Moochin' Monday--Truffles

Happy Halloween, y'all! I'm enjoying the day dressed as the fairest lady in the land. With my little side kick Snow White, of course!

Anyway! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to see how many people linked up last week to "Tute"-in Tuesday. You should have seen my texts to my Mr. last week. They were all "10 links!" and like like "60 links!"...It was awesome. And, he loved every text (I mean, I bet...Right?)

It was super hard to pick something to mooch. As always! But, once I saw these oreo truffles by Live Life, I knew that I needed to make them. Because, what's better than Oreos, cream cheese, and chocolate?  (Hint: Nothing!)



They were a huge hit, and I'll definitely be making them again. Hopefully I can get the drizzle on top down. Any suggestions? I mean, besides melting the chocolate on the stove...I'm too lazy for that!



I can't wait to see what you guys have planned for the link up tomorrow. Talk to you soon! For now, I'm off to gain about thirty more pounds eating my truffles.

                         

Guest Post with Notes on Paper {a lesson in Twitter}

A few weeks ago right here on Oops I Craft My Pants something Erika mentioned in her post about her new-look blog grabbed my attention:

“See those social networking buttons over there to the left?I was too afraid to include Twitter, it still intimidates me” she confessed.

And upon hearing this I leapt into action!!  [OK, so rushing off to open a new email message and copy a blog link isn’t exactly the energetic equivalent of sprinting to the Bat Cave and changing into a rubber suit ... but still, it’s the thought that counts, right?].  Because to me, hearing that someone is intimidated by Twitter does for me what the Bat-Signal does for Batman and I find I can’t not rush to assist whenever I know there’s a soul out there in Twitter distress!

Which is precisely what led me to creating this:

                                                

Tips for the Twitter Curious  is a free instructional 9-part blog series I created to offer instruction, advice and encouragement to anyone who wants to know what the world of Twitter can offer them. And it was a link to this series which I dashed off to send to Erika who, I’m happy to report, has already moved from being Twitter-Intimidated to Twitter-Intrigued after reading through it, which I hope you’ll take as a recommendation!

But I didn’t only write it for those curious about Twitter, it’s also for those already on Twitter but who don’t feel like they’ve made the most of it yet and … it’s even for those who think Twitter’s a waste of time! [My desire to persuade the anti-Tweeters made me work extra hard on the series!]

                                                 

In 2009 BT [Before Twitter] I was one of the Twitter-Curious myself. In fact, I was pretty much Twitter-Ignorant so I do know how it feels when everyone seems to already know what to do … and you don’t want to look silly by asking.

2 years on I’m still there, checking daily Tweeting pretty much daily with all kinds of fun, informative, personal, heart-warming, networking, friendly, networking and career-boosting experiences to reflect upon. And it’s these rounded, life enhancing moments which I wanted to make available to others when I put the series together.

So, remembering all those questions I had as a novice, which I worried were dumb, I made sure that my class covers the basics in detail and filled it with screenshots showing complete novices how to navigate around this brave new world:

                                         

Once the basics are out of the way the class talks you through some uses for Twitter which you may never have considered. Once you’ve made your way through all 9 posts you’ll have discovered:

• Where to find everything on the Twitter site as there’s a full guided tour [Lesson 2].
• How you can happily use Twitter without ever having to write a Tweet yourself [Lesson 3].
• Why it’s like the most incredible fan club you could have only dreamt about as a child! [Lesson 3]
• Whose tweets you should consider following with many of the suggestions going beyond the obvious [Lessons 5 + 6].

And

• Just what all those strange punctuation marks and abbreviations mean so you can learn to speak Twitterese! [Lesson 4].

But it’s not all hard work … there’s even time for fun things like … :

                                               

 Remember this is a free, open-to-all, online series which is hosted indefinitely via a page on my blog Notes on Paper - there’s no rush to get through the classes, it’s self-led and available whenever you are.

Now, before I go, allow me one last attempt to chip away at any of your last objections, [because I’ve already mentioned it’s all free ... right?] let me just say …

Far from detracting from relationships in ‘the real world’ Twitter really can help you stay connected to those who are important to you. Equally it can provide you access to a near unlimited network of people who can inspire you, assist you and even help promote you. For example, in Lesson 6 I share how I got the chance to promote myself in my local paper all thanks to a tweet!

