Fireflies and Jellybeans

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Doodle Chalkboard Mugs

I love a cup of hot cocoa on a cold day! Here is a fun way to spruce up your plain mug! A Chalkboard Doodle mug... It is a really easy way to personalize a mug for a friend, family member, or yourself!

Supplies:MugShelf paperDecoArt's Chalkboard PaintDecoArt's Glass Paint MarkersFoam Brush

1.Cut out a frame out of the shelf paper. I get my shelf paper from the Dollar Tree. I used my Silhouette to cut out the frame shape but you could use and X-acto knife or scissors too. Place the frame on the mug.

2. Paint on the Chalkboard Paint. You don't need primer but you can lightly sand the area if you want to. I did 3 coats of chalkboard paint. Once the paint has dried you can take off the shelf paper.

3. Use the Glass Paint Markers to doodle on your design around the out side of the mug. I made 3 different mugs with 3 different designs. You can google "doodles" for inspiration.

Add some yummy Hot Chocolate and you are set! {These mugs are hand-wash only... if you put them in the dishwasher the chalkboard paint will come off}

Monday, January 16, 2012

Beauty Resolutions: No more Pony-Tail! Easy fun Hairdos! {#CleverBeauty, #spon}

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

This year I am going to get out of my mom-ponytail rut I am in and start doing so fun hair-dos! My beauty resolution is to pay more attention to my hair! This is going to mean a little more effort on my part, but I figured if I had a couple go-to hairdos it would be easier.

Of course I went to the web for inspiration and here are 3 easy hairdo that look great! All three hairdos use products that you may already have or could get at a drug store like Walgreens! They are also great hair dos for the day after you wash your hair!

I wanted a verity of hairdos... some up and some down. I picked tutorials that are easy to follow and work on several different hair types.

The first one is the Elegant Half up. This one just uses bobby pins.

Here is my version! It still looks great with longer and wavy hair!

The second one is the One Sided Braid. All you need is an elastic band. I love braids right now!

Here is my version:

I like that it is simple, but yet the braid add a little bit of interest.

The third one is for Classy Pigtails. All you need are elastic bands and boobypins. Oh, how I love the pigtail trend!

Here is my version.

I used a headband and I braided my hair instead of leaving it as pigtails... see above! :)

I have more fun hairdos on my Pinterest fashion board, feel free to check out (and follow me too if you want!).

So, do you have an BEAUTY resolutions this year? Do you have any favorite Hairdos that you want to share? I love to hear your comments! Talk to me!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Guest Post: Lisa's Craft Blog {Cell Phone Pocket Tutorial}

Today we are welcoming Lisa of Lisa's Craft Blog!

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Hi there!! I'm Lisa and I blog over at Lisa's Craft Blog!! My blog started as just a place for me to share my love of crafting with my friends and family. Last year, I decided to change the focus to a more mainstream craft blog and am loving meeting so many new and wonderful people!!

A while back I'd found the Cell Phone Pocket tutorial here at Fireflies & Jellybeans and thought it was a great idea!!!!

I decided to try it myself and put my own spin on it!! Today I'm going to share with you how I decorated my Cell Phone Pocket using a felt applique and lace. Let's get started on the tutorial!!

SUPPLIES

Felt in desired colors

Velcro

Lace fabric

Lace Trim

Button

Embroidery floss

Fabric glue

Step 1: PREP POCKET FORM

Here are the original instructions on the dimensions for your felt pocket pieces:

1 rectangle of main color (about an inch wider and longer than your cell phone or Ipod)

1 rectangle + strap of main color (the rectangle is the same size as the other one - the strap is 1.5 inches by 5 inches - it should be all one piece)

Sew or stick-on your Velcro pieces to the top of both pieces (as shown above).

Step 2: CUT OUT APPLIQUE PIECES

Trace and cut out your pattern in both felt and the lace fabric.

Note: I used the template found HERE.

Step 3: SEW APPLIQUE

Cut a 3rd piece of felt in your main color that is about 1" shorter and narrower than the smaller pocket form felt piece.

