Ellie Doll

Meet Ellie! She is the newest Craft E Magee doll to hit the scene. She was a special request for a new baby! I hope they are fast friends.

Ellie has the sweetest blonde pigtails, and a cute pink outfit, complete with pockets!

One of her pockets even includes a special surprise, a froggy inside! I love custom dolls because there is so much opportunity for me to personalize the doll and make them even more meaningful. There is something so special about a handmade gift, and I just love being able to create that joy for others!

Summer Crafts: Video Tutorials

I always enjoy my gig teaching crafts on television for WDRB in the Morning. It is fun to come up with new crafts and demonstrate them on television. I always post my videos on the Craft E Magee YouTube channel afterwards. You can see my latest two crafts embedded below. 
Sterling helped me make the D.I.Y. matching game which was a lot of fun. It's a great craft to do with kids, and with Summer break coming up, you'll need all the craft ideas you can get to entertain them. Works for rainy days too!


Candyce helped me make the Pringles can kaleidoscope. This is a really easy craft that the kids will love. As always, I love to share my crafts with you, but want you to share your crafts with me too! If you make one of these crafts, send me a photo by tweeting @craftemagee or find me on Facebook.

Summer Crafts for Kids

Welcome, WDRB in the Morning viewers!  Today I am making two great summer projects that you can make too!

Here are the full directions for the Kaleidoscope and for the Matching Game (click the links).
Thanks for watching!

Make your own Kaleidoscope

I have been tossing around the idea of making something with a pringles can for a while. It seems like a fun place to store treasures, but I thought it might also make a cool toy. I was very excited to find a project idea online for a kaleidoscope made from a pringles can, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. My project steps are below. Enjoy!

 
For this project you will need: Wax paper empty Pringles can (washed out) Tape Holographic paper in silver (for inside of can) and another color (for outside of can) Hammer and nail  Gem stones (mine were sticky on the back)



Be sure to wash your Pringles can first thing. Let it dry, and then you can work on your kaleidoscope. Nail a hole through the bottom (metal) part of the can. This is the part you will look through when your scope is finished.  Turn the can over to the other side. Use the silver holographic paper (I found this for 50 cents in the scrapbook paper section of the craft store) to cover the inside of the can. Tape it in place, with the edge lined up to the open part of the can.



Now that the inside is covered, you can cover the outside of the can. This holographic paper had a sticky side, so I peeled the back off and secured it to the outside of the can. I did not do that on the inside, because it would be too difficult to smooth out the sticky part. Tape is enough to secure the paper on the inside. Once the outside is coated, you are ready to work with the gems. Glue/stick the gems to the inside of the lid.


You can also add some gems to the end of the can where the lid will go. Cut out a circle of the wax paper and tape it to the outside of the lid. Place the lid back on the can, and your kaleidoscope is finished!



By looking through the kaleidoscope while facing light and turning the lid, you will see the gems reflecting off the holographic paper inside the can. This creates a kaleidoscope effect. 
I hope you've enjoyed this craft--another great project to do with kids this Summer!

Make your own Matching Game

Have you ever played the card matching game, where you see who can make the most matches first? This was one of my absolute favorite games as a child! That is why I am excited to share this next project with you! You can make your own matching game!



For this project you will need: A new product called Phoomph for Fabric (I found this at Jo-Ann's craft store) A few fat quarter size fabrics (I only used 3, although 5 are pictured) Fabric scissors
   
One of the best things about this project is that it is a no-sew project! The phoomph is like a sticky felt or foam. It comes in different colors. Here I used pink. It is sticky on both sides, and adheres permanently to the fabric.   First, peel off the backing from one side of the phoomph. Place the sticky side down to the wrong side of a fat quarter fabric that you have selected. This side will be the face of the cards that you see while playing the game. Trim off the excess fabric. Next, cut the stiff fabric into 3 long pieces.


Once you have three long pieces, cut each one into 4 squares. This gives you a total of 12 "cards" for your game. Now you need to choose 6 designs for the other side of the squares (2 cards of each design for a total of 12). Peel the backing off this side of the squares and place onto the wrong side of the fabric over the designs.

 
Trim off the excess fabric and then cut a nice clean square from the stiff piece. Do this 11 more times, to have a total of 12 cards (6 pairs). Now you can play the matching game. Put all cards face down and take turns with a friend.



Because this project is no-sew and quick, it is a great craft to do with the kids. They will love being able to create the pieces, and then play the game!

 
You could make more than 12 pieces for an even bigger game set. Enjoy them or give them as a gift! Homemade toys are always fun!

Kindergarten graduate!

Today was a special day for the Magee family because my little nephew C had his kindergarten graduation ceremony! He is growing up so quickly. It's hard to remember the tiny baby he once was!
 
The collage below combines a photo I took in August 2012, right before my nephew started school, and a photo today from his graduation. He looks more serious and grown up today. In the first photo he was being very silly!


I am so proud of this smart and talented little boy who I love so much and am so thankful to be a part of his life.

Make It: Stamp Note cards

I've really been into making cards lately. First I made some cards at the DIY Louisville craft night, then I made the graduation cards, and now these fun stamp note cards! Maybe it is old-fashioned, but I still believe in the power of the written note, and I love collecting stamps, so this craft project unites those two things!


You only need 3 supplies for this craft: glue, blank cards, and stamps!
I decided to color coordinate my cards by using stamps with similar colors. The possibilities are endless when it comes to stamps. If you are not a big stamp collector like me, you can find lots of stamps online for cheap. 
Decide your stamp placements first, and then secure them to the note card with glue.



