Message Board Project

Here's another project for you to try :)

I had some wood tile boards left from a project I had done for Christmas presents and I was trying to think of something fun to do with them, so I figured out a way to use some supplies I had already had in order to make something fun.

Supplies:
Wooden tile board (You can get them at Wal-Mart and Michael's.)
Cork (I had purchased a pack of 4 cork tiles for another project and I had some leftovers that I could use.)
Sheet metal (I bought a sheet at Lowe's awhile back - it was fairly inexpensive)
Gloves (you have to be careful when you handle the sheet metal because the edges can be sharp)
Scissors (they need to be able to cut the cork and sheet metal)
Chalkboard paint
Craft glue
Wood glue
Marker
Paintbrush

First I used one of the tiles to trace onto the cork and sheet metal and then cut the squares out (I did 3 of each material).  I used the craft glue to adhere the cork and metal to the wood squares and then placed them under a heavy tote as they dried.  Then I painted the remaining three squares with chalkboard paint according to the directions on the bottle.

The directions said to lightly rub the chalkboard surface with chalk in order to condition it.  This is what my squares looked like after I did that step.

I wanted the squares to be securely adhered to the board, so I bought some wood glue to try instead of the regular craft glue.  It seems to have done the trick, but I guess only time will tell ;)

I played around with different tile arrangements before deciding on a layout that I liked best.  Once I chose a layout, I glued the tiles onto the board and then placed it under the same heavy tote while it dried.  I am very happy with how it turned out!  I made a set of fabric covered button magnets to use.  (I chose not to paint the outside edge, but that is definitely an option.)

Happy crafting!  And as always, please share if you give it a try :)

Crafty Creations!

Hello!  It's been awhile!  I graduated in May, so life the weeks before and after were a bit crazy.  Most of my time since graduating has been spent trying to find a job.  I have spent a lot of time reading as well!  It's so nice to read for pleasure instead of reading textbooks!  I am currently reading my 9th book since graduating!  (I finally decided to read the Harry Potter books and I love them!  I am on the 7th book now!)  I have found some time to complete some crafty projects too and I want to share some of those with you today, so you can try them if you would like.

Calendar
I have this pad of scrapbook paper that has paper designs to fit with each month.  I had always wanted to do some sort of calendar or something with them, but I wasn't sure how to go about it.  Last week, I suddenly had a great idea!  I bought a cheap (like $2 or $3) 8x10 frame at Wal-Mart and then used the frame insert to cut each of the papers that I had chosen to the correct size.  I stacked all of the papers, with the June design on top, and placed them into the frame.  Now I can write on the glass with a dry erase marker for a great monthly calendar!  Hopefully now I won't forget birthdays and other special events!

Collage Display
I had seen this scrapbook holder at Michael's multiple times and wanted it, but I wasn't sure how I was going to use it.

I had also wanted to create picture collages by year, but I wasn't sure what to do with those either.  Then I had the great idea to combine them!

I used PicMonkey to create picture collages for each year since I moved to North Carolina and then had them printed by Scrapping Simply (http://www.scrappingsimply.com/).  I LOVE how they turned out!

I created a "cover page" and now have all the collages displayed.  LOVE this!!

Wire-wrapped Rings

Some of my friends and I went on an art walk through some of our city's galleries and at one of them we found these super cute wire-wrapped rings.  I thought to myself..."I could make those!", so I spent part of the next day looking for instructions on websites and shopping for supplies.  I got most of my supplies at JoAnn's because they had the best prices and selection.  The rings were pretty easy to make, but it does take some practicing if you want it to look perfect.

Here are some of the websites that I found

http://kimberliekohler.com/1798/wire-wrapped-rose-ring-tutorial/

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/blog_post/BrainofJen/3379/easy_wire_wrapped_ring_tutorial

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Simple-Wire-Wrapped-Ring/

http://www.julieannart.com/2012/11/wire-wrapped-rose-ring-tutorial-by.html

If you would like a wire-wrapped ring, but don't want to make one yourself, check out my Etsy shop (I am always open to custom orders if you want different colors.)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JCMCCreations?ref=si_shop

Plastic Canvas Clutch

I was wandering through JoAnn's one day and found these plastic canvas forms that I figured out were meant to made into clutches.  

There were no instructions or anything, but I figured I could find something online to help me out so I purchased a couple and headed home to do some research.  It took me awhile to figure out the best technique to hide the most plastic, but I was finally able to finish a couple that I was happy with.  I still want to try some other patterns and colors, but here is the one that I am currently using.

