it’s almost valentine’s day. i’m not real sappy… don’t put too much value on this one particular day. a girl gets her expectations up and then realizes that no man (or woman or any such thing) can read your mind to know exactly what kind of romance you’d like on this one special day. not to say that i don’t believe in true love, just not the kind of true love that culminates in a 24 hour love fest.

but kelly diels, who writes a blog – cleavage – i think you should all check out when you’re feeling sassy, gave a challenge to write a secret, or not-so-secret, valentine. i thought, maybe at this particular point in my life, this particular valentine’s day, that’s exactly what i need to do.

kiss by flyingboots!

dear scoutie boy:

things have been rough. we love our daughter madly but it has been hard to love each other. my heart has been tried to the point of breaking many, many times in the last 19 months. but we press on. i just want you to know that i have hope and a lot of love left to give.

and i know that you do to.

i’m not going to expect a knight in shining armor anymore and i hope you can lower your expectations a bit too, and we can just expect to communicate & be friends. with friendly kisses and laughter and love.

we can learn a new set of expectations together and grow as husband & wife, mom & dad. together.

love always,
your scoutie girl

love is actually all around by catbagan

do you need to write a secret valentine this year? think about what your heart most needs to say. and maybe write it down. or create it.

it’s valentine’s day! you know what that means! i’ll be in my room crying. by neat things.

ghostacademy – This doesn’t mean that I don’t think Valentine’s Day is lame. — But it does mean that I love you.

kingpopcorn – You two deserve each other.

owlyshadowpuppets – You had me at health insurance.

modernemotive – Love is like the weather – you can’t ignore it.

vintage-inspired, handmade silk lingerie by hopeless

screen-printed men’s boxers by recession

camisole and briefs by sandmaiden sleepwear

flat valentines from

i can’t say i have any fond memories of a specific valentine’s day. no loverly surprises, no over-the-top gifts, no declarations of undying affection.

but i do have fond memories of boxes of school valentines. there’s something about the way they slosh about in the package. small, flat, neatly cut. so much promise… always ruined by my too-quick, sloppy handwriting. super heroes, cartoon characters, puppies, disney princesses, nothing too original – but then, who puts a lot of thought into a card they’re slapping their name on and depositing in 28 classmates’ obligatory mailboxes.

oh wait, these fabulous indie designers put a lot of thought into it! you may not get the same slosh-in-a-box satisfaction that i got from my late 80s valentines – but you will get the satisfaction of having the coolest kid in school.

by the way, these aren’t just for adults. i’m totally getting in touch with the child in me and sending grade school valentines to friends & family!

printable valentines from three wheels design

“we were made for each other” valentines by mew paper arts

vintage-inspired valentines by buttonhead

for more great grade school valentine’s, check out the charlotte’s fancy blog!

post sponsored by

ladies, it’s time to leave the room. i need to speak with the dudes. alone.

okay, dudes, all clear?

great. ya know, valentine’s day is a less than a month away. i know you want to get that special lady (or kidlet, or mama, or boyfriend, or anyone else special) a fantastic, original, knock out gift. right?

right. handmade is the way to go. you’ll be the talk of the town, the most romantic, most thoughtful gift giving dude you know.

but how do you navigate the perilous sea of rough craft waters? my friend, i’m here to help.

by
pragyaK

first off, get yourself an account on a site like etsy, supermarket, or folksy. and then get yourself a paypal account if you don’t have one.

next, with great stealth, find out your love’s account name, if they have one. if they do, search the site for their account name and check out their favorites – pick one. pick two or three. don’t skimp

by studiotto

if you’re not lucky enough or stealthy enough to find out their account name, it’s time to browse a bit. try searching for items with keywords your giftee likes: chocolate, jewelry, diamonds, woodland creatures, skulls with tutus… you get the idea. if you’re completely lost, check out the blogosphere for great gift ideas. i’ve got plenty here. you can also try my girls at try handmade, modish, & kind over matter.

find something beautiful. something you love. don’t put a lot of stress on yourself to find something very original – your effort will speak for itself. relax and go with your gut.

by inkling prints

when you’ve settled on that perfect something or three (remember, i said don’t skimp!), check out the seller’s shop policies and shipping information. many times goods are packed up and shipped the very next morning… other times, goods are made to order and could take 2-4 weeks to ship. of course, keep your time frame in mind whilst perusing this info.

next, click “add to cart” and check out. make sure you address information is correct and that you leave any notes to the seller that are required – size, color, design, etc… and if no notes are needed, it’s a great idea to say “thanks” and maybe point out that this is a gift. often the seller will package everything up for you so that no “official” gift wrap is needed! bonus!

check out is incredibly fast and easy if you already have your paypal account set up as i mentioned earlier.

that’s it. you’re set! you’ve done something good for yourself (you’re now the coolest gift giver you know), good for your giftee (s/he’ll love you forever!), and good for society (you’ve supported a micro business). congratulations.

psst. you can tell the ladies to come back now!

my wardrobe is in constant need of purging. specifically: t-shirts. of course, there are plenty of ways to reuse your old clothes. donation is a great option. you can cut your t-shirts into rags, make them into quilts, sew a purse, turn them into yarn… most of those things are waaaaaaay beyond my craftiness level.

so, i bring you another ridiculously simple idea for you to create, redesign, and overall make much better than i did!

supplies:

• old t-shirts in your choice of colors
• thrifted wreath form
• scissors

using the body of each t-shirt, cut the shirt into strips (which actually make rounds) about 4″ wide. depending on the width of your wreath form and the size of your shirts, either cut the round in half to make two separate strips or simply cut one side to open the round.

next, fold a strip in half and place it under the wreath form with the ends facing out. bring the ends and the fold together around the wreath and pull the ends through the fold. tighten and lower the ends so that they are facing straight out. pull & arrange the part of the fabric around the wreath until it covers a nice area and lays to your satisfaction.

repeat this step until the entire wreath is covered.

to create a hanger for the wreath, cut another round off of a t-shirt but don’t open up the round. use the same technique as before but instead of loose ends you’ll have a lovely loop to hang the wreath from!

i created this project as my valentine’s day door wreath. but you could easily choose a different color scheme and use a wreath of this style for any occasion! if you make this project or any variation of it, please let me know by linking to a photo or post in the comments. i would love to share your work!

Hey everyone! I’m Nicole of Lillyella and I’m thrilled to be stepping in on Scoutie Girl this week to share a fun and easy post-holiday craft project with you. I’m sure I am not the only one who cringes just a bit when it’s time to throw away all the pretty holiday cards you received throughout the season, so today I’m going to show you how to make a lovely keepsake ornament out of them.

What you’ll need:

• Greeting cards
• Hole punch, 1″ – 2″ (I used 1.5″)
• Clear drying craft glue
• Cardboard
• Ribbon or cord
• Ruler
• X-acto knife



Begin by punching circles from your cards. If you do not have a hole punch, you can use something round to trace around, then cut them out by hand. You will need 20 circles for each ornament.

Next draw an equilateral triangle the size of your circles. Click here to download a printable PDF of triangles for 1″, 1.5″ and 2″ circles.

Cut the triangle out of a piece of thick cardboard.



On the back of each circle, trace around the triangle. Using a straight edge and an X-Acto knife, score each line by gently cutting into the paper, but not all the way through. You can also use a scoring tool. Fold the three sides up as shown.



To form the ornament, begin by gluing 5 circles together with the points of the triangles all facing the same direction. This will be the top.

Make a loop out of ribbon or cord for hanging the ornament and thread it through the middle of the five circles before the glue dries.

Glue another five circles together to form the bottom.



Next, glue the 10 remaining circles together, side by side with points in opposite directions. Then join the last circle to the first. This will form the middle of the ornament.
Glue on the bottom followed by the top and you’re done!



Hang this pretty little ornament on your tree or a doorknob, or make it without the ribbon loop to display on a shelf or table. Make a few in different sizes for a nice display or even fill them with scented herbs before gluing the top on.

You can make this keepsake anytime of year using birthday and anniversary cards, or even decorative papers — get creative!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my crafty contribution here on Scoutie Girl! You can visit my blog to find more fun projects and lots of other handmade goodness. Have a safe and happy new year!



about nicole

Nicole Young quit her day job in May of 2008 to sell her jewelry on Etsy full time after opening her shop, lillyella, a few months earlier. She spends 18.5 hours a day attempting super human feats of time management balancing her shop, her blog and her personal life which includes one newlywed husband, four cats, two turtles, seven little birds and one gigantic “art barn” in progress.








Please check out these Scoutie Girl sponsors:


diane kuligowski - jewelry with spirit
paco sign + lupe - handbags that merge art & fashion	tsai fi - art*illustration*design
sora designs - vintage & natures inspired jewelry	pure rox jewels - contemporary artisan jewelry
blend creations - modern jewelry in stainless steel	nature scripts - personalized word pictures
craftee - daily zine	imooi - jewelry for men & women"

]]> http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/tutorial-crafting-a-holiday-card-keepsake-ornament-by-nicole-of-lillyella.html/feed 19 http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/new-years-entertaining-ideas-from-the-sweetest-occasion.html http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/new-years-entertaining-ideas-from-the-sweetest-occasion.html#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:00:49 +0000 tara http://www.scoutiegirl.com/?p=4035
{recipe cards by revelry}

With the holidays upon us, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite details for great New Year’s Eve entertaining, ideas that are sweet and simple yet sure to impress. In my mind, the best parties are ones that are down to earth and feature lots of good cheer with a few well chosen details to make your friends smile when they walk in your home.

