Hooray for the Red White and Blue!

Today is the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend and I was sitting with nothing to do! So, I decided to make something festive. How about a wreath?! I was thinking of things I saw at Hobby Lobby and this idea came to me.

Materials I used:

• Cricut (makes it much easier)
• Paper 
• Wreath form (I used one from Dollar Tree)
• hot glue
• muslin (or ribbon, or other fabric)

Here is what I did. I cut a whole bunch of 2" circles using my Cricut.

I peeled the circles off my cutting mat. (My 2 year old helped! In his super cape even!)

I cut a line half way into each circle.

I rolled up the circles to be like a cone.

Then I used hot glue to keep the shape on each.

I ended up with quite the pile.

I then wrapped my wreath in muslin that I had around. It hid the ugly green well!

Then I glued each on in a pattern so it could look like an American flag: stripes, then blue mixed with white.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

I am linking up:

 

Entry Table Runner

My entry table is very special to me. It is a spindle table that my Norwegian great grandma had in her home. It could be from Norway, but I have no clue. I love it mostly because it was hers. I always decorate it for the season. Right now I wanted it to be spring/summer, so I got out some muslin fabric, ribbon, and the handmade bias tape I had left over from my quilt. I think it is super cute and brightens my dark table.

Crafty mama

My husband jokes and tells me I have "can't-sit-still-itis" and I always tell him it's not MY fault, it's my mama's fault! She's the one who taught me to stay busy busy. My mom also taught me all she knows about crafting. She won't admit it much these days, but she's a fab crafter. I think my recent crafting is rubbing off on her now too! HA! She told me she was working on some bags. Being that my mom lives in another state :( I asked her to send me a picture. Being the funny woman she is, she sent me the pictures like I would post on my blog. So, I am turning this post into my mom's bag post! She's taking over and doesn't even know it!

A guy came by my dad's business the other day with loads of these bags (and coupons too).

My mom thought she would fancy them up with this fabric:

She started with her own fabric flowers and buttons (Adorable!):

Then sewed them on the bag, added some cute stitching on the sides and added cute bows.

I think my mama did amazing! Great job mom!

Dollar Store Shirt Refashion

I got this minty green shirt at the dollar store. Who would have guessed that a shirt from the dollar store could look more expensive than a buck? I made some rolled fabric roses {for how, see here} and sewed them straight on to the shirt. The sleeves were a bit funky shaped, so I cut them and did a quick hem. Much better!

Minty LOVE

I came across this recipe the other day and thought I would give it a try! Oh my heck! Deliciousness! Here it is, copied from BYU Dining

BYU Mint Brownies


MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)


MINT ICING
5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

**I Used this recipe for the chocolate frosting.

Jewelry Organization

I have been planning (for awhile) to make an earring holder using a picture frame. I recently realized that I had WAY too many a nice plethora of earrings which would not fit in one small frame. And, I like seeing all my lovelies! So, while consulting my fabulous mom, we came up with this. I had clear vinyl and thread already, so I whipped this baby up quickly and cheaply! I zigzagged rows of pockets using different colors of thread. I made the pockets random sizes for all the different sizes of earrings. I put large eyelets along the top and used push pins to hang it inside a bathroom linen closet door. After it was hung, I realized I could put a few necklaces and even some hair pretties on the sides! (Looking at this, it probably wouldn't surprise you that I have cubbies for each pair of my shoes too. I am a crazy accessory organized girl, what can I say??) And this project makes me REALLY happy!

(And a close-up of my madness...)

And, since I am talking accessories, I have to tell you about my fAvORiTe pair of earrings...they look like these:

They are from a friend of mine. Check out her shop: Bloom by lovenit on Etsy

 

The unveiling of THE quilt

Let me start by saying I have never made a quilt like this. I mean, I have tied quilts, lots and lots of flannel quilts, but i have never pieced anything together to actually call it a quilt. By no means am I a real quilter, but I think I did pretty well. I started with this:

(Loads and loads of leftover fabric and fabric I just couldn't NOT buy at the store, but had no project for. Remember, I DO have a fabric addiction!)

I began by cutting fabric in certain sizes and putting it in ziplpoc bags labeled 5", 6", 7", 8", 9", 10", and 13". I randomly chose those sizes, who knows what happened to 11 or 12"! I cut the fabric that dimension by whatever I felt like to make rectangles and squares.

Then I layed out each row and sewed the small pieces together to get a horizontal row. Then I just sewed together each row and ended up with the top of my quilt.

I used thin batting and a queen sheet as my backing. I pinned the batting and backing onto the quilt top and sewed on the seams of each row.

Next, I MADE BIAS TAPE! Who knew you could actually make your own and it would be cheaper and WAY cuter! I got a bias tape tool in the quilting section at the fabric store for about $5 on sale. It looks like this:

I made bias tape! I don't think I will ever buy bias tape again! I will make my own!

Then I attached my bias tape to the edges and my quilt was D-U-N done! (The stripe is my backing and here you can see the subtle bias tape)

Now this quilt lives on the guest bed in my craft room and I LOVE it! Fitting place for it, I think!

I am participating in Made it Mondays at The Persimmon Perch

Construction Orange

When I saw a plain orange shirt on clearance at Target for $2, I thought SCORE! I picked it up and my 2 year old said, "It's like daddy's." My thought was, "Daddy does road construction...Maybe not such a score then...but it's ONLY $2!" Ah ha! I purchased 2 shirts and cut one up to make a ruffly swirly pattern. I think it looks great and my husband would refuse ruffles on his work attire, so maybe the orange is now okay!

I am participating in Made it Mondays at The Persimmon Perch.

Baby Booties

I haven't been to a baby shower in forever, so with a baby shower to attend this weekend I thought it was time to make something new! In the past I have given hooded towels, burp cloths, and nursing covers. This time I stuck with my originals, but also gave some baby booties. They almost make me want a little girl, almost.  The pattern was so simple and required such little fabric that I made them the morning of the baby shower. These were one of those ooh and ahh type gifts, so I was proud of myself!

**Update: The words in color above are actually links! The bootie pattern is from stardust shoes!

April Showers bring May FLOWERS

I admit, I have been busy. I am in the middle of sewing a quilt out of scrap fabric I had. It is almost done, so I will post pictures soon!
But for now, I have been working on flowers galore! My flowers are mostly made of the scraps of the scraps from my quilt. I love cheap, especially when it turns into something lovely!

Bird House

My grandma has always loved birds- all kinds: real ones, ceramic, fabric with birds. I used to think it was kind of an Old Lady thing, but I guess I am an old lady then, because I am a little obsessed with birdy things lately as decoration.(As a side note, I don't think I will ever be OLD! I got carded once at Walmart for buying NyQuil. Yes, I guess they do that if they don't think you are 18. Ha! I am young but not THAT young.) Here I bought a candle stick and bird house at the dollar store. I glued them together with E6000 and used my best friend, spray paint! Not too original, but cute notheless. Humor me!

More Hungry Caterpillar

When I first started this blog, one of my first projects was The Hungry Caterpillar. I gave one to my niece and one to my nephew. They were such a hit with my family that I just made one for a grandma for her birthday. Then, my niece took it to preschool and the school loved it so much, I made them one too! Here are some pictures:

The butterfly is in its "cocoon".