DIY Inspiration

Happy Monday ya' all!

I was watching The Today Show last week where they had a week-long DIY segment that knocked my crafty socks off. Style editor Bobbie Thomas, who covers fashion, beauty & shopping for the program, invited bloggers to re-create accessories seen on the runway. Of course, the results looked high fashion but at a very affordable price. All this week, I'll show you my favorites, starting with this one:

Inspiration: a foil sequin dress & foil snake dress.

The material is shiny & iridescent, like snake skin.

blah: one of the many black dresses

in your closet

TADA!: A new dress using a two-step process.

You'll find all the instructions here and all you

need are foil glue and foil sheets.

According to Bobbie, the garment can

easily be cleaned in the washing machine.

I can't wait to try this!

Get Well Cards

Hello and Happy Friday!

Finding out that someone is sick is a blah.

Whether it's something small as the sniffles

or something major that requires surgery,

a hospital stay or intensive treatment,

it's always a nice gesture to send out

a TADA! get well soon card.

I'm planning to make a few this

weekend and I checked out

ETSY for some inspiration:

Lovely quilled flowers via Paper Daisy

Handmade card & envelope via PaniEva

A humorous card with a guy in a cast

trying to pour beer in a glass

via ableandgame

I like the cursive font & eco-friendly

nature of this card via HappyDappyBits

Isn't chicken soup the best solution

when someone you love is under

the weather?

via JuniperStreetStudios

A healing blanket sounds nice, no?

via SugarNotes

An origami card via JulieDyeCraft

Have a bunch of friends/co-workers

write a get well note on each of

these tags via LazyDayCottage &

tie them to a bouquet of flowers!

Or just say it with chocolates

via Chocolate Says

If you are not feeling well right now,

I wish you a speedy recovery!

Have a terrific weekend everyone!

Ribbon Roses

Thank you for coming over today!

This week, I've been sharing photos from

the "Walk for A Cure" event that I

attended last October 16, benefiting

the American Cancer Society.

Pardon the fuzzy photo; the lady walking in

front of me wore this badge. It says, "I'm

creating a world with more birthdays,"

which is the American Cancer Society's

goal through early detection and

raising funds for the cure.

Isn't that TADA!?

And what a challenge in perspective.

How many times have we complained

on our birthday, "I'm getting old!" or

"I"m another year older!", when in fact

a birthday & a new year added to our

life is a gift that we should never take

for granted because tomorrow

isn't always guaranteed.

Anyway, here's a craft inspiration

for the day:

These are ribbon roses that a lady was selling

at the event. It's a play on the pink ribbon,

the international symbol for breast

cancer awareness.

The folks who bought the roses

wore them in their hair or on

their T-shirts.

You can make your own by using old, blah

ribbon & turning them into TADA! roses.

Just follow the instructions here & here.

Have a nice day!

A Memory Quilt

Happy Wednesday Lovelies!

Yesterday, I told you about Making Strides

Against Breast Cancer, a charity walk

to create awareness and to raise funds.

Being part of the walk on that beautiful Sunday,

the atmosphere was upbeat and everyone

was enthusiastic to walk for their loved

ones battling the disease.

One of the things that captured my attention

was this memory quilt near the starting line:

Each square is dedicated to a memory of

a beloved family member/friend.

Some squares also celebrate survival.

I think this is one TADA! craft to make and give away

for any reason at all -- to show support during a

difficult time or to commemorate a

big birthday or anniversary.

The lucky recipient can hang it on a wall,

lay it on their bed, use it as a throw.

Every time they see it, they know

they are loved.

Here's a TADA! way to go about it: Buy some

fabric and cut it into squares. Give a fabric

square to family members & friends.

Have them decorate these with more

cloth, ribbon embroidery, fabric pens

or iron-on transfers/photos.

Collect the squares and sew them

into a most thoughtful quilt.

TADA!

Walk for a Cause

I hope you had a fun Halloween!

November begins today...how did that happen?

Even if we're turning over a new page in our

calendar, I hope you don't mind me sharing an

activity I participated in last October 16.

I took part in the American Cancer Society's

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk

in New York City's Central Park.

Here are hundreds of participants at the

starting line (pink balloons).

I've been doing this for the past couple of years

because some people who are near & dear to

me have been touched by this disease.

I know, so blah.

By walking and raising money, we hope to

raise awareness & one day, find a cure.

Wouldn't that be TADA!?

Men, women and children in all shapes,

colors and sizes came out to walk.

Look, even the dogs were there!

I'm energized by charity walks like this where people

gather for one cause and become a support system

to those battling cancer. They stand united

wearings pink wigs, bandanas,

hats or t-shirts:

What did I wear?

I've been wearing this pink shirt ever since.

It has cute embroidery on different

parts of the shirt.

Well, I've officially made it my Making Strides t-shirt.

I did a little blah to TADA!: I embroidered the

names of my loved ones touched by

breast cancer:

Alma

Edith

Emy

It was an honor to walk for these courageous women.

And it was an even greater honor to walk among

survivors. I applaud them and only hope

that many more can call themselves

SURVIVORS.

Happy Halloween!

It's Halloween!

Are you or your kids dressing up today?

I'll be a pirate tonight -- a TADA! costume I've

assembled with blah items from my closet.

I came across these creative costumes

made by recycling things at home:

A hot air balloon made of an old box

and paper bags

A Lego piece made from a big empty box

and small round boxes

A fish bowl made from plastic bags & paper

A gumball machine made from a plastic

bag and cardboard

A snow globe made from a plastic bag,

card board and cotton balls/fiber fill

These TADA! ideas are all from

Country Living.

I wish you a SPOOK-tacular day!

Jack O' Lantern

Happy Friday!

Today, I have another

blah to TADA! transformation

for Halloween.

At this time of year, pumpkin carving

is a favorite activity.

But if you don't have the time,

you can still play with pumpkins

without all the work.

blah: an orange plastic bag

{tissue for gift wrap can also be used}

Stuff it with scrap paper, gather

the ends and tie them together.

Then give him a face using a

permanent marker.

TADA! A fun & festive tabletop decoration.

I wish you all a nice weekend!