create

Silhouettes

2009-08-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

There are lots of tutorials on the web for creating silhouettes. My method is just a little different.
1. I take a profile picture with my camera and upload it onto my computer.
2. When it is displayed on my computer screen, I adjust it exactly to the size I need.
3. When I have it the size I need, I tape a piece of tracing paper over my flat computer screen.
4. I take a pencil and lightly trace over the silhouette.
5. Remove the tracing paper and tape over a piece of black cardstock and cut out the silhouette with both pieces of paper.
6. Once the silhouette is cut out, I mod podge it over a pre-painted wood plaque from Michael's.
7. Staple ribbon on the back and hang!

Super Saturday crafts

2009-08-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some of our Super Saturday crafts this year:

"Boo" Halloween wall hanging
Nativity set ordered from Melinda
Christmas Countdown Blocks
Halloween Countdown Blocks
The Stockings Were Hung Board
Necklaces (picture from the Creative Crate)
Love Board
Gift Tags (our free craft)Silk Flower Hair Clips

Fabric Flower Hair Clips

Rose Stud Earrings (picture from Trey and Lucy)
Fabric Pumpkins

boys' bow-ties

2009-08-10T23:51:00.000-07:00

I sew all the time for my girls and I finally found something I can sew for my boys: bow-ties. Now, bow-ties don't fit every boys' style, but they happen to fit my six-year old's style quite well--he's kind of the serious type. His two year old brother has started to like them only because big brother likes them. Although the two year old can't keep them on because he runs around so much as seen with it falling off in this picture:I've made them for several holidays with just scraps of fabric.
I put them on the boys' collars with an alligator clip.
Here are the instructions:

1. cut two rectangular pieces of fabric about 3 inches by 5 inches
2. sew those right sides together --leave the bottom unsewn about an inch in the center and turn right side out, press
3. cut two more rectangular pieces of fabric about 2 inches by 4 inches
4. repeat #2 with these pieces
5. cut a strip of fabric about 1 1/2 inches by 5 inches
6. fold the strip in half lengthwise with the right sides together
7. sew along the long side and turn inside out, press
8. stack smaller rectangle on top of larger rectangle and wrap the strip around while pinching the rectangles into a bow, sew strip closed in the back, cut excess

skirts for myself

2009-08-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've sewn myself anything since I've had kids, but I was inspired by the skirts that Abby made at A Feathered Nest, so I decided to give it a go.

This one has the stretchy cotton waistband--so comfortable and so easy. The instructions come from here.

And this one is even more comfortable. I used sewed 15 rows with elastic thread for this one. I found the instructions by googling "sewing with elastic thread." I found this site and this site helpful.

Easter dresses

2009-08-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

For these dresses, I followed a shirt pattern for the bodice, but added the tiered skirts. There's so much fabric they make the best twirling skirts ever.

Personalized cupcakes

2009-08-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

My kids' school requires all treats brought in to the class to be store-bought. To make them special, I like get cupcakes at Sam's Club with circular rings, print pictures of my kids off the computer, cut them out and stick them on the rings with double-sided tape.

Halloween costumes

2009-08-09T00:46:00.000-07:00

I made this Baby Buzz Lightyear costume and didn't have to sew anything but the cap. I took an old sleeper that I had from my daughter that was pink and bleached it white. Then, following a store-bought Buzz costume in a bigger size, cut felt pieces to match. I glues them on with hot glue because I didn't have any fabric glue on hand. (I have an adversion to fabric glue--growing up my mom didn't sew, so she glued EVERYTHING. I swore I wouldn't do that, but its fine for anyone that doesn't have psychological damage from it)

Just about any pattern can be made into a Halloween costume. Its just the fabric that makes the difference. I made my son a Mad Hatter costume by taking a pattern for a regular fleece jacket and pants and used costume fabric from Joann's. For the hat, I took leftover fur from a Santa costume and glued it inside a painted plastic top hat purchased from the costume store for 99 cents.

For my Cruella Deville costume I continued using the remnant of fur from the Santa costume to make my dalmation stoal. I took a fabric marker and colored all the marks on it. Added my favorite black dress, a thrifted 50 cent belt, and a lot of black and white hairspray to complete the costume.

vinyl projects

2009-08-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

window treatments

2009-08-09T00:25:00.000-07:00

These are the simplest window treatments ever which is why they are all over my house. I did line the back with some scrap fabric so the light wouldn't shine through, but that's all the sewing that is requred. The fabric is stapled onto a 1 x 3 and then screwed into the wall using an L-bracket. You may or may not add the ribbon ties.

2009-08-09T00:24:00.000-07:00

This has been in my home for almost as long as we have lived here. We had a brand-new home at the time and didn't have any tree branches I could use. I was at the church on a Saturday and they were trimming down the trees in the parking lot, so I grabbed one of their branches. I had a friend at the time that had this great leaf font and made this quote into vinyl for me. She's moved away, and I can't find her link anymore online.

Clock

2009-08-09T00:23:00.001-07:00

Clock made from a table round from Home Depot for about $17. Mod Podged paper on the surface. Numbers cut out using a font from computer with scrapbook paper adhered to cereal boxes for my chipboard. Hardware bought online.

Baptism dress

2009-06-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

Simple Baptism dress embellished with a white grosgrain ribbon tied in the back on the waist and on the sleeves.

Swiss Miss dress

2009-06-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

My daughter's school didn't celebrate Halloween, so I needed not only a Halloween costume for trick-or-treating, but a costume for United Nations Day the day after at school. They were to wear something representative of another culture, particularly one of their heritage. We chose to do a Swiss costume. Made this dress combining two patterns: one little girl's dress for the square neckline (I partitioned the bodice off and added the ribbon) and a little Dutch girl's costume for the big sleeves. I love researching costumes and coming up with my own creation.

Tiered Skirts

2009-06-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

I have made so many of these tiered skirts. I always love the holiday fabrics at the fabric store, but never know what to do with them. I have resigned myself to making a lot of tiered skirts for just about every holiday. Only thing is, my girls have to wear uniforms to school, so they don't get a lot of opportunity to wear them and they grow so fast, that I almost have to make them every year. Oh well, they are always excited when I make them.

Fancy Nancy Dress

2009-06-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

Had to have a Fancy Nancy dress for a Fancy Nancy party. Fashioned after an outfit featured in "Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy."

Fourth of July skirts

2009-06-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

My favorite holiday is the Fourth of July and I always have to have something cute and patriotic for the girls to wear on this day. Especially, since we are going to the best place on earth to celebrate the Fourth. This year, I still stuck with read, white, and blue, but it's not exactly limited to being worn on Independence Day. Its just an elastic waistband with a sash sewn into the side seams. I'm loving the big sashes these days.

Refashioned jean skirt

2009-06-12T10:54:00.001-07:00

I couldn't bear to throw away all the jeans with the knees ripped out, so I decided to refashion them into jean skirts. Ever notice that the color of the fabric on jeans is darker along the seams? You can tell where the new seams are, so don't look too closely. I added rick rack to deflect from the new hem that doesn't look original.

Fancy Nancy Cake

2009-06-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

Anything goes with Fancy Nancy. Had a lot of fun making this cake with fondant.

Great to be Eight cake

2008-08-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

Cake made with two bundt cakes put together with fondant icing. Flower cut-outs to go with the flower birthday theme.

Ninja Turtle party

2007-06-13T21:54:00.000-07:00