DIY cards for that Special Teacher—free printable!

Posted on by

2

spring13 120

Happy Thursday….

My kids are a week away from their last day of school…..shouts of joy for summer break and for the pure bliss of not having to wake up and make lunches for three whole months….

For the end of the year teacher gifts….

You might have guessed I’m not the give-a-gift-card-to-the-Gap kind of gift giver.   Each kiddo has picked out something special for their teacher and I always encourage them to write a nice note telling them how that teacher made their lives better for the year.  

SO…

Here is an easy DIY card you can make for that teacher who has put up with your kid  taught your child so unconditionally this year.

Supplies:

*child’s artwork or other background ephemera 

* photo paper (optional)

* blank card or gift tag

*tape runner or other adhesive

*scissors and/or paper cutter

spring13 122

I have been scanning my children’s artwork and saving it on my computer quite a bit lately.  You can easily take photos of school art and save them on your computer as well.  This is a wonderful way to preserve those memories that otherwise will decay in a box over the years…..and, free up precious storage space for you!

Using your computer software of choice (I used Microsoft Publisher) take the saved document of your scanned artwork and set it as your background.  Choose a quote in a cute font for the sentiment that will go directly on your background image.   HINT:  Use the brightness function on your program to brighten up the background…..It will allow the quote to stand better.

Once you have the complete image and the size you want, print out on photo paper (I like because of the gloss) or paper of choice.  Cut to fit blank card or gift tag.  Adhere with tape runner or tape. 

And there you go!

spring13 123

These are also great projects for Father’s Day cards and cards for Grandparents (they love this stuff).

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Leave a comment here and you can have either one or both of these backgrounds as a free printable!  I will email upon request!

Have a wonderful rest of your week!  dcb

Today’s High Note–Peacefulness at the Abbey

Posted on by

5

spring13 105

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to spend time at the Abbey of St. Walburga in Virginia Dale, Colorado.   The Abbey is home to 22 Benedictine Nuns who not only offer their beautiful grounds to those seeking solitude, but also run a full working farm–including over 100 head of grass fed cattle.

spring13 082

spring13 109

The nuns spend their days in prayer, woodworking, farming, hospitality, jewelry/rosary making and tending to those in need.  They are peaceful.  They are happy.   Truly happy.   It was a blessing to spend time with them….their simplicity and gracious spirituality were contagious.

Needless to say…..

I didn’t want to leave.

spring13 100

spring13 102

spring13 116

So I offer you this high note for today: the next time the media pushes a frightful image of a Catholic nun with a ruler in her hand, please remember these beautiful images of gentleness….

…and peacefulness at the Abbey.

–dcb

Upcycle clothing tags and button envelopes

Posted on by

11

spring13 001
A good Tuesday to you….

I’m not sure about you, but it is very hard for me to throw away the often large and decorated little button envelopes that come with a new piece of clothing.   I have had a growing collection of the little beauties until recently when I began upcycling them to use on my hand made cards.

And those high end tags!  The “now-I-know-why-this-was-so-expensive” tags….

Nope.

Can’t throw those away either.  

My Montana gal pal,  Lesliann, knows this about me and often sends me extra tags from the boutique she works in…and I love her for it….

So…don’t throw those tags and envelopes away!  Here are just a few upcycling ideas!

Scrapbooking:

Use the button envelope to:

*a place to put special momentos on your page

* Baby’s first tooth, or lock of hair

* Ticket stubs from a memorable event

spring13 003

Labels/Tags

*Backpack, luggage, lunchbox, sportbag tags for your kiddos

Buy the metal fasteners at your local hobby store (in the leather making section). Usually they cost around $2.00 for a pack of 50.  I would laminate any tags used for luggage to make them wear better and last longer!  I used a regular label maker to print out the label to cover the brand name on the tag.

spring13 004

Card Making:

*Cut off brand name and embellish to use on front of a card

*Use button envelope to hold gift card or money and affix to the front of a card

*Decorate the outside of button envelope and stick a special note inside.  Tuck in your husband’s briefcase/sportbag or in your child’s lunch box.

*Cover the brand name of a tag with stickers, stamp, and affix to the front of a card

spring13 007

spring13 006

spring13 008

The possibilities are endless!

Don’t hold out on me if you have more ideas!  And, if you have tags/envelopes you don’t want to upcycle….don’t THROW THEM AWAY!  I will make sure and find a good home for them.

