A plus of being crafty and creative is that I can make special treats for darling daughter to hand out at her upcoming TURNING 12 birthday party! This kiddo is absolutely amazing and over the years parties have been few and far between due to the job I had at the time. Thanks to unexpected events and a new career path, I am able to be more of the mom I would love to be and am able to spend more time crafting with darling daughter....and creating fantastic, memorable moments in her life. She is also a great test client who allows me to try to create new and hopefully wonderful things. This year she picked out little treat bags that can be used to hold party favors or given out as is. Each bag was made completely in house - and that makes me happy. Darling picked what was to be embroidered on each, the fabric color, the accent borders on those with them, and the color of Kam Snap closures she wants on each. We debated different sizes as we wanted the bag to be functional in one way o...

Over the summer a good friend invited darling and I to go to Island Art Party with her and her granddaughter. I instantly fell in love with acrylics and this opened up a whole new world of crafting fun with darling daughter. One thing about us is that we are never afraid to try something new and will always expand on what we learn. We also both have the passion to make everything around us a bit more colorful by adding personal touches. And with so much art supplies, we are always on the lookout for how to organize things. Darling is drawn to wood boxes and we selected a few that are the perfect size for little jewelry boxes or for organizing any small treasure of your liking. To make them more snazzy, we each selected a few and hand painted the box tops with acrylics in a image that spoke to us. Today I am featuring my Texas flag box . My inspiration was the wooden star I had painted white for another project but never used as something else seemed to fill the spot better. As I ...

There is a story behind every rosary I make. Every bead, centerpiece, and crucifix is selected based upon a central theme or idea. Today I want to share the story behind my blue and red glass bead single decade rosary . Most of my rosaries are constructed out of plastic beads mainly to keep them lighter in your hands when you pray but sometimes holding something with more weight to it can be soothing. Plus I believe there is a tactile element to praying the rosary. I often find myself massaging the beads between my fingers as I move along in prayer reflecting on Jesus' life. But did you know you can use the rosary for more than saying the rosary? The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is another beautiful prayer and you can join Drew Mariani in saying it daily on Relevant Radio . In fact, he is the one who helped me fall deeper in love with this prayer and this rosary is inspired by my love for this prayer. The blue and red symbolize the water and blood flowing from Jesus' pierce...

When you fill your house with things that have meaning, your house becomes a home. I truly believe this and I also firmly believe hand crafted items have a special story behind them. I also believe the nicks and dings in things build character. Hand made is not perfect in terms of machine perfect but it is a perfect gift and a perfect addition to your home. Crocheted throws are one thing I really do treasure. Besides always being someone who loves to cuddle, a throw is a not only comforting but functional. Some of my earliest memories are of my Grandma crocheting. She was always busy and the rolls of yarn mesmerized me almost as much as those tiny crafting scissors she often wore around her neck so they were always in reach. She always seemed perfectly content and gifted her creations to family....and I would like to imagine some special friends too. She had a perseverance and commitment I strive to achieve. Her throws were BIG. I am talking blanket size. I tend to make lap throw...

Tie dye can be messy business but it is fun. My daughter is the tie dye pro and over summer break, she talked me into giving this colorful adventure I try. I splurged on a tie dye kit, bought us some plain white tees, and was instantly hooked. She wisely advised us to protect our work area with plastic and we like to do our messy craft outdoors on the picnic table. Moms, this is a MESSY fun project! You can tie dye practically anything. Beyond the tees, I made myself tie dye handkerchiefs which I love to bring to mass when I get teary eyes and my daughter has tie dyed canvas shoes and a baby pad for her horse! Colorful Ladies Handkerchief - Dry your eyes in style! Let your creative mind be your guide! Tie Dye Baby Pad for Horses With that said, now my sweet gem will share her tie dye tips for you. Tie Dye Tips: Wear gloves and clothes you don't mind getting stained Have a rag or plenty paper towels nearby for your hands between colors Use Natural Fabrics -...

Everything we create at Eclectic Vibrant Gifts has a story. Today I want to talk about baby pads for horses. Why on Earth do I embellish these? What was I thinking?! My daughter is 11 years old and has been riding horses since she was 6. We spend many hours at the stables and she has grown a nice little collection of horse supplies....including baby pads. I have always been someone who has liked to add a personal touch to everything. Make it just a wee bit more special, more unique, more me. Fortunately my daughter delights in this too so when I said, " Hey! Can I add a little splash to your baby pads? " she replied, " SURE! " I dream of hand making baby pads from start to finish but right now, I am embellishing them and it started with a seasonal touch last fall. Who wouldn't want a baby pad with a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins on it? Or a snowman? Or Santa? That has grown into flowers, butterflies, planets, and more. It delights me to see how al...