Spring Napkin Holders

Before I tell you about the contest, I want to share with you these pictures and a short story. I invited my mom, sister, brother and niece to eat breakfast this morning. We had a great time. Here is my niece. Isn't she beautiful!? She is 6 months old. I love her. I bought her the headband yesterday. She loves playing with her shoes. Toys? she doesn't need toys. She prefers to play with her shoes than any toys.

This is my youngest brother Daniel. He is 11 years old. He decided to stay with me today. He loves spending the night here! He got his craftiness from me! He loves painting, drawing, and doing any type of craft. While I was doing my project, he decided he wanted to join in. He was painting here.


Daniel is diabetic. In February 2008, we got the scare of our lives. My parents went on a church retreat and Daniel stayed with us. Friday afternoon he was doing fine. Then on Friday evening, we started noticing he wasn't behaving how he normally behaves. He was not doing good. He was not eating, he didnt want to play, he was constantly going to the bathroom without drinking liquids, he lost 18 pounds in a week, he was not laughing and he was just not being how he normally is. He is a very happy boy, and his behavior scared us. Saturday went by, still not doing good. Sunday, I gave him medicine and it seemed he was doing better. My parents picked him up Sunday night, still not good. I told my dad he needed to go to the doctor. He had no energy and was constantly going to the bathroom. Monday morning, he gets sent back from school. He was in bed with a high fever. My mom took him to urgent care. The doctor immediately did test and it came back with 457. His sugar was high! We had to take him to the emergency room. We took him just in time. The doctor was telling us, that if his sugar level would have been over 500, he could have died or been on a diabetic comma. He was in the hospital for a little over a week. It was scary.

He is doing so good! I am amazed at how wonderful he is doing. There is a whole group of people praying for him to get cured. God is amazing! God does amazing things!

He has been doing so good now, he is at the point where he needs almost no insulin! His body is producing insulin. Even his doctor is amazed at the little insulin he now needs. I love my brother so much, and its very hard seeing at his young age what he goes through every day. We had to be very strong and have faith.
At the beginning it was really hard for us. Now, we have all learned to live with it. Daniel counts his carbs, injects himself and knows how to take care of himself. He is such a good kid. I love him!

He has been telling me he wants to make something to sell and donate half to "Find a diabetes cure foundation" and the other half to help his parents pay for his medicine. How adorable is that! He is a great kid. His medicine is expensive and he knows my parents are having a hard time paying. Especially now that they lowered my dads pay. Its been tough!
Im sorry, I was going to make it a short story and made it too long. Just wanted to share his story. I just love him so much!

Okay.. moving on.. wiping tears..

Katie @ Katies Nesting Spot send me a message about a great spring contest from Mod Podge. Thanks Katie! I am very interested and started Mod Podge'in like crazy! Those of you who are Mod Podge lovers, you should sign up!

Read about contest rules here.
If you sign up, please let me know! I would love to see what you create!

I Mod Podge like crazy! I love it! Ive done, decoupage letters, wooden blocks, coasters, collages, frames and more! Today, I came up with something different. I came up with beautiful spring napkin holders!

It all started when we took a trip to Home Depot. While my husband was looking for some tools, I decided to take a little trip down PVC aisle. Why the PVC aisle? I don't know! I just did. :)
Its funny! This is how it went down at Home Depot:

Martha: Uuuuuhhh... what is this?

I read the info sheet on the price sheet.

Martha: I know I could use this for something else! Only .20 cents! Thats pretty good!
What could I use this for, what could I use this for!! mmmmm...mmmmm...mmmmm..

While I am talking to myself, (in a low voice & people might think Im crazy hahaha..) you will see me with that one piece turning it upside down, holding it in the air, walking back and forth thinking, and even sometimes sitting down. This is my creative thinking process! ha..

Martha: Ohhhhhhh.. I know!!! I could use this as a napkin holder! ( I might say this just a little louder) I get really excited!

I start thinking immediately how I could do it, what papers, what colors, embellishment etc..

Of course, when my husband finds me, I tell him my idea. He always thinks they are great!

So here is a little tutorial of how to create these beautiful spring napkin holders. I will be sending this idea for the Spring Mod Podge Contest. What do you think? Cute?

Materials Needed:

Mod Podge
Embellishmetn (ribbon, flowers, beads)
Scrapbook Paper
Scissors
Glue Gun
PVC pipes


1. Measure the PVC pipes.
2. Cut the same length in paper to decoupage each PVC pipe.

3. Using your Mod Podge, lightly cover a PVC pipe. Glue one end of paper and start decoupaging.
In the middle of my projects, I used my hands to finish gluing the paper. Careful, it will get messy! :)



4. Using your glue gun, glue some ribbon around each pipe. Be creative! I went with green and pink.
I added a beautiful pink flower with a green bead in the middle.

This is how they turned out! Wouldn't these look great in your table this spring!?
I dare you to try it! It is super simple, inexpensive and so cute! Please share pictures if you try this!