Pretty Partridge

Easy And Inexpensive Wall Art

2010-08-03T21:33:00.005-05:00

I finally took down the the three framed Il Piccolo Principe calendar pages from my little girl's room. Since each one was in a 14 by 14 frame, I needed something pretty big for the space. Fortunately, I found this gigantic 28 by 28 frame at Goodwill for five dollars and had my husband spray paint it. I took a bunch of five by five fabric squares (cut out while watching Hidden Palms on Netflix) and sewed them together. It doesn't have to be perfect -- you can see how mine aren't lined up. I don't know how you quilter peeps do it. Anyway, I wrapped the finished squares around a piece of stuff that is similar to corkboard that my husband fished out of the garbage, but you could use foamboard or a recycled bulletin board too. I had to nail it into the frame, but it turned out pretty good, I think. After we get it hung up, I'll post a picture.

PS -- Thanks for your encouragement Lizzie. You're the best!

Fun Mail For A Kid

2010-03-01T21:57:00.007-06:00

What little kid doesn't love getting mail? Here's something fun to send to a kid you know. Grab all your paper punches (or scissors!) and cut out a bunch of shapes from construction paper, scraps or even pretty junk mail or magazine ads. Put it all in a card and envelope with instruction that the punch-outs and stickers can be used to make a collage. This may seem like a mundane idea, but the reason I'm sharing it is because of what occurred at our house on Monday. While making an envelope of punch-outs for a friend's little boy, I gave my constant-activity-needing, bored-by-stuff-in-five-minutes, almost-three-year-old toddler some of the punch-outs and a non-toxic glue stick to make her own collages. No exaggeration, it kept her busy for nearly an hour. It was like a miracle.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Sweet Photo Frame How-To

2010-03-01T14:09:00.003-06:00

Want a fun and easy (and inexpensive) gift? Well, here you go. You will need:

Unfinished wooden frame (I got this one at Michael's for $1)
Craft paint
Fabric yo-yos (made with fabric scraps, needle and embroidery floss)
Hot glue gun
Hard Coat Mod Podge (optional)
Acrylic sealer (optional)

1. Start by lightly sanding and painting your frame, front and back.

2. Once paint dries, coat frame with Mod Podge (I like the hard coat version for this project) and acrylic sealer if desired. Let all of that dry overnight.

2. For the embellishments, you'll take fabric scraps and make some yo-yos. All you need is a circle template for cutting your fabric, a needle and some thread (embroidery thread works really well). There are LOTS of free tutorials on the internet showing how to make a yo-yo. Here is one I like; and here and here. And you don't need to invest in one of those plastic yo-yo templates that are sold at quilting shops unless you want to. I took a 5.5-inch diameter spool of ribbon and used that to trace circles onto fabric scraps with a disappearing ink fabric marker, which I then cut out.

3. Attach the yo-yos to the frame with hot glue. And there you have it!

PS -- If you use the $1 Michael's frame, you should know that it doesn't have a glass or plastic insert to cover the photo! Well, I guess for $1 I shouldn't have been surprised. I'll probably salvage something from an unused frame.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T13:22:00.006-06:00

We have been sickly this week, and none of us feels like doing anything very Valentine-y today. But the day is all about spending time together, and I'm happy that we are able to snuggle up and watch some Olympics (for those who don't know me, I am an Olympics-o-holic . . .). I hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day and enjoy lots of sweet treats.

Bananas For Bananas

2010-02-09T02:39:00.004-06:00

The lovely Shari from Rotten Bananas is an amazingly talented professional quilter. Visit her Red Llama Studio to see the amazing custom quilts she has created. Then, stop by her blog for fun stories, craft ideas and inspiration. Hurry -- because Friday she will be giving away one of these awesome bags! Simply visit Shari's blog to enter.

More Valentine's Stuff

2010-02-04T17:54:00.011-06:00

Valentine's Day is sneaking up on us! I know it's overly-commercialized, but it's hard not to like a holiday that's all about LOVE, right?

For the headband "flower," I wanted to do a sort of "inverted" yo-yo. To make one, just cut a long strip of fabric and sew up one side with a long basting stitch -- it will pretty much just gather itself. Pull the threads a little to cinch it some more and then just sew the ends together on the sewing machine. For the middle, use a regular button or one covered in the same fabric, and then sewed the "flower" part to the button (or the shank of a covered button) with needle and thread. Attach the flower to the headband with hot glue (like I did) or your preferred method. By the way, I got the headband (part of a set of six) as the Claire's Boutique Outlet for not too much. I guess you can find supplies for your crafty obsession just about anywhere.

Also that cool corduroy skirt with the tulle pettiskirt is from Target! $10! And it looks like it will still fit next year. I love that place.

Head over to One Pretty Thing for more Valentine's ideas. You can select the "Valentine's Round-up" category from the drop down menu, check the box for "only show similar posts" and then scroll back through all Rachel's previous Valentine's day roundups. Also, check out this amazing wreath that artist Alisa Burke made out of junk mail. Now THAT is serious talent and creativity. Amazing!

Weekend Product Round-up

2010-01-30T14:38:00.010-06:00

You know how stores put all the "home organization" stuff on sale in January? Turns out they also put a lot of cleaning supplies on sale or excellent coupons. That's how I came to purchase this basil-scented Mrs. Meyer's counter spray. As it turns out, I liked it so much that I have to run out and buy a bunch before the markdown ends. Besides being chemical-free, it smells awesome (like a fresh salad) and it really bubbles up so you don't have to use that much to get everything clean. You should be able to find this at most grocery stores and some Targets and online.

I also love this broccoli slaw. There are other brands, but this Mann's is my favorite of several I've tried. Its a combination of about 95 percent shredded broccoli, with some shredded carrots and purple cabbage. I love it for two reason. First, broccoli is a superfood, but I don't really love eating it the traditional way. So I use this instead of lettuce as the base for a salad and just put on my favorite toppings and dressing. Yum. Second, I put about 1/3 cup in a bowl, cut it into bite-sized pieces with scissors, mix in about a teaspoon of low-fat Ranch dressing and, voila, a healthy green veggie that your toddler will actually eat. You can print a $.55 coupon here.

The last thing I tried recently is the Teas' Tea brand of teas. I prefer the gigantic bottle of Jasmine Green tea, but I can only find it at Target. I love this tea. It's unsweetened green tea, which is so good for you, but it actually tastes good. It really all comes down to how much you want to spend. It is obviously a lot cheaper to buy green tea bags and make your own, but if you are willing to part with about $5 (yes, $5), you can have a big jug of this stuff. I just buy one every once in a while as a special treat.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Mod Podge Valentine's Hearts - Easy Tutorial

2010-01-26T18:08:00.009-06:00

Here's a little crafty something you can whip up while watching TV (tell me again how I got sucked into The Bachelor after swearing never to watch again?). I made these wood, paper and Mod Podge hearts for my little almost-three-year-old because she loves to sort and arrange things like this and also to pick out again and again which ones are her "favorites." I'll probably present them in a cellophane bag tied with ribbon.

Supplies

Bag of wooden hearts ($3.99 for a pack of 16 at Michael's, but I used a 40% off coupon)

Mod Podge or glue (I used Paper Mod Podge -- thanks Amy, love ya)

Enough scraps of paper to cover the fronts and back of all your hearts (the thinner the paper, the easier this project is)

An X-acto knife or other sharp craft knife (mine is Martha Stewart Crafts from Wal-Mart and I love it so much)

Self-healing cutting mat

Ink in coordinating colors for the edges of the hearts (come to think of it, I guess you could also use markers or paint)

Fine grit sand paper or a sanding block

A sheet of wax paper

Brayer (optional)

So here's what you do:

1. Cover the front of a heart with a THIN coat of Mod Podge. Not too thick or it will ooze out onto the paper and you'll have to cut it later.

2. Press the heart glue side down onto the wrong side of a paper scrap. Press gently and evenly until the paper is stuck smoothly to the heart. You can flip it over and roll it with a brayer if you like, but it's probably unnecessary. I only used brayer on two or three before I got tired of messing with it. Let dry. I suggest making these hearts assembly-line style, which gives each side time to dry. By the time you finish gluing the last heart, the first will be dry and ready for step 3.

3. Once dry, place on self-healing mat and use your craft knife to trace around the heart and cut away the excess paper. By the way, the wood is soft. If you get to close like I did a bunch of times, you will end up shaving off some wood. If you're okay with that, get as close as you want.

4. Repeat the paper gluing process for the other side of the heart.

5. Once all your hearts are covered in paper, gently sand the edges to remove any last bits of paper.

6. Carefully cover the edges of the hearts with coordnating ink, paint, etc. The reason I didn't do this before applying the paper (which probably would have been easier) is because of the wood shaving issue described above, requiring you to re-ink/paint/etc. You can also use distressing ink at this point if you like that look.

7. Once the ink is dry, lay your hearts out on a sheet of wax paper. Brush top and sides with a thin coat of Mod Podge. When dry, flip the hearts over and brush Mod Podge on the back.

And you're done! You could also get a teeny bit and drill a hole at the top to make a necklace. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great rest of the week!

Valentine's Day Shirt & Other Stuff

2010-01-18T22:01:00.009-06:00

Have you been looking at all the amazing Valentine's Day ideas in the blog world? Between stuff to eat, greeting cards, gifts, stuff to wear and decorations, it's overwhelming. So far the only thing I've made is this teeshirt for my little girl (sorry for the hideous lighting) using this tutorial. I liked it so much I'm considering making one for myself. I have an idea for a little wreath and some baked goods, so now I have to find some time to get them done. Some other Valentine's ideas I really like are: Bakerella's chocolate-covered red velvet cakeballs here, the Purl Bee's fabric window Valentine cards here, the Gaines Gang's fancy red burlap LOVE wreath here and Maya Made's paper heart flower bouquet here! And I love these free printable cards from Rubber Punkin. And here is a Valentine's-themed giveaway at Fabulous Finds. XOXO to all.

Awesome Book Giveaway

2010-01-15T23:18:00.006-06:00

I would really like to win the One Yard Wonders book that Jaime & Jacinda from Prudent Baby are giving away. BUT if I can't win, I'd really like you to win! So go enter. Drawing closes Monday night. Good luck!

Stash Week Day 4: Paper

2010-01-14T21:37:00.005-06:00

Oh how I love paper. Any kind of paper. Scrapbook paper, origami paper, handmade paper, cardstock, you name it. I keep most of it in a drawer in the built-in island I mentioned yesterday. My favorite scrapbook paper has come from Michael's or Hobby Lobby, but I also have some Martha Stewart Crafts paper from Wal-Mart that I love. I get pads instead of individual sheets because I just can't see paying $.60 or more for a sheet, even when they are marked down. And I have to completely avoid scrapbooking stores for the same reason. I also keep cardstock in this drawer. I have lots of white cardstock that I use to print out all the wonderful free downloads from the internet, but I have some other colors too that I use for cards, etc.

This drawer has card-making stuff, as well as stationery. The stationery sets, including those awesome Marimekko notecards, were received as gifts. A wonderful gift if you ask me. There is also a stack of blank cards and envelopes purchased from Target (store brand) for 75 percent off. The quality of the paper is excellent, and you can just slap a printed out photo on the front and have an instant card. Awesome for keeping up with grandparents. There are also some blank cards from the Target dollar spot before I imposed a moratorium on visiting that particular aisle. Way in the back is a box of blank little notecards and envelopes I got from Kate's Paperie in NYC. All you have to do is punch a design in the corner or at the top of one of these babies (or stick on a sticker or stamp something on the card) and you have an instant cute notecard. I've seen similar sets at Target from time to time.

Here is our all-in-one color printer, which we also use for work. The magazine files on the right have regular printer paper, white cardstock and Avery label sheets for printing address labels.

Last but not least, in this out of the way drawer I keep scrap cardboard, such as the backs off of scrapbook paper pads, inserts from kids' toys, cut up cereal boxes, etc. You can cut or punch it and use it like chipboard (instead of having to buy chipboard). I also use it to make templates for fabric appliques. Then you can use them over and over again without having to make a new pattern everytime.

Come back tomorrow for some more stash! Off to watch the premiere of Project Runway -- woo!

Adorable Owl-y Giveaway

2010-01-14T11:52:00.006-06:00

The adorable and talented Becca from Naptime Journal is giving away this super-cute owl on her blog. Head over there between now and Sunday, January 17, to enter. While you are there, check out all her clever projects and tutorials. She also has an Etsy shop with lots more owl-y cuteness. Good luck!!!

