Just Something I Made

Lunch Napkin Love Notes

Cathe Holden — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:36:52 +0000

One of my most well received blog posts was one I shared back in 2008 of the napkin notes I used to tuck into my kids’s lunches when they were in elementary school. You can find that post with a collection of napkins and story HERE and a couple more napkins HERE. Today I came across a few more in a bag and thought you might enjoy them. I’m not much of an archivist, so these early morning doodles help remind me of some cute days gone by. If I remember right, I kept finding uneaten sammies in someone’s lunchbox…One day I found a misplaced half-made friendship bracelet when my daughter Jamie (-Ray) was on a pretty big roll knocking these ropes out for her friends. I was able to manipulate it through two stapled napkins without cutting it up.No doubt my kids, all now on high school, would be mortified to find a doodled love note from their mom in their backpacks. (So I might just have to get on that!! Ha!)

Book Page Pockets

Cathe Holden — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:47:37 +0000

I’ve got another project to share using my old Reader’s Digest books! This one is for creating pockets from pages within the book for stashing and organizing things like monthly receipts. You can find the step-by-step on my post over at SC Johnson Family Economics. Please share your book ideas in the comments of the SCJ post, I love reading them!

Disclosure: I am a paid blogger for SC Johnson.

Repurposed Trophies: Cupcake Stands

Cathe Holden — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:17:45 +0000

I bought several old trophies at a neighbor’s garage sale and thought I’d tackle a fun repurpose project. There’s been some pretty cool things done with vintage trophies, like this trophy coat rack on by Kate Pruitt found on Design Sponge- or these fantastic bottle stoppers featured this month in Country Living magazine made by Shannon Vance and Robin Sweeney of Stash Style.Here’s my trophy scrap pile. I wish I’d taken a few shots before disassembling most of them. It would have helped a lot in the rebuilding process. There are several toppers in my stash, which will be fun to interchange on my cupcake stands depending on the event! There are a few round wreath ones that would work great with a custom graphic printed off the computer and adhered to the center. I parted out the metals (and faux metals) and painted them with metallic silver spray paint. (If spraying plastic, it helps to coat pieces first with a primer such as Kilz primer/sealer spray.) None of these will be coming in contact with food, by the way.I poked the screws of the topper pieces down into a piece of cardboard atop my large recycling bin to keep them upright and staying in place.I spray painted the wood pieces hot pink, but of course can repaint to any color any time. I think all silver would look great. The pillars could also be wrapped with a patterned paper such as gift wrap or scrapbook paper.For the trays of one stand, I used two pie tart pans. I drilled a center hole in each large enough for the inner rod of the trophy to slide through.

For the trays of the other stand, I used sturdy cardboard 14-in scalloped-edge silver cake platters, again drilling center holes.

I reassembled the trophy parts like Tinker Toys, piecing and parting out different sections of one trophy for another, sliding stacking pieces onto the rods and screwing them all back together with their nuts. This is where your photos of the disassembling would come in handy as you may forget what fits best with what. This project is actually quite simple in concept, but does take a bit of extra dexterity or third hand if available.If you want to use doilies on your trays, you can add them when stacking pieces, or simply cut a side slit and center hole in them and slip them under the loosened trophy pieces.Once all my pieces were put back together with the pans and trays now acting as tiered stands, I headed off to my favorite sweet shop for cupcakes! (You didn’t think I was going to bake too, did you?) Why should I when I live only minutes away from Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar, winners of Food Networks Cupcake Wars!

A very special thank you to Allie, the manager at the Cotati location for loading up my repurposed trophy cupcake stands with delicious delectables!Simple. Thrifty. Fun. Delicious!

Wrapping Paper Tape

Cathe Holden — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:07:58 +0000

The second annual What’s Country Now issue of Country Living magazine is due to hit the stands in just a few days. I’m loving the cover image!!

My paper tape project is featured using gift wrap and you can go to CountryLiving.com for an easy photo how-to!There’s several ways to make paper tape using different adhesive sources, but this is my favorite as it allows you to make any width you need, neat and clean. Since the roll of mounting adhesive can be a bit pricey for just a few rolls, make multiple rolls of tape to share or sell, or even better- invite friends over for a paper-tape-making party!

Upcycled Valentine Garland

Cathe Holden — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:11:56 +0000

I’ve got a sweet and simple decoration project for celebrating Valentine’s Day- See my post over at SC Johnson’s Family Economics for Upcycled Valentine Garland you can make in less than an hour!

Disclosure: I am a paid blogger for SC Johnson

An Evening at French General with Kaari Meng

Cathe Holden — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:26:34 +0000

I’m just back from Anaheim, California and The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Winter Conference and Trade Show. One of the most memorable moments of the trip was at Kaari Meng’s French General in Los Angeles.

