Back 2 School Cool: Spruce Up Those Boring No.2 Pencils!!!

Hey Everyone!!!

Here is the second post to my Back 2 School Cool series. Below you will see the corresponding Youtube video should you prefer to watch my DIY tutorial instead of read about it. Be sure to like and subscribe so you don't miss out on more awesome DIY projects coming up! Today's tutorial is an update of a previous post I published last August or September. We are sprucing up our boring, old pencils in time for the school year. It is a super cheap and easy project to do! Let's talk about what you will need!

Things You Need:

-pencils

-washi tape (make sure its the paper tape and not the more sticker-ish tape)

-scissors

THAT'S IT!!! LET'S GET STARTED!!!!

Step 1:

Take your preferred washi tape and your pencil. Lay the pencil horizontally and unravel some washi tape next to it. Go from the bottom of the metal eraser holder to the end of the pencil. Cut the washi tape.

Step 2:

Slowly smooth the washi tape onto the pencil. I find that doing one of the flat surfaces first and then the next and then the next is easiest. Turn the pencil over and repeat Step 1 and Step 2.

Step 3:

Once you have completed wrapping the pencil, you can now sharpen it and use your snazzy new pencil. Using the paper washi should make sharpening the pencil possible. Using the sticker-ish washi doesn't work so well and makes the whole thing look like a disaster (Yes, I am speaking from experience!)

Wasn't that easy!?!?! I hope that you enjoyed this updated post and the video to go along with it. Be sure to like and subscribe to my channel if that is what you prefer. I would love to have you in my Youtube family. If you are more of a reader, that follow me on Google Plus. I'd love to have you in my Google Plus Family as well! Be sure to leave me comments either here or on Youtube showing me your creations. I'd love to see them! Until next time, xoxo!

Planner Decor on a Budget: DIY Ribbon Page Flag {Updated}

Hey Everyone!

So since deciding to start a Youtube channel, I decided I would update this post, as I wasn't happy with the outcome of the original post. I felt like I had a hard time trying to convey what the steps were and I forgot to take pictures of each step..... So this time, I've filmed it for you to give you a visual aid of the DIY process for this project.

This project is very simple and not expensive at all. Most dollar stores sell some pretty ribbon and you can find cheap ribbon at places like Walmart and Micheals (check the $1.50 section at Micheals). Paper clips can be found just about anywhere. I got these gold ones at Staples for about $2.50. This project definitely won't break your bank and the end result is a really nice page flag or bookmark! Let's get started!!!

Things You Need:
-paper clips (in the colour of your choice)
-ribbon (in the colour, sizes and patterns of your choice)
-scissors

Step 1:
Choose the ribbon and the paper clip you want to use. With the ribbon,you want to take it out of the package and determine which ribbons you want to group together.

Step 2:
Once you have determined which ribbons you want to use, take it and measure out about 5-6 inches of ribbon. Take the scissors and cut it and then put the rest of that ribbon to the side. Do this for however many pieces of ribbon you are using. Don't worry if the ribbons aren't all the same length... you can trim the ends later!

Step 3:
Next, take the ribbons you cut and place them carefully on top of one another. This will be tricky if the ribbons are bent like mine were. Then take the two ends and put them together.

Step 4:
Take the loop of the ribbons and put it through the solo loop of the paper clip (Please see my video below if you are confused). Don't pull the loop all the way through. Once you have gotten through the centres of all your strings and bring them all through the loop you've made, making sure that you have wrapped the ends around the paper clip while sliding them through the loop made in the ribbons (Again, see the video if you are confused). Pull the ends tight. You may need to do this with each individual ribbon end.

Step 5:
Finally, trim the ends so they are all the same length. Discard the pieces you just cut off in the trash.

That's it! Wasn't that easy!!?? I hope that you guys enjoyed this post and the video linked below. If you want to see more videos like this, be sure to like and subscribe to my Youtube Channel.There will be lots more videos coming up, both DIY and Lifestyle related! Stay Tuned and until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

Big Announcement!!!

Hi Guys!!!

I hope you all are enjoying this cooler, sunny weather on this wonderful Wednesday! Today, I just wanted to come on here and tell you my big announcement! Are you ready?

I now have a....... YOUTUBE CHANNEL!

I will still be blogging, but I will also be attaching my videos to the blogs. I have posted the link below!

I started a Youtube Channel because I was finding it hard to get my point across in regards to whatever I was talking about in my post. I was finding it especially difficult in my DIY blog. I kept feeling like I was going to confuse all of your readers because I myself would get confused when reading back what I wrote. With the encouragement of family and friends, I decided to take a leap. I want to share with you all the things I know, my opinions, cool things I find and everything in between. I hope that you enjoy the Youtube channel as much as the blogs. And remember I will still post on here, with or without video content so be sure to come back and check the blogs out.

With much love,

Brittany
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4HLUixems2ln2CfNguupjQ

Summer Fun: DIY Door Wreath for Canada Day!

Hi Everyone!

I'm back with a DIY home decor post. I know Canada Day has passed, but I figured I would post this anyway. Its a fairly easy project that doesn't take too long to make. Let's get started, shall we?

