Paper Hyacinth

Paper Hyacinth

How cute are these little paper creations?
Source: Aunt Peaches

Click on the link above... she gives you far better instructions and photos than I'd ever be able to accomplish.  :)

Barefoot Baby Bloom Booties

Barefoot Baby Bloom Booties

Makes 1 pair.

The blogger linked below has great instructions, great pictures, and overall a very easy technique to make these adorable booties.  I made two pairs in an evening!  The only things I changed were my technique (I used all needle and thread instead of hot glue), the number of petals, and the size (made for an 8- and 12-month old vs. the bloggers 2.5 month old)
Slightly adapted from: I Can Dabble

T-shirt (I used one purchased from Michael’s, on sale for $2)

Coordinating Needle & thread
Coordinating felt (you only need a little for each shoe, so go digging through your scrap pile!)
Glue Gun, if preferred over needle & thread

I Can Dabble's writer took a great shortcut, using the finished hem of the t-shirt for the straps.  Eliminates a big sewing step.  Always a good thing.  So be sure to cut as close to the hem line as possible, and make sure each shoe has two-3" straps  (For an older child (over 1), you may need to increase the strap length to 3-1/2"-4").

Cut out a coordinating felt circle (approx 2.5 inches) and sew on both straps to be an under-the-sole strap and behind-the-heel strap. 

Next, create a 5 petal flower template on a piece of paper. The flower should end up being approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. Pin the template on your t-shirt and cut out 18 flowers (9 for each shoe).  ***I increased this number to 26; 13 for each shoe which gives the flower one extra layer of petals and an overall fuller look.

Take one petal and fold it in half. Then fold it in half again. Do this with 4 petals. Arrange each petal onto your felt circle so that the corners meet in the middle (you're essentially using each folded flower to be one petal). Now hot glue or sew them on. If you use hot glue, you’ll want to also hot glue each petal fold to itself.  Check out the original blogger's photos if you're confused.

Now take your next 4 petals and fold them the same way. This time when gluing them on, rotate your felt circle so that the new petals are lying across ½ of 2 bottom petals (check her blog for pics!).  Then, repeat again for a 3rd layer... again rotating slightly.  Basically, you don't want the petals stacked exactly on top of one another.

Take your last petal piece and fold it in half. Roll one corner into the other, kind of creating a cone shape. This will create the bud of the flower. Hot glue, or sew, the bud to the middle. Take the top layer of petals and add a dab of glue to the center and adhere it to the bud. This will give your flower more fluff and body.

Repeat with the other shoe, and then... you're done!

Hand Print Ornament

Hand Print Ornament

I made this last Christmas with a dear friend of mine (thanks, Lacey!), using the little girl's handprint.  At that time she was only 4 months old.  Wow, time flies.  I'm so glad I did, though, because it's a wonderful keepsake that we will treasure more and more with each year that passes.  They also make great gifts -- the grandparents will so happy to recieve one too!

Things you'll need:
-- Plain glass ornament
-- Acrylic paint
-- Glitter
-- Ribbon
-- Paint pen
-- A helping hand (especially if you have a real little one who can't follow simple directions)

Since acrylic paint stains, first strip down your child to his/her diaper or underwear.  Or you can put them in an art shirt.  :)

Set up shop in your kitchen or a room with a sink, so you have the option to quickly rinse off any "mistake" attempts.

Dip child's hand in paint, or "paint" it on their palm with a paint brush.  Spread their fingers and place it onto the ornament.  Remove. 

Sprinkle hand print with glitter and let dry.  Using the paint pen, inscribe on the other side to remember what year it was made and which child, if applicable, the hand print belongs to.  Tie a ribbon to the top and hang it on your tree. 

Reusing Candle Jars

Reusing Candle Jars

Here's a way to reuse your Yankee Tumbler Candles: fill them with your favorite candies!  Or snacks!  Or whatever makes your heart happy.

Once you've burned through the life of your candle, stick it in the freezer.  Once it's frozen, use a knife to pop out the "leftover" candle wax.  It should come out pretty easily.

Peel off the label(s) and wash the container.

Dry and fill!

Baby Clothes

Baby Clothes

As one might expect, I've been a little consumed with all things baby lately.  And along with the new responsibilities of actually taking care of our wee one, I've found myself drawn to the sewing machine to churn out some fun little things for her to wear too. 

