Embellish it - make your own

Finally Thursday...and May is right around the corner. We are still getting random snow storms here -doesn't stick but still...depressing. My way to deal with stress or being stuck without a car is to do something crafty; so today I made a couple embellshments for my set of scrapbooking pages I have been looking at forever.

I really need to make some time to work on the kids first year scrapbooks - I am sooo behind. I HAVE to find a way to make it faster. I am considering digital but I think I need an external hard drive first. I don't know though - part of the fun is making somthing out of simple items like paper...it just takes a while.

Okay so my first embellishment it this monogram G. I cut a stencil with the Graphically Speaking cartridge with my cricut and painted the g onto kraft cardstock. Then I used a white pen to add the stitching and added the word girl - cut from the same cartridge (sorry my pictures are fuzzy I couldn't find a setting that would work for this stuff.)

I was going to have this in a different place on my page but I tried to draw a flower and it messed up - then I messed it up more by trying to punch a little flower and it ruined the bottom so my solution was to move it and have it pop out of the journaling.

Then I wanted to make a monogram A for her name. I got these blue chipboard letters on clearance for a couple dollars.

Yikes, that is a terrible picture - the point was to show you that they started out as blue. 

I got the A, mixed pink and blue to make purple and painted the a purple. I inked the edges with colorbox chestnut roan cat eye (I use this all the time and it is awesome). Then I added stitching to the A as well.

Then I wanted to decorate the A so I cut two slits around the leg of the A and tied a ribbon. I clipped the ends.

I had a lot of mistakes on this page but I tried a lot of things and it is better to try for the sun and land in the stars then not even bother to jump.

I jumped - tried some different techniques - some failed some succeeded. 

Here is the result:

Building blocks for grown ups

Happy Thursday!  Thank you for all of your comments about my new door.  I am glad you like it as much as I do.  I can't wait to get started working outside.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.  Today I am going to show you something totally different with some tips for getting cheap supplies - like brayers at hardware stores.  Here is the project:

The other day I went to my local hardware store which happens to be Lowe's and came home with this:

Yes, that was the day it was snowing - see all that snow in my car...ick.  Anyway I bought a 2x4 one that is used for studs in building and had the Lowe's people cut it every 5 or 6 inches.  (6 seems big but 5 is perfect)

A 2x4 costs you less than $2.50.  You can get 15 or so blocks depending on the size you use. 

Then I came home and painted three of the blocks in coral (making memories) or hot pink (the craft store brand)...yum

I covered them with mod podge and scrapbook paper.  I cut the paper 4.5 inches wide and trimed it a little.  Then I creased the end around the block and cut it to the exact length.  I adhered with mod pogde.  Make sure you smooth it out as soon as possible. 

which leads me to brayers.  These are so expensive at craft stores it is ridicious.  I swore I had seen the same thing at Lowe's so I went looking.  You will find what you need in the wallpaper section for 1.98.  Seriously, compared to 8 or 9 dollars it is a steal. 

This is what you'll find at a craft store for 9 bucks.  It is rubber and nice but you don't need it.  This is what you'll find at Lowes for less than a quater of the price. 

You can use either tool - you just need something to smooth.  I discovered the secret to working to mod pogde is to make sure only one side is wet at a time and to dry between otherwise the paper can stick to your brayer or your fingers- discovered the hard way.

So put the mod podge - or other sealer (note:you can also get something similar at a hardware store which is probably cheaper but I haven't looked into it yet because I also use a 50% off coupon but when I run out I am checking the hardware store.) on the block, smooth your paper down really good.

Let dry.

Do second side.  Dry.  Adhere lettering.  Dry.  Seal over the top part.  

Done.

 

Decorate.  Smile.

Note:  Joann's has paper including cardstock 5 for a dollar this week! 

Bascially this whole craft -with a ton of blocks left over costs you $3 dollars. 

Here is a link to what you can find at Lowe's similar to Mod podge but I couldn't find the price online.

http://www.liquitex.com/Products/fluidmedglossmedvar.cfm

A light bulb moment - How to make a watering can for FREE

The other day I had a light bulb moment.  I looked at a simple everyday object and saw it in a totally different way. 

Here is the object:

Can you guess what I saw? 

A watering can!

I drilled some small holes through the lid with a 1/8in drill bit. 

Then I unscrewed the lid, filled it with water and had a watering can. 

Easy and free.  I guess this would be considered an upcycle project.   

