Sorry...

 Hey Y'all...

I got busy packing and decluttering, plus I had a port flush today, so this blog has been moved to Sept 20th.

Bathroom Packing Pt 1: Hair & Skincare 

Thanks,

CWC

How To: Hotel Keychain (Glow in the Dark!)

 Hey Y'all!

Let's jump right in to this how to!

Supplies:

Glow in the Dark Hotel Style Keychains (Hobby Lobby)

Cricut (or any other vinyl cutter)

Vinyl (I used a piece of Cricut white I had left out.)

Weeding Tool

Transfer Tape

Squeegee

Step 1) Open DS and choose your design(s). Edit as you like, and to fit the keychain. My measurements were roughly 2.25in by 1in.

I used this van, and this Manifesting my best Life images. I then hid the second layer from the Manifesting image. After that I fit it into the van image until I was satisfied, and sliced the two images.

Next I contoured all the dots out of the tires, I know they're too small to really cut correctly. (Spoiler, it cut well, but I don't love the final image. It'd be great for something larger.)

Step 2) Prep your mat (or mats if using multiple colors).

Step 3) Begin the cutting process, follow machine prompts.

Step 4) Weed your vinyl... This is where I realized the image was probably too small to look how I wanted it too.

I didn't need to use transfer tape on this one, just did it by hand.

I knew I didn't love it, but on the keychain it was even worse.

So...

I peeled that vinyl off, and started over!

Same steps 1-4.

This time I used text, and the warp tool...

Step 5A) Apply transfer tape. Optional: use squeegee to help the vinyl adhere to the transfer tape.

5B) I find it best to apply the squeegee to the backside and slowly remove the backing paper from the vinyl vs the reverse. Use which ever method works for you.

Step 6) Adhere to keychain and peel transfer tape off. Slowly and at an angle works best for me.

Admire your work, and look at this glow!!!

Even the backside is cute.

Questions? Need help? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin Wife

Books! What I Read Last Month

 Hey Y'all!

I did pretty well with four books this month (plus the magazines). I pulled almost all of them from the library sale stack. There in the giveaway pile now, even though I enjoyed them all. We can't be keeping every book, especially now. I still prefer a physical book, but the kindle is something I'll have to get used to.

Anyhow, this month's books...

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (James Patterson)~ When I picked this one up I wasn't sure. It was a Goodwill find, and I thought for $1 why not? If it wasn't my thing my Mom would like it. I've not read much James Patterson, but I need to read the rest of this series. It was that good. 

Maximum Ride and her "flock" -- Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel -- are just like ordinary kids, only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time.

Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of whack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare: fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives.

Along the way, Max discovers that her purpose is save the world. But can she?

Spoiler.. Nothing about saving the world comes up in book one. Still more than enough going on, but it's mentioned toward the end that this is her job, but that's about it.

These two were quick reads of a few hours each, and actually just okay for highly rated preteen YA books, I only had the two and read them while doing a weekend yard sale. I'd read the others if I had them simply to see if the characters get any better as they grow up.

This review is spot on with the "problem" in the book(s) though I didn't think they were the worst books ever:

Alyssa Marie

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't Bother

Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2011

Verified Purchase

I really didn't like this book. I thought I would like it, because it seemed to get a fairly good reception from others (YALSA even chose it as a quick-pick for YA readers). But this is honestly one of the worst books I've ever read.

The biggest problem I have is that I don't think it gives pre-teens and teens enough credit. Every single character in this book is superficial, even Claire, who is supposedly the average, normal sort of girl. To me, they all seemed to be different versions the same character. They're all petty and selfish; they all only care about boys, make-up, and clothes. What about activities? Favorite TV shows? Books? Granted, Massie rides horses, but right away this activity turns into a device to attract an older boy. What I love about YA is that it shows that just like adults, young adults are complex people. They have varied interests and they have real problems. This book doesn't portray that at all. The characters are down-right mean and don't show significant growth throughout to redeem themselves by the end.

Also, the stuff they have to deal with is trivial. For example, Massie doesn't want to be friends with the new girl, but her parents are trying to force her to be nice. I don't see why or how we're supposed to relate to such an awful character. Then there's Claire who is the new girl and would have a legitimate problem about trying to fit in and be friends with Massie, but then she ruins it by playing horrible pranks on Massie and her friends and trying to fit in with them even after she realizes how awful they are.

There are some redeeming factors, though these don't make up for all the bad stuff in this book. The writing itself isn't bad and it's a quick, easy read. Also, there are some funny moments that don't have anything to do with mean-spirited pranks. At moments I thought we were going to see into a deeper side of the characters, but these moments were fleeting and didn't follow through. Maybe they are more fully developed in later books, but from what I've skimmed through, I doubt it.