Create a simple spread of cocktails and other beverages. Greet your friends with a drink at the ready and then send them all home with cute cocktail recipe cards so they can recreate their favorite cocktail later.


{comic book ornaments by bookity}

Keep decor simple by hanging a cluster of fun paper ornaments like these made from comic book pages over your bar area.


{diy cakestand by burlap & blue}

Serve finger foods set out on pretty homemade stands like this one, it’s really chic and functional and it instantly elevates the presentation to something really special.


{recycled wood chalkboard by rowan’s room}

To keep things fun, set up a few different areas for playing games of all varieties – card games, video games, karaoke or whatever your group loves. Make a simple chalkboard sign for each area (all you need is a scrap of wood and chalkboard paint) to use for score keeping. (You could also find a few antique chalkboards to make it even simpler.)


{handmade bubble wand by thyme2dream}

Depending on where you’re located, at midnight hand out bubble wands and send your friends out to ring in the new year while they blow bubbles in the snow. It’s just the kind of unexpected fun they’re sure to remember.


{flapper headband by twigs & honey}

Of course, being New Year’s Eve and all, you’re going to need something great to wear so find yourself a fabulous accessory or two. My pick is this flapper-inspired headband.

And that’s that – great entertaining can be as simple as a few great details and a hostess who feels like a million bucks wearing something pretty that she loves. A big thank you to Tara for allowing me to visit and best wishes to all of you for a very happy New Year!



about cyd converse

I am a freshly minted newlywed, blogger, lover of paper, fashion and design. By day I work at Smock, a letterpress print shop where we handcraft the finest of eco-friendly letterpress stationery. By night I am the editor of The Sweetest Occasion, a blog dedicated to all things related to parties, celebrations and weddings, with a special emphasis on handmade details to make your special occasion truly one of a kind.








Please check out these Scoutie Girl sponsors:


diane kuligowski - jewelry with spirit
paco sign + lupe - handbags that merge art & fashion	tsai fi - art*illustration*design
sora designs - vintage & natures inspired jewelry	pure rox jewels - contemporary artisan jewelry
blend creations - modern jewelry in stainless steel	nature scripts - personalized word pictures
craftee - daily zine	imooi - jewelry for men & women"

]]> http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/new-years-entertaining-ideas-from-the-sweetest-occasion.html/feed 5 http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/flickr-fest-09-emma-lamb.html http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/flickr-fest-09-emma-lamb.html#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:00:31 +0000 tara http://www.scoutiegirl.com/?p=4003

fabric wreath by emma lamb

join the scoutie girl flickr group!







Please check out these Scoutie Girl sponsors:


diane kuligowski - jewelry with spirit
paco sign + lupe - handbags that merge art & fashion	tsai fi - art*illustration*design
sora designs - vintage & natures inspired jewelry	pure rox jewels - contemporary artisan jewelry
blend creations - modern jewelry in stainless steel	nature scripts - personalized word pictures
craftee - daily zine	imooi - jewelry for men & women"

]]> http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/flickr-fest-09-emma-lamb.html/feed 1 http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/handmade-solutions-56-outfitting-your-holiday-with-lights.html http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/handmade-solutions-56-outfitting-your-holiday-with-lights.html#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:00:52 +0000 lori http://www.scoutiegirl.com/?p=4023
[outfitting your holiday with lights]

no matter what holiday you celebrate, lights always seem to be a central feature. how about celebrating this holiday season with some of these amazing photo prints of light?


1. the snow dance. TinaCrespo :: $20
2. heart lights. capow :: $30
3. the holiday fawn. sofawned :: $18
4. lights (set of 2). ellemoss :: $40
5. twinkling lights at christmas. honeyandjamphotos :: $18
6. christmas eve. slgdesigns :: $10
7. my child eyes. wanachee :: $12
8. colored lights. jonduenasphoto :: $30






Please check out these Scoutie Girl sponsors:


diane kuligowski - jewelry with spirit
paco sign + lupe - handbags that merge art & fashion	tsai fi - art*illustration*design
sora designs - vintage & natures inspired jewelry	pure rox jewels - contemporary artisan jewelry
blend creations - modern jewelry in stainless steel	nature scripts - personalized word pictures
craftee - daily zine	imooi - jewelry for men & women"

]]> http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2009/12/handmade-solutions-56-outfitting-your-holiday-with-lights.html/feed 2