A Sweet Summer Send-Off (with Safety Pin Bracelets)

Ah, the start of summer!

Those lazy last days of class, watching movies and mulling over summer plans, signing yearbooks and saying goodbyes.

As a girl who would spend most of her summers at sleep-away camp and the cottage, it was always a bittersweet moment for me. Summer was a time to say goodbye to all my friends till the new school year began. Between sorrowful farewells and promises to keep in touch, we always made sure to exchange small tokens to remember each other by, through (what seemed like) our eternal separation.

Well, I may not say "so long" to school friends anymore, but summer has still brought about some big goodbyes. Goodbye to my parents who are leaving on a six-month vacation; goodbye to a friend who I know I won’t see for a while; and goodbye to another friend, off to travel to far-off places and start a new life. I’m looking for a gift that will suit all three goodbyes!

Safety pins were a hot accessory a little while back, but those of us with a softer sense of style were happy to let that trend pass us by. Now, this edgy accessory gets a sweeter side with Safety Pin Bracelets. These simple pins are back in a big way, with colourful beaded bracelets that are fun for anyone!

For something that looks so intricate, these bracelets are surprising simple to make. Pop beads on the safety pins, then string them together to create all sorts of patterns and designs. I was having so much fun that I decided to branch out into other accessories. Bright fireworks earrings, a pretty peace sign pendant, and a colour block bracelet are the perfect accessories to send my friends off in style!

  

Whether you’re saying goodbye to old friends, trading tokens for summer separation, or just looking for a fun afternoon craft, these polished bracelets are pretty much perfect!

Mother's Day Hooray! (with Stencil Art & Mini Capsters Jewelry)

 

Have you ever heard the expression "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree"? 

Well, that just couldn't be truer for my mama and me!

We're both absent-minded, artsy types with big hearts and our heads up in the clouds. It is why we love each other so fiercely (and why we can sometimes get so frustrated with each other too). When I think of where I got my penchant for arts and crafts, it’s easy to know who to thank. This Mother's Day, I’m celebrating my marvelous mama with a few of her favourite things to thank her for her love, hugs, unwavering support, and the aptitude for craftiness that has made me who I am today.

There’s nothing my mom loves more than looking at old photos. Whether pictures from her childhood, our baby years, or our family vacations, set her in front of a photo album or a slideshow and she’ll be busy for hours. I wanted to find a way to give her some pictures that she can take around with her whenever she’s feeling nostalgic. I first thought of the idea while making my cool Easter Capsters, but it wasn’t until I came across Mini Capsters Jewellery that the idea really formed. I dug into my baby picture archives, printed out my favourites (and some letters too), and set it all in place with a layer of glaze. Then I strung together these sweet photo necklaces and made myself a matching bracelet too, so that everybody will know just how much my mom rocks!

 

No Mother’s Day is complete without a card, so I pulled out Stencil Art to make my gift complete. With four pages of stencils in all shapes and sizes and a rainbow of ink to choose from, I blotted and dabbed out this pretty floral pattern to create the perfect card for my garden-maven mama. Then I glued it on some colourful cardstock, wrote a special message, and my Mother’s Day preparations were complete.

If you’ve got a mama as magical as mine, you’ll want to show her just how special she is! Find a Klutz kit that matches the things your mom loves, and show her how much you care with a thoughtful homemade gift that she won’t be able to resist!