Unexpected Ideas for Creative Projects

Make Healthy Food Choices and Stay on Track with a Meal Planner

Submitted by Amanda on January 8, 2013
Topic: Home Helper
 

About eight months ago I made a radical diet change to improve my overall health and help me lose 10 pesky pounds I had been carrying around for a while. The eating plan was simple: no refined flour or sugar, no dairy, and lots of lean protein, veggies and complex carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes. That paired with a gym routine of three to four 60-minute workouts per week and I quickly dropped the excess weight (I actually ended up losing 16 pounds!) and felt better than I had in years.

The holidays, though, threw me off track. The office was loaded with sweet treats, popcorn tins and candy. I am a sucker for sugar.

Determined to get back into my healthy eating habits, I created this laminated meal planner for my refrigerator door. On it, I can list what I’ll have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the entire week. I can even include items for my grocery list, which really makes shopping once a week a lot easier. 

Here are the steps to create this custom meal planner:
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Make Resolutions as a Family in the New Year

Submitted by Maggie on January 4, 2013
 

I can’t believe it’s time to start thinking about a new year with new possibilities. New Year’s resolutions can be hard to maintain, so this year I came up with a fun idea for my family. We each contributed four resolutions so that at the beginning of each month we can draw one and help each other complete our resolutions throughout the year. This way we hold each other accountable and spend time together in the process.


Here are the steps to create a family New Year’s Resolutions box:


1.)   Select a box. I went to my local craft store and purchased a box. There are so many choices for creative boxes such as bright colored take out containers, different shapes, and plain white, so you can be as artistic as you want. I chose a star shaped box with a lid in my son’s favorite color. Any box with a lid, opening or hole cut in the top will work.
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Create That “WOW” Factor with These Custom Business Card Holders

Submitted by Guest Blogger on December 31, 2012
 

I go to a lot of convention and crafting events around the country throughout the year and, just like any other convention or meeting, it's always important to have business cards on hand to exchange with new contacts. My goal is to have cards that are interesting and creative enough to be memorable – a challenge in a creative industry in which many talented crafters hand-make their own business cards. 

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Retro Photo Canvas

Submitted by Guest Blogger on December 14, 2012
Topic: Holiday Hints
 

Looking for a great gift this holiday season? Transfer a photo to canvas for wall art with a neat retro look. This fun and creative project makes a unique present for those special people on your Christmas list.


Supplies needed:


·         Photo (a high contrast color photo with a retro feel works great for this treatment)

·         Acrylic gel medium (available at art or craft store)
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Holiday Gift Card Holder – Sometimes the Wrapping Can Be Better than the Gift Itself!

Submitted by Guest Blogger on December 11, 2012
Topic: Holiday Hints
 

Save your ornaments with this kid-proof Christmas tree

Submitted by Maggie on December 6, 2012
 

Happy holidays! Christmas is just around the corner and this year I was inspired to create a special tree for my son to decorate. He loves to help decorate the Christmas tree, but he doesn’t get to hang as many ornaments as he would like because they are so fragile. I decided to make a tree just for him out of durable, kid-proof materials at FedEx Office®.


Here are the steps you can follow to create a kid-proof Christmas tree. (And there are no pesky needles or broken glass!)
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Liz’s Big 8-0 Birthday Party (Yeehaw!)

Submitted by Guest Blogger on December 4, 2012
 

As my mother’s 80th birthday approached, my siblings and I wanted to plan a party for her worthy of all her warmth, love and support over the years. Turning 80 is a big deal, right? ...read more

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Create Personalized Thanksgiving Day Menu Cards

Submitted by Amanda on November 20, 2012
 
Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away, but you still have time to add some special flare to your holiday dinner table. This year, I decided to help our Thanksgiving host (my grandmother) by making menu cards for the table. She always decorates with a festive centerpiece, so these really brought the colors together and provided a nice touch to the table.
Here’s how I create these personalized menu cards:
Step one
Before you can write a menu, you have to plan a menu. Decide in advance what will be served on Thanksgiving Day. If your family is like mine, the basics (turkey, dressing and sweet potatoes) are always served, but sometimes we like to mix it up and try new recipes.
Step two
Create a menu template in design software.
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Create and Laminate a Chore Chart to Teach Young Kids Responsibility

Submitted by Maggie on November 15, 2012
 

My son is four years old and currently my husband and I are trying to teach him responsibility. We want him to learn the value of being rewarded for hard work and to take pride in his accomplishments. He heard the word "chore" for the first time a couple of weeks ago, but it has been difficult for him to truly understand what we are trying to teach him. Since time management can be a difficult concept (even for adults!)  I created a chart with daily and weekly activities so he can see what needs to be done around the house and we can track his progress daily. At this point, the actual tasks are limited but I can easily modify this as he grows, even into a teenager! (With slight alterations this can also work for the entire family.)
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Make Progress with This Free Goal Setting and Action Planner Download

Submitted by Guest Blogger on November 8, 2012
 

Do you set goals in your business, for your family, or for personal accomplishments? Goals are a great way to move forward, provided you have supported the planning process with a specific action list, broken down into individual steps. An action planner is a great way to do this.

A good action plan will help you create SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based) goals that can be broken down into bite-sized action items you can knock off one-by-one. It’s not only organized in a way that helps you keep track and make progress, but it also can be motivating because it allows you to build momentum. ...read more

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