Stash Week Day 3: Fabric

2010-01-13T21:08:00.003-06:00

So here's the fabric stash. The previous owner of our house was an avid knitter and had this island with baskets installed to hold all of her knitting supplies. The top row and middle right row hold the cotton prints. At various times they are more or less arranged by color palette. Most of this fabric was purchased from various Etsy sellers (you can see some of my favorites by going to my dormant Etsy shop and looking at my Favorites), one or two local quilt shops, my all-time favorite fabric store in Phoenix, J. Caroline Creative and the Fat Quarter Shop. I have been on a fabric-buying moratorium since late 2008, so you probably aren't seeing any new prints in there! Bottom left holds a small selection of home decor fabrics for projects that have been envisioned but not executed. Bottom right holds fabric scraps. So here's a quick tip for finding new fabrics. When you are going out of town and will have a few minutes to kill, find a few fabric shops beforehand to visit. To do this, go to the website of one of the popular fabric designers, like Amy Butler or Joel Dewberry, and find out where they sell fabric in the town you are visiting.

See you tomorrow, and thanks for stopping by!

Stash Week Day 2: Ribbon

2010-01-11T21:52:00.008-06:00

Yes, this is the drawer directly above yesterday's drawer. Let me start by saying that this does not include Christmas ribbon. Christmas ribbon goes with the Christmas stuff. I know that super-organized people like Martha Stewart keep all their ribbon on the spools, then put a dowel through the spools and then hang the dowel somewhere. It looks nice, plus you have information about each type of ribbon in case you need to get some more. This method doesn't work for me because I don't have a good place to hang it. Instead everything but sheer and satin ribbon (which gets picked and runs too easily) gets taken off the spool, and the empty spools get tossed, repurposed or recycled. Here how it's all organized.

1. I used an empty roll from home decor weight fabric to hold wide ribbons (1 inch wide or wider), which are secured with teeny gold safety pins. You can ask at your local fabric store if they have any empty ones they'd be willing to give you. If you buy the end of a roll or enough yardage, the store will sometimes give you the roll, too. In any event, I just need to figure out how to mount this thing on the wall. I'll add it to the "to do" list.

2. Ric-rac how I love thee. I cut a strip of a very stiff cardboard and wrapped all my ric-rac around it so I could have it all in one place. I used a tiny piece of double-sided, removable, acid-free tape to hold the ends in place, wrapped the ribbon around and secured it with straight pins.

3. Sheer and satin ribbon stays on its spools and resides in this shoebox. There are also a couple of rolls of paper ribbon that I got on clearance for pennies at Ikea.

4. This little basket holds super skinny satin ribbon that's just loosely piled in there. This is the kind that you can get on sale three rolls for $1 at Michael's. I use it primarily for hanging tags on gifts and hanging ornaments on the Christmas tree.

5. This tiny toddler sneaker box holds scraps of ribbon, generally shorter than a foot long.

6. This old cardboard box holds all the rest of my ribbon, namely, the half-inch ribbon used to make kids' hair clips. I just sort of loosely "fold" the ribbon and lay it in the box. I can't see it all at once, but I know what is in there, so I generally can find what I need.

So, yes, I have (in the past, I swear) amassed quite a bit of ribbon. But like I said, as soon as I get the two-year-old trained, we'll be cranking out crafts like sausage. Just wait and see. Come back the rest of the week for more stash talk. Have a great week!

Stash Week Day 1: Kid Craft Supplies

2010-01-10T12:08:00.005-06:00

When you have no time to create, organize! I have been trying to get the craft room all cleaned up and ready for lots of future creating (that I'll be doing in all my spare time . . . whenever that happens). So I thought I would share with you the contents of my craft supply stash. Today we are looking at the kid craft supply drawer. Since my little girl is only 2 (almost three), there hasn't been a whole of lot of crafting other than coloring, painting and sticking stickers. But I have high hopes. And now everything is organized and ready.

1. An adult-sized sneaker box is the perfect size for fitting most of the kid craft stuff, like pom-poms, glitter paint, stamps and ink pads, pipe cleaners, beads, popsicle sticks, a glue stick and safety scissors.

2. I got some of these awesome Martha Stewart Crafts kits at Big Lots ($2 each, woo!), and my friend Christina bought me some too without me knowing it! Now that is a real friend -- someone who knows you well enough to know you'd prefer these over just about any other present.

3. A gigantic stack of multi-colored construction paper that will last until your child is in high school can be purchased from Costco for about $8. Seriously. I have been using this stack since 2004, and it's still about eight inches high.

4. These little craft kits -- necklaces with wooden beads, etc. -- sell for $1 at Michael's and JoAnn. Not expensive, but they put them in the clearance bin eventually (especially at JoAnn), and you can get them for $.25 to $.50. I was thinking this would be an easy birthday party craft for littler kids.

5. Miscellaneous stuff goes over here. I have some old-school scrapbooking supplies (before the days of all the matching, fancy coordinating stuff) from Big Lots, some little paint-by-number kits she got for Christmas and travel-sized Color Wonder coloring books.

I'd love to hear your ideas for kid craft supplies. Come back the rest of the week to see more stash.

Just In Time For, Er, Other Holidays Besides Christmas: Gift Wrap Ideas

2010-01-05T21:51:00.009-06:00

Still no time to do anything but work and then veg for an hour or so before bed. However, I do have these photos of some of our Christmas gifts/tags to share. I didn't have much time to "decorate" too many presents, but I did a few. Thanks for looking.

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-03T21:27:00.007-06:00

Hi, everybody! I hope everyone had a lovely and relaxing holiday. Hopefully nobody ran into trouble like this guy! Anyway, I love to make lists and plan stuff out. I only wish I could be as determined and focused in the actual execution. So here is a rough outline of projects for 2010. I reserve the right to add/delete as necessary. I'd love to hear what you are up to this year.

January -- Organize the house and send unused items to the appropriate place (Goodwill, Freecycle, Craigslist, friends and family who might want them, etc.). My two inspirations: Martha Stewart's Homekeeping book and the Fly Lady.

February -- Valentine's Day! Make something sweet for my family and send a few handmade greeting cards. I also need to start planning for a certain person's third birthday party in March. Which would include working on the dollhouse. Ummm....yeah. It's not exactly "finished" yet.

March -- Third Birthday Party! I am thinking about the tried-and-true polka dot birthday party. There is an amazing amount of information and ideas about this theme on the internet. Yay for creative people sharing!

April -- Easter! I would like to do some "Spring" decorating and send some handmade Easter cards like I did last year. Also, it should be wildflower season in Texas, so we need to do the annual "side of the road" photo shoot. At the end of the month is a 48-hour business trip to Atlanta, only about 4 or 5 hours of which will be available for shopping. Must make a strategic plan for visiting old favorites and new places. Back in Texas, I need to find a place for us to go pick our own fruit later in the spring/summer. Any ideas?

May -- Time to head out to the lake house and get everything ready for summer! We need lots of cleaning, but I also want to see what I can find for free/cheap to make the house more comfortable. I also want to get our outdoor living area to be reasonably usable. I don't see spending money on a landscape architect or anything like that, but I'd like to make a shady area where we can eat without bugs.

June -- Summer is here!!!! I am dying to have a pool party. Anyway, of all the years we've been in this house, we have never had a pool party. Now is the time. I'd also like to start the little one in a gymnastics or ballet class. One where she is on her own, but they let me stay and watch.
July -- This is a perfect month to start getting ready for Christmas. It is about 8,000 degrees in Austin in July, so I don't want to spend too much time outside. Also, the Fourth of July! Yay! I hope we can get the whole family out to the lake or together at someone's house. I would also love to have a weekend getaway for our seventh wedding anniversary.

August -- Beach vacation! I want to minimize the amount of luggage we take. I also plan to start way in advance searching for cheap flights (hallelujah the new airport in Panama City should be open and make it a LOT easier to access Santa Rosa Beach).

September -- Hopefully the little one will be starting part-time school. In all my "free" time I'd love to work on my photography skills (non-existent) and do some more Christmas preparation.

October -- I really want to make a Halloween costume this year. I'd also like to organize a little Halloween party for the neighborhood kids. Plus, we have to get to the pumpkin patch for a photo opportunity.

November -- Thanksgiving!!!! I would really like to contribute something different this year, since I've been making mashed potatoes and a Bundt cake for several years now. Also, I plan to have my Christmas cards done and all Christmas presents bought by Thanksgiving. I can hope, right?

December -- Christmas!!!! Trail of Lights, Riverbend Christmas program, parties, work dinner at a fancy restaurant, friends, family, Santa pictures. I can't wait!!!!

PS -- I received a Cricut for Christmas. The package from the infomercial (I love that infomercial). I only hope I can prove myself worthy of such a gift.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like . . .

2009-12-02T21:33:00.008-06:00

I am so excited, and there is so much stuff I want to show you guys. As luck would have it, I've been slammed at work and haven't had time to do anything bloggy. Here is one thing I have done -- the banister.

It's super easy to decorate a banister if you haven't done it before. I use the cheapy 9-foot faux garlands (you can get these for a few dollars at the craft store). Wind two of them together to give them more body. Then you wind in strands of mini lights, which you can hold in place with the garland's bendable branches.

You can attach the lighted garland to the banister with small gauge floral wire. Then add whatever embellishments you want. I used an extremely long strand of "pearl" beads that I got at Hobby Lobby, some awesome ribbon I love from Martha Stewart's K-mart collection and the blooms off of silk lily "bushes" I got at Michael's. One other thing -- if you have any framed art or pictures you can take down, you can stick a wreath on the nail or hanger for the holiday season.

I sure hope I'll have time to get back on here any show you some more cool stuff I've seen and read recently. Until then, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season!

Make These Easy & Cute Wooden Ornaments

2009-11-23T21:52:00.009-06:00

I had two issues. First, I needed non-breakable ornaments for my little girl's miniature Christmas tree. Second, I had some fancy stickers and other things I didn't want to "use up" because then I couldn't look at them anymore. Soooo, I decided to make these little wooden ornaments using the stickers. These are not limited to Christmas, and you can make them without the hangers and put them together as wall art. In any event, it's super easy, and here's how you do it. Start with some unfinished wooden discs, which you can find at any craft store. The packaging will look something like this, although these are much smaller than the 3-inch discs I used.

Here is what they look like before you start.

Lightly sand both sides and the edges with fine grit sandpaper.

I covered the back of my ornaments with coordinating paper in case the ornament gets turned around on the tree. If you want to do that, trace your disc on some paper to get the right size circle.

Then cut out your circle.

Paint both sides of the disc and the edges with craft paint. I used two coats since the wood is pretty soft and really soaks up the paint.

Once the paint is dry, glue down your paper backing on the back and your embellishment on the front using Mod Podge. Three-dimensional embellishments may not lay flat, so you might want to put something heavy on top overnight to glue it down flat. Cover both sides of the disc and the edges with two or three coats of Mod Podge. Let each coat dry thoroughly before adding the next coat.

If you are making a hanging ornament, drill a tiny hole at the top of the disc. I realize this photo does not show a safe drilling technique, but I trust that you will do your drilling carefully!

For the hanger, get some teeny satin ribbon (or the ribbon of your choice -- just make sure it will fit through the hole you drilled), and a needle with a large enough eye to accommodate the ribbon. Thread your needle with the ribbon.

Push the needle with ribbon up through the hole you drilled, and pull one side of the ribbon all the way through. tie at the top.

And there you have it! I'll try to get some better pictures of these ornaments on the tree when I set it up this weekend.

Have a great day!

Come To A Christmas Affair!

2009-11-18T10:44:00.010-06:00

Do you live in Austin? Or anywhere near Austin? Or, really, anywhere in the US and have some frequent flyer miles burning a hole in your pocket? If so, come on over to the Palmer Events Center this weekend for the 34th Annual "A Christmas Affair," sponsored by the Junior League of Austin. This year's theme is safari, and there are more than 200 vendors, a silent auction, parties and events, pictures with Santa, delicious food (and a bar!) and much more! Visit the Junior League of Austin website for all the details! I'll be there Thursday until 2 p.m. and all day Sunday, so let me know if you're coming so I can say "hi!" There are tons of awesome vendors, but here are some of the places I've purchased well-received gifts in the past (you can order online from most of them, too):

Get super fun marshmallow blasters and bow & mallow sets from Marshmallow Fun (seriously, I saw people buying stacks of these . . . they are so much fun to play with):

Kendra Scott, jewelry designer to the stars and many fabulous retailers, has a booth. She was there in person last year. She is so chic! This awesome cocktail rink is only $75!

Loredana's will be there with samples of their delicious spreads and tapenades. I could eat an entire jar of the garlic and jalapeno spread.

Bearcreek Smokehouse has the most delicious smoked meats and soup mixes. The pork tenderloin is to die for.

Austin Cakeball makes these delicious bite-sized cakes. Perfect for a hostess gift for holiday parties.

By far my favorite merchant, Wine A Rita, will be there again this year. They make these awesome mixes that can turn the most mundane bottle of red wine into a delicious frozen drink. Yummers.

