Personalized Photo Map {for our Paper Anniversary}

[disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.  Any purchases made through these links will not cost you any extra but does help support my blog.  Thank you for stopping by and supporting my crafting habit!]

Edit: Wow!  This post has received so much attention from various blogs, websites and other media platforms that I am tickled and extremely humbled by it all. If you have any questions about making your own map, please feel free to join us on our facebook page and while you are there "like" us for fun updates and easy access to any crafty question you may have.  Let us know what you want to see next!
Edit [again] I'll be completely updating this post in the [near-ish] future with the eastern states and well as some more detail on the 'most asked' questions that I've received from you all! I did want to go ahead and include a link to the map that I recommend for this project. I do NOT recommend going any smaller than 32x50. Other sources that have linked to this project have recommended smaller maps but this is not supported by Cut, Craft, Create an you will not be able to get photos in the smaller states.

Get yours here: 32x50 Rand McNally Antiqued Map

(I have the 'antique' color but it also comes in standard colors).
(aff) 32x50 Rand McNally map

Luckily, I have been saving an amazing craft that I made last June that I can share with you today.

I made this "One Year Anniversary" personalized map for my husband for the "paper" year.

I'm not a great gift giver and my husband isn't big into receiving gifts (it's #5 out of 5 for both of us our our Love Language scale). However, he was speechless (in a good way) when he saw this!

To make it, I completed these simple steps:

1- Purchase a map. I bought this one at Staples (available on Amazon as well).

2- Purchase foam board. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby. You may have to get more than one piece to make it as large as the map. I had to tape a few pieces together & it holds up great!

3- Purchase short ball map pins.

4- Print your pictures. Don't forget that they might need to be different sizes to fill/fit into the state. On mine, Indiana was 4x6 and all the others were 5x7. Measure the states before you print!

To add meaning to your map, match the pictures to the state. For example, the picture in Indiana is from our wedding because we got married in Indiana. Alaska is made from a picture of us on our Alaskan fishing trip. Montana has a picture of us skiing in Montana, etc.

I did not cover every state that we have been to because I wanted the pictures to stand out (we've been to almost every state together... It would be very full!) Use your discretion and make it however you would like.

5- Cut the pictures in the shape of the states. If you are artistic, just go for it. If you're not (like me) copy the shape from the map to some paper or clear plastic and then use a cut-out version of the paper/plastic as a tracing piece on your picture. 

{Don't worry about cutting it exactly like the state- just follow the basic outline so that it isn't too fragile yet still looks like it}

6- Using hot glue, create globs of glue onto the back of the pictures. While it is still hot, press the ball of the pin into it. Remember to place pins in different spots on your picture. The fewer the easier to put into the map, but the more strategically placed the better your picture will lay on the map.

7- Cut the foam board to the exact size of the map. If need be, tape or glue multiple pieces together. I used duct tape because it's strong but won't show through the map paper.

8- Attach the map to the board. Use whatever glue you are comfortable with. Spray adhesive is super strong but gives you little room to re-adjust. If you decide to use a lesser strong glue, the pins will help to hold it down as well.

9- Place your pictures onto the board, pressing the pins gently (and evenly) into the map/board piece.  Don't press all the way down though, so that the picture "jumps" off the map!

Viola! You now have a perfectly personalized map that shares the story of your lives together. Perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Christmas, home decor or just because!  Use the left over pins to mark the other states you have visited.

I came up with this idea because my father-in-law has a map where everyone puts pins in the states they have visited. My husband always wanted to get a map like that and so I planned to surprise him with one. When going through our pictures together, the idea to mix them hit me! Our anniversary was coming up, so I thought it would be the perfect "year one" gift since "paper" is the tradition. FYI, he planted a tree for/with me for my anniversary present. Beautifully perfect.

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

"Love Note" Cup Cozie

As you may or may not know, I am not one of those girls who loves Valentine's Day.  I'm also not one of those girls who hates it and sets out to make it an "anything but love" day.  I just sort of let it be another day.  I do, however love red and pink together and of course, hearts!  I also know that many other people go all out on this special day and want to inspire you to create something unique that shows your special someone how truly special they are.

Have you seen all the beautiful handmade cup cozies all over Pinterest?  Although my husband doesn't drink coffee or hot tea, I am a big fan of both and I bet that someone in your life is too!  Your special someone needs more than just any cup cozy... they need a "love note" cup cozy!

The envelope sits at the end of a hand stitched message: "Just thought you should know..."
It's hard to get it all in one picture, hope this helps:

With this cozy, you can tell your loved one how you feel- in a new way, each day!  I love the idea of saying encouraging words ("that you are so talented!") words of wisdom ("it gets better and you will get through this") or simply "I love you!"

It's easy to make here's how:

MATERIALS:
- Two (2) fabrics- one plain, one printed
- Thin batting
- Thread in matching color to sew & opposing color to stitch message
- Two (2) buttons
- Ribbon or (2) elastic hair ties


STEP ONE: Trace & cut the fabric. 
 
Using another cup cozy, trace the shape onto the fabric.  If you have a paper one, rip it apart so that it will lay flat.  If you have a reusable one like me (It came with a cup that I have), lay it as flat as possible, trace, line it up and then trace again.

 {Disappearing Ink pens work great, but if you don't have one with you, then a pencil works fine!}

Cut this piece out, giving yourself about 1/2 inch outside of the line to allow for the seam.

Use the (now 1/2 inch larger all around) piece to trace the shape onto the second fabric.

Do the same with a piece of thin batting.  I recommend cutting that shorter (about where the original line was drawn) so that you don't have to worry about it bulking up when you sew the seams.


STEP TWO: Stitch your message.

Using a pencil (or disappearing ink pen), write out your message onto the solid fabric.  Next, hand stitch over the pencil with the contrasting color.  I said "Just thought you should know..."

STEP THREE: Make an envelope.  I had to play around with the fabric to get the right shape but if you make it look like this one, you should be fine.

Sew the sides and bottom down next.  Start with one side, then the other, finishing with the bottom.  I suggest tacking it down at the corner edge and sewing a stitch where it folds for a crisper line and a more "envelope" look!

To finish it up, I ran some stitching across the top (just for looks).  I also folded the top down (like a closed envelope) and ironed it so that the flap would stay down when it was finished (not pictured).

STEP FOUR: Attach the envelope.

Pin your lovely new envelope to your solid fabric immediately following your embroidered message.  With a sewing machine (it's much faster!) run a stitch across the sides and bottom to secure it onto the cozy piece.

{I used red thread to stitch it together & white thread to secure it, just for fun.  It looks lovely!}

STEP FIVE: Pin all your pieces together & sew!

Face your two main fabrics, right sides together.  That means the embroidered message and envelope will be facing the heart print on the other piece of fabric.  Next, lay the batting onto either side, creating a three fabric pile.

Pin it all together and sew THREE sides (both long sides and only one short side).  Don't forget to leave one short side open!

This will attach everything together.  It will probably have this "pillow" look if you batting is a little thicker like mine:

If you sew at 1/2 inch, your stitching should line up about exactly with your original pencil lines.  It's not important that they do, but it will make you feel like it is turning out to be the right size!

Once it is all sewn up, pull the fabric right side out through the short end that you left open.

Don't freak out if it looks really small.  Instead, go iron it flat.  Because of all the batting and being reversed, it doesn't look very wide, but I promise, it's the same as your pattern cozy once it lays flat!

STEP SIX: Attach the loops.

Using ribbon or thin hair bands, create two loops that will stick out of your open end.  I used ribbon because I thought it would look nicer, but I think hair bands would be better for fitting a variety of different sized cups.  If I do this again, I will use something elastic.

It might help to get some of your favorite cups to get an idea of how big your loops need to be.  If you make them too long, they wont hold tightly against your mug.  Wrap the cozy around the cup and see how far they need to go to "close" the gap.

Don't forget to fold in the edges of your fabric pieces for a nice finished look.  Pin it all together.

Sew it closed.  I made two lines of stitches for looks, but try to get yours as close to the edge as possible to make sure that it catches everything.  You can do as many lines as you want!

STEP SEVEN: Add buttons and enjoy!

Sew two buttons onto the other end of the cozy.  These will be used to wrap the loops around to secure the cozy onto the cup.

That's it!

Seven steps but super easy!  I love the hand stitched message and that adorable envelope.  If you want to add a snap or Velcro to close the envelope you can, but ironing it down will do the trick!