Things You Need:
-round, styrofoam wreath
-burlap
-Canada Day garland
-Canada Day bow
-Glue gun
-Glue sticks

Step 1:
Take the styrofoam wreath and the glue gun and use it to wrap the burlap around the wreath.Do this quickly because the glue will dry fast.

Step 2:
Next, glue the Canada Day garland around the top of the wreath. See the picture to the right.

Step 3:
Next, glue the bow to the bottom of the wreath. There was a twist tie but I couldn't get it to stay very well. Gluing it worked way better.

Step 4:
Finally, hang the wreath at your front door or wherever you are going to hang it.

I hope you enjoyed this little DIY project for Canada Day. I'm sorry it came too late for Canada Day but perhaps you can use it for next year. If you do end up making it, please let me know by commenting in the comment box below. Until next time, Happy Crafting! xo

Planner Decor on a Budget: DIY Tassel Accessories!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I've been gone for so long. If you haven't been following my other blog, I have been pretty MIA the past couple of months. I spent a lot of the first month sick and May was pretty hectic because the hubby and I were in the middle of moving. I'm hoping that come July things will have settled back down and I will be back to posting twice a week. I still have to finish re-vamping The Crafty Canadian! Oh my! Anyway, I thought I would just pop on and bring you a quick little tutorial for you fellow planner people out there! I have become obsessed with decorating my planner and since we have bought a house, looking for cheap ways to get the same kinda products you can buy in the store.

This week's tutorial is a DIY Tassel! They are fairly simple, yet a tad time consuming. Let's get started, shall we?

Things You Need:
-scissors
-thin wire (in your colour choice, I went with gold)
-embroidery thread
-paper clip (optional)

Step 1:
Take your embroidery string and remove the little paper pieces. You want to find an end and cut off two pieces of string about 5 inches long. The length of the one string will depend on how far you want the tassel to fall. Try to do this without unravelling the wound string.

Step 2:
Once you have cut the pieces you need, take the string and without unravelling it, create a circle so that it looks as if you have wound the string around your hands. Once you have made the circle, take the piece of string you want for the handle of the tassel. Put the two loose ends together and knot them. Take the knotted end and put it through the circle. Take the loop end of your knotted string and loop it through the knotted end. Pull tightly and your handle of the tassel should be secure.

Step 3:
Take the other piece of string and tie it around the circle of string (See picture). Cut off the excess pieces. Then cut the bottom of the circle. You may need to trim it so that it is all even.

Step 4:
Once you have completed the trimming, take your thin wire and cut a piece off. Carefully, wrap the wire around the place where you tied that second string. This is to hide that string. It is also optional.

Step 5 (Optional):
If you are attaching this to a paper clip, just take your paper clip and take the string that is the handle of the tassel. Slide the loop of the string around the paper clip until you get it to where you feel it is secure.

That's it!!! You have made your very own tassel accessory. I have actually made a bunch of these. I made them for each of my different sketchbooks and I made one for the planner I am currently using. I hope that you enjoyed this little tutorial. If you decide to make this, be sure to leave me a comment below letting me know so I can go and check it out! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

DIY Harry Potter Ipad Mini case {Picture to come}

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all are enjoying this wonderful Monday! The weather here in Ottawa was lovely, hence why I am posting late this evening instead of towards the beginning of the day. Today, I am bringing you a little project I found posted on Pinterest. It is a felt Harry Potter Ipad cover. Now, the post I found on Pinterest was a link to an Etsy store. Money is a tad tight right now and so instead of ordering one from this Etsy store, I decided I could probably make my own. It was way cheaper than the price I had found at the Etsy store... but it is fairly time-consuming and not a project that kids could do by themselves. With that said, let's talk about what you will need!

Things You Need:
-scissors
-sewing kit
-hot glue
-hot glue gun
-felt in white (2), black, red and yellow
-paper
-pencil

Step 1:
Start by measuring how big the white felt needs to be in order for the iPad to fit inside. I made mine a bit bigger as I don't like when it is too snug.

Step 2:
Cut the white felt. Take your sewing kit and using the white thread and a needle, sew the the edges of the felt together.

Step 3:
Next, take your piece of paper and pencil and make stencils for the eyeglasses and the hair. I found these two to be the hardest. You could probably print out templates if you wanted to spend the time searching for some.

Step 4:
Once you have the stencils made, pin them to the black felt and carefully cut along the edges of the templates. Set aside.

Step 5:
Take your red felt and cut out three squares and a lightening bolt shape. The squares will be a part of his scarf.

Step 6:
Take the yellow felt and cut a strip the same width as the red squares you cut moments ago. Make sure it is the same length as the bottom of the white felt.

Step 7:
Plug your glue gun in. Once hot, carefully glue each piece of felt onto to the white felt. I found that if you leave your iPad inside the white case you made it was easier to do. Or stick a piece of cardboard in it if you are worried about your iPad. Make sure to use a fair amount of glue. You don't want anything coming off.

