Printable "Photos, Please Do Not Bend" Labels

Do you write "Photos: Please Do Not Bend" on your envelopes when you send pictures in the mail? I do and I'll be honest with you; I'm not really sure if it makes any difference? Do the mail carriers read these notes? Do they take any extra care delivering your package? Is writing "do not bend" the equivalent of having a "baby on board" sign on your car? I may never know the answers to these questions but I rather be safe. Recently I had a lot of photos to send out and instead of writing "Do Not Bend" I decided to make some stickers I could just stick on the packages. So in the case you're like me, I'm sharing the clip art with you guys and a quick "how-to".
Right click, copy, save and print on 8 1/2" x 11" sticker paper. You can purchase printable sticker paper at most office supply stores. Cut out images.

Hand Sewn Bird Ornament

If this bird looks familiar to you, that's because you probably saw it on Spool back in 2008 (has it been that long?). I've always admired the pattern but was never sure what to do with the birds until now.

For this ornament I shrunk down the pattern to 75% because I was concerned it would be too big for a Christmas ornament. Now that I've made it, I think the original size will work just fine.

For the pattern visit the Spool Blog and look for the bird pattern in the right sidebar.

What ornaments are you guys making for Christmas? Don't pretend you haven't thought about it. I know some of you started in July or earlier!

Kid Craft: LEGO Capes

I'm pretty sure that at any given time of day, there's a LEGO or two lying out on the floor. I don't think they ever "really" get put away. So since we like LEGO's around here so much, I decided to make some accessories for them. These capes are super easy and quick to make. Here's the how-to:

Cape Template

Right click, copy, save, print and cut out the cape template. You may need to adjust the scale.

Cut out some felt capes with the template.

Fold cape in half lengthwise and make a small slit. You'll want the hole just big enough to fit over the neck.

Embellish if you wish.

Start playing!

Furikake Chex Recipe

If you like Japanese rice crackers, than I'm pretty sure you'll like this recipe. It's a sweet/salty combination with a hint of nori (seaweed) flavor. The great thing about this sanck is it can easily be altered to your liking. You don't have to use chex; I've seen this made with bugles and sesame crackers as well.

Furikake Chex Recipe

Ingredients:
1 12.8 oz box of rice chex cereal
4 Tbsp Butter
1/4 C Clear Karo Syrup
1/4 C Vegetable Oil
1/4 C Sugar
1Tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Furikake (rice seasoning) - pictured above, can be found at most Asian markets

1. Combine all ingredients except the chex and furikake in a pot. Mix thoroughly and bring to boil.

2. Pour over chex and mix well making sure the chex is evenly coated.

3. Place the mixture on a large cookie tray. Sprinkle with furikake.

4. Bake at 250 and turn mixture every 10 -15 minutes for one hour. Let cool.

Enjoy!

Craft: Applique Patch Hair Clips

This project is so easy, I can barely call it a craft but since it has to be labeled as something, a craft it is. I was out doing some back-to-school shopping when a cute hair clip caught my eye. Upon further inspection I discovered it was just an applique patch glued to a hair clip. So, I'll give you one guess how I made these. . .

Supplies:
Applique patches - can be found at craft and fabric stores
Hair clips
E6000 glue - I used this because it's strong, durable and flexible. Any extra strength glue should work fine.

As you all have probably figured out, I just glued the appliques to the hair clips. I was thinking fabric stickers would work well too, such as the Jolee boutique stickers. Or perhaps some vintage army patches, girl scout patches, etc. might be fun. It just depends on your style.