Plus... it can go on ALL your favorite mugs- with or without handles!

AND... it's reversible too!

This might be the best thing ever.  I love cup cozies and this one is extra sweet.  Don't forget to add your message with love!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

DIY Cell Phone Case Tutorial {to fit any phone!}

Raise your hand if like myself, you have cracked the screen on your phone.  Okay, put your hands down.  Now, how many of you cracked your screen because you did not have a case on your phone to protect it?  Yep... that's me too.  I don't know about you, but I put off buying a case because I could not commit to a design.  I wanted to find one that I loved or, buy a dozen of them so I could change my mind!  We can change our clothes, our shoes, even our accessories... why not our phone cases?

I also have a smart phone that is not an "i-phone" which makes the case selection much smaller.  I have an HTC first, but with this tutorial you will be able to make a case for ANY phone that you have!

These are super easy to make and take minutes per case.  It took me longer to pick out the paper (really!)

Materials:
- Scrapbook paper (thin paper works best, textured is too thick)
- Clear phone case (I got mine for a few bucks here on Amazon- HTC first)
- Pencil
- Scissors

STEP 1: Pick out your paper.

Repeated prints work best.  I chose some designs with a more neutral pallet, others with bright colors.  It's entirely up to you.  I would like to have found one with large flowers (that take up the whole case) but apparently I need to buy more paper for that (my husband commented that I don't need more paper!)

STEP 2: Trace around the case backing.

When I first started, I also traced around the camera hole in the back (as you can see above).  However, after cutting it out, I found that it is better to wait on this part so that the holes line up.  Right now, just trace the outside of the case.  Don't forget to trace into the outside "holes" (like your power, volume, etc buttons)

 {It's important to trace and cut around the notches so that there is not paper in the way of your buttons and plug ins... plus it looks so finished this way!}

STEP 3: Cut it out.

STEP 4: Press it into the back piece of the clear case.  Try to center it as best you can and line up the notches on the paper with the notches on the case.  The paper should fill most of the case.  This is why the thick paper (like the brown pictured above) does not work for it takes up too much space for the case to latch together.

{The paper should reach about halfway on the phone}

Doing this gives the paper a rounded shape so that the design curves around the phone (instead of just laying flat on the back)

STEP 5: Slide your phone into the case so it is snug, then trace the camera hole.

I found that it was best to do this step with the phone in the case so that the hole lines up.  Trust me, it is much more precise this way.

STEP 6: Pop the paper back out, cut out the camera hole that you just traced.

That's it!  Easy peasy and super quick!  I made several "cases" so that I can change them out when I am "feeling" something new.

Here are my designs...

Floral:

{I didn't think I would like the blue with pink flowers but it's one of my favorites!}

Text & Collage

{I have a LOT of these papers, they are my favorite for scrapbooking!}

Color Sets:

{These came together in a pack and I love the colors so much I made three cases!}

You can also include additional pieces by placing them inside the case before inserting the paper.  Instant (and non permanent) change!  If you love it, glue it on the paper and keep it that way.

I would also recommend picking papers that match the color of your phone, since the base color will show through in the "holes" and on the front.  My phone is a pale blue, so I picked designs with blue in them.

{Sorry about the "selfie" in the phone reflection!  See the cracked screen I was talking about?}

Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and I apologize for the crazy amount of pictures!  If I get enough comments (here or on facebook) I will create phone cover printables in a variety of designs and post them next week.  Let me know what kind of design you would like to have!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

Valentine's Day String Globe {tutorial}

Well folks, we are halfway through January already; can you believe it?  Although I'm not as crazy about Valentine's Day as say, Christmas, Halloween or Independence Day... I always try to make a few crafts with love to celebrate the season and to inspire you to create as well!

I am crazy about those string/balloon globes that seem to be everywhere now.  I have been wanting to try them out for a while, so I added a little "love" and...

Love them?  Here's how to make them:

Materials:
- balloons
- string (I used thin jute twine)
- paper
- scissors or heart shaped punch
- Mod Podge

STEP 1: Blow up a few balloons to whatever size you want the finished globes to be.  Try to keep them "round" shaped instead of regular balloon shape.  Tie them closed and set aside.

