Now this is a giveaway that I wish I could enter to win for myself. Many of you already know Minted, the online store powered by a global design community. Well, Minted is graciously giving away your choice of either 25 flat Baby Shower Invitations plus free ground shipping or 25 flat Birth Announcements plus free ground shipping to one lucky MerrimentDesign.com reader.

 But Minted isn’t just about babies. Oh no. Minted features a unique and modern assortment of personalized photo cards, unique wedding invitations, holiday cards, birthday party invitations, and other personalized stationery and gifts, all designed by indie designers.

To enter: See that little gray box below? Please log in the box below using Facebook, click the green “+1″ entry button and follow the instructions — I’m once again using a new service for this giveaway called Rafflecopter so lemme know what you think. And if you have any trouble just post a comment below and I can help – BUT be sure to use Rafflecopter to officially enter the contest. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And you can visit Minted or Like Minted on Facebook to see more paper goodness.

The fine ladies at Prudent Baby asked me to do a guest post on what a brand new sewer should have in her beginner sewing kit. And I thought that you might want to read it too.

When you’re starting out as a beginning sewer you really just need the basics and that’s good because my crafting space is city-condo-cramped. Head on over to Prudent Baby to see what I think you should put in your Bare Minimum Beginner Sewing Kit. And do let me know if I forgot anything, will you?

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if you’re like me, you want to show you truly care with some DIY. I just featured a countdown on my Facebook page with five free gift tutorials and some adorably romantic wrapping. If you missed it, don’t fret – I’ve got them all right here.

• Recycled ring holder tutorial is perfect for jewelry lovers
• Kids will love this heart pocket bracelet to carry all their candy and valentines
• Does your sweetie like sweets? Try this easy but decadent toasted coconut chocolate dessert
• Make coffee lovers a monogrammed coffee insulator
• Music lovers will love these vinyl record picture frames for their home or office
• Wrap it all up with this adorable vintage-inspired kissing couple box

What are you making for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Tell me all about it in the comments below or tweet me a picture.

So I asked and you told me about all the creative ways you’d use 11 yards of handmade red and white heart ½’’ double fold bias tape made with my trusty Simplicity Bias Tape Maker. Melissa Gerbrandt-Heath would use it on homemade bunting or candleholders. Kendyl Black would sew a terry cloth cover up, and Dawn Herman says she’d use it to edge her potholders.

One of my favorite suggestions was from Leigh Wood who’d make Valentine’s Day boxers for her husband — hubba hubba. Ashley Owen Brundage, Danelle Facer, Jenn Mauermeyer and Shelley Marie Luchansky Ebinger all plan to make clothes for their daughters, and you know I’m a sucker for daughters. I love all of these great ideas and I’d love to see all of your finished projects (tweet your pics to me or post on our Facebook wall!), but we’ll leave it up to the giveaway winner to decide how she’ll use it.

Congratulations to winner Amy McGill! Amy who was randomly selected from 168 entries by Rafflecopter plans to use the bias tape to make a Valentine’s Day apron, and I can’t wait to see it. Send me your address, Amy, and your 11 yards of heart-shaped bias tape goodness will arrive shortly!

Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to check back soon for my next giveaway. It has something to do with chalkboard fabric, yeah, go figure…

This free printable Valentine’s Day card was inspired by vintage piano sheet music that I found in a Brooklyn antique store. I bought the sheet music thinking they might make nice wedding save-the-dates or wedding cards someday.

I tucked the vintage sheet music away in my crazy crammed craft closet and just recently re-discovered it (funny how that works). And I’ve never been a particularly mushy Valentine’s Day person but the lyrics really hit a (ahem) note: “Just because you’re you, that’s why I love you. Just because you’re you, what more can I say?”

I scanned it in, retouched it, turned it into a red-backed card and added “For My Love” notes with red hearts on the front.

Perfect for printing out for your Valentine’s Day love.

WANNA MAKE IT? Free printable Valentine’s Day card template, step-by-step instructions and supply list –>

Supplies for making a Valentine’s Day card inspired by vintage sheet music:

• Kathy’s free printable Valentine’s Day card from vintage sheet music (PDF)
• White cardstock paper (it’s available in a range of colors)
• A6-sized red envelope
• Bone folder
• Paper trimmer or Xacto knife, metal ruler and self-healing mat
• Computer and printer

Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign.

How to make a Valentine’s Day card from vintage sheet music:

Print out my free printable Valentine’s Day card from vintage sheet music (PDF) in color on white cardstock paper.

Line up your metal ruler on the guides on the printable card on top of a self-healing mat. Run your Xacto knife along the ruler to cut out. TIP: Just cut it out from the center rather than cutting the whole strip off so that you can still see the guides as you cut each side.

Now here’s how you get a really crisp edge on your card: Place the card face down on a self-healing mat. Place a metal ruler just to the left of the middle of the card and run a bone folder along the ruler to score the card.

Fold along the scoring – voila! A perfect fold.

Now lightly run your bone folder on the outside of your folded card to crisp the crease. Gush all you want inside and tuck into an A6-sized red envelope.

Did you make it? Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign. Craft and pass it on!

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use free pattern and how to step-by-step tutorial for your own personal use. Contact me for any commercial use – this includes etsy sellers.

Etching glass. What a cool DIY way to recycle those generic glass vases from floral deliveries into something that ends up looking pretty darn elegant. And I’m sharing my free monogrammed printable glass etching template (PDF) template with you so you can make your own.

This free glass etching template is a monogram inside a circle surrounded by little circles that suggest the sun.

I liked the idea of etching it all in reverse so the glass etching wraps around the vase from the front to the back with stripes on top and bottom to add a little more charm.

While I’ve seen how to etch glass before this was my first time doing it DIY. I followed Marie’s etched glass pans tutorial at Makes and Takes and with the exception of a few missed spots that I had to re-do (and apparently large areas can be tricky to do by hand) it was pretty easy all around.

This monogrammed etched glass is a great DIY gift idea – Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, wedding engagements, birthdays…

I had almost tossed my old glass vases in the Goodwill pile but I’m glad the packrat in me paused. Now I’m eyeing other Plain Jane glass around my house to see what I can etch up next.

WANNA MAKE IT? Free monogram template, step-by-step tutorial instructions and supply list for making my etched glass monogrammed vase craft idea –>

Supplies for etching your own glass monogrammed vase:

• Kathy’s Free Glass Etching Monogrammed Template (PDF, fits a vase sized 7-1/2″ tall x 11″ around) – thank you to the League of Moveable Type for their Chunk font
• Glass vase – mine was the standard 7-1/2″ tall x 11″ around free vase from floral deliveries
• Armour Etch Glass Etching Cream
• Foam brush and/or paint brush
• Contact paper shelf liner (I used white)
• Self-healing mat, X-Acto knife and clear plastic ruler
• 1/4″ round hole punch
• 2″ circle craft punch
• Rubber gloves
• Water
• Rags
• Rubbing alcohol pad (optional)

Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign.

How to etch a glass vase:

First I cleaned my vase inside and out and ran over it with an alcohol pad – all optional but it did get all the little bits of film off before I started to etch the glass.

Cut 2 strips of contact paper 1″ x 12″ and 2 strips of contact paper 0.25″ x 12″ using a self-healing mat, X-Acto knife and clear plastic ruler.

Peel off the backing of one of the 1″ x 12″ strips of contact paper. Stick the top edges so it’s 1-1/2″ from the top of the vase. Repeat on the bottom. Make sure the contact paper is smooth and totally stuck to the glass without any bubbles or ripples.

Peel off the backing of one of the 0.25″ x 12″ strips of contact paper. Now here’s a little trick: line up the peeling next to the 1″ x 12″ stencil to act as a spacer. Then stick the contact to the glass vase next to the spacer.

Lift off the backing spacer and voila! Perfectly spaced stripes.

Using a 2-inch craft hole punch, punch a contact paper circle.

Print my free glass etching monogrammed template (PDF). Cut out a letter and trace it in the middle of the punched circle of contact paper.

Carefully cut out the monogrammed letter out of the circle using an Xacto knife.

Now here’s another trick: Use your Xacto knife to help you peel the circle without mangling it all up. Slip the blade tip between the contact paper and its backing.

Now it will easily peel off without messing up the template.

Center the circle between the stripes and stick to the glass vase. Smooth it down so it’s totally stuck to the glass, no wrinkles, no bubbles.

Punch out eight circles using a 1/4″ round hole punch.

Now use that Xacto knife trick again to peel the backing off of the contact paper and stick them around the monogram.

If you want a little guide for placing all of the pieces, you can print out my template, curl it up, and slip it inside the vase to help you stick everything down in the right place. Do a quick smooth check to make sure all your contact paper is adhered to the glass with no bubbles or edges popping up. OK now you’re finally ready to etch.

The instructions on the glass etching cream are pretty scary I have to say, so I put on my vinyl gloves and least favorite jacket to go out on our cold deck to do this project outside.

Paint the Armor Etch on using a paint brush or sponge. I had to use a paint brush because I bought such a small can that could only fit a paintbrush. I waited 10 minutes. And I rinsed it off and let it dry. And oof! I missed a few spots. Dang. So I repeated the process again the next day, making sure I hit those extra couple bits. Next time I’ll use a foam brush and layer the etching cream on a little thicker.

Once it’s all dry you can gently peel away the contact paper.

It’s pretty cool to reveal the glass etch. It’s subtle but

Did you make it? Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign. Craft and pass it on!

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use free pattern and how t0 step-by-step tutorial for your own personal use. Contact me for any commercial use – this includes etsy sellers.

