Another Easy Necklace Tutorial

Back to that whole "We make Christmas" thing that I had going - while I was at the Scrapbook USA Expo this past September, a new vendor showed their lovely faces - Craft Fantastic.  (You can find them HERE)

Their website has easy tutorials and inexpensive kits on how to make these darling necklaces.  Kadoodle and I really liked this idea and we bought a kit for her to try out this Christmas.  

(By the way - Craft Fantastic's blog is right HERE)

Anyway, Kadoodle and I got started and in about 30 minutes we had these lovely pendants that she had made for her friends.  Some of the images were from the kit, others were made from scrapbook paper - but the process was so easy to do!  No Muss, no Fuss, no Fighting, and we are almost done.  Now to just add the bails and a lovely little chain - both of which can be found on their website, and we will have ourselves some necklaces for her girlfriends for Christmas!  Wouldn't it be so great if we could come up with some awesome ideas for the boys for Christmas?  Jewelry making seems so easy - but not very masculine.

Again, I have some lovely pictures of the finished product with the catch on the back and the necklace chain - but I have no pictures here with me.... SADNESS!  I will have to upload them as soon as I get my camera. :)

Cracked Marble Necklaces

Each year I try to encourage the kids to make things for Christmas - why?  Because lots of gifts that are store bought do not hold the same type of meaning for the giver or the receiver.  So, we have started a tradition of making things - there are still lots of things that are purchased, but at the same time there are several gifts that are thought out and made.  This year D-Man wanted to try to make "Cracked Marble Necklaces"

 First - we started with several different kinds of Marbles.  I found these in the floral section of our local Michael's craft store.  I had researched this and many places said that two-toned marbles (or cat's eye marbles) only shatter and break in half - so I went with solid colors.

 Then I preheated the oven to 420 degrees.  I had read that 350 was fine, and that 500 was fine - so I chose a temp in the middle.  I then prepared the bowl of ice water - D-man tested it to be certain that it was very chilly.

 Once the oven was preheated we put the marbles in for 20 minutes.  When the time came to remove them we were certain to have our safety gear on - after all, we are working with hot glass and freezing water.

 Pour the hot marbles into the ice water and give them a minute to really cool down.  Then fish them out of the water.

 Here are what a few of the marbles look like before we get started on the necklace portion of things.

We did this in parts - a few days later we added on the additional pieces to make these into lovely, unique necklaces.  I will have to upload the photos as soon as I pull them off of my camera... but at least here is the base of what we did!

Some Bad News -

**UPDATE** - He's bonded out of Jail - HERE 

I don't usually post the "Bad News" - after all - it's quite dragging.  But, recently an event occurred that has caused me to really think twice about the safety of my kids.  Kadoodle's "Favorite" Science teacher from last year was recently arrested. .  .

I'd like to make sure that since most of my "Followers" are from the Utah area that they are aware of what has happened just in case he ever gets out and shows up somewhere around your kids -  Here are links to the news stories:

FOX NEWS - 

ABC NEWS - 

SLTRIB NEWS - 

DESERET NEWS 

KSL NEWS 

CHARGES -

Charges State Statute Court Bail Fine* Type FORCIBLE SEXUAL ABUSE Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A FORCIBLE SEXUAL ABUSE Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A OBJECT RAPE Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A OBJECT RAPE Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A FORCIBLE SODOMY Farmington District Court $0.00 No Bail FORCIBLE SODOMY Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A FORCIBLE SODOMY Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A FORCIBLE SODOMY Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A FORCIBLE SODOMY Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A FORCIBLE SODOMY Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A ATTEMPTED RAPE Farmington District Court $0.00 N/A

*See note on unofficial inmate roster page for processing fee(s).

This page was last updated at approximately: 14:37:05 on 12/04/2012 Using data updated at approximately: 13:58:46 on 12/04/2012 This page probably won't be updated again before: 17:37:05 on 12/04/2012

We have talked to Kadoodle who let me know that he really was "A little Weird" when she looks back on it.  I can only say that I am grateful that she was not a victim - that she was never alone with this predator. It's a terrible situation and it only brings it closer to home knowing that I had Parent Teacher conferences with this person, shook his hand, and my daughter was in his classroom each day of school.  ((SHIVER))

Favorite Sugar Cookies.

Now, I don't always toot my horn on things like this but I must say that I love that I am so prepared for Christmas.  Right now It's only the first week of  December, and most of the things that I need to have completed for recipients ARE completed.  (Squee) - Then I have to ask myself, will THIS be the year that I can slow down and truly enjoy the spirit of Christmas?  I sure hope so!

BUT - in trying to remember things - I almost lost my most favorite sugar cookie recipe.  SO - today I am blogging a lovely little link for all of you - This is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe - and I have not failed in using it yet - so here is the link and I hope that you enjoy.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/10/my-favorite-sugar-cookies.html

A Few Quick Updates - First off, Halloween...

LOL - I know that it's late, but HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!  This year I wanted to do something simple, something scary - something that wouldn't get body paint all over my desk (and my car, and my house, and everywhere else).  So, online I found this lovely picture with a woman that had a zipper on her face - and I thought to myself "I can do that!" - so I did.

 Kadoodle and her friends were all wanting to be zombies this year - so, with the help of some Liquid Latex and tissue (and costume blood) I turned her into one.  This costume was also not very difficult - we basically took an old pair of jeans and an old shirt and cut it all up.  Did the makeup on her face with the Latex and tissue and blood, teased her hair a little bit.  I did also recommend that she go outside and rub dirt on her jeans and shirt

  - but I think that a little more would have looked better - and finally, I told her to pretend that she was getting up really early to go to school.  Viola! There you have a zombie!

 D-man wanted to do the same zipper face thing as myself.  His makeup was a little bit easier to do since I wasn't working on myself.  Not to mention he wanted the skin to be a little bit more "flappy" around the edges than what I had done on myself earlier in the day.   I can say that the makeup held up really well through the day on me, and with him through the night it was no different.

 Overall I would say that the hardest part of doing the full costume makeup this way was the removal of the Latex.  (Especially if you have been wearing it the entire day).  The most fun that we had with the makeup was the different families and people that stopped us to take a closer look at our creations.  Several times through the night people would get up close to inspect the gruesomeness.

 

  Here's a quick closeup on Kadoodle's makup -done with Vampire blood, some gray and base that was really light, liquid latex, and tissue.

 D-Man's Makeup was vampire blood, a zipper, Liquid latex and tissue.  We added base to the tissue to give it a fleshy look.

 If you are ever interested in doing this, but aren't sure if you can pull it off - there is a great tutorial on YouTube

We hope you all had a great time scaring others this Halloween!

My Super Best Friend

 This is Lori - My Best Friend From Alaska - I've known Lori for 13 years - the Longest friend that I have ever had.  The most trustworthy, kind, smart, amazing woman alive.  Because she lives in Alaska, it's quite hard to have the normal friendship that most get to have - and lots of times we don't really talk for a long time.  I can thank Facebook for making sure that we keep in touch because we both get so busy it's REALLY hard to keep in touch.

 But Last night she had a few hours during a Layover in Salt Lake, and I got to snag her from the Airport and get some precious time with my wonderful friend.  We even got to go to Tiffany's!  (Which I still think that it's so amusing that there is a Tiffany's in Salt Lake - But, Okey Dokey marketing people.)  Look at how AMAZING she looks!  It's like finding a Unicorn!  (Actually, it's all that Yoga that she does).

I am so glad to have her for a Best Friend - she's so awesome!  I know that I said before that she would be moving - and when she does, I might just have to relocate to Oregon just so that way we can keep ourselves out of trouble (or would that be in Trouble?)  Either way?  There will be Trouble...