly because I can't draw and trees are really easy to paint. Since saws are medal, you need to make sure it's not rusted and don't forget to prime the blade before you paint.

Now I love the saws as much as he does, and what a great gift!

Match Box

Match Box

Think back to when you were young, and bored! I think about all the wonderful crazy things I used to create! We tend to loose our ability to be fun and crazy the older we get. A couple of years ago, I wanted to make something special for my husband. I have mentioned before that I am not an artist, for this reason I knew I couldn't sculpt a bust or paint a great portrait. I decided to do something different.

I bought a 3 pack of those big wooden matches, (not the long ones) and began to glue them together side by side. After about a week of crafting in secret, I finally came up with a really cute box. I woodburned my husbands name in the lid then stained and polyed the whole thing.

My husband loved it, and I felt good.

..When you cut off the match tips, be sure to get rid of all the evidence if you're making something that will be a gift. Unfortunatly, my husband figured out that I was making something with matches, but he didn't know what I was making.

Silver Necklace

Silver Necklace

A couple of years ago, I was really into jewelry making. I would spend hours working on my latest creation. The wonderful part about beading is that there are almost always beads left over. I had this idea one day while looking through my spare beads. I've made this style of necklace before, however I don't usually use expensive beads, it keeps the sale cost down, in this necklace, I went for it. This necklace is a mix of silver beads and some scrap beads I had laying around. I hope you like it. It's pretty easy to make, just use mine as a reference. You should be able to look at it and come up with one of your own without a pattern.

Just as a small note: It is nearly impossible to make a necklace look good in a picture (unless you're a professional). This necklace looks much better in person, and the way that it lays on the chest is so nice. It's one of my favorites.

Dream Lovers

Dream Lovers

You could make a great picture like this one quite easily. All you need is a drawing that you like and a mirror to etch it on. My husband made this mirror with a picture he found online. He taped the picture to the back of the mirror and used an etching tool to engrave the image. Once the picture is completely done, spray the back of the mirror with paint. For a more subtle look, forget the paint. My husband made the frame custom. What a great gift idea.

I'm Sending You a Box of Love!

I'm Sending You a Box of Love!

Every now-and-then, I have the need for a small gift idea. Maybe it's for the woman I work with, or the child down th street, either way it's always useful to be able to come up with an idea in a short perid of time.

This idea is not my on, but I came across it years ago and have used it many times.

Wrap a small empty box with nice wrapping paper (mine is only about 1"x1"), spare no expense in the decoration.

add a small card with the message saying something like ..."i'm sending you my love..."

Here's what mine says:

In this box,

wrapped so tightly.

There's a wonderful gift,

so don't take it lightly.

What's in the box,

is so special, you see.

Because it's just for you,

and it's only from me.

I was given a sign,

sent from above.

And that sign told me,

that you could use some love.

I made the poem myself. You can use it in yours or make one of your own.

Under the Sea Bedroom Idea

Under the Sea Bedroom Idea

When my children were younger, I wanted to do something fun with their room. Since we were renting the house we were living in, painting the walls in wild designs and colors was out of the question. After some thought I came up with this idea. I think the plants look pretty realistic and more importantly, everything you see on the wall is completely removable.

By the way, the bench that you're looking at is made from a pallet, and the table is made from recycled wood. Inside of the table is a puzzle that my husband and I put together and epoxied to the top.

Back to the wall...

All you need to make these plants is contact paper! I bought a couple of rolls of white contact paper and painted it with green paint (keep some of it white for later). Keep in mind that these are plants, do not paint it solid green, just paint the paper with one or two strokes (keep the direction the same. for instance either paint up and down or left to right, don't do both). Once the paint is dry, then just cut the paper into wavy strips, and then begin arranging them on the wall. Since contact paper is made to be removed, it is completely repositionable.

The fish are cut out of fabric. I just cut around the outline of the fish and sprayed the back with spray glue. (Be very careful to use one that is not perminate! Do not put the glue on the wall, only spray the back of the fabric... This will keep it a temporary bond allowing you to remove it when the time comes.)