The picture above is on the day we brought her home from the hospital, so I guess I should correct my statement above and say that I was first drawn to this new craft back when I was pregnant.

I've made some Christmas shirts...

A fun little elephant for one of Macey's boyfriends...

And a birthday shirt for Macey's boyfriend's older sister...  :)

Here's one that should fit her soon...

Go Bucks!

66 days until Christmas... but who's counting?
(Thank you to Mimi for the knit hat!  She's also into crafts...)

The Quilt: Completed! (almost)

The Quilt: Completed!  (almost)

In 2007 (2007!!!), I had the grand idea of making a quilt.  The idea got grander when I decided that I was going to make the whole thing by hand.  No sewing machine!  BUT, the grandest part of this idea was when I started cutting the squares and made them tiny.

I hope you caught my sarcasm.

I posted about the beginnings of the quilt in 2009 in case you want a little more history.

Anyway, here we are 4 years later and it's completed!  Almost.  The thing that makes something a quilt is that it is actually quilted.  Mine is together, has a back, and batting in between. But it's not quilted.  But I can throw it on a bed and actually use it.  I can wrap myself up in it on the couch.  I can lay my brand new sweet baby on it to play. 

And I feel proud that I did it by hand.  And my late grandmother, Mimo, is proud.

Oh, and it's HUGE.  Queen size!

Christmas Stockings

Christmas Stockings

Stockings are one of my favorite things about Christmas. I don't know what it is about them, but the gifts inside are usually unpretentious, thoughtful, and, if you're lucky, a few will be edible. After The Mr. and I had been dating for a year or two, I came across two homeless stockings from my grandparents' house. And a new tradition was added to The Mr.'s and my gift exchange. Truth be told, I think the stuffing of stocking stressed him out at first, but I'm convinced he enjoys it more and more each year.

With this holiday season being our first as husband and wife, I thought it was only appropriate that we acquire some stockings to call our own. Always looking for the chance to do something myself, I set out on a new project. And, what do you know, it worked out just fine. I'm actually quite tickled over our new stockings. You may wonder why there are three. 1) I couldn't make up my mind between fabrics, and 2) I was certain I would butcher one of them in the production process. Surprisingly, I didn't, so I guess now we just need to wait for a furry little friend to come along. But no, there will not be one under the Christmas Tree.

STOCKING #1:

Main fabric: Christmas Classics Peppermint Stripe Green (1 yd.)
Flap fabric: Cookie Cutter Christmas Holly Berry Dots Vanilla/Green (1 yd.)

STOCKING #2:

Main fabric: Christmas Valley Holiday Stripe Natural (1 yd.)
Flap fabric: Winter Fun Checks Red (1 yd.)

STOCKING #3:

Main fabric: City Girl Holiday Ribbon Stripe Red/Pink (1 yd.)
Flap fabric: Holiday Greetings Polka Dot Camel (1 yd.)

Batting:

Directions: (keep in mind I kinda made these up as I went along, so I apologize ahead of time if they aren't as clear as they should be..)

Using a stocking you already have (or one from the $ store), create a pattern by tracing and cutting a sheet of cardstock about an inch outside the edge of the actual stocking.

Create double layers by folding fabric (main and flap) and batting in half. Starting with main fabric, pin pattern to fabric and cut. You will have two pieces of main stocking fabric. Repeat with batting.

FLAP FABRIC IS DIFFERENT: Pin pattern to fabric. Cut, but make it an extra 3-4" longer on top than the main fabric. See pictures below.

As show in picture above, layer fabrics and batting in the following order:

1: Flap fabric, right side to floor, wrong side up
2: Batting
3: Main fabric, right side up, wrong side to batting
4: Main fabric, right side down, wrong side up
5: Batting
6: Flap fabric, wrong side down, right side up

Pin around edges, about 1" from edge.



At the top of the flap fabric, fold under (wrong side to wrong side) about 1/2" to create a clean, non-fraying edge. Pin and stitch.

