Crafty Little Chick

New Blog!

2009-10-21T20:50:00.002-04:00

Hi to all of the blog stalkers who follow this blog! :)

It is really hard to keep up with two babies and two blogs, so I'll be combining our family blog and my craft blog into one! I know this blog has been neglected because I just don't have time to keep up with both of them, but hopefully now I'll be more motivated to post more tutorials and craft ideas on the new blog.

You can now visit us at www.ourhappylittlenest.blogspot.com.

Hope we'll see you soon at the new website!

Mary Catherine

Monogramming

2009-10-01T13:49:00.003-04:00

Woo Hoo! Look who finally learned how to monogram!

My mom and I spent 4 hours with her sewing machine last Friday afternoon because I really wanted to add a monogram to this pillowcase dress I had made my friend before giving it to her at her shower on Sunday. Now that we've figured it out, I've already started making a list of all of the outfits I want to sew for my girls.

I made a quick run into Hancock Fabrics this morning and their embroidery thread was 50% off. I stocked up on every color I think we will possibly need and plan on having a monogramming party this weekend while my husband is off hunting. I hope to have some cute things to share this weekend!

New Doll

2009-09-30T20:20:00.003-04:00

I've been dying to share this little doll the past several weeks, but she was a gift for a sweet friend who is expecting her first daughter so I had to keep her to myself until after the baby shower! The theme for her nursery is inspired by the cutest matryoshka doll fabric so I made her this doll to go in the nursery. I hope it will be something she will love to play with!

Just My Luck!

2009-09-01T15:42:00.009-04:00

We've been in our house for almost 18 months and I'm finally ready to start decorating our living room. It needs a little freshening up. The two words that come to mind when I think about this room in our house are BLA and RECTANGLE. When we moved in, I just found a place for our furniture and have put little effort into making it a cozy and comfortable room for our family to spend time in.

My major hang up has been our sofa. It was the first piece of furniture my husband and I bought together for our first home and I anxiously waited for weeks for it to be delivered. When the delivery men brought it into the house, I was SO DISAPPOINTED. The fabric that I choose when ordering the sofa looked white in the store, but the couch that was sitting in my den looked more like a yellowish buttercream! BLEH!

For 4 years I have tried to decorate around this sofa, but let me tell you...NOTHING goes with yellow buttercream.

I forgot to take a "before" picture of the couch. Just to give you an idea, imagine an entire couch the color of this pillow. See what I mean? It isn't a white or a khaki or a cream. The nicest thing I can call it is yellow buttercream.

So for several months now, I've been collecting pictures of rooms that I love online for decorating inspiration. Here are just a few examples...

Do you see a theme developing here?

As I flipped through them one night I realized they all had one thing in common...

A White Sofa!

I didn't even realize I was picking out all pictures with white sofas until looking at them all at one time. I guess I'm just drawn to that look.

************************************************************

However, I couldn't justify buying a new sofa when ours is in perfect condition.

Next thought, "I'll have it slipcovered." After getting several quotes I realized that having it slip covered would be just as expensive as buying a new one.

Then I had the grand idea of sewing my own slipcover. Ha! I tried practicing on a chair first and quickly became discouraged. (Have I mentioned before that I like my projects to be quick and not too involved...following a pattern is not my idea of fun).

Then one night when I was about to drift off to sleep, I had a crazy idea. I was too excited to relax so I had to jump out of bed to go measure my couch. I remembered seeing a couch on the Ikea website that looked almost identical to my Broyhill sofa. Could I dare to hope that the two sofas were close enough in size that the Ikea slipcover would fit on my couch?????

The dimensions were almost identical, give or take an inch or two here and there. Do you know how much Ikea's white slipcover cost? Drumroll please....

$49.99!!!!!

I ordered Ikea's slipcover and hoped for the best. As soon as UPS delivered it, I tore into the package and immediately started trying the slipcover on piece by piece, holding my breath as each cushion fit perfectly into the slipcover. I didn't let myself get too excited until I put the slipcover over the actual sofa part and wouldn't you know? IT FIT!!!! The girls just watched me in awe as I squealed and danced around the room. Our yellow couch is gone and in its place is a beautiful white sofa!! And even better, it is slipcovered so when it gets dirty (and it will with babies and toddlers climbing on it all day long) I just have to throw it in the wash and it will be clean again.

Oh happy day!!

This is the only picture I have of it right now.

Sorry! After all of that build up, this is all I have to show for it! :)

I'm picking out fabric for pillows and window treatments and will hopefully have the room ready for pictures soon enough.

I just wanted to post this idea so that if there are other people with the same predicament that I was in, they can consider this as an option. The slipcover was for Ikea's Ektorp sofa, which is a very basic and common design that many people have. This idea could also possibly work for recovering chairs if they were close enough in size.

Nursery Room Favorites

2009-08-27T13:03:00.008-04:00

Caroline is already 12 weeks old and I have yet to finish up the nursery! We've been piecing it together bit by bit since June and here are some of my favorite things from this little room of the house:

I LOVE this fabric (Gypsy Spring) and found some online to make the dust ruffle and had enough left over scraps to recover the shade on the floor lamp.

For artwork over the crib, I replaced the sailboats with a set of flowers that I also created using leftover scrap-booking paper I had from previous projects. All four prints together say "Mary Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?" and I love the way they coordinate perfectly with her butterfly mobile.

Her room wouldn't be complete without a Rosie Posie doll, and I snagged this pillow from Anna Cate's room (which is STILL a work in progress) for now to use in the crib.

This print from Sarah Jane Studios is another one of my favorite things in her nursery. I found the frame from Goodwill for 50 cents and gave it a facelift with some white Krylon paint. I love the little detailing on the frame - it is subtle, but adds just a little character to picture.

This little shelf hangs over the dresser we also use as a changing table. I'm looking for a white mirror to hang over the dresser, but for now, this is how we have the little shelf decorated until I can find just the right mirror to replace it.

And last, but certainly not least, this is probably my most favorite thing about her nursery...the little ballerina who can't seem to leave her little sister alone long enough for her to even take a nap! Caroline's crib is the first place Anna Cate runs in the morning to get her sister up and she constantly is asking to get her while Caroline is napping. So sweet!

Visionary

2009-08-21T22:29:00.003-04:00

Anybody who can take this:

And this:

To make this:

Has my utmost admiration!!

I have become obsessed lately with all things related to home decor. We have been in our house for over a year and a half and I have yet to decorate it. While looking for ideas and inspiration, I stumbled across this blog, Life in the Fun Lane and am in awe of the vision this girl has! I'm all about shopping at Goodwill and thrift stores, but I have to admit that I most likely would have walked right past these two pieces without a second thought.

Another great blog full of ideas and inspiration for decorating on a budget is The Nesting Place. If you are in need of any ideas for your home, you should definitely check these girls out!

Frugal Headboard Take 2

2009-07-15T15:09:00.002-04:00

I had planned to post a picture and tutorial of a cute apron, but my camera battery died and I have no time to charge it and get a picture of the apron before my two little ones wake up from their nap, so instead I'll share a quick project I did this past weekend.

Anna Cate destroyed the first headboard I made for her room several weeks ago during her nap time. You know, the one I made from foam board? I had to strip her room of all of toys because she plays with them when she is supposed to be napping. Because she couldn't find a toy or book to play with, this particular afternoon she decided to see what else she could occupy her time with and decided on her headboard. When I went to get her up from her nap, it was bent over in half. So much for that idea.

This past Friday afternoon I found this headboard at His House for $10. I brought it home and with just a little sandpaper and two cans of white satin spray paint, she now has a new headboard. I actually like this one 100 times better and it was a fraction of the cost! Now I'm on a hunt for a bedside table...

Lesson learned: Never make an upholstered headboard for a toddler's bedroom!

Before:

After:

Butterfly Mobile

2009-07-09T14:27:00.003-04:00

Ok so I realize that this has totally become a baby blog and for that I apologize! I just have very few moments for projects these days and so the things I choose to make usually revolve around one of the girls!

In an attempt to make Caroline's room more girly, I've hung this mobile over her crib and must admit that these butterflies are some of my most favorite things I've made. I originally made them two years ago for a mobile in Anna Cate's room and was excited to get to pull them out again when we found out that Caroline was a girl!

The project was very easy and super inexpensive:

Embroidery Hoop - $0.75

White Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards) - $ 3.75

Clear Fishing String - spool for $1.50

Pink Beads - $2.50

Jewerly Wire - $1.50

Heat n Bond - $2.00

Fabric samples - Free!

I collected them from various fabric stores. Most fabric stores will have pre-cut samples pinned to the large bolts of fabric for customer's to take. If you do this, just be sure to grab 4 of each sample because you'll need two pieces of fabric to make one wing of the butterfly.

Total Cost of Project: $12

(Much cheaper than the ridiculously expensive ones you see from Pottery Barn or Land of Nod and even cuter & personalized if I do say so myself!)

Directions:

Step 1: Start by using the jewelry wire and beads to make the body of the butterfly. You'll want to cut the length of the wire 4 times longer than you want the length of the body (party that looks like a worm) to be. After you finish stringing the beads, fold the wire in half and then twist to form the butterfly's body.

Step 2: Draw a template of the wings on a piece of paper and cut out. Use this as a reference to know how big to make your fabric squares. Using your Heat N Bond, fuse together two pieces of matching fabric. Trace your wing template onto fabric and then cut out a wing. Repeat this step 3 more times to get a total of 4 wings for each butterfly.

Step 3: Hot glue the top wing to the bottom wing so that they form one piece with the top wing overlapping the bottom wing.

Step 4: Using a needle and thread, stitch the half of the butterfly (top and bottom wing glued together) to the beaded body. Repeat for other side. You should now have a complete butterfly.

Step 5: Cut two small pieces of thin ribbon about 2 inches each. Hot glue each end of the ribbon to the back of each side of the butterfly. This creates a "loop" for you to thread the fishing string through.

Step 6: String up each butterfly and attach it to your mobile base. Then use a white cup holder hook to screw into the ceiling to hang the mobile from.

Hint: There are several items you can use as the base for your mobile. I originally tried glueing two wooden dowels together in the shape of an "X," but this wasn't the best method to use if you want the mobile to hang level. You can use an embroidery hoop like I did for my fish mobile if you want a round shape. For Caroline's room, I used the base that my mom found that had been my mobile when I was a baby. You could easily create a base like this by using some tinker toys if you had access to a set.

Indecisive!

2009-05-14T15:08:00.007-04:00

Several weeks ago I decided that I didn't like the polka dotted bumper that I made for the nursery - for boy OR girl! I know, I know...this pregnancy has made me so indecisive! But it just wasn't my style and I couldn't come up with any artwork or accessories to coordinate with the polka dots.

My wheels started turning on what to do. I definitely had to use what I already had on hand to come up with something because I wasn't going to spend any money not knowing what we are having.

For a boy, I started with this PBK Sailboat bumper I had stored away in the linen closet from a bid I accidently won (don't ask!) on Ebay for $5 when I was pregnant with AC.

I saw some sailboat artwork on another friend's blog and used it as inspiration to create some artwork with scrapbook paper to hang over the crib.

I used some fabric scraps to make a sailboat pillow for the rocking chair that coordinates with the sailboat artwork on the wall.

Then I used some more fabric scraps, ribbon, and a large embroidery hoop to make this little fish mobile to hang in the corner of the room. The mobile is hanging directly over the ac vent, which makes the little fish slowly spin every time the air is on. They are so whimsical and colorful and I love how they turned out!

I also picked up this little wooden sailboat at Michael's for $1.99. I painted it and put it on the little shelf above the changing table.

I haven't taken any pictures yet of the things I've done if we have a girl. Maybe I'll have time tomorrow and can post those soon. They are equally as cute and I'm really getting anxious to see what we are having!

DIY Wedding Gift Ideas

2009-04-16T20:21:00.003-04:00

Monogrammed Candle

My sweet friend, Hannah, made this monogrammed candle for me for Christmas this year and I love it!! I thought it would make a great gift for a wedding or shower gift for a new bride-to- be.

She said it was very easy to make. She just found a font in Word that she liked and printed out the letters in the monogram. She then used a pencil to trace over the letters onto the candle to make an outline of the letters in the wax. Finally, she used a paint pen to color in the letters of the monogram!

Monogrammed Plates

Photo from 320 Sycamore

And I love this idea from another blog I stumbled across this week. You can't actually eat off of the plates, but they would look great hanging in a kitchen.

Melissa takes you through an easy step-by-step tutorial of turning any plate into a beautiful monogrammed gift for someone special!

2009-04-15T15:57:00.004-04:00

My sister called last night and asked me to make something for a friend of hers who is having a baby shower on Thursday. She is a big Clemson fan and is having a little girl this April. This is what I came up with and OH MY GOSH HOW CUTE!! All this cute girly baby stuff I've been sewing lately is really making me wish this next baby is a girl too!

I didn't take pictures while I was making this one, but I have a request for a few more and will be sure to take pictures so I can make a quick tutorial to share soon!

Project Review - Frugal Bedroom Makeover

2009-03-31T15:47:00.007-04:00

I'm on a roll folks! I realize this is my 4th (yes 4th!) post of the day, but all of my house work is done, my sweet baby is napping, and I have so many ideas and projects I've been wanting to share that I'm just going to keep on going until duty calls me elsewhere!

This is the only "before" picture of her room I could find! It was taken last May when we first moved in. As you can see, the room is empty and bare!

