The Crafty Mom and More...

Grandmother's Gift

2012-08-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

I found this lovely gift idea on pinterest, but it was just a photo, and no link to a blog, so I'm sorry I can't post my source.

(If it's you, please let me know, and I'd be happy to link it up!)

I decided to change it up a bit.

Here's what I used for my own version...

-a picture frame
-clothespins
-hot glue gun/glue
-ribbon, buttons, any type of decorations for your clothespins
-word printout of Grandkids Make Life Grand

Decorate clothespins in any style you want, and then hot glue the clothespins to the frame. My mom has 10 grandchildren, so I put the clothespins around the frame symmetrically. (And there's room to add more, if the time comes!) Photos can be changed as often as you'd like.

So pretty!

And a quick shout out to my mom-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Ruffle Canvas Tote

2012-08-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Isn't this cute?

I have to give credit to Heidi over at sew.craft.create. Found via pinterest, of course. ;)

I've really been into ruffles these days, but can you blame me? They make a plain ol' canvas tote into a cute, shabby chic bag.

Before....

After....

Meet "Big Baby"

2012-07-25T09:35:00.002-07:00

Sister Baby. Paci Baby. Soft Baby. Big Baby. These are the names of a few of Callie's favorite baby dolls. She named them herself. Obviously.

Big Baby is Callie's #1 doll. It was a hand-me-down from Callie's step great-grandmother (Brian's PopPop remarried in his 70's!). Her hair is a bit unruly, ahem, to say the least.

I knew that Callie would LOVE to have a matching outfit to wear with Big Baby. And my mom had just given me some of Nana's old clothes, thinking that I could use the fabric for something. It was more than enough to create these adorable matching outfits! I'm thrilled with how they turned out!

I've never made doll clothes before, so this was a bit of a trial and error, and not exactly perfect. But, definitely cute enough!

Take a peek...

Making old things new!

2012-07-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

I just love making old things into something new! Don't you?!

Here are some empty aluminum cans that I just couldn't bear to throw away. They were just screaming, "do something with me!"

So I did.

I think they turned out cute, if I do say so myself!

And here they are in use on my bathroom shelf. Perfect!

My Mini Makeover!

2012-06-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

Short and sweet!

Before

Yikes. My natural, thick, wavy, frizzy mess!

After

Ah. Much better.

Refashion that old t-shirt!

2012-06-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

This turned out better than I thought it would! When I saw the idea here, I thought, "well that looks adorable, but is it really as simple as she is making it out to be?!"

YES! It is!

It's so simple, in fact, that I don't even need to give you instructions. You can see exactly what I did from the pictures. Well, ok, maybe just a few instructions are needed. ;)

I started with hubby's old, size Large, t-shirt.

Cut off the collar and sleeves.

Fold the top cut edge down about 3/4" to make a casing for the straps. Sew.

From the scrap pieces, cut 2 straps the same length, and thin enough to fit through your casing.

They don't have to be identical, because you won't see the imperfections once it's inside the casing and tied together as straps.

Put a safety pin on the end so you can feed it through the casing. Repeat with other strap.

Tie straps and you've made yourself a cute little tank! I also wanted to add a little flare to it, so I thought I could do something creative with the collar of the original shirt.

First I cut it out.

And cut through one time to make 1 long strip. Then I started rolling it, with intentions of making a rosette.

It started off nicely, but I wasn't impressed with the final product, so I unrolled it and tied a simple bow. Much better.

Adds a nice touch, don't you think?

Decorative Door Hanging

2012-05-25T10:49:00.001-07:00

It's almost June. And I still had this on the front door. Embarrassing, I know.

But not anymore!

Check out this personalized door hanging I painted!

Want to make one for yourself? Here's how!

Materials:
Wood Plaque(s) - I used two.
Paint and Paintbrush - I needed 2 different sizes
Wood Glue
Ribbon

Paint the plaques in your desired shade. I got one of those paint sets that had coordinating colors. Let dry. I had to apply 2-3 coats in some areas.

Here you can see the different steps in order.

Apply a clear varnish. Remember to go outside for proper ventilation! Allow to dry completely.

Add a pretty bow, and a strap to hang it on.

Hang it on your door, and admire! So pretty! This would make a great gift, too!

Homemade Sugar Body Scrub

2012-05-12T13:07:00.001-07:00

I am so glad I found this recipe! Maybe Matilda's jars are much fancier than mine, but I think they still look pretty! I was just making it for myself, but if I were giving this as a gift, I may have put more effort into what the jar looked like.

You can reuse any kind of jar you'd like (they also have a nice selection at the craft store in all shapes and sizes), just make sure you have a lid that goes with it.

Here's what I did:
Remove old label from jar.
Paint the lid.
Add a new label. (I easily created this from a Word document.)

Make the scrub: (this is my adapted recipe, since I was using much smaller jars than she did)
1/4 cup Sugar
3 T Baby Oil
3 drops of Fragrance Oil

Mix well. Add a few drops of food color, if desired.

Directions: Use 1-2 times per week.

According to Exfoliation 101, Immediately after using an exfoliator on your skin, it will glow and feel smooth and soft. That's because you have buffed away the thin layer of dead skin cells that accumulates throughout the day. Buffing this dead skin away will keep it from clogging pores which can lead to blackheads, whiteheads and acne. Buffing away the dead skin cells (along with excess dirt and oil) can also help reduce or prevent the appearance of fine lines by gently removing that first layers of skin.

Where has the time gone?

2012-04-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while since my last post. What can I say? It's been busy. Kids have been sick, housework has piled up, and so I haven't gotten around to my craft desk lately. But life goes on, and here I am! :-)

I just wanted to take a second to show you some of my favorite appliqued shirts available on my etsy page. Shirts are made to order, and can be made in infant sizes up through child sizes. I've even done some shirts for adults!

The possibilities are endless! I'm also on facebook! You can like my page here.

The Reusable Swiffer Cover

2012-04-14T05:58:00.001-07:00

When I saw this over at Cami's Blog, I thought it was such a great idea! No more spending money on those wasteful disposable swiffer pads!

I threw this swiffer cover together in less than 30 minutes. I had everything I needed already in my craft closet, but you may need to find a few things at the craft store:

-terry cloth fabric (or any fabric that's sturdy enough for cleaning floors)
-elastic
-scissors
-thread/sewing machine

I laid my swiffer on top of my fabric. You want to cut it out about 2 inches larger than your swiffer, so it has room to stretch around it.

Finish the edge by sewing a zigzag stitch (or serging) all the way around to prevent fraying.

Now it's time to sew on the elastic onto the wrong side of the fabric. If you're using terry, there's really no "wrong" side. (Remember to use a zigzag stitch to keep the elastic stretchy!) As you sew, pull the elastic so it's as stetched out as possible. This step is a bit tricky, so take it slow.

By the way, I should probably let Dritz and Swiffer know about all the free advertising I've given them.

And that's it! Put it on your Swiffer and you're ready to clean!

Angel Food Cake French Toast

2012-04-04T10:05:00.002-07:00

Half breakfast, half dessert. Yes, please!

Mix up your regular ol' angel food cake mix according to directions.

FYI....

But go ahead. I know you want to. I won't tell a soul.

Ah, perfection!

Mix up your egg batter: 6 beaten eggs, 1 1/2 cups of milk, 3 Tbsp of sugar, and 2 tsp of vanilla.

Cut your angel food cake into 1 inch slices, and dip each slice in the egg batter for 1 minute per side.

Cook slices on a griddle until golden. Serve with maple syrup.

It is very sweet, and very filling. But oh so good! I felt a little guilty eating cake for breakfast, but I got over it! Hope you enjoy it!

Recipe from: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/sponge-cakes/french-toasted-angel-food-cake/

Raspberry Butter

2012-03-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

WARNING! This butter is so incredibly good, you'll find it hard not to eat spoonfuls of it. Seriously.

It definitely looks good, don't you think?

We put it on biscuits, but here are a few more ideas to put your raspberry butter on:

Pancakes, bagels, english muffins, toast... the possibilities are endless!

Raspberry Butter

1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of raspberry preserves
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

I think I want to try making this with other preserve flavors. Blueberry? Strawberry? Yes, please!

This yummy recipe came from One More Moore.

The Taggy Blanket

2012-03-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is C's little Taggies Blankie, the fancy, expensive "name brand" that we bought when she was a baby. You know, the days when we had extra money to throw around. (Let's just say we're much more thrifty these days! )

B LOVES cuddling with it. The only problem is, it's very girly. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a boy playing with "girly" things, it's just I thought it would be nice for him to have his own.

And so it begins... double the amount of stuff because you need both the girl AND boy version. By the way, this is one of the first things I thought of when I first found out we were having a boy. OH MY, we're going to have twice the amount of toys, clothing, STUFF, etc....

But I digress.

Here's how I made this Daddy-approved taggy blanket. Go Phillies!

Materials:
-2 pieces of coordinating fabric (I used 1 fleece and 1 flannel)
-matching ribbon, cut into small strips
-straight pins
-thread
-sewing machine

This blanket is not very big. It's just enough for your little one to snuggle up with. Cut 2 pieces of coordinating fabric about a square foot in size. Place pieces right side together.

Take a piece of ribbon and fold it in half. Place the folded side inside the two layers (so the cut ends go slightly past the edge of the fabric.) Do this around all 4 edges.

Here's what it will look like when the blanket gets turned right side out....

Sew all around the edges, leaving a small opening to turn right side out.