This is where it gets a little confusing...
To create flap, carefully fold flaps "into" the stocking and "into" each other. Remember, at this point, your stocking is inside out, so by folding the flaps into the stocking, you are creating them on the right side. Pin into place. (You may have to take a few of your original pins out to make space for the flap. Just repin them after arranging the flap.)
At this point, your layering will look like this:

1: Flap fabric, right side to floor, wrong side up
2: Batting
3: Main fabric, right side up, wrong side to batting
4: FLAP: right side up, wrong side pinned to main fabric
5: FLAP #2: right side to floor, wrong side pinned to other main fabric
6: Main fabric, right side down, wrong side up
7: Batting
8: Flap fabric, wrong side down, right side up

Using a sewing machine set to a straight stitch, stitch around edges,


Clean up the edges by cutting away any extra fabric and batting. Don't cut through the stitch though!

Turn your stocking inside out.

Did it turn out?? I hope so!

Every stocking needs a way to hang above the fireplace, though, right? Create a hanging loop but starting with a piece of main fabric, about 2" wide and 7" long.

Fold them over lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch close to the edge.

Turn inside out, put ends together, and sew to inside of stocking.

Again, I apologize for any faulty directions. I should've taken more pictures!

A Note From The LL: All fabric bought at http://www.fabric.com/

Striped Pajamas, Part 1

Striped Pajamas, Part 1

I learned how to sew in high school, from the teachings of my home economics teacher and my very own mother, a clothing and textiles major. As a wedding gift, I received my very own sewing machine. ::sigh:: It was a day up there with, although still a long shot from, the Christmas I received my first KitchenAid mixer. (Yes, first. My grandmother "Mimo" upgraded me to the industrial size as a wedding present.) Anyway, I digress. Having a sewing machine in my possession could mean only one thing: I'd have to create something. So, first on the list: pajamas. I've made pajama pants in the past. I'm familiar with that. This whole shirt thing -- with buttons, a collar, and interfacing??? -- was a whole new area of exploration.

Needless to say, "production" has slowed now that the pants are finished. I have the workings of my shirt strewn across the living room floor, trying to figure out where I'm supposed to sew next. In due time, I hope to have it completed, but for now, I bring you Striped Pajamas, Part 1.

Here are the supplies I used. Since I followed instructions on the Kwik Sew pattern, I'm not going to go into detail on the actual production. But for those who are familiar with sewing, you might appreciate seeing what I ordered.

pattern: Kwik Sew Pattern #2811 Misses Sleepwear Pajamas (bought on Ebay)
fabric: #QQ652 Coral Multi-Stripe Shirting (bought on http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/)
thread: All-Purpose Polyester Thread #NMC020938, also from FFC
buttons: (4) 3/4" light tortoise shell 4-hole #NMC090477, also from FFC
interfacing: Pellon Decor-Bond NR-744, fusible, white (http://www.fabric.com/)
elastic: 1" wide white; 1 foot

Cutting out the pattern pieces:

Filling the bobbin:

Making ties for the waist band:

Cinnamon Spice Ornaments

Cinnamon Spice Ornaments

Consider these ornaments for things other than your Christmas tree. Offer them as a gift to whoever's hosting a holiday event you're attending. If you're the one hosting, hang them creativity throughout your home for a refreshing smell of the holidays that's guarateed to warm your soul and quiet your mind. Have kids at home? They'll love to help!


2 cups cold applesauce
1 cup nutmeg
1 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup ground cloves
Cookie cutters
Wax paper
Ribbon

Make a dough by mixing all of the above ingredients.
Roll dough out 1/4″ thick and make shapes with cookie cutters.
Create a hole on the top of the shapes. I used a meat thermometer, actually, because it was the first thing I thought of. I never actually removed any dough from the hole, just pushed it aside to create the hole.
Lay out shapes on wax paper until they are completely dry, for a few days. They dry much slower than I expected, which is also why I don't have a "completed project" photo posted just yet.
Insert ribbon or string through hole and hang.

The Quilt, Part 1

The Quilt, Part 1

About 2 years ago, I decided to make a quilt. The Mr. and I were in a long-distance relationship at the time, so many of our weekends were spent driving to see each other. Since he was in med school, I went to him most of the time. Now, as you may expect, The Mr. had a lot of studying to do, so even when I was in town visiting for the weekend, it didn't mean that he was exempt from his responsibilities as a student. There were many a Saturday afternoon that I busied myself with puzzles, books, Spider Solitaire, you name it! That's when the little lightbulb in my head went off! I should make a quilt! By hand! And work on it diligently as The Mr. studies for hours on end!

