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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Free Printable Summer Reading Bingo

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Free Printable Summer Reading Bingo

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Download this Free Printable Summer Reading Bingo to get your kids reading this summer!!

Now that school is out, it's time for playing in the pool, camping, and lots of other activities! Even though the kids are free from school for the next few months, that doesn't mean that they need to stop reading and learning. Reading every day is a great way to help your kids keep their imaginations going through the summer break, and this free printable bingo is meant to help make it more fun!!
Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Foil Butterfly Wall Art

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Foil Butterfly Wall Art

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I received product in exchange for this post. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

My daughter loves butterflies, so I decided to create some foiled wall art for her to hang in her bedroom using the oh-so-amazing Minc machine!! I'm so excited to share this project tutorial with you and hope that you love it as much as I do! 

If you haven't heard, the Minc is an incredible a crafting tool that turns laser printed items (both pre-made or your own custom designs) into a beautifully foiled creation in just seconds. You can see more in my previous post introducing the Minc and showing what it can do! Though there are tons of ways to foil projects, none are as easy and quick as using the Minc.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

For this project, I used the Minc machine and gorgeous Minc foils in mint, hot pink, pink, and rose gold. I also used Minc 3D Paper Butterflies, and my own design for inside the frame. You'll also need a frame, paint (if your frame is unpainted), and Glue Dots or tape runner.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

The Minc 3D Paper Butterflies pack comes with 32 butterflies in multiple sizes and patterns to create lots of unique butterfly combinations. I also designed a butterfly quote to go inside my frame, and wanted to share it with all of you as a free printable. If you have a Minc, feel free to print this printable out on a laser printer and cover it in your favorite color foils!!


Now, let's get started! Turn on the Minc machine and set the heat setting to 3. Cut pieces of foil to cover all the butterflies with sharp scissors (dull scissors do not cut the foil well).

Open the carrier sheet and place the butterflies face up. Carefully lay the foil pieces over the butterflies (color side up) and lightly press down and make sure none of the black parts of the butterflies are uncovered. Carefully lay the top of the carrier sheet down over your project and smooth it out with your hand.

Tip: Sometimes static on the carrier sheet can cause the foil to shift, so just work slowly and try to keep everything in place as best you can.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

Place the carrier sheet into the Minc machine until you feel the rollers grab it. The machine will do all the work - all you have to do is sit back and wait for it to completely run through the machine. After it cools (it only takes a few seconds), carefully lift the top of the carrier sheet and remove the butterflies.

Starting at one corner, slowly pull up the foil. Remove the foil from the rest of the butterflies. Now the butterflies have gone from black and white to shiny, gorgeous, and chic!!

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

Since the butterflies come in different shapes, sizes, and patterns, it's fun to mix and match unique butterfly creations. To give the butterflies a more 3D effect, slightly bend the wings up. If using two layers, I kept the bottom layer flat, and placed the bent butterfly on top.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

Stick your butterflies together with Glue Dots or a tape runner. Next, paint your frame (if you need/want to) and arrange the butterflies to your liking.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

Once you have the butterfly arrangement you want, place a Glue Dot or a little bit of tape runner on the back of the bottom butterflies and stick them to the frame. This will stick them on really well, but will still give you the option to remove them later if you decide to use them for something else.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

For the print, I wanted to make it multi-colored. So, I cut pieces of foil to cover each of the words in the colors I wanted them to be. I used rose gold on the smaller letters, and mint and hot pink on the "changed" and "butterflies".

I'll be completely honest - with this smaller print, it was a little tricky to keep the foil in place while on carrier sheet because of the static. But don't give up - it's definitely doable!! Just be patient and try to hold smaller pieces down while you slowly place the top part of the sheet back down.