And finally, if you’re wondering if this class could work for you … the proof of the pudding is in the tweeting! Since I first launched the series earlier this year so many people have contacted me to say it worked for them. And exactly how did they contact me? Well … they tweeted me, of course! 

So, like them, will you …

                                               

My username is @notesonpaper and I’d love to hear from you.

I’d also love it if you’d pass on the link to the class to someone you think might find it useful.

And if you’re already a fully-fledged  tweeter and there’s someone [a best friend, a parent, a colleague etc] who you’ve been trying to persuade to sign-up too then point them in the direction of Tips for the Twitter Curious link  and allow me to take on  the task of talking them through how it works!

Happy tweeting!

Julie

 

Blog

Twitter

Shop

______________

Thanks so much, Julie! I have loved going through your courses and have slowly but surely been warming up to Twitter. You are Aaaa-Mazing!

So, what do you guys think? Does this little intro help you feel a little better about using Twitter? A little less intimidated?
You can find me on Twitter with the username @icraftmypants. Let's be friends?

Want to be a guest poster on Oops! I Craft My Pants? Easy! Just email me and we'll talk deets. (erika(at)oopsicraftmypants(dot)net)

No Carve Pumpkin Roundup

I am the worst at carving pumpkins. I always end up cutting my finger or completely botching my pumpkin.

So, I decided to search Pinterest for some alternatives. I think these are all great.



1. Silhouette Pumpkin. 
2. Pretty Painted Pumpkins.
3. "Jeweled" Pumpkins.
4. Washi Tape Pumpkins.
5. Pantyhose Pumpkin.
6. Button Pumpkin (Pinterest didn't lead me to a source for this one. Any ideas?)
7. Mummy Pumpkin.
8. Decoupaged Pumpkins.
9. Glitter Pumpkins.
10. Nailhead Pumpkins.

What about you? Are you a great carver, or do you prefer other methods of dealing with pumpkins?

More Boot Socks...Oops!

I'm so sorry if I'm sounding like a broken record here, but I made some more boot socks.

I just couldn't help myself. After wearing my lacey boot socks out and about, I knew I needed to make some sweater ones. I mean, I just had to.

So, I took an old sweater that didn't fit well anymore, and made me some socks...Well, maybe more like leg warmers.



First, I gathered my sweater.
Then, I cut off the arms.
After that, I put the arms on my legs over my socks (like leg warmers!)
And last, I folded the top over to the length I wanted (this also helped them be a little more "chunky")

After that, all I needed to do was put on my boots and I was good to go!

(ignore the ugly tile back there that looks like a dead mouse or something. Sick. I swear it's not)

I love how warm these are, and that they add a little bit of texture to my otherwise bland outfit.
I can't wait to head to a thrift shop and snatch up a really chunky and colorful sweater to make some boot socks out of (but, don't worry! I'll spare you the details.)



Thanks for reading!

"Tute"-in Tuesday

It's that time again! Time to link up your tutorials (that you haven't posted here yet)! I can't wait to see what you lovely readers have come up with now. Maybe you'll be the one I mooch off of next Monday?

Here are the rules:

1. Please use the permanent link to your post when you are linking up (just click the post you want to link up, and it should take you to her perma-link...Feel free to email me if you can't get it to work, and I'll try to give you some better instructions.)

2. Please link up something you've never linked to "Tute"-in Tuesday before!

3. Please be sure to visit other people who linked up and leave 'em a nice comment. Because, come on, we all love comments. It would be awesome if you left something more than "nice blog. www.oopsicraftmypants.net"...But, it's up to you!

And, this is optional, but:

Let your readers know about the party so they can join in on the fun! Here's a button, if you want to use it I wouldn't be opposed. 

<a href=http://oopsicraftmypants.blogspot.com/><img src=" http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m606/erika237/tuteintuesday-1.jpg" /></a>

Now, let's get linkin'!

Moochin' Monday- Covered Pumpkin

It was so fun to see all the projects that were linked up to last week's tute-in Tuesday. I ended up pinning a lot of the ideas, and hope that I can get around to them one of these days.