Once you have finished gluing, you are done! Wasn't that a fun project? I had so much fun making my little case for my iPad mini. It turned out so cute. If any of you decide to make this little DIY, be sure to leave me a comment below telling me about it. You can also leave me a picture or a link to your own posts so I can go and see them. Again, I hope you enjoyed! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

Planner Decor on a Budget: DIY Journal Card Inserts! {Late Post}

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all are enjoying your Friday. I am actually writing this from my bed on Thursday evening. I have been laid up in bed since Tuesday with some sort of flu or cold. It has sucked. Anyway, I thought I would bring you another post about some of the journaling decor I've made. Today, I'm going to show you how simple it is to make a journaling card that can be inserted into a spiral ring planner. All you need is a few supplies and a bit of patience! Let's get started!

Things You Need:
-hole punch
-journal card
-marker
-clear page flag (post-it)
-scissors

Step 1

Step 1:
Take the Post-It page flag and stick it to the back of the journal card. Make sure it is straight and lined up.

Step 2

Step 2:
Place it near the spiral rings to mark where you will be placing it. Once you are satisfied with the placement and it's not going to stick or get caught, mark the spiral rings on the page flag. Make the marks in the middle of the page flag.

Step 3

Step 3:
Take your hole puncher and put the marks you made with the marker in the middle of the circle. Punch out each mark you made. You may have to take the scissors and snip the last little bit off. I found that my hole punch couldn't cut through the page flag properly.

Step 4

Step 4:
Once you have punched all the holes, take the scissors and snip the little piece of page flag near the edge so you can push each ring into the hole. Insert it into your planner and Voila!!!! You have just made your own journal card insert.







There you have it! A simple and affordable way to insert journaling cards into your spiral planner. I hope that you enjoyed this little tutorial. I love making these little inserts with journaling cards I have lying around. Let me know in the comments below what other kind of planner DIYs you would like to see in the future! Until next time, Happy Planner Decorating!

How To Make A Menu Board That Is Affordable!!!

Hi Everyone! 

So I am writing this from my bed. I am currently not feeling very well but I'm trying to keep to my schedule so this is my attempt. So tonight, I am bringing you a Menu Board DIY. This is something that has really helped Jesse and I stay organized when grocery shopping and for planning meals. It's really easy and doesn't take a lot of time. It is actually not too expensive, even less so if you have all the items you need already. Let's get into it! 

Things You Need:
-scissors
-dry erase board
-washi tape
-chalkboard labels 
-chalkboard marker
-alphabet stickers

Step 1:
Take your dry erase board and your washi tape and start deciding where you want to put everything. I had a 8 spots for the days of the week (A place to write 'What's for Dinner?' and then a space for each Day of the Week). On the right side, I had a Notes Section and a Grocery List space. 

Step 2:
Cut strips of washi tape and place them on the dry erase board. The good thing about using washi tape is that it is easy to remove and re-place. You can move it multiple times and it will stick. Place washi tape until you have completed the template for your menu board.


Step 3:
Next, take your chalkboard labels and label the different areas (ie. Notes, Grocery List, Days of the Week). I also used some chalkboard labels to decorate the Days of the Week. 

Step 4:
Next take your chalkboard marker and write in what each section is. You can use the chalkboard marker to mark each day of the week or you can use some alphabet stickers like I did. I used black alphabet stickers so they don't show up in the pictures, but you can use whatever. Make it your own! 

And that's it! Your very own menu board! Like I said it can be pretty cheap if you already have the stuff. If not, be careful about spending too much. You don't want it to become an expensive project! I hope that you enjoyed this project tutorial! Be sure to leave me comments, pictures or links to your posts if you decide to tackle this project! I'd love to see what you all come up with. Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

Spring Thaw with Brittany: DIY Easter Banner

Hi Everyone!

So I'm back today with another Easter DIY decor post. Today, we will be making a simple and affordable Easter banner. You won't need very many supplies and it isn't very time consuming. Let's get started!!!!

Things You Need:
-scissor (or a paper slicer)
-card stock
-printer (with colour ink)
-ribbon
-computer
-hole punch

Step 1:
So the first step will be to google printable banner ideas for easter. I actually found this one on Pinterest and the template was free to download. Once you have found one you like, save it to your computer.

Step 2:
Print it out. Then taking your scissors or paper slicer, cut each banner piece out. Once you have cut them out, take your hole punch and punch two holes at the top of each banner piece. NOTE: Be careful to not punch them too close to the edge. You don't want it to rip apart.

Step 3:
Once you have punch out the holes, take your ribbon and thread it through the holes until all of your banner pieces are on the ribbon. Knot each end so the banner won't come off.

And that's it! You have a simple and really cute Easter banner. You can hang it wherever you like. I hung mine above my TV with some white lights (To see this, be sure to come back from time to time to see my Spring/Easter Decor in the next week)! If you attempt to do this DIY, be sure to let me know in the comments below. You can leave me a pic or send me a link to your own posts. I love checking it out! Until next time, Happy Easter!

Spring Thaw with Brittany: DIY Glitter Easter Egg Picks for Flower Arrangements!

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Monday afternoon! I'm back with another post for those who are getting into Easter decorating. This is a simple and affordable project. It is also not all that time-comsuming. The most time spent is waiting for things to dry. Today, we will be making our own glitter eggs for flower or plant arrangements. I couldn't find any I liked in the Dollar Store so I figured I would make my own. Let's get into it!

Things You Need:
-scissors
-skewer sticks
-plastic eggs
-fine glitter
-white glue
-paint brush
-clear sealant spray (you can also use hairspray if you don't have sealant spray)

Step 1:
Cut the skewer sticks in half. I made 8 eggs so you will need four skewer sticks.

Step 2:
Stick the skewer stick into the hole at the bottom of the egg. Push it through to the whole in the top. Try to get it in the top hole but not so far that it sticks out noticeably.

Step 3:
Take your paintbrush and white school glue and cover the egg. Be sure to apply a generous amount (Because of the plastic the glue will separate and so not all of it will be covered in glitter).

Step 4:
Take the glitter and pour it all over the egg. Be sure to be turning the egg to get all of it covered. Put it aside. Repeat the last four steps with all your eggs.

Step 5:
Once you have completely glittered all the eggs, take your sealant (or hairspray) and coat it with a thin layer. Be sure to get all areas of the egg. Set aside and let them dry.

And there you have it! You have lovely glitter eggs to put in your flower or plant arrangements. You could hot glue little loops of string on them and hang them on your mantle from a string as well. You can really do a lot with these little guys. Well, I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you tackled this project by leaving me comments, pictures or links to your posts in the comments box below. I love hearing from you guys! Until next time, Happy Easter! xoxo

Spring Thaw with Brittany: DIY Easter/ Spring Wreath!

Hey Everyone!

So I'm back with another DIY post and with Spring having just arrived and Easter coming up fast, I figured I would start writing about some Easter and Spring DIYs.

This DIY will be an Easter/ Spring Wreath and is a pretty time consuming project. It has taken my awhile to finish and I've changed it and added to it because I wasn't happy with it. With that, let's talk about the things you will need for this project!

Things You Need:
-some sort of wreath (I used a gold ring that was similar in diameter to other door wreaths)
-scissors
-pencil
-chalk marker
-mini burlap banner pieces
-glitter foam sheet
-tulle in your preferred colour
-flower clips
-bird clip (optional)
-chalkboard clothes pin
-yarn or ribbon
-mini clothes pins
-butterfly clip (optional)
-velcro stickers
-fabric marker

Step 1:
Take your tulle and cut it to the size you want. Remember that you will be folding it in half and attaching it to the gold ring so make sure you double it when you figure out the length. I think I made mine about 3 inches (so 6 inches doubled). Cut about 50-100 pieces. It will depend on how big your gold ring is.

Step 2:
Take each piece of tulle and fold it in half, making a loop on the one side. Wrap it around the ring and pull the loose ends through the loop. Pull it tight to make sure it is secure to the ring. Do this until the entire ring is full and covered.

Step 3:
Once you are finished putting the tulle on, take your glitter foam and cut a bunny out of it. If you aren't so great at free-handing animals, you can always go on Google and search 'bunny silhouettes' like I did. If you do this option, trace it out on the back of the foam sheet and then cut it out. After you have cut it out, take some of the velcro stickers and put one on the back of the foam bunny and the other on the tulle where you want the bunny to sit.

Step 4:
Next, take all your flower clips (and your birds and butterflies if you opted for these clips as well) and arrange them on the wreath by clipping them on the tulle. I found you have to attach the clips to one or two pieces of tulle to make it more sturdy.

Step 5:
Next, take your chalkboard clothespin sign and your chalkboard marker and write 'Happy' on it. If you aren't good in the calligraphy area, you can always print something out or use alphabet stickers instead. Clip it to the wreath (make sure you figure out where you want to place the sign first, so that you write on the sign right side up!)

Step 6:
Finally, take the little burlap banner pieces and take a fabric marker and write the letter to spell out "Easter" on each of the pieces. Let it set for a few minutes. Then take the string and run it through the holes in each banner piece. Once everything is strung through, take your mini clothespins and attach either end to the wreath.

That's it! You have completed your very own Easter Wreath. What I like about this wreath is that I can take things off and use it again for another season or holiday. I used the wreath for St. Patrick's Day and just took everything off, packed it away and started from a (nearly) clean slate. Like I said, this wreath was rather time consuming, but is definitely more affordable than those wreaths you can find at places like Michaels. If any of you decide to make an Easter wreath, be sure to leave me a picture or a link to your own posts down below in the comments. I would love to see what you come up with! Until next time, Happy Easter! xoxo

St. Paddy's Day with Brittany: DIY Wreath for the Front Door.

Hello Everyone! 

Hope you all are having a fabulous St. Paddy's Day. I'm bringing you my last DIY post having to do with this Irish Celebration. This one is fairly simple and fairly cheap to do. It probably took me, like, an hour tops! Let's get started!!!

