Free 'What a Difference a Day Makes' Template

Do you remember last year where I made the Special Date Art on my $0 Budget? I used some of my favorite scrapbook paper and cut out the numbers on my Cricut. I love the end result but it took too long and was too tedious to make it as gifts for Christmas this year.

So, since I am becoming a wiz with Publisher, I thought I would try my hand at designing one with Publisher. It was very easy and I just love the end result. Grand total to print it was $0.89 and $8.00 to frame. I had amazing Christmas gifts for under $10.

I created two designs, one for a family of 4 plus a wedding date and the other for a family of 5 plus a wedding date.

Aren't they great!?

NOTE: I had intended this post to only be a tutorial sharing with your how you can make your own. But I really want to share with you as much as possible and I know most people aren't as experiences with Publisher as I am....so... I have tried to share my sample files on Google Documents. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the Download template links and instructions.  


Here is how I created my own from scratch (and how you will be able to edit the template you downloaded):

Open a new 8x10 file

To set a 0.5 inch margin around the image, select the 'page design' tab, 'Margins' and then set your margins to 'Moderate' .

Then determine how many rows of numbers you need. For example, if there are 4 people in your family (i.e. 2 parents, 2 kids) plus you want your wedding date, you will need 5 rows. To do this, I select on the 'Page Design' tab, 'Guides' and then 'Grid and Baseline'.

I enter 2 columns (so the middle of the page is clearly identified) and then 5 rows (for a family of 4 with a wedding date). If you are a family of 5 plus wedding date, you will need 6 rows. I keep the spacing between the rows at 0.

The next step is to insert a 'Text box'.

I draw the text box to be the full width of the page (between the two margin lines) and almost the full size of the row. This allows me to have space underneath for the names.

Insert the numbers and find a font you like.

The fonts I used are:
'Baskerville Old Face' for the numbers
'Nymphette' for the scrolls on either side of the name
'Adobe Arabic' for the names.

Insert another text box for the name.

Once you get the font and approximate size you like, you can play around with the spacing of the characters. This allows you to stretch the characters so they are the full width of the box (so all the numbers line up on either side along the margin).

Open the More Spacing box and the select Show Tool Bar (bottom left corner)

With this window you can make the letters/numbers further apart, wider etc. Play around and see what you like.

Once you are happy with the first row, I copy and pasted the text 4 more times. This will ensure you have the same font, spacing etc. Once you insert all the new numbers and text, you might need to play around with the spacing some more.

I added a heart in the middle of the wedding date just to add some color.

If you want, you can change the background by inserting a digital scrapbook page and 'send to back'.

You can see how many boxes I used to design this.

Once you are happy with it, save the Publisher file and then save it as a JPEG image. To do this, select File, Save As.

Change the Save as type, to JPEG

Then be sure to change the Resolution to High Quality Printing so that you will be able to deevelop this as a large image.

Save it someplace you can easily find. Either print the image at home if you have a good printer or send it to your favorite photo developer (my personal favorite is Costco).

I have made these for a few friends and family members and framed them in a floating frame. I love how they look and they are so much easier to create than the one I did a while ago where I cut out each number.

Wouldn't this make a great Valentines gift for your hubby?

DOWNLOADABLE Template:

Here is the link to the family of 4 plus wedding date and here is the link for family of 5 plus wedding date. Please leave me a comment below letting me know whether or not you were able to do this.

Here are the links again (I find they get lost in text) to the Publisher files:

• family of 4 plus wedding date 
• family of 5 plus wedding date

Here is what you need to do to create your own personalized baby birth announcement:

• Download the family of 4 plus wedding date and download the family of 5 plus wedding date here  
• Note when you click on the link, Google documents will give you a note saying "Sorry, we are unable to generate a view of the document at this time. Please try again later." That is ok. Simple click on the arrow down button (next to the print symbol) to download the file. You will have no problem opening it in Publisher after you download it.
• Open the file in Microsoft Publisher. No I do not know how to convert these to a Mac compatible program...sorry.
• Download the fonts (fonts can be found on free font websites or you can use your own favorites). Here are the free fonts I used:

'Baskerville Old Face' for the numbers

'Nymphette' for the scrolls on either side of the name

'Adobe Arabic' for the names.

• Personalize the numbers, text, colors, and anything else you want to.  
• See below on how I made the design to help you with stretching text so that it fits nicely in the space provided. 
• Each row is in a separate box, so you can manipulate each row independently. Remember you can always Undo, so get creative.
• Sounds like lots of work, but the template will help you alot.

Please leave me a comment to let me know whether or not you have been able to create your own.

I hope you are able to use the downloadable files. Please let me know if you were able to do this yourself and/or if you have any issues.

What do you think? Can you make your own or will you try the template?
Stephanie

Free Printable - Pregnancy Belly Stickers

Have you seen those adorable belly stickers that people have been using while photographing their pregnancies?

If you haven't seen them, they are 4 inch circle stickers that identify the week of the pregnancy. You stick on your belly or (if you are more modest like me) your shirt and photograph your growing belly. The idea is really cute and I wish I had thought of it when I was pregnant. I don't know where the original idea came from but you can find them on Etsy, private sites, specialty stores, etc. and they run between $10-15.

Well now that my sister-in-law's pregnancy has been officially announced, I thought I would share this small gift I made for her for Christmas. I made two different sets of the stickers since I didn't know which she would like the best. One with flowers and the other black and white damask style.

I designed the images on Publisher and saved them as JPEG images. I then printed them on full page label stickers and cut the circles with my Cricut. If you don't have a Cricut or Silhouette that will cut a perfect circle for you, you can use a paper punch or old school it with a pair of scissors.

I was going to give you a step by step tutorial on how I made these, then thought I would save everyone some time and just give you the printables for free.

What you will need to create these are access to a laser or inkjet color printer and full page sticker labels. Be sure to buy the labels that are right for your type of printer as some are designed specifically for laser and others for ink jet. The labels can be found at Walmart or Staples and cost less than $0.40 per sheet. It will cost you about $10 to buy a package but you can make 5-6 sets of these stickers with one package.

I created one extra sheet with 4 extra stickers that I thought would be cute that aren't weeks of the pregnancy. I added Over due (since no on in my family ever seems to go into labor naturally),  In labor, It's a Boy and It's a Girl.

To download these images to print:

• Leave me a comment and tell me which version you like the best or just that you are downloading it ...please :)
• Right click on the image you want and select open in a new window or tab
• On the full size image, right click again and select 'save as'
• Save it to a place on your computer where you can easily find it
• You will need to do this for each of the images.
• Print them on a color laser or inkjet printer.
• Tip: When I first printed on labels, I had to print a few test pages before I managed to get it to print properly. The oddest thing happened every time I printed the sheets, the ink would smudge. I was stumped. How can a laser print smudge? Then I realized there is an option in your printer setup for paper type of LABELS. This somehow prints differently and they came out perfectly! So look for the paper type option and see if label is in there before you waste a few sheets of labels.
• Please only use these for personal use!
• Enjoy!! 

Here is the flowery version:

Here is the black and white damask set: 

 

 

 

What do you think? Do you know anyone you could use these for? Which is your favorite?

We are snowed in today, so I hope to get a few more posts done!

Let me know what you think,
Stephanie

DIY Tree Stump Coasters

I know this is a little late but I have to say it...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It has been a  month since I have managed to find time to share with you any new ideas I have had. I have a long list of things I made for Christmas gifts, that I never got around to posting. So, I thought I would just continue to share the homemade gifts and if it is something you like or think you could make as gifts, you can always remember the instructions are here or simply 'Pin It" and come back.

I had set a goal of an almost all homemade Christmas and I have to say I did pretty well. Female homemade items are pretty easy to find and make but I really struggled for ideas for the males in my family.

As I have previously mentioned, my sister lives on a farm so they keep all the wood they cut down in the field to burn in their wood stove. I had the idea of making tree stump ornaments for the men, so I asked if she had any old Christmas tree stumps in her piles. She found a cedar stump that was a nice width that had been in the pile for over a year allowing it to fully dry.

