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New “Live for Today” Quote Print Available

March 28, 2012 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I am really getting into making quote prints. They are so simple yet so impactful. It’s such an easy and affordable way to liven up a room. All you have to do is print and frame!

Last weekend I was shopping with my mom at Marshall’s and I saw the quote above stenciled on a piece of wood. I took a picture of it on my phone so I could remember it and use it on a project of my own. Here is a picture of the framed print on my dining room buffet.

Now I’m on the hunt for more quotes! I’m also taking orders in my Etsy shop if you have a quote or lyrics that you would like to display with a custom print. I can match any home decor color scheme so don’t hesitate to send your requests my way.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Tutorials, Home Decorating

Home Decor Trends: Yellow & Gray

March 26, 2012 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

The yellow and gray color combo is a super hot trend in home decor right now so I wasn’t surprised when I received a special order for a printable art quote print using those colors. One of my lovely Etsy clients ordered one of my monogram prints in that color scheme and wanted me to create a matching art print using the quote she provided. Here is a sneak peek at that print.

This would be the perfect addition to any family room, master bedroom or nursery decorated with those colors. I can envision it displayed next to wedding photographs or family snapshots. This new print is now available in my Etsy shop and can be customized to match any color scheme if you haven’t jumped on the yellow and gray bandwagon. For those of you that love the yellow and gray combo but haven’t dived in yet, here are some inspirations to get you started.

Filed Under: Etsy Showcase, Home Decorating, Nursery Decor Tagged With: bedroom, create & celebrate, decor, decorating ideas, diy, etsy, family room, family room art, gray, grey, master bedroom, printable art, quote print, yellow

Playroom Project Almost Complete

March 26, 2012 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I have been working on creating a playroom in the lower level of our home for nearly a year now and I am happy to say that the project is nearing completion. The project was put on the back burner when I had my second child last January. I had my hands full with two kids under the age of 2! Now that things have settled down a bit I had the extra time to get this project finished.

The playroom is adjacent to our family room so I wanted it to coordinate with the colors and furniture of that room while keeping it fun and playful for the kids. I really love how it turned out and my kids seem to love it too! I still have to paint the existing trim and closet doors (totally hate that golden oak from the late 80′s) but it is a 100% improvement from the existing space as you can see in the before and after photos below.

Playroom After

Playroom Before

I put together this inspiration board as a starting point to bring all of the furniture, art and accessories together before I purchased them. We ended up going with maple shelving instead of the white shelves that were pictured in the inspiration board only because the white ones were out of stock when we went to Ikea. The maple still looks nice but it doesn’t pop as much as the white would have. I guess I can always paint the lower half of the wall a tad darker to provide more contrast but for now it works.

Most of the decor is from Ikea or Target aside from the fabulous rug which I purchased from an online rug retailer. The rug was my big splurge for the room but I really think it ties everything together so it was totally worth the cost. I am also IN LOVE with the drapes that my mother-in-law made for the room. I purchased the fabric online from fabric.com for around $7.50 per yard.

Now that the playroom side is completed I have started working on the family room side. I will post before and after photos of that space when I am finished.

Filed Under: Home Decorating Tagged With: aqua, blue, chocolate, decorating ideas, fun, green, how to decorate your playroom, idea, ikea, ikea expedit, modern, play room, play room ideas, playful, playroom, playroom ideas, teal

Blue & Green Pinwheel Invitation

March 15, 2012 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I just completed a custom order for a blue and green version of my infamous pinwheel invitation. I am really digging this color combination so I thought it was worth sharing. This invitation could be paired with simple blue and green balloons and paper products along with some paper pinwheel centerpieces made from coordinating scrapbook paper. I’m envisioning some polka dots and stripes and maybe a chevron print. I might just have to host a pinwheel-themed playdate just so I can test this color scheme out! This new design is now available in my Etsy Shop for those interested.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

DIY Printable Family Room Artwork

March 14, 2012 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

We are in the process of redecorating the lower-level of our home which houses our play room, family room and a bathroom. We were in need of some budget-friendly artwork to spruce up the walls so I started searching on Pinterest for some project inspiration. After a little research, I decided I wanted to do a gallery wall of family photos and make some customized ”family” artwork to display.

My mother-in-law is making us new curtains out of this fabric so I pulled the colors out of the swatch and designed three different coordinating prints. The first is a simple monogram print that shows our family name and the date it was established (aka the date me and the hubby got hitched). The second is a list of important dates which includes each family members birth date and our wedding date. The last print is a modernized family tree which features birch trees and birdies which represent each family member. I printed them on my colored printer and framed them with some inexpensive frames that I picked up at Ikea.