STEP 2: Cut small hearts from the paper.  I chose to cut them out by hand (fold small pieces of paper in half and then cut the "half heart" shape and unfold!) but feel free to use a heart shaped punch if you have one.

Do this with multiple colors and sizes if you desire.  The amount of hearts varies on how full you want them to be on your final globe.  It is entirely up to you as it looks good either way.  I have between 5-10 hearts on each one of mine.

STEP 3: Wrap the string around the balloon to get an idea of how much you will need.  I ended up cutting a HUGE amount of string and then, because it kept getting tangled, ended up shortening it on the balloon.

I also wrapped it around my hand, thinking that this would prevent the string from getting tangled.  I. was. wrong.  It might still work if you can pull from around the loop instead of straight up but once it is covered in Mod Podge, it gets more difficult to untangle. 

STEP 4: Pour some Mod Podge into a shallow bowl and place the cut string inside of it, allowing the Mod Podge to cover all parts of the string.

This is about the time I realized that this craft was not going to be as fun as I had expected.  Given, I hate having anything goopy or sticky on my hands (I use a napkin to hold doughnuts and can't put hand sanitizer or lotion on my hands without washing it off... really) so I should have known better.

STEP 5: Set the balloons on a plastic bag or other surface where the balloons will be able to sit overnight when finished.  Next, slowly pull the string out of the bowl and wrap it around the balloon.  Try to tuck the ends of the string when you get to the end.

Looking back, I have a big piece of advice so listen up!  Try not to slop around the Mod Podge all over the balloon.  I thought that it would not make a difference but it made the finish product much more difficult to produce.  The more you keep on the string alone, the better.

Do you also see the Ernie (my dog) hair on the balloon?  Sneaky little guy got a few of those in while I was crafting.  Don't worry, they come right off when the balloon is popped!

Also try to keep your strings spaced out.  I ended up with a group of strings in one spot and although it doesn't hurt it, it looks a little sloppy.  That's probably because I had no clue what I was doing!

STEP 6: While the Mod Podge is still wet, place the paper hearts onto the string, pressing lightly.  If you need to add more Mod Podge to the back of the heart to make it stick, go right ahead.  Once finished, let it dry overnight.

I also found that the bottom of the balloon will still be wet the next morning.  Feel free to turn it over and let that last bit dry for a few hours or until it appears dry.

STEP 7:  Once dry, hold the balloon and pop it with a pin.  This could go very well or very badly (I did both) so pay attention:

{I asked my husband to pop the first one while I held it... I expected a loud POP!}

The WRONG way: When I popped the first one, I had not considered all the Mod Podge that was covering the balloon (here is why I said to try and avoid it!) It stuck to the sides and as the balloon deflated, it took the string with it:

...Yep, that's not good.  I managed to bend it back into a round (ish) shape but it would have been much easier if it had just worked the first time.

It also left large areas of Mod Podge in between the strings:

Not quite the look I was going for.  Learn from my mistakes please!

The RIGHT way:  If you have already covered your balloon in Mod Podge (mistake #1) there is still a way to prevent the above situation.  I give full credit to my amazing husband for suggesting that I try this on the next balloon.  Gently place your finger under the strings to release them from the balloon before popping it.  Be careful not to pop the balloon with your fingernail!  This also helps to break up the large sections of Mod Podge that would have filled the space between strings.

It's not perfect but it is much better.  Again, not making a mess of the Mod Podge in the first place should prevent this problem all together.

This time when I popped the balloon...

... it kept it's shape! Halleluiah!

Simply pull the balloon out from the top or wherever you are able.

{That's it!}

Add a string to the top if you want to hang it (sorry for the terrible picture- these are eventually going to hang in my office at work since I obviously have no good hanging spot for them in the house) or let them sit on a table or in a basket if small enough.

{Ignore the glare from the television... I just couldn't ask my husband to stop watching so that I could take a picture! He's been working hard all day.}

I like how they look lying down as well. Maybe I will make some mini ones for a table setting!

I still have some work ahead of me (especially on the first one) to remove all that left over Mod Podge. I repeat... learn from my mistakes!

I hope you have enjoyed this lovely addition to the string+balloons globe craft and have a very happy Valentine's Day!

 Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann