Creativity is the prescription for the relief of the stress of everyday life.

Feb 27, 2012

Mini Muffin Tin Advent Calendars

Marti's Snowy Design
     Last fall I saw a few pins on Pinterest for Advent Calendars made from Mini Muffin Tins. 24 punched circles are decorated, numbered and backed with Magnetic sheets. Each cup can also be lined in another smaller circle so that once a date has gone by and the cup is open, it still appears decorated. Some of us did that while others left the insides undecorated. We had fun with different color combinations, glitter, stamps, stickers and embellishments. Each came out unique and looked great when displayed in a frame/plate stand. Fill them with candies, toys, or mini marshmallows (as my daughter did for my then 15 month old grandson) and the kids will love it!
My glittery Calendar
Lil's Traditional Christmas Design
Decorated insides

Feb 26, 2012

Begin at the Beginning


First Granny afghan
and boyfriend (now husband of 37 yrs)

     My love for crafts began when I was about 12. My best friend Kathy had learned how to crochet from her mother and I wanted to learn. She (and her mom) taught me. It took me a long time but I made my first granny afghan. Then, I learned how to make the famous "first apron" in Home Ec.  I wanted to make my own clothes.  I started with some simple patterns and put my creativity to work. I didn't care that it wasn't a designer dress. It was different that anyone else's and I loved it! The 60s were a great time for doing your own thing anyways. 
Maxi dress for Junior Dance
 
     Fast forward about 30 years... I attended my first Creative Memories Home Party.  The demonstrator wanted to know who had photographs in "sticky" scrapbooks. Of course, I was one of the ones who raised my hand. She explained how destructive those scrapbooks were to those memories. I went home and immediately pulled them all out and sorted them into boxes. My love for scrapbooking began that day and continued as I attended many crops, conventions and classes. Logically, it led also to stamping, card making and various other crafts.
     Sharing my passion for Scrapbooking, three close friends and I started meeting monthly to crop. We named our group "Scrap Rx" and referred to it as 'our therapy'.  Often, other friends have joined in our group. Today, the four of us are all retired and continue to meet biweekly. Sometimes, we just end up chatting. Sometimes we make cards or do Scrapbooking. But always we become stronger by the creative time we spend together.
     I firmly believe that Handcrafts are important to share with future generations. My mother was not a crafty person. What I learned was from friends or self taught. I was determined to share what I knew with my children and grandchildren. Both of my grandaughters have shown avid interest in crafts and sewing.  My grandsons are babies but I have already bought "boy" stamps for them to get started soon. Finger painting here we come!

     A few months ago, my daughter introduced me to Pinterest. I wanted a way to share the projects that we do. I set a goal to start a Blog at the beginning of 2012. When that same daughter gave birth prematurely to our fourth grandchild on January 6th, I had to delay the debut of the Scrap Rx Blog. I needed her help to set it up.  I waited patiently and now I am finally ready to start. Some of the crafts I post will be ones we have done in the past and some will be shared as we do them. Some will be various crafts done by my grandchildren, children or friends.  I hope that I will stimulate your creativity. I like to look at a picture and think "I can do that". May you think that too when you see the ones we share!