Things You Need:
-scissors
-velcro circles
-tulle
-metal ring
-foam shamrock 
-wire garland

Step 1:
Decide how long you want your tulle to extend out. Cut a lot of strips of tulle. I'm not sure how many I cut... I would say something like 50-75 strips. 

Step 2:
Once you have the strips cut, start tying them onto the metal ring. To do this, you need to fold the strip of tulle in half, forming a loop. With the strip still folded in half, put it around the metal wire. Then slip the two ends of the tulle through that loop that you made. Pull it tightly!

Step 3:
Next, do Step 2 until the entire metal ring has been covered. Once you have finished, fluff it out if it needs it. Place one side of the velcro on the tulle and press it down firmly. Press the other piece of the velcro pair to your foam shamrock. Place the foam shamrock on the wreath (I did this so I could reuse the wreath for Easter/Spring). 

Step 4:
Finally, take the wire garland and cut off a strip of it. Wrap one end around one side of the wire ring and then take the other end and do the same on the opposite end. Once it is secure, you are finished. One thing I will mention is to make sure you don't secure the garland too securely, if you are going to repurpose this into a Spring/Easter wreath! 

And that is how you make this simple and cute St. Patrick's Day Wreath! Wasn't that easy? I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial. If you make this yourself, be sure to leave me pictures or links so I can see your creativity! Until next time, Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! xoxo

St. Paddy's Day with Brittany: DIY "Lucky" Banner

Hi Everyone!

Wow! Can you believe St. Patrick's Day is nearly here?!?!?! I sure can't! In the spirit of the month and the awesome holiday of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would bring to you a DIY to help you, if you were thinking about decorating your house for the occasion. You will need to have some time to kill because it is a tad time-consuming. It is a fairly inexpensive project and it turned out really good!
Shall we get started?

Things You Need:
-scissors
-green card stock
-ribbon
-foam 4 leaf clovers
-alphabet stickers
-glue gun
-glue gun sticks
-hole puncher
-ruler
-pencil

Step 1:
Take your green card stock and divide it into four equal rectangles. Do this with the second piece of card stock as well. Cut out each rectangle.  You want to end up with 7 rectangles.

 Step 2:
Once the rectangles are all cut out, take a hole puncher and punch two holes in each rectangle. If you want, you can cut a triangle shape out of the bottom of the rectangle cards. This will change it to look more like a banner. To do this, I folded one of the cards in half, lengthwise, and cut on an angle starting at the outer corners. Unfold that first card and then use it to cut the rest of the cards by placing it on top of each of the other cards.







Step 3:
Plug in your glue gun. Once it is ready, start gluing your foam four-leaf clovers onto the card stock. Let them dry.

Step 4:
Once the foam four leaf clovers are all glued on the card stock, start putting the alphabet stickers on five of the four leaf clovers. I spelled the word LUCKY. I found these stickers weren't great for sticking on foam so I actually hot glued them onto the foam.
Using the ribbon you have chosen, string it through the holes you punched out earlier. Be sure to space them evenly apart.

And there you have it! You have made your very own St. Patrick's Day banner. I hope that you all enjoyed this post! If you decide to make a banner, be sure to leave me pictures or the link to your post in the comments below. I will be sure to check them out! Until next time, Happy St. Patrick's Day! xoxo

Crafting with Brittany: DIY Blanket Ladder

Hi Everyone! 

Hope you all are doing well today! Today I have an exciting DIY project for you. I am super excited to share this with you. I found it a month ago when I was browsing through Pinterest and having received a few throw blankets for Christmas this year. I also own a few already and they are really taking up a lot of valuable storage space in my linen closet. So why not display them in my living room? On a blanket ladder? So let's get into it shall we?

Things You Need:
-2x4 pieces of wood [x2] (I actually used long stakes for mine. It really is up to you and how thin or thick you would like it to be). 
-2x4 pieces of wood [x1-2] (These are to make the rungs of your ladder. I made six rungs but only needed 5 of them).
-wood screws
-power drill
-sand paper
-sander (if you have one).
-paint or stain (I used Miniwax PolyShades in Classic Black Satin)
-paintbrush
-saw
-pencil 


Step 1:
Take your pieces of wood and take the sander (or sandpaper) and sand down each piece. Make sure it is smooth. You don't want to get any slivers during the making of this beautiful home decor piece. 

Step 2:
Once everything is sanded, set aside the two pieces you are going to use as the rails. Then take the other one or two pieces of wood and measure how long you want each rung to be. This will depend on how wide or narrow you want the ladder to be. 

Step 3:
Once you have measured out and marked how long you want each rung, take your saw and cut on the lines. Once you have cut everything, sand the edges to smooth them out.

Step 4:
Next, take the two rails you set aside and mark where you want the rungs to be on the rails. 

Step 5:
Take your drill, the screws and the rungs and start to screw the first rung in. Repeat this step until all the rungs are screwed in on both sides. Once I finished this, I noticed the ladder was a bit too tall so I had my husband saw off a small portion of the bottom of each rail. 