My goal was to decorate her room on a budget of $300. This INCLUDED having to buy the furniture, bedding, and accessories. ( I know *GASP GASP* but it CAN be done!) ;)

I had originally found a green and white floral sham and quilt that I was going to use in the room, but ended up returning it to the store when my mother-in-law gave me a roll (about 4 yards worth) of pink and white stripped fabric that she had left over from years ago when my sister-in-law was a little girl. It is sweet, soft, and feminine and least of all...free! ;)

We found a white bedspread at TJ Maxx for $20. I love using white. It is so versatile and neutral and makes it super easy to change the look later down the road. Using the pink and white stripe fabric, I made her a bedskirt and sham for the bed. I also made a cute little turtle throw pillow from scrap fabric from the sewing room.

The headboard was made using this tutorial I found on the BHG website. I plan on having her monogram added to the top, but haven't done so yet. The total cost for the headboard supplies was around $30.

Remember this tutorial that I shared earlier this month on how to turn your mini blinds into functional shades? Well I tried it out in Anna Cate's room and guess what?!? It IS easy to do, they DO work fabulously, and it turned out to be a SUPER INEXPENSIVE solution for the time being! On that project we spent a whopping $0 because the blinds were already up in her room and the fabric was free.

I recovered an existing lampshade that we already had in a pink and white polka dot fabric and her little rug we already had from the nursery in our old house. The little patch work quilt at the foot of her bed was something else I kept from her nursery.

The room still has a ways to go until it is finished. Now its time to focus on all of the fun little details. I need to decide on a paint color for the walls. I also have some fun ideas (thanks to the new Pottery Barn Kids catalog) for projects to add some accessories and artwork, but it is starting to all come together now that the basics have been taken care of!

Recovering a Lampshade Tutorial

2009-03-31T14:44:00.010-04:00

This is a project I've been meaning to share for awhile now, but haven't had the time to sit down and write up the tutorial. I recovered my first lamp shade two years ago while decorating my daughter's nursery. I found a great deal on a floor lamp at TJ Maxx, but the fabric on the shade did not match the decor in the nursery. Out of necessity, I learned how EASY it is to customize a shade that will look like you bought it from a pricey designer store!

I was in one of my favorite furniture stores last year with my mom and about fell on the floor when I saw a lampshade for sale for $150 (!!!!) that was covered in some Amy Butler fabric I had sitting in my sewing room! I'm sorry for whoever bought that lamp! You can create the exact same thing for under $20 (fabric included) if you know where to look for your shade.

I've found the best places to find them cheap are at thrift stores like Goodwill or His House. People toss out old lamp shades all of the time and you can find some really interesting shapes that look like they've come straight from a designer magazine when recovered with the right fabric! Ask around and see if any of your family or friends have extras sitting in their attic they no longer need or want. If all else fails, Target sells a basic white square shade for around $6 that can clip onto any lamp base.

First lampshade I recovered for Anna Cate's nursery

This one was given to me by my friend's mom who bought a lamp from TJMaxx but didn't like the original fabric on the shade. I love the unique shape of this one!

Let's Get Started!

Materials Needed:

-Lampshade

-Fabric of your Choice

-No Sew Fabric Glue

-Heat N Bond Hem Tape

-Iron

-Scissors

-Clothespins or Paper clips

-Newspaper

Step 1: Using a sheet of the newspaper, trace one of the sides of the shade to create a pattern. Depending on how many sides your shade has (most have 4 or 6), use this paper pattern to cut out the correct number you will need from your fabric.

Now measure the length (top to bottom of shade) of one of the sides. Cut appropriate number of strips you will need to cover the edges of your lamp. I usually cut my strips about 1 1/4 inches wide, but you can make them wider if you so desire.

You will also need a strip of fabric for the top and bottom circumference of the shade.

Step 2: Take each strip of fabric and lay it out flat. Now cut a piece of the Heat N Bond Hem tape that is the same length as your strip of fabric. Lay the hem tape down the center of the strip and iron in both sides so that they meet. As you iron, the hem tape will glue the fabric together to form a finished edging for the lamp. Repeat this step until all of your strips have been ironed together.

Step 3: Now take your fabric glue and apply around all 4 edges of one of the sides of the lamp. Carefully place one of your pre-cut fabric pieces over the face of the shade and smooth to make sure there are no wrinkles. Repeat for all sides of the lamp. (*Please note that I do not spread glue over the entire side of the shade. Just glueing the edges will hold the fabric secure, making it easy to take apart if you ever wish to recover the shade in the future).

Step 4: Now take the fabric strips you just ironed and glue them to each corner of the shade. This strip of fabric should cover over the seams where your fabric is glued to give it a finished edge.

Step 5: Almost finished! All you have to do now is glue the strips of fabric around the top and bottom of the lamp to completely finish off all of the raw edges. I usually will fasten paper clips to the edges while the glue dries to ensure that it is securely fastened to the shade.

Step 6: Now enjoy using your new lampshade! :)

Free Pattern Roundup

2009-03-31T13:37:00.008-04:00

In my search for ideas to make some cute spring clothes for Anna Cate this year, I've come across some fun and easy tutorials that I thought I'd share in case anybody else wanted to put them to good use!

Pillow Case Dress Tutorial

Project Time: About an Hour

Total Cost: Under $10

(could be much less depending on your fabric selection!)

Easy Peasy Toddler Belt

Project Time: 20 minutes

Total Cost: Less than $3.00

(I was in a hurry when I made this pink belt because I made it out of the necessity to hold her little pants up! I just used fabric I already had on hand from the dolls; however, if you had the time, you could make the cutest patchwork belt for children or adults using this pattern! Think "Vineyard Vines" catalog)

Lazy Day Skirt Tutorial

Project Time: Around 30 minutes

Total Cost: Under $5.00

(Again, it all depends on how much you want to spend on your fabric. I found this in a remnant bin at Hobby Lobby for $1.00)

Tutorial on Adding Ruffles to an existing Pattern for Pants

(Photo courtesy of Jump Up and Down's blog)

I have not tried this project yet, but it looks simple enough and oh so cute!

Ruffled Skirt Tutorial

(Photo Courtesy of Grand Revival's Design Blog)

Another project that I'm itching to try...though she may be a bit young this year to wear this style skirt.

The Bandanna Skirt Tutorial

(Photo Courtesy of V and Co's Blog)

I know, I know...another skirt tutorial! But how can you resist when they are so cute and easy!

Sweet Mary Jane Baby Shoes

Ok, this pattern isn't free. Sorry! :(

I've looked and looked online for a pattern for Baby Maryjane's but haven't been able to find one. I made these shoes from a pattern I purchased from an esty shop, Precious Patterns, for $3.00. However, they only took about 30 minutes to make and the pattern is really easy to follow! (they look way harder to make than they actually are) I've already made several pair for baby shower gifts. Because I've been so pleased with the pattern, I thought I'd pass along the info!