Osborne & Miller Stationary makes beautiful note cards, gift tags, etc., on rich, creamy papers. You can have them personalized, too.

I hope to see you there!

Etsy Christmas Finds (For YOU!)

2009-11-17T10:41:00.003-06:00

I know all you sweethearts out there have selected thoughtful gifts for everyone you know. BUT I have some suggestions for gifts for you! Yes, YOU, mama! These are some of my current Etsy favorites, and all would make wonderful Christmas presents. If anyone in my family is reading, I would love anything from Artlab. And your presence of course! Happy shopping.

Top row: Unearthed leather cuff ($65); Morelle leather Truffle handbag ($235); Artlab scarf ($78).

Middle row: Lupin wool felt Poppy bracelet ($18.25); Ashes and Empires leather spats ($76) (convert any pair of shoes into stylish booties!); "The Red Sky" by Pamela Tang oil on canvas ($120).

Bottom row: Trinket box by Fun Wall Art ($25); Modern Radar pleated pouch (you could use this as a clutch, too) ($14); Treslyn necklace with vintage Lucite rose by RachelleD ($29.50).

Easy And Fun Play Market

2009-11-12T21:56:00.006-06:00

My husband announced yesterday that our 2.5-year-old was "bored," so I decided to move some stuff around and create a little grocery store where she could play "shop." We have this weird little nook in our spare room, so it became "Mary's Market." A while back, I got two gigantic bags of play food for $1 at the resale shop, so I loaded some of that onto the store "shelves" (a bookcase). I used some awesome Folk Art pink chalkboard paint that I got from my Rocking Friend Amy to make a little board where we can write the daily specials (hint: use soft chalk, not sidewalk chalk like I used). I made a little store sign with scrapbook paper and a cash register out of a shoebox and hung some reusable shopping bags near the "register." I googled "play money printable" and found a bunch of sites, including this one, where you can print out play money to put in the cash register. I'll probably put some real coins in as well. Last but not least is the shopping cart, which we got for a dollar at a yard sale and is currently held together with a combination of electrical and painter's tape. I hope you had a great week. One of these days I will get my act together and show you some Christmas stuff I've been doing. Or at least post some links to stuff that other people have been doing!

Top Five Holiday To-Do List Items

2009-11-02T21:43:00.012-06:00

I am so EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even though my plan to work on something Christmas-y every week during 2009 didn't exactly pan out, I am excited to say I've already knocked a couple of things off my to-do list. I hope this helps inspire you and get everyone excited for Christmas. Woo! Sorry in advance for the boring, bossy post, but I LOVE making lists!!!

1. Order or buy your holiday cards. There are tons of options for photo cards (the best kind in my opinion!), from fancy pants places like Tiny Prints to your local drugstore. You can also sign up for Kodak Gallery or Shutterfly and get 50 free photos just for signing up, which you could stick inside regular store-bought cards. Just do something! It's an inexpensive way to keep in touch and spread cheer! Hand addressing is nice and of course more traditional, but I print address labels on Office Depot brand labels and just stick them on the envelopes. Most of the big-name labels have instructions for downloading the label templates on their website. Go ahead and get your label templates made now so all you have to do it print them out when the cards arrive. Also, get your stamps NOW! The pretty Christmas ones sell out! I did my labels and ordered my cards on November 1. PHEW! CHECK!

2. Use your computer (or pen and paper!) to make a spreadsheet of everyone for whom you want to buy/make a present or give a holiday tip (hairdresser, babysitter, trainer, etc.). Brainstorm ideas for gifts -- look at those holiday shopping guides on the websites for your favorite magazines and stores. Check out the Etsy gift guides. See if your giftees have Amazon wish lists. Surreptitiously ask for suggestions from the giftee's spouse or close friends. Your list should have several colums: Name, Gift Idea, Gift Purchased, Wrapped, Delivered. Just check off as you go.

3. Plan your FOOD! What events will require you to make/bake something? A school party? Open house? Family dinner? Plates of goodies for your neighbors or office? Make a list of what needs to be made and the deadline for doing so. Gather all your recipes in one place and start gathering your non-perishable ingredients every time you go out. Figure out what can be made in advance and frozen (like undecorated sugar cookies and shortbread). Most important: once you've decided, consider not adding in other treats that you see in magazines, blogs, etc.! You'll get too bogged down! Save them for next year!

4. Make a plan for decorating. Even write out or sketch your thoughts for how the outside of your house and each room will look. Determine whether you need to buy anything and go ahead and order it now before everything is picked over. Also, places like Hobby Lobby already have Christmas stuff for 50 percent off. Or use your Michael's coupon! Look at catalogs for decorating inspiration -- one of my favorites is Ballard Designs. Don't forget to check out thrift shops and consignment stores for decorations. Lots of places save this stuff in the back and then haul it out onto the sales floor before the holidays.

5. Get your schedule in order NOW! Make a list of every event you want to attend, such as family gatherings, parties, open houses, holiday concerts, church events, lights displays, caroling, living nativities, artist markets, Santa visits, etc. If you don't have a big calendar that lays flat, tape several pieces of scrap paper together and draw a big November and December calendar and write in all the events. Make sure you have plenty of time for these activities by getting all your shopping/decoration planning/etc. done early! Like asap!

I'll be back later with some more holiday stuff! Also One Pretty Thing has up what appears to be the FIRST CHRISTMAS POST of craft ideas (including my faux-quilted stocking tutorial). I want to make everything on there! Thanks for including me again Rachel!

Making Lemonade Out Of Lemons

2009-10-29T17:49:00.006-05:00

My mom just had hip replacement surgery and is going through the grueling recovery period. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when this Halloween card arrived for my little girl this afternoon, and it contained a ghost made out of gauze. Which I am assuming came from the stash she has for dressing her surgical site! Gotta love the ingenuity. Happy Halloween!

My Awesome Target Necklace

2009-10-25T19:36:00.006-05:00

Hey I am traveling for work and stopped at Target on the way down for a bottle of tea. Look what I found! Okay, so it doesn't look great with the gigantic men's teeshirt, but it looks really nice in person and way more expensive than $14. It is too short for the dress I'm wearing tomorrow (it's choker length), so I tied some black ribbon on each end and just tied that in a bow in the back. Yay for Target. Also, did you know their next designer collaboration is with Rodarte? I love Rodarte! Happy week!

Happy Weekend

2009-10-23T22:01:00.005-05:00

I have no craft time again (boo) and no blog time (double boo) right now but wanted to say happy weekend to all and thank everyone for reading. Here are a couple of birthday onesies I made for my friend's little girl. The "patterns" for the appliques were made by tracing around some chipboard pieces I had. I used the method described in my quasi-tutorial (see link at right).

See you next week!!!!

Teeny Tiny Banner How-To

2009-10-19T21:01:00.008-05:00

Now this is the fun part -- the decorating! And making teeny tiny little things, like this banner for the dollhouse's "play room." You could also make one of these cuties for another purpose, such as decorating a little bulletin board or shelf, etc. Here's how to make one.

1. Get some regular width, single-fold bias tape (I found the red tape I used at the thrift shop for $.25 woo) and measure the length you'll need for your banner. Allow for a little bit of extra tape at the ends if you need it for attaching your banner to something.

2. Draw or trace a little triangle shape onto some heavy cardboard or cardstock (I love to use the backs of scrapbook paper pads). Cut it out. This will be the template for your little fabric triangles.

3. Gather up a bunch of fabric scraps (even teensy ones work for this project) in lots of different colors. Using the template, cut out as many triangles as you need to cover the length of the bias tape.

4. Find a work surface where you can lay your bias tape out straight and flat, folded part facing up. Set your first triangle down at one end of the bias tape. The tops of the triangles should hit the middle of the tape, so that you can fold your tape in half exactly. Lay the triangles tip to tip all the way down your tape.

5. Once you are satisfied with the layout and color arrangement, secure each triangle to the bias tape with a teeny bit of fabric glue.

6. This is probably going way overboard, but before folding over the top half of the bias tape to iron it down, I stuck a thin little ribbon of fusible tape down the length of the banner. This is probably unnecessary, but it did make it really easy to keep the banner nice and neat when I ironed it down.

7. As noted, fold over the top half of the bias tape onto the triangles so that the bias tape is folded perfectly in half. Use the tip of your hot iron to iron it flat.

8. Sew with a straight stitch (or whatever stitch you choose). And that's it!!! All done.

You can do all your cutting while you are watching trash TV, no problem. The best part is that this project turns out S CUTE!!!! These pictures do not do it justice at all. It looks so adorable that I want to move into the dollhouse. Thanks for all your continued comments and ideas! I really, really appreciate them!

83 Cent "Hardwood" Floor

2009-10-18T13:31:00.005-05:00

If it could all be this simple and satisfying! Yesterday I purchased one $.83 square of vinyl flooring at Home Depot. A few quick slices with the x-acto knife, and voila: a "hardwood" floor for the dollhouse kitchen. Tomorrow I'll post a little tutorial about the banner I made for the dollhouse craft room. I'm super excited about how it turned out. Have a great week!

Miscellaneous Dollhouse Info

2009-10-13T21:42:00.012-05:00

Hi there. I'm still plugging away on the dollhouse project. It has been pretty hard to find furnishings because of the scale of the house. I considered pretending it was a regular 1/12 scale dollhouse with really high ceilings, but that seems goofy. So, I just going to hunt for things here and there and try to make everything else. I did find this adorable vintage book about how to make your own dollhouse furniture in a stack of my old stuff at my parents' house. Here is my vintage first grade penmanship from inside the front cover. Awwww.

Anyway, if you do have a normal scale dollhouse, Michael's has these incredibly detailed unfinished china cabinet/bookcases for $1. These are so cute but would look liliputian in my dollhouse.

I also found these little wooden construction toys for $1 each at Michael's. Perfect for the little fake dollhouse kids to play with. I'm going to paint them in primary colors with metallic accents.

Lastly, I found these little unpainted wooden chests at Hobby Lobby during a 1/2 off all unpainted wood sale. One will be the toy box and one will be a larger table/chest for the living room or master bedroom.

From here on out, I am hoping to make as much as I can and/or buy it second-hand and/or scavenge it from my childhoood dollhouse that is at my parents' house. I also wanted to mention again my favorite dollhouse blog, Mini Modern. The author has stopped posting new items, but I have been stalking the archives. I would love to have some modern pieces like these to mix with more traditional ones in the dollhouse I'm working on.

Weekend Product Reviews

2009-10-12T10:24:00.014-05:00

Hi! Looking for a craft post? Um, yeah. I am STILL painting/coating that gigantic dollhouse. Every spare minute. I guess the plus side of using craft paint is that it's super cheap (especially now that Michael's has my favorite, Folk Art by Plaid on sale for $.89 this week), but the downside is that it takes forever because you need multiple coats. In any event, here are my reviews of some products I used at home this weekend since there was no crafting to blog about. Yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. I'm tired.

These are the three main products I've used on the dollhouse, all by Plaid. The first is Folk Art paint, which you can get at any craft store. They have an awesome selection of colors, even metallics. I like it alot because it doesn't get gross and separate as much as other craft paints. The second is the supremely awesome Mod Podge Hard Coat, which is meant to be used on wood, furniture, etc., for a strong finish. I love this stuff. It give a nice shiny finish and dries quickly. The consistency is the same as regular Mod Podge, so it's easy to work with. (Another preposition at the end of a sentence.) The only bad thing is it can be hard to find. I found some at Hobby Lobby though, and you can order it online. The last product is the fabulous Patricia Nimocks spray varnish. This stuff is amazing and keeps your painted wood from being sticky. I got this at Michael's.

Yesterday, I also got a new mop at Target -- this O'Cedar Pro Scrub Sponge Roller Mop with the scrubby brush on the back. It was on sale this week for $7.99. I really liked this mop because if there is a stubborn spot, you can just flip it over and scrub with the scrub brush. My only complaint was that I wish the scrubby bristles extended beyond the width of the mop to get in closer to the floor boards. Overall, totally worth $8.

For mopping, I used Fabuloso cleanser, which i also got at Target. I prefer to use chemical-free products, but I made an exception because I heard this worked well. Instead of getting the traditional lavender scent, I got the super-powered "Oxy" kind in "Fresh" scent (they also have Pine). I didn't see that it worked any better than other products I've used on the floor, and the smell wasn't particularly pleasant. So I'd only buy this if it was on sale or I had a coupon or something. Maybe the other scents are better, too.

I have been craving pancakes, but I controlled myself and didn't drive over to IHOP like I wanted to. Instead, I busted out my box of Fiber One pancake mix that I have been excited to try. Boo. It was awful! I am so sad, because I love all the other Fiber One products I've tried. It does not require eggs, which seemed strange, but I figured there were dried eggs in the mix. In any event, the batter is watery and the pancakes don't hold together -- what you'd expect from no eggs. It was a big flop, but I'll probably try it once more before chucking the whole box. Next time I'll stick with my all-time favorite mix, Aunt Jemima's Whole Wheat Pancake Mix. Now that is yummy. PS -- Apparently I am alone in my dislike of this product. You can find lots of praise for it on the internet, like here.