Turn it right side out, and top stitch around the whole blanket, closing the hole.

And here's your finished blanket!

And now both kiddos can cuddle with their own blankies!

Girl's Night!

2012-03-21T06:35:00.001-07:00

My girlfriends and I get together every month. We used to go out to eat, but now we each take turns hosting in our homes, which is way more fun!

March was my month to host. Of course I took the opportunity to try out some new recipes!

Don't they look yummy?

I made grilled eggplant with Italian style tomatoes, tortellini skewers with pesto dipping sauce, and pizza monkey bread. These were all new recipes I found via pinterest. (Follow me here!)

Each recipe was slightly adjusted from the original, and here's what I did:

Grilled Eggplant
(Idea from Laylita's Recipes)

Slice up your eggplant and toss with some oil, salt and pepper. Then I used my trusty old George Foreman grill to grill the eggplant slices. (Shhhhh, don't tell anyone- I used canned diced tomatoes that were already seasoned with garlic, oregano, and basil.) There's nothing wrong with shortcuts in my book! ;) Then I sprinkled each appetizer with Parmesan cheese.

Pizza Monkey Bread

(Idea from Confections of a Foodie Bride)

I pretty much followed her directions, except I left out the pepperoni. (Did you notice all of my recipes are meatless? One of my besties is vegetarian!)

This turned out SO WELL! I highly recommend it.

This is before it went in the oven....

And this is after it came out of the oven....

After I flipped it onto the plate... ta da!

Tortellini Skewers

This was the simplest of my recipes, but made a great presentation. And who doesn't love cheese-filled tortellini?

I boiled the tortellini, stuck them on some skewers, and cracked open a jar of pesto sauce. (You didn't think I actually made the pesto sauce, did you?)

Baby Food

2012-03-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Baby B is just about 6 months old, which means it's time to make some baby food!

Mmmmmm.... squash!

And finally, the verdict is in!

He likes it!

Fun With Sight Words!

2012-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

When I was in college and student teaching first grade, my mentor teacher used a very simple activity that has stuck with me over the years. When I first learned about it, I remember thinking to myself, "What a great idea! I'm going to do this when my own kids are old enough!"

Well, that day has finally arrived. (Time flies, doesn't it?!)

C is almost 3 1/2 years old and is becoming very interested in letters and writing. A very simple way to help introduce common sight words is to put labels on various items around your home. Things that are looked at and used every day.

I dug out these homemade, reusable flashcards I made during college (just laminate regular index cards). Using a dry erase marker, write the words onto the cards, and tape them around your house. C thought it was fun that she could "read" the words! Over time, you can add or change them to different objects.

Before you know it, they'll be recognizing and reading those words for real!

Photo Key Chain

2012-03-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

Need a gift idea?

Why not put together one of these cute little key chains?

Supplies:
-Plain Dog Tag (found in the jewelry making section of any craft store)
-Diamond Glaze
-Paint brush
-Key ring
-ruler

Measure your dog tag. This is a must so you know how big to print your picture. I inserted my image into a word document, and you can easily re-size it there.

Print the image on white card stock.

Cut out the image(s). I decided that I wanted to put a photo on both sides of the dog tag.

Paint a thin layer of diamond glaze over one side of the dog tag. Carefully place your photo on top, smoothing it out with your finger. Paint another thin layer of diamond glaze over top of the photo. Allow to dry completely. Repeat steps on the other side if you want another picture on it.

Add key ring. And there you have it- a personalized photo key chain! Perfect for gift giving!

A Few Too Many

2012-03-15T06:41:00.002-07:00

I'm not the only one who keeps a stash of plastic grocery bags, right? I know my mom does anyway - like mother, like daughter, I guess! Anyway, I keep them after a shopping trip because I use them as little trash can liners throughout the house.

But c'mon, this is way too many! They're taking over our closet, for crying out loud!!

I'm sure you've all seen those holders that dispense the bags at the bottom, haven't you? Well, here's my take on it. I was eager to create something quickly, and it was late, and I was tired, so I didn't measure. I just eyeballed everything. So I'll do my best to explain how I did it. But first, I better include this little disclaimer-

I have no formal sewing training (shocking, isn't it?! Well, besides those few years of Home Ec. in middle school, anyway). So, when I explain the way I do something, it may not always be the "correct" way, and you can bet I won't be using the proper sewing jargon.

OK, so now that we got that out of the way. Let's begin!

I picked an old fabric I had stashed away that I knew I wasn't going to use for anything special. And this little contraption is going to be hidden away in the closet anyway, so who cares what it looks like, right?

I cut a big rectangle approximately 30 x 18 inches, so when folded in half it's about 15 x 9 inches. And like I said, I didn't measure first, I just cut a big piece out and then checked the measurements for the sake of this tutorial. (Now that it's all said and done though, I wish I had cut a larger piece. So if you're trying this, go bigger!)

