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Festive Six Point Paper Stars
I love a fun and simple paper craft. There is something about just being able to whip out a bunch of items in a short amount of time that is very gratifying. A couple of years ago, I came across a super awesome blog called Kate’s Creative Space. Kate has so many amazing projects and fun ideas that she has shared. One of my favorite, yet easy, projects is her 3D paper stars, so I’m sharing my version of these Festive Six Point Paper Stars and how I did them.
Paper stars can be used for so many occasions as wall decor, garlands, package tags and even inexpensive ornaments for a tree. Here are the supplies that I used to make mine:
cardstock // scissors // ruler // pencil // round object with a flat side 
I actually used a pen here, just so it would show up a little better.
Start by measuring the diameter of the round object and dividing that in 2. Keep that number in mind. (My bowl measured 5 inches across on the side that I would be tracing around, so my measurement to remember was 2.5 inches. Geometry fact: that’s the radius!)
Trace around the bowl and mark a starting point along the line. Measure with the ruler around the rim from the starting point and mark six equidistant points around the circle using the predetermined radius measurement.
Next, connect all alternating points with a line. This will look like two triangles overlapping.
Then, cut out the star with super awesome gold scissors!
To make the star 3 dimensional, fold the star in half, with the right sides facing, along each of the INNER points. Do this 3 times total.
After that, fold the star in half, with the wrong sides facing, along each of the OUTER points. Again, make 3 folds.
The star should now be 3D. Refold and score again to make the angles pop!
These adorable stars are so fun and you can make a bunch of them in a short time, assuming you are not documenting the process with a camera in crappy lighting. *wink*
So, grab some fun paper and get to work making your holidays FESTIVE!
____________________________________________________________________ You may also like:
Pocket Hand Warmers 
Salt Dough Starfish Ornament 
Gift Wrapping Ideas 
Pinecone Fire Starters -
2015 Printable Calendar
The year is quickly coming to a close and before we know it, 2015 will be here. Yikes! Am I the only one who believes that time just speeds up as you get older? As a kid, it seemed like a year lasted forever, but now it is over in the blink of an eye. I guess that’s just part of growing up, right? So before December gets here, we are sharing our NEW 2015 printable calendar!
Get a jump start on filling in all of those important dates.
No worries. This calendar if for the full year, so you can plan out everything you need until next New Year’s Eve if you wish.
And there is plenty of extra white space to write directly on the calendar.
Click on the image below to download the 2015 Printable Calendar from Elizabeth Joan Designs. All of our printables are currently FREE for download, for personal use only. (View Terms of Use.)
Click the image below for the free PDF link. Please download the file and open with Adobe Reader to ensure proper print sizing. When printing, make sure that Page Scaling is set to “Fit Printable Area.”
______________________________________________________________________ You may also like:
Weekly Calendars 
Fill In Grocery List & Menu 
Holiday Gift Tags 
Thank You Cards -
Image Transfer Ideas
One of the things that we enjoy the most is trying to figure out how we can DIY something in different ways. Neither Emily, nor I, own an electronic cutting machine, such as a Silhouette or Cricut, so coming up with a way to do images transfers has always been a challange. However, it is one that we accept with open arms.
Lucky for us, our friend Jeanette, from Snazzy Little Things, has created a great round up of image transfer ideas (she is also doing a series on Image Transfers Made Simple.) Plus, many of these ideas would make a great idea for holiday gifts!
Chalkboard Lettering 
Cable Spool Clock 
French Lettered Milking Stool 
Chalk Cloth Map
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Crock Pot Pizza Soup
Something about the fall/winter seasons and crock pots just go hand in hand. Maybe it is the cooler weather, the shorter days, or my extreme laziness, but I often find that using a slow cooker makes my life a lot easier this time of year. One of the recipes that frequently gets requested is Pizza Soup, a simple, yet delicious, meal that can appease even the pickiest of eaters.
My favorite thing about this soup is that it can be thrown together in flash and is totally customizable based upon your own personal tastes. Love pepperoni, but hate veggies? Great! Despise the meats, but diggin’ mushrooms and peppers? You win too! The possibilities are endless. Here is how I made our soup this time.
First, I gathered all of the ingredients.
browned ground sausage / 1/2 cup quartered pepperoni / 1/4 cup grated parmesan /
one jar of four cheese pasta sauce / 1 cup chopped mild banana peppers /
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning / 1/2 tsp garlic powder / 16 oz. tomato sauce /
mozzarella cheese (not pictured) / water (not pictured)We’ve found that we love this recipe a bit spicy, but if you prefer less heat, feel free to reduce the amount of banana peppers or omit them completely. Heck, just throw in any of your favorite pizza ingredients and you will be sure to have a soup that makes your mouth water.
Next, I added all of the ingredients to the crock pot, except the mozzarella cheese. (After I emptied the jar of pasta sauce, I filled it with water and add that as well.)
Then, mix everything together. It may look a bit like hot lava, but at this point, will not burn your finger prints off when touched.
Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Add some mozzarella cheese to the top and watch it melt. Yum! Serve with a bread stick if you like.
Seriously, this soup is so easy to whip up and my family wolfs it down in no time. Plus, it can fix that pizza craving without us having to call a delivery man!
Crock Pot Pizza Soup from Elizabeth Joan Designs
Yield
12 servings (serving size: 1 cup)Ingredients
• 1 lb. ground sausage (browned)
• 1/2 cup quartered pepperoni
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 jar four cheese pasta sauce
• 1 cup chopped mild banana peppers
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 16 ounces tomato saucePreparation
1. Combine all ingredients, except mozzarella cheese, in crock pot.
2. Fill empty pasta sauce jar with water and add to crock pot.
3. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours, until soup is bubbling around edges. (Times my vary.)
4. Serve with shredded mozzarella cheese on top.____________________________________________________________________ You may also like:
Grilled Bread Salad 
Yum Yum Shrimp Boil 
Loaded Red Potato Soup 
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs