DIY Wedding Gift Ideas

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! 

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! 

Free Pattern Roundup

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!

Nursing Cover Tutorial

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.

Fancy Washing Gloves

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.  

Sweet Sarah Kate

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! 

Easy Monogram Wall Plates

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! ;)

Goodies for Sweet Ava

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!! :)

Fresh from the Oven

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?  

Fabric Flowers

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!

Vintage Inspired Button Earrings

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.  

"A" is for Anna

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

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!