Have a lovely week!

Nurturing Kids' Creativity

2009-10-05T19:57:00.013-05:00

Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen?! A boy and girl, probably about 10 or 11 years old, created this awesome "Sweet Shack" (written in the sand, below) on the playground by my sister's house. They made lots of little sweets by hand, with no tools or molds or anything. Each one was perfectly decorated with a little flower or petal or berries. It was so sweet and innocent and perfect that I wanted to cry. Instead we went to Publix and got some petit fours!

Look at the perfect heart shape!

This was a good reminder for me of the importance of encouraging my little girl to be creative instead of always following the rules.

Halloween Giveaway--UPDATED With Winner

2009-10-03T09:53:00.008-05:00

Congratulations Laura (Our Whimsy)! I'll send you an email shortly!

Sorry I've been MIA! How about a fun little giveaway to make it all better? Just leave a comment, and you will be entered to win these awesome spider web knee socks (adult size), which I would be happy to turn into some nice baby/toddler/little kid legwarmers with my trusty serger. If you don't have a google profile, be sure to leave me a way to reach you.

Updated to say duh, I didn't say when I'd do the drawing. I'll pick a winner when I get back from my trip on Wednesday. Thanks for playing!

Cheer Up Monday

2009-09-27T11:59:00.012-05:00

Boo. I have been working so hard that I've had no time for fun & crafty stuff. But these lovely lollies by Yummy Earth are so delicious and provide a perfect little cheer up. They are a splurge ($6 for a 12.5-ounce bag at Whole Foods, slightly less when ordered from Amazon), but worth it. They have no junk in them (e.g., high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors, etc.) and come in delicious flavors like mango and pomegranate. I hope you are having a lovely Monday!

Instant Gratification

2009-09-20T17:27:00.005-05:00

Inspired by these fabulous dish towels I spotted on Flickr user Willy-Nilly's photostream, I decided to whip up a couple myself. It seriously takes about 15 minutes to make one, and that's with junky TV (Top Model marathon) on in the background. I took four pre-cut, 4" x 4" charm squares (of course you can cut your own) and sewed them together. Then I pressed the seams flat. Then you just attach your nice fabric strip to a dish towel using whatever method is easiest for you. I sewed the fabric strip along the bottom, right side facing the towel, and then folded it up (so the right side of the strip is now facing out) and pressed it flat against the towel. Then I ironed quarter-inch seams on the other three sides and pinned everything down. Then I top-stitched all the way around. I used a zig-zag, but I think a straight stitch probably would have looked nicer. Super easy, and almost instantly gratifying. A nice gift idea too, I think.

Dollhouse Update No. 1

2009-09-19T22:20:00.008-05:00

Ah, Saturdays. Every day should be Saturday! I started off with a delicious cup of McDonald's coffee and a Zone Bar. Don't you love how the peanut butter chocolate Zone Bar is basically just a candy bar with some extra protein? I digress. I wanted to show you the first couple of things I've done to the gigantic dollhouse. After my husband sanded and primed it, I painted the whole thing with craft paint. Specifically, Folk Art paint by Plaid. The exterior and roof are a soft yellow called Lemonade (826), and the eaves, base and window moulding are Wicker White (987). Bottom right, which will be the living room/den, is Parchment (450), but I will be adding large vertical tone-on-tone stripes with Metallic Champagne (675). Bottom left, kitchen, is Soft Apple (526). Middle left, master suite, is Dove Gray (708). Middle right, bathroom, is Jamaican Sea (320). I covered the back wall in THREE POUNDS (yes, three pounds) of flat glass marbles. I used E6000 to attach them one at a time. It was a pain in the rump, but it looks really cool.

Top right, kids' room/playroom, is also Wicker White, but I will be adding some stripes and "artwork." I'm not set on the plan yet. Top left, nursery, is Baby Pink (821). I'm hoping to finish all the painting, including a zillion touch-ups, and douse the whole thing in a couple of coats of Mod Podge by the end of the month. Thanks for looking and for all the wonderful comments and emailed suggestions for this project!

Go Enter This Contest!

2009-09-18T21:55:00.004-05:00

One of my all-time Etsy favorites for kids' clothing is Rae Gun. The designer, lovely Marissa, is giving away a very cute Halloween-themed twirly skirt on her blog. You can enter by clicking here.

Have a lovely weekend!

Free Squirrel

2009-09-14T14:35:00.004-05:00

Did you save yesterday's newspaper? Because it has a Pier 1 Imports sales flyer that includes an ADORABLE squirrel graphic. You can see a tiny version of the little fellow above. The actual size is about the size of my palm. The flyer is printed on nice, heavy paper with rich colors. I cut out the squirrel last week and paired it with some acorn-themed scrapbook paper to make a "Happy Autumn!" card for my grandmother. Go dig the paper out of the recycle and cut him out!

Meet The Behemoth

2009-09-07T16:55:00.003-05:00

This is the little one's future Christmas present: a gigantic, nearly four-foot tall bookcase that I am turning into a dollhouse. The fun part will be painting, wallpapering, making little curtains and rugs, etc. The harder part will be getting together the furniture without spending a lot of money. Have you seen how much dollhouse furniture costs!? Holy cow. Anyway, here is the starting point, and I will update as I go along. If you know of any great dollhouse furniture sources, please let me know!

Halloween Cuteness

2009-09-03T10:55:00.007-05:00

I have never been a "Halloween person." Just never really got into it. BUT since Halloween is like The Most Important Day Of The Year for kids, I am going to have to learn to love it. Here are some cute things I am loving for Halloween.

This owl banner by Homemaker Hobbies is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Yesterday I got a look at this Bat Chandelier at the Pottery Barn Kids store. I wanted to look at it to see if I could make one myself. First of all, it is SO MUCH CUTER than it looks in the picture. Second of all, it looks like it would take forever to make.

A neighbor has some of these gigantic, four-foot-wide, posable spiders stuck to his house and they are so creepy! In a good way! This one is from Halloween Express, and they also have a 30-inch size.

How scary are these crows from Oriental Trading Company? I know they're just birds, but geez. They look creepy.

I also like this lace spider web table topper from Oriental Trading. I definitely could not make that myself unless I learn to tat in the next month (unlikely).

Last but not least, you know Bakerella is going to have some Halloween awesomeness to share soon. Here are her Mummy Pops from last year. Too cute to eat (almost)!

Happy Halloween!

Faux Quilted Stocking Tutorial

2009-08-30T18:58:00.008-05:00

Last Christmas I came up with this method for making a quilted Christmas stocking without actually knowing how to quilt. The key is to use a quilted pillow sham. You can get a quilted sham lots of places -- this one is Simply Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell for Target. It's green and red and shabbily Christmas-y. It was $12 on clearance (yes, pricey, but I really liked it).

Lay the sham face down and cut off the back. Save it for another use. Be careful when cutting it off not to cut the ruffly that goes around the sham.

Fold the sham in half, right sides together. Use another stocking as a template, and lay about .75 inch from the fold.

Line up the top of your template stocking just below the ruffle at the top of the sham.

Using a disappearing ink pen, outline the template stocking on the sham, leaving a one-half inch seam allowance. Cut along the outline and lay scraps to the side.

Keeping right sides together, make sure your two stocking pieces are lined up exactly by lining up the top seams and then smoothing down the rest of the way. Starting at the top, pin the pieces together and set aside for a minute.

Now you need to make a hanger for the stocking. From the scraps of the sham, cut a piece about 6 inches by 2.5 inches.

Rather than trying to sew rights sides together and turning the bulky material, I sew wrong sides together with a straight stitch and then a zig-zag stich. Trim close to the stitching and no one will even notice.

Now back to the stocking. I put it on the sewing machine with the toe pointed to the right. Start sewing at the top of the toe side. I used a triple stitch for durability.

When you get near the end of sewing around the stocking, it's time to add the hanger. Fold the hanger in half (stitched side toward the bottom of the stocking) and place INSIDE the stocking so that when you turn it right side out, the hanger will be on the outside of the stocking. It should look like this.

This part is a pain to sew. Look at how far away the presser foot is from the sewing machine! I prefer to use the handwheel for this part. After you've sewn past the thick part, go back to the triple stitch to finish sewing the last bit of the stocking.

Once you've sewn all the way around, if you are dissatisfied with the shape of your stocking, just use your marking pen to redraw then lines you don't like, then sew again and trim the edges.

Turn the stocking right side out, press it and you can cross one more thing off your handmade Christmas list! Email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day!

Where Can I Get One Of These?

2009-08-28T09:42:00.005-05:00

I have never seen these awesome front-riding kid bike seats before. Anyone know where I can find one? I think my 2.5er would agree to ride up front (she has vehemently vetoed riding on the back or in a trailer). Thanks!!!!

P.S. -- Tori, call me!

(Partially) Handmade Christmas

2009-08-27T21:06:00.017-05:00

Okay, I do shop at Wal-Mart sometimes, I just needed a good image for this post! Plus, I'm not going to pretend that we will have a 100 percent, Martha-approved, all-handmade Christmas. I wish that were possible. However, with a toddler, job, house, etc., I'm not seeing where I'd find the time to make umpteen different sweets, gifts, wreaths and all the other things that can be handmade. However, I do have some handmade things I'd like to try to accomplish before Christmas. Here are some of them. First, I have one more faux-quilted stocking to make. I will post a tutorial when I finish it (super-easy and very cute). For the toddler, I'd like to make a couple of the adorable handmade dolls designed by Emily Martin of Black Apple for the Martha Stewart show . . .

. . . as well as this fabulous Personalized Birdie Pillow that Melissa Mortensen of Polka-dot Chair designed for Moda Bake Shop.

I will definitely make some dish towels, hopefully something like these. I'll try to make some headbands inspired by the amazing ones I saw at the Crewcuts outlet (um, yeah . . . I wasn't going to spend $15 for a toddler-sized headband, even at 20 percent off).

For menfolk, I will be making some food/baked goods (future post) because what in the world do you get them for Christmas that (1) they will actually use/like; and (2) isn't a $5,000 electronics item of some kind. I'll be sure to post the recipes or links when I get it more figured out. I can't believe I'm already excited for Christmas!!!! (considering it was 105 degrees today...)

Organizing Your Photographs

2009-08-19T13:03:00.009-05:00

It may not be in vogue, but I like to print out photographs. I enjoy looking at them, and my 2.5-year-old could spend hours looking at them, too. I like when she looks at our 2003 honeymoon photos and says, "There's Daddy . . . there's Mommy . . . where's Mary???" Of course, she should be the focus of every picture ever taken! Anyway, I have taken lots of photos in the last three years, and there were a big, disorganized mess. But right before we left for vacation, I got them all organized. Here's my method.

Supplies:

Your computer
Media containing your photographs (if not on your computer)
Media for storing your edited and organized photos
Photo-editing software (either that you buy or free online -- see below)
Avery (or store-brand) return address labels no. 8167
Acid-free pocket photo albums

Directions:

1. Get your photos all in one place. Gather up all the jump drives, CD's, etc., where your photos are stores and load everything onto the hard drive of your computer. Scan any photos that need to be scanned.

2. On your hard drive, make separate folders for each year and then sub-folders for each month. (Of course, you could also organize them in other categories or sub-categories, but this works best for me.)

3. Going one sub-folder at a time, edit your photos using photo-editing software. I have Photoshop Elements 7.0, but you can use whatever you have. If you don't have software, there are lots of places you can edit your photos on line for free. I have used Picnik and Photobucket. Both are very slow, but hey, they're free and easy to use and you can save the edited photo to your hard drive in the proper folder. For editing, just go with your skill level. I have zero skills, so I usually just correct color the best I can, crop the pictures to my taste and fix the lighting and sharpness. Of course a quick Google search will also turn up a zillion sites with photo-editing tips and tricks, but reading it all makes my brain hurt. If there is a really special photo, I try to trade something crafty with a Photoshop expert friend.

4. Once the photos are edited to your liking, it's time to save them and upload them for printing. I have all of my photos saved in three places because I'm paranoid: (1) on a portable hard drive similar to the one pictured below; (2) on CD's which are stored in our safe deposit box; and (3) on Kodak Gallery, which I use for printing my photographs. For Kodak and other such sites (e.g., Shutterfly) you need to make a minimum photo purchase each year in order to maintain free online storage of your photos.

5. Order your photos. I like the 4x6 size from Kodak Gallery. I have only had a couple of bad prints from them, and the shipping is free if you order over $5. Prints are about $.15 each, which is pricey, but the quality is really good, and they have frequent sales. Sign up for the emails.

6. When your photos arrive, make sure they are still in order. Then, using the template and instructions on Avery's website, make your labels for the backs of the photographs, e.g., January 2009, February 2008, etc. Print the labels and place them on the backs of the photos. Stick the photos in your albums (make sure the vertical ones are all facing the same way), and you're finished! Nice and organized and fun to look at.

Exciting! Crewcuts Outlet Shopping

2009-08-18T14:47:00.008-05:00

We are here in lovely Destin, Florida, on vacation this week. This afternoon we will be visiting the Silver Sands Factory Stores, which has a Crewcuts outlet. If you don't know, Crewcuts is the toddler and kids collection from J. Crew. The clothes are pricey (but reasonable compared to boutique clothing) and excellent quality. The teeshirts are the softest, nicest ones ever. I'll report back what I get at the outlet -- prices are about 50 percent less than retail. In the meantime, here are some of my recent favorites from the current Crewcuts collection -- starting with the divine Spelling Bee dress at the top of the post. This amazing dress is "only" $65, which is obviously alot, but not compared to what a fancy boutique would charge. Next, the Boy's Secret Wash button down shirt. It looks to be just as nice and stylish as the grown-up version.

Two-button Schoolboy Blazer for boys. How cute would this be over a polo shirt or button-down for church or a dress-up event. And it actually looks comfy.

Ugh, I want this for ME! A tangerine-hued, pleated chiffon dress. Tea-length, floaty and gorgeous.

The Lombard Ruffle Top, which I like because you could dress it up or down.

Boys' Raceway Slub Tee. So cool.

I'll be back later to report my finds!

Super Easy Teeshirt Embellishment

2009-08-15T21:19:00.007-05:00

I love crocheted flowers. I wish I knew how to crochet . . . Sigh. Anyway, I order a huge bag of all sizes of them for about $6 on eBay and have used them on lots of things. Here is a plain white teeshirt spiffed up with a few of them.

I ironed the flowers onto the shirt using double-sided fusible interfacing, just to hold them in place. Then I sewed them on using a zig-zag stitch and trying to get close to the edges so they don't curl up. They'll probably curl a little in the wash, but they should iron flat. So this whole project cost about $5, including the teeshirt, which is a lot cheaper than similar ones from Boden, Gymboree, etc. By the way, thanks so much for checking out my blog, and I hope to be posting more when summer winds down!

Let's Go Bargain Shopping: TJ Maxx

2009-08-04T10:43:00.008-05:00

I love bargain shopping. I don't know when I last bought something that was full-price (except maybe diapers or something like that). And the thrill of the hunt is half the fun. However, since my now near-constant shopping companion is a 2.5 year old, visiting dingy, crowded places like TJ Maxx has lost some of its appeal. Nevertheless, we stopped in this weekend and got some great deals. First up is this lovely book I got for . . . er . . . my niece. Yeah, that's it. For my niece. Regular price is $9, TJ price is $6. (They have all four of these books for those of you who are interested. Not that I am interested. Not at all.).

I got some very cute Liz Claiborne PJ's, similar to these, but cuter. Tag price was $64, TJ price was $10 on clearance.

Awesome box of four Melissa & Doug puzzles: tag price $12, TJ price $6. Now please pray that these keep my child occupied for at least some small part of our upcoming road trip.

I got my husband two of these awesome Chaps Ralph Lauren short-sleeved button downs. The one pictured is still in the regular stores! Tag price $40, TJ price $10.

Love the Karen Katz books. This one has a tag price of $7, but a TJ price of $4.

Happy shopping, and let me know about your TJ finds!

P.S. to Jill: you are the world's greatest bargain shopper ever, and this post is a tribute to you. I'm thinking about you today and praying for your family. XOOXOXOXOOXOXXOOXOXOX

Baby Leg Warmers, $7 Free U.S. Shipping

2009-07-29T13:47:00.010-05:00

I have some baby leg warmers that I never got around to relisting on Etsy, and they can be yours for $7 a pair, with free U.S. shipping (contact me for international). Just click the button on the left to email me your order. Payment is by PayPal. Sorry for the lame photos. The whole group is shown above, with close-ups below. TOP ROW: sold; sold; cream and dark purple herringbone with berry cuff (very preppy); solid purple with hot pink cuff. SECOND ROW: sold; sold; sold; light blue and turquoise rose pattern. THIRD ROW: sold; pink with yellow and white daisies; solid white with royal blue cuff. BOTTOM ROW: white with strawberries and red cuff (will make them); sold.

Have a great day!

July Update

2009-07-17T14:11:00.005-05:00

Can you believe it? I won something else: this precious clip from Briar Claire, via my friend Steph's Green Kiddos blog. (I love that blog, by the way.) Seriously, the last time I won something before my recent spate was in about 1983, when I won five Taco Bell tacos as part of a Girl Scout carnival drawing. Let's see . . . what else? I got really busy at work. Also, I don't want to turn on the air conditioner upstairs in the craft room (and get another $400 electric bill!!!!), so I haven't posted any crafts. But I am planning to start learning to make jewelry this weekend. JoAnn is having 40 percent off all of its beads, crystals, findings, tools, etc., starting on Sunday. I got two great introductory beading books at Half Price Books, plus my jewelry-making sister is coming to visit. I'll post whatever I make unless I'm too embarrassed! Here is one of the books. It's out of print, but it is so cool. I'm super-excited.

Have a lovely weekend!

Two Woos

2009-07-06T21:21:00.006-05:00

Woo number one is that I won another giveaway on Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day -- this awesome crochet book and adorable handmade spool doll and mushroom. (I don't know how I got so lucky . . . the last time I won anything was 1983). Woo number two is that I found so many great blogs by entering the giveaways, including Hope's blog, Going Sew Crazy. Thanks for the great prizes, Hope! I love your blog!

I Want To Be Like Claire

2009-06-30T20:18:00.006-05:00

One of my top 10 favorite blogs is the awesomeness that is Blah to Tada. Its author, Claire, is the MacGuyver of crafts. She can take any little scrap of anything and turn it into something beautiful, amazing and/or useful. Inspired by Claire after a week of having zilch craft inspiration, I covered a coffee can to keep sharp tools away from toddler fingers. No, it's not an original idea, but it was "free" because I reused things I already had on hand (a can, some Mod Podge, a 13 x 5 inch fabric scrap and 13 inches of grosgrain ribbon left over from another project). And it makes me happy. Thanks Claire!!!

Fun Photo Wall Art

2009-06-22T13:46:00.003-05:00

Instead of continuing to hoard my Heather Bailey scrapbook paper, I decided to make this wall art. Here's how:

1. Take two pieces of square scrapbook paper -- I used 12 x 12 inch paper. Cut both sheets into equal 2 inch strips.

2. Weave the strips of paper together and then glue down the loose ends with glue dots, a tape runner or a tiny bit of glue.

3. I printed out a square photograph on cardstock for a super-matte look and glued it the center of the woven paper with glue dots.

4. Add embellishments. I applied a ric-rack frame, two paper flowers I cut out and a button with Aleene's Tacky Glue.

5. Frame in a square frame, scrapbook page frame or LP frame. I used my Michael's coupon to get this one. Voila!

Table Transformation

2009-06-19T22:14:00.004-05:00

Ew. My husband found this ratty abandoned table and brought it home. It migrated up to the craft room where it gathered dust until I decided it needed a new look. I went WAY overboard, as you will see.

First, we sanded it lots and lots (it was still gross) and applied an oil-based primer. It was so water damaged and bumpy, it really needed to be power-sanded, but I was too impatient for that since power-sander was over at my in-laws' house.

I painted the top with about 800 coats of my favorite craft paint, Plaid's Folk Art in Baby Pink. Then I coated it with about three coats of Mod Podge and one coat of Ceramcoat Varnish. (It was still pretty bumpy, but at least it looked clean and shiny).

Then I added some of those vinyl wall appliques that I snagged when Michael's had them on clearance last year. They had to be sealed down with Mod Podge because the table surface was not smooth, but it was worth it. They actually look really good (better in person than in this picture).

Now this is where I got crazy. There were probably a million easier ways to skirt the table, but I was determined that it needed to be firmly affixed with velcro so that the toddler could lift the skirt up and down without worrying that it would come off. I attached the stiff side of the velcro all the way around the table with a staple gun. Then I measured, cut and box-pleated some home decor-weight fabric for the skirt. I sewed the soft side of the velcro all the way around the top of the skirt and finished the hems. Then I attached the skirt to the table. Voila. A little play table with a skirt that will not come off and can hide lots of toddler toys.

Crafty Tools Part II

2009-06-15T13:27:00.005-05:00

Here are some more of the crafty tools I use alot. Like the ones I posted about last week, most have come from Michael's, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn or the Wal-Mart craft section. Some things, like alligator clips to cover, are harder to find, so I order them from Etsy or Ebay if they aren't on Etsy.

1. A rotary cutter, which you can find in the quilting or sewing section ofcraft stores. There are rotary cutters designed specifically for fabric and those designed specifically for paper (Martha Stewart crafts makes a nice one for paper). There are different blades you can use for different projects. Rotary cutters make it super easy to cut a straight line when you press the blade up against a straight edge (see below). 2. Three-dimensional, double-sided adhesive foam dots. There are lots of brands, and unlike the ones shown here, I don't get mine in the craft department. Instead, you can find them in the home improvement section of Wal-Mart or Target or in the picture hanging section of craft supply stores. The key is to look for the word "permanent," as opposed to "re-positionable." I stick these onto the back of covered buttons, wooden disks or Scrabble tiles to attach magnets or pushpins. In my experience they hold better than glue, and they are alot less messy. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but I actually first saw it on a gorgeous promotional magnet I received from artist Rachel Austin, and it has stood up to my two-year-old playing with it all the time.

3. An ergonomic craft knife, like this awesome one from Martha Stewart crafts. It's basically an Exacto knife, except the rubber handle allows for a more comfortable and safer grip. This thing is especially effective for cutting scrapbook paper and chipboard.

4. A clear acrylic ruler. These can be found in the quilting section of craft stores, and sometimes they are sold with a rotary cutter. The idea is that you can see through to what you are measuring to make sure your measurements and markings are accurate. Acrylic rulers are really thick, so you can put your rotary cutter up against it for cutting straight lines. You can also use it to measure and mark fabric or paper like a regular ruler.

5. Alcohol-free baby wipes. I use these for cleaning ink, paint, glue, etc., off my hands when I am in the middle of something. They are also good for cleaning ink off of rubber stamps when you need to change colors or don't have a chance to wash them right away. However, you will still want to wash your stamps in warm soapy water when you are finished with your project. Baby wipes are also good for wiping a lot of different things off of a lot of different surfaces, just be sure to get the alcohol-free ones.

That's all I have for today, but I'm sure once I'm back home and have a chance to look around the craft room, I will be able to post a Part III.

Sporcle = Pure Evil

2009-06-13T12:10:00.004-05:00

Spending too much time doing productive things, getting your work done, performing public service, making home-cooked meals for your family and the like? I suggest you pay a visit to the highly-addictive Sporcle, a newish trivia game website, and all your problems will be solved. You'll never get anything else done again. P.S. If you do visit, try the Countries of the World quiz and email me your score!

Rae Gun: Giveaway: Citrus Summer Ruffle Diaper

2009-06-11T23:05:00.001-05:00

Rae Gun: Giveaway: Citrus Summer Ruffle Diaper

Click on the post title to win this adorable ruffled diaper cover from one of my long-time Etsy favorites, Rae Gun. Good luck!

Crafty Tools Part I

2009-06-11T12:28:00.005-05:00

My friend asked what sorts of things I use the most in my craft room, so I started making a list. Here is Part I. Almost all the supplies I use have come from Michael's, JoAnn, Hobby Lobby, various Etsy sellers and Wal-Mart (mainly the Martha Stewart craft stuff). I hope this is helpful to someone.

1. A guillotine for cutting paper. Mine looks a little like this one, except I got it at Costco for about $25. It has been totally worth it. I used to have to go to Kinko's to use their guillotine.

2. Mod Podge by Plaid, which is a decoupage medium. There are several kinds (glossy, matte, shimmer, etc.), but I love the Matte finish the best. I use this stuff all the time. I want to marry it.

3. Pinking shears for cutting fabric so it doesn't fray and also great for cutting felt with a fancy edge.

4. Self-healing mat for use with a rotary cutter or craft knife. It's a rubbery mat that you can lay fabric, paper, etc., on for cutting with super sharp tools. The cuts heal and the mat stays nice.

5. Steam A Seam II double-sided fusible web. I use this for everything from applique to holding things in place to be sewn (e.g., the fabric flags on the banner I made).