Here are some of the websites that I found:

http://www.dreamalittlebigger.com/post/plastic-canvas-clutch-tutorial.html

http://www.craftsunleashed.com/craft-basics-main/diy-clutch-plastic-canvas/

http://projects.hobbylobby.com/media/hl-WB-009.pdf

If you have any questions about any of these projects, please ask and, if you try any of them, I would love to see the results!!

I am sure I will have more projects to share soon...

More Daniel Fast Recipes (a little late I know)...

I don't have pictures this time, but I wanted to provide links for some other recipes we made that were yummy.  You definitely don't have to be on the fast to enjoy them :)

http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2012/03/black-bean-spinach-enchiladas.html

We were in the mood for cheese, so I went on a hunt for vegan cheese and found some at Fresh Market.  These enchiladas were yummy, but they did mess with my tummy just a bit (my roommate was fine tho).  I think it might have been the cheese, but it could have been the fast itself.  I definitely want to try these again with "normal" cheese.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/quinoa-stuffed-peppers-2/

We omitted the cheese in this recipe.  They were good and definitely tasted healthy, but I felt like they were kinda missing something.  I think I may have liked them more with rice, but they were worth trying.

Another night we made potato packets.  My family makes them a lot for grilling with chicken, but we don't have a grill so we cooked them in the oven.  They were good, but I do like them better on the grill.

Our packets were filled with sliced potatoes, green pepper, onion, and carrots along with a variety of seasoning.  We couldn't use butte so we just sprayed them with cooking spray.

I haven't tried any new recipes since ending the fast, but as soon as I do, I will share.
Have a great weekend!

Daniel Fast Food

Our church challenged the congregation to participate in the Daniel Fast from last weekend until Easter.  You can find lots of information about the fast online.  There are also a couple of books about it.
Our church gave us this list of food guidelines.

 

The first week I made a yummy fruit salad for breakfast that I followed with a 100 calorie pack of almonds.

Lunch was mainly raw veggies with hummus and leftovers.  This week it's pasta salad (whole wheat pasta with veggies).  It's okay, but I miss the dressing, cheese, and pepperoni.

Dinner is where we've tried to come up some different ideas, so we didn't get sick of eating the same thing.  Here are some of the ideas we've tried and enjoyed.

Fiesta Lime Rice

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/fiesta-lime-rice.html#more

Roasted Red Potatoes and Veggies

Cut up potatoes and veggies.  Spread out on greased.  Sprinkle with seasonings.  This was so yummy!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Homemade Sauce and Zucchini Boats

My roommate made this, so I am not sure about all the specifics, but if you would like to know how to make anything just leave a comment and I'll let you know.

Five Bean Chili over Baked Potatoes

The chili contained navy, black, kidney, white kidney, and chili beans.  I drained and rinsed all the beans except for the chili beans.  I dumped them in a big pot with 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 can of tomato sauce.  I also added chopped onion and peppers (green and red).  I used a packet of mild chili seasoning as well.  It was delicious over a steamy back potato!

Tex Mex Rice and Beans

http://blogs.babycenter.com/life_and_home/crock-pot-tex-mex-rice-and-beans/

We didn't make it in the crock pot.  My roommate started the rice before I got home cause brown rice takes a while to cook.  I put all of the other ingredients in a large pot and started heating them up.  When the rice was finished, I had added it to the pot.  My roommate cut up corn tortillas, sprayed them with oil on each side, sprinkled them with salt, and then baked them for 12 minutes at 350 for some "homemade" not fried chips.  (The trays need to be flipped half way through cooking.)

I'll keep adding recipes as we try them and feel free to share any that you have tried!!  :)

Soup Review

So I think the warmer spring weather may finally be coming and I am one of those people who doesn't normally eat soup unless it's cold, so I probably won't be making any new soups any time soon.  I figured I would do a quick soup review.

The Best New Soups:

1)  Wild Rice Chowder - Loved this soup!!  If you haven't tried this then you should!  If you are like me and don't want to eat soon because it's getting warm then you should write it down and try it in the fall :)

2)  Creamy Tomato with Tortellini - SO yummy!!  Another must try!

3)  Sweet Potato and Quinoa Chili - Something healthy and delicious

These three are definitely my 3 new favorites.  I liked some of the other soups that I tried, but I'm not sure I am in love with them enough yet to add them to my favorites.  Maybe when fall rolls around again, I'll have to do some tweaking and reinventing to turn them into favorites.

