Noses

In my last post I asked you if you knew what was going on in that clay pot in my kitchen.

It was noses for my sock snowmen!

I took toothpicks and just dipped them straight into the little paint container, then I flipped them over and stuck them in the floral foam to dry. Super easy!

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These are currently taking up space in our kitchen.

Wanna guess what they are and what I'm working on?

Yarn Wreath

So I might have a little bit of a wreath fetish.

I'm also addicted to Pinterest now. And I've just been messing around with it for like a week or something. That's where I got the idea for this wreath though.

I started with a styrofoam wreath and had Hubby spray it with spray adhesive. Then I took strips of batting and covered it. You could use tacky glue instead.

I followed that with white yarn, and where I started it I used a floral pin to hold it down. I looked for Bernat baby blanket yarn, but I couldn't find it. So I got some kind of fluffy-ish yarn (maybe baby bee, but I already threw the wrapper away). I got the yarn at Hobby Lobby. I have seen the baby blanket yarn online, but I wasn't willing to wait to make the wreath.

After I finished wrapping it I used another floral pin to lock down the yarn and then made a loop around the pin and tied a knot to have something to hang it from. Then I started making my felt flowers.

This is a great tutorial that was linked to from the wreath instructions, and I used the method where I didn't glue the strip together before I snipped it and rolled it up.

I just glued everything on with my hot glue gun.

I had to hang this from my glass back door. I'm having trouble finding enough places to hang wreaths in my house. I have to many ideas!

Long Live The Wreath

When I made and posted about and hung my Easter wreath earlier this year, I had no idea I was going to be looking at it on the back of my front door for the next seven months.

You read that right. Seven months.

Easter was very late this year, the week after that I found the lump in my breast, and obviously our world turned upside down from there on out.

The wreath on the door somehow didn't matter.

At some point during the summer, like maybe August or so, it sort of became a little bit of a joke. It was really getting a little ridiculous at that point, and there was no way it could pull off the summer theme. Yet fall was just around the corner, especially for those of us who live in the north with cooler temperatures.

A couple of weeks ago I got the fall wreaths out, but I have nothing I can put on the back of that door. It has to be light enough not to drag the magnet hook down the door. I went off to Michael's in search of something I could make.

I ended up finding a feather wreath on a styrofoam form. I used my trusty Michael's coupon to make it "on sale." I bought a couple of fall picks to cut apart to add a little something different, and then I used a floral pin to attach a bird (hooked it through the clip since there wasn't anything to clip it on).

Voila!

It's different and I definitely like it!

Cupcake Toppers — The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This weekend at church our ladies' group was responsible for a baby shower. It's very rare these days (or so it seems) for the expectant couple not to find out whether they are having a boy or a girl, but these soon-to-be parents are not!

The shower theme was based off of the nursery theme, which is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Now since I am very computer illiterate, and since I am even worse at cutting and pasting and doing all things like that on a computer, but since I am very good at cutting with my scrapbooking supplies once someone gives me exactly what I ask for, I made cupcake toppers after one of the other ladies printed the images.

Hopefully one of these links will work (here or here), but if neither does, there are lots of images on bing if you want to do a similar thing.

Once we knew what images we wanted, I took my cutting templates so she knew how big to make them. I cut corresponding colored scrapbook paper and mounted each image.

I wanted white sticks and couldn't find flat ones, so I used the round Wilton sticks (I'll admit I didn't look that hard). I placed an image on the back and on the front, both mounted on scrapbook paper. Since they had to go around the stick, I had to use my hot glue gun to adhere them to each other around the stick. My scrapbooking adhesive wouldn't work and hold.

Since they had double images and lots of hot glue they were a little heavy. They were tall too, so I made the jumbo cupcakes.

We also had cake so I only made 24. These were as much decorative as they were to eat. They were a hit!

The Cuteness Is Hurting My Eyes

I had a couple of dedicated Valentine's Day wreaths, so I decided that one dedicated Easter wreath was in order.

I was fortunate enough to find a grapevine wreath at Hobby Lobby that was misshapen. It had and oval/egg shape. It was perfect for a starting point. I actually had no idea what my plans were.

I found the bright pastel colored garland and got two lengths of it, one package of sequined egg ornaments, one package of stemmed felt flowers, a stuffed bunny ornament, and a resin chick.

I put the white ribbon at the top first, then I wrapped the two strands of garland around the wreath. I just tucked the ends under some of the vines. I tucked the flowers in, and then I cut the ribbon hangers off the eggs and hot-glued them on. I also used hot glue to attach the bunny and the chick (lots for the chick since it's heavy).

That's it! Pure cuteness!

I'm linking up at Skip to my Lou.

Fabric-Covered Magnetic Necklace Holder

This project ended up being a little more time-consuming than I originally thought it would be. I thought I'd go to Michael's, find a steel magnetic board kind of like the dry erase boards, cover it in fabric, and be done.

Michael's doesn't sell those and doesn't know who, if anyone, does. Michael's is also in the same strip mall as Home Depot for me.