6. Thread nippers for cutting little bits of thread. Mine are different than this -- they look like cuticle nippers. Warning: use only for thread, cotton fibers, etc., or they will dull and they are impossible to sharpen effectively.

7. Terrifically Tacky Tape, which I use mainly for making covered clips/barrettes, but also for sticky paper to paper, fabric to paper, and on and on. This stuff rocks.

8. A glue dot runner. There really is no better way to attach little pieces of paper to other pieces of paper. It doesn't gum things up like glue.

9. Various colors of Folk Art paint by Plaid (I swear I don't work for them, but wouldn't that be awesome!?). This is great for painting everything, especially paper and wood.

10. Fancy fabric scissors (use your 40 percent off coupon at JoAnn) that are ONLY for cutting fabric. Don't let anyone else use them for anything but fabric!

11. Tracing paper, which I use mainly for transferring embroidery patterns to fabric and copying designs from paper to paper.

12. Martha Stewart crafts platic "bone" folder from Wal-Mart. If you are making anything out of folded paper, you NEED this. Even for pre-scored DIY greeting cards, scoring again with this before folding gives you a much neater look.

Coming soon: Part II.

Are You Kidding Me?!?!?! Amazing Giveaway!

2009-06-09T12:15:00.005-05:00

This is actually a real giveaway! I would probably die immediately if I won. Whipstitch Fabrics, via the awesome Fabric Shopper blog, is giving away two fat quarter sets that YOU DESIGN!!!! It's SO EASY! You visit Whipstitch Fabrics, select 12 fat quarters that fit a theme of your choice, go back to The Fabric Shopper and leave a comment with your selections. Two winners will be selected to win the fat quarter pack they designed!!! I might have to make my husband design one too!

Giveaway Winners -- Abby And Me, Too!

2009-06-08T19:08:00.007-05:00

Thank you SOOOOOO much for entering my SEWN giveaway. This was so much fun that I am already planning another giveaway. I'm thinking about doing one per month! The winner, per Random.org, is DRUMROLL . . . . Abby from Steals & Deals. Check out her rad blog!

And in a lovely karmic twist -- I won a giveaway in the Sew, Mama, Sew May Giveaway Day! Woo! Specifically, this amazingly generous pile of fabric scraps (really, they are bigger and better than scraps) from Kristy at Hernanamer The Project Journal. She is super talented -- check out that pillow at the top of her post today!

Yay for giveaways!

My Favorite Tutorials

2009-06-07T23:03:00.005-05:00

I am working on two big projects, and I'm still not finished. I hope to have some pictures later this week. In the meantime, check out some of my all-time favorite internet tutorials. (I'm sorry not to include photos, but I didn't have time to check each blog's policy on using images, etc.). I'll come back and add some more tomorrow.

V & Co.'s amazing Fabric Easter Basket at Moda Bake Shop
Inchmark's very chic Fabric Scrap Memory Game
Traditional but still awesome Canning Jar Pincushion by Suzanne's Crazy for Collars
A divine honeycomb smocking how-to on Tumbling Blocks
Crafty Carnival's precious Tooth Fairy Pillow
Among many others, Purl Bee's Connect the Dots Pillows and Party Garland
Glue Gun Annie's insanely awesome Pencil Case
The Red Thread's lovely Paper Christmas Wreath
An oldie but goody -- Artsy-Craftsy Babe's Fabric Flower Tutorial

Okay I can't stay awake any longer. I'll add some more tomorrow. XOXO

Old Tank Top Becomes Cute Tunic UPDATED

2009-06-03T22:56:00.003-05:00

I previously mentioned that I was taking last year's tank tops that still fit in the chest/shoulders but are too short and adding fabric skirts to make tunics. I finally got an action shot today. She really seemed to like the top because it combined her two favorite clothing items -- a dress and a "bathing suit shirt" (i.e., a tank top). If you have about .5 yards of fabric and a means of making gathers, this is a fun and quick project.

It Looks Better On Her

2009-06-01T20:39:00.003-05:00

I am in a big-time cleaning out mode, including the contents of my closet. Soooo, this means lots of new "fabrics" to turn into craft projects. Woo. This jersey knit skirt was a little top from Target that never looked all that good on me. However, I loved the tulip print fabric. So I cut the shirt just below the bust, serged the raw edge, folded it under, sewed all the way around and then ran some elastic through for the waist. SUPER easy and took only a few minutes. Plus, look at that fancy professional hem. My husband actually thought I sewed that (I wish!), not realizing that it was the hem from the original shirt. You should do this too!

Fifteen Minute Toddler Tank

2009-05-26T21:05:00.008-05:00

This is my new favorite thing to do: embellish a little toddler Target tank top with a neck ruffle.

1. Get a strip of fabric about two inches wide, give or take, and twice the length from shoulder to shoulder of the tank top. It doesn't even have to be cut on the bias. Just a strip cut straight across the fabric works. (This looks just fine not going all the way around the back, I promise. I didn't continue the ruffle around because I knew my daughter's hair would probably hit right at the top of the ruffle).

2. Anyway, sew a basting stitch from one end of the fabric strip to the other, then pull your thread to gather the strip (or use your preferred method of gathering).

3. Pin one end of your gathered strip to one shoulder, and continue pinning along the neckline until you reach the other shoulder, adjusting the gathers as you go.

4. Then sew along the ribbed neckline. Et, voila! Seriously, this took 15 minutes only because I was watching the Tori & Dean marathon in the background. Let me know if you have any questions.

Woo -- My First Giveaway!!!

2009-05-25T23:34:00.006-05:00

I am super excited to tell you about SEWN! SEWN is new and innovative online quilting and sewing community for all lovers of fabric crafts. We have Tips and Innovative Tools to help with your projects, an Advice Centre for all your sewing questions, online forums and chats, and information on your local shops, sewing groups, quilt groups and classes. There will be articles, interviews and tutorials from industry experts, competitions and free patterns!

To help celebrate the launch of SEWN, I am giving away a copy of the wonderful Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol of Angry Chicken. It is has the cutest projects, clear instructions and beautiful photographs.

To win, please leave a comment on this post. For an extra TWO entries, become a blog follower or leave me a comment letting me know you are one. FOR an extra THREE entries, link to my giveaway on Facebook or Twitter or your blog and let me know. You could have as many as SIX entries! I will randomly select the winner at 8 p.m. Central Daylight Time on June 8, 2009. Be sure that I have a way to contact you in case you are the winner!!!! Thanks for playing!

Ooh -- be sure to click on the SEWN icon at the top of this post. It will take you to the SEWN website where you can enter their AMAZING launch giveaway.

THANK YOU SO MUCH - COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED!

I Organized . . .

2009-05-21T20:54:00.003-05:00

. . . this craft room shelf. The binders have all those pages I pulled out of my Martha's, as well as print-outs of lots of awesome internet tutorials and free patterns. I don't know that I'll ever make even a tiny percentage of all these patterns/tutorials, but that's okay because I like flipping through and looking at the pictures.

A Simple Plea To Denyse Schmidt

2009-05-20T22:05:00.004-05:00

Denyse Schmidt: Please re-release Flea Market Fancy. I will wash your car. I will wash your dog. I will hang your Christmas lights. Please. That is all.

Especially this print:

And this one:

In the meantime, I'll probably buy this from Amazon:

I'm Not Kidding -- You Can Win This Quilt

2009-05-19T12:13:00.004-05:00

The lovely and talented Elizabeth at Pigtails & Snails is giving away this amazing quilt!!! But hurry over to look at her lovely blog and enter the giveaway, because it ends TONIGHT!!!!

Fabric-Covered Box: Before And After

2009-05-18T20:39:00.006-05:00

My little girl received a birthday present back in March in this sweet Papyrus gift box. It's such a pretty box, but it got pretty beaten up by the USPS. So, we decided to recover it with fabric.

Shockingly (not), I covered the bottom of the box in Heather Bailey Freshcut fabric. The top is covered in a coordinating print from Moda. The top is covered in the method of wrapping a present, but for the bottom, I just wrapped a strip of fabric around it. I hemmed the bottom of the strip and covered the top of the strip in grosgrain ribbon.

I glued all the fabric to the box with Mod Podge, and I used Terrifically Tacky Tape to put on the ribbon. I'm using the box to store blank, ready-to-decorate cards.

Have a great night!

More Vintage Fun

2009-05-14T16:46:00.007-05:00

The year is 1984, the occasion is Halloween. The costume: pure 80's cheese. Without further ado, my interpretation of Boy George, followed by the real deal:

Vintage Crafting

2009-05-14T16:45:00.005-05:00

Yep, I'm a crafter from way back. See, here I am as a mere infant already at the sewing machine:

And as a preschooler, supervising the cutting of fabric from an upcycled garment to create doll clothes:

And creating original works of art (and in my sleep at that!):

Haha. Seriously, I've never been very crafty or artistic -- I didn't buy a sewing machine until I was 32! Most of what I've learned has been from my mom and from the wonderful world of internet bloggers, who are so willing to share their ideas and expertise. Someday I will have time for classes and lessons and such, but until then, I just click on the links over here to the right. Thanks bloggers!

Some Applique Inspiration

2009-05-13T21:12:00.004-05:00

I have nothing new to report except that yesterday was the hardest workout I ever have had. Seriously. First of all, my heartrate has not been that consistently high since I was in utero. Second of all, I was so exhausted afterward that I felt like I had the flu. And for all that effort I only burned 413 calories according to my heart rate monitor! Anyway, looking at the soothing colors of fine quilting fabric gives me a natural high like no over-the-top workout can. So here is a little collage of some of the appliqued onesies I used to sell on Etsy. I still make them for gifts and occasionally sell to friends. If I am able to lift my arms to type, I'll see you tomorrow! XOXO

Craft Room Part One And Banner How-To

2009-05-12T22:10:00.009-05:00

Welcome to your tour of my craft room. Since I am only able to keep one section clean at a time, each section is going to require its own blog post (i.e., week of organization). Here is the little area where I do my computer printing/copying/enlarging, etc. I have an HP 4-in-1 that works okay for most things. Next to that is my little Ikea box that holds all my stickers. Next to that are a couple of magazine files I got a few years back at Target. They hold all my printing media, like cardstock, transfer paper, full-sheet labels, etc.

Banner How-To

I made a little banner to tie everything together, and it was super easy. I used double-fold bias tape because that is what I had on hand, but you could just as easily use single-fold bias tape, twill tape or even a long piece of ribbon if that's what you have handy. I will say that the bias tape is nice and firm and makes a lovely curve that lays flat against the wall. Next, Google "isosceles triangle" and print out whatever image comes up! That's what I did, then enlarged it, cut it out, traced it onto cardboard to make a template and cut out the template. After measuring the length of the banner and determining how many triangles I would need, I traced triangles onto ten fabric scraps with a disappearing ink fabric marker and cut them out. I laid the bias tape out across the ironing board. Then I took a roll of double-sided fusible web -- the really narrow kind -- and cut a long piece of it, which I then cut lengthwise. Then I laid that on the inside of the bias tape and stuck my triangles on top of it. Then I laid the other half of the fusible web on top of the triangles and pressed the bias tape closed on top of it. This way, everything stayed in place while I ironed and sewed the banner, and it gave the bias tape some additional heft. Once everything was ironed down, I sewed the length of the banner with a zig-zag stitch. I hung it up with push-pins. It was so easy, and I love how it turned out. I'm sure I'll be making a lot more banners!

I Really Like Gluing Paper To Stuff

2009-05-11T14:16:00.005-05:00

Here is another IKEA wooden box transformation. This time it's the Mackis Paper Organizer, available in-store only. I store my stickers in it. Here's the "before" photo:
I removed the label holders from the front of the drawers; sanded it; painted it with my favorite green Folk Art paint by Plaid; and then decoupaged some Martha Stewart scrapbook paper (from Michael's) to the drawers with Mod Podge. I coated the covered drawer fronts with two coats of Lustre Mod Podge and then coated the entire thing with Ceramcoat clear varnish. I made the little drawer pulls with some ric-rack. Thanks for looking and for all your sweet comments on my last IKEA chest. They make my day!

Make A Fun Decoupaged Address Card Box

2009-05-07T17:58:00.013-05:00

Here is another easy and fun decoupage project -- and this one will help you get organized: an address card box.

Here is what it looks like inside:

At some point, I stopped using an address book and converted to printing information onto recipe cards. I found this plain wooden recipe box at Target and decoupaged it to match my office fabrics. By way of background, I am in the process of organizing/redecorating my home office with Anna Griffin's Alix fabric and matching scrapbook paper.

I started off by sanding the box and priming it with white craft paint. I wanted the finished box to look slightly shabby, so I didn't completely cover it in paint. Then I measured each section of the box and cut the paper pieces to decoupage onto the box.

Apply Mod Podge to the box, section by section, and smooth the paper pieces on top.

For me, decoupagagin paper to wood works a lot better with lighter-weight paper, but here I used cardstock-weight scrapbook paper. You have to really make sure it is pressed down nice and flat.

I covered this box with three layers of Mod Podge and a top layer of Ceramcoat clear varnish.

For inside the box, I made dividers by tracing the dividers that came with the box onto some "chipboard" (not real chipboard, although you could buy that, but the back off of scrapbook paper pads) and cutting them out with a craft knife.

Then I applied Mod Podge to the chipboard divider and laid it glue-side down onto a piece of scrapbook paper. Using the craft knife, I cut away the excess paper. Again, press and smooth until you are sure the paper is flat and secured to the chipboard divider. Next, I used little stickers on the tabs for "abc" and so on.

Then I covered the front (papered) side of the divider in a coat of Mod Podge. Once everything was dry, I inserted the dividers into the box and added my index cards with address/phone/email/birthday information.

Yet Another Mother's Day Idea

2009-05-06T09:27:00.010-05:00

I realize that this is a little late for us in the U.S., considering that the items will have to be shipped from Israel, but I am in LOVE with everything by StudioRona. Dear Husband: Any of the necklaces would work just fine, thanks. Love.

You Can Make Clips! It's Super Easy!

2009-05-03T21:26:00.009-05:00

Oh how I love making alligator clips, especially now that my child will allow them in her hair. I made the two shown above in about 15 minutes flat. It only took that long because I was distracted by trash TV in the background. Here is how I do it. First of all, I like to use a single-prong clip, which I order on Etsy, but double-prong works fine, too. And I like them to be partially lined, rather than fully lined, because I need the extra room to add in no-slip grip. Here's what I mean by partially-lined:

So gather up a few items: an alligator clip, some 3/8 inch grosgrain ribbon, Terrifically Tacky Tape (the red stuff) and some Fray Check to seal the ribbon ends (my preferred method). You can get the tape at Michael's, Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart, that I know of. I like to go ahead and pre-cut the ribbon. Wrap it around the clip to determine how much you will need, and then cut it and seal the ends with a drop of Fray Check. Let it dry for a minute.

I cut two pieces of Terrifically Tacky Tape the length of the ribbon. Smooth the first piece down along the left side of the ribbon (see picture) and peel up the backing. Do the same with the second piece of tape along the right side of the ribbon.

Press one end of the ribbon down onto the back side of the clip, making sure to center it.

Continue pressing the ribbon onto the clip until you have finished lining it. Keep it centered, and smooth and press it flat as you go.

There: now you have a lined clip.

When making clips for fine baby/toddler hair, add something to make the clip "no slip." I use solid white shelf liner that I have only been able to find at The Container Store (fortunately the $5!!! roll will last literally forever). You could also use a little piece of velvet ribbon. I cut a little piece of shelf liner, back it with some Terrifically Tacky Tape and press it onto the ribbon-covered side of the clip.

Apply any embellishments you want with a hot glue gun, and you are finished. Some fun things I've used on clips are: buttons; scrapbooking button brads with the prongs removed; felt shapes; crochet flowers or embellishments; silk flowers, like the one above (it's center is made from a scrapbooking brad); beads; and combinations of these things. Have fun with it, and let me know if you have any questions!

Hee-Hawwwwww

2009-04-28T22:11:00.010-05:00

I am having a really weird week and have no time to make anything, read anything, do anything useful or online shop. So I present to you a collage of Etsy goodness related to my favorite animal, the friendly, fuzzy and adorably obstinate donkey. I hope you enjoy my momentary lack of focus. Top row: "Donkey On Strike" vintage figurine from Lookonmytreasures; sweet sleeping donkey photograph by Madrin Photography; That Donkey vintage book from Kelly's Vintage Goods. Middle row: "The Desert Donkey" art photo by Blue Citrus Art; vintage donkey needlepoint from Vintage Venatic; "Daring Donkey" art print by Stinkerpants. Bottom row: dish towel embroidered with vintage pattern by Tattletale Boutique; No-Good The Dancing Donkey (not a very nice title, but a cute picture) vintage book from Grandmother's Attic; hand-felted donkey with hen by Pleasantview Wool Arts.

Another Mother's Day Suggestion

2009-04-27T09:41:00.004-05:00

If anyone out there wants to send my husband a quick text or email, you might mention that the following AWESOME, retro pink Schwinn Cruiser is currently on sale at Target for $139.99. Also, I would really like a kids' seat to attach to the back. Thanks ever so much.

Charmed, I'm Sure

2009-04-27T09:37:00.007-05:00

I realize that I am the last person on the planet who needs to be looking at fabric shop websites. BUT it is my duty to tell you that Fat Quarter Shop is having a big sale that ends today on lots of awesome Moda "baked goods" (e.g., jelly rolls, honey buns, etc.). I, for one, am a big fan of the charm pack. Here are some that I really "NEED." Seriously, though, I love Fat Quarter Shop, and the turnaround time on orders is amazing.

Vintage Finds

2009-04-24T23:00:00.008-05:00

On a whim, I visited one of those gigantic antique barn places this afternoon. Two very nice things happened. Number one, my two-year-old not only did not break anything, she actually really enjoyed looking around at all the neat stuff. Number two, I walked away with this awesome vintage sewing bench (look for its makeover in a future post!) and vintage buttons for about $30 total.

Swatch Portraits

2009-04-23T21:35:00.005-05:00

Here is the beginning of my "swatch portrait" wall, i.e., my favorite fabrics hanging in "frames" made of cheapy wooden embroidery hoops. I wish I could say I invented the idea, but no. I found inspiration in the craft blog world, such as here and here and here. This is an inexpensive and easy way to look at your favorite fabrics every day (which is good when you are obsessed with your fabric, like I am).

Spring Crafting Inspiration

2009-04-21T22:25:00.006-05:00

Here are some lovely Etsy finds to inspire your Spring creativity. Top row: Jelly Bean the Bunny knitting pattern and kit by Amy Gaines; sweet clutch pattern by Hyper Art; Springy button assortment from Little Red Cottage. Middle row: hand-felted wool beads by Macies Lacies; pretty pink Dutch fabric from Holland Fabric House; sewing bits and pieces from Millalove. Bottom row: pink velvet ribbon from Caramelos; crocheted flower mix by Annie Design; vintage lime moonglow Lucite beads from Black Sheep Beads. Happy Spring!

Easy DIY Lamp Makeover

2009-04-20T17:08:00.008-05:00

Contrary to my husband's claims, I did not PURGE all of his things when we married and combined households almost six years ago. I did keep some things. Like this plain white lamp. I needed a little something for the spare bedroom, so I decided to fix up this lamp. I cut a strip of fabric about four inches wide and long enough to go all the way around the lamp with an extra inch or so of overlap. Then I made a little mark in pencil at the center of the lamp so the fabric strip would be center. I didn't sand or anything. I just slapped some Mod Podge onto the lamp and laid the fabric down on it. I smoothed as I went along to keep the fabric from gapping or having any air bubbles. Once it was dry, I used fabric glue to glue a piece of black grosgrain ribbon around the top and bottom of the fabric section. I added a new lamp shade from Target, et voila!

Recent Fabric Favorites

2009-04-13T14:20:00.008-05:00

I was perusing J. Caroline Creative, trying to restrain myself from making any purchases, and spotted a few fabrics that I "need."

1. Red Joyful Damask by Michael Miller fabrics. 2. Garden Friends Zig Zag Zoo in Mint by Jay McCarroll for Free Spririt fabrics. 3. Petal Flower Dot by Robert Kaufman fabrics. 4. Espresso Mingle Dot by Robert Kaufman fabrics. While there, I also spotted some ribbon I need, such as this fabulous Orange Waved Dots by Keri Beyer. It's sold in a 25-yard roll -- anybody want to go in on it with me???

Happy Easter With Help From Bloggy Friends

2009-04-09T13:47:00.005-05:00

I made the cutest, quickest Easter cards thanks to Lolly from Lollychops. She created darling Easter note cards, which I printed on cardstock, cut down to fit onto my blank greeting cards and attached with adhesive dots. I added a message and a picture of my sweet Texas bluebonnet on the inside, et voila! Bloggy folks are so nice and generous. Peruse my list over on the right for some of my favorites. Thank you, Lolly!

Fun Learning Magnets: Easy DIY

2009-04-05T14:16:00.015-05:00

These little magnets are super easy to make, and they can help your little one learn numbers, letters or whatever else you want to put on them. Here's how I made mine, but as you can see, it's not hard to alter this project based on what materials you have on hand. Start with unfinished wooden disks, like these, which you can buy at craft stores, and lightly sand them all over. I used 1.5 inch diameter disks.

Next, cut some paper the same size or slightly smaller than your disks. I happened to have a Fiskars punch that makes 1.5 inch circles, so I just used that.

As for paper, I used some little pieces of scrapbook paper, some leftover cardstock from another project and a recycled greeting card. Brush on a thin layer of Mod Podge onto a wooden disk, and place one of your paper circles on top. Smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles. After it dries, put on one or two more coats of Mod Podge. Lightly sand the disk again, paying particular attention to any paper overhanging the edges. Next, apply your magnet to the back of the disk. You can get round craft magnets like these at craft stores or on Etsy.

I applied these with Gorilla Glue, but you can used the adhesive of your choice. Once they are dry, you can hold onto the magnets while doing the next step -- keeps the Mod Podge off your fingers!

Apply another, thicker layer of Mod Podge, and place your letters, numbers, etc., on top.

If you are using chipboard, like I did, instead of regular paper, press it down for a few seconds so that it lays flat. I got a big bag of these cute chipboard numbers at JoAnn for $1! But of course you could use anything, like a letter or number you cut out from a magazine or die cut letters, etc.

Once everything is dry, finish the magnets by applying one or more additional coats of Mod Podge to the top side of the disk. Have fun with this super easy project!

DIY: Transform An IKEA Mini-Chest

2009-03-30T23:07:00.024-05:00

Here's the finished project! I love the way this turned out. I was winging it, so I didn't take pictures for a proper tutorial, but here is the how to. Gather these supplies:

IKEA Fira nine-drawer cabinet

Mod Podge (I used matte finish)

Craft paint (one small bottle should be enough)

Water-based clear varnish (I used CeramCoat)

Some fancy paper

Covered button blanks and covering kit

Some little fabric scraps for the drawer pulls

Little wooden cubes for mounting the drawer pulls

1. Start with the Fira mini-chest. It comes unassembled, so lightly sand all the pieces and then put it together with wood glue. This works better than trying to use the little nails that come with it. BEFORE you assemble, be sure to trace one of the drawer fronts (indicated by the black arrow) onto a piece of heavy cardstock or cardboard to make a template for your drawer front covers.

2. Gather your other supplies. I used nine different patterns of Heather Bailey Freshcut and Pop Garden scrapbook paper, and scraps from three coordinating Freshcut fabrics for the drawer pulls. Heavier, textured cardstock or paper works better than flimsier scrapbook paper. But both will work.

You'll also need Mod Podge. I used matte, but you could also use the lustre finish if you prefer. I used Gorilla Glue to attach the drawer pulls, but you could use whatever adhesive you choose. I painted the chest with FolkArt craft glue by Plaid in "Baby Pink," and I sealed everything with a top coat of Delta Ceramcoat Matter Interior Varnish (it's water-based and not noxious). I got all of my supplies at Michael's (but any craft store should have them).

3. Paint the exterior of the chest (interior, too, if you want . . . I did!) and the sides of each drawer. I used three coats of craft paint, followed by one coat of Mod Podge and one coat of varnish. Be sure to let every coat dry thoroughly before applying the next. I also lightly sanded between the painting and Mod Podge stages.

4. Using your drawer front template, trace nine drawer fronts on your paper and cut them out. Don't worry if they aren't perfect. Spread a thin coat of Mod Podge on the drawer front and lay your paper cutout on top, smoothing out any wrinkles or bubbles, as indicated by No. 1 below. The thinner paper is more susceptible to bubbling I found. Anyway, once the paper has dried, you can set the drawer, paper side down, on a self healing cutting mat and use an exacto knife to cut away any paper that overhangs. After the paper is secured to the drawer front, you can begin applying coat after coat of Mod Podge over the paper until you get the look you're after. I used six coats of Mod Podge, followed by a coat of varnish. After the first couple coats of Mod Podge, I sanded all around the edges of the drawer front to remove any last vestiges of overhanging paper and give it a slightly shabby look.

5. To make the drawer pulls (shown as No. 2 above), get nine cover button blanks and remove the little metal shanks from the back with small pliers. I used size 45 (1 1/8 in.) Dritz buttons, which you can get at JoAnn or other sewing stores, as well as online and from lots of Etsy sellers. Cover buttons with coordinating fabric. There are tons of tutorials on the internet showing how to do this, but really it's super easy (and fun and addicting but that's another story). Attach a small piece of wood to the back of the button with Gorilla Glue. I used these little cubes I found at Michael's in the unfinished wood section. Let dry completely. Attach buttons to drawer fronts with Gorilla Glue or other adhesive and let dry completely.

