Blog - Laura Kelly's Inklings

October 24, 2020 by: admin

Boo Bag Tags and Free Halloween Printables

Sometimes it is better when we take the treats to others as fun little mystery deliveries. These Boo Bag Tags and Free Halloween Printables are meant to support you in spreading kindness to your friends, neighbors, co-workers and well…really anybody. I keep them in my car the week of Halloween and give them out everywhere I go. Sometimes the stranger parked in the space beside you needs a pick-me-up more than you might know. If you need sprinkles, these are my go-to every time.

Candy eyes make everything way more fun!

You’ve Been BOO’d Tags

It is so fun to open the door and find a boo box, a boo bag or a boo bucket filled with goodies. They can have treats, snacks or anything and all in them and they are just so festive. Download the tags free and attach them to all the goodies.

They are so darling when paired with something as easy peasy as sprinkle cookies.

Here are some fun FREE Halloween Printables you can put in the bags too.

Printing tip: If you print the PDF with 4 to a page, you can make them small and create a little book to give to trick-or-treaters. This is a great alternative to candy for Halloween and works for kiddos with allergies too.

You’ve Been Boozed Tags

These are fun to attach to adult Halloween boo bags or bottles of wine/liquor. Furthermore, they work great on baskets filled with bar tools and accessories.

Also, it is fun to pair this printable up with adult candies too. Rebecca Ruth makes the best ever bourbon balls!

Additionally, for even more printables that go with ALL the things, holidays, occasions and themes, visit my printable library!

Favorite Coloring Supplies

These are my favorite markers for coloring and making. They are Smooth Hues and I LOVE them! You can get them from Beyond the Blackboard!

YAY for Coloring, Booing and Halloween!

Love,

Laura

October 22, 2020 by: admin

Paper Plate Pumpkins Garland

Creating decorations using paper plates is always so super fun. This paper plate pumpkin garland sparkles with the foil accents on the leaves and cheeks so it is simply adorable. Therm-O-Web has foil is SO SO SO many colors but these are two of the newest from their Fairy Tale collection. The pink is called enchanted rose. Doesn’t that make you want to use it! This post is sponsored by Therm-O-Web but the ideas and opinions are my own.

Materials and Supplies Needed

Therm-O-Web Foil (Enchanged Rose and Lily Pad)
Orange Paper Plates
Therm-O-Web Easy Tear Tape
Twine
Therm-O-Web Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive
Google Eyes
Green Scrapbook Paper Cut Like Leaves
Permanent Black Marker
Clothes Pins
Pink Ribbon (The curly kind is from my gift wrap stash!)

Steps to Make Paper Plate Pumpkins

The first step is going to require drying time so it should be done several hours before planning to complete this project. Use the Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive to draw decorative designs on the green paper leaves.

Also use it to put two dots of adhesive on each paper plate where the cheeks should be.

Let the adhesive dry completely until it is clear. Cut pieces of the foil down to size to cover the dried adhesive and press them shine side with your fingers.

When you peel it off, the shiny foil stays where the adhesive dried. Next, use Easy Tear Tape to adhere google eyes to the plates.

Add smiles and noses with a permanent marker then attach the leaves, also using the Easy Tear Tape.

Hang the pumpkins to a twine garland using clothespins. This is the time to add ribbon if desired.

Aren’t they so cute?

Here is a free printable that you can use if you want some ideas for faces?

Oh and one more thing…the foil works on painted rocks too!

Cheers and Love,

Laura

October 21, 2020 by: admin

Creative Crafts Linky Party #12

I hope this blog post finds you well! These pandemic days sure are some crazy ones. The quick getaway to the beach with the boys was a blast and much needed. If you are following me on Instagram then you got to see in my stories how much fun we had just hanging out and breathing in the fresh air. Welcome to the Creative Crafts Linky Party Number TWELVE!

Here are our features for this week!

Ann’s fave are these painted pumpkins. – Chalking Up Success

Meg loves the embroidery hoop decor. – DoodleBuddies

Beth always loves a good tutorial so she chose the journals! – Artsy Fartsy Mama

I think the doodled paper autumn leaves are so fun! – Sum of Their Stories

There are four of us who work together to bring this party to you! We would LOVE it if you would join all of us on our creative adventures.

Ann at Bella Crafts Publishing | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Laura at Laura Kelly Designs | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Meg at Makeable Crafts | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Beth at Creatively Beth | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

The rules are simple:

Please visit our hosts on social media and say HI! We can’t feature you if you aren’t following us on at least one platform.
Share up to THREE family friendly – crafts, recipes, DIY, home décor, printables, etc. – linked to a specific post – not your main website URL.
Please don’t link up shops, advertising, round-ups, other linky parties, or any sales promotions, we appreciate it.
Help us spread the word about this party by sharing the Creative Crafts Linky Party button in your post or sidebar. Use the hashtag #creativecrafts when sharing on social!
It’s not a party if you aren’t mingling! Visit other links at the party because it’s always nice to leave comments and pin from the original source.

By linking to the Creative Crafts Linky Party #12, you give us permission to share your post and images on our blogs and social media. We will always give proper credit with a photo and link back.

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

XOXO,

Laura

October 14, 2020 by: admin

5 Reasons to Stay at Marriott Lexington City Center

I am a University of Kentucky Wildcat and LOVE getting back to my university town every chance I get. I recently was there because Jordan has my alma mater as one of her top schools as she is narrowing down her college of choice. We stayed in the heart of the city and here are my top 5 Reasons to Stay at Marriott Lexington City Center! This post is sponsored as part of my stay was comped. The ideas and opinions are my own.

First of all, the hotel is a Marriott and that speaks for itself. To me it means that I can count on the following every time:

Super clean room
Awesome comfortable bed
Friendly and knowledgeable staff
Safe environment
The rooms are amazing. Check out my video of our room on Facebook here.

Second, the Marriott Lexington City Center is located in the heart of the city, surrounded with an abundance of culture, restaurants, shops and sites. Here are some of my favorites from this trip to Lexington, KY.

Third, the Marriott Lexington City Center has great views. From our room on the twelfth floor, we could see all the way to the campus. The seats in the windows of the hotel allow for a fabulous view while relaxing and hanging out.

Fourth, there are great restaurants in the hotel. We ate breakfast in the lobby restaurant (The Greatroom) and had fantastic omelets to order. Of course, we had Ale8 too because when in Kentucky, one must drink Ale8!

In the evening, it is nice to unwind, enjoy a cocktail and some great fried green tomatoes at Infinity (Skybar and Cafe).

Lastly, the hotel is SO close to campus that you can literally walk. We had such a great time both in downtown and all over campus. Here are few highlight photos of our time spent on the University of Kentucky campus.

Other Marriott Properties I Love!

I love the Gaylord Rockies in Denver, Colorado! It is the perfect place for a weekend getaway too!

One of my favorite cities to visit is NYC. The Lexington Hotel Autograph Collection is my go-to!

YAY for Travel, UK and Marriott,

Laura

October 14, 2020 by: admin

Creative Crafts Linky Party #11

Welcome to Creative Crafts Linky Party #11!

There were so many awesome projects shared last week. These were our favorites and we are all excited to feature them for you here this week.

My favorite is the Wood Rosette Pumpkins by Petticoat Junction.

Meg loved the Front Entryway for Fall by The House on Silverado

Ann’s fave is the Rustic Wood Pumpkin by Interior Frugalista

and…Beth loves the Rotating School Supply Organizer by Artsy Fartsy Mama! I LOVE this one too!

There are four of us who work together to bring this party to you! We would LOVE it if you would join all of us on our creative adventures.

