Cupcake Crayons {free printable}

Party Favors {on a budget}

I really like to put non-junk items into the party bags. I came up with these for our Pinkalicious party along with a coloring book printed from Here! I made cupcakes but you could make just about any shape you can find a candy mold for and print out coloring pages for any party theme.

Supplies:
Gather all of those broken crayons {or pick up a few boxes of cheap crayons}
Candy mold of your choice



If you are a plan ahead kinda gal...save a few can while your cooking during the week. If you are like me...open some cans of beans and make some Chili! Wash and dry cans.

Put a few inches of water in a saucepan. Add your cans and throw the crayons in. Have fun and play with the colors. {pink + blue = pretty periwinkle!}


Pour the colors into the mold. Make sure it is tilted back so it doesn't spill out! Fill it all the way...I only took a picture of it half full. Mix up the colors and when the kiddos color it will change colors!

Once it cools a bit {not wobbly} put it in the freezer to harden. Pop out and color away!! These would even be fun to have out for a coloring activity for a kid's birthday party...or stocking stuffers. The possibilities go on and on!


And just so your cuties don't think these are candy...I made a little label to put on the crayon bags. And lucky you can make it too! Check out the link below. Print on sticker or regular paper. Enjoy!

Cupcake Crayon

I will link to THESE parties! Check em' out!

Feature Thursday

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the amount of pure CUTENESS on the internet. There are SO many ideas and projects...never ending inspiration. So here are some of my favorite things I've seen this week!

First a preview for some things I've been working on but no time to blog about {we've got a Kindergarten field trip + high school graduation BBQ for sister + birthday party...and of course none of them are in the same city!!}

Cupcake Crayons + Tank Twirly Dress

Who knew you could print on a paper bag?! I love this idea and love the images she chose. Find these at Cottage Hill.

photo from Cottage Hill

How cute would this cake be for a rainbow themed birthday party {or a Tuesday!?} Check out Crafty Mama.

photo from Crafty Mama

Bugaboo, Mini Mr. and Me made the sweetest skirt and she has a matching one for mom! I love the stripes...hmmm must keep eyes out for stripes...yellow ones! :)

photo from Bugaboo, Mini Mr. and Me

There are oh so many more but I gotta jet! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful ideas!!

Grab a button if you have been featured {on sidebar}!

Tutu Totes

Party Bags {on a budget}

I love having cute bags to give as party favors. I'm making these for our Pinkalicious party but they would be great for a princess party, ballerina party or just a for a little girlie girl. This is such a simple project that it is perfect teaching project for a new sewer.

Supplies:
*fray check & hot glue or fabric glue {not shown}



Put your 10x10 felt squares together and sew around 3 sides, leaving the top side open

Take the bottom edge and measure 2" on each side. Mark with pins or fabric pen

Pull out corner matching edge to edge. Sew a line from 2" mark to 2" mark and trim off excess.

Repeat on the other corner and then turn your tote right side out

Use fray check to seal the ends of your ribbon and pin to the inside of your tote. Use a decorative stitch and sew around the entire top of your tote, making sure to catch the ribbon handles.

Cut a 7" wide strip of tulle. Using the longest stitch setting, sew a gathering stitch along the top side of your tulle and gather your tulle piece to match the width of your tote.

Using a zigzag stitch, sew your "tutu" to your bag, a few inches from the top

Trim any extra tulle {above the zigzag stitch}. Use fabric glue or hot glue to glue sequin ribbon over the stitching.

A tote fit for a Pinkalicious Princess!

I will be linking up to THESE parties!

Crafty Baking {Chinese Takeout Cupcakes}

I adore baking...but I especially enjoy Crafty baking! One of my favorite cupcake books is "What's New Cupcake". The first book "Hello Cupcake" is also a winner! Their cupcakes are so clever yet so simple to make {although some are VERY time consuming!!}

I tried out the Chinese Takeout Cupcakes to send with my husband to work. His co-workers always get a kick out of my quirky creations.

I was at a local Chinese Takeout picking up food and asked them if I could buy some of their takeout boxes. I got a huge stack for like $2!! WAY cheaper then buying them at a craft store!!

The broccoli on the chow mein was by far the coolest looking. One of my husbands co-workers brought his cupcakes home to show his kids and one of his daughters was grossed out that I would but BROCCOLI on cupcakes!! Until of course she found out it was CANDY!

Breakdown on the chow mein cupcakes:
Broccoli: green tootsie rolls rolled a bit. Snip the top part into two pieces..dollop green frosting and dip in green sprinkles
Green onions: green licorice sniped at a diagonal
Pork Slivers: Warm pink starbursts a bit and roll out, then slice and shape
I tinted homemade frosting with a little green and yellow food coloring until I got the right color then put it in a quart freezer* ziplock, snipped the end and made the chow mein on the cupcake and added my toppings!

Breakdown on the Fried Rice cupcakes:
Green Peas: Green Jelly Bellys cut in half
Carrots: Orange starbursts cut into 1/4" cubes
Scrambled Eggs: Yellow starbursts cut into strips and stretched out
Rice: Rice crispies mixed with frosting

The fortune cookie mini cupcakes were my favorite! To make the fortune cookies melt a square caramel in the microwave for a few seconds. Roll it out with a rolling pin and use a round cookie cutter to cut a circle. Then fold it over, shape and pinch the middle, leaving the ends open. Then you can print little messages and put them in the "cookies".

For more details check out the book! What's your favorite crafty dessert!?

*When you are piping icing make sure you use freezer bags instead of regular ziplocks. They are much more durable and won't pop on you!

Knit Everyday Dress

My 3 year olds have a favorite dress from Gap Kids and I decided to try my hand at duplicating a version of with some of my knit from Patti Young. First make your pattern. I used the dress I was trying to duplicate but you could grab any tank top of your kids. Fold it in half and trace to make the bodice pattern. I wanted a more boat neckline so I did a higher neck.

Place your pattern on fold and cut out 2. If you want a lower neckline in the front and higher in the back just make a back pattern and front pattern with a lower neckline and cut out one of each.

With right sides together sew shoulder seams. Finish edges with serger {i honestly don't think you need to finish the edges if you don't have a serger. Knot doesn't fray}

To make lining for the neckline use your the neckline of your top to trace and make a lining piece. Cut two of these.

Match up the lining pieces to the neckline. Pin the pieces at ends so you know where to sew them together. You want the pieces to match up with the neckline once you sew them together.

Put your lining pieces right sides together and sew on the short side. If you have a serger, serge around the outside of the lining piece {not the side you will attach to the neckline}

Pin your lining to the neckline, right sides together and sew around the neckline.

Fold the lining toward the inside of the dress...iron and then top stitch.

On the backside cut a slit

Serge raw edges. Fold raw edges in 1/4 of an inch. I like to start from the center and work my way toward the outside. On one side sew an elastic loop. Then starting from the inside sew your way back to the other side. Hand sew a button to the other side.

Sorry I forgot to picture this but to make your sleeve pattern take your top and open it all the way up. Trace along the round side where the sleeve will go. This will give you a U looking shape. Cut two of these. I surged the raw edges and folded them in 1/4" and then top stitched

If you are making this for someone at home try your top on your cute and measure the distance from thee bottom to the length you want. I decided to make my skirt part 9 1/2" long. for the width and did 4 x's the width of my top so I would have plenty of room for pleating and the skirt would have some twirl.

First finish the hem of the skirt part. I surged and then folded up. I used a double needle to top stitch but you could use a regular strait stitch or even a zigzag stitch.

Then sew the short ends together, right sides together.

Pin the skirt to the top {right sides together} I like to start by matching up the side seam and pinning both sides so there is an equal amount of fabric in the front and the back.

To pleat just pull a piece over about 1/2" and pin.

Sew the skirt piece to your top and you are DONE!!

Perfect for Twirling

Or Strutting down the street {in tap shoes}

And a super simple headband complete the outfit!

{I hope that this tutorial made sense. Please let me know if you have questions!!}

Click HERE to see where I will be linking up