I Gotta Create!: August 2012

Summer Wrap-up 2012

It's a wildly wonderful Summer here at I Gotta Create! Here's an overview so you don't miss a single moment of Summer fun:

Udderly Silly Water Balloons are a Summer Bucket List fun activity! There's a full tutorial and fun photos.

Our feathered friends splash around despite the drought with our rigged up Bird Spa ~ but birds weren't the only critters to visit!

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade is refreshing and healthier with Simple Syrup as the basis of an array of summertime drinks. Get the recipes for both.

July gifts us with a patriotic trio of fantastic Pringles Can projects! The Firecracker Tutorial, DiY Straw Caddy, and Patriotic Rocket! Stop by for full directions on all three projects.

Of course, we must have a little bit of Christmas in July! You'll want to see what those snowflakes are made of ~ you will be wow'ed!!

A whole herd of wildlife visits the back yard all summer. Along with the bobcat by our back door that WE saw & snapped the photos, our wildlife cam catches many other amazing photos!

The wild theme runs strong all summer with our Wild West party ideas. This theme is so versatile for birthdays, father's day, summer fun and Back-to-School:

Wild West Fringed snack bags are great for movie nights and parties. Sour cream party favors get decked out with fringe, too. You'll find thorough directions for each project.

Of course, Root Beer floats are a Summer tradition! Give it a new twist this summer.

Have fun preparing embossed gift packages and cards for Fathers Day in June. {Tackle This!, Fish Tales, and so much more.} Lots of great ideas and embossing lessons included.

The Inspiring Creative Women series features in-depth interviews with these amazing bloggers: Lizy B Bakes, Creatively Living, and Bliss Ranch. Stop by and recharge your DiY batteries with their tips, techniques, and unique take on being creative.

I share my Pinterest Woes and you will want to know about this great tip from a reader that became a fun fix. It changed my approach to linky party hosting to generate more traffic for YOU, too.

Back-to-School Grab Bags mark a turning of the season to thoughts of Fall. You can bring the whole Wild West Round Up theme to your Back-to-School parties.

We amble down country roads on a cool day for this photo shoot in anticipation of Autumn... Come along for the ride.

....Take a little picnic lunch on our road trip in this darling Upcycled Jean Lunch Tote with a belt handle... You can make one, too, in a style that suits you ~ stop by for ideas and inspiration.

A picnic deserves a great dessert. How about this adorable Fresh Peach Crisp in a Mason Jar! Get the recipe and directions for this yummy, portable way to celebrate the peach harvest.

It's a smokin' hot summer at I Gotta Create! Thank you for your visits, kind words and sharing at the Wildly Original linky parties.

I hope you'll stay in touch and follow along.

Are you ready for Amazing Autumn ideas?

Spring Overview at I Gotta Create!

{I host a weekly linky party. Come find out more here! I'm sharing this Summer 2012 Wrap-Up with...Monday: Craftomaniac, Making The World Cuter, Alderberry Hill, Skip to My Lou, Cherished Bliss; Tuesday: Not Just a Housewife, Nap-Time Creations, The DIY Dreamer, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Savvy Southern Style, Uncommon, What We Wore & Made, Gingersnap Crafts, The NY Melrose Family. Elizabeth & Co.; Wednesday: The 36th Avenue, Live-Laugh-Rowe, Someday Crafts, Handy Man Crafty Woman, The Trendy Treehouse, Snap; Thursday: Johnny in a Dress, My Repurposed Life, Tidy Mom, Shabby Nest; Friday: Funky Junk Interiors, Anything Goes, Finding Fabulous, My Simple Home Life, Romantic Home, French Country Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, Thirty Handmade Days, Naptime Crafters, Stuff & Nonsense, One Creative Mommy; Saturday: Be Different Act Normal, Tutus & Tea Parties, Positively Splendid, Sew Country Chick; Sunday: Nifty Thrifty Things, DIY Project Parade, Under The Table and Dreaming, My 1929 Charmer, Sew Darned Crafty}

This is My Baby

Just look at what our wildlife cam caught recently! Bambi with mama. What a sweet face!!

Feeding together.

And here she is nursing.

