A Lott Of Ideas

{ spring burlap banner }

2012-02-29T09:13:00.000-10:00

Spring is such a beautiful time of year! All of my orchids are blooming, my Easter lily's

are really close to blooming and even my banana tree is blooming! I just love all

the bright colors and especially the smell of rain! Although we get plenty of rain

here throughout the year and flowers are always blooming,

you can definitely feel that it is

SPRING!

I really like burlap! It has such an earthy look to it. I thought it would be perfect

for a spring banner. Plus, I figured out an easy way to prevent your burlap

from fraying on every cut!

What you'll need:

* Burlap

* Mod Podge

* Craft paint

* Sponge dabber brush

* Scissors

* Jute

* Sewing machine with matching thread

* Cricut (optional)

Start by laying something down on your work area. I used a long piece

of plastic wrap. I don't want my work to stick to paper or the table.

Then lay a piece of burlap down on top.

Now dab your sponge brush into some Mod Podge and start

dabbing it onto the burlap. You want to cover the whole piece.

The more you use, the stiffer it will be! So base your thickness on how

firm you want your burlap in the end.

Allow the burlap to dry completely (even the opposite side will be damp

with Mod Podge)!

I used some white paint and dabbed a very small amount over my entire piece.

Let this dry.

Now to make a pattern for your flags.

I used a small envelope, folded it in half, and cut off the corner.

Now cut out your flags, using your pattern.

Using your Cricut, cut out your letters and shapes on some scrap paper.

I used George and basic shapes cartridge.

Now use the outside piece like a stencil. Dab the color of your

choice onto each flag

Make sure you keep the inside of the 'P' and 'R' so you can hold them

into place while you paint.

If you don't have a Cricut, you can use a paintbrush to paint your letters on!

Let the paint dry completely.

I added a vintage button on the center of each flower as well.

Now it's time to put the flag together. Lay the flags out in the

order they will be attached to avoid sewing them on wrong.

Line your jute up in the center of your pressure foot over the top of your flag.

Using a wide zigzag stitch on the sewing machine you sew the jute

down the top of each flag, adding the next flag without stopping or cutting

thread.

Make sure you leave a long end on the jute for tying off your banner.

And your done!

{ squiggly bracket picture frame }

2012-02-22T14:39:00.000-10:00

I recently saw some frames online that were so dang cute! No plain old

square frames either! They were frames that obviously were inspired

by the squiggly bracket!

(I'm not sure who named it that

but I love it! hahah squiggly bracket --> { })

I just switched out my family photo and I thought about painting the

frame (I'm trying to get away from all the black). Then I decided

to just make my own squiggly bracket frame; Jumbo sized!

I just used my 20 X 30 picture frame and built a frame around it! Pretty

simple for the outcome!

What you'll need:

* Old frame

* Tape measure

* 1x4 inch board ( length depends on the size of your frame)

* Saw

* Craft paper and pencil

* Sand paper

* Router

* Wood glue

* Wood clamps

* Paint and brush

Start with your old frame.

Sorry for the lack of photos .... But you will use these measurements

and mark it on your 1x4. 2 of each. Then cut them at a 45 degree angle.

The measurement will be the short end of your 45 degree angle.

Now you should have 4 piece total that look like this ( 2 measuring

the same as side and 2 measuring the same as bottom of frame). They should be able

to sit nicely around the outside of your original frame with all corners

and angles touching flush.

Now to add your detail! I used craft paper and cut out patterns that looked

just like the image above. I folded it in half and then drew a design. When you cut it

out you will have a symmetrical design. (I made different designs for

bottom and side. You can use the same if you want). I then traced this pattern

onto my wood and cut it out with the scroll saw.

By taping your pattern together at the corners, you can make a nice clean
transition at your joint. Match up your corners to make sure they
match up and sand them down if they don't.

Next step is to router all the outside edges.

There are so many different bits available for the router.

Sand any rough edges.

Now it's time to put this thing together. Remove your picture, glass and backing from

the original frame if you haven't already done so.

Using wood glue and clams, attach the new frame to the outside of the old one.

I did two sides at a time because I didn't have enough clamps to do it all at once.

Allow the glue to dry completely before removing the clamps.

Now you can paint and sand as you please!

Just make sure it's completely dry before putting your photo back in!

Cost: $10

{ valentine cootie catcher }

2012-02-14T08:42:00.000-10:00

I've procrastinated once again!

Yesterday, I decided to add a little extra to the Valentine goody

bags that Ryker is taking to school. It was a last minute idea and I

just couldn't shake it off! I made one for Ryker and he was so pleased with it

that I went ahead and made more in a very tight time schedule!

Remember these from grade school?

Cootie catchers, right? I made a bunch of them

that were Valentine themed. Ryker loved them. He is

really excited to show his friends how to use them!

What you'll need:

* Paper

* Pen

* Printer

* Scissors or paper cutter

* Origami skills (lol)

I started out by folding up one of these cootie catchers on a white

piece of paper. I used 12x12 pattern paper for the finished

product so I cut my white paper to a 6x6 inch size so 4 will fit nicely

on each piece of pattern paper.

I thought everyone knew how to fold these. But my brother says he never

made one! Maybe it was a girl thing? I don't remember.... so here are instructions

on folding up your cootie catcher!

6x6 inch paper

Fold in half diagonally

Open; fold diagonally the opposite direction

open

Fold corner in until point touches the center.

Repeat on all four corners.

Turn over

Fold corner into the center

Repeat on all four corners.

