"Spray" Painting

I realize this is a horrible picture but I was freezing and running out of daylight.

This is what I made Cainan for Christmas this year. I bought the shirt at Target, made a stencil and then mixed up some fabric paint and water, put it in an old squirt bottle and started spraying the shirt.

You can see that it is darker around the stenciled area. I went back later and sprayed the rest of the shirt a littel more and flipped it over and sprayed the back too. At first I was disappointed with the big drips coming from my cheap spray bottle but I kind of like the splattered look it gives the shirt.

For my stencil I just printed off this free image I found on Google onto cardstock then cut out all of the shaded area and left the white parts. I laid it on the shirt and started spraying. Super easy and a really cute way to personalize any shirt. This should look great with his Yoda hat. The Sith and the Jedi all at the same time. WooHoo!!

Washer Necklaces

I saw the idea for these necklaces on a DIY show of some kind. They are super simple and cheap to make.All you need are some washers from the hardware store, scrapbooking paper, fine grit sandpaper, Mod Podge, cord, beads (optional) and a dimensional glue. #1. Trace the washer onto the back of your scrapbook paper.

#2. Cut out the circle and adhere to the washer with a good layer of mod podge between the paper and the washer (not on top of the paper).

#3. Flip upside down on a piece of wax paper, weight down with a heavy book and let it sit for an hour or two to make sure the paper is firmly affixed to the washer.

#4. Use sandpaper (NOT an exacto knife or scissors) to remove the excess paper from the outside and inside of the washer. Trust me, the sandpaper gives you the perfect edge that you could NEVER get with a blade.

#5. Cover the paper side of the washer with dimensional glue. Be sure to pop any bubbles.

#6. Let dry overnight.

#7. Attach cord and slide on a bead if you want.

Voila!

Necklaces....on the cheap

Paint chips are all the rage right now, and while I don't agree with robbing a store of hundreds of paint chips to complete elaborate projects, I did use a few to make these easy peasy necklaces.
I made six different shades and they're all reversible! I found the idea and the tutorial at Infarrantly Creative. All you need is a few paint chips, a couple of circle punches and some dimensional adhesive to make your own. I got the chain and jump rings at Joann's and my sweet husband drilled all the holes for me. :)

Pottery Barn Knock Off

Let's start the new year with a craft project, shall we?

I made these two adorable wall hangings for my nieces.

The pictures are atrocious but you get the idea. I made one for Kate too, but forgot to take a picture of that one.

It was one of the simplest projects (and quickest) I've ever done. I just printed out the letters in reverse on plain white paper. I then taped them on to the back of the patterned paper (which I had SO much fun picking out at Archivers) and cut them out.

I used punches and brads to make the flowers and stars that I adhered to a few letters and then attached the letters to the ribbon with more brads. I think the cutting took longer than everything else, but the entire project took less than an hour.

The best part is this was the perfect gift to ship. I just carefully folded the ribbon and stacked the letters on top of each other and slipped them in a manila envelope. Voila, they were in Florida two days later for just a buck or two.

I think I need to make one of these for Kinley's room too. I have some big paper maiche letters to decorate and hang on her wall but this is so much easier.

Blooming Projects

Well, I've been inspired once again by Pink Paper Peppermints.

I just can't get enough of those little flowers with the button centers.

This time I made one with rounded petals and added it to a dress I made for Kinley.


I also made the hair pin flower to go with it. Isn't it cute?

Then she had a tutorial about dressing up your resuable shopping bags....and I realized I'd already done that.

Thanks to Noel, who had a bag that had, "Breastfeeding is Fun!" emblazoned on it that she needed to cover up, for coming up with this idea to transform any bag into a photo display bag.

Here is my version of the dressed up canvas bag

1. Cut a rectangle (2 inches bigger than your picture on each side) out of a decorative fabric with pinking shears.

2. Apply fusible web to the back of the fabric and then iron it on to the bag. (Follow the directions on the package.)

3. Cut a rectangle (just slightly larger than your photo) out of clear vinyl. (Sold in fabric stores.)

4. Hand stitch it (I know, I know, but my machine doesn't like vinyl) onto your bag, centering it on the fabric you just ironed on.

5. Embellish the corner of the fabric square with silk flowers, beads, etc.

Voila! Embarassing messages disappear behind one of your favorite photos.

Royal Seating

A local Relay for Life team is having a chair auction.

They passed out chairs of all different shapes and sizes to various community members and businesses. They asked these people to decorate the chairs and then bring them back for the auction.



I was one of the lucky ones chosen to decorate a couple of chairs. So here is what I did with mine.








I also did a boy version in hunter green and gold that says, "King for a Day" on the top.


They turned out so cute and were so easy that I want to make one for Kinley's room now.


These were just old chairs from the Elementary school garage sale. They have metal legs and a wooden seat and back. I base coated everything with spray paint and then striped the legs, painted on the words (with a paint pen), glued on the crown ($1 at Michaels) and upholstered the seat (with a staple gun).


I'm so happy with how they turned out. I hope they bring in a boat load of money for the American Cancer Society.


I may go to the auction just to bid them up.

Craft Project

I combined two great ideas from two different blogs and came up with these cute little burp rags for a baby gift for a set of triplets at our church this weekend.

The burp rags are just two coordinating pieces of flannel sewn together, turned right-side out and then top stiched.

The flower embellishments are my version of the ones I posted about from Pink Paper Peppermints. She has a great tutorial at her site if you are interested in making your own.

Now I'm in the sewing mood again...so we'll see what I come up with next. The little wheel's are turning. Stay tuned.

Crafty Flowers

If you look to the right you will see the button for Pink Paper Peppermints 31 Crafty Flowers in 31 Days. The button has been there for a while so I thought I might need to draw your attention to it.


She has some really great ideas at her site. Some of the flowers so far have been made from tissue paper, some from cardstock and some from fabric scraps.



Check out this most recent one.

Isn't it adorable? And it is sooooo simple. All you really need is a drinking glass, a needle and thread, an iron, some fabric scraps and a button and a hot glue gun. No sewing machine...and very little sewing required.


Click on the button to see all of her other really great flowery ideas.