sexy wreath

I have recently made a very cheap and easy winter wreath that I thought I would share.  My inspiration wreath came from etsy, it seemed pretty simple and with a quick paypal transaction of 30 dollars it could be all mine!  Jay urged/begged/pleaded that I just simply buy the wreath, I on the other hand thought, like I always do, “I could totally make that for a waaaaay cheaper.”

After a ninety minute wreath session one evening at the kitchen table I accomplished my goals: make it cheaper and make it better.  I have to say that it is one of my favorite wreaths that I have made.  I have even been heard talking to it, letting that pretty little wreath know that it is one sexy wreath.  Yeah, that’s right.  You know you are a crafter when you 1.) talk to your projects 2.) refer to them as sexy.

So here is the break down.

Supplies: one pack of fluffy yarn (fluffier the better) (I returned one pack), ten inch wreath ring (normally I use the foam type, but since I was just covering it I used the half the price hay form), and a couple pieces of felt.  Those supplies equaled a grand total of eleven dollars!  I had some pins and hot glue already on hand, and did not have to purchase.

How To:  I started by tying one end of the yarn to the wreath mold and slowly wound the yarn around the wreath.  I was careful not to pull to tight, carefully placing each strand to the previous one and not to stack any up or leave any gaps.  Next, I researched on youtube how to make felt flowers and found so many detailed videos.  I had a ball playing with different types of flowers.  I made some with swoops and some with spikes.  I eventually started stacking the flowers to give it a bit more dimension.  When I had a few flowers that I liked, I pinned them to the wreath and then when I was happy with the look, glued them all to the wreath.

I have to say that it completely reminds me of winter; the textiles, the colors, everything.  Wouldn’t you agree...this is one sexy winter wreath!

-melissa

a homemade holiday

This year I think I did pretty good with my crafting and the holidays.  Every crafter out there has a list longer than Santa’s when it comes to the crafts they want to make for all their loved ones.  Time, opportunity, resources and goals never equal each other.  This year I think I was less ambitious because of little C.  Nothing can really give you a reality check like a lively nine month old.  I knew that crafting could only happen during nap times that I was not at work, not doing other necessary things around the house and actually in the mood.  I will admit, when the heat was on and I only had 48 hours before loading up the car and actually leaving, AND the list of to do’s on the chalk board far outweighed the time I had, Jay jumped in willing and ready to help!  I always get myself into these problems and time after time he bails me out.  So this was my run down for this holiday season.  My goal was that each person that we buy for had a homemade gift and a bought gift. I started the holiday crafting extravaganza with crayon letters to all the teachers on my team at school.  They were super cheap, easy and quick!  The most difficult part of the whole project was trying to rid the cutting board and chopping knife I used of the crayon chards after seven of these bad boys!

We had cloth rings for Honor and Charlotte.  If anyone wants the pattern that I made, send me an email.  I found one for twelve dollars but was far too cheap to buy one!  Jay tried to explain to me that it would be only six dollars per girl, but I was still determined to do it myself.  These were not as simple as I thought they would be.  I found only after trying to turn a unstuffed ring inside out for about fifteen minutes, that it is impossible and that the only way to finish them is to hand sew them closed...boooo!  It went quicker than I thought it would and I slowly got more skilled at sewing those tight little circles.

A project that I started on back in the fall was the last to get finished! I knew that Benjamin is getting to the age of letters and numbers and words, so the teacher in me needed to make him an educational gift.  For the little man that is growing up so fast, I made a letter board and cloth magnetic letters.  I used a big fat font to trace the letters onto fabric and then decoupaged them to a roll of magnetic paper.  I also had Jay create a poster with the ABC’s and a cute little saying, cut out all the letters (this is where Jay saved me big time...he did all the cutting) and decoupaged them to a car oil drip pan that I got from Walmart for super cheap.  Now he can play with his letters with his magnetic board and spell cool words like “BOARD FUN”!