Fold in half

Put your finger between these flaps

pull out on all four flaps.

That's it!

Now you're ready to write on it!

I scanned this onto the computer and opened it into

a photo editing program. I added a transparent layer and then

simply typed all of these words in

different fonts and then set them directly over the area I

wrote it. When I was done, I just removed this image.

This is the finished image.

Now cut your 12 x 12's down to (4) 6 x 6's.

I opened my image in Microsoft Word and set my paper size to

6 x 6 inches. Now print!

And fold!

{ Happy Valentine's Day! }

Enjoy 10% off my Etsy shop today! Because I love ya!

Use coupon code BEMINE2012 at checkout

Kandislei Co.

{ valentine wreath }

2012-02-06T10:37:00.000-10:00

I really had no idea what to do for my Valentine wreath.

So I was easy on myself.

Look familiar?

Yep... this is my Christmas wreath!

I just removed the ornaments and added mini flags!

These mini flags are no sew as well! So

easy is probably an understatement!

What you'll need:

* Fabric

* Scissors

* Fabric glue

* Ric rac

* Fabric paint

I used the scraps from my Valentine inspired banner. My flags are

only about an inch wide. Cut out as many as you need for your project.

I used 21.

I used Aleene's Fast Grab tacky glue to attach the flags to

the ric rac.

Put a small glue strip of glue across the top of your flag.

Lay your ric rac on top of the glue strip.

Continue until your strip is long enough for your projects. Leave

some extra length on the ends to attach them.

I used some fabric paint to put a small heart on some of the flags.

Now remove the glass and backing from your frame.

I left the burlap that was in there before.

Lay your flags out on top of the glass.

Tape the ends to the backing.

Put your frame back together.

Add a bow on top!

( this is even the same bow from Christmas)

This frame is cute as wall art or...

A door wreath!

Total cost: Free!

You can see my Christmas frame wreath here

{ valentine inspired banner }

2012-02-03T15:44:00.000-10:00

I recently made a flag banner for a friend of mine. It turned out so cute

that I couldn't help but make something similar for myself! And since I haven't

done any decorating for Valentine's Day, my theme was pretty much

chosen for me. So, without further ado....

What you'll need:

* Fabric

* Scissors

* Sewing machine with coordinating thread

* Paper ( to make your pattern)

* Bowl

* 1" wide ribbon or bias tape

I started by making a pattern. I went with a half round shape instead of

the more traditional triangle. Set your bowl down on your paper

so it is right up against the bottom and one side of your paper.

Trace it here.

Now fold the paper so your circle is exactly half. My paper is

slightly transparent so I could see where I traced on the other side and

just lined it up. I've marked the top so you you can be sure of the way

I folded.

Now cut off the bottom section of your paper following your circle.

Cut straight up the edge of your paper (no longer following the

circle, but the raw edge) on the top section.

Unfold your paper.

I folded down the top squared part until it looked "right".

Then trimmed the extra straight across.

This completes your pattern.

Grab your fabric. I used 7 different fabric patterns/colors.

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday and

found some really cute fabric! I bought a quarter

yard of each fabric and that was well enough to make 5

banners this long!

Fold your fabric in half so that the wrong sides are together.

Pin your pattern to the fabric so you are cutting

out two layers at a time( front and back).

Do this twice for each piece of fabric.

Now sew the fronts to the backs of each flag. Use a zigzag top stitch so your

raw edges are still showing. Wrong sides should be

together. Your fabric should already be paired up this way because you

cut it out this way. Clip your strings.

I added a heart on my solid pink fabric. I made a duplicate

paper pattern and folded it in half. I cut out a heart shape

from the middle.

Now you fold your fabric piece in half as well and pin the pattern

to it. Cut out the heart on the fabric.

Zigzag stitch around the heart. Take your time. It will be pretty easy
to get out of control going around those curves! Start at the top center.

Now organize your flags in the order you want them. Stack them

this way so you don't have to worry about finding the right fabric when

you start sewing them into a strip.

Fold your ribbon in half and start sewing about 12"

from the end of your ribbon using the same zigzag stitch as before.

( this tail will be a way to tie up your banner in the end)

Add your first flag in front of your presser foot and fold the ribbon

in half over the straight edge. Hold it in place and sew down.

Stop at the edge of the flag.

Add your second flag the same way as you did the first, leaving a 1/4 inch gap

between it and the first flag never cutting your thread.

Continue adding flags in the same manner as above until you all flags

are attached. Back stitch. Cut ribbon about 12 inches beyond the

edge of the last flag.

Now you're done! I hung mine on the wooden shelf and used

pins and tape to hold it up!

These are so cute to use as photography props!

I'm seriously considering making one of these for every holiday!

They are so easy to store and easy to put up!

Enjoy!

{ princess party hats }

2012-01-28T08:00:00.000-10:00

I couldn't find party hats that I liked for Kaj's birthday.

So, I improvised!

I wanted to have an activity for the girls to do that

wasn't just a game. So we made party hats for them to

wear during the tea party!

What you'll need:

* Party hat

* White paper

* Pencil & scissors

* Crayons & glitter glue

* Tape

* Strips of tulle

I bought the cheapest hats I could find. I paid less than

$2 for 8 hats (the pack came with matching bags and noise makers).

It doesn't matter what they look like!

You are just going to cover them up!

Start by opening up your party hat. Don't worry if you damage the
tab a little while opening them. You won't need the tab to put
it back together

Trace your hat onto white paper.

