Wow, it's been a busy week! Back to school for Kylie, new job for me, 5 big OHH projects coming up, soccer started back up for the whole family (Pete is now an assistant coach and I'm one of the team managers), and last but not least, we are on the paperwork trail for our home study. We have completed all the paperwork we can and we're just completing doctor's appointments and fingerprinting this next week. I've been sick with bad allergies, so I've been pretty slow moving despite the busy week.
As I mentioned last week, once a week I'm going to make a post called "Creating for Love" (changed from Creating for My Child).
Here's how this works:
1. I'll post 5-6 "Creating for Love" crafts each week. They will be crafts that I've made for people I love as gifts, or just for our Creating for Love adoption effort.
2. Along with a picture and description, I'll list what the SUPPLIES ONLY cost me (no labor).
3. If you're interested in buying a craft pictured, I will create a customized version for you. I'll donate the time/labor to the make it if you're willing to pay for the supplies and make a donation amount of your choosing to our adoption fund (link on the side bar to the left).
4. All proceeds from "Creating for Love" crafts pay back the money spent on supplies to us and then your donation goes toward our adoption fund. Please know that creating these crafts is fun for me. Your donations, on top of the craft supply cost, do not have to be hefty. Every donation amount adds up! And every donation of $25 or more also "buys" you a piece of fundraiser puzzle documenting the true meaning of "it takes a village." (See previous post for more details).
The idea is that I get to make crafts/gifts for people I love, and then I'll share them online here.
Here's this week's crafts: (Please keep in mind that this is my first time making these crafts, so I've learned little tricks for next time.)
1. Photo Collage Letter
I made this for a friend whose family is so adorable their photos would make any photo project look good! It is a customized Letter/Initial covered in a black and white photo collage I hand cut to fit. This one is made from a 10.5" wood Q which I painted with chalkboard paint then "modge podged" on my favorite photos of their family.
Cost: $10.88 in supplies + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me).
How I can customize: You can pick the style and size of letter from Michael's or AC Moore online. I can paint the background any color you like (I decided on black chalboard paint for this because it helped the photos blend in to the letters. Send me a dozen or more of your favorite photos. I can do the collage in black and white or color.
2. Halloween Wreath
One of my besties LOVES Halloween, so I'm in the process of trying out several different Halloween wreaths. This is the first, made up of orange burlap-like ribbon, a spider print ribbon (black and white) and Halloween text (burlap with black, orange and purple print), and black and white polka dot ribbon. This is definitely one of those projects that I will be much better at now that I've played with it a bit.
Cost: $23.99 in supplies (used coupon) + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me).
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| Here is a pic of the wreath with JUST the orange burlap ribbon to give you an idea of how you can add on other ribbons, etc OR leave plain. |
3. Customized Photo Frame Weekly Planner (use dry erase marker to create your weekly to do lists)
This is a craft a made a few years ago as a going away gift for a friend (inspired by this pin). I included 2 photos of my friend with the group of us girls, a friendship quote (see Thursday) and included a frame space for each day of the week. You can see here that I wrote in some "to do" items on a few of the days to show that you can write daily tasks on each glass frame and use this piece as weekly calendar.
Cost: $35.74 in supplies + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me). This is one item I would ask for you to include shipping if I am to mail it to you.
How I can customize: You can pick the color theme or papers I use for each day, the photos you want, the style font for each day (or all the same) and I can add quotes you like as well.
I made this wreath based on a photo I saw on Pinterest but used Kylie's bday party colors, a lot more balloons than they called for, the letter K and some ribbon. This one is simple but time consuming, so please allow for a week if you want me to make you one.
Cost: $51.90 in supplies + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me). This is one item I would ask for you to include shipping if I am to mail it to you. I can definitely cut costs using different color balloon combos and making a smaller wreath if you like.
How I can customize: You can pick the colors and/or theme. Without letter subtract $5.99 from the total. You can pick the color ribbon you'd like, size of wreath, etc.
5. Photo Collage Pot
I made this pot for my niece's room. She recently changed the colors of her bedroom to a light yellow with black and white. I took a medium size pot, painted it with chalkboard paint, modgepodged the photo collage, and added ribbon. Because of the shelving I know it will be placed on along with the C (below, I decided to add a pompom flower to the top of it until she has something she wants to put in it to keep a balance between the two projects.
Cost:$11.17 in supplies + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me). Add $2 for pompom flower.
How I can customize: You can pick the color and effect for your pot (crackled, distressed, chalboard, solid, etc.), the color theme for ribbons, send me 8-10 of your favorite photos, choose black and white or color prints, ribbon top and bottom or just top. With or without flower pompom (add $2) add monogram print (add $3)
6. Decorative Flower Letter
I made this piece for my niece to decorate her room newly redone in light yellow, black and white. I thought this would add a splash of color and tie in a few pink items that remained from her old colors. I hollowed out a 3-d letter, painted it black with chalkboard paint and made this floral arrangement to fit the letter.
Cost: This one cost me $41.97 in supplies BUT I used 12 different types of flowers, some expensive. I believe, with coupons and limiting to 5-8 various flowers, I can get down the price to $25-$30 + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me).
How I can customize: You can pick the colors and/or theme for your flowers, the color you want the letter painted as the backdrop, whether you want it weighted or light (it's pretty light since I just used floral foam).
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| pictured here with just blue and black |
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| hard to see but I added a blue and white chevron ribbon around the bottom sign |
7. "School Days" Custom Frame
I originally created this frame for us/Kylie to document her first day/last day/birthday/etc. but then I found out her teacher is a first year teacher, so we took some pics and gave it to the teacher as a gift. For this particular frame I used 3 different chalboard paint colors (lake blue, black, cream). I distressed the paints and used wax to allow each layer to be seen. I then created custom plaques with velcro to add to the frame (1st day of school, last day of school, 100th day of school, 2nd grade).
Cost: $29.98 in supplies for frame with two velcro plaque signs (add $4.99 for each additional plaque) + donation of your choosing for the labor (donated by me). This is one item I would ask for you to include shipping if I am to mail it to you.
How I can customize: You can pick the colors and/or theme. The one pictured has 3 colors and is distressed. You can go with one, plain color, two colors, distressed, crackled, etc. The cost above includes "First day of" and "grade level plaque" with ribbon frame and velcro on each. Add $4.99 for each additional plaque you want (last day, 100th day, birthday girl, age, confirmation, etc.) the
So... if you're interested in "hiring" me to create a craft for you -- either one here or one of your own choosing, email me at farnumpc@gmail.com!
To donate, click on the link in the left column. :)
