We hope you're all having a wonderful Mother's Day! My favorite part (besides my husband fixing dinner!) was the handmade gifts from my boys. My kindergartener made a book called, My Amazing Mom, and one page said, "My mom is really good at_________." He filled in the blank with "crafting."

Recently I made this mini book to celebrate just that. I don't usually take the time to scrapbook myself, but I got a design team assignment to use this mini album and coordinating die-cut pages from Little Yellow Bicycle. I LOVE this line, Fresh Print Clothesline, but it's rather girlie, and I have boys. So I was it.

I decided to record my love of crafting. It brings a richness to my life, it makes me happy. Okay, I'm obsessed. I love that my kids recognize that this is a part of who I am. But I hope they always know that being their mom is the most important thing in my life. I hope this book inspires you to take some time to document who you are, what makes you happy. It's like giving yourself a little Mother's Day gift. Enjoy!

Stacy is always making cupcakes and topping them with the most beautiful swirls of frosting. They're almost too pretty to eat. Almost. But this time she has outdone herself. Behold the daisy cupcake topper. They're made with gum paste, also known as sugar paste, pastillage, or sometimes candy clay. It starts as a powder, gets mixed into a dough, and dries crispy like candy (think Neccos). If you loved playing with Playdough as a child, you're going to love this stuff!

You can find gum paste mix all over online (try Wilton brand) and at specialty baking stores. Add water according to the mix's directions and knead into a soft dough. You can also add food coloring to tint the dough at this point. Roll the dough out into about 1/16" to 1/8" thick.


Using a cookie cutter (we used a daisy similar to Wilton's push 'n print cutters), cut out your shapes.


Next, color in any parts you want to accent using a food coloring paste or gel (we colored the flower centers). Let your shapes dry completely before putting them on a cake. This can take 24 hours or more! Then place on top of your cupcakes or cake. Don't these just scream Spring?

The Birdies have been busy getting their gardens ready and when we saw this tutorial we knew it would be a great addition to our backyards.

The ever talented Cathy, the woman behind Cap Creations, has been making these darling bird feeders for years and we are so excited that she agreed to be a guest on our blog today and share her tutorial. Be sure to go check out her site and blog.


Materials
Cup and Saucer
Spoon
1/2 inch Copper Pipe (Pluming section of hardware store.)
1/2 inch Copper Cap (Also in the pluming section of hardware store.)
Sandpaper
All Purpose Adhesive
Birdseed
Water

1. With sandpaper, lightly sand the bottom of the cup.



2. Lightly sand the top of the saucer where the cup will sit. This will allow for a better bond.



3. Apply the adhesive around the base of the cup where it will touch the saucer.



4. Attach the cup to the saucer, press firmly. Add weight to the top while drying, books work good.



5. Sand the bottom of the spoon and the small spot on the saucer where the spoon will sit.



6. Apply adhesive to the spoon. I also apply adhesive to the stem of the spoon where it will hit the edge of the saucer.




7. Attach spoon to the saucer. Press down firmly. This perch is for the birds! he! he!

8. Now this next step is the hardest but it must be done properly if you want it to come out right. You must wait for the adhesive to properly dry/cure before moving on. :) This must be done and could take up to 24 hrs. Read the directions on whichever adhesive you select for dry time.

9. Once adhesive is dry, turn the cup and saucer upside down and sand a small spot in the center of the saucer.


10. Sand the top of the 1/2 inch copper cap.



11. Apply adhesive to the copper cap.



12. Attach the copper cap to the bottom of the saucer. Pressing firmly again add weight to the top as it is drying.



13. Now again you must allow this to properly dry. This seems like forever! But you need to let it dry for the proper time if you want it to last.

14. Place the copper pipe in the ground.

15. Place the Tea Cup Bird Feeder on top, by placing the pipe in the cap that is attached to the bottom of the saucer. My copper pipe is about 3 feet tall but you can make it any desired height. Smaller heights are good for pots.



These will last for several years. This one below is one of my favorites and is about 6 years old! It is still very sturdy! And does not need any repairs and never has needed any repairs. I did use the E600 on this one. Lovely lovely! And a big thank you to my son for all of his help! Those are his hands in all of the photos.

It's only a week until Mother's Day, so here's a quick and easy project you can make for your mom (or yourself!). I found this plate for $1 at an antiques flea market and fell in love with it. I've been looking for something to add to the bottom to make a sweet cake platter for over a year now. I looked in antique stores, at Target, my own closets--nothing seemed right. Then I finally struck gold. I found a little votive holder for $4 at Anthropologie, and event though it was four times the price of the plate, it still turns out to be a $5 cake platter. Seriously, you can't beat that.

Upcycled Cake Platter Tutorial

Supplies:
Ceramic plate
Small candle holder, tea cup, or bowl
E6000 or other ceramic glue


1. Decide which end of the bottom piece you want glued to the plate. You could use a candle holder, a small tea cup turned upside down, or even a small bowl or flower pot. Line the edge of the bottom side with glue (I like E6000).


2. Press glue side down in center of the bottom side of the plate. Hold for a few moments. Allow to dry for 12-24 hours.


Ta-da! I think that was my shortest tutorial ever! I would love a trio of these using different plates with different sized items on the bottom for some height difference. I'm heading out to the Snohomish Antiques & Art Faire May 15th to find some more great pieces.

A while ago when I was really itching for spring to arrive, I saw a fabulous article in the Martha Stewart Living Magazine. It showed how to make your own flower pots using concrete, peat moss, and perlite. I just knew I had to try it for myself. I duped my unsuspecting husband into joining me in my endeavor. The word concrete rolled off my tongue and suddenly we were in the car on the way to the hardware store. We gathered all the supplies along with a basket as our "mold" and then we were ready. For all the measurements and directions you can visit Martha Stewart's website article here.


First we duct taped the basket so none of the mixture would be able to seep out after we poured it in.


Next we mixed the items in our wheelbarrow and then spread some onto the bottom of the basket.


We then placed a box inside as our inner mold and filled in all sides with more mixture.


Then we let it dry for a few days before cutting the basket off. Then we drilled some drainage holes in the bottom of the finished pot. Voila! Isn't it pretty? I love the weaved look. You can file the edges down so they are smoother, but I really liked the rustic look so I left mine alone. My mom received this pot as a birthday present and it looks perfect in her backyard. I am hoping to try some more kinds now that I know it was successful!