Sweet Bunny Dress

2009-03-31T07:09:00.009-04:00

I had to take a break the other night from smocking Anna Cate's Easter dress to work on a quick, fun Easter project. I'd much rather work on a little project that can be completed in an hour instead of one that takes night after night of my attention!

Using the Simplicity A line dress pattern (best $3.50 I've spent at Wal-Mart!) I fashioned this little bunny dress for her to wear around for spring. Instead of taking the time to add the buttons and button holes, I just made the shoulder straps a bit longer so that they can tie. Easy fast fix that looks adorable! She can wear this style dress with a little white top or later, when the weather warms up, by itself as a sundress. It turned out so cute and was so easy that I'm already looking for more fabric to sew up some other sundresses for her to wear this summer.

It's a good thing my grandmother doesn't read this blog because she'd have me skinned alive if she saw Anna Cate outside barefooted before May 1st! Funny that has always been one of her strict rules. :)

Nursing Cover Tutorial

2009-03-27T13:33:00.003-04:00

photo courtesy of the Bebe Au Lait website

I wanted to share this super easy tutorial I found online for making your own nursing cover. This project took a total of 45 minutes to complete! I made one last week for a friend who is having a baby and I'm planning on making myself one too. Of course, I forgot to take a picture of it before the baby shower, but the finished product looks just like the "Hooter Hiders" they sell in upscale boutiques.

**FYI - The tutorial calls for 1/2 yard of Corset Boning, which I was able to find at Hancock Fabrics for 99 cents a yard.

Betting on a Boy

2009-03-25T14:22:00.010-04:00

No, not really! :) You would just think that is what we are having if you were to see the nursery right now.

Everybody else seems to think this sweet little baby is going to be a boy, but I don't have any strong feelings either way. At first, I strongly felt it was a boy, but now that I'm working on the nursery, I feel more like it is a girl (but maybe that is just because the nursery is BLUE!) With Anna Cate we were both pretty convinced that she was a girl, so this next one will truly be a surprise either way.

I decided to just use a soft whitish blue paint "Sweet Slumber" that we had left over from painting a bathroom in our old house. It matched the rocker and is very soft and soothing. Then, I found a cute polka dotted sheet set at TJ Maxx for $30. After MUCH deliberation, I decided that no, it doesn't look too "boyish" and the polka dots could work if this baby is a girl. Right, right?? (At least this is what I'm telling myself!)

I made a crib bumper slipcover for Anna Cate's old bumper from the flat sheet and Will's mom found the Pottery Barn curtains for me at the outlet on sale for $2.50!!!

The dust ruffle is just a pair of curtain panels (blue & white stripe) that I made for AC's nursery that match the rocker. I put them up this weekend because I ran out of time to sew something before a shower that I had at our house on Saturday and this at least helped to give it a more finished look. However, I'm a perfectionist and it bothers me that the blues don't perfectly match!

I've decided if the baby is a girl, I'll hang the letters of her name over the crib with white ribbon. Maybe all of the bows will give it more of a girly look. :) If it is a boy, I have several cute ideas (involving elephants, giraffes, and lions) for artwork that will hang over the crib.

The room is FAR from being ready, but at least I'm making progress.

Fancy Washing Gloves

2009-03-25T14:07:00.003-04:00

Several years ago, I made some fun gloves for the girls in my Bible Study. It was a group of newly married ladies and our teacher was encouraging us to find joy in our work at home (washing dishes, folding laundry, dusting, etc.) I made a pair for each girl so they could have a little more fun while standing over those dirty dishes at the kitchen sink! :)

I had totally forgotten about them until one of my friends who was in the Bible study requested several pair for some wedding gift baskets she was putting together. The first ones I made had sequins dangling from the ribbon, but she requested some fabric flowers instead and they turned out SO CUTE! I wanted to share this idea because it would make a darling gift (birthday, Mother's Day, wedding, shower, etc) for almost any lady! You just sew the ribbon around the base of the glove and then make two fabric flowers to attach to each one.

* I used the white Mr. Clean brand gloves that are lined with a soft flannel. They hold up much longer than the regular yellow kind and the soft inside makes them feel more plush! I can usually find them in Wal-Mart.

**You may experience some trouble sewing the ribbon to the glove with a sewing machine. I had to try several times to get the machine to stitch the ribbon without tearing the glove. You may choose to hand-stitch the ribbon instead.

"Ruthie"

2009-03-06T14:06:00.004-05:00

I wanted to share this special doll because she is truly one of a kind and has such a sweet story behind her creation.

Her name is "Ruthie" and she is a very special present for Gracie, who's 3rd birthday is later this month. Gracie's mom, Heather, contacted me about making her because her own mother passed away 3 years ago while Heather was pregnant with Gracie. She wanted her daughter to have a special keepsake of her grandmother so she mailed me some of her mom's old clothes to use to make a doll. Gracie requested that she have black eyes, light pink lips, and a pink bow. She also wanted her to be named "Ruthie." She turned out so precious that it was hard for me to let her go! I hope Gracie will love her for years to come.

Shades From Mini Blinds

2009-03-04T14:39:00.004-05:00

Just thought I'd share this tutorial that I found on a decorating blog, Little Green Notebook, that teaches you how to turn ordinary mini blinds into beautiful & functional shades. No sewing involved!! I can not wait to try this out for our kitchen!

For months I've been thinking about what to use as window treatments. I don't like blinds, nor do I like traditional curtains, but this just may be exactly what we need. Thank goodness I haven't thrown out the blinds I took down in AC's room and the nursery. I have all of the materials... if I could only find the time!

Amazing Frugal Makeover

2009-03-04T14:28:00.002-05:00

This makeover was just too amazing and inspiring not to share!! One of my favorite blogs to check everyday is Resolved 2 Worship. This amazing mom of 6 (soon to be 7!) is so creative and inspiring that she never ceases to impress me with all of her energy and just her overall outlook on life.

Her family recently had to move into a rental home and they were unable to find a landlord who would rent to a family with that many small children. Their only option was to make their home in a commercial building. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she has beautifully TRANSFORMED the building into a lovely home for her family only using the resources she has available. And I thought I was a frugal decorator!! You have to check out her blog for yourself to see the results she has achieved just using what she already had and combining it with "side of the road" finds.

Just a few of the "before" and "after" shots"

KITCHEN BEFORE:

KITCHEN AFTER:

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE:

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER:

Sweet Sarah Kate

2009-03-04T13:52:00.003-05:00

I have a mini baby shower this evening for one of the girls in our Bunco group. She is having her first baby, Sarah Kate, in April so we are throwing her a surprise shower tonight - fun fun fun!