I’m starting a new column today on MerrimentDesign.com called DIY or Buy. I don’t know about you but when it comes to crafting I totally have an “eyes are bigger than my stomach” syndrome. I’ll see something and I’m like oh, I could totally make that. And it gets added to my sprawling Make This Someday List. But sometimes just don’t have the time (or I have a full plate) and it’s probably better to just buy it — preferably from someone else who made it by hand.

So for today’s DIY or Buy I’m featuring how to make crib bed skirt dust ruffles. You know, those things that hide all the goodies that you can stash under your bed. First, I’ll start you off with my own free DIY dust ruffle tutorial for cribs or toddler beds that you could easily re-size for grown ups, no serger needed.

Here’s another great gathered crib dust ruffle tutorial by Sew4Home that uses really cute patterned fabric.

Creative Urges has an easy-to-make ruffled version using an old bed skirt or sheet if you’re looking to recycle.

Don’t have time to DIY? You could either add it to your Make It Someday Craft List that may be pages long like mine is, or just buy it! Nepeto’s Etsy store is stocked with box pleat crib dust ruffles to buy in every color of the sun.

Santa kindly gave me a Simplicity Bias Tape Maker for Christmas. Yay for custom bias tape …and lucky for you too, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Today’s giveaway is for 11 yards of handmade red and white heart 1/2″ double fold bias tape that I made with my new Simplicity Bias Tape Maker.

I followed Prudent Baby’s super amazing step-by-step bias tape making tutorial to make 11 yards of this Valentine’s Day heart version for one lucky winner.

Now there are a bazillion ways to use bias tape, like along the edge of this apron with built-in potholders and a secret iPhone pocket…

To enter, please log in using Facebook and click the green “+1″ entry button in the box below and follow the instructions — I’m using a new service for this giveaway called Rafflecopter so lemme know what you think (and if you have any trouble just post a comment below). Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This New Year’s Eve Party Hat free printable template is inspired by my clock-obsessed 2-year-old, Elise. It occurred to me while looking at our hallway clock with Elise that this year’s new year will turn into a 12 when the clock hits the 12.

So based on Elise’s pink monkey birthday party hat free printable template I designed these New Year’s Eve Party Hats in purple and blue featuring a 2012 countdown clock, stars, and “Happy New Year” in the Lavanderia font from the Lost Type Co-op (via howaboutorange).

This quick and easy free New Year’s Eve Party Hat is for you to cut out, make and enjoy at your own New Year’s Eve party. Have a very happy and festive 2012!

WANNA MAKE IT? Free pattern, step-by-step tutorial instructions and supply list for how to make my 2012 New Year’s Even Party Hats –>

Supplies for making a New Year’s Eve Party Hat:

• Kathy’s free printable New Year’s Eve Party Hat for 2012 (PDF)
• 8 1/2 x 11 cover weight cardstock paper in pure white
• Curly bow
• Good paper scissors
• White ribbon – satin or grosgrain
• VELCRO Perfect Presents seals, Scotch tape, or Stapler
• X-Acto knife and self-healing mat

For all free printable templates, you can either print it at home or send it online to FedEx Office.

Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign.

How to make a New Year’s Eve Party Hat:

Print my free printable New Year’s Eve Party Hat template on white cardstock paper.

Cut out the New Year’s Eve party hat, carefully cutting the two white slits on the hat tab.

Using your X-Acto knife and self-healing mat carefully cut the New Year’s Party hat slit – I freehanded it but you could also use a ruler as your guide.

Take apart some curly ribbon bows – I had these left over from Elise’s birthday – or you can curl your own ribbon.

Grab a couple curly ribbons and fold in the middle.

Tie a knot in the middle of the curly ribbon.

Place the knot inside the New Year’s Eve party hat. Fold and curl the New Year’s Eve party hat, slipping the tab inside the slit.

The New Year’s Eve Party Hat will look like this when it’s together.

Cut two pieces of white ribbon about 12-16 inches long each. Tape them to the inside of the New Year’s Eve party hat using VELCRO Perfect Presents, tape, or a stapler. Party on!

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use free printable and how t0 make step-by-step tutorial for your own personal use. Contact me for any commercial use – this includes etsy sellers.

Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign. Craft and pass it on!

I found a wise vintage glass owl and sassy reindeer with his own little bell and blue eyes at a resale store, snapped them up, snapped some pics, and turned them into free printable gift tags inspired by vintage Christmas ornaments.

This giveaway was for a set of custom personalized gift tags: One winner to receive up to 24 customized owl and reindeer gift tags in a PDF to print and cut out at home either on cardstock or sticker paper.

Congratulations to winner Kristen Balonek who said her favorite Christmas song is “Baby it’s cold outside” – please email me up to 24 “to/from” name combinations and I will create your custom gift tags.

Thanks, everyone, for entering! And remember you can still get the free vintage ornament gift tags download to write on with a white paint pen old school style.