I added bubbles in different sizes above the fish's mouthes and dotted around the room. These bubbles were just circles cut out of the white paper you set aside earlier.

Cardboard Lampstand

Cardboard Lampstand

Here's a great recycle idea. This one of a kind lampstand is made from a recycled welding barrel. All my husband and I did was make the platforms on the top and bottom of the barrel out of scrap wood. Next put a dowel rod inside the middle and wrapped it with clear christmas lights. (the sides of the barrel had holes in it) Over the holes in the barrel we glued a thin fabric so the lights shine through. Finally we covered the whole thing with contact paper.

This project can be made in less than a day and when you're done, you have a great piece of furniture and a new memory. I love these stands, and use them all the time.

Abstract Butterfly

Abstract Butterfly

Here's a project that anyone can do (by anyone, I mean ANYONE!)

You can make an abstract painting for yourself or to give as a gift.

All you need to do is take a scrap piece of wood, or cardboard, or anything you want to use. You need several little bottles of latex paint. (you can get these at any craft store). Get the colors that work for you. After the painting is done, then you will need a frame to put it in. You can either make one as we did, or you can buy one.

Think about an animal that you like, or maybe you like flowers (you don't have to know how to draw it in detail, this is an abstract painting). Then just start creating the outline by dropping the paint straight from the bottle.

My husband and I did this picture of a Butterfly for our daughters bedroom. We had a blast making it. Our daughter loves it!

Lamp Shade Makeover

Lamp Shade Makeover

Lamp shades cost a fortune these days. I don't know about any of you, but I have to spend my extra money on gas and food. For this reason, my husband and I came up with a great way to change the look of our lamp shades without spending any money at all.

We are avid crafters, so there is always crafting supplies laying around our house. However, if you're new to the art, or you only work with one medium you may need to buy some plastic sheets.

All you have to do is draw or print out a great picture onto the plastic sheet. (you can buy the plastic sheets at any office supply store- it's just like a piece of paper except it's made of clear plastic) Once you have the perfect picture, simply tape it to the inside of your lamp shade, make sure the tape you use can handle the heat from the light. When the lamp is off, you can't see the picture, but when you turn it on, the image shows through beautifully.

This project is fun and easy, so easy anyone can do it!

Tile Trivet

Tile Trivet

One day I was visiting my mom, while there, I noticed that she had a large piece of tile on her counter. I asked her about it. She told me that the tile made a great cutting board and trivet. I knew that I had some tile at home and decided to try it myself.

I took a single 12x12 tile and added felt circles on each corner. The tile makes a great cutting board, mainly because it doesn't absorb jerms like wood does, it can also be washed and it works great for hot pans.

This project can be done in less tha 1 minute. Plus with all the different tile colors out there, you can have just the right one for your decor.

Cash Wreath

Cash Wreath

Many years ago, while I was on vacation in Michigan, We were exchanging gifts around my Grandmas christmas tree. My aunt Pat gave her daughter a great gift that I've never forgotten.

Aunt Pat gave her daughter a wreath made of cash. I thought it was a great way to give money without just out putting it in a envelope.

Basically what she did was take fifty one dollar bills and folded them in half. She took a wooden wreath (one that looks like it's made from wood chips, like mulch I'm sure you've seen them) With a philips screwdriver, she carefully pushed the cash into the wreath, making it look like a flower. Once all the money is in the wreath, then you can fill in the spaces with fabric squares. This project is easy, fun and makes a great gift. The person you give it to will always remember how much you care and know that the gift was made just for them.

Coffee Drinker Craft Project

Coffee Drinker Craft Project

If you're like me, then you enjoy a cup or two of coffee in the morning. I personally like to put some non-dairy creamer in mine. The problem is... I am always going through the containers of creamer, wondering what to do with the empty plastic. Heres an Idea I tried a couple of years ago for Christmas.

Take the lable off the container and prime it. You may need to rough up the surface to get the paint to stick. Once the primer is dry, paint it again, this time use white paint and then add some glitter to give it alittle shine. Add some eyes, a carrot nose, and a mouth. Wrap a piece of material around the "Neck" for a scarf, add a couple of scraps for patches. You now have a great snowman. I glued mine to a plate and added candy. It was a big hit!!!

Wolf Bench

Wolf Bench

If you're looking for a great project, made from recycled material, you should consider making a bench for your entry way. This great bench was made from a glass pallet. We just painted it and added the drawers and fabric. This bench is great for shoes or blankets. You can personalize it to fit your style and colors. The best part is that you made it yourself and recycled in the process.

Clay Ideas

Clay Ideas

Sometimes I like to work with clay. If you like to craft and use clay, then you know how much the suppilies cost. I personally am not an artist (meaning that I cant draw or sculpt), but I can make just about anything I want with clay. The secret is to use something you already have as a mold.

For example: I have a passion for carousel horses, and one day I wanted to make a carousel charm for a bracelet I've been working on. I cannot make a horse, much less a carousel horse, however, I do have a small music box with carousel horses on it. All I did was take a small round piece of clay and molded the horse. After the mold is hardened, the I used it to make the charms that I needed. This technique works great, But you may have to try it a couple of times to get just the right look you're after. The clay is moldable until you bake it, so keep trying till you get it just right.

Once you have your mold, you can make as many charms as you want.

*if you use some scrap clay to make the mold, then you won't have to waste your good clay. Try it, it's fun!!

Just a Few Ideas for Easter Baskets

Just a Few Ideas for Easter Baskets

Sometimes I like to give friends something special for Easter. For an adult the traditional Baskets are alittle childish, but just because we grow up doesn't mean that we have to stop celebrating the holiday. Here are a few ideas for alternative baskets.

Spa Basket: Get a great wooden basket and fill it with personal relaxation products. Some things you can add are; a towel, bath beads, bubble bath, hair clips, perfume, body lotion, loofa, bath pillow.

Vegitarian Basket: Fill a basket with things related to meat free eating. You can add; fruit, a cook book on vegitarian cooking, a stuffed animal, popcorn, a small sauce pan, cooking utencils, a potholder.

Momma to Be Basket: fill a basket, or diaper bag with great baby items. You can add; a blanket, onesies, socks, bottles, pacifiers, diapers, rattles, diaper pins, a stuffed animal, a really great outfit (assuming you know what it's going to be boy or girl).

Wife Basket: Fill a basket with things your special woman would love. Some things you can add are; Taper candles, grill lighter, something lacy (guys, you get to pick it out), Two champaigne glasses, a great champagne or wine, CHOCOLATE!!!, a new romantic CD, A poem (written by you), you can cover it with flower pedals or just put a couple of her favorite flowers in it.

Husband Basket: Fill the basket with things your husband would love. Some things you can put in it are; Music, Video game, magazines, beer, chips, a new t-shirt, a hat, his favorite movie, a love letter (you write), a sexy picture of you.

Handy-man Basket: Fill the basket with tools related to his hobbie or job. you can put in it; screwdrivers, nails and screws, wrench, measuring tape, pencils, hammer, utility knive, a couple of woodworking patterns, a book on projects, work belt, nuts and bolts, laser level.

Cooking Basket: Fill the basket with food related items. Some things to add are; a cooking pan, cook books, utencils, spices, potholders, kitchen towels, an apron, timer, wisk, spatula, measuring cups and measuring spoons.

I hope I have given you some good ideas to get you started, You can pretty much put any theme to your basket, just give it a little thought. Have fun creating and Happy Easter!!

A Great Alternative to Easter Grass

A Great Alternative to Easter Grass

If you're the type of person who is always looking for a "Cleaner" way to do things, I have a great idea for you. Easter grass is made from plastic and plastic isn't biodegradable, however paper is!

Most people these days have a paper shredder, try using your shredded paper as the grass in your easter baskets. The best part is that paper comes in a great variety of colors, so just like the plastic stuff, you can still make the baskets beautiful.

In the long run, your 2008 easter won't still be around in a hundred years to dirty up the planet.

