Black & White Bag

A few weeks ago I was on a bag making kick.  With scraps I had on hand I made this up in just minutes!  I took a rectangle of black material, cut strips of white, sewed the strips to the rectangle, then sewed it all into a basic bag.  I added velcro, a strap, and a few rosettes. . .

It's for the 10 year old, but I've used it a few time too.  I LOVE it!

For a full list of parties I link to click HERE!

No Pain Headbands

Here are just a couple of the headbands I've been making.  My girls love them because they cause ZERO pain.  They wore them almost every day of our Disney trip and loved them. 

I will post a tutorial later, as well as show you a few more that I've whipped up!...

"Notes" Dry Erase Plate

I originally saw this idea over at one of my VERY most favorite blogs in the whole wide world - The House of Smith's!  You can view her post on it by clicking HERE. 

I have two sister-in-laws that had birthdays this week.  So, this is what I made and gave to them.  There is a little dry erase pen that is attached with velcro to the back edge of the plate. 

Happy Birthday Betsy and Hillary!!!

Mother's Day Photo Holder #2

I made a second frame last night.  Painted it white and distressed it...

Once I had the black vinyl on I was kind of wishing it was white vinyl...

I added some black ribbon, cord, twine, and white ribbon to help out the black vinyl.  Instead of inking the clothes pins, I just swiped the edges with white paint...

And then, of course, added the fun pictures!...

I love that you could use these for any occasion and swap out "grandma" for friend, sister, mom, brother, aunt, dad, ...the list goes on. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

*Original idea comes from the "Grandma Blocks" over at I Heart Naptime (see below post for pictures of her cute blocks).

For a complete list of parties I've linked to click HERE!

She's Learning to Sew!

Last night I started teaching the 10 year old how to sew.  She LOOOOVES it!  In fact, this morning she woke up and sat right down at the sewing machine and has been sewing all day...um, yes, it's almost 3pm and she's still in her jammies - sewing. 

We have some 9" square scraps from holiday rag quilts and table runners my mom made.  She decided to make little pillows for her grandma's for Easter.  She made them all on her own, AND they're reversible :O).  That was her idea, and I think it's so cute that she is exploring her creative side. 

Here is the first side of her pillow...

She is making folded flowers, but instead of gluing the petals she is sewing them in place.  Here is the backside...

So fun!  Can't wait to see what else she comes up with...although, I'm hoping to have some machine time of my own sometime soon :O). 

Thrift Store Chandelier Adds Whimsical Charm

What do you think I love most about this chandelier?  It's beautiful swirly lines?  It's whimsical charm?  The bright white paint?  The candelabra bulbs? 

While those things are wonderful, they're not what I love most.  What I love most when I look at it, is the fact that - in passing - a couple of week ago I mentioned to Chuck that I would like to find an old chandelier to fix up for the 3 year olds room....and unbeknownst (is that word? spell check doesn't think so) to me he proceeded to stop by the DI (local thrift store) every.  single.  day.  until he found the perfect chandelier that matched my description.  Then, brought it home and surprised me with it! . . .

I had to wait through a week of snow storms before I could get it primed and painted.  I covered the electrical parts with press 'n seal.  I read that it's a good idea to put it in a box to spray paint it so that all of the little paint particles get chance to land on the fixture.  I didn't have a big enough box on hand so Chuck hung it from the tree, and that worked out great! . . .

The next lovely surprise was when I got home last night from a church meeting and he had shortened the chain and had it all installed :O).  I made the material cover for the chain this morning. . .

I wish I was better at taking pictures so that you could really see how beautifully it lights up her room.  It just makes the whole room glow.  I couldn't be happier with it.  Mostly I'm just so in love with that guy.  What a romantic. . .

For a full list of parties I link to click HERE!

Pre-Shirred Fabric Dresses

The other day (again at Wal-Mart), I walked passed the fabric area - with zero intent of buying anything - and could NOT resist this pre-shirred fabric!  I've always wanted to try to make one...

Does it get any easier?  I bought enough material to make both my girls matching dresses.  I hemmed it, sewed up the back, added straps, and a flower....

This is the 3 year olds.  I've got the 10 year olds done, but hers still needs a flower...

I love those elastic gathers, so fun...

She seems to like it too.  With the fabric I bought I will get 2 dresses (including straps), and enough fabric leftover to make flowers for 2 headbands (I've already made a couple of rolled rosettes).  Total cost for both dresses and accessories - $18.00.  I am LOVING how cost effective sewing can be.  I can't think of any store that I can buy this cute of a dress with a matching headband (pictures coming later) for 9 bucks!...

For a full list of parties I link to click HERE!

Gussied Up Garanimals Skort

 I was at Wal-Mart the other day and couldn't resist loading up the cart with every color of the Garanimals skorts and leggings for the 3 year old.  I figured the possibilities were endless with adding a bit of cuteness to them. Plus, the spring colors were so bright and adorable.  Here's my before (sorry for the crappy lighting)...

I followed THIS tutorial to make a Crushed Flower out of a fat quarter my mom picked up for me the other day....

I tacked down the bottom petals with my sewing machine so that it will wash up nice.  Can't wait to work on the others!...

Click HERE for a full list of parties I've linked to!

Thrift Store Wall Decor

Awhile back we when we took a trip to the DI (local thrift store), I picked up these three frames.  The two little square ones were a $1.50 each, and the box frame was $1.00. 

I got them out over the weekend.  I started by sanding the globs of paint off of the box frame...

Then I primed it and painted it white...

My sweet aunt just gave me a bunch of scrapbook paper and supplies.  She works for a scrapbook company and often brings home freebies.  I found this adorable green polka dot paper.  I've been wanting to add one more accent color to this room.  I decided green is a great color to add to the pink, brown, and white alread in there.  I Mod Podged the paper to the front of the box frame...

I still haven't decided exactly what to display in it, for now it's her teapot...but she wasn't very happy about that...

The two little frames started out silver...

I primed, spray painted, and added the pictures and bows (the white ribbon is from the scraps my mom gave me last week and I used the same can of spray paint for 3 projects)...

It's fun to have this little wall filled....

I'm excited to add more green now!...

My total expense for this project comes to $4.00

Click HERE for a full list of parties I've linked to!

1st Pillow Case Dress - Kind of

This sweet little 2 year old is my 3 year olds best buddy!  We are blessed to have her in our home each day...

Of all the kids she seems most interested in what I'm doing with my sewing machine.  She often sits next to me and watches me sew....

With all of the Easter clothes I've been sewing for my girls, today was the first day that she asked if she could also please have a dress...

So, we went to my mom's bucket full of scraps and picked out some material she liked (this is where the "kind of" comes in...I didn't actually use a pillowcase, just cut the material like one).  I made my first attempt to sew a pillowcase dress (originally saw these on Sugar Bee), and of course made a matching folded flower headband...

Doesn't she look adorable?  She's so cute, she could wear anything and be completely irresistible :O).

Mens Polo Shirt To Skirt - Tutorial

I've been trying to keep my crafting to one project per day (I'm a bit obsessive with it lately) to keep a good balance in my life.  BUT, the other day when I was cleaning up from the Twirly Play Skirt project, I came across the shirt that I made the Rosette Cuff out of and the idea clicked to make a skirt, so I quickly whipped it up!

It was THEE easiest thing I've ever sewn.  I simply cut off a piece from the bottom of the shirt.  I had to go small because of a stain on the shirt, but really this could be made longer for an older girl or even adult.  This picture may look confusing.  I folded the shirt in half to cut the strip, but then unfolded the part I cut before I snapped the shot...

With the bottom hem and sides of the shirt already sewn for me the only thing I had to do was add an elastic at the top!  See?  SO EASY!  To put the elastic in you simply iron over about a 1/4 of an inch....

Then take that same fold and fold it over again to accommodate the thickness of your elastic.  I ironed it over about an inch...

Sew along the bottom edge of the fold to form your elastic casing.  Leave a hole for the elastic to thread through...

With your safety pin hooked to your elastic guide the elastic through the casing...

Pull through the other side (being careful not to lose each end).  Overlap the elastic and stitch together, then stitch your opening closed.  I stitch the elastic in a couple of places to prevent it from rolling. 

I LOVE the little side slits that were already in the shirt!...

This material is a bit silky and has a shimmer to it that you can't see in these pictures.  My 3 year old LOVES it - VERY twirly and swirly :O).

Click HERE for a full list of parties I link to!