When I went to make the ornaments, they weren't turning out to be exactly what I wanted. After leaving one of the circles sitting on my kitchen counter for a week (does anyone else do that, you don't have a home for something so it sits on the counter?) I realized that it was the perfect size for a coaster. So my gift for the men was found!  I ended up making these simple and free tree stump coasters for my husband, brother, brother-in-law and uncle.

They were very well received by all the men!

Materials:

• Miter saw
• Tree stump (approximately 4 inches in diameter)
• Polyurethane (or another sealant)
• Foam brush
• Sand paper

Method:

I plugged in my miter saw, shoed my kids into the house, put on my gorgeous safety goggles (they really are horrible things, but I would be in serious trouble if I was caught not wearing them) and placed my 3 foot stump on the miter saw.

I held my breath, made sure my fingers were very far away from any moving parts, and cut a 1/3 -1/2 inch slice of the wood off the stump. I continued to do this until I had enough disks. I planned to give each person 4 coasters.

I tried my best to keep the oddly shaped disks together so that they could be stacked nicely when I give them as gifts. The imperfect ones, where a branch came out, were by far the most interesting coasters in the end. So don't worry if they are oddly shaped.

Once all the coasters were cut, I quickly sanded them with some fine sandpaper. If I was smart, I would have pulled out my mouse sander, but I didn't. So each was sanded by hand.

I pulled out my scrap cardboard, laid out all the coasters and gave the tops and sides a few coats of polyurethane I had laying around with those cheap foam brushes. Once dried, I flipped them over and did the same on the opposite side.

After they were completely dry (follow the instructions on your sealant) I stacked the stump coasters, aligning any imperfections and wrapped them with raffia.

I love the idea of making one coaster (or ornament) every year with your fresh Christmas tree. We personally are in the artificial tree camp, but if I were to have real trees, I would make on slice a year, write the date and a special note on it to remember that Christmas. Most tree cutting places would probably cut off a piece for you when you purchase the tree, so you really don't even need power tools to do this!

What do you do with your old trees?

What do you think of this? Not bad for a spur of the moment, first idea failed, gift!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season!
Stephanie

Free Printable - Only an Aunt Quote

I made this printable quote for my closest aunt for Christmas this year. She is truly is like a second mother to us; so much so she is the Godmother to my son.
I won't put too many words in this post but I did want to mention I created a new tab (page) with all the free printable pieces I made. Be sure to check it out here. 

I produced this as a 5x7 image in many different colors. I had a really hard time deciding which I liked the best, so I just kept going with the colors. Please feel free to download, print and use this piece for personal use. I love offering free ideas and cheap gifts to everyone but hate when I stumble upon someone making money off it.

To download the image:

• leave me a comment :) (not required but I really do love to know what you think)
• right click on the color image you want and select open in a new window or tab
• on the full size image, right click again and select save as
• save it to a place on your computer where you can easily find it
• send it to your favorite photo developer, find a frame and you can cross another Christmas gift off your list.

Which is your favorite? I still have not picked the one I will be printing for my aunt. Any suggestions?

Stephanie

DIY Eucalyptus Yoga Mat Cleaner/Freshener - Easy Gifts Ideas on a Budget (Part 6)

I decided, at the last minute, to add this Eucalyptus yoga mash freshener for my sister and sister-in-law's spa basket. I know it isn't a perfect fit with bath salts etc., but if you have ever had a smelly yoga mat before, you might appreciate this. Both my sister's love yoga and I thought this might be well liked. Plus, it took no effort and I had all the ingredients on hand... both are great things when making gifts!