So I started out by purchasing a basic black 16x20 frame (40 percent off last week). It was the kind that already has double matting in it with spacers in between the mats. Even though you won't use the matting, this is important because you need room for your materials that you're putting in your frame. If you buy a basic frame, you might not be able to get the back on and the metal things slipped back in the slots, even with the glass out.

I went to Home Depot and bought two pieces of some kind of steel. I had a guy help me. I had to buy two pieces because singularly they weren't big enough. They had to be cut, and I was disillusioned to find out that Home Depot doesn't cut everything for a price. But the guy that was helping me used to work in metal and cut it for me. I had it cut 15 7/8" x 19 7/8" because I knew I'd be wrapping some fabric around the edges and I wanted it to go back in the frame. Good thing I did since it was a snug fit on one of the corners.

I bought the cement the guy recommended. It went on like rubber cement, and then I put the metal on a thin piece of board I bought and had cut to size.

I covered it with two layers of white muslin. I just pulled it taut and hot glued it down.

I could still see the line faintly through the muslin where the two pieces of metal met. If I'd used something darker or with a print it wouldn't have shown. I decided to hot glue a cute piece of ribbon across the middle where that line was.

I used my magnets I made in lots of different patterns. Since it's in my bedroom and my walls will be blue, I didn't want the background to compete with the wall and I wanted to use all my fun magnets.


I have a bracelet that I wanted to hang up but was too big for a magnet to hold. I hot glued two extra magnets to the back.

Now it's perfect!


I had half of these out on my dresser and the other half were hanging on my lamp from the little knob that you use to turn it on. This is so much better!

I'm linking up to Made by you Mondays at Skip to my Lou.

Pom Pom Heart Wreath

This is the last wreath I'm going to post about. Promise.

At least until after Valentine's Day.

My other disclaimer is that I brightened this picture too much and the difference between the pom poms is not this stark. So just ignore the fact that they stand out from each other. Pretty please. I have a stinky camera.

I started out making pom poms with my largest pom pom maker. I used one strand of red and one strand of fuchsia yarn at the same time. It made it go faster plus gave it some variegation.

Then I ran out of yarn and only had 10 pom poms made. When I went to the store I couldn't find the same kind of yarn. I'm not sure they make it any more. So I bought a similar red and an already variegated pink. I used one strand of each and wrapped them at the same time. I made 10 pom poms like that.

I took a wire coat hanger and shaped it into a heart shape. I undid the top where it was twisted together so I could string (wire?) on the pom poms. I alternated them.

I twisted the top back together when I was done. Then I took the normal hanger loop and twisted it down low. I used it to hang the red strap. It's one of those velcro-closing straps that came around an inexpensive blanket.

This is Sparky's favorite wreath. It's hanging on the inside of our front door.

Felt Wreath

I made this felt wreath before Christmas and added a blue glass ornament in the middle for a little bling.

I saw the original idea on Tip Junkie with a link back to the step-by-step tutorial on The Inspired Room.

I opted to go completely with white felt and not use any of the neutral colors. I also think that my squares might be slightly smaller.

I purchased the package of white felt sold at Michael's, maybe 36"x36". It took me a little less than two packages, and I cut the squares about 2 1/2" square. There are probably about 400 on there. I started out by cutting strips in the felt and then cutting squares off. I used dental floss (waxed) to string them together.

It was time to take it down or revamp it. I opted for revamping.

I love my new pom pom makers. I can't tell you how much I love them. I made three different sized pom poms in Valentine's colors and tied them together. Then I flipped the wreath over and tied the bundle to the back where the ornament had been.

I love it!

Valentine Heart Wreath

I don't think I've ever had a wreath specifically suited for Valentine's Day.

Now I do.

I got the idea for this Ribbon Heart Wreath at Crafty Sisters. They have some great ideas!

I think mine looks a lot different, but I started with the exact same wreath that I found at Michael's. I used some curly ribbon from pre-made gift packaging in pinkish hues. I also got a small roll of silver holographic curly ribbon and cut and curled it myself. I tied the ribbon all around the wreath and on some of the loops. (I cut some of the pre-made gift packaging ribbon in half before I used it or it hung too long.)

I took two pieces of 12x12 scrapbook paper with different prints. I cut them in 1/2" strips and rolled them around a pencil. I looped them through the red pre-made loops of the wreath.

To hang it, I used a strap that came wrapped around one of those throw blankets. It has a velcro closure so I just slipped it through the loop on the back and closed it and hung it up.

Pom Pom Garland

I'm already getting ready for next Christmas.

I'm making pom poms. Like crazy.

In all different colors and four different sizes. I got pom pom makers for Christmas!

If you click on the picture it will take you to Amazon. (If you purchase them I will receive a small percentage from the sale.)

They didn't have the best directions, but decent enough pictures on the back that I could figure out what to do. Best of all, it was fast.

I have about four feet of pom pom garland right now. I strung the pom poms on plain embroidery thread. It's quite heavy.

