handmade cass

I think I have talked about my family's tradition for Saturday crafting in the past...and last weekend was no exception.  My aunt and cousin organized an afternoon of bracelet making and my mom was kind enough to distract my sweet baby while I made one too.  So happy with the way it turned out and grateful to my cousin for helping me get it finished quickly. The supplies for these bracelets are so simple: leather cord (about 4 feet for a double wrap), beads (I used cherry quartz), a button, sturdy thread and a needle.  There are some really great instructions with step-by-step pictures here . And if you want to see all the bracelets that my family made you can check them out here on Pinterest .

I saw this pin on Pinterest recently that had me inspired to make some chalkboard painted gift tags.  Unfortunately I saw it the same day I was going to give my mom a birthday present.  Needless to say it was a rushed endeavor. First I sanded the wood tags a bit to make sure all of the bar code sticker residue was removed.  Then I did a thin first coat, using the Martha Stewart Chalkboard Craft Paint.  Followed that with a thick second coat to speed things along.  But the second coat never really dried before I handed over the gift.  The tags were still shiny and a little bit tacky to the touch...with no writing on them! Hopefully attempt number two will go more smoothly.  I also picked up some fun chalk markers for the next time.