Happy Day.   –dcb

And the winner (s) are…..

Posted on by

6

Hello sweet people….

Loved all the comments of congrats and support I received in the last few days!

The winner of the big 1 +100 package giveaway  was selected at random……

 

Congrats to Southern Circuit Lady!

 

Check out her blog and all the wonderful paper musings she has going on!

I have to also give a little something to my faithful email followers:

Colleen

Kathleen

Valerie

Trisch

Congratulations to all and here is to another year and 100 more followers!  dcb

1 + 100 = a BIG thank you give away!

Posted on by

12

100

The High Note is celebrating one year and over 100 followers!

A big thank you to all of you for supporting this fun adventure….

And as a very small token of my gratitude I am giving away a package of some of the goodies the High Note has done this year!

Shredded Antique Sheet Music

Custom Note Cards

and

a Music Wrapped Candle

                                     winter13 116      summer12 214    spring12 423

Like this post and/or leave a comment here to enter!

Winner will be announced Monday 4/22!

 

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Homemade Dog (Puppy!) Treats…

Posted on by

1

It is a snow day here in Colorado….  

The novelty of no school lasted for exactly one hour and three minutes.

 We then progressed to the “I’m bored” stage of the day which is such a wrist cutting sound clear que to do something fun an creative with the kiddos.

In anticipation of our new pup (arriving this weekend!) we decided to make homemade doggie biscuits.  I have had this recipe forever (we had pre-marriage dogs up until a few years ago) and it is all natural and super easy for all to make.

winter13 199

Recipe & Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup shelled sunflower seeds (optional)

1 cup water

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 egg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

winter13 198

winter13 201

Mix all ingredients together well.  Knead for for about one minute.  Roll out dough with rolling pin.  Cut with cookie cutter or make small logs–pinch ends to look like a dog bone.

winter13 203

winter13 204

Bake at 350 degrees on a cookie sheet or I have found a large pizza stone works even better and holds more treats at a time.   Bake for 35-40 minutes.

These make great gifts, too!  Many a teacher and neighbor have received these over the years from my kids…..

winter13 205

Will send puppy photos next week!

Stay warm…..dcb

DIY Laundry soap

Posted on by

4

winter13 171

So…I have been wanting to try out recipes for homemade laundry soap for a while now….worried that it would not clean well as my beloved, cost worthy Costco brand….

I think I have come up with a good solution….a DIY laundry soap that works in my HE machine and does the job as good as, if not better than the detergent I am attached to  currently using. 

It is extremely gentle (does not irritate my daughter’s excema), gentle and strong enough for newborn baby clothes, smells glorious…

AND….you can make this for about  3 cents a load!

Recipe & Ingredients:

Ivory Soap bars

Borax detergent

Arm & Hammer Super Washing soap

Lavender essential oil (or fragrance of choice)

You may have seen this recipe using Castile soap, but the Ivory is low sudsing which makes it better for your fancy HE machine.

Directions:  Use one bar of soap per one cup of Borax and Arm & Hammer

Grate your bar of soap (use kitchen grater…I bought one at the dollar store to use just for soap making)

Mix in Borax and Arm & Hammer

Stir for 5 minutes or longer (this breaks up your shreds of soap well)

Add 15 or more drops of essential oil and stir about 2 mintues more.

Use 2 tablespoons of soap per load!

Gift ideas:

Put in to a jar, add ribbon and your own label (mostly for ingredients and directions) and give as a baby gift.

winter13 174

Put with white towels, washi tape covered clothes pins in a basket as a birthday or house warming gift

winter13 175        winter13 178

I added my favorite soap from P.S. I love Soap Company to this basket!

winter13 179

Have fun creating and being squeaky clean!  dcb

 

Peeps!! DIY Easter centerpiece…

Posted on by

11

easter11 048

Ok…so if you are an avid lover of Peeps….I am sorry for the apparent abuse of your beloved marshmallow buddies….

However, if you are like me and are looking for a consumption alternative for these sugary treats…here ya go.

It is simple….

*Line your square vase with jelly beans

*Insert a jelly jar or other small vase for your flowers

*Insert your Peeps of (bunny or chick variety you choose) around the inside of the vase.   They will naturally “stick” to the glass and stay in place on top of your jelly beans.

* Put your flowers in the vase and you have a cute table top decor for your Easter table.

easter11 047

easter11 048

Check out aponytailkindofday  for her version as well!

Have a great day…..dcb