hello hydrangea

Wire Diamond Part 2

2013-06-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I promised to show how I decorated my wire diamond. Any guesses? Yarn! I decided to go with a colorful, messy look to add some softness to the metallic frame. I'm thinking about dipping the entire shape in some dye to see how the different materials react!

If you chose to use this method it's super easy! Just tuck an end of your yarn by holding it firmly with your fingers while wrapping the rest of it around to secure! You can change colors/materials as often as you want or simply use one to keep it consistent.

Wire Diamond

2013-06-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Remember when I attempted to make paper diamonds last summer? I thought I learned my lesson when I finally gave up because my fingers were glued together! Well, here we are again. I'm still obsessed with the diamond shape!

I decided to forget about making my diamond perfect (because apparently that's impossible). Instead I attempted a flexible material and relied on the beauty of mistakes!

Materials

wire - thick and thin
pliers
yarn, floss, wool, etc.
download template here!

Through my mistakes I've learned that diamonds are a shape which rely on proportions. Ofcourse you can lengthen or shorten any of the measurements, but I created a template to make your life easier! Just print it out and shape your wire along the lines.

Bend the first four rays and wrap them around the small octagon.

Use thinner wire to attach the middle of your rays to the larger octagon.

Bend the rays so that all ends meet at a point. Use thin wire to connect them and you're done!

Check back on Monday to see how I decorated this imperfect little beauty...

Watercolor Ikat

2013-06-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Want to know my secret? I love the watercolor effect and never use watercolors. Instead I use acrylic for everything. Gasp!

Okay, so maybe that's a lame secret.

Still, I have to admit that I feel bad when I label a tutorial as watercolor and have no intention of opening a single watercolor paint tube. Acrylics do the job! Plus they are brighter and more intense while using much less paint.

I've had my eye on Ikat patterns ever since I saw this lovely little thing. Colorful diamond patterns that seem to look better the messier they get? Yes, please!

Materials

watercolor paper
paints and brushes
paper towels

After lightly outlining my basic shapes I relied on the same technique to achieve the uneven borders. First I dabbed some paint on the page in the general area and shape that I wanted it. Second I used a piece of a paper towel to streak the paint above and below its path. Do this quickly while the paint is still wet!

Also, it's meant to be messy and easy so don't even stress!

Family Visit

2013-05-31T05:38:00.001-07:00

Now that we're settled down in Houston for the summer again, reality is starting to sink in.
In December we will officially be done with college! This means new decisions, new opportunities and new memories.
We are so glad that everyone travelled to Houston last weekend to support the newest little addition of our family. These fun moments remind us that some of our best friends in life are the people we are related to!
Family visits always get my husband and I talking about what we want for our future. It feels so good to know that wherever life takes us in the future, our family will be the same; loving, supportive and teaching.

Jean Stain Purse Removal

2013-05-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Summer is here! That means no more finals, no more travelling and lots more motivation for blogging!
I am having such a great time in Houston again. I am busy busy with two jobs, doing what I love most (advertising!) and spending lots of time with our Texan families. Nothing makes me happier than little nieces and nephews.
Turns out, my favorite pair of jeans and my favorite yellow purse don't play well with each other. Bummer. I thought my bag would be perpetually green until I took action and decided to fix it. This little tip is so easy, it shouldn't even take up an entire post! Still, I didn't know how to fix my purse, so hopefully I can help someone else with their jean stain problem.

The only material you will need is a soft, damp, toilette. I found these amazing facial wipes with 0 alcohol, but I'm sure baby wipes would work also!

My first swipe with the toilette gave me a miniature heart-attack because it soaked into the leather of the purse and looked super wet for some reason. I didn't want stains on top of stains! Don't worry - after a few minutes the wet look disappears and, voila, the jean dye is off the purse and on to the toilette.
Keep on wiping until the entire stain has been removed and let dry for few minutes. You can see the difference below - it looks like a new bag!
I definitely won't be wearing these jeans and purse together any more...

Spring Headband

2013-03-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

I think there is a secret conspiracy at BYU to force the students to study.

After we suffer through months of ice and snow there are only 2 days of sunny 40 degrees before we the winds pick up and threaten to blow us away. Unlike students in Florida or SoCal the lawns are empty and we have to fight for an indoor table or even a spot on the ground.

Then there are huge study rooms like the 'step-down lounge' in the engineering building that promises warmth and lots of room for study spots... except you can't get any internet service. No lol cats or laughing baby videos here! What's left? Studying. Actual, pull-out-your-textbook, no-distractions, can't-even-daydream-out-the-window-because-the-weather-outside-is-so-bad, studying. Well played, BYU. No wonder we just won the #1 'hot & smart' universities award from Business Insider.

Anyways, as I sit here reloading my page over and over and dream of spring I can't wait for our summer to start so we can visit our new niece in Houston (who I made this headband for) and soak up the sun in Mexico!

Mr. Sunshine - I'm gonna find you!

Materials:
- hot glue
- sharp scissors
- ruler
- soft, baby headband
- 2 colors of felt

I found this headband through Pinterest but I couldn't find a tutorial! I hate when that happens. I remember using this technique with rolls of newspaper in middle school though so I followed Tim Gunn's advice and made it work.

First, cut a sheet of felt into one long 2" strip. Fold it in half and glue the ends together so that you can cut 1/4" slits on the folded side.

Then start from one end and roll the strip in on itself, gluing as you go. By the end you will have a felt pinwheel. When you spread the petals out and ruffle it up, it magically turns into a sweet little flower!
Next, cut out some leaves and glue them to the bottom of the flower.

Glue the entire blossom onto a stretchy headband and there you go! Super easy right? I want to make an entire bouquet of these! If you need anymore felt flower inspiration check out Muncle Fred - I am planning another tutorial post inspired by them!

Blog Design

2013-03-07T07:24:00.002-08:00

Hey. Have you seen the new link in the middle of my navigation bar?
I have literally changed my blog design 4 times since HH started. Every six months or so I get design itchy and have to play around with new possibilities. While answering design questions and helping other bloggers update their own sites I realized how much fun it would be to start a new website!
I'm super duper excited about this because it means I'm going to get to know even more bloggers and you are some of my favorite people. Its right up there and it wants to be clicked on!
Hello Hydrangea Design is a creative site to help you get to know me as a designer. I hope you check it out!
P.S. I'm also offering a discount for the first three blogs that fill out the form to help add some sites to my portfolio. You know you wanna!

You are my sunshine

2013-03-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

On Thursday we welcomed our newest niece to the family and we can’t wait to meet her in person! I have hungrily waited for every pictures of her lovable face. Even though we are states away from her in cold, cloudy Utah, we were reminded how much joy children bring into our lives. We don’t get enough sweet encounters with children while we are in college.

As soon as we found out that she has some possible health conditions, every thought has been on her happiness. Our prayers and wishes are sent to her for a speedy recovery so we can see her soon!

It's true that children’s spirits bring a type of sunshine into every meeting that can’t be found in even the sunniest place of the world. When I was a child myself I would ask my mom to sing this song to me and say, “hand face mom, hand face.” I understood the love that my parents had for me and needed her palm on my cheek every time she started singing.

DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE

This tutorial is how to create a 3d card with any possible saying you want. If you like the sunshine verse, you can download the template. It is merely an outline to follow so that you can get the spacing right and then personalize it yourself. I did everything freehand but I know a template would go 10x as fast!

The first step is to cut your card to size (both the front blue paper and the inside yellow paper) and then crease both of them in the center to know where they should fold.

The only technical item of business is getting the spacing right. Note: its important that however much space your word takes up below the crease is duplicated for the folds above your word. The size/height of the word doesn't matter - as long as you make sure the folds go back the same length as your word below the crease. If that's confusing, you'll understand below.

Next, play around with your word. The spacing, style and height are all up to you.

Once you have decided how you want your word to look, cut it out with an x-acto knife and erase your pencil markings. Then make 3 creases on each letter: the top of the fold, the top of the letter and the bottom of the letter. This makes it easier to pull the word out from the paper to create the 3d effect. Optional: add a few personal touches.

On the front of the card I quickly wrote the first line with pen. You can definitely personalize it however you want.

Sit down. Stay a while.

2013-03-01T16:52:00.001-08:00

I'm almost done with my latest design itch. Do you like the new site!? I realized a few days after installing my last layout that it wasn't my style and it was just too darn empty for me. I need a little more color in my life. Finally I had a break in my school schedule and found the perfect piece of inspiration to give me the boost that I needed to recode the blog.
I'm still on a tight schedule lately with photographing projects, but hopefully you'll see a few more posts in the near future. Until then, feel free to look around the new place. Hint; the tabs at the top are pretty cool, if I say so myself.
I am currently working on my new design website and it should be done by Monday! After all of the coding tips and resources I've found throughout my blogging career, I think its finally time to branch out and offer some of my graphic love to fellow bloggers.
You know, in my free time.

Healthy Living

2013-02-21T11:40:00.003-08:00

HH readers! I am back. Well, I never left, but my long days on campus leave absolutely no time to take advantage of the sunshine for projects or photography. Such a bummer! I am crossing my fingers, my toes and my eyes that the snow will end and the days will get longer. Thanks for understanding - I'm still thinking about all my favorite visitors.

So basically, this post is a validation for myself that I am living a healthy lifestyle and that is awesome. I have stuck to my personal goal of going to the gym 4 times a week and eating healthy. I'm not saying that I am unhealthy at all. I love being active - mountain biking, walking the mile to and from school everyday and eating a well-rounded diet. It's just that at the end of last year I realized there is much more that I am missing out on by shunning running pants and metal weights. I want to be the absolute best person I can and like it or not, that includes taking better care of my body. Boy, do I crave vegetables now!

Ofcoures, dear readers, I don't really have any great tips or advice to share on this topic yet. At the end of the day I still try to sneak gummy worms home in my backpack and dream of possible excuses to skip cardio. However, I'm learning how great it feels to walk out of the gym, knowing I put my best effort in. I'm learning that most of my favorite meals taste even better with more vegetables. And I'm also learning that our bodies are another task that God has given us. By taking care of them we are learning many lessons about patience, perseverance and responsibility.

Look for fitness posts in the future though! I have been researching health articles like crazy as I try to learn as much as I can about this almost-new aspect of my life. As always, any advice is welcome.

Curly Letter

2013-02-04T11:02:00.003-08:00

We were lucky enough to have a beautiful, sunny weekend for the first time in many! It was glorious. A part of me seemed to wake up from this winter hibernation and realize that I have been slacking in some areas of our life-like calling our families and reminding them we're alive. I need to be better about that.

Mom, Bonnie, we are thinking about you and we love you! Sorry we stink at communicating!

I was brave enough to wear non-boots today. Lucky me, it's freezing again. When I start to feel restless like this I get the urge to redesign my blog, so if you see some construction in the coming week don't panic.

I have had a few orders lately for the project that helped fuel HH. One of my new friends asked me to design a letter B for her and while I was working on it, I decided to do my first repost. The original tutorial is here - it is still one of my favorites!

A year ago when I first posted this tutorial, Inspired by Yulia Brodskaya, I was surprised when a reader asked me to design a custom letter for her. Since then, I've made quite a few. They have been great as projects with younger crafters, gifts for loved ones and even features in family photoshoots.

You can make one yourself, but I still sell them on my etsy site because most people find out that these babies take alot of work and time!

I've tried a few different glueing methods. The reason I use hot glue is because it dries fast enough to lock the curls of paper in place before they bounce back and mess up my design. The little glue threads look messy while working, but when it's done I just use a blowdryer to melt them and clean everything up.

I like to work in one general direction - usually from the top left to the bottom right. Then I go back in and fill any empty spots until the piece is intricate and beautiful. I have also found that when displaying these in your home, if you are looking at the monogram straight on the paper appears thin and almost disappears. However, when viewed from a slight angle the colors and shapes come alive.

Visit my shop to see more examples and shipping information. I put lots of love and time into each one so that it is sure to be a show stopper on your mantelpiece!

View Listing on ETSY

E-Book Vintage Upcycle

2013-01-31T10:46:00.001-08:00

These days are flying by and I can't believe its already Thursday! It takes us a while every semester to get the hang of our schedules so that our days don't drag on as slow as possible. Now we are used to our system and each weekend comes just a little bit faster. The early morning weather report promised we might even see Mr. Sun today, so everything looks bright and positive!

A week ago I posted a project I made for an eco-friendly competition. The prompt was to upcycle used items into a new case for an e-book or tablet. I promised the tutorial, so here it is!

We have very limited wall space in our tiny apartment and way too many frames to fill it up. I found nearly all of our picture frames at thrift stores for .50 cents each--what a steal! You know how it goes. When you notice yourself thinking, 'what a steal!', it means you are probably going to get more than you need.

The first step was to saw my little wooden frame apart into appropriate dimensions to fit the e-book. Note: there will be much whining and gnashing of teeth until your husband comes to the rescue for this step. Also, circular saws come in handy for girly little crafts like this.

After measuring and cutting my wooden frame, I stapled the edges together and tried to make it line up as straight as possible.

After a while, I gave in to the fact that my frame wouldn't be perfectly square at the edges. Hey, it actually adds to the rustic feel, right? Right? I found some super cute lacey elastic and attached some in each corner before nailing on the cardboard back and adding a lonely stand from another frame.

In retrospect, a larger backing would have been best to use to add a bit more support when standing it up or hanging on the wall... but I was surprised how light the e-book actually was when it finally went in.The last step was to paint the frame the color that I wanted and try it out!

I love the way it holds up my e-book when I'm trying to read a recipe because when I get cooking, it gets messy, and I don't want anything electronic laying on the table. Not only does the frame add support and holds my nook out of the mess, it makes it pretty enough to display when I'm not using it.

These White Mornings

2013-01-30T07:43:00.001-08:00

You've probably noticed that lately my Utah blogging friends and I live to update the world on our weather situations. It might be all you read about from us, actually. This Washington girl has definitely never seen so much white in her life!
I will be adding photos throughout today of our life in this winter wonderland to give you an idea of why we have shifted our life into slow motion. Driving has become the most exciting part of the day. Students all but need canes to get around campus because if we don't shuffle as slow as possible we might find ourselves face first in a snow pile. Too bad BYU doesn't believe in snow days.

I'm getting tired of wearing boots and I didn't think that was even possible. I'm pretty sure Mr Sun up in the sky has disappeared because I haven't seen him for a month. If he's hiding up there somewhere the inversion is stopping him from smiling through because our air is literally toxic. Ask the KSL4 weather lady... and everyone else who has to breath to live.
With the bad weather and the bad air, the medicine aisle in the BYU Bookstore is absolutely bare by Thursday every week and I'm the cashier who has to sell it to all of the sniffling students. Basically, any advice on how not to catch every illness on campus is appreciated.
As for the positive aspects of all of this snow--it is absolutely beautiful!

Oh yes, my Arizona boy and I are having a fun time learning how to live as Eskimos!

Southern Food: Gumbo

2013-01-29T07:49:00.003-08:00

When its been snowing and freezing for over a month, the thrill somehow wears off. No longer do you want to throw on your ski pants and run outside to build a snowman or make a snow angel. You don't even want to hear the word snow anymore. Especially when its from the weather lady making a joke about how there is no end in sight. Please, no more snow!
These winter months are keeping us inside from mountain biking, & picnicking, & seeing the sun at all. I don't know what it is about being cold and stuck inside, but soup starts to sound really good. We were dreaming of our summer in Houston and decided to recreate our own little Southern dreams by cooking up some Gumbo. We even forgot about the snowstorm outside as we watched our meal slowly simmering on the stove.
If you want a taste for yourself, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 half chicken
2 chicken buillion cubes
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup oil
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 pound smoked andouille sausage
2 tbsp fresh garlic: 4-5 cloves
1/2 bag frozen okra
File powder to garnish
Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder

Directions

In large stock pot, add chicken, water, bullion, and a little salt and pepper. Boil about 30 minutes, or until done.
Meanwhile, chop veggies and set aside. When chicken is finished, reserve the broth and set the chicken aside to cool slightly.
In large stockpot, melt butter with oil over med high heat until very hot. Using a wire whisk, mix in flour. Continue whisking constantly until the roux is the color of peanut butter. Quickly add all veggies and garlic. Continue to cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
Slowly whisk in reserved chicken broth. Add sausage, salt and pepper, garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer. Bone chicken, then add the meat to the pot. Continue to simmer about 20 minutes. Add okra, simmer 10 more minutes. Serve over hot rice, garnished with a little file or cajun seasoning.
Recommended Sides This gumbo is a meal by itself, but a little corn bread or biscuits couldn't hurt.

Back to the Grind

2013-01-24T07:56:00.004-08:00

My friends! After a short internet fast and a lot of soreness thanks to my New Year resolution, I am back. I hope your three day weekend was one to remember! Even an extra day of relaxing and enjoying family in the freezing cold feels good.

As I was looking through a few of my draft posts, I realized that i did not finish my finals updates. Here is one portfolio for my 2D Design class which I forgot to show you guys. I enjoyed this class so much more than I thought I would. Although most of the assignments were prompted by a specific organizational design concept, I was able to explore my own design style and ended up with a couple of pieces that I am excited to use in my future home. I also had a piece chosen for the Student Show here on campus!

As part of our final, we had to compile a digital portfolio of our work from the class. Luckily, I found a building nearby that undergoing some construction, so I snuck my posters inside and snapped some photos against the beautiful walls.

I really did love this class and all the friends I was able to make! The tutorial for last week's post will be up soon, but don't forget to vote for me on Earth 911! Vote for #9!

Follow the Link to Vote

Up-cycle Tablet Case

2013-01-16T12:53:00.002-08:00

Okay guys I need your help! I just entered an up-cycling design contest on one of my favorite sites, Earth911.com. So cool! The prompt was to remake a tablet cover from unconventional items... I had a ton of fun. A ton.

So here's the thing - would you mind following this link and voting for my little project?? I'll include the how-to soon enough for you all to whip up one of your own!

-Vote for Me , #9-

Quick Vacation in the Sun

2013-01-10T07:48:00.002-08:00

Hey, here's a question: do you find that you become more irrational than usual when it's closer to night time? I always know that if I am stressing out about something and imagining my life is ending and wanting to crawl back to my mom's house it is usually when the stars come out. I don't know the science behind it, but I can testify that winter will make people miserable because the sun goes down at 5:20! Basically, by the time I get home from school/work, my husband gets the Lindsey that is slightly stressed out. Sorry hun!

Anyways. So it's the 4th day of the first week of my last real semester and I'm finally getting used to the idea. I'm not thrilled with all of the classes I have, but that's what happens when you procrastinate the courses you didn't want to take until your senior year.

Last night I was in my little stressed out mode and I realized I wasn't going to finish my mental to-do list. My husband is amazing at making me feel better though by lightening the situation and talking me through my frustrations. By the end of the night I had said a little prayer and felt way too calm for my mind at night. It was crazy. In a good way.

I love getting reminders to go with the flow and understand that nothing is a big deal. Honestly, that is my mantra. When I have knots in my stomach from the millions of presentations I have to give in my major or seeing the dirty dishes and knowing I'm not going to get to them before bed or realizing I have to start real life soon, I say to myself, "Go with the flow. It's not that big of a deal". Hey, it works when it's coupled with a prayer.

So, this post has been sitting in my drafts for quite a while and it's time it met some readers! Its an update from our Thanksgiving in St. George and our Christmas in Arizona. Even though that was months ago, I like looking at the sun in these pictures and imaging the snow is gone outside.

Also, I really like mountain biking.

Confetti Party

2013-01-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

My friends, I just finished my last real first day of school! I have a heavy load of classes compared to last semester but I am excited for them and excited to spend more time at the greatest college on earth!

As I was looking through my latest posts I realized I haven't shared a tutorial in quite a while. Lately I have been working on so many projects that don't belong in a DIY. So, forgive me as I pick my camera back up and send another one your way!

This tutorial is super easy and makes for a great addition piece. Plus, I can imaging if it were done on a bigger scale how impressive yet dainty it would be on a mantelpiece.

Materials:

Shadowbox (used mine in this previous project)

Shaped confetti package (I got mine for $1 and it looks like flowers and leaves)

Pins

The first step is to lay down your confetti in a pattern that you like. You can turn them upside down to find a slightly different color sometimes! Once they are all laid down and cut to fit the border, use pliers to carefully poke pins in the center of each one so that it sticks into the styrofoam behind. Remember, I taught how to make the back for this project in my previous post.

Then, use tweezers to smoothly raise each piece to your desired height. You can even alternate the heights for more dimension. Put the glass and frame back on the box and you are set!

Doesn't it look pretty? I have just talked myself into making a larger scale piece perhaps on a piece of canvas with some styrofoam in the back. Ooh. I am excited. Don't you love thinking of new possibilities while you are in the middle of writing a blog post??

Five Watercolors

2013-01-04T22:16:00.001-08:00

My friends! Do you also have the wonderful week after Christmas off? If not, don't worry - I have been relaxing extra hard for you too. While working on my summer portfolio and watching my husband make a surprise project with his new wood-working skills, we have been enjoying our last few days before school starts again. I can feel our college time nearing to an end and it is bittersweet.

As I mentioned in my previous post, we took the handmade road for most of our Christmas presents. I tried to find a meaningful watercolor design for both sets of our younger siblings and practice my new skill. Painting has always been low on my list of hobbies... along with drawing. These little pieces helped me gain new respect for the beauty that both bring. I guess Heavenly Father is trying to teach me to love what I hate because I now have 2 consecutive semesters occupied with these classes.

Later I'll provide a quick tutorial on the techniques I've found to work best for me, personally. I know there are so many other artists out there who have me beat in the watercolor game though, so please feel free to share you tips!

You can find the original pieces that I used as inspiration in the links at the bottom of the post.