Kids playing in the dirt, having fun and learning to grow things - priceless! 

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Sizzle

How to make Baby bows

When I first found out I was expecting a baby girl (after 2 boys) I started researching how to make everything cute and girly. I couldn't believe how expensive little girl accessories are - I would never pay that much so I tried different ways to do it myself and made a supply of clips and a baby headband.

The two main things you need are alligator clips and knee highs. I got a pair of white knee highs in the sock section for .33. They are on an end unit in little gumball machine type containers (small). They also come in pink and other colors but I think they go fast so if you see them...Grab them.

Alligator clips you can get at beauty supply stores. I got a box of 100 for 5 dollars. They come in different sizes. I got the smallest ones.

Depending om what you want the clip to look like you'll also need ribbon, flowers or felt (to cut into shapes and stitch). I used ribbon for the one I am demoing today.

Here are the steps:

1. cut off both ends of the knee-high

2. sew the ends together with a zig-zag stitch. (you can fold the tight in half or leave full - I left it full. That is the inside of the headband. The next step it to cover the seam. You'll need they top piece shown above of a piece or ribbon.

3. Wrap a ribbon or end of knee high around stitching. I used the top piece - cut it so it was straight - cut it down to the size that would fit around, folded it in half length wise, sewed the edges together, turned inside out and sewed the ends. Here are some pictures but with white it might be hard to see.

Make a tube - turn inside out and sew ends together

It will end up looking like this! That is where you will clip the alligator clips

3. Wrap a ribbon, using hot glue around the alligator clip - fully covering the clip.

Before and after - both sides inside and out.

4. Make your bow. You want to wrap your ribbon while still connected to the spool - get the shape you want and the sew the center together.

Sew where my thumb is.

5. Wrap a ribbon around the center and glue in the back.

Some people have the middle part go around the actual clip top and glue it there...

I just glue it and then glue it to the clip later.

6. Add any embellishments - I added a button. I also tied the middle part instead of wrapped and left the ends long. I clipped them later.

7. The last step is to glue the bow to the clip and clip it to the head band.

8. Repeat and make one for every outfit. Little girls can't have to many bows!

Other ideas:

I made these using paper scrapbooking flowers and they have lasted a long time - the only problem is rain.

Immunization Card clutch

This project idea came about as I was cleaning out my purse; I have a mom purse which means it is really messy! I have so much stuff I carry around that sometimes the important documents get misplaced. I carry around all my kids immunizations records so when I am at the doctors they can sign it off and I don't have to worry about leaving it at home but they are hard to find so I decided I'd make a cute little clutch to go inside my purse to carry those important documents.

This is what it looks like when it is finished.

To start I measured my biggest card that I wanted to keep in the clutch and I cut it about 1/2 larger than the card. If you want it less snug leave a larger allowance. I ended up cutting my fabic 7.5x11.5.

You'll want two rectangles of fabric and one of batting, so three over all. Iron.

Next layer your pieces like this:

The fabric pieces are right sides together and the batting in behind the bottom piece.

Sew around the rectangles leaving one side mostly open. You'll use a 1/4 in seam - you can just sew a long the edge of your foot - that is close enough.

This is the end I left open...see?

Sorry this is blurry...cut the corners (don't cut the seam just the triangles off). You should trim the seams too while you are at it.

Turn right side out. Fold the backing fabric over the from - about 3.5 inches. Check that your idem will fit. Sew along the side as close as you can to the edge.

Flip the pocked so the outside fabric is on top. Pin the side you left open so that both fabric pices fold in.

It will look like this when you are done:

Now all you have to do is hand sew a clasp (velcro or snap) just put it where you want it.

Here is a nifty clutch.

You can make this is any size and it is really easy - just a rectangle.

Halloween Masks - Simple

This next project has zero prep. You can just buy all the supplies at a craft store - I got mine at Joann's. All of their seasonal stuff is 50% now so this might be a good project for the week before Halloween!

Here's what you need: 1 pack of foam masks and one pack of Halloween foam stickers (these were located in the Halloween aisles of Joann's)Again, these are sticker so let the kids go at it and decorate how much or little they want. They come with strings that you can tie and let them wear.

It's hard to snap a good picture of young kids...especially when there is a lot going on but here are some. My boys took all the left overs and made them again and again (peeling off the stickers and starting over) then they'd wear them around and Boo each other. I think they got used to wearing the masks after awhile.