Math Makes Better Snowflakes, Starflakes & Swirlflakes

While in public school I performed poorly in my mathematics classes. I'm not sure why, because now I feel I'm pretty skilled in the art of home renovations and the various math calculations that come with them. Maybe I'm more of a practical, hands-on-sort-of-girl, whereas my high school teachers were insistent on learning theory.

No matter.

Now I know enough math to make some pretty awesome paper snowflakes, starflakes and swirlflakes. Thanks to this Youtube video by ViHart, we can help our children, students, siblings, spouse, friends, and other family and friends learn that math + paper = LOTS of FUN.

Have fun!! 

This the ceiling in my basement family rec room showing what my three kids and I did for fun the other day:

Where Did I Put That? Etsy Treasury by Ellie

Ok, here goes: My name is Kristen and I love Etsy. Whew! Glad I go that off my chest. :)

I visit the Etsy website daily... Okay, I visit the website hourly. I like to look at the shops, I like to browse the products made by hand from around the world, I like to get ideas for how I can improve my (and my family's) life. I understand I can do this through Pintrest too, but unlike Pintrest, Etsy is more than pinning ideas to a wall. Etsy is your place to buy and sell all things handmade, vintage or a craft supply. There is something special about being connected to other creative people... I feed off their energy. They make me want to be more creative.

On Friday January 4th I received an email from fellow Etsy shop owner and Blogger named Ellie of My Little Chickadee Creations. Ellie shared a new treasury she created to help us get into the spirit of Spring Cleaning with a collection of handmade items from sixteen Etsy shop-owners around the world. To honor Ellie's Etsy treasury and the sixteen shop owners, I wanted to share these awesome organizational tools with you.

Why? Because a Crafty Betty is also an Organized Betty.

Below are the sixteen items Ellie included in the "Where Did I Put That?" treasury as well as links to each shop where the organizational item can be found. Check out the "Where Did I Put That?" Treasury by Ellie below:

Vintage Expanding Rack

I'm Not Messy, I'm Organizationally Challenged

Ohio Wall Decor

One Vintage Griffith Spice Jar for Spices

Set of 6 Laminated Yellow Cards

To Do List, Printable PDF

Storage Labels for Laundry

Jewelery Organizer for Jewelry

Recipe Box, Custom

Organization Zipper Bag

Handmade Paper Bowl

Scrabble Magnet, To Do

Yarn Bowl, Knitting Bowl

Rustic Vintage Wooden Textile Mill Spool

Leather Key Holder, Brown

Hanging Storage Pouch Pattern

DIY Pottery Barn Floating Shelves, As Seen on Ana White

Holman Shelf from Pottery Barn

I like to think of myself as creative, artsy and have good design esthetic. I am not en engineer, though. So when I stumbled upon Ana White's website and blog, I was hooked. Ana is a momma from Alaska with a purpose in mind: to make great furniture like the items found in our favorite stores but for a small fraction of the price. I love making knock-offs from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware items, so Ana and her design plans are heaven-sent. Who doesn't love a chick who knows her way around power tools? Seriously, when you have an hour or two available, go to her site and explore. And then come back and tell us what you made!

Although I totally made these shelves by myself, all the credit has to go to Ana for inspiring me in the first place. On her site she offers detailed plans (what to buy, how much to buy, and how to make it) for everyone so they too can make her Ten Dollar Ledges. Oh, did I mention her plans are FREE?

Now, this is why my small bit of expertise comes into play. I loved the 8' long floating shelves, but didn't need shelves for that large of a space. Also, since my husband works (a lot!), I knew he wouldn't be available to help hold the ledges while I attached them to the wall. In my pictures, shown are the two (2) 4' shelves instead of one 8' shelf, 2" wide shelves I made. So, I took one Ten Dollar Ledge and made two Five Dollar Ledges. Not bad, eh?

Great for Artwork and Trophies.

Shown with Ballet Photo, Play Bill and Special Knitted Doll.

Four Feet Long is the Perfect Length.

These space-saving wood shelves provide a handsome place for storage and display, and can be hung in any room of the house. Ana put her shelves in her dining room, I put mine in my children's room. What would have cost me $75/ each Floating Shelf at Pottery Barn ($150 total), I was able to make for $5 /each.

