I made this banner for my grandsons first birthday. I used his invitation as inspiration and made it out of canvas so my daughter can roll it up and save it for him.  If you aren’t good at free hand drawing you can always use a projector to draw your pattern.

Materials:

• 1 yard of heavy canvas
• dowel that is a little longer than your finished banner
• cord to hang it
• paint

Step 1.

Cut your piece of canvas to the size you want. Draw design or use a projector.  I always use the invitation to make birthday banners.

Step 2.

Paint your design in steps allowing each area to dry before moving on.

Step 3.

Add lettering.

Step 4.

Hem edges. On the top you will turn under about 3 inches making a pocket for the dowel to fit through.

Step 5.

Hang with a dowel and cord as shown.

Here is a fun way to wrap a present for someone special. You could use the same idea in many different ways for weddings, graduations etc…. This is a quick and easy project that anyone can do.

Materials:

• 1 sheet of construction or scrapbook paper
• pom poms or other trim
• 8×10 enlarged photo
  

Step 1.

Cut out hat shape from paper. Fold edges as shown.

Step 2.

Glue folded edges to gift.

Step 3.

Glue on pom poms.

Step 4.

I used HP photo smart to crop this photo. Then I printed it in an 8×10 size and printed it on regular   paper and cut it out.

Step 5.

Attach photo to under edge of hat as shown.

I had to find a way to secure my cell phone as it charges while keeping it out of the reach of my puppy so I made a pouch that hangs on the wall.  I hung it high enough that Sawyer cannot reach the cord or the phone.  Now if I could only find a way to keep him out of the other stuff he gets into…

Materials

• small piece of fabric (1/4 yard should be enough)
• small piece of heavy weight fusible interfacing
• 1 large eyelet

Step 1.

Make your pattern pieces using these dimensions or you can make it smaller or bigger to fit your phone.

Step 2.

Cut a piece of stiff fusible interfacing to fit pattern piece.  Apply it to the inside of the back piece.

Step 3.

Hem top edge of pocket piece. Put pattern piece back on pocket and use pins to mark where your pleats are going to be.  Fold pleats as shown using pins as a guide and then pin them into place. Stitch them into place using a basting stitch. Remove pins.

Step 4.

Pin pocket to the front piece by placing the inside (wrong side) of pocket on the right side of the front piece. Now place the right side of the back piece on top of the front piece (right sides together) and pin into place.

Step 5.

Start at the bottom and stitch around the edge leaving an opening at the bottom to turn to the outside. I used a half inch seam allowance.

Step 6.

Turn to outside through opening on bottom. Hand stitch bottom closed.

Step 7.

Apply eyelet as shown.

Here is the reason I haven’t posted anything since Christmas. His name is Sawyer and he is so much fun! I made this cuddly harness for him so that I can grab him in a hurry when he’s getting into stuff without hurting him.

Materials:

• double sided shearling fabric (Amount will vary depending on the size of your pet. ) I only needed about 1/4 of a yard.
• half ring
• large hooks

Step 1.

Dog patterns come in sizes xxs through x large. This pattern fits a small dog. You can make your pattern by measuring around your dogs chest cavity and neck. You have to add enough for seams and for hemming. I added a half inch for hemming and a half inch for the neck seam.

Step 2.

Cut out pieces as shown.

Step 3.

Turn the edge of the shearling fabric as shown and stitch.You will need to clip the corners so that the fabric will turn and lay flat.

Step 4.

Hem edges of tab as shown. Slip the half ring onto the tab and then stitch around the edges. Anchor the ring in place by stitching along both sides of the ring as shown.

Step 5.

Put right sides of neck together and stitch. Spread seam as shown and then top stitch to secure.

Step 6.

Hem edges of bottom and hand stitch hooks as shown.  Stitch the other side of hooks on the opposite side. This part will fasten under your puppies chest.

Sawyer and his sister Amie.

This snowman garland is made from poster board and glitter. It really sparkles in the sunlight if you hang it in a window.

Materials:

• white poster board
• white glitter
• orange glitter
• black glitter
• yarn or string to hang

Step 1.

Cut out circles from poster board. Paint with a watered down white glue.  Sprinkle on white glitter. Let it dry completely.

Step 2.

To make the face put dots of glue on as shown.  Pour some black glitter on top of glue as shown. Turn it upside down and then tap on the back to loosen the black glitter that may be clinging where you don’t want it. Let it dry completely before moving on to next step.

Step 3.

To make the nose paint on the carrot shape with the tip of the glue bottle and then sprinkle on the orange glitter.

Step 4.

Punch a hole in the top of each snowman and then thread the yarn or string through the holes.

Materials:

• green felt fabric
  
• red felt fabric
• red ball fringe
  
• red and white striped fabric for napkins

Step 1.

Cut out a front and back for each elf shoe. I made the front green and the back red.

Step 2.

Pin the front and back together.  Stitch 1/4 inch from edge all the way around, leaving it open at the top.

Step 3.

Put a line of hot glue across shoe as shown.  Put a piece of ball fringe on top of glue line.
Napkins

Step 1.

Cut squares of fabric in whatever side you want.

Step 2.

Fold the first corner to the inside (wrong side of fabric) as shown. Next fold over 1/4 inch and then fold over again so that the raw edges are tucked under. Begin stitching along edge.

Step 3.

When you come to the corner fold it over as shown and then turn under the next edge as shown. Repeat this all the way around until your entire napkin edge is hemmed.

Step 4.

Roll the silverware tightly in the napkin and then stick it in the elf shoe.

This little garland is fun to make and you only need a little bit of poster board and some glitter. I hung them in the window so they can catch the sunlight but they’d be great on the tree or paired with a garland.

Materials:

• white poster board
• glitter, white, orange and black.
• glue
• yarn or string to hang snowmen

Step 1.

Cut circles from poster board. Paint with glue and then sprinkle with glitter. Let it dry completely.

Step 2.

Make dots of glue to form face. Sprinkle on black glitter and then shake of excess.Let it dry very well.

Step 3.

Make nose by painting shape with glue and then sprinkling on orange glitter.

Step 4.

Punch a hole in the top of each snowman and run the yarn or cord through to hang.

These bulbs are so easy to make and are really sparkle in the sun. They look great with garland or by themselves.

Materials:

• glitter foam sheets (These can be purchased at any craft store)
• gold glitter
  
• thin wire

Step 1.

Tape bulb patterns to the back of foam sheets and then cut them out.

Step 2.

Paint the ends of bulbs with some watered down glue and then sprinkle with gold glitter.

Step 3.

Punch a hole in the end and then string the wire through and twist to hold the bulb in place.

This scarf is easy to make and a lot of fun to wear. It always makes people smile and brightens the holidays!

Materials:

• 3/4 to 1 yd of  wide fleece
• 1 set of LED battery powered lights (get the ones that use AA batteries because C batteries are too heavy)
• eyelets (you can purchase these at any craft or fabric store)
• hot glue

Step 1.

Cut out two pieces of fleece that are the length and width you want your scarf to be.

Step 2.

Lay out lights on the wrong side of front of scarf.  Mark the spot where each of the lights are so you will know where to put the eyelets.

Step 3.

If you use the applicator that comes with the eyelets you will first make a small hole in the fabric where each of the marks are. Next put your eyelet (top of eyelet down) on the bottom part of the applicator.  Place the fabric over the eyelet and then pound it into place using the second piece of the applicator and a hammer as shown.

Step 4.

Push lights through eyelets and secure with a bit of hot glue.

Step 5.

Cut a piece of fabric for a pocket that is a little larger than your battery pack. Turn under a quarter inch on the top edge and stitch.  Pin the pocket on the back side of scarf near the bottom where your wires are hanging out.  Stitch it into place.

Step 6.

Put the back of scarf and the scarf front together (right sides together) and stitch all the way around leaving a small area open to turn scarf to outside.  Be very careful with the wires so that you do not stitch through them. You will leave the battery pack hanging out the bottom of the scarf so stop sewing when you get to the wire and then pull the fabric through the machine foot until you are past the wires and then continue sewing all the way around.

Step 7.

Turn scarf to outside using the opening and then pin down flat and topstitch around entire edge being careful to avoid stitching the wires.

This little snowman container would be great to put candy or little trinkets in for Christmas.   If I have time I’m going to make one for each of my guests to take home.

Materials:

• round cardboard container (I got mine from Wal Mart for less than a dollar.)
• white, black, and orange glitter
• glue
• small piece of ribbon

Step 1.

Paint the entire container white.

Step 2.

Paint the top of lid with some watered down glue and then sprinkle it with white glitter. Let it dry completely.

Step 3.

Make dots of glue on top as shown.  Sprinkle on black glitter as shown. Let it dry completely.

Step 4.

Make the nose by drawing the nose design with glue and then sprinkling on the orange glitter.

Step 5.

Glue a piece of ribbon around edge of lid.

Step 6.

Make dots of glue all around the bottom part of container as shown.  Sprinkle on black glitter to make polka dots.