Next I folded and ironed the bottom up twice to make an elastic casing.

Now you want to turn your rectangle into a tube, so fold in half lengthwise with right sides together, and sew closed. Turn right side out.

To make the strap, I cut a long narrow piece and folded it into itself and sewed down the edges, and attached it to the tube.

Stuff the holder with plastic bags, one at a time.

The closet is no longer being attacked by a plastic bag invasion.

Jazz up that boring, old t-shirt!

2012-03-14T06:03:00.000-07:00

The Ruched-Neck Tee

We all have some laying around. Those lifeless, boring t-shirts that are just screaming for some attention. I'm going to show you how to easily spice them up!

Here's what you need:
-fitted t-shirt
-elastic thread
-regular thread
-measuring tape
-scissors

Hand wind a bobbin with elastic thread.

Cut the collar off the shirt.

Measure down 6-8 inches (depending on the size of your bust) and mark it (I used a pin, you can use a fabric pen or chalk).

Using your elastic bobbin thread and regular thread on top, sew a straight line down to your pin.

This is how it should look from the front side....

Inside out your shirt, and gently pull on one of the elastic thread ends, and gather as much as you'd like. This is how it should look....

Now, pull the outside thread through to the inside (I suggest using a seam ripper for this part), and then tie a square not to secure the threads. Do this at both ends. And now trim your threads.

Turn your shirt right side out and marvel at your handy work!

An Embarrassing FAIL

2012-03-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

It's true. I had a craft go horribly wrong. I tried to make these adorable little Easter eggs. Aren't they cute? Well, I guess I should have followed the exact directions because the changes I made didn't work out so well....

Obviously.

I started off just as the directions said, by making a liquid starch and flour mixture.

I blew up some balloons, and was anxious to get started.

I chose a thicker yarn, which was the root of the problem. It soaked up way too much of the mixture, not allowing it to dry fast enough.

Oh well, we can only learn from our mistakes, right? I'm off to clean up my mess...

Calling All Nursing Mama's!

2012-03-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what these are?

Nope, they aren't fancy coasters.

They're homemade, reusable breast pads. Yup, I've been nursing my son for over 5 months now, and just realized that I could make my own, and I can stop spending money on those disposable ones! I know, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner, either!

Each pad is made from 3 layers... the back side is PUL, otherwise known as polyurethane laminated fabric, which is waterproof. The middle layer is absorbent terry cloth, and the other side is 100% cotton. I was pleasantly surprised to see how pretty these turned out, when in reality, who is going to see these besides me anyway?!

And what's even better, I whipped these bad boys up in about 15 minutes! So now instead of dropping them in the trash, I drop them in the laundry basket. What can I say, I'm becoming crunchier by the day!

Playing Catch Up!

2012-03-09T18:24:00.000-08:00

So now that I've started this blog, it's time to play catch up on all the fun things I've done recently.
I've learned to make hair bows,

and pinwheels,

and fabric flowers.

I created this adorable layered skirt,

these matching brother and sister shirts that I absolutely adore,

and added some fancy ruffles to too short jeans for my little girl.

Oh, and let's not forget this dress made from hubby's old dress shirt! (I forgot to take a picture of the actual shirt I used, but you get the idea.)

So as you can see I've been very busy! Maybe someday I'll post some how-to's for these projects! But for now you can just ooooh and ahhhhh over them!

My debut!

2012-03-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Here it is. My brand new blog about all things crafty- a place where I can show off all my little projects. And of course, some other things will be thrown in along the way. I hope you like it!

I just want to start things off by telling you about myself! I am 30 years young, have a daughter, C, who is 3, and a son, B, who is 5 months. My hubby and I will soon celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary! My how time flies! I have my own business, Holly Designs, which is an online boutique of homemade appliques and gifts for the little ones in your life.

So enough about me! Let's jump right in with my first crafty craft! :) I made this super easy necklace a few weeks ago and have already gotten a lot of comments on it! I love it because it shows off my adorable kiddos!

All you need are a few supplies:
-a small 1 inch glass tile
-small photo printed on white card stock (I cropped a square photo sized .8 x .8 inches)
-a bail, which is the fancy term for the thingy that holds the necklace chain
-necklace chain
-diamond glaze (I just discovered this neat stuff! It's a type of glue that makes a nice shiny glaze when dry)
-super glue

And here's how I did it:
Cut out your small photo. Spread a small dab of diamond glaze over the back of the glass tile. Place your photo face down onto the back of the tile, and press firmly over the back to get a good seal without any air bubbles. Let dry for a few minutes. Spread another light layer of diamond glaze over the back of the photo. Allow to dry completely. Attach the bail with superglue, and add your chain.

Easy Peasy! I see myself making a bunch of these in my future!