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Make It Pretty Wednesdays: “So Lucky” Rainbow Button Wall Art with Glue Dots®

February 22, 2012 By 2 Comments

Can you believe St. Patrick’s Day is less than a month away? It’s creeping up fast and it has me thinking about not only shamrocks and pots of gold… but just how lucky I am! Are you feeling lucky for the little ones in your life too? Remind them with this easy to make Rainbow Wall Art!


You will need:

  • Small canvas-I used an 8″X10″
  • Light blue & white acrylic paint
  • sponge or paint brush
  • Multi-colored buttons in various shapes & sizes
  • Craft Glue Dots® Dispenser
  • Scrapbooking letters and/or gel pen
  • Ribbon

  1. Paint the canvas creating a nice cloudy background.

  2. Using the Craft Glue Dots®, place a Dot on each button.

  3. Place the buttons in an arched fashion, creating a rainbow. I decided against the traditional rainbow colors and went with a mix that matches my little girl’s room.

  4. The cloud was a little too blended in for my taste, so I added a bit more paint to create more definition.

  5. Add your little love note with scrapbooking letters or even a paint or gel pen.

  6. Add the ribbon and hang!

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team.

Filed Under: Make It Pretty Wednesdays, Natalie

It’s Tax Time! Get Organized & Ready with the NEW #XACTO Spira Pencil Sharpener #CBias

February 20, 2012 By 7 Comments

It’s tax time! It’s tax time! Okay… so maybe it’s more like: It’s tax time? It’s tax time. Why not make the experience a little bit better with the right supplies! There is a terrific tool out there to help with homework, household lists AND taxes and it’s the X-ACTO Spira Pencil Sharpener!

The Spira is a work of art in addition to being functional! It has a large receptacle to collect the shavings. It is really easy to open also. It has a carbon steel sharpened blade so it’s sure to handle composite and hard wood pencils. The motor is exceptionally quite-no disturbing the napping baby!

Check out my google+ album where I shop for the Spira and check out some of the other fantastic X-ACTO models:

We were all pretty excited to get the shiny new Spira out of the box.

My family loved the Spira the second it was set up on our dining room table! The no-slip feature was wonderful for when my younger kids sharpened their pencils!

You just push a button to release the shavings receptacle. But safety first-there is no way to access the blade when you have the trap door open.


Armed with a cup of coffee, all of our documents, a supply of pencils and a hard working Spira, I am happy to announce that we were able to get our taxes done! The project took over my dining room table for the good part of an afternoon, but it was a success!

And after we are done with our taxes, our new Spira will find a new home on the kitchen counter-easy access for all!


It’s easy to save, just click here to get a coupon for your Spira Pencil Sharpener.

To stay up to date on new products and specials, follow X-ACTO on Facebook and Elmer’s on Twitter.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias #CBias. All opinions are honest and my own.

Filed Under: Collective Bias, Natalie

Book Review: Isabella: Girl on the Go by Jennifer Fosberry

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Isabella’s back, and her dreams are turning an ordinary backyard into an exciting adventure! Join Isabella on a new imaginative journey in Isabella: Girl on the Go.

Jennifer Fosberry has created an inspiring follow-up to her New York Times bestselling series featuring everyone’s favorite purple-haired, little girl. Previously, Isabella discovered her favorite heroes in My Name Is Not Isabella. Now she travels around the world experiencing its greatest wonders without ever leaving her own backyard.

Isabella, as precocious as ever, spends the day playing her dad as they discover some of the greatest places man has made around the world. She pretends everyday things (like the sandbox) are extraordinary places (like the desert and pyramids of Egypt). Isabella ends the day in her own home-sweet-home, the most wonderful place to be.

This book is a sweet glimpse into a little girl’s day with her Dad. Isabella is constantly changing her mind about what she wants to be when she grows up. And boy does she dream big! This book tours the globe stopping at the Pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, Chichen Itza, Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty and many more. Isabella hops from one dream to the next but at the end she decides that her home is just where she wants to be.

The artwork is beautiful and wonderfully colorful. My kids were transfixed by the images of far away lands. The back of the book features a wonderful section detailing the archaeological and architectural places that were part of Isabella’s story. I loved that they included this educational aspect in such a fun, sweet little story.

My family loved Girl on the Go! It was wonderful story about a determined and motivated little girl with big dreams for her future. She wants to travel the world, but she still appreciates where she comes from, and loves coming home the most!

About the Author:

Jennifer Fosberry is a science geek turned children’s book writer. Until recently, she worked as a project manager in Silicon Valley in the high-tech electronics field. She currently divides her time between the San Francisco Bay Area and Costa Rica with her husband and three children.

Check out the stops on the upcoming national tour as well as activity kits on the Sourcebooks website. Isabella: Girl on the Go will be released on February 21, 2012. You can pre-order from Amazon.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Isabella: Girl on the Go for my review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Filed Under: Books, Natalie, review

Make a Recycled Magnet Chore Chart with the Newest Member of the Glue Dot® Family!

February 14, 2012 By 12 Comments

Say hello to the newest member of the Glue Dot® family: Glue Dot® XL sheets and Glue Dot® XXL sheets!


These things are MEGA sized! The XL are 1 inch in diameter and the XXL are 2 inches (5.1cm) diameter. And they come with all the sticking power of the other Glue Dots®!

Features:

  • Super-Strength
  • Works on paper, foam, plastic, metal, wood, glass, fabric, and more.
  • Acid-Free, Lignin-Free
  • Non-Toxic
  • Conforms to ASTM D-4236

There are so many uses for these larger Glue Dots®! You know that big, beautiful bow with the sticky back that fell off? An XL would be perfect! Make your own stickers or seals on packages and envelopes! Don’t even get me started on the scrapbooking possibilities! They are useful for household items too! One fun and useful project is this Recycled Magnet Chore Chart:

It’s so easy! Keep the template on the computer and just print up a new chore chart when you want to add a job to the list or change it up. I made mine in a matter of minutes just using Word. You just print it on a regular sheet of paper and one of those thin magnets that businesses give you. Kids will love being able to check the boxes with the bright little circles!

Here is what you will need:

  1. Print up your individualized chore chart on the sheet of paper. The boxes should be 1″ X 1″ or a little larger.
  2. Separate out an individual Glue Dot®, keeping the dot on the clear plastic.

  3. Attach to the patterned side of the magnet and trim.

  4. Peel the clear plastic off the Glue Dot® and attach dot to the colored cardstock. Trim this into a happy little circle!

  5. All you have to do is put your fun and easy chore chart up and watch your kids spring into action!

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team.

Filed Under: Natalie
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