Step 6:
Next, take your stain and do the first coat of stain (or paint). Let that dry and then do another coat if needed. Let the second coat dry. If you are happy with it, and once it is dry, you can start placing your throw blankets on it. (NOTE: I actually had to do four coats on stain for it to be almost opaque black). 

So that's how to make your very own blanket ladder. It is pretty time consuming but definitely worth it. I love how mine turned out! It looks so good in my living room and definitely helps in de-cluttering with the living room and the linen closet. I hope you enjoyed this post. Leave me pictures or a link to your blog post or video for me to check out! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

Planner Decor on a Budget: Personalized binder clips!

Hi Everyone!

I am back again today with another planner decor DIY! I have been really getting into decorating my planner and finding new ways to do so on a budget. Today, I am going to show you how to make some regular, old binder clips go from blah to gorgeous! The best part is, is that it is cheap and affordable and not very time consuming. Let's get started, shall we?

Things You Need:
-Washi Tape
-Scissors
-Binder Clips (you can buy these cheaply at places like Walmart)


Step 1:
Cut a small piece of washi tape, a bit bigger than the length of the binder clip. Carefully, place it on one side of the binder clip. Press it down so that it has stuck to the binder clip.

Step 2:
Where the excess tape curves, cut a slit along that fold towards the edge of the binder clip. When finished, you want to have to separate pieces that are still attached to the part that is stuck on the binder clip.

Step 3:
Carefully, tuck one of those pieces into the inside of the binder clip. Use your scissors to carefully press down on the washi tape to make sure it sticks. Do the same thing with the other piece.

Step 4:
Repeat the above steps for the other side of the binder clip.

There you have it! Wasn't that so simple. Be sure to use Washi tape. It sticks the best and steer clear of Glitter washi tape. It won't stick very well to the other side of the binder clip. I hope that you enjoyed this post! Be sure to leave me a comment in the comment section below. If you do this project, be sure to send pics or leave the link to your own blog or video post in the comments below. I definitely want to see what you guys created! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

Planner Decor on a Budget: DIY Page Flags

Hi Everyone! 

So I'm back with a cool and easy DIY project for those who have become obsessed like I have with decorating your planners! Sometimes, planner supplies can be pricey but if you have some spare ribbon and some paper clips you can make your very own page flags! Even if you don't have these two things, you can find these things fairly cheaply at places like Dollar Tree and Walmart. Let's get started! 

Things You Need:

-paper clips

-ribbon

-scissors

-lighter

Step 1:

Take your ribbon and cut no more than 10 cm of ribbon.

Step 2:

Fold the ribbon in half. The loop you created on the one end goes through the loop the paper clip has. 

Step 3:

Pull the ribbon loop out far enough that you can pull the two loose ribbon ends through the ribbon loop. Pull tightly. Your piece of ribbon should now be attached to the end of the paper clip. 

Step 4:

Cut the ribbon to the length you desire. Then take the lighter and carefully hold it near the loose ends so that they ends melt a tad. This will stop the ribbon from unravelling over time. 

That is it! You are done! Wasn't that so simple? I plan on doing a variety of these little DIY planner decor posts so be sure to come back and see if there is anything new. I hope you enjoyed this post! If you attempt this yourself, be sure to send me a pic of your creation or the link to the post you did on it! I really enjoy hearing from you all! Well, that's it for now! Until next time, Happy DIY-ing! xoxox

Travel with Brittany: Passport Cover DIY

Hi Everyone! 

How are you? I hope you all are doing well! I am back with the first of a DIY Travel segment I would like to do. Today, I'm going to show you how to make your very own Passport cover. 

After a month of searching for one, I still hadn't found one I liked besides one that had to be ordered and wouldn't arrive to my apartment on time. Then, while I was in Walmart with a friend one evening, I found Duct Tape that was Paris themed and that I actually really liked. So I bought the duct tape. A couple days later, the idea to make a Passport Cover hit me. I had made a wallet out of duct tape, so why couldn't I make a passport cover as well? I needed one as I was going to Cancun, so I figured, let's try to! 

What You Need:
-duct tape
-scissors
-black duct tape or electrical tape

Step 1:
Cut three pieces of duct tape and lie them sticky side up on a flat surface. Take one of the pieces and lie it sticky side up overlapping the first piece. Do this with the third piece as well. 

Step 2:
Cut three more pieces and place them on top of the three overlapped pieces, sticky side facing down. Be sure to overlap the second piece to the first piece and the third to the second piece. You should have a double sided sheet laying on the flat surface. 

Step 3:
Next, take a piece of duct tape and fold it in half, putting the sticky sides together.Cut it so that it fits to the edges of each side of the sheet that you made. 

Step 4: 
Take the pieces you just made for either end of the sheet and use the electrical (or duct tape) tape to seal off the edges. Only do this to the edges that will face the middle of the passport holder. Once those have been taped, place them so that they cover the two sides of the inside of the passport holder. Then tape the outside edges. Do the width sides first (shorter length) and then tape the length sides.  Be sure that your passport will be able to be placed inside the two little pockets you have made. [NOTE: you may want to not tape one edge to the sheet of duct tape. If you leave it untaped, you will have an easier time slipping the passport in and out of the holder]. 