Place your lace piece on top of the felt applique and then using a blanket stitch, sew both pieces at once onto the center of the 3rd piece of felt.

Step 4: ADD LACE TRIM

Using your fabric glue, attach your lace trim under the entire edge of the appliqued felt piece.

Step 5: ATTACH TO POCKET FRONT

Using a back-stitch, sew the lace-trimmed, appliqued piece to the front of the pocket form (smaller felt pocket piece).

Step 6: BLANKET STITCH POCKET

Blanket stitch around the bottom and two sides of your pocket form. Do not sew the top, because you won't be able to put your cell phone in it!!

Step 7: ADD BUTTON (optional)

If you want disguise your Velcro closure to look like a button one, just sew a button on the front of the strap.

FINISHED!!

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial!! I know I had a blast with it!! You should definitely make one for yourself or as a gift - you'll enjoy it too!!

If you happen to like step-by-step crafty tutorials, I hope you'll stop by Lisa's Craft Blog because I have many for you to browse through. The 3 most popular tutorials right now are the Puzzle Piece Ornaments Tutorial, the Wire-Wrapped Tree of Life Ornament/Pendant Tutorial, and the Christmas Card Book Tutorial.

If you happen to stop by before January 31st, you can even enter my Grand Re-Launch Giveaway to try and win one of 3 crafty prize packages that have a combined value of over $175!! How fun!!

Thanks to Fawnda & Jeannine for allowing me to share my version of their great tutorial!! I've had a great time here at Fireflies & Jellybeans, but now I must head home to Lisa's Craft Blog and give my readers some attention!! hehehe

Thanks for reading!! Until next time...

Friday, January 13, 2012

My word of the year...

SO, there is something you should know about me... I am a little bit of a rebel [not too much to really get in trouble}. When someone tells me to do something. I want to do the complete opposite. So when the idea of having a word of the year came around... I couldn't just pick ONE word... I had to be a little rebellious.

My word of the year is:

Yep- 2 words! :) But it is one idea so I am going to count it and I hope you do too! I have some ugly parts of me that I need to get rid of. Here are a few ugly things I need to LET GO of this year:

I have a strong sense of fairness. If something is not fair for me or my kids, I get angry and that anger turns to bitterness.

Bitterness eats away at me and I cannot get past it.

To help me let it go, I am going to say this verse when I start to feel the bitterness come on "Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs." Out-loud if possible. There is power in God's word and I am going to use it!

I am controlling. Not in the clean-freak, organizing way (I wish I was more like that!), but in a "let me tell you what to do" sort of way. I like to have things go my way. I am a decisive person, and most times I am right {ok- all the time, I am right!} It can drive me crazy if someone does not do something the same way that I would have.

Control...I want total control. It is just not possible.

I don't need to get worked up over other peoples decisions! When I get the urge to control a situation I am going to say to myself "I am not them, they are not me... I am not going to think about it" {there is going to be a lot of self talk this year!}

Judgment just piggy-backs off of my controlling nature. It is so easy for me to jump to judgement when someone chooses a different path than me.

I have always tried to keep this part of me in check, it is the main reason I am not on facebook {Jeannine runs our F&J facebook page}. All those FB statuses to judge...Oh, I could be all kinds of ugly on Facebook. {I am not against FB... it is just not right for me}

Another step to help me out is to have this verse memorized: Luke 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. I think the world would be a much better place if we forgave instead of judged.

I have a creative mind. It is great when I am working on crafts during the day... but it is a bit scary at night. My mind races to all sorts of horrible things to worry about and fear. I have some major anxiety at times. To the point of paralyzing panic attacks. I worry about my kids, my husband, my life.

I am letting go of caffeine this year. It is a trigger to my anxiety, so it is going bye-bye. I have been off caffeine for about a month and I don't miss it that much!

I have to repeat outloud what I know about my God.

My God is BIG

My God loves me

My God WILL take care of me and my family.

My God conquered death

My God is in Control (not me!)

My God is WITH ME- all the time

My God knows what is best.