The Best "Old" Soups:

1)  White Chicken Chili - This is still my favorite soup!!  I made it twice this year and wish I would have made it more!  LOVE it!!

2)  Taco Soup - So easy and simple, but delicious!

3)  Vegetable Beef Soup - Another easy soup that hits the spot on a cold and/or rainy day.

I also think you should try making the bread bowls if you haven't yet.  They are easier than I thought they would be, but they can be a bit time consuming!

If you have tried any of the soup recipes that I have shared, please feel free to share what you thought!

Coming Soon:  My roommate and I are participating in the Daniel Fast with my church which means we'll be eating mainly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for the next 3 weeks.  I'll be looking for some good recipes, so we don't get bored.  I will share any that we try and feel free to share any that you like!

Soup, Bread Bowls, and a little Breakfast

I can't believe it's been a month since I posted!  Things have been crazy as graduation is nearing and I am trying to figure out what to do with my life!

I did want to share some recipes I tried with you though.  I've got a soup recipe, pretzel bread bowls, and a yummy breakfast recipe.

Cheddar Ale and Bratwurst Soup

One of my friends posted this recipe on Facebook and said she loved it, so I decided to give it a try.  Unfortunately I didn't love it as much as she did.  It was good, but there was just something a little bit off about it.  I will try it again someday and see what I think then, but for now, here's the link.  If you try it, let me know what you think!

http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/slow-cooker-cheddar-ale-and-bratwurst-soup/

Pretzel Bread Bowls

I love pretzels and I love all the pretzel breads that have been popping up everywhere.  (I am extremely sad that Wendy's Pretzel Bun Burger was only limited time because it was yummy!).  Since my last bread bowls turned out pretty well, I figured that I would give these a try.  The dough doesn't rise as much as regular bread dough so that threw me off a little.  I didn't think they were going to turn out at all, but they were actually quite yummy.  I wish I would have made them a little bigger, but overall I was pleased with the end result.

Here's the recipe for those

http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2013/10/homemade-pretzel-bread-bowls.html

Breakfast Ring

A friend was coming over for dinner and I thought breakfast for dinner would be yummy, so I decided to try a recipe that I had pinned on Pinterest. (I have pinned so many things that I have never gotten the chance to try!)  So glad I tried the recipe because it was delicious!  The original recipe calls for bacon, but I used turkey sausage crumbles.  I also added some diced hashbrown potatoes that I had in the freezer.  My ring was a little full, but it was so good!  I had enough to make two, so I made one for dinner and another one the next morning for brunch!  We enjoyed it with fresh fruit, ambrosia salad, cinnamon rolls, and mimosas!  Fairly quick and easy, definitely delicious!

Here's the recipe link that I had pinned

 http://www.navywifecook.com/2012/01/bacon-egg-and-cheese-ring.html

Here's the link where she got the recipe idea from (it has more pictures of how to put it together)

http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2011/02/beautiful-bacon-egg-cheese-wreath.html

Playing Catch Up!

Hello all!  Sorry it has been awhile since I posted any recipes.  Life has been a bit crazy!
In this post, I am going to share a variety of recipes with you that I have tried in the last couple of weeks.  I am just going to post the links for where I found the recipes instead of retyping it all.  I will let you know what my impressions were and any changes I made as well as share pictures I have.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Recipe can be found here:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/stuffed-pepper-soup

I liked this soup, but unless you are cooking for a large group or wanting to make extra to freeze, you will want to only make half of this soup because it makes A LOT of soup!!  It's yummy served with biscuits :)

Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup and Bread Bowls

Instead of chocolates or cookies, I decided to make soup and bread bowls for lunch for the staff at the school where I am interning on Valentine's Day.

Soup Recipe can be found here:  http://seajayscupcakes.blogspot.com/2013/11/crockpot-potato-broccoli-cheese-soup.html

Bread Bowl recipe can be found here:  http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/09/easy-homemade-whole-wheat-bread-bowls-for-soup-and-things/

The soup was good, but it needed more spices for flavor.  I also wish it would have turned out a little bit thicker.  I used 2% milk, but I probably should have used cream or maybe even used some Velveeta.
I have to say I was impressed with myself and how the break bowls turned out! ;)  I have never made homemade bread like this before, but it was fairly easy.  Make sure you have time though, because it's not a quick process.

Avocado Hummus

I wanted to try something new for lunch this week, so I picked a recipe I had pinned and I am so glad that I did!

