It's Official! Fall is Here!

Today is the official first full day of Fall.  It arrived at 9:29 p.m. last night, according to the Old Farmers Almanac.

In an effort to stay ahead of special days and holidays that I like to give gifts for, I made these baskets about 2 weeks ago.  Last night I made the easiest pumpkin muffin recipe.  I baked them in the really big muffin tin so each basket just got one.  I put some paper shred in the bottom of each basket, stacked the muffin on top and added a book of stickers (that I keep on hand from the Dollar Tree). The boys took them to school today to give to their teachers.  I realize that it's not a traditional gift giving day, but I enjoy making my paper crafts, and it's even more enjoyable to have an occasion for creating and giving!

The basket is from SVG Cuts Fall Harvest kit from two years ago.  Most of the papers I used were single color AC card stock.  This was a quick and easy project to complete.  The baskets are roomy allowing for one big item or several small ones.  I hope the teachers like them as much as I did making them.  Now on to more Halloween crafts!

Be sure to visit my Facebook page for a chance for TWO giveaways!

Thanks for stopping by!  Craft Happy!

Crafting on a Budget, and Making It Look Great!

This was a fun project to make.  It takes a lot of  paper, but it's super cute and fun to have out for Halloween.   But a project like this can really exhaust your crafting resources. and put a crimp in your craft budget.  I'm going to share a couple of tricks I used to help keep this beauty below budget.

1.  Use tissue paper instead of Velum.  Velum can cost over a dollar per sheet.  I can get an entire package of tissue paper at the Dollar Tree, for just a dollar!  I can't cut it on my machine, but it's not hard to hand cut the pieces.

2.  If your decorative panels are of a heavy, sturdy card stock, use lighter cheaper paper for the base.  It won't have the sturdiness you would get from a project made of all AC card stock, but no ones going to be living in it.  However,  if the decorative panels are of a cute paper, and not card stock, don't scrimp.  (On the roof I used a sturdy purple card stock and some cute Halloween paper I bought a couple of years ago at Michaels.)

3.  Skip additional embellishments.  This house has so much fabulous detail, it doesn't need any embellishment.  On the trim pieces I just inked and embossed.

4.  Mary at SVG Cuts, put a lot of thought into this project and included lining for the interior to finish if off nicely.  That's a wonderful touch, but I saved myself four pieces of paper by leaving them off.

5.  Don't go cheap on glue.  It is what holds your project together.  I like the quick drying glue from 3M.  Even though they changed the bottle and perhaps the formula, I still haven't found any I like better.  It doesn't make the paper wet like some glue does. It doesn't require much to get the job done. And once it's set, it is set!  (I buy it at Micheal's with a 40% off coupon)

6.  I buy most of my "holiday" papers after the holiday, when it's being cleared out.  So, yes, a lot of the projects I make are with last season's paper, or even several years ago.  But who really knows or cares.  I can get more bang for my buck by shopping clearance sales!

I realize that my tips will not change the course of crafting, but perhaps it will help a few of my fellow crafters enjoy more affordable crafting.  If you have a money saving tip, why not share?

Thanks for reading and craft happy!