( you really can use what ever color you want! Pattern

paper would be so cute!)

Cut it out

Put some glue around the edge of your party hat and put

your traced piece on top.

I prepared these the night before the party. When the girls got

to the house for the party, I gave them crayons and glitter

glue and let them decorate any way they like.

You may want to help the little ones with the glitter glue!

It takes quite a while to dry when there are huge globs of it! :)

Once the glue is dried, add strips of tulle to the point of the hat.

Tape it onto the inside. These are just extra pieces from

a tutu I made a while ago!

Now just roll it back up and tape it together again!

They loved these hats! Some girls showed up a little late and

saw these hats on the other girls and couldn't wait to make their own!

Enjoy!

{ Gradybug 3rd Birthday giveaway} and Kandislei Co. Coupon

2012-01-27T09:52:00.000-10:00

Good morning! I want to start by welcoming any new fans sent over

from Gradybug Designs! I wish you all luck on their 3rd

Birthday giveaway!

And for those of you who don't know, Gradybug Designs is having

a big birthday giveaway! There are two prize packages to be won! Both

are filled with cute photography stuff, like backdrops, props and even

Photoshop actions!

Kandislei Co. (my Etsy shop) is participating in the giveaway as well! One

of the lucky winners will be getting both of these crochet chullo owl hats

in there prize package!

So go on over to Gradybug Designs and enter to win! It's super easy

to enter! Just "like" all the vendors! And then you can do 3 additional enteries as

well! Good Luck!

And since I really love my fans and followers, I am putting on a sale in my

Etsy shop for the remainder of the giveaway! Bonus!

From today until February 3rd, you can receive 20% off

the entire shop!

Just enter the coupon code above at time of purchase!

So go ahead and take advantage of all of these

deals from Gradybug designs, Kandislei Co. and all the

other great vendors!

Enjoy and Good Luck!

{ rosette cake }

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-10:00

I made Kaj's birthday cake yesterday morning in

a little bit of a rush. We made her party a few hours earlier

than we normally do them and I didn't do well adjusting!

But I did get everything done, it was just close. :)

These rosettes are super easy! I went on YouTube and found a video
that shows the basic technique used to make them.
Here is a link to the video I learned from.

The rosette really uses a lot of frosting! This is a two layer strawberry
cake. I put a thin layer of frosting between the two cakes and
covered the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting. This used up one and
a half tubs of frosting. Then the rosettes I have here used up another full
tub! I had planned on covering the whole cake but didn't have enough
frosting! I sprinkled it with pearl sprinkles.

Kaj was so excited that she started singing Happy Birthday first!

Look for my post on these cute party hats!

Happy 4th birthday Peach!

{ heart cupcake toppers }

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-10:00

Cupcakes always taste better with toppers. At least I think so!

I'm just preparing for baby girl's birthday party and needed mini cupcakes

for the tea party. I made red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese

frosting and pearl sprinkles. I cut my hearts out of the same

paper I used on her bunting inspired invitations, here.

These are super easy. So easy in fact, that you probably don't need me

to explain how to make them! But just in case, here you go!

What you'll need:

* Paper cut outs of hearts ( two per topper)

* Toothpicks

* Glue

Cut out your shapes. Two for each topper. I used the Cricut.

Glue the backside of your first shape.

Lay your tooth pick center on the heart

Add another heart on top. Let it dry completely.

Now add to your cupcakes! They are so cute on these mini

cupcakes! And I know the girls will love them at the

tea party today! These would be so cute for Valentine treats

as well!

These cupcakes were good practice for the cake! I'm

doing the frosting rosettes and I had never done them before!

Total cost: Free!!!

{ party favor pouches }

2012-01-22T08:46:00.000-10:00

I must admit that I'm a " don't eat to much candy" kind of mom.

I don't let my kids eat it hardly ever. My husband, on the other

hand, comes home with a bag of candy every day

after work!

I usually just fill cellophane bags with candy for party

favors because it's easy and cheap and I know

most kids love candy. For baby girls birthday, I decided

to mix it up a little.

I've just made a pouch that slips over a bottle of water

that holds just the right amount of sweets and an individual drink

mix packet to add to your water!

With all the Valentine candy out in stores now, it's so

easy to find candy for a girl party! Everything

has hearts or pink on it!

What you'll need:

* 12x12 sheet of pattern paper

* Paper cutter (or scissors)

* Glue

* Bottled water

* Treats

* Drink mix

* Ribbon, stamps, and embellishments (optional)

Get your 12x12 paper

Cut it down into 3 pieces. 4 inches wide each. If your treats

are all narrow, like suckers for example, you could cut these down

even more narrow and get 4 pieces, 3 inches wide each.

It just depends on what you're stuffing your pouch with!

Now you will mark the paper at 3 measurements. Starting at the bottom

edge, mark your paper at 3 inches, 8 inches and 10 inches. These will

represent where to fold your paper.

Fold the 3 inch line forward ( pattern touching).

Glue, starting 1/8 in from the very edges up to the fold on

each side.

Now fold down the very edge

Next, move up to the top and fold it at the 10" mark.

Now trace a circle on the center of this flap. I used the lid
of a bottle of water since that is what this hole will
be slid over

Cut out the hole through both layers of paper

Now fold your paper at the 8 inch mark.

Round the corners

I used a simple stamp to brighten up the front! There are really
endless possibilities on how cute you can make these!

Now stuff your pouches

Slip them over the top of your bottle and add some ribbon!