Kaari and I began corresponding last Summer and finally met in September 2011 where we both taught classes at The Creative Connection (TCC) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Of course I’d known of Kaari and French General for some time before that through her books, features, website and products, but getting to know her over dinner and drinks at TCC- I’m completely enamoured. She is a lovely woman of many, many talents and enchantingly beautiful style. And, she is the most fun to know. So, when I was invited to this private event hosted by Where Women Create and Kaari Meng at French General, there was NO WAY I was going to miss it! Camera in hand, I spent a great deal of time looking at as many details of the store, workshop and event as I could. So much to take in! Here are just a few of the photos I took.

First, the events social committee- Kaari’s husband Jon and her fabulous parents, Kick and Dick!

Kick kept us all smiling and Dick, serving as bartender, mixed for me a Lillet on ice, with a slice of orange and a splash of Chambord, French General’s house specialty. Don’t get me started, best mixed drink I think I’ve ever had.

I understand Jon to be the chef behind the evening’s delectables- the incredible quiches being my favorite.

Eating, drinking, socializing, shopping and crafting at the French General. Heaven. On. Earth.Kaari shared her latest Jolee’s Boutique products (see info below) for those in attendance to craft with. It was pretty darn cool to see that she keeps one of my rulers (given to her at TCC) in each of the classroom table tool baskets. And now for a little tour of the general store full of textiles, books, bobbles, ephemera and more.I purchased my share of goods. (Maybe a little more than my share, but how often will I have such an opportunity?)

Lucky for us all, French General products are not only available from the FG website, but very soon can be found in a store near you! EK Success just revealed the Jolee’s Boutique French General products at CHA! (Watch for them on the Jolee’s website soon!) Oooh, you’re in for a REAL treat!Can’t wait? Click on image above to see what’s coming from Kaari Meng’s French General and Jolee’s Boutique.

Thank you for a lovely evening, Kaari!

CHA Designer Showcase Preview

Cathe Holden — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:17:13 +0000

This Friday, I head out early, pick up my buddy Elise, and hit the highway for Southern California. We are going to Anaheim for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) 2012 Winter Show. There’s a lot of buzz around crafty sites about CHA this time of year because many of us in the “industry” are so excited about going for so many different reasons. Manufacturers and craft companies go to showcase their new products and services. Shop owners and buyers go to view and order the latest and greatest scrapbook and art supplies, textiles, equipment, lighting, furniture, services and more. They also enjoy the opportunity to craft with and try out many of those items first hand at the workshops or at the presenters’ booths. There are many bloggers and other members of the press who go to get a preview of what’s new to share with their audience.Designers go to showcase their talents and network for new clients to design for or represent and some in hopes of seeing their work licensed. Most every craft company and craft celebrity you can think of is represented at CHA. It takes days to take it all in, that is if you’re like me and stop and talk to someone at every booth, in the aisles, cafeteria… (I probably drive people crazy!) I can’t help it, there’s SO much to know and learn and see! The people are my favorite part.Last year, my fabulous friend Elise Durenberger and I went together for our first time and Elise, being a spectacular scrapper/papercrafter/designer, helped me navigate my way through the showroom, sharing what she knew about most of the companies. Priceless information to a craft industry newbie like me! (Newbie= less than 5 years in the industry.) This year, I’m really looking forward to meeting up with lots of friends made from around the country who will be coming. Also this year, just like last, I was behind in booking myself into classes before being sold out. But there are still many awesome business workshops, seminars and events we will be able to attend. To give you an idea of how much there is to do, should one choose to do it all, here’s the CHA Schedule.

I purchased a table in the Designer Showcase and have been working on my display all week. I thought you’d enjoy a few sneak peeks of what I will be showcasing, which I placed throughout this post. Once it’s all set up at the show, I’ll take more photos to share.

I can hardly wait to return and share all the fun things I saw, learned, heard, and receive at CHA- it’s a wonderful adventure!

Printable Alphabet Crafts

Cathe Holden — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:26:22 +0000

Hi friends! I have a fun alphabet download for you over at SC Johnson Family Economics, just in time for your Valentines Day crafts! (And, just so ya know… I love when you leave a comment on my SCJ posts, thank you!!) You can find more free alphabets by digging around on my FREEBIES page!

Disclosure: I am a paid blogger for SC Johnson

The Handmade Crafters Label Branding Kit!

Cathe Holden — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:15:36 +0000

It’s huge folks, and it’s FREE, courtesy of WorldLabel.com and designed with a vintage flair by yours truly. 14 different label shape designs in 4 different colors for branding your handmade goods!

Complete with a quick-view index, these kits can be downloaded and customized to suit your brand, each label sheet design printable to a WorldLabel.com product. Head over to the WorldLabel.com blog for all the details and FREE files!

Masculine Merchandising Objet d’Art: Bass Pro Shops

Cathe Holden — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:07:00 +0000

Recovering from a nasty flu that has swept through our entire family, I’m still low on craft energy but wanted to make the most of my couch time and post a photo journal of sorts. For the second year, my family and I traveled to Manteca, California to spend a couple of days at Bass Pro Shops during my birthday. Last Christmas Eve was no exception and with camera in hand I once again went about the store shooting merchandising vignettes and beautiful displays that spoke to me. I hope you’ll find a few of them Pinworthy as inspiration for your campy projects. Enjoy!