Giftables: Cabochon Earrings

I ordered some adorable cabochon bobby pins from Very Jane about a month ago. As usual, when I see something someone else has made, I thought to myself "I could probably make that!". It was kind of a wild goose chase at the beginning. I googled "cabochon" and didn't come up with much. I tried looking at Hobby Lobby and they didn't carry the flowers. I looked on amazon and ebay to no avail. Finally, I discovered that etsy has a category called supplies. That was my jackpot! I found a great seller who has tons of colors and sizes of flower cabochons and other fun jewelry making stuff for very cheap. I bought earring bases/backings and some special bobby pins at Hobby Lobby for 50% off and here is the end result.
I made these for my friend as a graduation gift. But they would be great for any occasion! I loved these particular colors so much that I made some for myself as well. This size of cabochon is a little too small for bobby pins...so of course I ordered more that are bigger : )

Handmade Gift Exchange

I have neglected my poor little blog yet again! It's not that I haven't been making things (and taking pictures), I just haven't posted them. It will happen soon...but until then, let me tell you how cool the internet is! I never would have started making things as a hobby if I hadn't stumbled upon craftgawker.com. Through that site, I have found countless projects and blogs. There are so many awesome people making awesome things, and because of the internet, I'm connected to them! That in itself is pretty cool, not to mention how nice the crafting community at large is. It gets better though. One of my favorite bloggers, Linda at Craftaholics Anonymous, is hosting a handmade gift exchange. In order to participate, you email Linda your mailing address. She will then send you someone else's address (and send your address that person) and you exchange handmade gifts. There is no required skill level or price range. The only real rule is that you have to have your gift postmarked by June 30th. Last year, there were over 480 people who participated in the exchange. If you are interested in being a part of it, head on over to Craftaholics Anonymous to find out more.

Giftables: Sugar Scrub & Mini Cal

I finally got my Stampin' Up stuff! I went a little stamp crazy. The first thing I made was a mini calendar. I found this calendar and tutorial on Blue Cricket Design.

My other project was a gift tag for some homemade sugar scrub. This is super easy, but the initial cost can be a little high. All you need is 4 parts sugar to 1 part oil and some essential oils to give it an aromatherapy scent (the essential oil is the expensive part). On my first go round, I used baby oil. It was VERY difficult to mask the smell...you have to use a LOT of essential oil. On my second go round, I tried olive oil. Again, it was next to impossible to mask the smell. I'm still looking for just the right oil!
No matter the smell, this stuff is great for winter skin. I use it to exfoliate before shaving and my skin is really soft afterward. Both of these make quick and easy gifts! Hop on over to Stampin' Up today so you can make adorable gifts too!