Ann at Bella Crafts Publishing | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Laura at Laura Kelly Designs | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Meg at Makeable Crafts | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Beth at Creatively Beth | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Cheers and Love,

Laura

October 9, 2020 by: admin

DIY Clay Leaves

Pluffy clay is super soft and so easy peasy to work with. It was so fun to create these diy clay leaves using the autumn colors from the three different packages that Sculpey sent to me. I am excited to share how easy it is to make the leaves AND a couple of fun ways to use them too. This post is sponsored by Sculpey but the ideas and opinions are my own.

Material Needed for DIY Clay Leaves

Pluffy Clay
Sculpey Baking Mat
Sculpey Tools (Rolling Pin)
Cutter in Shapes of Leaves or Fall Things
Oven (Clay Must be Baked)

These are the colors that I chose to use when making my leaves.

I got them out of these three packages of Pluffy.

Directions for Making DIY Clay Leaves

Start with about 1/4 package of one of the colors and roll it in your hands a bit. Then use a rolling pin to roll into a flat surface, about 1/4 inch thick.

Use cutters to cut into leaf and autumn shapes. These Sculpey cutters worked great for this project. I especially love the irregular heart cutters.

Cut out as many shapes and you want for your learning activities or craft projects. I like to work on the Sculpey Mat because it goes right into the oven for baking too.

Bake following the directions in the packaging and then let the leaves cool completely. They are great to use in educational activities for sorting, sequencing, counting and story telling. You can download the FREE leaves printable HERE and use it in lots of different ways.

Use the DIY Clay Leaves for Decor

Did you know that you can PAINT on the clay. Acrylic paints work great and dry super fast.

I used these leaves to decorate the bow on the tin that holds our sidewalk chalk. We keep it on the shelf right beside the front door so I like for it to be festive and cute.

Another Fun Project with DIY Clay Leaves

While I was working on this project, I decided to roll my leftover clay into a marble looking slab. My friend Katie was over and cut out leaves from it, baked them and took them home with her.

Click over to her blog to see how she turned those leaves into these earrings!

More FUN Clay Ideas for Autumn (Easy Enough for Kids)

This blog is packed with fun ideas for using clay (in projects that are easy peasy and great for beginners or kids). Here are a few of my favorites that you might like to try.

Cheers to Clay and Making All The Things,

Laura

PS: Check out all of these fun DIY Autumn Crafts Too!

What is your favorite autumn tradition. Comment and let me know.

XO,

Laura

October 9, 2020 by: admin

Fall Wreath with Hemp Cord

This is a great time to whip up an adorable Fall Wreath with Hemp Cord using a grapevine wreath, some flowers and autumn colors of hemp cord from Hemptique. I LOVE this cord because it ties into the best ever knots AND it is super easy to work with. There are TONS of colors but I chose these three because they match the theme I am creating in my home this season. This post is sponsored by Hemptique but the ideas and opinions are my own.

Supplies Needed for Fall Wreath with Hemp Cord

Hemp Cord from Hemptique
Grapevine Wreath (Hampton Art)
Scissors
Fall Florals
Tape
Glue if Desired

Directions for Fall Wreath with Hemp Cord

Start by braiding the hemp cord. You will need a length long enough to wrap around the entire wreath.

It works best to use between 5-7 pieces of cord in each of the three pieces of the braid.

Wrap the braided cord around the wreath and either glue or tie in place.

Tie on autumn florals with hemp cord.

Use the cord to make a big bow. Use more of the colors that you want featured in your wreath.

It is the last day of Creative Crafts Fall Decor Edition!

MORE Awesome DIT Autumn Decor from My Friends

These are the other projects being shared for Creative Crafts. I am so inspired to make ALL the things.

Co-host Meg from Makeable Crafts always does the best stuff with papercrafting. Check out this decor!

Katie from A Sweet Berry Designs is sharing these adorable clay earrings!

Co-Host Creative Beth is sharing this darling pumpkin bushel basket!

Erica from Five Little Monsters is sharing this Pick Your Own Pumpkin Bucket. SO CUTE!

Beth Eatson at the Ruffled Daisy is sharing this fabulous pumpkin painted garland.

