About time.

Ok, ok.  As promised, I'm done with the DIY gift posts now.  It dragged on and on, but I hope you stuck with it and got some AWESOME ideas for the now approaching all too quickly holiday season.  (yikes)

If you need a quick reference back to all things Gift it. 2014, here's your wrap up!

1. 5 Favorite Handmade Gifts for Kids - Red Ted Art

2. Stud Earring Holder - Young and Crafty Sisters

3. 5 Grandparent Gift Ideas - Hi! It's Jilly!

4. Fat Quarter Doll Quilt Tutorial - Simple Simon and Company

5. Birthday Sack Lunch - A Girl and a Glue Gun

6. 8 Gifts for Gadget Lovers - Melly Sews

1. Personalized Recipe Book

2. Gift Wrap Cut-Outs

3. Friendship Bracelet Kit

4. Top Secret Spy Kit

5. Easy Peasy Art and Photo Display

6. Pretend Play Dr. Kit

7. Light Up Reclaimed Wood Wall Art

8. Mini Photo Block Necklace

9. Underwater Superheroes (Superhero Inspired Rashguards)

1. Giant Stuffed Drinking Jar

2. Encourage-mints

3. Lemonade Basket Teacher Gift

4. Best Pop Gift

1. 30 Gifts Parents Will Love - 

10 Must-Make Gifts For Mother's Day, 

10 Fabulous Gifts For Father's Day, 

5 Fantastic Gifts for Grandma, 

5 Super Fun Gifts For Grandpa

2. 100 "Newbie" Gifts - 

25 A+ Gifts for Teacher, 

25 Highschool Graduation Gifts, 

25 Friendly New Neighbor Gifts, 

25 Lovely Housewarming Gifts

3. 50 Great Giftwrap Ideas (+ 6 Awesome Sources)

4. 20 Cute and Clever Gifts for Cat-Lovers!

5. 30 Lover-ly Gifts - 

10 Valentine's Gifts (for anyone and everyone), 

10 Wedding Gifts (they'll love to use), 

10 Anniversary Gifts (for those you love)

6. 113 Awesome, DIY Baby Gifts!

There you have it!  Gift it. 2014!  That's exactly 362 gift ideas for you to make for every kind of occasion you could imagine! Also, don't forget that most of these come with free printable gift tags, etc., just click on the post and scroll to the end. Now get cracking!  We've got gifts to make!

If you don't know what this series was all about, read the explanation here.

Also, you can see even more ideas:

Gift it. 2013

Gift it. 2012

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

Stud Holder from Young and Crafty Sisters

Today's guest is Hannah from Young and Crafty Sisters.  You've gotta go check out this sister-run blog!  She's sharing a fabulously simple gift idea for any jewelry-lover on your list!

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Hi! My name is Hannah and I blog over at Young and Crafty Sisters. My sister and I share a little bit of everything, from crafts, furniture make overs, food, fashion, and much more! Be sure to hop on over and have a look around.

Lately, I’ve been really into stud earrings. So much so that I was running out of places to put them. You see, I have this earring holder that hangs on the wall and is perfect for dangly earrings. I started using the ledge for studs which worked fine. That is until my stud addiction got worse…

You can see how I made this earring holder HERE. And one similar HERE.

It is super functional for all of my dangly earrings and I still love it.

So here is how I made a stud earring holder.

I’ve had this picture frame for awhile just sitting around. It was brown and I wanted white. I gave it a quick coat of spray paint. It was at this point that I also thought. Hmmm… if I take out the glass and the back, how is this thing going to stand up. Not my brightest moment.

FYI: I think I’m probably the worse spray painter ever. Patience is key and I have none. I know all of the right ways to spray paint, I just don’t follow them. You are supposed to go back and forth lifting up on the “trigger” each time. I’m more of a “hold the trigger down the entire time” kind of spray painter. The results aren’t always good.

This was my solution to making it stand up. I cut a piece of dowel rod into two equal lengths. I then drilled a hole in the frame and stuck the dowel rods in. I’ll be honest, they fit so snuggly that I didn’t even hot glue.

Now you’ve got a nice little free standing frame!

Next, I added some black lace to the inside. I hot glued it into place and then hot glued over the top as well. I love using lace for an earring holder because there are tons of holes to hang or poke your earrings through!

That’s it! This project is super easy and quick.

I have mine sitting on our counter by the toothbrushes. No, my counters do not stay this clean. And yes, everything that was there is on the right side of the counter that I’m not going to show you :)

I intentionally made it the opposite colors of the one I have hanging up. I didn’t want it to be matchy-matchy.

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Thanks for sharing this fun tutorial, Hannah!  Make sure to come back tomorrow for more gift giving awesomeness!

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*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

5 Handmade Gifts for Kids - Red Ted Art

My first guest for the series is Maggie from Red Ted Art, a blog I totally love for all things related to creativity and kids!  If you aren't following it yet, go on over and do it.  You'll love her amazing ideas and all the inspiration she shares!  I'm excited to have her top 5 gifts for kids here today!


It is sooo lovely to be here to talk about handmade gifts! I have to say, I have always loved making gifts myself - when I was younger it was a way to not only make things special, but also a little more economical (especially when I was a teenager and a student and didn't have much cash). Now, as a mother, I love making things for my kids and I want to teach them that homemade is just as special (if not more so) than store bought. I love that my kids put "birthday present orders" in with me now... My little girl has a rag doll + clothes on order and my son, has a giant chicken doorstop he wants me to make for him. So I thought I would share 5 of our favourite handmade gift ideas with you today:

Every child needs a DIY Hobby Horse! Why stop at one, as they are so easy to make, make them and their friends' a set!

For those of you who like to sew or are BEGINNER SEWERS, this is a lovely little projects to make for the girls in your life - a simple Pillow Case Dress - a great gift for girls to make yourself. And why not make a matching one for Dolly or Teddy?

I really enjoyed making this Felt Food: Donuts & Strawberries for the kids probably about 3yrs ago now. And again, they are still much played with. The strawberries also look great as key rings!

A great gift for kids as stocking fillers - or maybe at Easter as an alternative to chocolate are these Dino Soap Eggs  - and there is an added bonus of that the kids will be washing their hands more!

 I LOVE making my kids DIY Costumes and I think they make great gifts for kids as well I think. I have  made lots of things for them over the years, but I particularly like this Knight's Shield to Red Ted's batman costume to this Cute Witch's Tutu. If you are looking for homemade gifts, check out our favourite handmade gifts section over on Red Ted Art!


 Maggy is a mum of two and passionate crafter and author of best selling craft book Red Ted Art, Cute and Easy Crafts for Kids. As if that isn't enough she also writes for Fun, Crafts, Kids - an ecclectic website show casing an array of crafts and fun activities for all age groups. You will also find her on Life at The Zoo for all sorts of things including cooking with kids and Theatre Books and Movies for well, just that. Maggy’s craft site, Red Ted Art, is also now being translated into German! Enjoy!

Several items have now been added to the Christmas "to make" list!  Thanks for being here, Maggie!

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

Not sure where the summer went, but it's almost august.

It's almost August.  You know what that means!  
Yes, summer vacay is almost over.  But that's not what I'm talking about.

Gift it.  Gift it good. is coming up!  Yea!

For those of you who are unaware, Gift it. Gift it good. is an annual event around here.  All month long I share awesome guest posts about handmade gifts, give you some of my very own gifty tutorials, and round up some seriously awesome gift ideas from all around the web.

It's pretty much my favorite time of year.  Except for Christmas.  Which also involves giving gifts!  Go figure.

You can see the very first ever Gift it. Gift it good. series from 2012 here.  

And check out last year's Gift it. here.

So why am I telling you this NOW, in the middle of July?  Because I need you!  I'm accepting guest post submissions for this awesome handmade gift idea event now!  Some basic details: 
1. You should be a blogger of some sort.
2. Your gift idea/post submission doesn't need to be a NEW tutorial, but you may need to edit it to fit the guest post and relate to the series.
3. The idea/project needs to be YOURS.  I don't want you to submit anything you don't have the rights to.
4. I'm looking for anything and everything!  Birthday presents, Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation, Neighbor Gifts, You Just Got a Promotion Gifts, I Kind of Like You gifts, everything!  Semi-handmade or handmade, gift basket ideas, round ups of your favorite go-to gifts, etc.  
5. email me with questions, comments, etc. 

bugaboo blog (@) yahoo (.) com

Let's make Gift it. 2014 the best yet!

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

It's a {yarn} WRAP.

I hope you've had as much fun with Yarn it All! 2014 as I have!  There's so much yarn inspiration with this edition of the yarn series, it'll keep you busy for loooong time.  Hopefully at least until next early spring when we do it all again!

In case you need an easy reference to all these awesome yarn projects, I've gathered them all together in one convenient location: here!  Let's wrap it all up with an awesome yarn bow!

Lace Knit Baby Bonnet from Melly Sews

Baby Headbands from Lanas de Ana

Boot Cuffs (and other favorite free patterns) from Try to Keep Up

Mini Easter Baskets from Cherished Bliss

Crochet Collar T Shirt Upcycle from Grey Luster Girl

Fabric and Yarn Gift Wrap from Just Make Stuff

Yarn Bracelets from A Girl And A Glue Gun

State String Art from Young and Crafty Sisters

Yarn Crafting and Sewing Projects from Simple Simon and Co.

Hula Girl Costume

Yarn Valance

Yarn Printing

Monogram Lamp Shades (2 Ways)

Carrot Sunburst

Yarn Flip Flops (3 Ways)

44 FREE awesome crochet and knitting patterns 

Fun and Unique Yarn Uses, Techniques, Storage and Parties

15 Crafts with Yarn (Wreaths and Patterns) from Hi! It's Jilly!

Don't forget to check out all the awesome ideas from our link party!

Yarn it All! Link party

Yarn it All! Link Party Features

Special thanks to all our guest post-ers and Call Her Happy for providing our awesome giveaway!  Go check out her etsy shop and all her super cute mini embroidery hoop necklaces.

 And that's a {yarn} WRAP!  Until next year...

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

yarn craftiness round up with Hi! It's Jilly!

Today, our very last guest of the series is here!  Jilly has a great blog you should check out for all of her fun ideas, random tips and mommy fun.  She's here to share a round up of crafty yarn ideas with you!

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Hi! It's Jilly. I blog over at...Hi! It's Jilly. I'm happy for the chance to participate in Kim's Yarn It All series! I've rounded up a nice little collection of yarn crafts for you to try out!

Wreaths:

Spring Yarn Wreath

DIY Yarn Wrapped Wreath

DIY Yarn Wrapped Tree

DIY Spring Yarn Wreath

Yarn Rosette Wreath

DIY Spring Wreath: Garden of Flowers

Free Patterns:

Baby Bear Hat Knitting Pattern

Kids Loop Scarf Knitting Pattern

Easy Winter Pom Pom Hat Knitting Pattern

Free Mug Cozy Pattern

Ocean Tides Granny Square Afgan

Pink and Gray Baby Girl Afgan

Crochet Popcorn Cowl Pattern

Sunflower Mug Rug Coaster Crochet Pattern

Baby Doll Blankies

Also, here's the link to a few great online shops that sell "yarn" goods:

HomeSpun Happiness

Call Her Happy

The Crooked Yarn

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Thanks Jilly!  You know I love a good yarn wreath... Hope you guys found some inspiration here!

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

Crafting and Sewing With Yarn with Elizabeth from Simple Simon and Company

Today Elizabeth from Simple Simon and Co. is here and I'm so excited. I've been a big fan of Elizabeth and LiZ and adore their amazing tutorials - especially all of their cute girly clothes. You've got to see the ideas Elizabeth is sharing today!

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Hi everyone! I am Elizabeth, one half of the duo of sisters' in law who blog at Simple Simon and Company and I am excited to be here today to celebrate all things yarn! You see, my history with yarn goes wayyyyy back. I grew up with a mom who crocheted and a grandmother who knit me the most beautiful sweaters to wear when I was younger. So, I loved yarn. I would keep their scraps and make little doll beds out of yarn and my grandma Lova would teach my sister and I how to make little yarn dolls on lazy Sunday afternoons at her house. And I remember holding my hands up for what seemed like hours while she would yarn around and around into perfect little bundles. Unfortunately I didn't get the crocheting or knitting gene....but you can also use yarn in sewing projects!!!

Here are some examples of how we love to use yarn in different sewing and crafting projects. Top Row: Spring Yarn Garland, Cross-Stitched Shirt Middle Row: Hostess Cupcake Skirt, Pom Pom Hairclips Bottom Row: How to sew Yarn onto a Skirt, Spider Web Skirt One thing people have asked is how these "yarn skirts" wash up and the answer is AWESOME! We usually wash them in the normal cycle and then lay them out to dry (although they have accidentally gone through the dryer and have come out just fine) and they have been worn and worn and worn!

Thanks Kimberly for having us here today! Elizabeth and liZ

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I've been wanting to try some yarn sewing projects myself.  These are just the inspiration I need!  Thanks Elizabeth!

A Yarntastic Shirt Refashion with Lisa from Grey Luster Girl

Our guest today has SKILLZ people.  Lisa throws a mean party, gives old clothes new life, whips up cute crafts out nothing... she's like a crafty superwoman.  When I finally discovered her blog - Grey Luster Girl - a few years ago, I realized I'd been pinning like ALL of her stuff without even knowing it... ha!  She's got a super cute idea for you today!

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Hello! I am Lisa and I blog over at Grey Luster Girl. I like to refashion clothes, cook (mostly bake because who doesn't love dessert!) throw parties and pretty much make whatever DIY project I can. When Kimberly asked me to be a part of her Yarn it All series, I immediately said yes. Then I started thinking... what in the world am I going to do with yarn?! I am a begining crochet-er at best and it takes me a REALLY long time to crochet anything. Usually my hats are too small and the shoes I crochet aren't the same size. So my yarn skills may be a little rusty but my refashion skills are doing alright. I thought if I could combine yarn with a refashion, then I may just be able to pull off a cute DIY yarn project after all.

I started by taking in a men's shirt. If you need help taking in a big shirt you can check out this post I did. After I took it in I cut off the collar. I followed the tutorial from New Stitch a Day on How to Crochet a Circle and Picot Edging. Using a G hook, I followed the instructions which called for me to start a chain in multiples of 5 plus 1. I crocheted until my chain went the length of my collar. It ended up being 56. If I were to do it again I think I would do 61 stitches. I followed the tutorial. It was not perfect but I tried my best. I pinned the yarn collar onto the shirt and sewed it on with my sewing machine. I didn't sew every piece, just the outline of the crocheted part.

So far it has held up well! I have even washed it and it still looks like new.

Thanks for having me Kimberly! If you want to see more of my refashions and DIY projects, stop by my blog greylustergirl.com !

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Thanks Lisa!  What a super cute way to spruce up a boring t!  Gotta love all of her upcycled ideas!

Keep linking your yarn projects!  We've got just over a week left!

Our fun giveaway from Call Her Happy ends on the 15th!  Go ENTER!

*Be sure to check the right sidebar for all the fun parties I link to!