1.Tell us a little about you and your blog.

I started blogging a few years ago because I wanted an outlet for my crafts. I love crafting, and teaching, so posting tutorials on Snips and Spice seemed like the perfect option for me.

2.How and when did you start crafting?

My mom instilled in me a love for creativity when I was a small child, and encouraged me to learn as much as possible in every part of life. My mom taught me how to sew lots if different items and bake a plethora of delicious dishes. In elementary school, my best friend and I would sew blankets and clothes for our American Girl dolls, and in high school, my mom taught me how to sew my own prom dresses (the first one she did, the second one we did, the last one, I did). I wanted to learn how to crotchet, so I bought a book and taught myself using the pictures. I also learned how to knit and quilt the same way. I just can’t get enough of crafting, or learning how to do new things.

3.How often do you craft?

Although I would like to say that I craft daily, or even weekly, it ebbs and flows. I go through creative periods where I have the time and energy to craft daily, but there are many times where my life is just to filled with other obligations to craft. Right now, I get to craft at least once a week because I sponsor the fashion club at the school where I teach.

4.Where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere! Sometimes I just dream up ideas without any idea where they came from. I get ideas from pinterest–seems like a no-brainer. Inspirations is just waiting around every corner I turn.

5.What is your favorite medium to work in?

This is such a difficult question to answer. If we are talking about food crafts, fondant definitely! Right now I am really into sewing. There have been times where scrapbooking, card-making, crotcheting, knitting, or quilting have taken front and center, but right now it is definitely sewing. I got a dress form–named Veruca–for Christmas, and I love sewing new clothes.

6.What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate or frosting. Maybe a Chai Latte before morning cheer practice. I have quite the sweet tooth, and I am trying to cut back.

7.What makes you smile?

handmade gifts, learning, crafting, flowers, baking, teaching, reading a book from cover to cover in one sitting, green beans, almost anything sweet, surprises, family, friends, hamburgers and fries, watching movies while crafting, finding a love note from my sweetheart, sunshine, the beach, cuddling, sleeping in, 80′s music, frosting, condiments, rain on my skylight, shoes, nail polish, glitter/sparkles/shimmer, blankets, peppermint chapstick, crazy dancing, singing in the car, holidays, and colored pens

8.What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?

Reading! I love reading a good book. It is the only thing that can compete with crafting when it comes to my free time.

Were you guys looking for the results post over the weekend?  Apparently I don’t know how to read a calendar and scheduled it to post next week (how that happened I don’t know, but it’s not the first time).  Oops!  So here they are, the results to the Upcycled challenge.

And the crafter/project match up:

That gives Heidi @ greendoodle her third win this season!  Congrats Heidi!

That bag is fantastic and could be used for so many things.  I may make it for a diaper bag for a friend that’s having a baby soon.  Be sure to check back in a few days for the tutorial.

But we have to be saying goodbye to Malory @ Snips & Spice this week.  I loved the idea of the Tea Cup Birdfeeders.  I think they would be great on a desk to hold paper clips or other little office supplies.

Malory has bunches of other fun things over on her blog Snips & Spice so be sure to take a look over there.  And I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you showed her some love and followed her

Now onto this week’s challenge - Duct Tape.  A few of the ladies let me know that it was a really tough theme for them, but they all brought it and everything looks great!

Remember, the poll is open until Friday so get your vote it and spread the word! Continue Reading

Now onto the party

 A few things to remember:

• Link to a specific post, not your blog in general.
• Please only post your ideas, not round ups or guest posts.
• Only link up 2 posts.
• Think outside the box – a craft, tutorial, recipe, anything you want!
• Grab the handy dandy button in the side bar (or a text link it you like to keep things simple) and put it on your blog so people know there’s other great stuff linked up here to see.
• Visit other links and leave them some love – everyone likes appreciation
• Join me on Twitter & Facebook.  I’ll be sharing some of my favorites there throughout the week.

1.Tell us a little about you and your blog.

I started my blog, Attempting Aloha, as a way to chronicle our home renovations when we moved to Oahu three years ago. It ended up being a whirlwind year, and we relocated to the East Coast within 12 months! I’m still attempting to live the aloha life by sharing my creations and things I learn along the way with anyone who happens across my blog.

2.How and when did you start crafting?

I am a self-taught seamstress and builder! I’ve never considered myself crafty or artsy or creative, but I LOVE to learn. Hence the tagline of my blog: “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”–Albert Einstein

3.How often do you craft?

I always have 4 or 5 projects in different stages going on at once. It drives my husband crazy, but creating is just a part of daily life now.

4.Where do you get your inspiration?

