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TUTORIAL TUESDAY: Suess Christmas Tree’s {DIY & Giveaway}

Posted on November 22, 2011

In case you haven’t noticed, I kind of like grinch green for Christmas. A funkier twist on the tradition red and green. So after reading somewhere were someone made trees out of poster board I had to try it and give it my grinchy spin. Now of course you can make these any color you like. The good part? I’m not only going to show you how to make these, I’m going to give away 2(!) kits to make your own! All you have to do is buy the poster board ($.75 at the DG) So after you check out this tut, scroll down and make a comment to be entered to win. I’ll draw 2 names on friday.

{Finished project}

{2 kits}

Supplies needed:

3 pieces of poster board
tape
glue gun/glue sticks
spray paint (optional)
various lace, trims and fabric

So we start out with 3 sheets of poster board (2 shown here)

then you start rolling it up where its small on the top, like a dunce hat. (it was hard to get a good pic, I couldn’t get back far enough to get it all in so I took two…)

now, holding the shape of the cone use a pencil to draw a line where you need to cut it off…

then cut and tape it. you’ll probably have to cut the bottom off level…

this is what it looks like after you cut it in the right shape…

ok, so you do this 3 times cutting them off shorter each time and you end up with this……now notice the dull matte black? I wanted glossy so enters……..

SPRAY PAINT! ….glossy black spray paint to be exact!

put them suckers in a box and you can spray without worrying about getting it on everything. (since I did it on the deck b/c it was raining)

and now, don’t they look MUCH better?!?!!

now you need some crafting supplies (leave comment below to be entered to win one of 2 kits I’m giving away!)

cut out some triangles…they don’t have to be perfect or the same size, just wing it! Then start gluing them to the yarn/string…

then glue the bunting to the tree. I only put glue on the back of the tree at each new level to make sure I had it placed right before permanently gluing it in place..

I didn’t take photo’s while I glued the lace and bows on but I’m sure you can figure that out.

Close up of the details..

for the curly-q tops I took 3 pipe cleaners bent them in half and glued them in the top then curled them around my finger…

and here are the 2 kits I’m giving away…..enter to win by leaving a comment below.

Love it? Pin it!

Thanks for looking!

Tutorial Thursday: Lace boot cuffs

Posted on November 17, 2011

Ok, so we’ve all seen the boot socks going around Pinterest and there is a pair where the lady sewed lace to the top of a pair of socks and I loved it except that I didn’t want to mess up a good pair of socks in case I didn’t like how they turned out so this is my version. I made a lace boot cuff that just allows the lace to stick out the top of the boots. The options are endless on these and you just wear them over the top of your socks or tights to fancy them up.

Supplies Needed:

Fleece
Lace
Velcro (optional)

Sewing machine or fabric glue

then you will need to measure around your calf and add about an inch or two….I made mine 5″ wide x the circumference of my leg. (Which was way too big and had to be cut down from the size shown in this picture) In the future I will cut them at an angle like I’ve marked in the picture (see yellow lines)…

Now you will need to cut your lace, I cut it a little bit longer than the fleece so it would ruffle a little bit. If your lace is pre-ruffled or if you want it flat cut the lace the same length as the fleece. Cut two 3″ strips of velcro as well.

If don’t want the lace ruffled, skip this step. Sew a basting stitch at the top of the lace (the longest stitch=biggest number)

now, I didn’t even have to pull a thread to ruffle it, it ruffled on its own as I sewed it. If it doesn’t you will need to pull one of the threads to ruffle the lace…

then pin the lace on the fleece like this…or if you’re using fabric glue turn the lace the other way (pointing up) and glue it down…

sew it down…

here I folded the lace up (yes that is chalkboard paint on my hand) and sew it down…

next you’ll sew the velcro on the edges…I sewed mine vertically but it might be best to sew it horizontally so you can adjust the tightness better…..or you can skip the velcro step all together and just sew it shut….

and this is what they will look like on your leg and why it would be best to taper the fleece….

and with boots on! Lovely! Love it? Pin it!

TUTORIAL TUESDAY: (err, make that TUTORIAL FRIDAY) Petal Posie~No sew

Posted on November 11, 2011

Ok, so I fell off the wagon (again). I am so sorry! I promise to make it up to you next week with a FANTABULOUS tutorial!! I’ve had this idea in my mind for a while and I’m anxious to try it and share it with ya! But for now I’ve got another NO SEW hair flower tutorial. Yeah I’m sure there are a ton out there and no I did not make this after seeing it on Pinterest. I came up with this while playing around one day (no I’m not the original designer I’m sure) and this how I make the ones I sold in my shoppe. These are beautiful made out of felt but I like to use non-traditional materials.

Supplies needed:

Glue gun/sticks
Scissors
Felt
Alligator clip
Felt or fabric for flower
Wide mouth canning lid (or something similar)
Paper

I traced around the lid on the paper to make a pattern that I could pin to the fabric.

cut out 8 circles

now you are going to do this for each of the 8 circles. Fold them in half.

and then fold them in half again

then inside each corner put a dab of glue and squeeze the tip together so it holds it’s shape

now you will need a felt circle to glue the petals to. I cut it a little big smaller than my circle pattern

now you will start gluing the wedges to the felt putting it together like a pizza. I like to make sure the petals are facing the same way

now you are going to do the same thing only don’t lay the petals down in exactly the same order, move them over so the top petals cover the where two petals meet on the first layer

now I grab the top petals, pull them up and put a dab of glue in the middle

and pinch it together to make them stick

and you’re done! (after you glue a clip to the back)

Lindley Family {Southeast Missouri Family Photographer}

Posted on November 4, 2011

Does anyone else like to see who married who from school? You go to school with people and can never imagine who might marry who. Now these two are one that I never seen coming (don’t know why) but they make a great couple and have of the cutest boys I’ve ever seen! Had to share a few favs from a recent family session with the Lindley family. They were super fun and easy to work with and the boys were such dolls.

TUTORIAL TUESDAY: Tshirt Fringe Scarf

Posted on November 1, 2011

First of all let me say THIS TUTORIAL WAS NOT SOMETHING I SEEN ON PINTEREST! I’m sure this is not the first time this tutorial has been made but I have not looked for one nor seen one.

Today’s tutorial was inspired by a scarf by Down East Basics, (you can see it here). I got their latest sale bill in the mail and it’s been stuck in my purse. Every time I get hot in church I grab it to fan myself with and it always seems to open to the page with this scarf on it. After looking at it so many times I decided I liked it. I didn’t originally because we had those types of scarves when I was a tween…….too 80′s. But alas I succumbed to the lure of the scarf and came up with this version.

I used 2 boys tshirts size 8/10. I would like for it to have been bigger but I used what I had on hand. When I make one for myself I will use a mans tshirt.

Cut the shirt off under the sleeves…

then cut up both sides removing the seam if it has one……also remove the hem…

now you should have two rectangles (from each shirt. I used 2 shirts)

fold each rectangle in half at the corners like so…

then use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut fringe. My fringes were about 1/2-3/4″ wide. DONT cut too close to the top! You want some fabric uncut at the top. On a side note if you plan on doing much sewing at all you simply MUST invest in a rotary cutter and mat!! Its a must! Ask Santa!

it should look like this…

Viola! You did it! Like it? PIN it! Thanks!