But anyway, this week's mooch comes from Marvelously Messy. She made some fabric covered pumpkins that were just adorable.

I couldn't pass up a chance to do one last Halloween craft! Unfortunately, I didn't have fabric to cover my pumpkin with, but I did have newspaper! So, that's what I used instead.

                

I love that this project allowed me to add another pumpkin to my decor, without having to do any carving. I haaate carving (I'm bad at it).



Thanks for reading! And, don't forget to link up your projects and tutorials tomorrow for "Tute"-in Tuesday. Who knows, maybe I'll mooch your project?

Guest Post with Obsessively Crafting

Hello!! I'm so excited to be a guest blogger here on Oops, I Craft My Pants!! My name is Shalamar and I have a fun little blog called Obsessively Crafting where I share my attempts to be crafty. I love to craft!
I have 2 kiddos, one boy and one girl, and another boy due in a few weeks (thank heavens!).
I'm excited to share this craft with you guys!
If you're kids are like mine, they get bored in the car very easily. Trying to keep them entertained without crashing is close to impossible. I'm always trying to find ways to entertain them so I can drive....I've combined my passion for thrift shopping with my NEED to keep my kids entertained in the car and created....
RIDE-ALONG CHALKBOARDS!!

Supplies

Flat, hard board. (I think any kind of flat, hard board will work for this craft. You could even take a picture frame and some cardboard. Just spray the cardboard and replace it with the glass.)

Chalkboard Spray Paint. You can get it at Michaels or Wal-Mart.

Ribbon. 17-18 inches long

Fuzzy Fingers. See picture below for details.

Drill 

Sandpaper

 

I found these cork boards at my local thrift shop and knew I'd want to use them for something, someday.

 CHALKBOARD SPRAY PAINT!! Coolest thing I've ever seen!!

 

These are called Fuzzy Fingers! They make PERFECT erasers! They have a little pocket in the back to store your chalk when your child isn't using it. I got them at Wal-Mart for around $2 each. They're over by the home cleaning supplies. They're also kind of hard to find so if you can't find them, ask an employee.

Okay, here we go!!

Drill a hole in the middle of your board about 1" away from the edge. I used a 3/8 drill bit.

Very lightly sand the hole. I sanded mine a little too much.

Read all directions and warnings before spraying the chalkboard paint. Make sure you're in a well ventilated area and you've put newspaper down so you don't make a permanent mess on the floor of your carport or driveway. Trust me, you're husband will not be happy with you! I learned the hard way a while back...Always use newspaper ;-)

After your paint is totally dry, attach ribbon from the hole in your chalkboard to the loop on the fuzzy finger!

You'll want ribbon 17-18 inches long.

Quick. Easy. Very useful! My kind of craft. Enjoy!

____________

Thanks so much for guest posting here today, Shalamar! I love this idea, and I especially love how easy it was to do.

Be sure to go check our her blog. She has some great tutorials and some awesome Halloween craft ideas!

Want to guest post here on Oops! I Craft My Pants? Currently, I have a lot of openings for the remainder of the year, and I'd love to have you! Email me at erika(at)oopsicraftmypants(dot)net if you are interested!

Everything Glitter Roundup

I love glitter these days. I swear, I'd glitter the black part around my tv, if I could (I don't think Mr. Crafty Pants would like that too much, though. Dang!)...So, to help feed my glitta addiction, I made a handy little round up!
             

1. Hair Clips.
2. Bangles.
3. Trees.
4. Magnets.
5. Earrings.
6. Party.
7. Shoes.
8. Tape.
9. Nails.
10. Playdough.

Have you done any fun projects with glitter lately?

DIY Boot Socks

I'm so excited about fall. Something about wearing jackets and boots just makes me giddy. 

So, I decided to make some lacey boot socks. 

Aren't they great? They were so easy, too.

All I needed was a pair of tall socks, some lace, thread (preferably in a matching color, but all I have was mint green (huh?) oops!), and a needle!



After I had all the supplies, I put the socks on to see where they would hit in my boots. Then, I just sewed the lace on by hand while still wearing the sock so I could make sure I got the lace on the right spot.

                         

I poked myself a few times, but I'd say it was worth it!