New Egg Hunt

New Egg Hunt

One year, my children and I were Easter-Egg hunting. We have to hunt eggs in our home, because usually around Easter time, it's still too cold to be doing it outside. This particular year, my husband spread the eggs throughout the house, and the kids happily began searching. About a week later, I began smelling something that wasn't quite right, after searching the house, I found a long lost Easter egg.

I thought about this situation for awhile and decided that using real eggs can be a messy situation. Since then, we fill different color plastic eggs with all kinds of treats, and three with something special in them (One for each kid). We use three color eggs, one color for each kid, and hide them according to age.

For example: My youngest son, Charlie, is too small to reach the high places, like the top of a shelf or hutch, but he can find things that are closer to his size, so all his color go low.

My oldest son Devynn, is taller than I am, so skies the limit where his eggs are hidden.

This solution works for a few different reasons, one; there are no rotten eggs laying in wait, two; there are no arguements about who got more, and three; I can make sure that each special treat I bought or made will go to the right child.

Egg Shell Mosiac

Egg Shell Mosiac

Every year at Easter time, My family cooks and colors atleast three dozen eggs. We spend alot of time to color the shells perfectly, only to crack the eggs and throw away all those pretty shells. I have tried to find a way to do something with those shell pieces.

Here's an idea that fun and easy, why not make a mosiac picture from the broken shells? Think about it, you don't even have to color or break them. Just use glue to attach them to the paper (or whatever you decide to create on). When all the work is done, don't forget to seal the picture so it will be preserved. This project isn't necessarily a quick one, but it is easy and children can do it without much supervision from their parents. Best of all, you could be starting a new Easter tradition, and family's need traditions.

A Great Alternative to a Basket

A Great Alternative to an Easter Basket

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those old Easter Baskets that your kids get for easter? I personally have 3 kids, so that means that those baskets pile up quickly.

I have found no real good thing to do with those cheap baskets, so I came up with an alternative. Instead of the Easter Bunny bringing his treats in a traditional basket, He brings them is something different, like a hat, or beach pail.

If you use something functional, then there will be no baskets to store, or even throw away.

Another tradition our Bunny has started is to bring the kids a new spring outfit. (Preferably something that matches the hat). If you just browse the stores, then I'm sure you'll have many ideas in just a few minutes, you just have to look at things a different way.

Not to mention, your kids will love the new Easter Tradition. Give it a try!

Egg-ceptional Candle

Egg-ceptional Candle

Since we're right on the heels of Easter, I thought it would be a good idea to come up with a great project in honor of the holiday.
This candle is really easy, all you need is an empty egg shell and some candle wax and wick.
Carefully make a small hole in the top of the egg, empty all the yolk and egg white, don't forget to dip the empty shell into boiling water to remove all the residue.
Carefully begin picking the shell pieces off the egg, until you have an opening on the top big enough to add the wax.
Once it dries, you can give it as a gift, or just light it and enjoy it yourself.
This project not only recycles, but it would make a great family project (kids, let your parents handle the wax! It's very hot)

Eagle Feather

Eagle Feather

One year, for my husbands birthday, I decided that I wanted to make something special for him. I'm not much of an expert when it comes to using power tools, but the scroll saw is about the easiest saw out there to use. Using a scroll saw is as easy as cutting on a straight line with scissors.

I bought the pattern from one of those wood working magazines and was determined to make it work. It took two tries, but I finally came up with this great picture, best of all, I made it myself. Ladies, let this be a lesson, we can do ANYTHING!!!

Timeless Eagle

Timeless Eagle

If you're looking for a project that looks great and is totally functional, you should consider making this great clock. Just a little piece of scrap wood can be transformed into a work of art. All you need to do is draw out the pattern of your choice, and cut it out. Once thats done, it's time to get out the woodburner. (the burning part takes awhile). Once you get the burning done, it's time to add the clock parts. This project can be anything you want, if you like trains (for example) you can draw and cut out a train pattern. Give it a try, you might surprise yourself. The finished project would make a great gift.