6. Once everything is dry, you can put the drawers in and start using your fancy new chest. This is one of those projects that end up looking like something that cost $100 at a shabby chic type store, but actually cost around $25-$30 to make. It's time consuming, but something you can work on for a bit, go do something else, and come back. I hope you enjoy this tutorial.

The "Before" Picture

2009-03-30T17:44:00.005-05:00

I love my latest project -- decorating an IKEA Fira 9-drawer mini-chest to use for storage in the craft room. You can buy this unassembled for $14.99 (in store only) and put it together with wood glue, rather than the itsy bitsy nails that come with it (thanks Dad and Husband for doing this boring part for me). I'll show you the finished project with instructions soon. Woo.

Finally, Felt

2009-03-28T23:08:00.004-05:00

I have been wanting to make felty projects for some time, and I finally ordered a sample pack of wool felt from Etsy seller Pixiexrose. Um, how did I not know that wool felt is so luxurious? I want to make sheets and a comforter out of it. Anway, I'll try to post some crafty felt links soon. Also, Pixiexrose has lovely buttons, and I've now purchased two packs from her. And no, I haven't used them yet. I like to just look at them.

Yes, It's Worth The Money

2009-03-25T11:03:00.007-05:00

I have been diligently saving Sephora gift cards for two years in order to buy a Clarisonic skin cleaning brush. In short, I was blessed with lovely, blemish-free skin until I turned 28. Then, like the birthday present no one wants, I woke up one day with awful skin. I have tried everything. I heard from my lovely friend Flamy that the Clarisonic was a must. I'm no physicist, but basically, the brush uses sonic waves (like the Sonicare toothbrush), to jar loose dirt and oil on the skin's surface and in the pores. Sooooo, once I had $200 in Sephora cards, I went down and got my brush this weekend. It works GREAT!!!! My skin was looking better after the first time I used it. It is going to take a while to see really good results, but at least there is hope.

Two Quick Birthday DIY's

2009-03-22T22:09:00.007-05:00

My little bitsy turns TWO tomorrow. Wow! We had a family birthday party Saturday evening, and I wanted to share a couple of super easy ideas. I think my failure to accomplish my crafty/decorating goals has been adequately documented, so I have decided to take it in stride and just show you what I am able to pull together. For the cake, I photocopied a chipboard "2" and enlarged it to the size I wanted. Then I printed it on cardstock and cut it out. I laid it right on the cake and outlined it with jelly beans. Then I lifted up the template off the cake. I used a funnel to fill it in with hot pink sprinkles. Easy peasy.

I wanted to make a fabric bunting or banner but ran out of time, so I improvised. I printed a few copies of this cool alphabet template from Martha Stewart on four colors of cardstock. I cut out the letters I needed and then stuck them onto crepe paper with a tiny bit of glue. I loosely draped each part of the banner across the mirror in the party room and taped it onto the sides of the mirror with scotch tape. I was surprised that it turned out so cute.

Easy Nursery Decor Ideas

2009-03-18T21:27:00.008-05:00

Here is my "baby's" nursery circa May 2007. My friend Stephanie took this amazing picture. There are a few easy and inexpensive things I did/made to decorate the nursery that I wanted to share. Sorry for the lame photography, but I took these on a whim.

Have you noticed that lots of calendars have 12 x 12 inch pages? This is a standard frame size, so you can easily decorate the nursery with art from a calendar. Look right after Christmas when they are marked down 75% off. These pages are from an "Il Piccolo Principe" (the Italian translation of The Little Prince) calendar that my sister-in-law bought for us in Rome on her honeymoon several years ago. The Little Prince is one of my favorite books, so the instant I saw this calendar, I knew it had to become nursery art someday. So, here are the fox, the prince and the sheep in 12 x 12 frames from Michael's (don't forget your coupon), hanging right over the dresser with changing pad. I have one of the prince with the rose on the other side of the room!

I got this little side table for next to the rocker at the Pottery Barn outlet. I got the little bunny porcelain box there, too. The lamp is from Pottery Barn Kids. I wanted to dress up the table since I knew it was mostly just decorative. I measured some cotton quilting fabric about 1.5 inches smaller than the table surface, plus seam allowance, sewed right sides together, trimmed excess, turned right-side out, pressed and slip-stitched the opening by hand. I actually glued on the grosgrain ribbon and little bows, but you could certainly put it on with fusible interfacing or Stitch Witchery or you could sew it on. The whole project cost probably $3. You can also spray it with Scotch Guard to make it easier to clean.

My child is now 35 inches tall, but I still haven't finished this little measuring stick. Oh well. It's an old board we found in the garage. Taped to get straight lines and painted with craft paint. I used Gorilla Glue to add pre-painted shapes from Michael's (get them on sale!). Or you could buy unpainted shapes and paint them any color you want. I am going to hang this about 24 inches off the ground and just mark my daughter's height right on it with pencil. This is a lot less stressful (and neater) than trying to make nice straight ruler lines all the way up the whole stick.

Last but not least, here is the latest project -- the hair clip board from the other day. I sanded an old wooden frame that was metallic gold, had my husband prime it with white spray paint and gave it about 2.5 coats of craft paint. I like the mottled look so I didn't add a third coat. I hung it up inside the closet. It's like a colorful little surprise when you open the door. By the way, if I could do it over again, I would have used a larger canvas. I didn't realize we had so many clips.

I'm Back . . . Woo

2009-03-15T21:37:00.006-05:00

So I finally got a chance to make something. I really have spent the last two weeks de-Marthaing and putting everything into nice, neat binders. Now that I am finished, I decided to work on a project I've wanted to do for a while -- a covered canvas to hold hair clips, following this easy peasy tutorial by the lovely Julie at Joy's Hope. I used Michael Miller Waterlily fabric in blush and some green grosgrain ribbon from Michael's. I also found an old frame, which has been sanded, painted and is currently drying in the garage. I'll update when it's framed and in place. This is seriously the easiest project on the planet, and I got the canvas at Michael's for $8.99, less 40% off coupon. This could be a gift that looks much more expensive than it cost to make.

Five Etsy Favorites: Abstract Art

2009-02-27T11:37:00.005-06:00

You might have seen a couple of these before, because I posted about the artists when I bought something from them. I would so love to have artistic abilities, but I don't. Maybe that's why I have 20-something pages of artist favorites on Etsy. For example, I love these bubbles with a woody-looking texture from Goodbloom:

JennSki, how I love thee.

I am the proud owner of two Krista Peel prints. I think I need this one too, though.

Oh how I love Rachel Austin. I already have one of her tulip prints in my living room, but now I want this one, too!

Okay, so technically these gorgeous peonies by Yumi Yumi aren't abstract, but I love them anyway. I think this print has been on my favorites list for about two years. I should probably just go ahead and buy one.

Adios, Martha

2009-02-24T22:49:00.004-06:00

No, the magazine isn't folding (unlike all my other faves....love you Domino, Craft....mean it). BUT I am having a major de-cluttering moment and am actually pulling out all the stuff I want from 10 years of Marthas and putting them into fancy binders, like the ones Glue Gun Annie did (thanks for the inspiration). I'll post pictures when it's all organized. I know this is sacrilege to some, but I had to get all that stuff out of my craft room. It's on its way to recycle as we speak.

It's Amazing . . .

2009-02-17T23:14:00.006-06:00

That when you clean and organize your crafty/creative space, you can actually get things done. All your supplies are where they are supposed to be. You don't waste time looking for things. After five years of a messy craft room, it is finally clean. With that said, here's what I made tonight:

Two super-cute felt cuff bracelets for my little girl using Katie's amazing tutorial from her blog, Katie's Nesting Spot. Thanks Katie -- these turned out so cute! Next, a couple of shirts for a friend whose son is turning two. She also wanted something for his 6 month old brother. You can make shirts like this too -- see my simple applique tutorial.

Old Tank Top Becomes Cute Tunic

2009-02-15T17:30:00.006-06:00

You may remember that I wanted to recreate this Boden top. Well, around the same time, I found this awesome teeshirt dress tutorial from The Long Thread. Yay. So here's what I came up with -- a recycled tank top from last summer that is too short, but still fits in the chest, plus some Anna Griffin ikat fabric. I think this will look so cute with white capris and sandals this summer.

Cute Clips

2009-02-14T18:38:00.005-06:00

This afternoon I put together some barrettes for my little girl using Anne's awesome tutorial. I think they turned out so cute! Now I just have to convince the child to leave them in her hair.

Fabric-Covered Photo Album Tutorial

2009-02-13T21:03:00.008-06:00

As mentioned, I am borderline-obsessed with covering photo albums in fabric. This little how-to represents the first time I've used regular cotton quilting fabric as opposed to home decor weight fabric. Honestly, the home decor fabric ones look nicer than this one. But the good news is that using lighter-weight fabric did not make the process any more difficult. Okay, so go get a photo album, some fabric (I used about 1/2 yard for this album, which is about 8 x 11 x 3, and had some nice scraps left over), a sponge applicator, some water and some tacky glue. If you want to decorate the album with appliques (like the "m" below) or ribbons or buttons, etc., go get those too.

The key to a really nice looking finished product is to get the right album. Check out the spine -- the ones that look like this are easy to cover over with a little tab of fabric. I find most of mine at TJ Maxx-type stores, but I've found some at Target, too.

Open up your album on top of your fabric, and wrap the fabric around the album to see approximately how much you'll need. Then cut your fabric. It's kind of like figuring how much paper you will need to wrap a present.

Since I am putting a design on my album, I lined up the the fabric to get it even, then peeled the backing off the letter (see my earlier applique tutorial for more information) and stuck it to the fabric.

Next, I ironed on the applique. If you are gluing on embellishments, as opposed to sewing or embroidering, etc., you can do it after you finish covering the album. The one I posted yesterday is like that - I glued on the ribbon and fabric letter as the last step.

Next, I sewed on the applique letter. I've also made albums where I embroidered something on the fabric before covering the album with it.

Mix up your water and tacky glue. Put the glue in first, then add water until you get the right consistency -- a little bit watery so you can easily apply it with the sponge brush. You should be able to squeeze it out of the sponge brush, which you won't be able to do unless you use enough water.

Paint the back side of the album with your glue mixture, including all around the edges, and lay it on your fabric. Smooth it down with your hands to get out any bubbles under the fabric. Do the spine next, then the front.

Get some scissors, and cut a straight line from the edge of the fabric to the spine at the top and bottom edge. This is the notch of fabric you'll be tucking into the spine in the next step.

Use a letter opener, knitting needle, popsicle stick, etc., to push the tab of fabric into the spine of the book, as shown in this picture. Be sure to put just a little glue on the bottom of the spine before you tuck in the fabric, and then smooth any bumps with your fingers.

Now fold the fabric onto the inside cover and glue with your tacky glue mixture. Fold in the corners as shown below, and glue the fabric at the bottom and top of the inside cover as well. Don't worry if it looks messy, because you'll be covering it up in the next step. If you end up with bulky extra fabric, you can trim that off.

Measure the "white" spaces on the insides of each cover, and cut rectangles of fabric to cover the white and slightly overlap the cover fabric. Use pinking shears for a neater look. Glue it down just like you glued on the cover, and smooth it out with your hands.

And there you have it. I hope the instructions are clear because it really is a fun and easy project. The fabric I used is from Heather Bailey's Pop Garden and Bijoux lines. Let me know if you have any questions!

Tomorrow

2009-02-12T20:49:00.003-06:00

I have covered some photo albums with fabric, and it's super easy. I'll post a how-to tomorrow. I must warn you that it's addictive! You'll be out at TJ Maxx (my secret source) scrounging through the piles looking for albums to cover.

Valentine Blog Love: Zakka Life

2009-02-11T11:05:00.006-06:00

The lovely Jessica at Zakka Life brings us a blog full of sweet crafty how-to's and lovely photographs, and her projects are often featured on Craftzine. This is one of those blogs where I pretty much bookmark every tutorial with plans to try it out when I have time. One of my favorite things about the blog is its title -- Zakka Life. Although there are several popular definitions of the Japanese "zakka" concept, my favorite is "finding the savvy in the ordinary and mundane." For me, that's the key to leading a happy life! Anyway, back to the blog. For Valentine's Day, I love this heart sequin bookmark and free downloadable snail Valentine card. Precious.

I'm also a big fan of pompoms, so I can't wait until my little girl has enough hair to wear this pompom ponytail holder.

(All images are the property of Jessica at Zakka Life.) More Valentine blog love tomorrow!