Easy Strawberry Donut Cake

So it’s after dinner and you forgot to make or buy a sweet dessert for your friends or loved ones, or you just want a late sweet snack, no problem.

A quick and easy way to satisfy the sweet tooth is by having a package of fresh, ready made donuts available, fresh strawberries, whipped cream and it’s optional to have some strawberry glaze…this adds extra flavor and sweetness to this dessert.  This is so easy. that your little ones can do it. 

Grab your favorite donuts and either cut it in half or leave it as is, then layer the strawberries in the center hole, on top, and sides of donuts.  If you have glaze, go ahead and sprinkle glaze over your strawberry donuts.  Lastly, cover with whipped cream.  For those who really want sweetness…a little side of ice cream wouldn't hurt…oh yeah! 

If you do not have donuts on hand, perhaps fried biscuits like the ones made here, and then the above can work too! 
I hope that you enjoy!!!

Sharing Creative Inspirations

*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Over the past few weeks I've been sharing how and why Blurb is such an incredible source for
telling your story—whether it includes photos, words, or both. I realize that not everyone has the
desire to write a novel or sell a book of their photos. Some people just want to commemorate a 
trip, an event, your own blog, or a special occasion. Others may want to visually capture a 
business concept or life experience. Whatever the inclination, Blurb makes it easy and affordable 
to realize it. 

Chances are you already have an idea for the kind of book you want to create. But in case you 
need a little inspiration, here are a few ways people have used Blurb to create their own creative 
and useful books: 

Gifts
A beautiful, custom-made book is one of the most thoughtful, meaningful gifts you can give. 
With Father’s Day, graduation, and wedding season just around the corner, this type of book 
can make the perfect gift that keeps on giving. And with Blurb’s cutting-edge book-making 
tools, you can add photos, words, stories, drawings—anything you want—and make 
something that’s truly one-of-a-kind. Ideas include: a favorite recipes book, a baby’s first 
year book, a book of poems, a senior year book, etc. 

Memoirs
You have a story to tell. Okay, so you may not have hiked across the Sahara or been on 
Broadway, but that doesn't mean that you haven’t impacted lives or had interesting life 
experiences. And it certainly doesn't mean that you don’t have valuable insights to 
impart. Even if you have no interest in sharing your memoir with anyone, the process of 
reflecting on your life and writing down some of your thoughts and experiences can be 
incredibly eye-opening and cathartic.  In my experience creating my own book with Blurb, 
I've captured simple everyday memories that I can look back to.

Pet Books
What better way to showcase your best friend than with their very own book. It could be 
something as simple as pictures and quips of trips to the park, naps on the couch, playing 
with a favorite toy, or basking in the sun, to a more in-depth life story book about your pet. 
These can be shared as gifts, sold to fellow pet-lovers, or just kept for your own personal 
enjoyment. 

Non-Profit Fundraising Books
With Blurb, non-profits can share their story with compelling words and images and 
then sell them via Blurb’s Sell & Distribute option to fundraise for their organization. 
For example, Gerrit Greve’s Hearts for Healing book showcases how kids interpret a 
giving heart through art. It also chronicles how Greve’s students gained new confidence 
in themselves and their abilities knowing that their art could make a difference in someone’s 
life and health. This beautiful book is an example of how Blurb’s platforms can be used to 
support a cause that’s important to you. 

These are just a few ways that you can use Blurb to share your story or promote a purpose, 
but know that there are many, many others. Get creative! Honestly, the most important part 
is just clicking on the “Get Started” link on Blurb.com. As you start the process of creating 
your own book, you’ll be surprised at how quickly the creativity floodgates open!  

And when it does and you've created your own book, be sure to tell me about it—if you’re 
okay with me doing so, I’d love to promote it to other readers. Who knows? You may inspire
someone else to create a book of their own! 

Just In!
Exciting news! Starting today, you have to check out the Blurb Flash Sale! You can get 35% off now through Monday, May 18th, when you use code MAYFLASH35. That is right - 35% off any Blurb book you make! I'm talking photo books, cookbooks, trade books, magazines ... whatever type of book your inspiration calls for! Here are the details: 

Offer: 35% off at Blurb, five days only!
Valid: 5/14 - 5/18
Code: MAYFLASH35

So hurry on over to Blurb and start creating! This offer ends soon!

DIY: Vintage Print Eyewear Case

For some time now, I have wanted to make this little case for my glasses.  I was inspired by A Beautiful Mess’s Cotton + Leather Clutch DIY.  I thought that was brilliant idea, but like any crafter, I wanted to re-create it to meet my need, so I left out the leather part and simply used the fabric I had on hand.  I also did not want an exact replica, so I opt to make my image look like an old tee shirt print and it worked!

For this nifty little project, I used:

- 2 cotton fabric pieces 6 x 8 inches
- 2 printed fabric pieces 6 x 8 inches for the inside
- zipper shortest length available
- ruler
- scissors
- 1 adhesive felt sheet (white) 4 x 6 inch
- transfer paper
- sewing machine or Liquid Stitch/ Heat Bond
- iron


1. Select the image you want to use for this project, then print a 4 x 6 inch size to your transfer paper, use your product instructions.  Cut your image as seen in #2 below leaving 1/4 inch space on all sides. 
2. Iron your image to your cotton fabric sheet.
3. Sew the back, plain fabric to the front fabric.
4. Place the felt piece to the back part of your photo piece fabric.  



5. Continue to sew the other two sides leaving the top open.
6. When felt is on the fabric, you may flip the case inside out so the felt is now inside of the pouch.



Now this is the hard part. To get this right, you may want to watch this video, I found it more helpful than the others and wish I would have discovered it before.  It would have saved some time. Anyway, I didn't have regular pins, so I used the safety ones. Here you will attach your zipper. Watch the video to know how to attach the zipper, trust me it's better.





And there you have it.  Amateur vintage style case. 
Hope that you enjoy and Happy Crafting!

Blog Update & Introducing the Cricut Explore One

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

Like any blogger or crafter, there are times that we get writers block and become uninspired.  Have you ever experienced one of those dry spells?  When this happens, I take a little time off from crafting to catch up with the other things that need attention.  The bad thing is that it leaves me with no material to share with you.  But, I have some good news. I will be posting some projects in a few days, so check in or subscribe to the blog to get it in your e-mail box first!  

In the mean time, I want to share with you a craft machine that is perfect for those who are beginners to the wonderful world of crafting -- or even if you consider yourself to be more of a "basic" crafter -- then Cricut's brand new machine is just for you! This nifty new machine is called the Cricut Explore One™ and it's perfect because it offers a simplified design-and-cut system that is incredibly user-friendly. The Explore One™ actually offers most of the same features as Cricut's other Explore machines, it's just priced lower!

In addition to its affordable price, here are a few other things about the Cricut Explore One™ that you're sure to love:

• It can cut over 60 different materials, from the most delicate materials like vellum to thicker things like leather. It can also cut card-stock, vinyl, fabric, balsa wood, leather, and more…without complicated settings.
• You'll have free access to Cricut's Design Space™ online software and iPad® app so you'll able to design on your computer or your Pad®. You'll also be able to use a Bluetooth® adapter for wireless cutting.
• The Explore One allows you to cut a wide range of shapes and sizes with exceptional precision, from ¼" tall up to 11½" wide x 23½" tall. You just select the material that you're using on the Smart Set® dial. From there, the machine's Cut Smart® technology will deliver a clean, professional cut.
• You can upload your own images and use your own fonts -- for free!
• Each machine comes with over 25 free 1-click projects and 50+ free images to get them started right away.
• If you want to use the machine to write or score, you can easily swap out the cutting cartridge with the Cricut Explore One™ Accessory Adapter and Pen.

The Cricut Explore One™ makes it easy, fast, and affordable for you to explore your creativity and delight your loved ones with personal handmade projects and gifts! And if you purchase your very own Cricut Explore One™ before the end of May - you'll get free shipping when you use code MAYSHIP!  You can't beat that!

Didn't I tell you that it is perfect?  So lets get our craft on!
Watch out for my next craft post coming in a few days, see you then!

Effectiveness & Quality of Blurb (Part 3)

*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Thus far you've heard the Blurb story and learned a bit about the extensive tools and resources that Blurb makes available to their book-making customers. While all that is impressive, what’s really remarkable to me is how they offer all of that and provide visually stunning books made on photo-quality paper—AND do it all at such an incredibly affordable price. It’s really is something to marvel at. 

Since day one, Blurb has been praised for their unwavering commitment to quality, which is why renowned photographers, graphic designers, architects, artists, and other creative professionals repeatedly choose Blurb to display their works of art. That speaks volumes in my book (no pun intended) because, if they trust Blurb to showcase their work, then it just seems logical that I should too. 

Professional-Quality Books and Magazines
Whether you’re creating a photo book, a trade book, or a magazine, Blurb allows you to choose from a wide range of trim size, covers, fonts, layouts, and paper. Paper type is actually really key to any book which displays images. Other book-making platforms may have some nice quality paper, but you’re going to pay out the wazoo for your book. Others use recycled paper, which is good environmentally, but not so great for producing visually-rich images. 

Blurb, on the other hand, provides customers with several paper options, including standard paper that has a smooth, semi-matte finish on 80# stock, to un-coated Pro Line semi-gloss paper on 140# stock that’s ideal for high-end photography and design books. 

Digital Books/Ebooks
Blurb is actually one of the few book-making platforms that gives you complete control over creating an ebook. Blurb lets you make ebooks in both fixed-layout (Apple iPad®-only) and flowable formats (iPad and Kindle devices). You can even convert any book or magazine you create into a gorgeous ebook so you can share and distribute it in a way that’s easy, affordable, and earth-friendly! 

Price
If price is a factor (when is it not?), Blurb is bar none one of the most affordable printers out there with one of the lowest price per page available – especially when you consider their quality and array of creative options. So that you will know exactly what you’re getting at what cost, Blurb developed a Pricing Calculator. I mentioned their pricing calculator in my last post, but to recap, this fantastic tool lets you see what your price per book will be based on the selections you choose (e.g. soft cover, 7 x 7 photobook, on Pro Line un-coated #100 paper). 

You can also compare the pricing of different types of books (trade book vs. magazine, vs. ebook, etc.), covers (hard or soft), sizes (7 x 7 vs 13 x 11), paper type (matte, glossy), etc. 

Although their pricing is already impressive, take note that Blurb is generously offering you 15% off any book you create from now through 5/30! Get started now! 

I recommend sorting through those pictures on your camera, smartphone, Facebook feed, or Instagram page and start creating your very own book. You’ll be so excited with the results that you’ll probably want to make a copy for all of your friends and family (I’m speaking from experience here!). 

If you need some inspiration, I’ll be sharing examples in next week’s post of how some people have used Blurb to create their own creative and useful books—so stay tuned!