In my quest to nurture my creativity, this blog has been an important outlet and touchstone in a busy life. I really love pulling together posts to share with you.

I changed things up with the linky party and features. I've been reflecting upon what it means to be a gracious host and create an ethical, win-win atmosphere. You can read about that *here.*

Like other bloggers, I will start truncating my feed to protect my "baby" from pirates and scrapers. I dislike putting any barrier between you and me, and I hope you will click on over when I Gotta Create! shows up in your email box or reader.

Allow me to again thank you for subscribing, following and visiting. I love sharing with you.

Read: Pinterest Woes, Scraper Scandals & Your Power

More Backyard Wildlife Here!

and here

{I host a weekly linky party. Come find out more here! I'm sharing this Bambi Fawn with Doe and Changes to my Party & Posts with...Monday: Craftomaniac, Making The World Cuter, Alderberry Hill, Skip to My Lou, Cherished Bliss; Tuesday: Not Just a Housewife, Nap-Time Creations, The DIY Dreamer, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Savvy Southern Style, Uncommon, What We Wore & Made, Gingersnap Crafts, The NY Melrose Family. Elizabeth & Co.; Wednesday: The 36th Avenue, Live-Laugh-Rowe, Someday Crafts, Handy Man Crafty Woman, The Trendy Treehouse, Snap; Thursday: Johnny in a Dress, My Repurposed Life, Tidy Mom, Shabby Nest; Friday: Funky Junk Interiors, Anything Goes, Finding Fabulous, My Simple Home Life, Romantic Home, French Country Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, Thirty Handmade Days, Naptime Crafters, Stuff & Nonsense, One Creative Mommy; Saturday: Be Different Act Normal, Tutus & Tea Parties, Positively Splendid, Sew Country Chick; Sunday: Nifty Thrifty Things, DIY Project Parade, Under The Table and Dreaming, My 1929 Charmer, Sew Darned Crafty}

Buttons for Earring Packaging

Raid your button stash and use them for earring packaging...

Telephone Gossip Chair

This Amped Up Telephone Gossip Chair by is ready for long, newsy chats! If you love the vibrant color...

Fantastic Fishing Party Banner

Festive and fantastic, this Fishing Party Banner
is also accompanied by a chocolate pudding field of worms!
You gotta check out this cute party...

Vintage Wedding Lace Banner

Vintage Wedding Lace Banner is so dreamy
and the colors perfect for a fall wedding! It would also be great
for a fall shower or birthday...

Sewn & Stuffed Alphabet Magnets

These sweet little sewn and stuffed alphabet magnets will entertain little ones and big ones alike! You can make this colorful mix

Mason Jar Sewing Kit

Delight any sewist with this little Mason Jar Sewing Kit!

What a wonderful Christmas or birthday gift this would make...

Wildly Original Linky Party #15!

Welcome to the Wildly Original linky party
here at I Gotta Create!

Just Us Four is one of this week's features *here*

WOW! With so many fantastic projects linked up, I did a special feature post for our biggest party yet. Check it out *here.*

Plus, I am using a new technique to send you more traffic. Features cannot be pinned from my blog. Visitors will have to click your link to pin from the original source: You!

For You, I'll go the extra mile as your party host.
Because I believe proper credit is important. Don't you?

Week 15 Wildly Original Party Features

Take a look at these fabulous features from last week's Wildly Original linky party
here at I Gotta Create!

I'm using a new tip that I blogged about *here* so that your feature will not be pinned from my blog.

Instead, Pinners need to click your link to pin.
This gives YOU the proper credit and traffic.
It's my way of thanking you for linking up!
{and being a responsible hostess}

Easy Peasy Grandma gets us in the Halloween spirit with this adorable hat {and model}. She crocheted it complete with a dangling spider! Go check it out.

Pinning Woes, Scraper Scandals & Your Power

Pinning from the original source is vitally important to artists and bloggers. It generates traffic for us. A wrongly pinned project diverts traffic from your own original post and all the hard work it represents.

Apart from the recent "scraper scandals" you may be hearing about {stealing bloggers' content}, some of our very own are using the pin button in dubious ways ~putting it right next to or on top of your featured project photo. This hurts all of us.