For the grandparents I whipped up two quick blankets.  I bought two fleece blankets that were on sale from Target and then personalized both with phrases that I thought both sets would enjoy.  “Cuddles at the Cabin” for my parents and “Cuddles with Grandpa and Tiki” for Jay’s parents.

The last project that was completed was the easiest and maybe the cutest, in my opinion.  I saw this idea on pinterest and knew that it was a must at some point for our little family.  I found the puzzle, explained it to Jay and he completed the whole thing.  Finding the pictures, getting them printed, cutting them out into the correct shapes, and decoupaging them onto the board.

I really love making gifts for Christmas.  What would the holiday season be without me having all kinds of ideas, trying to get them completed last minute and having Jay bail me out every year!  I most likely will do this every year, I just love crafting too much.  Honestly, I think Jay likes to swoop in and save the day every year as well!  I hope you had a great time giving or receiving some great homemade gifts this year!

-melissa

here come the holidays...

So, I have the weird idea that everyone loves homemade gifts.  I know that is not true.  I have promised to stop making our nieces and nephews gifts when it starts to get weird.  I mean, I do not want to be that weird aunt that always gives you something you hate and you have to put on that weird fake smile or you will get in trouble later with your mom.  I know that my time with Benjamin and homemade gifts are growing to an end.  You can only last so long being cool in a boys world with some pretty fabric, needle and thread.  Honor, I still have some time with, and poor Charlotte has got a lot of me to deal with in her future.

When you make gifts and multiple gifts at a time, you have to plan in advance.  Thus the reasoning I have already started the gift making process about two weeks ago.  I am well on my way and have everything all planned out!

Before Christmas even gets here we do have Charlotte’s very first Thanksgiving coming up, and of course she needed something to wear!  I got my inspiration for this onesie from the web, but made it my own with the fabrics and the pattern that Jay and I created.  It was simple and from beginning to end maybe took two hours.  I just traced the body, feather, eyes and beak on fabrics that had been covered with Heat N Bond, and sewed them all on a onesie.  I was super cheap and found a onesie that I really did not care for in her dresser.  I just had to make sure I completely covered the appliqué that was previously on the shirt.  Two quick hours thanks to a girl with a long Sunday nap in her and wham, one turkey onesie!

If you are a parent of either our beloved niece or nephew and you wish NOT to see what I am working on for your sweet ones Christmas present, do not read any further.  Warning, major spoiler alert!

I have been thinking about a very smart little boy and what he could use besides some cars that go vroom!  At the end of the day cars are totally cool, but eventually he will need to learn how to spell the word car.  So for our ever evolving nephew we have some fun alphabet presents under wraps.  I have been doing some major cutting, I feel like I have rediscovered the alphabet myself!  Here are a few sneak peak pics.  See if you can see the major problems with two of the letters!  I only caught the mistake after I took the picture.  That is why you always photograph your crafts!

For some very pretty little ladies I have been scheming some girly baby toys.  Here is some fantastic fabrics I got from a great little fabric store that one of my sewing besties introduced me to this weekend.

If you have already started the mad crafting dash, good luck, happy crafting!

-melissa

benjamin is two!

Today we celebrate the birth of Benjamin, the smartest and coolest two year old around!  Ever since he was born he has always been so smart and quick to learn new things.  He is such a sweet boy and so loved by his family.  Here are a few shots we have of this adorable little guy over the past two years!  He has made living ten hours away from our family very hard!

Isn’t he the cutest little guy!  Well, he is growing up fast and we heard that he is very interested in cars and anything that goes vrooooom!  So I did some sewing (shocking, I know) and Jay did some car shopping (I think he was secretly in little boy heaven), and voila, we have a two year old birthday present ready for some major vrooooming action! 

I have had this fabric in mind for this particular little boy before he even knew he liked cars!  One simple city streets quilt and a car roll to park all his new hot wheels!

We also made him up this little birthday video so we can sing to him from so far away!  Happy Birthday Benjamin, we love you so much!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtWUjkIPZXY