Creative Juices...

Jed's Birds on A Branch & Bedroom

2011-11-14T06:14:00.000-08:00

Now that Jed is almost ONE.... I thought it would be fun to post some pictures of his bedroom... I can't believe that it has taken me this long to do this!

Anyhow, without further a-do... here is the Birds on a Branch...

it's our little "family tree"!

I love the look of the fabric framed in glass, the clean white edges of the frame makes it crisp and gives it a little pop!

And while I am at it, I thought I would show you the rest of the room, come along for a little tour with some details about the room, I have to tell you about some of my deals, cuz' I LOVE A good deal...

I painted the main wall with a criss-cross pattern, which I LOVE, but I am not going to lie- it was a PAIN!!! But... the finished product is just what I was looking for! I also got this custom made GIANT letter J online and painted it with white craft paint. The lamp and changing table were re-used from my daughters room. Don't you love the argyle blanket (from Land of Nod, thanks to my mom!) and the darling sock monkey from our sweet neighbors!

I love a white crib and found a killer deal on the bedding. I found the bumper (which has that same criss-cross pattern on it) at the Pottery Barn Outlet for $12.99!!!! What a steal!! I made the bed skirt from some fabric I found for $1.99 and my mom found the vintage wooden mobile at a Thrift store in mint condition for $8! What a screaming deal!! I splurged on a grey and white sheet from Dwell Studio, it was more than everything else combined- $32!

DO you spot my $5 garage sale repainted rocking chair?? Ain't it cute??

One can of red spray paint brought him back to life!

And I got this awesome print off of Etsy, it originally said "You are My Sunshine, my only Sunshine" but I had her change it up for me with a verse that I have prayed for my little man since he was in my tummy. And I love that it hangs over him as he sleeps. I didn't have a matting and didn't want to spend a lot of money on one, so I used a scrap piece of fabric I had left over from the crib skirt that I made.

And that's just about it. That's Jed's room for now!

Swim Suit Edition

2011-11-11T06:38:00.001-08:00

Over the summer, I had the chance to make a little Swim Suit Gallery for a little girls bathroom. I bought frames, removed the glass and lined them with white fabric that had tiny little turquoise polka dots, then I sketched and cut out some very hip 3-D swim wear... here's how they turned out!

One of these days I will get me a fancy camera so you can see the detail and dimension... for now, just use your imagination!

Aprons...

2010-11-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

Homemade Christmas Gift Idea #4: Aprons

Again, with this gift, I don't use a pattern, I use my favorite apron (from Williams Sonoma) and make my own pattern off of it (tweaking it as needed if the person is taller or shorter, etc.). The same goes for the little kid pattern, I copy my daughters play apron or I measure her and make a smaller version. If you want some free patterns, google it- there are tons out there.

The best part about this gift is it can be so personal- you can match it to the person's personality, their kitchen, or just something fun! I use the thicker fabric (Home Decor) for my aprons so that they hold their shape, wash well, and protect your clothes! I always have fun embellishing them with ruffles, hangie balls, different color pockets, or fabric flowers. You can give this gift solo or make a whole package out of it with a baking pan, recipe, and some new kitchen towels! (This also makes a great shower or wedding gift!)

Flannel Pajama Pants

2010-11-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

Stocking Stuffer/Gift Idea #3: Flannel Pajama Bottoms

Here's a great idea that everyone always loves- big kids or little- a new pair of Flannel Pajama Bottoms for the winter! To be honest, I don't use a pattern (because I always feel like when I do, they don't fit the normal way the ones in the stores do) so I find a favorite pair that I have or ones that fit my daughter well, and I make my own pattern off of that! If you don't feel comfortable with that, google free patterns and you will find a ton!Here's a SALE ALERT TOO- if you plan on making these, JoAnn's fabrics has a sale on their flannel the day after Thanksgiving and I think it's $.99 a yard! Always use a coupon and get 40-50 % off of one fabric piece!

Everyone loves a good sale!

Crayon Pucks for Kids...

2010-11-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Stocking Stuffer Idea #2: Crayon Pucks

Here's a great little gift you can make for kids- we are going to package them up and hand them out to friends this year, but you could also make some for stocking stuffers or gift toppers- the possibilities are endless! They are really inexpensive and the best part is, kids can help!

This is a great way to use broken or old crayons you have laying around!

You will need:

a cupcake tin (I use an old one I got at a garage sale for 25 cents!)
cooking spray
crayons, old and broken if you have them!
butter knife

Directions:

Spray your cupcake tin with cooking oil, peel your crayons (I used a butter knife to get them started then handed them to my 2 year old who finished the peeling process! Use good crayons (Crayola), not cheap waxie ones from the dollar store. Then break them up into 1 inch pieces and put them into separate compartments in the cupcake tin. You can mix colors, or leave them all the same- you can also use mini muffin tins if you prefer smaller crayons! Fill them up as much as you want (at least half way) then put them in the oven for 6-8 minutes on 265. When you take them out you can swirl them with a toothpick or leave them looking marbley. I stuck mine in the freezer for about an hour until they were completely hardened, then turned them over and they all popped out!