Other bloggers, stores, magazines, garbage on the side of the road…

5.What is your favorite medium to work in?

It’s a toss-up between fabric and wood!

6.What is your guilty pleasure?

I love watching chick flicks and staying up all night working on projects when my husband works night shifts. It’s true therapy for me.

7.What makes you smile?

“I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite.” Funny quotes make me smile.

8.What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?

Running. It’s my other form of therapy.

*Tutorial by Jess @ Spool & Spoon for her win of the Kids Can Do challenge of season 15*

I have always been a big fan of Earth Day so I was delighted to create a kid-friendly and planet-friendly project this past week.

To make your own set of hand stamped seed sacks you only need a few supplies: a foam sheet, wood blocks, linen bags, double-sided tape, paint/ink pads, and scissors.

1. Let the kids loose on the foam sheet. Instruct them to draw small blossoms and stems all over:

2. If they are old enough, let the little ones cut them out. If they are not, use a small pair of scissors (or even an xacto knife) to cut them out yourself

3. Gather an assortment of small wooden blocks that  are just the right size for the cut shapes (mine ranged in size from 1 to 2.5″ cubes)

4. Attach a piece of permanent double-sided tape to one side of the cutouts.

5. Take the shape and put the tape side down on the center of a wooden block. Push down on the foam shape to adhere it securely to the block.

6. Repeat steps four and five on all of the remaining foam shapes

7. Before letting the kids go crazy with the stamps, stick a piece of scrap paper inside the sacks to prevent colors from bleeding through.

8. Now it’s time for the kids to go wild. Using thin layers of paint or pigment ink pads, the stamps work either way. I like the mix and match aspect most of all since your little ones have the freedom of expression — they can use a variety of colors and combinations that is only limited by their imagination.

Let the paint dry completely and pack the sacks full of wildflower seeds or whatever plants you adore.

And just think, those stamps can be made into any shape your babes can dream up! Think mix and match monsters, faces, weather patterns, etc. I hope you and your little munchkins have a blast with this simple springtime project.

Wow.  What a week last week guys.  Thank you for all the emails and messages of concern for our family.  We’re all doing well.  I woke up Monday morning with the plan to have a day out and about Boston with Abi.  It was beautiful outside, a holiday and the marathon was going on so I thought there would be plenty of awesome things to do.  Thankfully, it was a bit of a slow morning so we never made it, thank goodness. It was all very surreal to see our favorite and most frequented places under attack like that.  Very glad it’s all over now, that’s for sure.  We’re still prying for those that were injured or more affected by the tragedies of last week.

But now onto happier things (and sorry I didn’t get these results posted Friday – I was a bit distracted to say the least.).

And the crafter/project match up -

 A few things to remember:

• Link to a specific post, not your blog in general.
• Please only post your ideas, not round ups or guest posts.
• Only link up 2 posts.
• Think outside the box – a craft, tutorial, recipe, anything you want!
• Grab the handy dandy button in the side bar (or a text link it you like to keep things simple) and put it on your blog so people know there’s other great stuff linked up here to see.
• Visit other links and leave them some love – everyone likes appreciation
• Join me on Twitter & Facebook.  I’ll be sharing some of my favorites there throughout the week.

1.Tell us a little about you and your blog.

I started my blog as a way to make myself accountable for actually finishing my crafts. All too often I would start a project and not finish, and having this outlet helped motivate me to get them finished!

2.How and when did you start crafting?

My earliest memories are of me around age 4 waking up early enough to draw the sunrise. I’d sit outside on the sidewalk and draw the sun as it peaked over the mountains. My mother taught me how to sew and crochet, and she enrolled me in all the art classes I wanted! My love of drawing morphed into painting which morphed into love all things crafty!

3.How often do you craft?

Usually weekly, but mostly it’s spontaneous. I almost always have a project or two lying about that I work can work on in my spare time.

4.Where do you get your inspiration?

I’m always looking for inspiration in other crafters on craftster.org, pinterest or stumbleupon.

5.What is your favorite medium to work in?

Paint. I also enjoy a bit of sew and crocheting. I’m pretty good at nail art. I love finding old, useless items and transforming them into something new and wonderful!!

6.What is your guilty pleasure?

Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes (Chocolate-Hazelnut flavor). I probably have 80 or so empty tins at my house (and I’ve used a couple dozen already for other projects). I’ll eat an entire tin in half a day if not monitored…

7.What makes you smile?

90′s music, rainbows, baby animals and my beautiful daughter and amazing husband. Oh, and glitter.

8.What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?

I love to Zumba and go swimming! I’ve been inspired by a close friend to try out roller derby… that is my next goal- learn to roller skate!!