Build Your Own Mouse Trap (with LEGO Chain Reactions from Klutz)

LEGO Chain Reactions will blow the mind of anyone who enjoyed playing Mouse Trap or setting off a row of dominoes. To turn bricks from kids’ own LEGO collection into ball-moving machines, all they need is this book — along with the cardstock ramps and other punch-out parts, plastic LEGO balls, and 33 essential, hard-to-find LEGO pieces packed inside.






Watch and learn! 



And now for a closer look... 

See the Quintopple in action!



See the Dominoes in action!



See the Seesaw & Ramp in action!



See the Pop-Up Flag & Falling Hammer in action!



See the Board Bouncer in action!



See the Slow Spin in action!



See the Elevator Ramps in action!




See the Pulley & Bucket in action!



See the Funnel Ramp in action!

The Last Gifts on My List (with String Art from Klutz)

I like food and fashion as much as the next person, but my favourite thing to create is home décor. My apartment is an ever-rotating collage of prints, pictures, plants and knick-knacks. I switch them to match the year, the season, and sometimes even my mood. It's not terribly practical, but it sure is fun! 

When deciding what to gift to the last few people on my Christmas list, I turned to Klutz's coolest new kit, String Art, to make some new art pieces they can add to their collections.

You might recognize the idea for this fun craft from those old math class activities, but Klutz has turned that on its head to make DIY art instead! With more than 20 trendy designs, six colours of strings and 14 colourful sheets of paper to choose from, you can customize your pieces for each person on your gift list. And, I know what you're thinking, it looks totally complex... But with Klutz’s exclusive pin-pushing tool, you'll have the perfectly-placed pins you need to go wild and scribble, fan and loop some seriously cool string doodles. Make a series to hang together or print some text to make your piece complete; the possibilities are endless! I modeled one after my very favourite mug, and it's so darn cute that I just might make another to gift to myself.

 

And so, with the wrap of this last gift, my Christmas crafting is complete. Now it's time to eat, drink, be merry and share the spoils of my Klutz gift-making with my friends and family.

Merry Christmas to all!

See you in the new year!

Teeny Tiny Christmas Gifts (With Mini Pom-Pom Pets from Klutz)

Every once in a while, there comes a new craft that really blows my socks off. I mean, let’s be honest, I love them all, but there are a few Klutz crafting adventures that have really earned top marks in my heart. As soon as I got my hands on Klutz's latest pom-pom adventure, Mini Pom-Pom Pets, I knew it was destined to be added to my "favourites" list. 

These heart-melting cute little fur balls take half the time to make as regular pom-poms, but are twice as darn adorable! Just wrap the coloured wool around any old kitchen fork, snip and decorate and, in no time, you’ve got a handful of teeny tiny pom-pom pets. 

Since ‘tis the season, I dressed mine up in their holiday best! A mason jar goldfish bowl wrapped up with a bow, two kitty ornaments to commemorate a first Christmas, and a little winter scene with some furry Canadian friends. Merry Christmas to you, you, you, and me!

 

LEGO Fangirl (with Crazy Action Contraptions from Klutz)

I have loved LEGO for as long as I can remember. From my first DUPLO set to The Movie and videos games I love so much, this timeless toy has always found it's way into my free play. My love for LEGO is so well-known that a friend once commissioned the making of a giant LEGO Hogwarts Lynn for my birthday!

 

So, when Klutz and LEGO paired up to create Crazy Action Contraptions, it was pretty much a match made in heaven for me! I rushed home and Mike and I raced Super Charged Speedsters up and down the halls of my apartment all afternoon long.

Last week, as I packed for a cottage weekend, I was thinking back to some of those fun times so I threw Crazy Action Contraptions in my suitcase for a second round of brick-filled fun. And on Saturday, over veggie pizza and big mugs of hot chocolate, we built LEGO-made machines that zipped, bumped and spun all over the cottage!

Summer Sticker Celebration (with Washi Tape Stickers from Klutz)

If you haven’t heard of washi tape yet, then get thee to the nearest craft store, STAT! This multi-tasking tape, which hails from Japan, is easy to stick on and peel off and comes in tons of fun patterns and prints, making it a crafting must-have.

I’ve used it to recover old notebooks, add flair to my phone and iPod, decorate vases and so much more. But Klutz’s take on the washi tape craze is my favourite by far! With Make Your Own Washi Tape Stickers, you can shape this colourful tape into completely customized sticker designs that are perfect for any occasion!

With the sun shining up in the sky and the great outdoors calling my name, I pulled my copy out onto the deck at the cottage and washi-ed the summer sights all around me. I mixed and matched the tape in six fun colours and patterns, chose from a ton of easy-to-trace designs, and snipped out seascapes, beach scenes, and sweet treats! Now I’m sending my postcards to some friends so that they can peel-and-stick washi stickers and share in the summer love.  