I am now offering these printable family art prints in my Etsy shop. They can be customized with your family’s information and can be made to match your home’s decor.

Filed Under: Home Decorating

10 Hostess Gift Ideas Under $10

December 5, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

The holidays are upon us and that means holiday party season is in full gear. I have been invited to four holiday parties in December so I started gathering ideas for hostess gifts and put together this list of 10 hostess gifts under $10.

I like to stock up on these types of gifts and keep them in a tote so I don’t have to run out and buy one every time we are invited to a party. Planning ahead saves me time and money. The holidays are actually a great time to stock up on hostess gifts to use throughout the year because you can snag some great deals this time of year!

Wine, Champagne or Drink Mixes

A bottle of wine or bubbly is sure to please any hostess. Drink mixes and garnishes are also another option. You could pick up a an assortment of margarita mixes and some rimming salt or a bottle of bloody mary mix and a jar of gourmet olives.

Tarts and Tart Burner

Yankee Candle makes these great smelling wax tarts that can be burned in a tart burner. I love giving these as gifts but the tart burners can be quite spendy. My secret is to purchase the tarts at Yankee Candle ($1.99 each or less if on sale) and buy the tart burners at Dollar Tree ($1 each) and then wrap them together with cellophane and a bow! The dollar store also carries bags of tealight candles for $1. My favorite tart scents are Mandarin Cranberry, Fresh Mint and Fresh Cut Roses.

Hand Soap

You can pick up 3 of these fabulous hand soaps at Bath & Body Works for only $10. They come in a variety of delicious scents. A few of my favorite holiday soaps are Winter Candy Apple, Mistletoe Kiss and Sparkling Snow.

Reusable Coffee Mug or Tumbler & Gift Card

For the coffee lovers, pick up a reusable coffee mug or tumbler and put a $5 Starbuck’s or Caribou gift card inside. I have been able to find these types of mugs at Marshall’s and TJ Maxx for $2.99 – $4.99.

Spices or Marinades

If your hostess enjoys cooking you could gift a few of your favorite spices or marinades. Marshall’s and TJ Maxx are great stores where you can find gourmet cooking supplies on the cheap. For a personalized touch, include a note with one of your favorite recipes that uses the spices or marinades.

Cook Books

Cookbooks make for a great hostess gift. Cater the type of cook book to the type of party you are going to. If it’s a wine tasting party you could pick up a food and wine pairing book. If it’s a cocktail party, grab a drink recipe book. You get the idea. If you can score a good deal on a cook book, you might even have enough cash left over to throw in a cookbook holder.

Groupon Gift Card

Purchase a $10 Groupon gift card and let the hostess turn it into a $20 (or more ) gift of their choice!

Kitchen Gadgets

There are so many great kitchen gadgets out there that any kitchen-dweller would surely appreciate. A few of my favorites are the pineapple corer, mango slicer and garlic press.

Digital Gifts

There’s an app for everyone these days, including your hostess! Purchase a $10 iTunes gift card (for iPhone or iPad apps) or a $10 Amazon card (for Android apps) and suggest a few of your favorite apps. Does your hostess own a Kindle? If so, you could purchase an Amazon Kindle gift card so they can download a few eBooks. Be sure to include a copy of the latest ” best sellers” list!

Flowers and Wreaths

When in doubt, pick up a Poinsettia, holiday wreath or fresh-cut floral bouquet at Trader Joe’s. They always have a variety of festive options and many are $10 or less like this awesome wreath for only $9.99!

Filed Under: Budget Savvy Mamas Tagged With: affordable, affordable gift idea, affordable holiday gift, cheap, cheap hostess gift, diy, diy hostess gift, easy, gift, holiday gifts, hostess, hostess gift idea, idea, under $10

DIY Festive Holiday Candle Holder or Vase

December 2, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

Here is a super easy DIY holiday craft idea I found on Pinterest that found a new use for a few of the old vases I had sitting under the cupboard. All I had to do was wrap a few rubberbands around each vase and then spray them with red glitter spray paint! The result? Fabulously festive pillar candle holders! They literally took 5 minutes to make (plus drying time). I think I am going to pick up a clear coat spray paint to seal in the glitter so it doesn’t end up all over my house. That step wouldn’t be needed if you used a solid color rather than the glitter spray paint but I just couldn’t resist!

