Monday, August 11, 2025
Popsicle Summer Card and Summer Tags
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Ice Cream Summer Card
Sunday, August 3, 2025
Flip Flop Summer Card
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
What's Wapen-ing? Nano Block Charms!
For the second Nano block charm, I attached it to a pouch with a charm cord and added a sushi patch. I thought that the Japanese Nano Block alien? needed some yummy Japanese food. You maybe able to find Nano Block kits online or be able to adapt some of the mini block kits (available at our Daiso stores) into resin charms. Hope you have a CHARMING day!
Saturday, July 26, 2025
What's Wappen-ing? - Resin Charms!
Have you fallen in love with the Wappen items in our HM Ben Franklin Crafts stores? I can't seem to stop buying just ONE more! This white fuzzy Wappen rabbit with sunglasses really captured my heart. To add more color and cuteness, I made a pink resin rabbit charm.
I like the size and color of this Wappen pouch so I decided to add a cat resin charm and glue on a small Wappen cat and dish of yummy plastic ice cream.
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Peace Sympathy Cards
Friday, July 18, 2025
Shaker Accordion Baby Card
Monday, July 14, 2025
Folding Step Baby Card
Our niece is pregnant with her second child and is due very soon. I had to rush this card so I kept it super simple. I used a Sizzix Framelits Step-Ups die set and mostly Echo Park printed card stock. For the decorations I fussy cut out words and images from Echo Park sheets. It took just a few minutes to cut out al of this and glue it onto the folded 'steps'.
It's been awhile since I last used this Sizzix step card die but I think I will use it more often as it makes a very interesting card that folds up into a standard envelope. In the near future I will probably be revisiting some old but clever Sizzix card dies...everything old is new again! Please check out this blog site to see what NEW cards I create with some OLD school tools.
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Happiness Comes In Waves
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Paper Theater Crafts at HM Ben Franklin Crafts
When I was recently at the Japan Hobby Show, I purchased some full size kits (see bottom photo) and was given this small sample to try. At first I thought, 'Oh my, this is going to be hard because there are so many pieces', but it was actually quite simple to put together the cute bunny scene. All the pieces of plastic-like paper were easy to take apart and glue down. The instructions were in Japanese but had easy to follow numbered steps.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Ladybug Tag and Card Matching Tall Gift Bag
Here are the tag and card that I made to match the tall gift bag in my previous blog post. I think I did a pretty good job of finding papers and embellishments to match the gift bag.
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Recycled Pasta Kit Gift Bag
Recently, some dear friends of ours gave us a pasta kit (pasta, seasonings, and lemon oil) in a tall kraft bag with cord handles. After making and eating the delicious lemon pasta, I just couldn't throw away the sturdy and unique bag. The bag had acetate windows on both sides and only a band label on one side of the bag. It was easy to glue on a wide cloth ribbon all around the top of the bag and embellish it with a flower and lady bugs. The flower was created by layering several blossoms from my stash and the lady bags came from my ladybug collection of embellishments (mostly from HM BFC). Although, it would be rare to encounter a tall kraft bag like this, acetate windows could be designed for any handled kraft bag making it a really special presentation for some goodies. I think I may use this 'new' gift bag to give someone a long loaf of bread, cheese, and some wine. While choosing just the right ladybugs, I came across some ladybug stamps so I think I'll also make a ladybug gift tag or card. Please visit this site again to check out my lucky ladybug creations.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Fluffy Chenille Pipe Cleaner Bear Kit
The numbered illustrated instructions were fairly easy to follow but I do admit that I improvised here and there to make the finished product look more ah-h, 'bear-like'. HM Ben Franklin Crafts has chenille pipe cleaner kits like this one, plus accessories like hats, sweaters, sun glasses sized for the finished animals, as well as packages of just the chenille pipe cleaners in many colors. If you want to craft something easy and fun that will result in a warm, fuzzy friend, you have to check out the Japanese craft section of a HM Ben Franklin Crafts. These sweet, furry animals will make great gift wrapping add-ons, purse attachments, desk decorations, or just a small gift for no reason at all. I really hope that you'll try this new fun craft available now at House Mart BFC.
Note: I glued (Fabri-Tac) the eyes and nose to the bear because they seemed rather loose and I didn't want them to fall out. I don't think this chenille bear is appropriate for very young children because the small pieces might cause a choking hazard.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Graduation Time! Let's Shake It!
Monday, June 16, 2025
G.O.A.T. Dad Card
When I first heard the term GOAT in reference to an athlete (Tom Brady, I think), I was appalled that people were so harsh until I realized that it was a compliment. It is an abbreviation for 'Greatest Of All Time' . LOL! When I saw the Lawn Fawn stamp and die sets (You Goat This), I knew that they would make a good Father's Day card for my husband who truly is the Greatest of All Time DAD! While looking for the large white letters in my stash, I discovered a pad of retro print papers and decided that the blue and green dot one would be perfect because he is a retro-kind-of father. It was simple to stamp the goat, color, and die cut it. After adhering the letters, I positioned the goat with foam adhesive dots.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Lemon Curd Is Delicious
I know I said I wasn't going to make lemon curd this year because of the high cost of eggs, but I had just too many lemons from my tree to resist. Also, I LOVE the taste of lemon curd! I think the name sounds revolting....maybe it should be renamed 'lemon custard'. Anyway, other than juicing the lemons (about six needed), the curd is super simple to make. I believe I first found this recipe in a Martha Stewart magazine but I have altered it a bit. I hope you'll try making lemon curd and I'm sure you'll be a fan too! Enjoy!
Lemon Curd (makes 2 jars)
6 egg yolks (strained through a sieve)
1/2 c. lemon juice
12 T. sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
8 T. butter
Mix the yolks, juice, sugar and zest in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. Turn off the heat and start adding the butter in small pieces. Once the butter is incorporated, pour the lemon curd into two clean jars. Cool curd and then refrigerate the jars.
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Hang In There Get Well Card
Recently, my sister broke her arm so I thought I'd make her a card and send her some 'get better soon' goodies. This card came together quickly because of a cute monkey stamp from a Hero Arts clear stamp set. It was super simple to stamp out the image, color it with Copic pens, fussy cut it out and attach it to the card with foam adhesive dots. The printed background is simply a piece of vellum I found in my stash of Hawaiian style papers. It was a little difficult to adhere the vellum to the card without the adhesive showing. I applied very tiny dots of Fabri-Tac glue to the back of the vellum and they are barely visible. I thought that the green ribbon from my scrap pile looked like a vine so the monkey decided to hang out on it. Hahaha! Please note that the monkey also has a broken arm in a cast (made from a tiny roll of paper). I hope my sister will be cheered by this card or at least will smile as she eats the Japanese treats I mail to her!
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Toji Shrine Fair in Kyoto Japan
A favorite booth that I always look for at the fair is one that sells handmade wooden utensils. I think that the pieces are gorgeous and very affordable so I usually select a few for gifts and for my own collection. If you are a wood crafter perhaps you should consider making wood utensils . I believe that the wood crafters at the fair do a brisk business during the entire fair. I purchased other fabulous one-of-a-kind items at the Toji Shrine fair and they encourage me to make every effort to attend another fair in the future. Hope you will one day make an effort to travel to Japan and see a Toji Shrine fair for yourself. I'm positive that you will be enthralled by the excitement and cultural beauty of the event.