One of a Kind Father's Day Date (with Toolbox Jewelry)

My dad may not be the handiest on the block, but with that big brain of his, there’s not a project he won’t try. My skills, well they're less in tools than tape and glue, but I’ve got that same determination to take on any crafting adventure. Together, my papa and I have put our skills to use for all sorts of projects, from a bright pink bench to this cool book clock and the light box I use to photograph all my Klutz crafts!

He’s out of town again this Father’s Day, so we scheduled a Skype date to celebrate. To carry on our tradition of handy crafts, I grabbed my copy of Toolbox Jewelry and together I whipped up a stack of cool arm hardware as we chatted the day away. Even though we couldn't be together, we still found a great way to spend our early Father’s Day date!

The last time I made these cool cord bracelets, it was the dead of winter, so I wrapped them around my mini-Christmas tree. But, now that the warm weather is here, I can finally sport these neon-coloured beauties myself. And every time I look at them, I’ll remember my awesome dad and our one-of-a-kind Father’s Day date!

Tissue Paper Pretties (with Tissue Paper Crafts)

Maybe it’s because my momma's thumb is bright green, but when I think of Mother’s Day, I think of flowers. So even though I've been swooning over Klutz’s dreamy spring offering, Tissue Paper Crafts, since the day it came out, I knew I had to save this cute little kit for this most special occasion.

Thankfully, since Mother's Day is almost here I am finally free to take a crack at some tissue paper crafts! I was practically bouncing with excitement as I peeled back the cover of this pretty pink book to reveal a rainbow of tissue paper to work with. I started small, making a single flower with frilly pink petals. It was so darn cute that I potted up a pale green succulent with a pretty orange flower. But I still wasn't done! I made a colourful flower garland to play "ring around the mirror" and some branches upcycled with delicate white flowers. But the pièce de résistance? A beautiful gold birdcage made from pop-out pieces and a papery little bird to inhabit it!

I am pleased as punch with these tissue paper pretties and I just know my mom will love every one. And when Sunday rolls around, I’ll send her on a treasure hunt around the house to seek out her tissue paper treats!

Happy Mother's Day!

Introduction to Transfiguration with Felted Friends

The greatest thing about this blogging gig is getting to share how fun and accessible arts and crafts can be. With a little help from Klutz, even Muggles can create a little crafting magic.

I had exactly zero experience with felting when I got my shiny new copy of Klutz’s Felted Friends. So I didn’t know what to expect as I unpacked fluffy bundles of wool, a foam block and a green felting tool. I mean, I like to think I’m a pretty fantastical crafter, but even I couldn't quite figure out how I would conjure those cute little creatures on the cover with what was in front of me. But I knew Klutz had my back, so I cracked my Transfiguration textbook, picked up my wand and set to charming up some Felted Friends.

I poked and jabbed my wand into those fluffy clouds of wool and I started to see things take shape. A little head with a button nose, a round body with a white tummy, a fluffy tail and long ears — suddenly, there was one seriously cute bunny in front of me!

Before long I had perfected my practice and had three pretty pastel forest animals to complete my collection. And while the truth behind felting is slightly less magical than I imagined*, I still like to think these three little guys would have earned me an Outstanding on my Transfiguration O.W.L.!

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* As you poke the felting needle back and forth, it twists and tangles the wool fibres until they bunch together to become dense and compact. The same principle applies as you attach one piece to the other. The fibres tangle together to become one, without tape or glue. Magic!

(No) Signs of Spring, with My Style Studio

In case you haven’t heard by now, here in Canada, We are Winter. Me, I’m not much for winter sports but I show my true Canadian colours by bucking the cold weather and wearing skirts and dresses year-round. It can get chilly, but I’m not gonna let a little thing like snowy, blowy weather keep my style at bay.

But even us crazy Canucks start to feel winter dragging by the time March rolls around. And since the snow shows no sign of stopping, I need a little warm-weather inspiration to cheer me up. So I grabbed a copy of the boxy new edition of My Style Studio to sketch up some spring fashions to look forward to. And with visions of T-shirts and maxis and bare legs (oh my!), I think I just might make it through.

For a peek at more of my Klutz-made style inspiration, check out My Fabulous Book of Looks, My Style Studio fall line, Paper Fashions summer style and holiday wear, my Fashionably Me back-to-school style, and more!

My Furry Valentines with Klutz Pom-Pom Puppies and Pom Pom Monster Salon

Last year, my little sis' moved to a different city (sniff, sniff…), so every time she comes to visit, we make sure to plan something fun. Last weekend, the weather was pretty wet and miserable so our plan to go skating wasn't looking so great. Luckily, I always have some emergency Klutz kits on hand, so I put together a last minute sister crafternoon.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I had been brainstorming ideas for another year of outside-the-box valentines. You all know my thoughts on boxed valentines, but even with my crafty Valentine's creations, I still hadn't found a fix for the problem of all the cards that end up in the trash on February 15^th.