Foil Butterfly Wall Art Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com #HSMinc

Place the print into the frame, hang  it on the wall and enjoy your beautiful foil butterfly wall art!! This is one of the reasons why the Minc is one of my new favorite craft tools - your only limitations with this machine is your imagination! You can find the Minc machine and accessories (like the 3D paper butterflies) are available at Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann, as well as local stores and online shops.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

10 RV Travel Tips & Tricks for Beginners

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

10 RV Travel Tips & Tricks for Beginners

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This year, we were able to take our very first RV road trip together as a family thanks to Access RV. As a beginner to RV traveling, I learned a lot and absolutely loved the experience. Vacations require a lot of planning (to say the least) and that can easily become overwhelming. My main goal in this post is to share resources and traveling tips to help make your vacation planning less stressful. I hope these 10 RV travel tips and tricks we learned from our experience help you plan a successful vacation for you and your family!

10 RV Travel Tips and Tricks for Beginners at artsyfartsymama.com

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome" Clutch

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome" Clutch

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Thanks to Expressions Vinyl for the vinyl used in this post!

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome" Clutch Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com

Creating projects with heat transfer vinyl couldn't be easier, and it's one of my favorite ways to customize and otherwise generic product. This "Don't Forget to Be Awesome" clutch is a one-of-a-kind gift idea and a fun way to show some personality in your fashion!! This clutch couldn't be easier to make, and I'm excited to show you how you can make one yourself today for less than $10!!

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome" Clutch Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com

First, find a clutch you love that has a fabric you can iron. I found this gold leather and canvas clutch at Target in the Dollar Spot. It only cost me $3, but I love how chic it looks! You could also easily sew up your own clutch. (There are lots of great, free patterns and tutorials out there easy enough for even the most novice sewer.)

You'll also need some heat transfer vinyl. Expressions Vinyl has a lot of different types, textures, and colors of heat transfer vinyl. I honestly prefer to use their HTV (heat transfer vinyl) over other brands because it is a higher quality, extremely user friendly, and affordable. For this project, I decided to use the black Easyweed Heat Transfer Vinyl. I also love using the Stripflock Heat Transfer Vinyl on projects like this.

A little bit about HTV if you've never used it:
The heat transfer vinyl is made up of two parts: the heat transfer vinyl, which will be ironed on to your project, and the liner. The liner is a carrier sheet (think transfer paper) that holds the design in place and protects your iron during application.

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome" Clutch Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com

Measure the clutch and figure out how big you want your vinyl to be. Then, I cut out "Don't Forget to Be Awesome" on my Cricut Explore (though you can cut the vinyl on any vinyl cutting machine). To cut the vinyl, place the vinyl liner side down on the cutting mat and MIRROR YOUR IMAGE/TEXT!! Every cutting machine is different, so make sure to check your cut guides to cut the HTV. Next, weed out any parts of the image that you aren't going to use.

The carrier sheet is clear and tacky, so I centered my HTV liner side UP on the clutch and pressed it down so it doesn't shift when it's time to iron. Turn the iron on the highest setting (around 320º) with no steam. Place a scrap piece of fabric over the HTV and warm it up with the iron. Next, place the iron on the design and apply pressure for 10-20 seconds. Then, I turned the clutch over or turn it inside out and press the iron on it again for 10-15 seconds.

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome" Clutch Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com

Let the vinyl cool, then peel off the liner. If any parts of the HTV are peeling up, cover them with the scrap fabric and press the iron over it again for 10-15 seconds. Once your vinyl is on completely and cool, your clutch is ready to use!!

What phrase or quote would you put on your clutch?
Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Polymer Clay Donut Jewelry

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Polymer Clay Donut Jewelry

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DIY Donut Necklace Tutorial at artsyfartsymama.com

Donuts are probably one of my favorite treats. I, of course, love the taste, but I also love all the different colors, shapes, and you can't forget the sprinkles!! Since they are so adorable, I decided to create some fun donut jewelry out of polymer clay. Don't get intimidated - you can do it, too!! It's just like playing with play dough, but for adults (and older kids)!!
Monday, May 4, 2015

Road Trip Binder with Free Printables

Monday, May 4, 2015

Road Trip Binder with Free Printables

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To keep my daughter entertained on our RV road trip, I decided to put together a fun road trip binder chock-full of printables and activities! I've been so excited to get this all put together so that I can share it with all of you. If you're planning on taking a vacation anytime soon (and even if you're not), get your printer ready so you can put one of these road trip binders together for your kids, too!!

Road Trip Binder with Free Printables at artsyfartsymama.com