Used as a pillar candle holder

Used as a festive holiday vase

Supply List:

Old glass vases (these can be found at garage sales or thrift stores
Spray paint (glitter, metallic or basic colors)
Rubberbands

Directions:

Wrap rubberbands around each vase
Spray with spray paint and let the first coat dry
Spray a second time with spray paint and let that coat dry
Insert a pillar candle or add a couple fresh pine branches

Filed Under: DIY Craft Tutorials Tagged With: christmas, diy, diy Christmas decor, diy gifts, diy pinwheels, easy holiday crafts, holiday, holiday decorating, pinterest, rubberband vase, spray paint, vase

5-Photo Printable Christmas Card

December 1, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I have been getting a lot of requests asking for a printable Christmas card design that can display five photos so I just added a new card layout to my Etsy shop. I myself have a hard time narrowing down my photo selections so I can definitely understand the need for a layout that accommodates more photos!

All of my card designs can be customized to fit your needs so don’t hesitate to ask if you are looking for a different layout or color scheme. Just ask and you shall receive!

Photo Credit: Gruman Photography

Filed Under: Etsy Showcase Tagged With: 5 photo christmas card, bright, card, christmas, christmas card, custom, diy printable christmas card, etsy, holiday card, modern, photo card, printable

Cyber Monday Sale – 20% Discount in Create & Celebrate’s Etsy Shop

November 28, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

In honor of Cyber Monday, I am offering a 20% discount in my Etsy Shop all week long! Just enter the code CYBERSALE during checkout and you will receive 20% off your entire order. Create & Celebrate offers a wide variety of unique printable designs such as Christmas cards, invitations, birth announcements, party supplies and nursery artwork.

Filed Under: Etsy Showcase Tagged With: birth announcement, christmas photo card, create & celebrate, create and celebrate, cyber monday, discount code, diy christmas card, etsy, invitation, photo card, printable, sale

DIY Gift Idea – Personalized Marble Magnets

November 19, 2011 By Create & Celebrate 2 Comments

I kept seeing these marble magnets on Pinterest and thought they would make great gifts for my family and friends. I finally made it to Michael’s tonight to pick up the supplies and just finished my first batch. They turned out great and they are so easy to make!

Most of the tutorials I saw on Pinterest used scrapbook paper or magazine clippings but I decided to use the index page of miniature photos that came with my Shutterfly prints. I’ve kept all of these index pages because I knew I would find a use for them one day and I am so glad I didn’t toss them!

For supplies you will need some clear glue, circle magnets, clear flat marbles and a circle paper punch. The circle punch I bought was a 3/4 inch punch although you could just use scissors. The punch was only $3.99 so to me it was well worth it! The bag of marbles was $2.49, the magnets were $6.99 for a 50 ct package and the glue was $2.99.

Directions:

Punch out your photos with the 3/4 inch circle punch (or cut them with scissors)
Put a dab of glue onto the magnet
Place your photo onto the magnet
Put a dab of glue on top of the photo
Place your marble on top of the photo
The glue doesn’t dry immediately so you can adjust the marble and magnet as needed to line them up perfectly

I bought a bunch of decorative gift card tins for less than $1 each and a spool of ribbon for $1. Just place your magnets inside a tin and wrap them with a bow! It’s that easy!

Hopefully some of you can use this idea and make some fabulous magnets to give to your family and friends this holiday season!

Filed Under: DIY Craft Tutorials Tagged With: affordable holiday gift, cheap gift idea, christmas, diy, diy christmas gift ideas, diy craft ideas, diy magnets, gift, grandparent gift idea, magnet, marble, marble magnets, photo, photo craft, photo gift

Printable Christmas & Holiday Cards

November 10, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I have recently added several printable Christmas card designs to my Etsy shop just in time for the holiday season! The holiday cards are customized with your family’s photos and special greeting and are then sent to you via email for you to print as you wish. You control the quantity and quality of printing! You can print them on your home printer and enhance with cardstock borders or embellishments or send them to your local or online photofinishing center such as Target or Shutterfly and print them as photo prints. If you don’t have time to address and mail holiday cards this year, or if you just want to save some cash on printing and postage, consider sending the digital file to your friends and family via email or by posting it on your social media sites such as Facebook. The possibilities are endless! To purchase one of my printable Christmas card designs, visit my Etsy shop!