You can go for a random, luggage stamp look, or you can have a more orderly design in rows. I had a wonderful collection of stamps to choose from including stamps from Hungary, England, Spain, Czech Republic, India, and more!



I think that these note cards would be fun to send through the mail (stamps! mail! haha!) or to bundle up and give as a gift. I'd love to see what you create. Tag "Craft E Magee" in photos on social media like facebook or with the twitter handle @craftemagee!

Family Time

I hope that you enjoyed the holiday weekend and took the time to tell the special people in your life that you love them!


I had a great Mother's Day with my mom! 


We had brunch with the family and I think my mom really enjoyed it.


I know that in my own life, my parents have always got my back. Us kids try to make Mother's Day and Father's Day special times for them. After all, they are our #1 fans!

Handmade Graduation Card tutorial

Celebrate the graduate in your life, by making them a special card with a diploma and mortar board. You can easily personalize this card and it will be extra special, because it is handmade by you!


To make this card you will need: 1 blank card  Stamps and ink Embroidery thread Metal brad Glue stick and double stick tape Decorative paper scraps (1 for background, 1 for mortar board hat) White paper strip (for diploma) Scissors Foam 3-D squares


Glue background paper scrap to the blank card. I rounded the corners of the card, and the background paper.


Cut the paper for the mortar board into a square. Push the metal brad through the center of the square. Take the embroidery thread, wrap around your hand three times, and cut one end. Tie the thread around the metal brad to create the tassel for the mortar board. Secure the brad on the opposite side of the hat.
Next create the diploma by rolling up a white scrap of paper. Secure the end with the double stick tape. Take a piece of embroidery thread and tie a bow around the paper diploma.


Using the 3-D foam stickers, attach the mortar board to the card. Next, use the double-stick tape to secure the diploma to the card. Using letter stamps, you can add a message to the front of your card.



I also stamped "2013" on the card for the graduates!


If you have the stamp, you can also add a "Handmade by" spot on the back of the card to sign your name!


I know a lot of college graduates this month, so I have made several cards for them. You can use any patterned papers to create cards to match school colors for the graduating student! The possibilities are endless!

I hope you enjoy this fun craft!

Make a Mother's Day Gift: Beaded Necklace

Mother's Day is this weekend. Don't be caught without a special way to mark the day for the Mom(s) in your life! This beaded necklace is easy to make and feels luxurious without breaking the bank. To make this project, you will need:
Fabric scissors
Silk fabric (from the craft store, or re-use a vintage silk handkerchief) 11 Wooden balls or beads from the craft store sewing machine/thread and needle To start, cut a long strip of fabric, measuring about six inches wide and 45 inches tall (or however tall it is on the bolt). Fold the fabric longways with right sides together.       Next, stitch the sides of the fabric together to create a tube out of the fabric. Leave both ends open.     Turn the fabric so that the silky side is facing out. Now you are ready to take the tube and fill it with the wooden beads.    Put the first wooden ball/bead in the tube and push it to the middle of the fabric. Tie a tight knot on each side of the first bead. Repeat these steps (insert bead, tie knot) with all the other 10 beads, putting 5 on each side of the middle bead, for a total of 11.    Once all 11 beads are in place, you can finish the necklace. Take the long strip of silk wrapped beads and fold into a U-shape.      Tie ends of fabric together, and your necklace is complete. You can secure the knot with thread so that it doesn't not come undone, but you may want to leave it un-sewn so that your Mom can tie it the way she likes it!

Mini Pies for the Kentucky Derby!

Derby is only 1 day away! My final Kentucky Derby Festival craft to share is an easy and delicious recipe for Mini Pies!  These chocolate and walnut pies are a staple for Derby parties. Usually you would make this pie in a 9 inch pie pan, but I have made them in mini form to add extra cuteness!



For the Mini Pies for the KY Derby, you will need:
2 rolled pie crusts 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract 1/2 cup of Flour 1 cup of Sugar 1 Stick of Margarine or Butter (melted and cooled) 2 Large eggs, slightly beaten 1 small package of chocolate chips 1 cup of chopped walnuts A muffin pan or cupcake pan Makes 22 pies. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  First, mix the "dry" ingredients (flour and sugar) in a large bowl.



In a separate bowl, melt the butter and let cool.



In a third bowl, mix the chocolate chips...



...with the walnuts.



Unroll your pie crusts on a non-stick surface.



Using a small bowl a little larger than the cupcake or muffin tin openings, cut out the round pie crusts that will become the pie shell for each mini pie.



The 2 pie crusts will make about 22 pie shells (you will have to take the excess pieces and roll out again using a rolling pin to cut more circles).



Take the 22 circles and push them down into the muffin pan. I used a non-stick pan. If you are not using a non-stick pan, be sure to grease the edges and bottom before putting the crust in.



Once the butter has cooled, add the slightly beaten eggs to the butter and whisk. If the butter was not cooled it would cook your eggs!   Add the butter and egg mixture to the sugar and flour and whisk. This creates a somewhat thick, somewhat liquid mixture. Add the teaspoon of vanilla at this stage and whisk again.

  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts last.

  Stir up the entire mixture. Now you are ready to spoon the mixture into the pie shells!

  Because I made 22 pies, I filled up almost 2 full cupcake or muffin pans.

  Now you will bake the mini pies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. When done, they should be a nice golden brown.

  All that is left now is to serve the mini pies and eat them! Enjoy!

Your Derby party guests will thank you for these delicious little treats! If you want to make a regular size pie, follow the directions the same with one alteration. Bake your pie in a 9 inch pie pan for 60 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.