I'm going to be making pom poms and garland to have them ready for next year. I'm going to make snowmen with the pom poms on skewers too. But I couldn't resist hanging the little bit of garland I had, even if it was just for a few days.

I can't wait to see lots of it on my big tree next year!

Ornament Tree

We always had at least one of these around our house when I was growing up. Of course back then there weren't all the glittery ball choices available in the stores today.

And just so you know, the shatter-proof balls with unusual tops will not work. You have to have ornaments with the typical round hooks at the top like vintage glass balls. If you can find shatter-proof like that, go for it.

You'll need a knitting needle that is at least one foot long and skinny enough to go through the circular hole in the top of the ornaments.

Start at the bottom and place two balls on the knitting needle across from each other, and then place the two that criss-cross. They lie better that way. Sometimes you have to finagle them to make the bottom sit well. My mom doesn't, but I did. I just had to stretch the wire the tiniest bit on the top of the criss-crossed ornaments on the bottom row for it not to wiggle.

Alternate sizes as you go up the needle. You can do a couple of rows of each size, or more depending on how many different sizes you have. When you get to the top, take one of your smallest ornaments, pull the top off and sit it on the top of your needle.

I have five different sizes on this ornament tree. Two of my other trees (that I didn't show you here) only have three sizes. That's because I just got the two smaller sizes of ornaments yesterday and dismantled this third tree and re-did it.

The largest three sizes are actually shatter-proof balls with the correct type of top. The two smaller sizes are glass balls. They all look the same. If I drop it, they won't.

I love this new addition to my Christmas decorations this year!

I'm linking up over at Skip to my Lou.

Quick Fabric Gift Bags

I needed to 'wrap' the gifts I had for my 2nd grade Sunday school class. Regular wrapping was not going to be conducive due to shape, and I didn't have any inexpensive Christmas lunch bag type gift bags. I also did not want to buy a gift bag for nine kids, even at the dollar store. That would have been another $9, plus tissue paper as filler.

I still had some Christmas flannel scraps from the Christmas stockings, which are actually Christmas bags, which we call socks, that I made for my four kids about eight years ago. I pulled those out and cut them down to size. I had just enough for nine bags.

I folded the top over and made about a 1/4" to 1/2" hem. Then I put the right sides together and sewed up the sides. I snipped the corners, flipped the bag right side out, and I had a bag.

I used the pillowcase scraps I had from making pillowcases that fit to make the ties. I just cut strips and then tied the bags shut. No hemming, no finishing, just cutting and tying.

I was finished in under an hour, and it was so much cuter than anything I could have purchased! It kind of reminded me of a mini-Santa bag.

I'm linking up at Tip Junkie:

Felt Garland

I started a new craft project tonight. You know, because I don't have enough craft projects and other activities on my plate right now.

I saw a cute idea for a felt garland a while back on the Anna Maria Horner blog. Here's the link to the blog. I'm not going to make a straight link to the actual garland because a lot of the comments on that specific post were spam (like hundreds) and so I don't want to have that linked straight in here. But there's a link to the post on her sidebar once you get there.

The directions call for 60 sets of felt circles for a 5- to 6-foot garland. You can see that five of my circles are about 6", so 15 will be a foot and a half, and 60 will be 6 feet. So it's correct.

The diameter of my circles — just shy of 1 1/2". The stitching is about 1/4" around.

Do you know the little trick to cutting better shaped circles? Keep your scissors in place (of course squeeze them to cut), but move your felt, or paper, or whatever you happen to be cutting in a circular motion. Don't move the scissors around the object.

When I have more done I'll run more embroidery thread through the middles where you can't see it to attach them all together into a long garland. I think it will be darling on my whimsical Christmas tree this year.

Jellybeans and Eggs

I don't usually do much decorating around my house this time of year, but I saw a cute idea and couldn't resist.

I tend to fly by the seat of my pants a bit, so I used some fall cupcake liners to hold my paint. I saw them when I was getting the toothpicks to hold the balls while they dried.

See, since I had to use floral foam inside the pot, I figured I'd just use it to help hold up my painted items while they were drying. I even had my long dowel rods stuck in there that were painted white, along with three pink styrofoam balls.

My family came up with all kinds of creative ideas for what they thought I was going to make.

I used a small 4-inch clay pot sponge-painted white, a dowel rod cut with scissors at an eyeball-length, a 3-inch pink-painted styrofoam ball, Lifesavers pastel jellybeans, low heat glue gun (dries faster and doesn't hurt your fingers as much), ribbon, floral foam, and some mossy stuff.

It took me almost two hours just to glue the jelly beans on this 3-inch styrofoam ball.

I didn't do the other 3-inch ball I had painted or the 4-inch ball either. One by itself is plenty cute.

I've had some wooden eggs for close to 15 years. I don't usually get them out in time to decorate.

I was at Hobby Lobby and saw this little ceramic egg holder, and I thought it would be a cute way to display some of them.

They also had some really cute fake grass.

That took much less time than the jellybean topiary.