1//2//3//4//5

An Arizona Christmas Photo Shoot

2013-01-03T15:45:00.001-08:00

This Christmas my husband and I went the 'homemade' route for all of our presents. After realizing that the people we love most are blessed with everything they need that money can buy, we decided to give them our time instead.

As one of the gifts for my mother and father in-law we snuck their three youngest children (all girls, ages 9 - 18yrs) away for a surprise photoshoot with my brother and sister in-law. It was great watching the two older brothers joke around with the girls, trying to get them laughing so my sister in-law and I could snap away.

This was my very first photo shoot of a group of people so I was nervous that my idea wouldn't work. Luckily, my first was also probably my easiest - do you see how beautiful these girls are!? Not only did we surprise their parents on Christmas morning, we each made some holiday memories by working together and laughing all the way. I wish we could do it again next year!

Christmas Week

2013-01-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year, my parents and family met us halfway to enjoy the best snow on earth. It was only my second time skiing so I volunteered for ski lessons along with my younger sister. I've heard that it takes a few days to enjoy skiing. Either I need a few more days or I just don't understand the sport because my favorite times of the day was spent inside the lodge. Atleast I can say that the white powder, the blue sky and the green mountains provided some beautiful landscapes while I was tumbling and freezing!

Moving to warm, sunny Texas is sounding more and more tempting after our Utah winters.

Welcome, 2013.

2013-01-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so quiet over here this week. We were having too much holiday fun with family. Plus, with a bit of travelling and unpacking mixed into our activities, I'm surprised we only slept til 10:30! I hope your break was full of as much love and new memories as ours!
With the new year begun, I'll admit to thinking of a few new years resolutions for Hydrangea. One of them involves my sponsors. So to start out right, I am offering a sale of $3 for any spot and they will last for two - three months. You can learn more about that on my sponsor page.
Also, the giveawary from Muck-a-duck is officially over! If you were the winner you can expect an email and a package in your mailbox!

Christmas Travels

2012-12-20T09:00:00.003-08:00

My available blogging time has decreased during our holiday break because we are having too much fun visiting family!

However, I do want to share a quick post on our activities and an early Christmas present from the Huffington Post. An editor from the Home section of the HuffPost asked to share my previous tutorial and I was honored to see it headlined on their webpage today. Check it out! I felt like dancing on my bed from excitement because I am a huge fan of the Huff!

Also, we made our way from Utah in a drizzly, foggy drive and are now enjoying the sun and the cacti. Arizona didn't let us down! I have a few fun projects that I am itching to share on Hydrangea but sadly they have been turned into Christmas presents and I can't give away any secrets. Anyways, I'm sure you don't want to be sitting on a computer reading about how to do things when school and work is out and the world is welcoming you to enjoy your break with family actually doing something.

Hope you and your loved ones are having a very happy holiday!

Placemat Stockings

2012-12-15T16:07:00.000-08:00

We have just made it to Arizona and we were looking forward to the warm weather and the absence of precipitation. The Utah sky must have followed us though, because it has been raining since we arrived and it was super chilly when we ventured into the desert for a bike ride.

s you can tell from the first photo, I finished this DIY while we were stuck in the snowy mountains. It was an easy idea that we needed for the holidays. If you still don't have family Christmas stockings here is an easy idea - made from quilted placemats from Walmart!

Ingredients:
- 2 placemats per stocking
- sewing supplies including a sewing machine
- extra embellishments - whatever you like!

Trace and cut out a stocking shape from two placemats, stacked ontop of eachother. Sew the outline together and turn the shape inside out. Then add decorations. I used the fringe from my previous fringed leather bag. You can find the tutorial to make them here.

In four steps and a half hour's work you will end up with two new stockings for whatever Christmas traditions you have coming up.
We are glad to be out of the snow, even though the rain and chill is still near. If you find me absence much this week, I apologize in advance but holiday activities are well under way! Hope you enjoy your vacation as much as we are!

Guest Post: Simply Homemade

2012-12-10T15:28:00.003-08:00

First thing about today: only having 2 finals left leaves very little motivation to get them done. Is this week over yet?? I am kindof tired of studying and school in general right now.
Second thing about today: Hydrangea is part of Simply Homemade's Days of Christmas feature. You can hop on this link to see the painted decoration I made for them. Also, tomorrow my fellow blogger Cupcakes for Clara is in charge of the second Christmas tutorial so head over there tomorrow to see a preview of what she's got goin' on.
Conclusion: I have a new Simply Homemade DIY on their site and I think finals need to disappear. Now, back to studying. Or atleast pretending to...

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE NEW GIVEAWAY!!! LINKED HERE!