Done!

total cost for 16 favors: $8

{ bunting inspired invitations }

2012-01-17T12:26:00.000-10:00

Incredibly enough, it's the middle of the month already! Where,

oh where is the time going!? I feel like I've been so busy

lately. But, really, I've only done a few projects and

mostly crocheting! :) Time to get some more projects complete!

My baby girl is turning 4 tomorrow

(then no more birthdays 'til September)!

We are celebrating this weekend with a tea party

and then a BBQ. I finally made the invitations!

I was walking through Goodwill the other day and found a pack

of invitations for $0.50. This is significantly less than what

I usually spend on invitations. Even home made ones! It actually

costs me more than that for just one piece of card stock at

my local scrapbook store. So, needless to say, I bought them!

What you'll need:

* Invitations or card stock cut to invitations size

* Craft paper or paper bag

* Pattern paper ( I used scraps)

* Scissors

* Glue

* Sewing machine with coordinating thread

* Embellishments (optional)

Here is a photo of my fifty cent invitations!

Start by tracing the section you want covered onto

your craft paper. Then cut the piece out.

Glue it down and trim the edges. Set the invitation aside.

Cut out small triangles from your pattern paper. I used

7 different papers.

Now, line them up on your invitation how you want them.

you can draw a line or use some string to help

you out if you want. I just eyed mine up and then used it

as a visual for the others.

Now glue your flags down. I only put a small amount

of glue on the top edge so the flags didn't lay flush.

Using your sewing machine, sew along the tops of the

flags from one side to the other and then reverse stitch

back to the beginning. Don't worry about staying on the

same line. It looks cute to have them a little crazy!

And don't forget to sew it

with the invitation open!

Don't want to sew it closed!

Now you can add any embellishment your little heart desires!

I kept mine simple and just added a flower with

a button brad!

Such an easy way to make those left over invitations from

last year work again this year!

Total cost for 10 invitations: $0.50

{ shabby chic bedroom furniture } old new again

2012-01-03T10:11:00.000-10:00

I've finally started on my bedroom! I'm really excited

to get it done! The only thing I'm having trouble with is deciding

what color to paint the walls. In the meantime, I've

got a few projects to finish anyway. This weekend

I re-painted my dresser and nightstands. When we

first bought them (second hand), we had painted them black

because at the time I really didn't have an idea

of how the bedroom would be decorated.

And now that I've redone them, I LOVE them!

(don't mind that my bed isn't made)

This is an inexpensive way to make your

furniture fit your decor without having to go

out and buy new pieces.

What you'll need:

* A pint of flat paint.

* Paintbrush and small roller

* 120 grit sand paper

Here's the nightstand. Go ahead and take the

drawers out. I wanted to paint my hardware

to give it that worn vintage look as well.

Depending on your preferences, you

can tape the hinges off or remove the doors

and hinges until after you've painted.

Use some sandpaper and scuff up the finish a bit. This

helps the paint stick. Wipe off the dust.

Lay down some newspaper or a drop cloth under

the nightstand to avoid a mess.

If you're lucky, you'll find one of these, too! Score!

I used BEHR's antique white, interior flat paint.

I've found that gloss paints peel off really easy.

Using your roller, paint your surface completely. I like to

avoid the paint tray when using this little roller.

You can just dip it into the can and let it drip off a

little. Way easier and less mess to clean up.

You may have crevices that you can't get with the roller.

Use your paintbrush for these parts.

The first coat will be thin, especially if your

going from as dark as I did, to as light as I did.

Once the first coat is dry, add a second coat.

DO NOT put a second coat of paint on until

the first coat is not longer tacky. If you try

to add a second coat before the first is dry, it will

just lift the first coat.

I recommend you let the second coat dry over night.

If you are going to sand your piece of furniture,

it will gum up if it isn't completely dry.

Now it's time to age your piece. Use your sandpaper

and scuff up the new paint. Focus on the edges, corners

and other details in the wood.

You don't have to sand every part. I like to make

it look less intentional and more natural. Have fun

with it! Don't worry about making it perfect.

Here are a few more detail shots.

If you've used newspaper, it's probably stuck to the

bottom of your nightstand.

Just use your sandpaper and sand it off!

Make sure you use a rag and wipe off all the dust

from sanding before bringing it into the house. Put

your drawers back in and put your doors and

hinges back on if you removed them.

This is an easy way to make your old furniture

new again. Total cost to redo 2 night stands, a dresser

and a headboard: $15

Enjoy!

{ pattern paper vase }

2011-12-31T17:01:00.000-10:00

Happy New Year's Eve to everyone! I can't believe

2011 is already at it's end! What a wonderful year full of

blessings and fun!

I haven't come up with a resolution this year, but I have

come up with a few goals. I plan on finishing my bedroom and

my children's bedroom! I know... 3 years in a place

you'd think they would be done by now. I

started pulling things out of my room that have

gathered in there over the past year. I had an idea of how

I wanted my room and then changed my mind! So I

have some things that need refinishing to bring them

up to speed with my ideas. I wanted to finish

the year with one last post.

Believe it or not, this vase was, only a few hours ago, red and gold!

I've seen a lot of people using old sewing patterns in their

crafts lately. And since I'm in love with all things

vintage and "make do" I really wanted to bring this element

into my decorating as well.

So here you go! A refinished vase!

What you'll need:

* Vase

* Elmer's school glue and water

*Sponge paint brush

* Old sewing pattern ( I picked mine up at Goodwill

for $.50)

OK... Here's the vase.