So I started thinking about what kind of valentine people might keep around, and suddenly, I knew just what to do. I grabbed my copies of the two cutest Klutz kits around, borrowed an idea from my super-fun NYE photo booth adventure, and little sis' and I made some one-of-a-kind furry valentines!

First, we printed out some punny Valentine’s Day speech bubbles (click here to download a copy) and taped those silly sayings to toothpicks. Then, we wrapped, snipped, and styled some too-cute-to-toss Pom-Pom Puppies and Pom Pom Monsters and put them all together!

I can’t wait for next week, when I get to hand out my furry valentines to all my friends! I can’t see anyone getting rid of these little cuties anytime soon! For more great out-of-the-box ways to celebrate with Klutz, check out my Friendship Bracelet cards, Paper Flower bouquets, and love-ly Nail Art!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

New Year's Eve Night in with Klutz

Happy New Year fellow crafters!

How did you celebrate the start of 2014?

This crafty girl decided to ring in the New Year in DIY style! I had a Klutz crafternoon with some favourite friends and a special surprise for our party at night.

Choosing my favourite Klutz books of 2013 was easy: Make Clay Charms, Nail Style Studio, Beaded Bands and Toolbox Jewelry. I pulled out my copies, spread them out on the table and we each got to work beading, painting, knotting and sculpting fun accessories for the night ahead.

We put on our party outfits and as the countdown finally drew near, it was time to reveal my special surprise. With my laptop, a bed sheet and some printed props, I set up a makeshift photo booth so we could snap pics of our fancy new accessories and get a little silly!

It was an amazing night with good friends and great crafts—and I didn't even have to leave the house. Who could ask for more? The best part was the next day, as we headed home to 2014, we had fun accessories and hilarious pics as souvenirs of our send-off to another great year!

Wrap it Up With Klutz Stencil Art and Twirled Paper

There are a million things to love about Christmas: friends and family, gingerbread and eggnog, giving and getting gifts, and so much more! But as much as I love this holiday, there are a couple of things that just don't make sense.

My biggest beef? Gift wrapping! The crafter in me acknowledges the beauty of a perfectly wrapped present with pretty paper and big bows, but my thrifty side saddens a little at the thought of spending money on something that only has a few moments in the sun before heading straight to the landfill.

So, this year, I saved my wrapping budget and got a little creative— with Klutz, of course! 

I dug out my copies of Stencil Art and Twirled Paper and set to work creating my very own wrapping paper. With a dab of ink here and a curl of paper there, my wrapped gifts look so pretty that my friends will never know I only got down to wrapping on the eve of the big day!

Looking for more Klutz fun to get you through the winter break? In Christmases past, I made a pretty faux snow globe and Velvet Art Christmas cards, I planned my holiday wardrobe with Paper Fashions, and I decked out my tree three ways. There's tons of Klutz fun to be had before 2013 comes to an end, so get busy!

Wishing you the craftiest of Christmases and looking forward to another year of creating wonderful things, being good, and having fun!

Get Inventing! (with The Book of Inventions)

Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. Give me some paper, glue and ribbon, and watch me get to work. My friend Lisa, well, she couldn’t craft to save her life, but she writes some of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. And Karen, she could McGuyver her way out of any situation!

If your creativity tends towards the latter, you have to check out the Klutz Book of Inventions. It's packed with tons of cool, crazy, can’t-believe-they-don’t-actually-exist creations that will inspire you to start inventing!

I found so many wacky contraptions that could have saved me in the past. Like the Storytelling Sling which would have spared me the embarrassment of having to repeatedly explain how I broke my leg skiing in my backyard or how I dislocated my knee jump-kicking off my parents bed.

And I bet my parents wish they thought of Sibling Blinders for my sister and I when we got cranky on the way up to the cottage.

But most importantly, how much do I want a Snack Shirt with a pocket made just for ice cream cones? Mom and dad, take note, I know what I want for my birthday!

After nearly 200 pages of wacky inventions, Klutz challenges you to design your own. They even break down all the ways they came up with their out-there ideas to get you started. 

I sat down with a pencil and notepad and started to think...

For me, waking up in the morning is the worst! It’s a daily battle between hitting the snooze button and sinking back into sleep,  or getting in the shower like the clean, responsible young person I should be! I'm embarrassed to tell you how often sleep wins… Therefore, I think I’d invent a shower bed so you can take that extra 15 minutes of sleep while you get squeaky clean. I’m still ironing out a few design kinks, but expect to see my Shower Sleeper in stores in 2014!