How adorable did this little onsie and burp set turn out?!? I just love it and wish I was going to be the one opening it tonight. :) This is what I really miss since we always wait to find out what we are having... all of the cute boy or girl gifts. I'll just have to enjoy making the cute stuff for others until I know what we are having.

Not that I'm complaining because it is all worth the wait in the end. I can think of no greater rush than being in the delivery room and hearing the doctor announce, "Congratulations! It's a ...!" Ohhhh I get goosebumps thinking we get to do it all over again in just a few months!

Crafting Project ADD

2009-02-04T15:06:00.002-05:00

I don't know if it is the winter blues or if it has something to do with hormonal imbalance due to pregnancy, but I have a serious problem right now with ADD - specifically related to crafting projects that are on my "to do" list! (Maybe I just subconsciously know how little time I'll have once the baby gets here in June so I'm anxious to make make make while I still have some free time!)

Have I finished AC's room or the nursery you may ask? Of course not! However, while they still sit waiting to be finished, I've moved onto more "pressing" issues, like the lack of spring clothes that are in AC's closet and my desire to sew up an entire new wardrobe for her. My cousin Stephanie invited me to a house show in her neighborhood this weekend of ADORABLE children's clothing by Just Ducky because she thought it would give me some ideas for stuff to make for AC. Oh did it ever! I have so many ideas floating around in my head and only so much time to make them! I'm trying to be very good and use up the fabric I already have on hand in my sewing room to make some cute dresses and outfits for her, but I don't know how long I can resist the urge to go buy some colorful spring fabric!

I've found several free tutorials online for some cute stuff I'm going to try to sew. Stay tuned because I plan on sharing them here, along with a review on how easy (or not!) they were to make. :)

Pic of a super simple "pillow case" dress I made last summer... instructions to soon follow! ;)

A Little Sweetness for Valentine's Day

2009-02-02T13:41:00.002-05:00

Several new dolls to celebrate the month of February...

And a cute little accent pillow too!

Easy Monogram Wall Plates

2009-01-22T12:12:00.004-05:00

I picked up these oval wooden plaques yesterday at Wal-Mart for 97 cents a piece! I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do with them, but they looked like they had the potential for cuteness. :) While Will watched the Clemson game last night (or should I say "argued with the tv?"), I found some ribbon in my stash of scraps and settled in at the kitchen table to see what I could do with them. I decided that a simple monogram was best and they turned out even better than I expected! I printed out the A and C in Curlz Font in Word and then used that as a guide to sketch out my letters. Applied the ribbon with a hot glue gun to the back after my paint dried and that was it!

(And as a side note, I finally made a decision about the colors for Anna Cate's bedroom...Pink and Green are the winners! I was planning on sewing her bedding myself, but all of the fabric I was finding was either too babyish looking (think cheesy pink elephants) or looked like it belonged in a teen's room. I figure I have plenty of time to play with bold loud colors in her room as she gets older, and I've realized that I do want her to have a soft and girly bedroom while she is still so young (especially since she didn't have a girly nursery). I was getting very frustrated with my lack of options until last Friday when I happened to make a quick run into TJ Maxx (one of my most favorite places to shop!) and found some green and white bedding that was just PERFECT!)

I've just started sewing the bedskirt and curtains and the walls still need to be painted -- which I'm having to rely on Will for because I don't think I'm allowed to paint (?) -- but here is a little preview of what is to come until the room is finished! ;)

Inspiration for Nursery

2009-01-15T13:08:00.002-05:00

This is the nursery that I'm currently thinking of trying to replicate for the new baby. It is so hard trying to create a space that could be for a boy or girl that isn't cheesy. It seems that all of the gender neutral bedding out there isn't my taste. And I'd like to keep the space very soothing. This nursery bedding is by Serena & Lily, and although it is for a boy, I think it could go either way. The polka dots add a bit of girly flair. :)

Our rocker is blue and white striped, and the wall color in the room is already a very pale blue (which I had planned on keeping). I know I won't be buying the bedding as a set, but maybe if I can find fabric that is similar enough, I could recreate the look. Hmmmm....we'll see what happens...

Copycat Artwork

2009-01-13T12:39:00.004-05:00

I found this print online while searching for artwork for children's rooms. I loved the little birds and all of the colors in the print, but didn't love the price tag... $108! I was about to move on in my search when the pattern on one of the umbrellas caught my eye. It was VERY familiar and the more I studied the print I realized...this was made from scrapbooking paper! The very paper that I had sitting in a book in my sewing room.

Of course I had to try to see if I could replicate the print. So while Will watched the BCA Championship football game last Thursday night, I sat at the kitchen table with my paper and all of my paints.

I am pleased with the results, except that you can see the seam in the paper (look in the green grass area to the left). So if I do decide to use this in Anna Cate's room, I may try to recreate it on canvas, which would make it much easier to paint the background on.

More Room Ideas...

2009-01-11T13:54:00.003-05:00

Just cataloging the ideas I'm finding online that I'd like to incorporate into Anna Cate's room.

I love the teal and yellow used in this bedroom by Garnet Hill and absolutely adore the pop of color from the lanterns hanging over the bed:

Another bedroom with lanterns:

I love the mirror used in this nursery. I actually have a frame very similar to this one that I found at a consignment store. I had painted it white and was planning on using it to frame a chalkboard to hang over the desk in my sewing room. If I can find an inexpensive source for a mirror, I may just use it in her room to go over her dresser. Very feminine indeed!

The last picture is from Martha Stewart's website, and I love the paint color on the walls. I'm thinking of going that way in the nursery...

Inspiration for Bedroom Design

2009-01-09T13:32:00.008-05:00

Long time - no post! Now that the holidays are behind us and I'm over the yucky sick phase of pregnancy, I'm feeling inspired to get busy creating again! My two big projects right now are pulling together a girly room for Anna Cate and decorating the nursery for the next baby.

I just can't decide on the look I want for Anna Cate's room. Do I go with soft pastel pinks and greens or bolder fabric that I can pull lots of color for her room? One on hand, I think a bedroom should be soothing and relaxing, yet children's spaces should be colorful and bursting with creativity and imagination. If I could just make a choice on my fabric, then I could start pulling all of the other details together. Oh decisions, decisions!

Here are some photos I've found online that have inspired me.

If I do end up upholstering a headboard for her, this is the fabric I've found that is my favorite so far. I could pull other fabrics with pinks, greens, and yellows to make her pillows, bed skirt, and curtains from.

I also know that I'd love to incorporate some sort of shelving to display all of her favorite books. The covers are too cute to have hidden on a bookshelf and I'd love to incorporate them as artwork in her room.

One last idea is that I plan on making a bunch of dolls and have them sitting on her shelves and bed. The books and dolls alone will add punches of color by themselves, so maybe I should go with bolder colors.

So stay tuned...I've got lots of fun projects to get started on once I decide on my colors! :)

A Thankful Turkey

2008-11-20T13:25:00.003-05:00

I saw this cute idea for a Thanksgiving center piece in the current issue of Parents Magazine. You just wrap a styrofoam ball with brown yarn, and then use a lighter color yarn to make a ball for the head. Use felt for the eyes, beak, and the waddle. For the feathers, we used construction paper and taped toothpicks to the bottom that just stick into the body of the turkey. You are suppose to write something you are thankful for on each feather. I had planned to do one feather for each day of November, so we'd have a filled out turkey by Thanksgiving, but there she sits all pretty on our kitchen table so maybe we'll just start that tradition next year.

Finally...A Post!!

2008-11-20T13:06:00.004-05:00

Whew! Morning sickness has really slowed me down, but I'm starting to come out of it and able to get back to all of the projects on my "to do" list. ;) Now, add to that, planning a nursery again! YAY! I know, I know, I do have the stuff I used for AC's nursery, but honestly, I really want a girl or boy nursery. I'm tired of the gender neutral stuff. And even though we aren't finding out the sex again (!), I have a plan on how to have everything ready when the baby gets here in June (whether its a boy or a girl). Stay tuned...more to come on that later...

However, I did manage this past weekend, to make some goodies for a dear friend, Lauren, I've known since elementary school. She had a shower for her first son, Henry, who is due in January. I hadn't made any boy burping cloths yet, but I found this cute fabric from Hancock Fabrics last weekend and also painted her a frame for the nursery. I didn't mean for the frame to match the burping cloths, but they both turned out really cute! :)

Design on a Dime - Headboards

2008-10-29T12:29:00.005-04:00

Just for fun, I thought I'd share some ideas for headboards that I've found while looking for something to do in my daughter's bedroom. She is about to graduate from the crib into a big girl bed, but I'm still trying to decide whether to buy a traditional bed, or just get a twin sized bed frame for now and make our own headboard. I'm leaning toward the latter because I'm not ready to commit to a bed for her that she'll use forever (style, size, etc?) so instead, it may be more fun (and frugal!) to just come up with something to use as a headboard.

Will and I did actually did this ourselves for our own bedroom When we got married, we were unsure of what style bed we wanted, so instead, we just purchase a bedframe from Pier One. I saw the idea to use a fireplace mantel in a Southern Living magazine, and my dad actually had an old one from our family's property at the cabin at his hunt club. He brought it home for me and it was PERFECT. I didn't have to paint it or anything...just wiped it clean with soap and water!

I found the picture (which I LOVE) at TJ Maxx on clearance for $15.99 and the glass containers are just from Wal-mart ($1.50 each) with sea shells inside. My grandmother found the lamps on the side of the road in Columbia while walking one morning. They were BRAND NEW with the tags still on them (Martha Stewart!) Then our bedding is also from TJ Maxx and the pillows I made with some fabric I found in Charleston. Last, but not least, our bed skirt is made from a king size kahki sheet that I found in the clearance aisle at Ross for $2.99. The whole look for under $100, but it works for now and we've enjoyed it.

This paisley headboard is the forerunner right now for AC's bedroom. I think if I could find some cute girly fabric, I could get Will to cut out the shape from some wood and then just cover it in batting and fabric. You could easily recover it when she was older and wanted to change the look of her room.

I also LOVE this idea, of using old window frames. You just pop out the glass and in it's place use coordinating fabric to tie the headboard together with your bedding. I even have the window frames stashed away in my parents' basement that Will helped me rescue one day from the side of the road in Columbia when AC and I met him for lunch. They looked like they could be used for something, and this may be just the thing! However, it doesn't look like a it would go in a little girl's bedroom, but more like a guest bedroom.

Then, last but not least, there is always His House. My friend, Katie, was a His House junkie when they lived here in Lexington and she always found fabulous furniture finds there for very little money. We actually found her headboard from there several years ago. I know she paid less than $20 for it, and I want to say it was more like under $10. But it was the coolest piece of furniture that had several shelves and she repainted it black and filled it will all kinds of cool accessories. I wish I had a picture! I could always check there for a bed to repaint for AC's room.

So what do you think? Anybody have any other ideas that would work?

Winter Wardrobe

2008-10-23T16:35:00.006-04:00

We have a problem in our house. I have been unsuccessful in finding any clothes to fit Busy Lizzy (what AC is more affectionally known as around our house) for this winter. She is petite and although she is 17 months old, she still can't wear most 12 month old pants. It doesn't help that she wears underpants and most 18 months clothing is sized for children wearing diapers. Because there is no "bulk" down there, her pants just slide right on down her little bottom. So what am I to do to dress her this winter?

My solution: the Jumper. These dresses are super super simple to make and don't require much fabric at all. All I need to do is stock up on cute tights and turtle necks and make a few of these little dresses and she will be set for cooler weather!

I found this fabric in the remnant pile at Hobby Lobby for less than $2. It is brown corduroy with pink polka dots. It took about 45 minutes to make. I just used a Simplicity pattern from I purchased from Wal-Mart last year.

The whole purpose of this blog is to encourage others and to show you how easy it can be to make your own stuff (and save money at the same time!) I promise you...if you have a sewing machine and know how to operate it, this would be a great project to start with. I do not like to follow a pattern and have little patience for complex sewing projects, but this one is super easy. The end results look much more "complicated" than what the actual skill involved takes, and you can make the cutest clothes that look like you purchased them from an upscale children's boutique.

Now all I need to do is convince my mom to learn to use her new monogramming machine to put her initials on the dress. Now how cute would that be? :)

Goodies for Sweet Ava

2008-10-21T09:40:00.006-04:00

A couple of weekends ago, I had the honor of helping give a baby-shower for a very dear friend, Ashley, who is expecting her first daughter (Ava) in January. I was in charge of making the corsage and something to use as a "centerpiece" on the food table.

Instead of the traditional corsage, another of our friends suggested that I make a large fabric flower that she could wear for the shower and then later pin on her diaper bag. I'm going to have to steal this idea of other showers because it turned out super cute! Thanks for the idea Carrie! ;)

Ava's nursery colors are green and pink, so I found some cute scrapbook paper at the craft store to cover the letters of her name. We used this on the food table as a decoration and then Ashley can use it for decor in her nursery! I also used some of the paper to cover a wooden frame (also from the craft store) to make a coordinating frame for her nursery.

Then last, but certainly not least, I sewed some pink and green fabric to the bottom ends of cloth diapers to make the most stylish burping cloths! They were so cute I wanted to keep them for myself, even though I have absolutely no use for burping cloths right now. Ashley and Ava got so many fun and girly things...she is going to be one stylin' baby!! :)

Thrift Store Find

2008-10-17T11:04:00.005-04:00

Before

Another Christmas present checked off my list! I found this baby-doll high chair at Goodwill several weeks ago for $2. It is in perfect condition, but I wasn't too excited about the Disney princess theme. I used some fabric from my stash to make a new cover and ta da! It turned out really cute! And the pink perfectly matches with her little kitchen set we refinished for her this summer. Now I just need to find a good hiding place to keep it until December!

After

DOLL KIT SALE

2008-10-03T13:25:00.003-04:00

I'll be running a SALE in the shop today through Sunday on the doll kits! You'll get the doll pattern & TWO dolls kits all for just $12.00!!

You can mix and match the hair, eye, and skin color to customize the doll just for your someone special!

Please Note: If there is a particular doll you have in mind, you may not want to wait until the last minute to purchase it. Some of the doll kits I have unlimited quantities of. However, there are a few that I only have a few of, and once they are sold, they will be discontinued because I no longer have a source for the fabric.

Fresh from the Oven

2008-09-29T10:36:00.005-04:00

Yum yum these cookies look scrumptious! I whipped up a batch this weekend to give my little baker for Christmas, but they turned out so cute, I'm not sure I can wait that long to give them to her!

I'm planning on making her a little apron out of the polka dot material and also getting a small rolling pin from the craft store to go with them.

They were a fast and easy project, and would make the sweetest birthday present for a little girl. All you need is felt for the cookies and icing, some beads for the sprinkles, coordinating embroidery floss, and some polyfill to put inside them to make them squishy.

To Make:

-I used a biscuit cutter as a template to cut out two circles from the cream felt.

-Then, I cut out the "icing" from the pink and/or brown felt.

-Next, I stitched the beads onto the icing and top piece of cookie.

-To finish them up, I used this tutorial , from fabric designer Anna Maria Horner, on felt stitching to stitch around the edge.

-Before I stitched the cookie completely closed, I stuffed a small pinch of polyfill in the center to puff them up a bit.

Now who is ready for a tea party?

And the Winner of the Doll Kit is...

2008-09-26T11:20:00.001-04:00

Comment #10 posted by The Thompson Family

who said "I love Olivia."

Thanks to everyone who participated! For those of you who really want to make your own doll, I'll be offering B1G1 sale in the shop sometime next week when my new order of flannel comes in. I'll announce it here blog before the doll kits go on sale for those who are interested!

Fabric Flowers

2008-09-25T09:46:00.009-04:00

I've had several people ask me how I make the little flowers for the dolls' hair, so I thought I'd create a simple tutorial for anybody to use. These fabric flowers are really cute and versatile. You can add them to ponytail holders, bobby pins, pillows, or tacs to use on a cork board. They even make cute pins to attach to a purse or handbag.

You will need the following materials:

- Fabric scraps

- Button*

- Hot glue gun

-Heat N Bond

-Iron

*To cover a button with fabric as pictured with these flowers, please see my tutorial for making button earrings. Otherwise, you can use any type of button or sequin for the center of your flower.

Step 1: Cut 4 circles and one square out of your fabric scraps . (I usually cut my circles with a 4" diameter and a the square as 6" x 6" but you can make them any size you desire.)

Step 2: Cut a piece of Heat N Bond to cover 1/2 the size of your square. Follow the instructions that comes on the package to iron the paper onto your fabric.

Step 3: Then fold your fabric over so that the Heat N Bond binds the two sides together and iron again. (You don't have to use the Heat N Bond if you don't have any. This step helps to stiffen the fabric to provide support to the back of the flower, but you can omit this step if you would rather use felt for the back piece. )

Step 4: Form the petals of your flower by folding each of the circles in half twice so that they form little triangles. (I use pins to hold them in place until I am ready to glue them).

Step 5: Hot glue two of your petals together at the tips of each triangle. Repeat for the other two petals. Cut a flower shape out of your stiffened fabric.

Step 6: Assemble your flower by glueing your petals onto the back piece of the flower. To finish it off, hot glue your button onto the top of the flower in the center.

You are finished with your flower! Now you can decide what to make with them!

Rosie Posie Doll Kit Giveaway

2008-09-23T00:41:00.005-04:00

Ok! One last giveaway this week! I'm starting to run out of things to give so I better start pacing myself. However, to celebrate my 100th HEART on Etsy, I'll be giving away one of my doll kits!

All you have to do is visit my shop and come back here to let me know which doll is your FAVORITE! The winner will receive the PDF Doll Pattern and the Doll Kit to make the doll she choose as her favorite.

***And don't be discouraged if you are a beginner sewer or have never sewn before at all. I tried to write the pattern to make is as easy as possible to follow so even if this is your first sewing project, what a fun way to start! :) ***

Just leave a comment letting me know which doll you like the best, along with an e-mail address and I'll announce the winner on Friday!

Close Enough?

2008-09-23T00:30:00.009-04:00

I'm trying to recreate a room I saw in last month's issue of my sister's Real Simple Magazine. They had used a chair from Pottery Barn, which of course is NOT in my budget. I can't seem to find any green and white fabric similar to the fabric on the chair, so what do you think? Is this close enough to work? I'm thinking most definitely yes(and no, I'm not going to be recovering a chair... at least not yet...)

NieNie Benefit Sale

2008-09-22T23:55:00.008-04:00

Come help support the Nielson Family by visiting the Nie Nie Benefit Sale on Etsy!

For those of you who don't know, Stephanie and Christian Nielson (parents of 4 children under the age of 5!) were in a tragic plane accident a month ago and were severely injured with third degree burns covering most of their bodies. Their children have been living with extended family while they are in chemically induced comas, facing months and months of treatment.

If you haven't been introduced to Stephanie yet, she is the author of the fabulously popular blog, the Nie Nie Dialogues, in which she graciously welcomes people into her quaint little home in Arizona, writing about her love for her family and creatively enjoying life to the fullest.

If you haven't checked out her blog yet, I encourage you to do so. Then check out the Benefit Sale to support the Nielsons! Many many many esty artists have donated some of their work and 100% of the proceeds go directly to the Nielson Recovery Fund. You may even see a Rosie Posie Doll in the mix! ;) Don't wait too long because the sale only last Tuesday (23rd) & Wednesday (24th)!

The sale begins at 10:oo PST on Tuesday, September 23rd

Just a small sampling of what will be up for grabs!

HERE

Giveaway Winner for Earring Kit

2008-09-18T13:43:00.004-04:00

Hooray for Debbie who left comment #8 "These would make fabulous Christmas gifts. Thanks!"

Thanks to everybody who participated! The bad news is that everybody can't win, but the GOOD news is that anybody can make the earrings. The materials are inexpensive and easy to find so hopefully you'll all try to make a pair soon. :)

Next week I plan on hosting one last giveaway and also posting a really fun tutorial I'll be working on over the weekend!

Blissful Living Studios

2008-09-17T12:25:00.011-04:00

I just discovered this delightfully refreshing website several weeks ago and I wish SO BADLY there was something like this available here. Too bad they are all the way out in Arizona. You can do everything from yoga classes, to sewing an apron, to scrapbooking, to hosting a baby shower!

What could be more fun that a bunch of ladies sitting around socializing while working on some fabulous new craft? It reminds me of the stories my grandmother shares with us about the "quilting circles" when women use to gather together to sew and share stories with one another.

This excerpt taken from their site pretty much sums up the purpose of their studio:

"What is Blissful Living about? Having peace and happiness in the home. Being Creative, feeling empowered & organized- having it "together" and living with purpose. Being the best for our families and ourselves. This Lifestyle Workshop/ Studio was developed with this in mind... It is about creating- sharing- developing talents and making the most of each day. Blissful Living is designed to enrich the lives of families through classes, special events & workshops to help you develop talents & make memories for years to come."

WOW. What a great concept and fun job to have! (Katie, maybe one day when our children are grown and if we ever live in the same town again, we could start something like this together. Her store, Domestic Bliss, reminds me of the type of shop you said you always wanted to have.)

For now, since I can't travel to Mesa, AZ for one of their parties or classes, I'll just have to settle for visiting them online for a quick fix of inspiration. To see more, you can visit them online HERE. I highly recommend it. ;)

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up with String

2008-09-16T09:14:00.002-04:00

Fabric is definitely one of my favorite things! Most children love going to the toy store when they are little, but me, I loved taking a trip with my mom to the fabric store.

Oh the possibilities!!

Imagine my delight to find this package waiting on me yesterday in the mailbox. I immediately tore into the envelope and began to "oooh" and "aaahhhh". It is fabric I ordered online to start on my Christmas presents this year and it is even more beautiful in person than in the pictures. I don't want to spoil the surpise and say what will be made out of this lovely fabric, but I can't wait to get started!

For those who are interested, it is from Heather Bailey's new Pop Garden collection.

Vintage Button Earring Kit Giveaway

2008-09-15T11:52:00.006-04:00

This week I'm giving away a kit to make your own Vintage Button Earrings (see tutorial in previous post).

Keep them in mind for the holidays because they make ADORABLE Christmas gifts for girlfriends or co-workers. :)

The winner will receive all of the materials needed to make 3 pairs of earrings, including a bag of fabric scraps, button, and earring backs.

Just leave a comment below and I'll draw a name on Thursday and announce the winner!

Vintage Inspired Button Earrings

2008-09-15T10:50:00.015-04:00

Aren't these earrings just darling! Reminiscent of the earrings worn during 30's & 40's, they are so much fun to wear and make really unique gifts.

To make them you will need the following:

* Buttons to Cover Kit (found at any craft or fabric store...I buy them at Hobby Lobby and Hancock Fabrics)

* Fabric scraps (I've found that smaller designs work best)

* Earring backs (also found at any craft store)

* Hot Glue Gun

This is what the refill package of button covers looks like. The first time you make them, you will need to purchase the kit which also includes a holder and pusher - (see below).

Step 1: Using small pliers, remove the loop on the back piece of the button.

Step 2: Using the template provided on the back of the button package, trace and cut out 2 circles from your fabric.

Step 3: To make an earring, place your fabric circle (wrong side facing up) into the white holder. Then place your round button into the circle. Push the button down using the blue plastic pusher.

Step 4: Make sure your fabric completely wraps around and covers the sides of your button. Push the back piece into the holder, locking the fabric into the button.

Step 5: Now just pop out the covered button and hot glue the earring back into place. Repeat for the second earring.

And the Winner Is...

2008-09-12T12:42:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to Lillian for winning the doll giveaway! Thanks to all who participated. I enjoyed your comments and wish I had enough to send you all a package.

However, stay tuned because I'll be giving away another fun project next week!

Easy Art

2008-09-12T12:13:00.004-04:00

This is a super easy project that can be completed in less than an hour and looks so cute in a child's playroom or bedroom. I made this to hang in the playroom several weeks ago after trying to figure out a way to add color and art to the room without spending a dime. I dug through my fabric scraps and used a pillow I had seen in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog as inspiration.

Materials Needed:

* Frame (I just used an old one we had in storage that I had picked up at a yard sale and painted it white).

* A piece of fabric slightly larger than your frame to use as the background

* Various fabric scraps

* An idea of the picture you are going to create (you can use pages from a coloring book as a pattern, or anything you find that inspires you!)

* Heat N Bond No Sew (This is an inexpensive iron-on adhesive that you can find in the craft section at Wal-Mart or any crafting/sewing store.)

Have fun cutting out your fabric to make the picture you desire and then follow the directions on the back of the Heat N Bond package to iron the fabric pieces onto your background. Pop the picture into your frame, hang it on the wall, and ta da! You are all done! That was easy! ;)

"A" is for Anna

2008-09-10T14:22:00.006-04:00

I'm working on redoing Anna Cate's bedroom now that she is about to graduate to a big girl bed. Because we waited to find out if she was a boy or a girl, I had to be gender neutral when decorating her nursery. Now I get to have fun and play with pinks, greens, and all things girly!

Michael's was having a huge sale last weekend and the letters I have been eyeing for awhile now where priced at $1.99 each. I have seen people paint the letters before with stripes or polkadots and thought they would be cute either hung or her wall or sitting on her bookshelf.

I ended up just using scrapbooking paper I already had at the house. After tracing the letters onto the paper, I just cut them out and glued them onto the front of the letters. It turned out to be a super fast and easy project and they turned out so cute!

Wooden Girl Set Giveaway

2008-09-09T07:06:00.006-04:00

One of my goals with this blog is to inspire others to create! So to celebrate this new little endeavor and get everybody in the spirit of crafting, I'm going to be giving away a set of these adorable little wooden girls for you to paint yourself. What a FABULOUS gift idea for the little girls on your list or to give as birthday party favors!

I first found these adorable dolls on Etsy. If you are interested in purchasing some already painted, you can visit TooCute, or check out Gemmielou to purchase the unfinished version to paint yourself (you should also be able to find them at any craft store.) I'm working on a set for one of Anna Cate's Christmas presents this year and they are darling, if I must say so myself. I would have loved these as I child, as I have always had a fascination with playing with little miniature toys.

I'll be giving away a set of four girls (unfinished). Just leave a comment below and I'll draw a name on Friday and announce the winner!

Hello!

2008-09-09T06:52:00.004-04:00

Hi and welcome to my new blog! I plan to use this site to organize and share all of my creative ideas and projects I'm working on, host giveaways to inspire other to get creative, and showcase handmade goodies that I find from other crafty chicks. Stay tuned...this is going to be FUN!