Hop over to DoodleCraft to see how Natalie made this perfect circle decor.

Co-Host Ann Butler is sharing the link to ENTIRE magazine on her blog.

Sue Elrod turned these Dollar Store pumpkins into beautiful fall decor.

Well, that’s a wrap!

Cheers and Love,

Laura

October 8, 2020 by: admin

Autumn Leaves Wreath

Autumn Leaves Wreath with Felt

This autumn leaves wreath is ridiculously easy to make because it has just a few quick steps. It could be make using all of your favorite fall colors because Kunin Felt has such a fabulous assortment. I love crafty projects that have that element of upcycling something old into something new again so this is a good one.

Supplies Needed

To make this autumn leaves wreath, you will need the following materials and supplies.

Old Frame
Kunin Basic Felt
Sewing Machine (if decorative stitches are desired)
Glue
Sizzix Leaf 3 Die

Directions for Autumn Leaves Wreath Using Upcycled Frame

Cut out LOTS of leaves.

Cut out acorns too.

Add decorative stitches to the leaves.

Glue to leaves to the frame.

There are so many great ideas being shared today in our fall decor edition of Creative Crafts.

MORE Autumn and Fall DIY Decor Projects

There are so many great projects in this edition of Creative Crafts. Here are the other ones from today.

Co-host Creatively Beth made an adorable book stack decoration using Dollar Tree books.

Jenny at Jenny’s Crayon Collection made a haunted house. You can get the KIT to make this haunted house on Amazon.

Co-Host Ann Butler is sharing a quilt stamped table runner to decorate any table in the house.

Katie Berry created an engraved Happy Fall sign using her Glowforge Pro.

Marisa from RaeGun Ramblings is sharing a darling autumn pillow using iron-on vinyl.

And lastly Morena from Morena’s Corner is sharing a fabulous GATHER sign.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for EVEN MORE great autumn and fall decorating DIY ideas.

XO,

Laura

October 7, 2020 by: admin

Creative Crafts Linky Party #10

It is a big day. It is a LINKY Party and day two of our Creative Crafts Fall Decor Series. Be sure to check it out too!

There were so many awesome projects shared last week. These were our favorites and we are all excited to feature them for you here this week.

Pumpkin Spice Soap from The Socialites Closet

My FAVORITE!!! – Book Page Ghost Garland from Thistle Key Lane

Halloween Stairs from Simple Joys

Halloween Door Hanger from Busy Lifestyle Gal

There are four of us who work together to bring this party to you! We would LOVE it if you would join all of us on our creative adventures.

Ann at Bella Crafts Publishing | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Laura at Laura Kelly Designs | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Meg at Makeable Crafts | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Beth at Creatively Beth | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Wanna Link Up!

Do it… We would LOVE for you to link up for this week’s party!

The rules are simple:

· Please visit our hostesses on social media and say HI! We can’t feature you if you aren’t following us on at least one platform.

· Share up to THREE family-friendly – crafts, recipes, DIY, home décor, printables, etc. – linked to a specific post – not your main website URL.

· Please don’t link up shops, advertising, round-ups, other linky parties, or any sales promotions, we appreciate it.

· Help us spread the word about this party by sharing the Creative Crafts Linky Party button in your post or sidebar. Use the hashtag #creativecrafts when sharing on social!

· It’s not a party if you aren’t mingling! Visit other links at the party because it’s always nice to leave comments and pin from the original source.

By linking to the Creative Crafts Linky Party, you give us permission to share your post and images on our blogs and social media. We will always give proper credit with a photo and link back.

Cheers to Autumn, to Sharing and To Collaborating.

XO,

Laura

October 7, 2020 by: admin

DIY Grateful Sign

It’s always a great idea to be grateful. I love that there is a special time of year where we focus on gratitude so I made a DIY grateful sign to add to my holiday autumn decor. It is perfect for adding to a tiered tray display or setting out on a shelf as a stand alone piece. This is a fabulous project for beginning painters and basic crafters alike.