Put about 2 quarter size amounts of Elmer's glue

in a bowl. Add a little water to thin it out. I didn't

measure how much water I used but it was close to the

same amount of glue I used. Mix it up well.

Now just spread your glue mixture onto the vase.

Start putting pieces of your pattern onto the glued areas.

Cover completely. This is one layer of paper.

You can see that is is transparent (pattern paper is very thin).

Go ahead and add as many layers as it takes to cover

your vase. I used about 3 or 4.

Allow it to dry completely.

Once the paper has had plenty of time to dry, you'll see

that the coverage is better, too.

That's it! You can use this method on just about

anything! Frames, jars, bowls, etc. And you

can also use other types of paper; book pages, pattern

paper, or sheet music.

Thank you all for visiting my blog this year! It's been fun

to share all of my crafting adventures with

you! I'm hoping the new year with bring

giveaways and contest (with prizes)! So keep

checking it out and don't forget to follow A Lott Of Ideas!

{ cookie dough pops } recipe

2011-12-15T09:30:00.000-10:00

Today is Ryker's last day of school until next year!

I'm excited for the break and so is he! I really

enjoy having him home and watching him

soak in the free time! :)

He wanted to bring a Christmas treat to school

for all of his classmates. I have personally

been wanting to try a treat that I saw on this blog

back in October! Cookie dough pops!!

What a wonderful idea!

And with no eggs at all, it's OK to eat raw!

On a side note, I'd like to encourage you to use cuter

sprinkles than I did! When you live in Hawaii, it isn't

a rare occurrence for Wal-Mart to be "out" of things.

Unfortunately, on the day I needed cute sprinkles,

they were out. These ones were the only

sprinkles in the whole place!

What you'll need:

* 6 inch lollipop sticks

* A brick of almond bark

* CUTE sprinkles

* Cookie recipe and ingredients

* Wax paper

* Foam block

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. (2 sticks) butter; softened

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. milk

2 c. (12 oz pkg) semi sweet chocolate morsels.

Start by combining the flour, baking soda, and salt in a

small bowl. Mix it well and set it aside.

Now, in a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar

and vanilla. Beat until creamy and well mixed.

Add milk and mix well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in morsels.

Line cookie sheets with wax paper.

Roll balls of dough about an inch wide. Lay

them out on the wax paper.

Melt almond bark in the microwave.

Follow the instructions on the package.

Now dip your lollipop sticks into the almond bark and

then stick them into your cookie dough balls.

Freeze pops for 20 min.

Once the pops are firm, take out a few at

a time and start dipping them into the melted

almond bark. You may have to reheat it often.

The pops coat better when it's hot!

Tap them on the side of your bowl to remove

excess coating.

Quickly sprinkle with cute sprinkles!

Ryker was in charge of this part! He was in

sprinkle heaven! :)

Now poke the stick of your finished pop into

the foam block so it can harden.

Once the coating has dried, you can wrap

them with Cello wrap or tie them with a bow.

This just happened to be another thing Wal-Mart

was out of yesterday when I was picking

up supplies! No small, clear Cello bags! Sigh...

So they were put in these big "surfer santa" bags.

The extras will be going with Jake to work tomorrow!

Hope the ladies like sugar! :)

This recipe makes between 40 and 50 pops!

Enjoy!

{ poinsettia tree skirt } Christmas

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-10:00

I've never really had a tree skirt because I've never

really liked any that I've seen! They're either too

country, too traditional or just not my style in general.

The other day, I decided that I needed one though!

So I started searching the web for inspiration and

found one that caught my eye from Garnet Hill!

I had to remake it for myself! It was

from last year so they don't even sell it anymore

but it's perfect for me since it can go with

whatever I decide to decorate with next year!

What you'll need:

* 1 and1/4 yards of felt

* Scissors

* Sewing machine and thread

* Hot glue

* 2 pencils and string or thread

(Sorry that some of my photos are dark! I started

working on this in the late evening! )

I started by squaring off my felt, and setting

the extra aside. It was a squared piece

about 36 inches across. I took a piece of string, and made

it 36 inches long. Tie the two ends together. Now put your

pencils in the looped string. Now, from pencil to pencil

should roughly be your radius ( measurement from

center of a circle to the outer edge).

Now hold one pencil in the center of your felt

square. ( If your piece is a perfect square, you can

find the center by folding it in half and then in

half again the other way. The folded corner will be your center point.)

Now pull your string tight with a pencil in each

hand. Draw with your outer pencil, keeping your string

tight and center pencil still, around in a circle. This is similar to using

a protractor in math class!

Using any small round object, draw a circle in the

center for the tree trunk. I used a small Tupperware lid.

Now, using a ruler or straight edge, draw a line from the

center point to the outer edge of your circle.

( ignore my first line... it obviously wan't straight! haha)

Cut everything out and cut down the straight line.

Keep all of your scraps, you'll need them to cut out all of

these little strips to make the poinsettias. Cut out

as many as you can with the scraps you have. I cut out

over 300 of them! They are 3 inches long and 1/2 an

inch wide. I cute out 3 layers at a time and

it sped up the process!

Once you've cut out all of your strips you need to

sew them. Lay one piece at a time down on the machine.

Fold it in half.

Slide it under the presser foot, centered.

Sew down and back stitch.

Do not cut the thread. Repeat with

remaining strips.

You will end up with a long strip of these if you leave

the thread uncut. At the end, you can cut them all apart.