"Tute"-in Tuesday

It's that time again! Time to link up your tutorials (that you haven't posted here yet)! I can't wait to see what you lovely readers have come up with now. Maybe you'll be the one I mooch off of next Monday?

Here are the rules:

1. Please use the permanent link to your post when you are linking up (just click the post you want to link up, and it should take you to her perma-link...Feel free to email me if you can't get it to work, and I'll try to give you some better instructions.)

2. Please link up something you've never linked to "Tute"-in Tuesday before!

3. Please be sure to visit other people who linked up and leave 'em a nice comment. Because, come on, we all love comments. It would be awesome if you left something more than "nice blog. www.oopsicraftmypants.net"...But, it's up to you!

And, this is optional, but:

Let your readers know about the party so they can join in on the fun! Here's a button, if you want to use it I wouldn't be opposed. 

<a href=http://oopsicraftmypants.blogspot.com/><img src=" http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m606/erika237/tuteintuesday-1.jpg" /></a>

Now, let's get linkin'!

Moochin' Monday- Sink Organizer

  First, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who linked up to "Tute"-in Tuesday last week! We got up to 50 links. That's huge for me...Usually we only get around 25ish. So...Can I get a woot woot?

Annnyway. For this week's moochin' Monday, I decided to mooch off of Rain on a Tin Roof. She made this adorable sink organizer.

                                                 

Isn't it so cute? I love everything about it!

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a tin like that. Booo. But, luckily, the dollar store had a cool little gold platter that I could use instead.

Here's my version--I decided to use it in my bathroom as a way to organize jewelry:
                     


It makes me happy every time I see it!

Be sure to link up to tomorrow's "tute"-in Tuesday! I can't wait to see your projects and tutorials!

Ch-ch-changes

I changed my blog design. Aaagain. The other one was too light and kind of driving me insane. This new one? Feelin' like a dream so far. We'll see how long I can love it for. 

Does anyone else feel that way about their blog? I seriously crave change after a month or so. It gets kind of annoying, but oh well!

Here's a picture of the new do for all of you using a Reader.




See those social networking buttons over there to the left? I was too afraid to include Twitter (it still intimidates me. Eep!), but I at least included Facebook. That's a step up right?

I'm planning to post tons of great ideas on there, and feature people from "Tute"-in Tuesdays. I'm excited. Follow along, if you want! I'd love it.

Anyway, hopefully this new set up will be a little easier to navigate. We'll see.
Thanks for reading! 

Guest Post with Mandi Being Crafty

Why hello Oops, I Craft My Pants.
I am Mandi, I am a momma to three little boys,

A wife to a loving and VERY understanding husband.

 I share my crafty endeavors at my little blog called 'Mandi Being Crafty' 

I was so shocked when Erika asked me to guest post. 

I seriously did that whole cartoon open mouth thing.

My husband asked me if everything was okay.

So Basically to say I am excited to be here today is an understatement!

I am going to show you how I made this Spider Topiary.

I made it last year but felt he was so cute he deserved another post!

Here is my how to:

Supplies needed:

Fun Fur (you can buy it at walmart)

Floral Styrofoam form.  

Wooden Dowel

Pipe Cleaners

Spider webs

Bucket

Start by wrapping the fun fur all over the Styrofoam. 

Take the pipe cleaners and cut them in half.  

Stick them into the body of the spider.

You can add a dab of hot glue to make it stick better.

 At this point you can add eyeballs to your spider.

Now onto the bucket to place your spider in.

Paint your wooden dowel to whatever color you choose.

I chose orange cause the spider was already black and I wanted to contrast.

Put a little more Styrofoam in the bottom on the bucket and place spider webs on top.

Then all you have to do is stick the wooden dowel into the spider and place in bucket.

It was REALLY easy and took about a half hour to make!

Thanks Erika for having me on your blog today!

I really enjoyed my time here!

________________

Isn't that so cute, you guys? I think I'm going to have to whip some of those up during nap time today. Be sure to go check out Mandi's blog for some other great Halloween inspiration. She's one crafty momma.

Want to guest post here on Oops! I Craft My Pants? Feel free to contact me at erika(at)oopsicraftmypants.net and we'll talk!