Filed Under: Etsy Showcase Tagged With: affordable christmas card, cheap christmas cards, digital christmas card, digital christmas cards, digital holiday cards, digital photo card, diy card, diy christmas card, diy photo christmas card, etsy, printable christmas cards, printable holiday card, unique

Printable Nursery Art

October 3, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I’ve been very busy this weekend creating a whole line of printable nursery art prints! It all started when I created a customized name print for my friend that just had a little boy named Blake. Because it was her second baby, she didn’t really need much in terms of baby gear so I decided to make a personalized gift to display in Blake’s nursery. After I designed the piece I printed it on my home printer and purchased a nice white frame from Target for $10. It turned out super cute and it was so simple and easy to make!

I am now selling a large selection of printable 8×10 nursery art prints in my Etsy shop. You can have unique, customized art for your baby’s nursery sent directly to your email for you to print immediately. These also make great gifts for new parents!

All of the prints pictured come in a large variety of other colors. I am also offering free color customization on all of my printable art prints so if you have a specific color in mind or if you want to match a nursery bedding set all you have to do is email me a photo and I will make sure it matches perfectly.

All of my printable nursery art prints are very affordable and range in price from $10 to $12. For a limited time I am offering 15% all printable nursery art or any other items in my Etsy shop. Just enter the code 15OFF4YOU at checkout.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Tutorials, Etsy Showcase, Home Decorating, Nursery Decor Tagged With: artwork, baby art prints, baby room, baby room art, baby shower gift ideas, creative nursery ideas, custom birth date art, custom name art, diy nursery art, diy nursery project ideas, modern nursery art, new baby gift, nursery ideas, printable nursery art, striped nursery art, toddler room

Now offering birth announcements on Etsy

September 29, 2011 By Create & Celebrate Leave a Comment

I’ve added a new line of simple and modern printable birth announcements to my Etsy shop. The great thing about purchasing a digital announcement is that you control the cost and quantity of printing. The announcements arrive as a JPG file that can easily be printed at your local or online photo finishing center, on your home printer or at your local print shop. If you want to save money on printing or postage, or perhaps a few trees, you also have the option to email the digital version of the announcement to friends and family. You can also post a copy of the announcement on your social networking sites such as Facebook!

Filed Under: Etsy Showcase Tagged With: affordable, baby boy, baby girl, birth announcements, blue, cute, digital birth announcements, diy birth announcement, easy, modern, pink, printable birth announcement, simple

How to earn Amazon gift cards and cash online!

April 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With two children under the age of two I am always looking for ways to save money on things like diapers and baby wipes. While I was home on maternity leave I started buying diapers on Amazon through its Amazon Mom program which offers 30% off baby products like diapers, wipes, nursing pads and breast milk storage bags. After doing some research I realized that there are a lot of ways to earn free Amazon gift cards online to use towards my baby product purchases. Below are my favorite money-making and gift-card-earning sites and my personal experiences with each so far.

Swagbucks

I mentioned Swagbucks in an earlier post and I am still really liking this site! As I previously mentioned, Swagbucks is an online portal where you can earn points, called Swagbucks, for searching the web, playing games, taking marketing surveys, answering polls and taking advantage of online deals. You can redeem the points for all sorts of prizes and gift cards including my favorite, Amazon gift cards!

I seem to have earned the most points by taking part in their trusted surveys and using the Swagbucks toolbar for my internet searches. I have only been active with Swagbucks since March 9^th and I have already cashed in enough of my Swagbucks for $35.00 worth of Amazon gift cards. That was enough to purchase two cases of Huggies diapers with my Amazon Mom Subscribe & Save membership.

To join or get more information on Swagbucks, visit their website here.

Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost is a research company that conducts online surveys for all sorts of organizations. After you sign up and fill out your demographic information you will receive email surveys about all kinds of products and services. Each survey is typically worth 10 – 50 opinion points which equals out to $1.00 – $5.00. You can cash in your points for pre-paid Visa gift cards, Amazon gift cards or you can get a check in the mail once you accumulate at least $20.00 worth of points. I have been a member for about 2.5 months and have cashed out $67.20 in checks and Amazon gift cards so far.

To join or to get more information about Opinion Outpost you can check out their website here.

Ebates

Ebates is a new site I am trying out that basically pays you cash back for your online shopping. If you initiate your online purchase from the Ebates site you can earn a percentage back which is between 1% and 50% or more. Ebates earns a commission from more than 1200 online retailers for referring business to them. It is free for consumers to join and you get a $5 bonus just for signing up. Once you earn a certain amount of “cash back” they transfer your money into your PayPal account or they can mail you a check. I wish I would’ve known about this sooner so I could have earned cash back for all of my online purchases over the past few months! I will have to give a further review once I have used it a little longer.

To start earning cash back on your purchases, visit the Ebates website here.