Weekend crafts- Fleece Blanket and Embroidered Onesie

I got this idea from my sweet friend Harlee's mother Lisa. Harlee brought her cute fleece blanket with her to the beach a couple of weeks ago and I set my mind on making one. Easy peasy, made with 1.5 yards of zebra and 1.5 of green fleece. 2 is recommended for older kids, though. I cut out Maddy's monogram in a coordinating fabric and hand stitched it on with a little "firepop" as embellishment.

Next, simply because I was bored and antsy after being home bound with a sweet and sick baby today, I decided to put a bird on a onesie and this is the result.

So, yeah...that was my weekend in craft world. YAY!

Embroidery Hoop Monogram Tutorial

Another easy project for you here, and one I have really come to love!!


This is another project that cost me pennies and looks super cute.

Tools:
1/4 yard fabric with design
Complementary fabric left over from another project
Embroidery floss in complementing colors
2 Embroidery Hoops- small
Straight pins
Iron-on webbing (optional)- I only used it to stiffen the monogram letters

Instructions:


1. I free cut our initials out of brown fabric backed with webbing.



2.- I cut my material in two even squares just big enough to cover the hoops. After threading the fabric through the hoop and tightening, I trimmed all of the excess fabric from around the edges.











3. I tightened the hoops as much as I could and now realize I should have hot glued the underside of the hoop to keep everything in place...so I highly recommend it.

4. My favorite part was stitching on the letters. I used straight pins to affix the letter exactly where I wanted it and then stitched around the edges. I also stitched some French Knots on the flowers where there was a polka dot. I quickly retired that idea as it was tedious and the base fabric was tearing a bit. I did do a little bit of decorative stitching on some of the flowers with straight stitching and that worked better. You can see this below to the right of the E.







A quick and easy project that can double as a cute gift anytime. I also have aspirations of using this idea in other ways, but I must increase my stitching skills before then! I will keep you posted!!

                                                                                                         

Wood Block Photo Tutorial

In my haste to find an inexpensive and unique gift for Chris' birthday, I was struck with an idea. As a photographer, he loves to see his photos on canvas. I obviously cannot afford canvases for all the photos I would love to display, so I headed to trusty Hobby Lobby with an idea and no clue how to make it reality. This is what I ended up with:

In reality, this was a super simple project. Here's how to do it:

Tools:

Pre-cut unfinished wood blocks in varying sizes
Black spray paint (craft enamel)
MOD PODGE!!! Are you surprised?
Sponge brush
Photos printed and cut to match the flat surface of the block
Sanding block

Steps:

1- Give the blocks a good even coat of spray paint. I did not cover the center completely, focusing mostly on the edges that will be visible. Thrifty, you know?

2- After paint is nice and dry, do a little touch up if you need to. Then, apply the photo to its appropriate sized block with Mod Podge. Once you have the photo placed, start applying Mod Podge over the photo in a cross hatch pattern, giving the photo a nice texture.









3- Let the Mod Podge dry before doing a second coat if needed. I really wanted a canvas texture, so I did a few coats then set them aside to dry for an afternoon.










4- You cannot really tell in this photo, but I used the sanding block to chip off some of the black paint. This gave the blocks a little antique feel.







Finished product. He flipped over them! I want to go back and make some two more of each size. I am thinking that you could make these into a little table stand by drilling a small hole and inserting a wooden dowel? I will try it next time!

        

She loved them too!

I used these new command photo hanging strips to hang these. Loved them!

So yeah! That is easy, right? As always, I hope you will make one of my simple little projects! I would love to see photos!

Burlap Mail Bag with Embroidered Accents- Tutorial

I sort of just dreamed this idea up one day when staring at a pile of mail that I had no place for.

I had some left over burlap and thought- hey...why not? I had no plan, no measurements, and no clue how to embroider.

But, in case you want to make this cute bag, I will do my best to fill you in on how it came to be!

Tools-
24x12 piece of burlap
Iron on backing- to make material stiff
1/4 yard fabric
3 complementary colors of embroidery floss
Embroidery needle
Straight pins
Iron

Because my burlap was creased, I ironed it flat. Then I folded over the edges along the length of the burlap and ironed it to stay put. Those folded edges will be the sides of the bag. After all the ironing, I folded the entire piece in half to mark where I wanted my letters.

I cut a 4x8 square of fabric and a 4x8 square of the iron-on webbing and fused them together with the hot iron. Then I freehand cut out letters. I attached the letters with straight pins to the front of the bag.

With the straight pins in place, I did a simple back stitch to start my embroidery. Then, I just stitched around the edges of each letter. I didn't guess at how to stitch...I used this.

It is actually a children's book about embroidery. You can find similar info online!

Once all of the letters were sewn on, I took all of the pins out and re-threaded my needle with another color floss to do the side stitching.

I pinned the folded lengths of burlap together now that the letters were done, and stitched large X's up the side. I stitched in a dark blue first, skipping a space between X's to allow for a contrasting color.
Then I followed that by stitching lighter blue X's in the empty spaces and removed the pins.

I hated the top. It looked so raggedy where it was cut. So, I cut a length of fabric that would span the top. I pinned it so that it folded over the top and stitched it.

I attached ribbon to each corner at the top by poking the ribbon through both sides of burlap and knotting it in the back.

Done! Easy peasy. I actually did most of this watching Lost on the couch!

Please send me photos if you make this! I would love to post them here!!

Happy creating!!

The Bird-day decor

Here are a few shots of how the day came together!!

All the decor you see above is hand made...My mom made the pomander balls in 2007 for my wedding and we just spruced them up with new ribbon. You can see the felt wreaths I made, the bird mobile, and the coffee filter banner! Yes, I am quite proud!

Table with all the photos we had printed around the house...plus some new ones! Plates and napkins on sale!

I am just pleased as punch with this banner...had to post another picture.

My sweet sweet daddy took the story I wrote for Maddy and lovingly pasted paper together to mount it. So sweet.

Sweet chocolate cake my mom made and decorated with birds to match the mobile I made.

Her talent really knows no bounds...these cake pops were delish!

Finished table!

Even had time to steal a kiss!

No matter what...this girl smiled!!! She is listening to elmo sing to her at this specific moment!

And the grand finale...the smash cake!

After the festivities were done, friends and family joined in a huge badminton game with 7 people per team. Totally perfect and totally fun!!!!

Thanks for all who helped!

Scrap Paper Bird Mobile Tutorial

This was a fun, easy project.

Tools:

Two-sided scrapbook paper
Mod Podge (of course!)
Sharp scissors
rhinestones
yarn or twine
embroidery hoop
brown organza ribbon
hole punch

I started with a fancy little bird template that I hand drew from a photo I found online.

Then I traced it onto different patterned scraps of paper.

Once all of my bird shapes were cut out, I started free cutting little wings (think the shape of a basic flower pedal) in contrasting colors and variations of shape and glued a pair of wings to each side of the bird.

Then, you guessed it! Time to Mod Podge...and have I mentioned how much I love this stuff??

Time to glue on eyes, hole punch, and tie with yarn or twine.

I used the embroidery hoop to hang the birds by threading the yarn ends through the two layers of the hoop and tightening.

Then, measuring equal lengths of ribbon, I tied four bows to the hoop and looped the ribbon at the top to hang.

Finished product:

Hope you make it!!!