Recipe can be found here:  http://www.thelovelycupboard.com/2012/04/avocado-hummus.html

I doubled the recipe so that it would last a whole week.  I got one can of white kidney beans and one of chick peas.  I didn't have cayenne pepper, so I added in my own variety of spices including garlic powder, turmeric, seasoning salt (instead of sea salt), cumin, and chili powder.  I think I only put about 1/4 of a teaspoon of each in.  I think it turned out rather yummy!  It tasted even better the day after I made it because the spices had time to fuse together.  I am enjoying my hummus with pretzel chips, celery, and carrots.

Taco Pie

We had this one for dinner tonight.  Another fun way to enjoy tacos and I love tacos!
I never would have thought about using potato flakes as the crust!
I think it turned out to be very yummy!

Recipe can be found here:  http://bsrecipe.blogspot.com/2012/06/real-taco-pie.html

I didn't take a picture of mine, because it was as pretty as hers, but it was yummy!

Pinterest Recipes My Way

Sorry I don't have a soup recipe for you.  I tried some of the recipes that I had pinned on Pinterest this week instead, so I'll share those :)
I tweaked each of the recipes just a bit, so I'll share the link to the original recipe and let you know what I did to make it a bit different.
Neither of them are tough or fancy, but I think they were yummy!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

I bought the ingredients to make this one exactly how it told me too, but as I was making it I decided to make some changes and I was happy with how it turned out.

Here's the original recipe: http://www.southernplate.com/2010/09/slow-cooker-cheesy-chicken-and-rice-the-downside-of-being-a-swan-princess.html

I got chicken out of the freezer in order to make this, but it wasn't unthawed in time, so I had to make a change.  I already had some shredded chicken made and figured that would work just fine.  I love crock pot recipes, but I ended up making this in a pot instead.  I put the chicken in the pot with the onions, corn, and soup.  While this was warming, I made the rice.  When the rice was finished I added it and the cheese to the pot.  I also popped a bag of steamable broccoli in the microwave and added that too.  It was looking pretty yummy, but I decided to make another change.  I set the oven to 350.  I sprayed a 9x13 pan and put the mixture into it.  Then I crumbled a package and a half of crackers (all I had were whole wheat regular crackers...Ritz would have been great, but these worked too).  I melted some butter and mixed that into the crackers just too moisten them a bit.  I cooked it for about 15 minutes.  Fairly quick, easy, and yummy meal!

Baked Ravioli

This recipe I pretty much made exactly like it says.

Here is the recipe: http://inspiredreamer.com/baked-ravioli/

The main thing I changed was that I added ground beef.  I also added Italian seasoning.

Turned out to be very yummy!  An easy alternative to lasagna.

Feel free to share any great Pinterest recipes that you find!!

Muffins Pans Aren't Just for Muffins 3 and a New Kind of Chili

Hello there!  Sorry it's been awhile since I posted.  School started back up this week, so last week was spent trying to finish some of the projects that I knew I wouldn't get to once the craziness of school started.  Also, my roommate made some yummy chili last week, so there was no reason for me to make a second soup.
First, we tried another new "cupcake" tonight...taco cups!  When I went to the grocery store earlier this week, I thought that tacos sounded like a yummy dinner.  I was going to grab the ingredients for the usual tacos, but then decided to mix it up a bit with taco cups.  I think these are my favorite cups so far!

Taco Cups

Ingredients
Ground Beef
Taco Seasoning
Won ton Wraps
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Lettuce
Pico
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Refried Beans (optional)

Instructions
Brown ground beef and then cook with seasoning according to directions.  When the meat is finished, put the meat in a bowl then mix in cheese and salsa (you could layer the meat, cheese, and salsa, but I thought this way was easier).  Spray cupcake pans with cooking spray and place one wrap in the bottom of each cup.  Put a spoonful of beans on top of each wrap and spread out.  Top beans with a spoonful of meat mixture.  Add another wrap.  Top wrap with a spoonful of meat mixture with shredded cheese on top.  Place pans in the oven and cook 10-15 at 350.  (Times may vary depending on how your oven cooks.)
Top with your choice of toppings and enjoy!!

I made 24 taco cups with the above ingredients, but one set had only beans on the bottom because I didn't have enough meat for both layers.