The Clique Series (Lisi Harrison):

Claire Lyons, the new girl from Florida in Keds and two-year-old Gap overalls, is not Clique material. Unfortunately for her, Claire’s family is staying in the guesthouse of the one and only Massie Block — Queen Bee of Octavian Country Day School. Claire’s future looks worse than a bad Prada knockoff. But with a little luck and a lot of scheming, Claire might just come up smelling like Chanel No. 5.

Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diary of Tabitha Lenox~ Remember the Soap Opera Passions? It came out the summer I broke my leg (I was 17) and I was instantly hooked, even though soaps were not my thing. This one was different, however I only watched the first season, so I only know from reading the Wiki page that the show gets way more out there before it ends.

Harmony is a picturesque small New England town. On the surface, things may look peaceful and normal in Harmony, but that couldn't be further from the case. "Passions" explores the lives, loves, and losses of four core families who reside in Harmony: the Cranes, the Lopez-Fitzgeralds, the Bennetts and the Russells.

The book takes place from the witch Tabitha's POV. The diary is written about events that transpired 20ish years before the soap opera begins. It gives a lot of backstory to some of the older main characters of the show. While not necessary to have watched the show, I think it reads best knowing something about the leads beforehand.

What are you reading? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Nail Polish Collection...

 Hey Y'all!

It's hot, FYI.

I'm not ready to go through and pack up all my nail polish yet.

Here's the last few blogs:

https://craftinwifescreations.blogspot.com/search?q=nail+polish

Not much has changed, but I need to declutter some when the time comes...

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

What I'm Working On...

 Hey Y'all!

What am I working on??

Making a mess, lol.

We're still very much going through everything, decluttering, and packing. 

See blog here:

http://craftinwifescreations.blogspot.com/2023/08/clean-with-me-look-at-this-mess-packing.html

I have done a few craft things since the last What I'm Working On blog... which shockingly was in March! Most things I've made I share here in a How-To or on TikTok, but here are a few:

There were more T-Shirts, but after I shared the videos, I deleted the photos...

*If you're interested there are more than this on my YouTube and/or TikTok.

I was also featured on all Shop Craftables social media:

What are you currently working on? Let me know in the comments below!

For me it's packing up the craft room, and deciding what to store, what to take, what to sell, and what to giveaway...

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Peek at My Planner

 Hey Y'all!

My planner this year is the Happy Planner Nightmare Before Christmas 5x7in (Sold Out). I like the size, though I do prefer the undated planners with the days running horizontal vs vertical. This planner was purchased early, usually I switch over in February to take advantage of the sales after the new year has begun. 

I like the tabs, and the page marker it came with. I thought I'd use the stickers more, but there really isn't enough space weekly. I haven't really decorated my last few planners...

Each month has a different scene.

On the month page I lay out my goals.

The pens I use are Inc .7mm from Dollar Tree. Purple= Craftin Wife's Creations, Green= Outland Adventures, Pink= Everything else. The pink and purple were one pack, green and red in another. The purple has a bit of a stutter at times, and has since new, so it's not an empty issue. Other than that I really like these pens.

Do you use a planner? What kind? Share in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Spur Of The Moment...

 Hey Y'all!

We decided to finally take a maiden voyage trip in our van, so there will be no blog today beyond this notice. I'll do the makeup brush clean out soon, and post it ASAP.

Friday's blog should be on schedule.

We're staying pretty local here:

https://mammothridgervpark.com/

It's not anywhere we've stayed before, but it has decent reviews and was google recommended when doing a search of "camping near me". Look for more info on the campground and our experience there in a future Outland Adventures video (& blog).

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Dollar Tree $5 Spot Craft Items Review (Dollar Tree Plus)

 Hey Y'all!

Today I'm reviewing two of the Dollar Tree $5 craft items: 

Mini Electric Iron- I have no "craft in progress" pics for this because it didn't work. To clarify it did get warm, but definitely not hot enough to adhere HTV to any surface. I tried both cloth, and wood. It was a big no go. It didn't even work well for ironing the wrinkle out of the fabric during preheat. It may work for something like perler beads, but I'd just buy a regular iron for that. Doesn't even come close to comparing to the Cricut Easy Press Mini. Would NOT recommend! They can't all be winners.

*Couldn't find a link, but the website is not exactly user friendly.

Ultra Thin Portable Light Pad- It's definitely thin, but not too flimsy. I wouldn't do anything hardcore with it, but it worked well for weeding vinyl. I could see using it to trace, or for small diamond art. It's USB powered which was fine for me, but may be an issue for someone else. It's not too bright, and at 13x9in, a pretty good size. No complaints for $5. I do have another light pad (not Cricut) and several lamps, and I've come to realize I much prefer the Ottlite Desk Lamp.

Have you tried the Dollar Tree craft items? What do you recommend? Share in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife