Charmed, I’m Sure! (with Clay Charms)

Klutz and I have been besties for almost two years now, so we’ve started to settle into a familiar rhythm. Whenever I'm free, I give Klutz a call and can always count on some good, crafty fun. But every once in a while in our steady relationship, Klutz does something that totally knocks my socks off and this, my friends, is one of the times.

May I present to you... Clay Charms!

I will try to keep the gushing to a minimum but, you guys, this book is the COOLEST! A pretty little bracelet base, nine brightly coloured bricks of clay, and endless combinations of clay charm cuteness!

It wasn’t hard to decide what my first bracelet would be about. I mean, the only thing I love more than crafting is food, so I stacked it up with some yummy snacks. Cinnamon buns, tacos, s’mores, and a crunchy carrot for good measure! Then it was into the oven for a bake, a quick layer of glaze, and my tasty treats were ready to rock!

After my first bracelet went so well, I just had to share. So I packed it in my bag for a weekend away and my friends and I all went Clay Charm crazy!

 

Now I’ve got a whole tree of clay charms to mix and match to my moods. But have no fear, I’m not done yet. These colourful little bricks of clay sure do go a long way! So if you wondering when my Clay Charm obsession will end…

Well, you know!

Three Cheers for March Break (with Fancy Friendship Bracelets)

Once the magic of Valentine's Day is gone, winter kind of gives me the blues. I’m not a skier or snowboarder, and I don’t like making snow angels or having snowball fights. Skating is fun, but only once or twice a season... Basically, to me, winter is a months-long excuse to hide under the covers and read. But then March rolls around and this wonderful thing called March Break comes along to give us a taste of the free spirit of spring.

My March Breaks were usually spent in daycare, along with the other poor saps whose parents weren’t crazy enough to brave the hordes of families descending upon Disney World. The six or eight of us extra kids would be stuck playing baby games with the preschoolers while our friends basked in the sun and ate turkey legs the size of their heads.

But it wasn’t all bad... Sometimes, after some theatrical sighing, my mom would pack a big-kid activity to keep me entertained. Finding that treat in my bag was like a one-day ticket to my very own Magic Kingdom. I would pick a special friend, set up camp in a corner (away from the babies), and go to town!

This year, when I found a copy of Fancy Friendship Bracelets in my bag, I tore into it with the enthusiasm of my younger, daycare-stranded self. These colourful bracelets are miles ahead of those embroidery floss, summer camp faves and totally updated with bright, spring-coloured cord, tons of tiny seed beads, and six cute charms to finish them off! 

If you’re looking for a fun, big-kid-approved way to spend your week of freedom, try out this cold weather craft with a ton of spring fling!

Valentine's Bouquets (with Paper Flowers and Fabulous Flowers)

Last year, I made some Klutz: Fabulous Flowers to bring spring to my winter garden. Those pretty paper petals have been on my mind ever since! So, this Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing my floral obsession with all of my sweetie pies! And I’m adding in Chicken Socks: Make Your Own Paper Flowers to the mix, so all ages can play.

Each of these colourful kits comes with tons of fun floral pieces to mix, match and mount; with pre-cut pieces and pipe cleaner for the littles (ages 4 and up), and punch-out shapes and wire stems for the more advanced bouquet maker (ages 8 and up). First, I made our house a little more festive with a pretty bouquet on a cute cake stand. Next up, this one-of-a-kind watering can card, with a little gift tag and sweet Valentine note that my momma will love. And finally, I popped some fabulous flowers in an old milk jar and brought them to my BFF. With these pretty little blooms shining bright on her windowsill, she won’t even notice the snow storming outside!

I hope your Valentine’s Day is fabulously floral and fun! For more Klutz Valentine’s Day fun, check out what I got up to last year.

Sticker Shock (with Sticker Design Studio)

My love of stickers began one hot summer day when I was nine and my mom took me to the Sandylion Warehouse Outlet. I stood amid rolls and rolls of stickers, and wondered how I would ever choose just one to come home with me. The shiny stars? No... the fuzzy puppies! But what about those glittery hearts? I needed the glittery hearts!

Unable to cope with the pressure of this monumental decision, I threw a total fit and sobbed for my mom to buy them all. This (obviously) didn’t have the intended effect and instead my mom swept me out of there, empty-handed and brokenhearted. I don’t think I’ve ever really recovered…

Until this!

  

Sticker Design Studio is pretty much the coolest thing to happen to stickers since the sticker book! With page after page of cute, funky, and even sparkly stickers to colour, I felt the hurt of my childhood sticker trauma start to disappear. I might have even stayed up into the wee hours of the morning because I just. couldn’t. stop. colouring!

The next day, I confessed the embarrassing source of my sleepiness to my friends and one chimed in with a story of her own. She had purchased Sticker Design Studio to share with one of her babysitting charges. But when she set the little girl up to start colouring, the glittery stickers caught her eye and it wasn't long before she plopped the girl in front of a movie and stole the sticker book for herself.

Stealing stickers from a baby… Oh yeah, it’s that good!

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!

Crazy for Quilling (with Twirled Paper)

Typically, after the crafting craziness of Christmas, I like to take a little break from my favourite hobby and spend some time seeking inspiration for the new year.

Then one day, while at a craft show, I spotted a booth filled with some seriously cool paper art. I went over to tell the artist that I loved all her stuff, and she happily introduced me to the art of quilling. This simple twirled paper art form looks seriously complex, but in truth, is super easy to do. Easy enough, in fact, that I decided to break my crafting hiatus and give it a try. And wouldn’t you know it, Klutz had its very own, all-in-one quilling kit to get me started.

Twirled Paper comes with tons of brightly coloured strips of paper, a handy little twirling tool, and some quick dry glue. With just those three ingredients, plus a dash of imagination, there's no telling where quilling will take you.

Now, I've caught the quilling bug and this easy, post-Christmas craft has blossomed into full-blown obsession.