Scrapbook paper crafts - grace grits and gardening

Craft: Seed Packet Party Favor

March 25, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner

We southern girls are all about the party favor, am I right? The way I see it, if people will go to the trouble of coming to one of my book signings, they won’t be leaving empty handed. So in keeping with the whole GraceGritsGarden theme, I’ve been making seed packets for my next book signing in Little Rock. If you live in the area, I hope you’ll plan to join me at WordsWorth Books on Saturday, April 2 from 3:00 – 4:30. And if you do, you’ll leave with one of these little seed packets.

CuteCuteCute, if I do say so.Continue Reading

#RandomLoveLetter Bookmarks

July 1, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

My friend Sarah, who blogs at Random Love Letter to Adventure, has been participating in a #RandomLoveLetter Instagram Challenge during the month of June. The idea behind this IG micro-challenge is to leave a note, a “random love letter”, in a public place for someone to find. Something unexpected to brighten someone’s day. As usual, I’m extremely late to the party, but on Sunday I became inspired to create #RandomLoveLetter Bookmarks to leave in each of the books in my Little Free Library.

This was a simple craft project especially since I had this incredible notepad from SugarBoo Designs purchased at Shindig Paperie in Fayetteville. There’s an inspirational saying or quote at the bottom of each page.

Not only is each page already perforated, there’s also a hole on one end begging for a ribbon. (If you don’t want to buy such a notepad, you could type up your own, right?)

This project is justification for saving every scrap of ribbon you happen upon all the live-long year. Not that I do that:) And the packages of vintage rick-rack you weren’t sure how you would use? Bingo.

Those ink stamps? Use them!

For a completely spur of the moment project, this turned out to be really fun. I made enough bookmarks for every book in my Little Free Library plus a few for later.

Speaking of books...I’m doing pretty well working my way through my “not so typical” summer reading list. If you missed my summer reading list click HERE.

So far I’ve finished The Girl on the Train (★★★★), The Deep Green Sea (★★★★), The Pleasure of My Company (★★★★), Hold Still Sally Mann (★★★), The Life and Adventures of an Arkansaw Doctor (★★★). I’ve also read a few that weren’t on my list including The Vacationers (★★★), Biography of Marilyn Monroe (★★★), and Stoning the Devil (★★★★).

What’s everyone reading?

Happy July 1! (Can you believe it’s July?)

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]A great reason to break out the #craft supplies! @Sarahdshotts @LtlFreeLibrary #RandomLoveLetter #summer #read [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Love Letter, Bangin’ Rackettes

How to: Chinese Fortune Teller

January 27, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Chinese Fortune Tellers, made from regular notebook paper, provided inexpensive, homemade entertainment for my sister and me, especially on Saturday mornings while Momma enjoyed a wash and set and whatever else she did in the name of glamor at Lucille’s Beauty Shop. Yesterday’s child was easily amused, and the Chinese Fortune Teller was super intriguing. Yes, in the back room of the beauty shop (which was really Lucille’s living room), simple finger movements revealed my destiny according to color and number selection.

Life was easy.

Following the step-by-step instructions HERE, I made a Chinese Fortune Teller, even folding it correctly the first try. Of course I took pictures of my effort along the way because that’s what I do. If you are visual like I am, a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

In case you don’t remember the rules (or never knew because you are a youngster…), I’ll explain.

1. Choose one of the four colors. (My colors are pink, blue, green and yellow.)

2. Spell the color moving the fortune teller once for each letter. (Your fingers are inside the slits.) Pink = four movements.

3. Pick a number from those showing on the inside.

4. Count out the number, moving the fortune teller once for each number.

5. Pick a final number.

6. Life the flap and do what it says.

Let me just say, taking pictures with one hand and working the Chinese Fortune Teller with the other is tricky and results in blurry photos.

There are (at least) three different ways to design your fortune teller.

Activities. I made mine with activities (i.e. each flap has an activity—great for a bored kid or a more fun way to assign chores.)

Answers. You can also design yours so that the inside flaps have basic answers to questions (i.e. “yes” “no” “absolutely” “are you crazy?” – think Magic 8 Ball). In this case, before the player chooses a color, he asks a question.

Fortune. Instead of activities or answers to questions, each flap includes a more traditional fortune. “You will soon receive great news.” That sort of thing.

Decorate your fortune teller however you wish (yes, you can add bling) just remember the outside part has four colors, the inside flaps have eight numbers. Underneath the numbers, eight activities or fortunes are written.

Does any of this make sense? Hope so.

Now I must go write a letter. My Chinese Fortune Teller told me to.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Remember when fun meant playing with a Chinese Fortune Teller?[/tweetthis]

“Before you leave, the fortune teller reminds you that the future is never set in stone.”
― Erin Morgenstern

Musical Pairing:

Yesterday’s Child – Roy Orbison