In case you are new to this series, here is my running list of spa related items I making (and sharing with you):

• Lavender bath salt ($2) DONE
• Lavender sugar scrub ($2.50) DONE
• Lavender scented wax cubes ($0.50) DONE
• Spa towel ($7)
• Lavender scented Catalytic Lamp oil (you know like Lampe Berger oil) ($2.50) DONE
• Lavender linen water ($1.50) DONE
• Eucalyptus Yoga Mat spray/cleaner ($0.50) DONE

If you have not heard of Yoga Mat cleaners/fresheners, well all they really are is a spray that has antibacterial qualities(since eucalyptus is antibacterial) that freshen and clean your yoga mat. You simple give you mat a spritz and wipe it down. You can use other essential oils that are also antibacterial for this recipe; I have hear lavender is antibacterial as well, but I really wanted to use eucalyptus for this one. 

I have seen these little spray bottle being sold for around $10 at a local yoga studio. I am not sure the ingredients in those ones, but mine cost my around $0.50 to make and I know they don't have any chemicals. Perfect!

Materials Needed:

• 6 tablespoons Vinegar
• 2 tablespoon Distilled Water
• 20-30 drops Eucalyptus essential oil (or lavender)
• Small spray bottle (My bottle was in a travel pack of 3 from the Dollar store)

Note: If you want to do a large batch of this,  you can use the recipe as 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and add essential oil to your personal preference.

Mix the vinegar and essential oil together in the little spray bottle. Add the distilled water and you are done!

To clean your mat:

1. Spray the cleaner liberally over the surface of your mat.
2. Wipe with a damp cloth or sponge.
3. When the cleaner has been removed, 'buff' the mat with a soft dry cloth.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. Allow your mat to air dry.

Has anyone ever used a yoga mat spray like this before? Have you ever made your own?

Merry Christmas everyone.
Stephanie

DIY Lavender Linen Water - Easy Gifts on a Budget (Part 5)

Sorry for the delay in posting this recipe. I have been kind of frazzled the past week or so. I thought I was completely under control with my 80% home made gift goal until I realized we are in December.

I knew what I was making everyone but had I finished them, no! So that is where I have been. So, my posts might come a few at a time or there might be days in between. But I will get everything posted!

Here is where I am with my spa DIY gift. In case you are new to this series, here is my running list of spa related items I making (and sharing with you):

• Lavender bath salt ($2) DONE
• Lavender sugar scrub ($2.50) DONE
• Lavender scented wax cubes ($0.50) DONE
• Spa towel ($7)
• Lavender scented Catalytic Lamp oil (you know like Lampe Berger oil) ($2.50) DONE
• Lavender linen water ($1.50) DONE
• Eucalyptus Yoga Mat spray/cleaner ($0.50)
• Lavender reed diffuser (Not done yet so I don't have an approximate cost) I decided not to make this.. sorry
  

I love Lavender linen water. I have used it in my iron, sprayed it on my sheets and towels to freshen them, added it to laundry and used it as air freshener. This is the first time I have made it myself and I am a little shocked at how stores charge what they do for this.

Materials Needed:

• 2 cups Distilled water (I read this prevents mold from growing)
• 20-30 drops of Lavender essential oil (or what ever scent you want)
• 3 tablespoons of Vodka (I know you all let out a little scream for using vodka but it helps the oil mix with water. Just use your cheapest vodka for this)
• Spray bottle or jar 

I don't really drink, so, I had to send my husband a note while he was at work to ask which bottle to use. I had his really pricey one out about to use it when he responded. I made 5 of these so 3 tablespoons times 5 would have added up :) Good thing he checked his email.

This recipe for Lavender scented linen water was really easy. Some sites will say to mix it all together and you are done.

Here is what one trick I learned that you need to know when making this yourself...mix the vodka and essential oil together before you add the distilled water! This will prevent oil bubbles floating throughout your linen water. So add the vodka to your spray bottle, add your essential oil, swish it around and add your water.

It is really that easy! I didn't even feel it was necessary to share the making of photos.

The grand total is hard to estimate. The bottle cost me $1 at the Dollar store, a huge bottle of distilled water cost $1 and the oil was around $20 but I have used it for all my spa items and still have over half left. So I think $1.50 is a reasonable guesstimate (shockingly, that word did not come up as spelled incorrectly..it is now a word :) ).

How are you Christmas gifts coming along?

Stephanie