So off I went to Jo-Ann Fabrics. I was determined to keep costs low, and since I've always liked the look of a patchwork quilt, I headed to the scrap bins. I pulled out a number of fabrics that I thought would work together, added some needles, scissors, and quilting thread to my basket, and purchased my new project.

For whatever reason, the quilting didn't take off like I'd hoped. I worked on it the first weekend, leaving it there to resume upon my return. But, instead of resuming upon my return, my Best Idea Project collected dust at The Mr.'s apartment. The Mr., gathering his books would say, "Aren't you going to work on your quilt?" "Nahh, not today." So there it sat, only a few squares accomplished, for the remainder of the year.

This past fall, I resurrected work on The Quilt! The Mr. loves to watch TV. It amazes me, and probably others, how he manages to keep tabs on so many different shows despite his crazy schedule. But he does. And he likes when I watch said shows with him. So I work on my quilt. And it's coming along, slowly but surely. After receiving a sewing machine for the wedding, I thought I might switch over to using that. I can assure you that sewing a quilt by hand is no fast process. But when I mentioned this grand idea aloud at a family dinner, Mimo, dear grandma and founder of many recipes on this site, shook her head. "If you're making an authentic quilt, you have to sew it by hand." So, honoring Mimo, and the purist quilter she is, I have continued sewing by hand. Plus, it would be pretty difficult to take a sewing machine to the couch, and like I mentioned, The Mr. likes when I watch the shows with him.

I can't promise when I'll be finished, but here's a preview of The Quilt.

A square, pre-assembly:


The color combinations I plan on using:

Goal size: to fit a twin bed. We'll see what happens...

Cinnamon Stick Candle Holders

Cinnamon Stick Candle Holders

Just another project I got involved with while The Mr. was away...

tea light/votive candle holders

6" cinnamon sticks

hot glue gun

hot glue sticks

raffia or twine

What I used:

5 glass candle holders, (3) were 5-1/2" tall, (2) were 3-1/2" tall

(4) 6-oz. packages of cinnamon sticks (approx. 17-19 sticks per candle holder)

raffia

hot glue gun and glue

I found my candle holders on the clearance rack at Tuesday Morning. Not only were they cheap, but they were perfect for this project. At just the right height for 6" cinnamon sticks (which I found, also very cheap, at Drug Mart), they were designed so that the candle sat a few inches up from the bottom. This isn't a huge detail, but I liked how it would allow more flickering light to escape.

Using your glue gun, attach the cinnamon sticks to the outside of the candle holder. Hot glue will make this project that much easier. You can try to substitute a different type of glue, but believe me when I tell you that you will appreciate the immediately bonding and lasting hold of hot glue. You can pick one up at Target for less than $5. It's worth it.

For my shorter candle holders, I broke off some ends of the cinnamon sticks to make them more appropriately sized.

After the sticks are glued all the way around the candle holder, you are ready to add the raffia. Another nice thing about hot glue is that it dries so fast. No need to let the glue dry before moving on to your next step.

Okay, enough about my praises for hot glue.

Wrap the raffia around a few times, finishing with a bow. Or you can just knot it. Or do whatever else you feel inclined to do. Wrap some higher; wrap some lower. There's no right or wrong here.

Add tea lights or votives and you're good to go!

Bottle Cap Photo Magnets

Bottle Cap Photo Magnets

This project was in Martha Stewart Living, January 2008. The first batch adorns my own refrigerator, but I've also made these as gifts before. This is an easy, inexpensive project that doesn't leave you feeling like, "Now what do I do with it?" In fact, you will find that they bring you continued smiles.

Supplies:

bottle caps

1" circular craft punch

photographs

clear casting resin

strong craft glue

magnets (ideally with adhesive backing)

Collect bottle caps -- twist-off caps work best, as you don't have to worry about them bending, but I've also used standard bottle caps that have been removed gingerly.

Cut 1" circles from photographs that have been reduced in size (or pick small details from larger photographs, magazine covers, etc.). Using a small dot of glue, attach pictures to inside of bottle caps. This is an important step -- the clear casting resin will cause the photos to float to the top if glue is not used or allowed to fully dry.

Following instructions on the box, prepare clear casting resin and fill each bottle cap to the rim. Tiny bubbles will often form on the surface, but will most likely smooth during the drying process. If you have any large bubbles, try to pop them before allowing caps to dry and harden overnight.

Attach magnets (or thumbtacks!) to the backs of the bottle caps. If using glue, let dry overnight.