Another Knock-Off has been mastered! Thanks for looking, :) Kristen

How to Host a Murder Mystery Party

My husband and I love to have friends come over to our home for dinner, or to have a group of people over for a party. There is something about socializing/ conversation over yummy food (have you seen my previous "I LOVE FOOD" post?) that simply makes me happy. I also enjoy throwing themed-birthday parties for my children and husband. One themed-party that I wanted to do for ages was a Murder-Mystery Dinner Party. When I asked my husband if this was something he wanted for his own birthday, I heard the hesitation in his voice. No matter, I said. Since my birthday is only six days after his, I decided I will give myself a Murder-Mystery Birthday Party.

Fortunately, I live in a city where there are a lot of "Gamers" and all I had to do was visit my local game store, Game Night Games, to view a vast variety of packaged games. For those who do not have something so fun and so nerdy available, Amazon.com is also a great place shop Murder Mystery Games.

The brand "How to Host a Murder" by Decipher Inc offers a variety of Murder Mystery Games. "Why?", you ask. These games come with everything needed to throw a successful party: invitations, menu suggestions, name cards, costume suggestions, a host guide and other things depending upon the game (like maps, diagrams, etc.). The game I chose for the birthday party was Episode Number 5: The Chicago Caper.

This was on our invitations:

 You have received an invitation to S.P. Keasys place, a private club near the headquarters of notorious gangster Hal Cappone. Upon arriving, Hal is discovered murdered! Come in costume and assume the role of one of the suspects; MOLLY M. AWBSTERR (society dame from NY, the ultimate flapper in Chicago for the action, maintaining a most exclusive penthouse apartment), ERNIE ("BET A MILLION") G. AMBLER (Chicagos most colorful millionaire), "SILKY" M. ADAM (shady owner operator of the The Everlay Club, Chicagos most prominent private establishment), EDDIE ("SOCKS") R. GYLE (smooth fashionable and clever, avid golfer and gambler, owns the exlusive gaming house Green Tables where the affluent gamble), MALISSA F. ORRTHOT ("Scoop" made a name for herself as a crime reporter for the citys leading paper The Trumpet, her considerable beauty and lively charm helped further her career on both sides of the law), S. TREIGHTON HARROW (US District Attorney and chief opponent of the criminal element), ANNA MARIA CARLOTTA SASSINE (sultry voice, exuberant style and traditional blues renditions have earned here the nickname "Torchy", this smoldering beauty currently featured at the Green Tables), or BILLY ("THE KID") THROWER (star pitcher for the Stock Kings, currently holds the league strikeout record, off the field The Kid is fun-loving, hard-drinking, warm-hearted, lustful, brawling and hell-raising). Imagine your home is a 1920s speakeasy in Chicago as you and your guests enjoy hours of suspense and intrigue but mainly humor as you solve the crime over a dinner.

SO MUCH FUN, ITS ALMOST CRIMINAL!

Does sound fun, doesn't it? I have to say, it was a BLAST! So much fun, in fact, that my husband I brought the game to a small family reunion and played it again... even though we knew "who dun it", it was so much fun trying to throw people off :)

 

Next time you think about hosting a get-together with six of your best friends, consider doing something other than a barbeque in the backyard (again!). Make the gathering a little more exciting with a party theme like Murder Mystery. If you want to be especially crazy, have people come dressed up (this REALLY helps everyone get into character!). 

Scoop, Torchy, S. Treighton Harrow, Ernie "BET A MILLION" G. Ambler, & Molly M. Awbsterr

Scoop, Torchy, S. Treighton Harrow, Ernie "BET A MILLION" G. Ambler, & Billy "THE KID" Thrower

Foods I LOVE to Make & Bake, But Especially Eat

So I’m a little bit obsessed with cooking and trying new recipes lately. Actually, I've been like this ever since my husband I got married almost nine years ago. These are some of the REALLY good ones I’ve come across recently, and although not at all healthy, by all means, ENJOY!!