When finished, your passport holder will look like this (see picture to the right). It may take a couple tries to get it right but it can be done. It's fairly easy compared to making a wallet. Now all you need to do is slip your passport in it. I found it incredibly easy to spot my passport in my purse while in the airport. 

I hope that you guys enjoyed this first travel DIY. I'm hoping to be posting a few more as I continue travelling. Be sure to post pictures in the comments if you do attempt this project... or leave me the links to your own posts of this project. Until next time, Happy Travelling! xoxo

Valentine's Day with Brittany: DIY Gift Ideas for Him!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all are doing well on this wonderful Friday evening. Currently, I am sitting in my mom's living room waiting for my sister to get off work..... Impromtu visit home for the weekend. So while I am waiting, I thought I would get some writing done. So here I am with my final DIY Valentine's Day post. Today, I'm writing about a couple of DIYs that you can make your special guy for Valentine's Day or for another special occasion. Let's get started with the first one!

Things You Need:
-piece of wood
-3/4" Finishing nails
-embroidery floss (the colours are you choice)
-hammer
-stickers or markers (optional)

Step 1:
Remove the sticker from the piece of wood if need be. I bought my piece of wood at Walmart and there was a massive sticker on the front. After you have removed it, sand it with a light grit sand paper (if you feel this is necessary).

Step 2:
Print out a template of the shape you are using. For example, I printed a map  of my husband and mine's hometown area. Other versions I have seen have used States or provinces. Be sure to make the area that means something to the both of you... or to him. Once you have printed it out, cut it out. Then tape it down to the piece of wood.

Step 3:
Once the map is securely taped down,  start taking the finishing nails and hammer them about half way into the wood (You want enough to stick out so that you will be able to wrap the string around it). Make sure to space them about 1cm apart. Do this until you have outlined the entire outside of the shape you have used. If you are doing something similar to what I did, take some nails and make the shape of a heart around the spot that means something to you.

Step 4:
Next, carefully peel the map or shape template off the piece of wood. The nails should not move. Once your template has been removed, take the one end of your embroidery string and tie it to a nail. Then bring it down to the heart and loop it around one of those nails. Bring it back up to the next nail and repeat until every nail has been covered. [NOTE: Depending on how big your heart is, you may need to put multiple loops on the heart nails so that each border nail has an anchor to the heart]. Once you get to the last nail, you can tie off the string and cut any tails off.

Step 5 (Optional):
If you want, you can put a saying using marker or stickers some place on the board. For me, I put "Where We Began..." because the template I used was the area where my husband and I met. It is also both of our hometowns. I had some kraft paper alphabet stickers that were the perfect size, that I bought at Dollar Tree.

And that's it! You have completed your first little DIY present. This one can be time consuming, so be sure to put aside some time to do it. If you work at this and don't stop until it is done, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours. It was a budget friendly project and it turned out great!

The next project is another time consuming project, but doesn't require you to hammer nails into a piece of wood. This is also a gift that the both of you can enjoy and you can have fun planning a bunch of date ideas for the next 12 months.

Things You Need:
- 12 envelopes
- 12 rectangular pieces of cardstock
- markers
- stickers
- Washi Tape
- Baker's Twine
- 8.5x11" piece of cardstock
- ruler
- scissors

Step 1:
Get or make 12 rectangular pieces of cardstock. They need to be able to fit inside the 12 envelopes you have chosen to use. Outline each of the 12 pieces of cardstock with a red sharpie marker.

Step 2:
About a half inch to an inch down from the top outline, draw a line with the red sharpie 3/4 of the way across the cardstock. Next to this line put a sticker or other decoration. Write the month above the red line you just drew, in black Sharpie. Repeat this for all the 12 pieces of cardstock until you have completed one for every month.

Step 3:
Next, using the black Sharpie, write out the plan for each date. If you plan on giving a lot of information, try to use a fine tip Sharpie ( or write it smaller than I did). Stick them into envelopes.

Step 4:
Use the washi tape to decorate the front of the envelopes. I kept it simple by just using one type of washi tape for each envelope and using the same one to seal the back part of the envelope. Repeat this for each envelope. Once the envelopes are decorated and sealed, tie them together using the Baker's Twine. Make sure to keep them in order so your special someone doesn't open the wrong envelope and the date for that month is spoiled.

Step 5:
Next, take the full sheet of cardstock and outline it in red Sharpie. Then take some washi tape and put it in the top two corners to make it look like the washi tape is what is holding the paper there. In black sharpie, write your own message or use the one I used: To Show That I Love You, Throughout All The Year, I've Made Up Some Date Nights, To Send You Good Cheer! Some May Be Big, And Some May Be Small, But The Time Spent Together, Is The Point Of It All! Lots of Love, Your name here. Then underneath where you signed your name, but a piece of washi tape almost all the way across (from red line to red line) and then put a sticker on top of the red line.