The next step is to assemble the poinsettias. Use a

very small dab of hot glue to the center of

one sewn strip.

Now add another strip to the top, perpendicular.

Add a third strip to half of your poinsettias.

You will have half " x "shaped and half "* " shaped.

Now stagger them around the edge of your skirt

before attaching them to be sure you have enough to

go around and to make sure you don't put too

many in an area.

Now use a dab of hot glue to the bottom of each

and attach to your skirt about half inch from the edge.

You can add ribbon to the bottom side of the

skirt, down the opening, to tie it shut.

I haven't added my ribbon yet because I didn't have

a coordinating color on hand!

Cute, huh!?

Total cost?...... $4

Enjoy!

{ monster birthday }

2011-12-05T07:42:00.001-10:00

We celebrated my son's 2nd birthday yesterday! We

do birthdays pretty simple out here! We love

having BBQ's and inviting all of our friends as well

as our neighborhood kids over. There's never

a lot of decorating involved... just cakes! :)

I have been excited to make monster

themed cakes for Tyke's birthday!

( one is never enough )

And although I had planned on taking pictures

while I made them.... I didn't! So this

is strictly for inspiration! :)

Here they are! Fun and not scary! But still monsters!

Here are a few of my favorite monsters! lol

Making a wish!

The birthday boy!

I added some coconut flakes and slivered almonds

to the batter of one cake! It turned out so

yummy!

He got a bike and some cars and trucks; his

favorite things!

Happy Birthday to my little Tyke!

{ frame wreath } Christmas

2011-12-01T08:32:00.001-10:00

Can you believe it's already December?

This is such a busy month for my family! We will

be celebrating my son's 2nd birthday, my

husbands birthday, our anniversary

and obviously Christmas!

And don't forget all the shopping that has

to be done for all of these occasions!

(So don't be surprised when I am posting

birthday stuff instead of Christmas stuff! :)

Hopefully I find time to post all that I want to this

month in between all the chaos!

I made a "wreath" over the weekend and I

am so happy about how it turned out!

Best part is that it was easy! :)

Enjoy!

What you'll need:

- Thrift store frame and paint

-Burlap

-Assorted ornaments

-ribbon, tulle, and jute twine

Start by removing the glass and backing board

from your frame. It doesn't matter what size

frame you have!

Spray paint your frame whatever color you choose.

I chose red.

While your frame dries, cut out a piece of

burlap to fit inside your frame. I used the

backer board like a pattern. I just

laid it down on the burlap and cut around it.

Set this aside.

Now take your assorted ornaments and

tie ribbon, jute, or tulle through the

loops. I used one red ornament, one ornament

that I paper machetted book pages to, a

twig ball, and a star ornament.

Make sure you leave the ends long so you can

arrange the ornaments how you like.

Once you've arranged them, tie the end of the

ribbon, etc. in a knot so that they stay

staggered.

Now, to put everything together, you start by

threading the knot through the frame before putting

everything else in their obvious order; Glass,

burlap, then backer board. So.... your ornaments should

be in front of your glass and the knot should be

on the back.

Pull the knot through until your arrangement is

centered, then tape it down to the backer board.

I made a bow for the top using all of my materials;

burlap, ribbon, tulle, and jute.

I also used a dry erase board marker to write

"Believe" on the glass. The dry erase marker

wipes easily off of the glass.

Now hang it up!

{ easy lace garland } Christmas

2011-11-26T17:11:00.001-10:00

I just put up my Christmas tree!
My little nephew

was over playing with my daughter today. He

stopped what he was doing all of a sudden

and turned to me with wide eyes and said,

"Auntie, there's no Christmas here!" So

I sent him and baby girl to pull the tree

out from under the bed! And boy was he right!

Now that it's up, it just feels like Christmas!

I am actually going to go wrap a few gifts

to throw under there when I'm done

posting today! :)

After I got all my ornaments on, I felt like

I wanted a little more this year! I want some

more white/cream in my decorating this year. So

I made a super easy garland to wrap around it to

start. I plan on spending the week making

some cute ornaments, both for my tree and

for my Etsy shop! I want to bring

more of that vintage/shabby chic feel to my

tree!

What you'll need:

* Lace cut into 1/2 to 3/4 in strips

OK... so you can buy lace ribbon and it would

save you some cutting. I had a bunch of lace

fabric from some other projects I've done

this year. I just cut about 8 or 9 strips. Each strip

is about 4-5 feet long.

Next, I just tied them together, end to end, until

I had one long strip. Make sure you use a square knot

so it doesn't come untied and also because the small

ends of the knots sit nicer that way (in my opinion)!

Tie it right over left and left over right!

That's it! Just wrap it around your tree! I'm
excited to add layers of muslin and burlap!

Our first year here in Hawaii, my sister-in-law
sent "snow". We hang the snowflakes on our
tree every year! :)

My next project is a tree skirt! I've never had
one because I've never seen one I actually like!
But this year I found one! And I'm going to
recreate it!

{ noel blocks } Christmas

2011-11-22T07:54:00.000-10:00

I spent my weekend crafting and cleaning! Since I'm a little

too late on thanksgiving decor, I started in on

Christmas! This project really got me in the

spirit! I can hardly wait to get the tree out and start

setting it up!

What you'll need:

- Wooden blocks made from a 2X4

- Paint and paint brush

- Sandpaper or course nail file

- Coordinating paper

- Mod Podge

- Lace, ribbon, and/or jute

I went to Home Depot a while ago and was searching through

their scrap wood pile ( because I do that in my spare time).