Oreo Crunch Cupcakes

http://www.littleinspiration.com/2011/07/oreo-crunch-cupcakes.html

Some people thought it was too much cookie and so I would take one side of the cookie off and use that in the batter.  I loved the taste of the frosting, but it was really flat.  I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my baking. :o)

German Chocolate Monkey Bread

http://www.heatherchristo.com/cooks/2012/02/17/german-chocolate-monkey-bread/

The only adjustment I would make to this is mix everything in together instead of layering.  Heaven!

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pan-roasted-chicken-lemon-garlic-green-beans-10000000780291/index.html

Definitely follow the comments and cut back on the lemon, unless you like a lot of lemon.

Dried Strawberries

http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/recipes/dried-strawberries-ruscalleda/

Oddly addictive.  

Honey Lime Tilapia

http://www.onelovelylife.com/?p=3118

If you like tilapia, divine.

Nachos... Yum :)

http://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe_search/recipe.jsp?id=75015

I love nachos and this is a light version

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

http://www.sassyradish.com/2009/10/sweet-potato-gnocchi/

First time I ever made gnocchi and oh there were good.

Spicy Kabocha Soup

http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/spicy-kabocha-soup/

My new favorite soup.

Eggplant Focaccia

http://www.marthastewart.com/317126/eggplant-focaccia

One of my favorite eggplant recipes.

Peanut Butter Cups

http://www.sweetestkitchen.com/2009/04/homemade-peanut-butter-cups/#.Twsg-WBqOt8

These put Reese’s to shame.  If you aren’t a fan of chocolate & peanut butter... make this... it’s worth trying one.  I recommend making them in the mini-muffin tins instead of the standard size because they are so rich.

Avocado Chicken Parmigiana

http://ellenaguan.blogspot.com/2011/11/avocado-chicken-parmigiana.html

Simply delish!

Crispy Parmesan Asparagus

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/03/crispy-parmesan-asparagus-sticks/

Better than bacon-wrapped asparagus.

Sweet Potato Chips

http://www.marthastewart.com/317420/baked-sweet-potato-chips

This one was a huge hit on pinterest.  My husband is currently obsessed and could eat them every single day.

Man Pleasing Chicken

http://www.wittyinthecity.com/2011/08/man-pleasing-chicken/

Gotta love the name.

Repurpose and Upcycle Things in Your Home

With the end of the winter season for those of us in the northern hemisphere in sight, our minds naturally turn to spring. As we open the blinds and pull back the draperies in our home, that's when we see it-- Dust! Clutter! Disorganization! Everything in our home now tells the story how we hunkered-down this past winter and were too cold to do anything.

Then we get a brilliant idea-- SPRING CLEANING. And that, my friends, is when we go crazy trying to make-up for lost time by cleaning and organizing every nook-and-cranny. We pull out the garbage bags or boxes for trips to the local thrift store, and we open up garbage and recycling cans for everything else. Although I can write an entire post about where our thrift store items actually go, instead I'll let you read this March 8th article found on GOOD, and write about repurposing and upcycling items already in your home: egg cartons, aluminum cans and glass jars.

The words REPURPOSE and UPCYCLE may not be found in the dictionary, but they are becoming commonly used in the English language. To repurpose or to upcycle something is to give an item new life other than its original intended purpose. To recycle is good, but most products in the marketplace that claim to be made of post-consumer waste are still made with 70% new materials. To repurpose an item reuses 50- 100% of the original item--much better than the average 30% used in recycled goods.

Let's Begin! 

Simple and yet oh-so-helpful!

Egg Carton.
Original Purpose: Place to safely hold eggs to prevent cracking.
Upcycled Purpose: Organizer.

We like to craft. We like to decorate. We like to build. Isn't it nice when our beads, needles, piping tools or screws aren't mixed up? Next time you begin working on a project, use an egg carton to keep you organized!

PS- Muffin tins are also great organizing tools too!

Step four: Can, towel, nail and hammer.

Aluminum Can.
Original Purpose: Preserve your vegetables and fruit for consumption.
Upcycled Purpose: Lantern.

Did I mention we like to craft? Here is a fun craft that only requires:
an aluminum can
water (ice, actually)
towel
hammer
one nail
tea light

1. Remove paper wrapper from can and thoroughly wash inside and out.

Step 6: finished product.