And that's it! That's all there is to it! This one is definitely easier than the other one. I had all these supplies on hand already so it was definitely cheaper than the first DIY. With these two DIY gift ideas, you can definitely tweak them to make them unique. I hope that you all enjoyed reading about these two gift ideas. If you make either of them, be sure to leave me a link to see your blog post about it or leave me pictures in the comments section. I really do enjoy hearing from you all! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo

Valentine's Day with Brittany: DIY Valentine's Day Cards

Hi Everyone!

My Valentine's Day card I made from a Pin I found

So I'm back today with another Valentine's Day with Brittany DIY! This one is a little more time - consuming but is simple enough to make. Just make sure you set aside some time to do this little project. I'm really happy with how these turned out, especially considering I haven't had much luck making my own cards in the past! Let's get started!

Thing You Need:
-card stock
-supplies to decorate the cards with (ie. scrapbook paper, string, buttons, stamps, glitter etc)
-glue
-double-sided tape
-foam tape squares
-markers

Step 1:
Come up with a design for the front of your card. Great places to look are Pinterest and Google. I found a few cute yet simple designs I liked on Pinterest. You can also come up with your own if you are creative and have the time to design it.

Step 2:
Gather all supplies for your card. Once you have everything you need, you can begin to start making it.

Step 3:
This step will depend on what your design is like. For example, the card in the picture above required me to first find a picture of a puzzle piece. Then I had to trace and cut it out of my paper.

Step 4:
After that I chose my card stock and/or scrapbook paper and traced and cut out three different puzzle pieces. Once cut out, I lined them in black marker to make them pop.

Step 5:
Next, I laid them out on the card and figured out how I wanted them arranged. I then took double sided foam squares and attached them to the back of the puzzle pieces. I, then, attached the other side to the card in the layout I wanted.

Step 6:
Finally, I took my marker and wrote a little saying on the front. Because I did puzzle pieces, I wrote 'Love you to pieces' on the front. I left the inside blank so I can write a more personal message.

So that's it for this specific card. I did make a few others but I don't have pictures of them. If you are finding one on Pinterest, there is usually a link to tell you how to make it and what you will need for it! If you are doing one on your own, you can do whatever you like. Make it your own, even with the ones you find on Pinterest. Get creative with it! I hope you enjoyed this post. I thought it would be a great thing to post about seeing as there seems to be greeting cards for everything nowadays and greeting cards are so expensive. Be sure to leave me comments and pictures! I would love to see them and hear from you all! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xo

Valentine's Day with Brittany: Glitter Heart Canvas

Hi Everyone!

So I'm back and I'm kicking off my Valentine's day segment with this really easy and really affordable DIY for your home. It's a simple way to add a touch of Valentine's Day to your home that is subtle and looks great! All you need is a few things. This is stuff that you can find around your home or that you can get at the dollar store. Let's get started!

Things You Need:
-canvas (size doesn't matter - it's up to you!)
-paintbrush
-white paint
-pencil
-glitter in the colour of your choice (I went with red)
-white glue
-newspaper (or some sort of paper to help keep the glitter in check)
-a heart shape to trace (or you can draw one freehand if you are good at drawing hearts)
-sealer spray

Step 1:
The first thing you need to do is to prep your canvas. To do this, take your white paint and paint brush and just coat the canvas in a layer of the white paint. Put the canvas aside to dry.

Step 2:
While you are waiting, you can make your heart stencil. Just take a regular piece of paper. Fold it in half and then make half a heart shape. The two points need to meet the folded edge. Cut along the line you drew and unfold your heart. You can cut it more if you need to fix it.

Step 3:
Once your canvas is dry, take your heart stencil and place it on the canvas. If you need to, lightly put some tape on the back side of the stencil so it won't move around on you. Then lightly, trace around the heart shape. Once complete, take the stencil off the canvas carefully.

Step 4:
Now, take your clean paintbrush and your glue. Put about a quarter sized amount in the middle of your heart (the amount will depend on the size of your heart). Spread it around evenly, making sure to put glue on top of your pencil lines so they won't show. Be a little generous with the glue. If you put too little on, the glitter will not stick properly.

Step 5:
Once you have all the glue spread out evenly, take your glitter and shake a generous amount in the middle of the glue. (Do not worry - you won't be wasting it. You can dump it on a paper and put the excess back in the container afterwards). Carefully, spread the glitter around making sure that all the parts with glue are covered. (The easiest way I found to do this was to beat the bottom of the canvas gently, making the glitter jump around).

Step 6:
Once all the glue area is covered, dump the rest of the glitter onto a piece of paper and tap the backside of the canvas to get any loose glitter off. Then set the canvas aside to dry (This is where you can take the piece of paper and pour the excess back into the container).

Step 7:
Once the canvas has dried, take your sealer spray and spray the front of the glitter. This will lock in the glitter so that none can fall off and get all over the place. You may have some fall off but it won't be nearly as much as it would be if you didn't spray it. Set it aside to dry.

Once it has dried, you are now ready to use it to decorate your home! I hope that you enjoyed this little tutorial. Like I said, it is quick and easy and can be personalized to the individual. You don't have to do hearts. It is totally up to you! Until next time, Happy Crafting! xoxo