I notice, next to the big saw they have, some small pieces of

2x4. These are just the ends cut off! But they were perfect

for this project! I didn't have to cut the pieces and

I didn't have to pay for them either! They just gave them to me!

Score!

I only sanded them down a bit.

Paint your blocks.

Once they've dried, use some sand paper or a course

nail file and rough up the edges.

I just ripped out my pieces of paper to fit each

of my blocks. You can use any type of paper! I used a

piece of newspaper, a page from a book, lace,

paper bag, and scrapbook paper!

Now paint a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the back

of your paper.

Center it onto your wood block and press it down. Make

sure you get all the 'bubbles' out.

Repeat with your other blocks. Feel free to add layers

like I did with the lace.

I used vinyl for my letters. I just cut them out with

my Cricut. You can use paper and just glue

them on if you don't have vinyl or even stamp

or write your letters.

Stick your letters to your blocks.

Now you can embellish any way you like! I added a

bow of lace and jute to my smallest block.

That's it!

{ jute cone tree } Christmas

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-10:00

I'm a little bummed that I never really got around to making

much fall decor. I used to have so much cute

decor for fall and Thanksgiving. But when

you move as far away from home as I

did, you don't get to take very

much with you! So even though I intended

on starting up a "fall decor" bin, It'll have to

wait til next year!

So... I have started Christmas!!! I love Christmas!

I'm excited to make some fun stuff!

I'm starting out small though because I want

Thanksgiving to come before I get

too crazy with Christmas! Only a few days away!

Here is a little something I threw together today

after I finally cleared my Halloween stuff

off the shelf!

What you'll need:

- Card stock

- Elmer's glue ( or whatever kind you have)

- Hot glue

- Jute twine

Get your paper

Now roll it up into a funnel/cone.

Leave a tiny hole in the top.

Use your Elmer's and glue

the flap shut so that your paper stays

this shape.

Now take the end of your jute and thread

it through the hole in the tip of your cone.

Pull it down through the bottom and

tie it into a knot.

Pull it tight so the knot is at the tip of your

funnel but not pulling through.

Add a small amount of hot glue onto

the tip of the funnel.

Now start wrapping your jute around, making

sure you are covering the paper.

Continue wrapping the jute around the cone

adding hot glue every few wraps.

Be sure to push the jute tight against itself so the

paper doesn't show through ( especially if you

use bright paper like me! I didn't have the right

color)!

When you get to the bottom, cut the jute off leaving

about a 1 inch tail.

Cut the excess paper off to make it flat and able

to stand.

Now add hot glue to the inside and attach your

tail there.

That's it!

Add them to your decor!

{ fabulous eggnog } recipe

2011-11-18T15:24:00.000-10:00

So, when I make something, I usually have a pretty

clear view of what I'm trying make ( usually)!

Take eggnog for example...I am looking for a very

specific flavor and texture. Well, I found it!

I was searching the web and making eggnog like crazy!

Last night I tried an Eggnog recipe

that will be put into my recipe book for good!

I won't be looking for any more recipes because

this, my friends, is fabulous!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups milk

2 whole cloves

Pinch of cinnamon

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tbsp each of bourbon and rum or brandy,

or to taste (optional)

Directions:
Start out by beating the egg yolk well. Then slowly add
the sugar to the eggs and beat until it's fluffy.

In a saucepan, combine milk, cinnamon ( I added a lot
more than a pinch.. mmmm), and cloves.
I didn't have cloves and I wasn't about to drive to
the store just for that, so I didn't put them in!
My eggnog still turned out incredible!
Slowly heat on medium until mixture is steaming
hot. Do not let it boil!

Temper the eggs.
This part is pretty important so pay attention! lol
You are going to slowly pour half of the hot milk
into your eggs! While you pour, you need to
constantly be whisking so that you don't heat
the eggs too quickly! You don't want to scramble
them!

Now add the egg mixture back into the pot.
Continue heating, stirring constantly, over medium
heat until mixture begins to thicken and
coats the backside of a spoon.

Remove from heat and add cream. Mix well.
Strain eggnog to remove cloves. Let it cool for
one hour and then add the vanilla,
nutmeg, and rum (again, the rum is optional!
Just don't put it in if you don't want it!)

Chill and serve.

Yield: 1 quart

Thank you to Elise for her post at Simply Recipes!

{ whipped eggnog } recipe

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-10:00

I love the holidays! And for so many reasons! I love

that families seem so much closer, that people seem to show

more compassion toward each other and that there

is so much tasty food to be cooked! :)

One of my favorite tasty items is eggnog! Oh how

I wish it was available all year at the grocery store!

But, since it isn't, I've decided to give making this

delicious beverage a try! Yes, I'm a first timer in

eggnog making! And I'm sure I'll try a lot

of recipes just because that's what I like to do!

Here's my first!

A creamy, fluffy, thick, whipped version of eggnog! And since I

prefer drinking my eggnog mixed with milk, this thick

recipe is perfect!

I chose to try this one because I had all but one ingredient

already on hand! So it cost me less to make it! Hope you

try it! Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 c. white sugar
salt to taste
2 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. rum (optional)
2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Alright!

Directions:

Start by combining egg, white sugar, and salt ( just a sprinkle)

in a medium saucepan.

Gradually stir in milk.

Stirring constantly, cook for 10-15 minutes

on medium heat; until mixture just coats a metal spoon.

( Please stir constantly! If you

don't, you will most likely end up with very sweet

and fluffy scrambled eggs! I'm serious! Stirring is pretty

important in this step! Keep the liquid moving!)

Remove saucepan from heat. Add 1 tsp. vanilla; stir.

Place the saucepan in a sink of cold water just long enough

to cool the custard.

Now cover and put it in the fridge until chilled.

( put an empty bowl in the freezer while you're here.

You'll need it later!)

In a chilled bowl (the one that was in the freezer), combine

heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, nutmeg and

1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Beat until stiff peaks form. It should take about 5 min

to get the right consistency here ( unless your electric

mixer isn't broken, like mine). It will be just like whipped cream.

If you think you have it, just dip the tip of your

mixer in and if the whipped cream stands up you're done.

Stir in rum and yellow food coloring at this point. I didn't

use either of these options in mine! You can

add milk instead of rum . It will

thin the eggnog a little!

Fold the whipped cream mixture into the chilled custard.

(basically, you're just gently stirring!)

Poor into a serving bowl or pitcher! Sprinkle with

nutmeg and cinnamon!

With a little homemade whipped cream on top! :)

Happiness in a cup!

If, by chance, you end up with little scrambled egg pieces

in your eggnog, you can just strain them out after you

remove your custard from the heat!

If it'stoo fluffy for you, just add milk until it's right! :)

And don't forget to mix it well before drinking!

Yield: about 4 cups

{ elastic waist dress }

2011-10-25T10:34:00.000-10:00

Halloween is in only a few days and I'm

barely getting my kids' costumes made! Kaj wanted

to be a witch ("a nice one, not a scary one") this year.

I made this simple dress

that can be dressed up with a witches hat and broom.

But.. I made is so that it didn't have to be a costume! She'll be wearing

this more often than just the holiday! It's too cute for only

one occasion! I can't wait to make more in different colors!

What you'll need:

Fabric and scissors
Narrow elastic (1/4 inch)
Sewing machine and thread
Bias tape, ribbon or twill (for straps;optional)

I made this dress to fit my 3 year old. So measurements may

be different for you or your child.

Start by doubling your fabric. I cut mine 20 inches wide. Then I

held it up to my daughter, under her arm, and cut it about an

inch longer than I wanted her dress to be. It was 21 inches long.

Now that you have two pieces, match them up, right sides

together and decide which sides are top and bottom

and which are the left and right sides.

Sew down each side with a 1/2 inch seam.

Now, hem the top and bottom by folding the edges over 1/2 inch

and sewing it down with a 3/8 inch seam.

Next, take your elastic and wrap it around the waist

and under arms of the person wearing the dress.

cut your elastic this length.

Now lay your piece out (inside out still).

Measure yourself or your child to decide where the
waist will be. My daughter's was 4" down from the top.

I used my measuring tape and marked around both sides
with chalk.

Now you are going sew your elastic onto the waist of the dress.

Start on the seam (you are sewing this to the wrong side

of the fabric). Lay the end of your elastic on the

seam and back stitch.

Now pull your elastic tight and hold it to the fabric.

Sew down the center of the elastic while you are still holding it

stretched out. Do this until you've gone around the whole dress.

You will notice that once you have sewn the elastic, it

shrinks back to size and ruffles the fabric. This is what it's

supposed to do.

Now, sew your second piece of elastic to the top hem

of your dress the same way you sewed

it to the waist (wrong side of fabric).

Now you can leave it like this as a cute strapless dress,

or add straps. I hate sewing straps so I always

use ribbon or bias tape or twill! I used black twill on

this dress.

Put the dress on the person it's being made for. Use

a measuring tape and measure from front to back how

long your straps need to be. Cut two at this length.

While you're measuring, mark where you want them

sewn.

Sew these straps to the dress, on the inside.

I made a V in the back. You can do a more

traditional strap or even an X. Just measure

it accordingly!

That's it! A lot of words to explain but very simple

to actually make! I'll be making my self a shirt next!

{ pumpkins in a jar } Halloween

2011-10-22T08:30:00.000-10:00

I found this jar at Goodwill for a dollar and

had to find something to put in it. Mini pumpkins were

a perfect fit!

What you'll need:

Glass jar with a latch lid
Mini pumpkins
Spray paint

I removed the latch from the jar because it's

blue and doesn't match anything. It's pretty

simple to remove. Just squeeze and it loosens

everything up!

I spray painted it black.

Then I put it back onto the jar.

Now for the pumpkins. Make sure when

you buy them that they are the smallest ones. You

want to be sure they'll fit in the jar.

My husband put mine in cause i just grabbed

pumpkins with no purpose and they

fit pretty snug.

He said it was easiest to turn on their side

to push them through.

Make sure you break the stem off, too, so they'll

sit on top of each other nicely.

{ cylinder vase cover }

2011-10-21T08:30:00.001-10:00

Here is an easy way to change up the look of

a simple cylinder vase. I'm sorry but I don't have

picturesof it being made!

But I'll explain the best I can with

the photos I have!

What you'll need:

glass cylinder vase
pattern fabric and coordinating felt
coordinating fringe
hot glue

Start with your cylinder vase.

Wrap your fabric around it and cut

it down to size. You want to leave about

a quarter inch extra on top and bottom to

wrap over. Glue into place.

Now fold the top and bottom over and glue into

place.

Glue a felt circle to the bottom of the vase.

Now glue your fringe around the top of the vase!

You can put something in the vase but I chose not to!