2. Fill can 3/4 full with water.
3. Freeze overnight.
4. Lay towel down on kitchen counter or table. Use nail and hammer to make holes in frozen can, starting from the bottom to the top.
5. If there is still ice in the can when all holes have been made, melt ice and dry.
6. Place tea light in bottom of can and enjoy!

Glass Jar.
Original Purpose: Preserving sauce or other condiment.
Upcycled Purpose: Fancy storage container for dried pasta, sugar, powder laundry detergent, etc.

Although not as messy as the activity above, this is still a fun crafty project that looks oh-so-pretty when complete. This upcycle requires:
one jar (I used a glass spaghetti sauce jar) with lid

Step six: finished product.

sand paper
drill
screw & cabinet know/ fixture
vinyl sticker labels (optional)

1. Remove paper wrapper from jar and thoroughly wash inside and out. Don't forget to wash the lid!
2. Remove the stamped label/ wording on the lid top with sandpaper. We want this to look pretty, right?
3. Using drill, make hole in center of the lid.
4. Attach decorative knob to top of lid using screw.
5. Apply vinyl sticker label to outside of jar.
6. Fill jar with desired dried item, attach lid and enjoy!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

"Do you know where I found him? You know where he was? He was eating a cake in the tub! Yes he was!"

-from The Cat in the Hat Comes Back

Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone
 
This Crafty Bettie post is devoted to providing a number of different activities you can do together as a family in celebration of Dr. Suess's birthday on FRIDAY, March 2nd.

Why celebrate Dr. Suess's birthday, you ask? 

Well, Dr. Suess showed us that reading and learning can be fun. By using rhymes, children are able to develop foundational tools needed to sound out words, then make sentences, and eventually create stories of their own.

So... Let the Celebration Begin!

• "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child."

• Here are four (4) FREE printable lesson plans for your kids from Seussville.

• FREE Dr. Suess Read-n-Color Word Search from Read Across America.

• Make simple gold stars to wear on your belly, like the Sneeches'! 

• Give children a variety of cratf supplies and recycling items (ie: glue, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, pipe cleaners, felt, yarn, pom-poms, wiggle eyes, etc.) and challenge them to create their own unique character or creature like those found in Dr. Suess's books. Then encourage them to write a story about their creature.

• Make cupcakes with red, white or aqua/ turquoise frosting.

• FREE Cat In the Hate Birthday Cake Maze from Suessville.

14 Days of Valentines

14 Days of Valentines

Every year for the last three years I do what we have come to call, "The 14 Days of Valentines". Each day from February 1 to February 14 I create a reason I love my husband of 8 years (I know, we're still newbies!).

I got this idea while living in Holladay, Utah where fourteen neighborhood women would get together for a Pre-Valentines Day Party. Each party-goer made fourteen identical valentines to share with the other party-goers. We each took a turn explaining what we made and why we made it, and then had a good laugh enjoying one another's creativity.

I have since moved and although many of my new neighbors aren't interested in doing a Pre- Valentines Day Party with a Valentine Exchange, that doesn't mean my husband has to go without, right?

Hopefully my husband doesn't read today's post because I am sharing with you my 14 Days of Valentines that it may give you a few ideas for you to shower your special someone(s) with a creative I Love You.

Now, all you have to do is go buy the goodies and secretly lay them about the house, car, backpack, lunch sack, office, whatever! for your special someone to find.

Also don't forget to check out these other great posts by Crafty Betties Joana and Tamie.

York Peppermint: We’re Mint to be!

 

 

Army Toy: Love is a Battlefield

Rolos or Lifesavers wrapped in red paper: You’re the Bomb

Hand Shovel with Candy: I dig you!

Paper Airplane: You make my heart soar

Flip Flops: You are the Flip to my Flop

Fav Brand of Peanut Butter: You are the Peanut to my Butter

Bouncing or Paddle Ball: You make my Heart Bounce

Fish Crackers: Will you o’fish’aly be my valentine?

Toy Car: I “Wheelie” Like You

Honey Bear: Bee Mine

Favorite Soda: You make my heart bubble

Candy Worms: You wormed your way into my heart

Fav Candy: You’re sweet