Now for this week's soup...
This recipe is perfect for those of you who are trying to eat healthy!  When I went out to visit my friend Pam on the west side of our great state in October, she made this for me.  I honestly wasn't sure if I would like it, because I didn't know if I was a fan of sweet potato and quinoa, but it was delicious so I decided to make it again!
I found the recipe here http://thesimpleveganista.blogspot.ca/2013/03/sweet-potato-quinoa-chili.html

Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes or 1 1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 large sweet pototo, diced (with or without the skin...I leave the skin on)
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• a few dashes of garlic powder
• a few dashes of onion powder
• himalayan salt to taste
• 4 cups (32 oz) water or vegetable broth, + more as needed
• avocado, cilantro and/or diced onion, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 7 - 10 minutes). Add garlic, cook for another minute or so. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder, cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, liquids, beans and sweet potato, stir until combined. Add quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili is ready when sweet potatoes are tender. Add additional water if chili is too thick for your liking. 

I pretty much followed this recipe as is except that I did add 2 cups of water when I added the quinoa.
We enjoyed ours with some cornbread and it was yummy!

And here's a bonus recipe...

I tried one of the recipes that I had pinned last week and it turned out pretty well.  It was super simple.  The toughest part deciding what to serve with it.

I found the recipe here http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/06/slow-cooker-teriyaki-pulled-pork.html

Teriyaki Pulled Pork

Ingredients
1 (2-3 pound) pork shoulder butt roast (I used 5 pork chops instead)
1 medium onion, diced
1 bottle teriyaki sauce (I used Kikkoman)
1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices, undrained
Buns (I got the King's Hawaiian ones)
Optional toppings: cheese slices, onion slices, jalapenos

Instructions
Place meat in crock pot.  Drain pineapple juice over meat (I didn't use all of it because I used less meat than the recipe called for and didn't want to drown my meat).  Add 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce and then sprinkle onions on top.  Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours (or high for 5-6 hours).  Once meat is cooked, remove and shred.
After this, I emptied the juice out of the crock pot.  Then I put the meat back in the crock pot with more teriyaki sauce just long enough to warm through.  Serve on bun with a pineapple slice and choice of toppings.  I grilled my pineapple on my George Foreman and it turned out good.  I decided on homemade potato wedges as a side.  Overall it was a pretty yummy meal.
(When I made warmed up the leftover meat, I mixed some shredded pepper jack into the meat and that was quite yummy as well.)

Muffins Pans Aren't Just for Muffins 2 and a New Soup

I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas!!  Can you believe that tomorrow is the last day of 2013?!  Crazy!  I am looking forward to 2014!  I just have a feeling that it's going to be a great year!

I have 2 recipes for you...lasagna cups and Chicken Enchilada Soup.

Lasagna Cups

The recipe with pictures can be found here http://www.catchingfireflies.com/blog/2012/06/mighty-tasty-mini-lasagnas/

Ingredients:
Won Ton Wraps (These can be found near the tofu up where the bags of salad and such are.)
Ricotta Cheese (1 container)
Mozzarella Cheese (1 2 cup bag)
Parmesan Cheese (I used grated, but you could use shredded or shaved too.)
Marinara Sauce
Italian Seasoning
Ground Beef (optional)

Instructions:
Brown ground beef.  I cooked it with garlic and Italian seasoning.  You could add onion too.
Preheat oven to 375.
Spray cupcake pan(s) with cooking spray.
Put a won ton wrap in each cup.  Layer ingredients (My order - ricotta, sauce, beef, mozzarella, parmesan, seasoning). Add another wrap and repeat ingredients.  (I used 1 lb of beef.  One set of cups only had one layer of beef.)
Bake 18-20 minutes. (They only took about 15 in our oven.)
Allow to cool about 5 minutes and then lift out of the cups.

I made 24 cups with these ingredients.

I was looking through my soup magazine and Pinterest to find a new soup to make this week.  Nothing was popping out at me, so I did some searching online and found this recipe.  I love taco soup and this one sounded very familiar, so I decided to give it a try.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

The recipe can be found here http://realmomkitchen.com/463/chicken-enchilada-soup-and-my-top-10-soup-recipes/

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 10 oz pkg of frozen corn

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I didn't add these.)

1 10 oz can enchilada sauce (I used mild)

1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cups milk

2 chicken breasts

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack (This is for putting on before you eat, so it's optional, but I love cheese!)

(I read the comments on the blog where I found the recipe and used some of their suggestions.  I added a 7 oz can of chopped green chilies and some chili powder.)

Instructions:

Combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and peppers in crock pot.  Place 2 chicken breasts on top of the mixture.  In a large bowl, whisk together soup and enchilada sauce.  Gradually whisk in milk until mixture is smooth.  Pour mixture over other ingredients in crock pot.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Remove chicken breasts, shred with forks, and then return to the soup (I cooked mine on low, so I did this about an hour before we were going to eat.  You can wait until the end though too.)

We ate ours with the pepper jack cheese, sour cream, and chips.

It is very similar to my taco soup, but creamier because of the soup and milk.  The enchilada sauce gives it a different taste while the chilies and chili powder give it a nice kick.  It was yummy :)

Ornaments!

Sorry I don't have a soup recipe for you.  We have been eating out and finishing off leftovers.  I'll have some new ones after Christmas!  I have some craft ideas for you instead :)

For the past 2 years, my friends and I have had an ornament exchange party where we made and exchanged ornaments.  All of these were made for me by friends and family.  I love decorating the tree each year, because these ornaments bring back memories and make me think of special people :)

We didn't get to have the party this year, but I still wanted to make ornaments.  I had lots of ideas floating around in my head, so I set out to make them happen.

Foam Ball Ornaments

For some reason, I really wanted to see what I could do with foam balls this year.  I had seen some ideas on Pinterest that I wanted to try and had come up with some others myself.
I gathered my supplies and got to work...

I had some ornament fails...

This cupcake ornament didn't quite work out the way I hoped that it would.

These didn't work out either.  

These good ideas gone bad didn't make me give up though and thankfully I had some great ornament successes too!!

Yarn-wrapped Foam Ball Ornaments

I am sure there are directions out there for these somewhere, but this is one that I just made on my own.  I used simple foam balls, yarn, and craft glue.  I decided starting in the middle would be easiest, so I covered half of the ball with glue and then wrapped the yarn around the ball.  Once that half was finished then I covered the other half with glue and wrapped it with yarn.  For the hanger, I pinned ribbon to the top with a sequin pin.  I had some bells left from other projects, so I either strung them on the top ribbon or pinned them to the bottom.  The red, white, and green yarn was a little smoother and was easier to work with than the other yarns shown, but I was happy with how they all turned out.  The most challenging part was trying not to get my fingers in the glue!

Ribbon-wrapped Foam Ball Ornaments

I found this simple idea online here www.houseontheway.com/christmas-ribbon-ornament-craft/
I used smooth foam balls for these and I pinned the ribbon with sequin pins, because I already had them.  The shiny ribbon was a little more challenging to work with, but so pretty!  Tip:  When you cut your ribbon, cut it a little longer than it takes to wrap around once.  I didn't do this with my shiny ribbon, so I had to pin both ends.

Fabric and Sequin Foam Ball Ornaments

I had an idea in my head of how I wanted this ornaments to look, but it did not work out.  As you can see from the fail picture (green one of the left), I couldn't get the fabric to sit just right.  I even tried using a template for cutting the fabric that I found online, but that didn't work out either.  

Thankfully I found this site www.stitchingunderthesoutherncross.yuku.com/topic/2559#.UrBzr9JDsfV

It took a little while, but it turned out way better than my first couple of tries!

I really enjoyed making these ornaments and am super happy with how they turned out!  Hope you will try them too!!  

One last idea...

I made ornaments similar to these a couple of years ago for our ornament exchange party.  I decided to make some more this year.  This year I used the larger glass ornaments, but the small ones work well too.  The side of the ornaments that you can't see has the first initial of the person who they are for, but I can't show you that because I haven't given them away yet ;)

Here's how you can make your own...
Fill plain glass ornaments with fake snow (I made a mess doing this, but I got them filled!).  I always glue the top back on in hopes of keeping it from falling off and making a big mess!  Clean the side of the ornament that you are going to paint with rubbing alcohol.  Let it air dry (doesn't take too long) and then paint.  Enamel paint is best for painting on glass and mistakes can be "erased" with rubbing alcohol.  I used circle sponges to make the snowman body, because that was easier than trying to paint circles and I like the texture that they create.  When I made these before, I painted several snowman around the ornament.  This time, I painted an initial on one side and one snowman.  Allow the body paint to dry and then dress your snowman.  It's fun to customize the snowmen by using the person's favorite colors or modeling them after something the person likes (favorite sports team, school colors, etc.).  I made all of these in a couple of hours.

If you ever have questions or need more directions to help make something, don't hesitate to ask!  Also, feel free to share any ideas for Christmas crafts that you have made!  I love new ideas!!  :)