Head Start on Homemade Christmas Gifts....

2010-11-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

Fabric Covered Bangle Bracelets...

So, I thought I would post some of the things I have been doing to prepare in advanced for Christmas (mind you I am trying to get a jump start on things since I will be having a newborn and very little time to be crafty!) So this week, you will find an idea per day- for friends, family, kids, neighbors, or whomever you find on your Christmas List.

Stocking Stuffer Idea #1: Fabric Covered Bangles

I saw this idea on a blog a long time ago and I made a few of them over the summer, they are super easy, really quick, and personal because

Head Start on Stocking Stuffers....

2010-10-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

Owl Pillow Family Tree

2010-10-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

So, if you read my family blog, you might be familiar with my sweetess nephew Jude who was adopted into our family by my sister and her husband when he was born a little over a year ago. The process was recently made official through the courts, and I wanted to make him a little something special to commemorate the day. So here's what I came up with... an Owl Pillow...

...with a book flap on the back featuring his family tree. I thought it would be a fun gift to give any new mom, something that a child can keep as a memory and keepsake as they grow up.

To make this, I simply drew a sketch on a piece of tissue paper to create a pattern for myself. Then I used pellon to back my pieces, cut them out, and stitched them on. I stuffed it with batting and finished it with a top stitch. I used pinking sheers around the edges so that I didn't have to be so accurate- my favorite way to sew!

Pinwheel Decorations

2010-07-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Recently we had a baby shower for my sister in law and we decided to do something different than flowers for the center pieces, so we went with pinwheels. Now because we had to make so many, we came up with a quick and efficient way to make them, they were just for looks so unfortunately they didn't spin, they just sat pretty!

Quick Directions on how to make Decorative Pinwheels:

Depending on the size pinwheels you want, cut perfect squares out of decorative paper. NOTE: both sides will show, so use a paper that is decorative on both sides, solid, or at least solid white on the back. I made 3 sizes shown above in the pictures:

X-Large Pinwheels: 8 x 8 inches
Large Pinwheels: 7x7 "
Medium Pinwheels: 5 x 5 "
Small Pinwheels: 4 x 4 "

First cut out your perfect square, then cut in a line from each one of the corners to the center of the square, stopping about an inch or two from the center. A paper cutter works great for this and made it go really quickly.

Next, put a dime size hot glue in the very center of the square and pull in one side of each corner (practice before your put the glue down.)

Hold it there with your finger for a minute until it dries.

Add a button or brad to give it a finished look. With a glue gun, attach a straw, skewer, or dowel to the back of the pinwheel. We were actually able to attach our straws to the inside of one of the loops of the pinwheels so that the back of them looked more finished.

If you use straws, you can stick one inside the other to give it more length and you can also cut them to different heights very easily so that you can display them at your liking!

*** We also filled our vases with candy for the center pieces, the ones in the pictures have the following candies (which we bought inexpensively in bulk from Winco). The candies held the pinwheels in place (and served as a fun snack for guests!):

lemon drops
bubble gum balls
double bubble
cinnamon disks
orange slices
mini and large marshmallows
colored, wrapped swirly balls
giant gumdrops

.....We stayed clear of anything that would melt in the sun!...

Table Top Centerpiece...

2010-07-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a really easy craft- it would be perfect to do with a bunch of girls on a craft night because the supplies are minimal and the prep is pretty simple. All you need is a 2 x 4 and access to a table saw. I had my father-in-law cut these for me in 4", 5", and 6" blocks. I pre-marked them with a pencil, and he cut the whole 2 x 4 in just a few minutes. After that, I gave a quick sand to the ends to get rid of any sharp edges, then painted the blocks and wrote the letters. I originally saw them in a boutique downtown (they were pink and green with yellow letters and said "SPRING") I couldn't resist the chance of making a set of my own. You could get really creative with the season, sayings, or even use names on them for a kids bedroom. Use glitter or ribbon or whatever other embellishments you want and display them on any table or buffet for your next gathering!

Crawling on in.....

2010-06-03T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here's another set of canvases I made for someone who chose this bedding, it's darling with all it's boyish bugs and snails, turtles and frogs. I chose 3 of the characters from the bedding and made canvases to go along... a rolly polly bug, a cruisin' caterpillar, and a pokey little turtle! I wish the pictures were in better detail, the different textures of the fabrics (corduroy, terri-cloth, and chenille) really made them stand off the canvas, as well as the hand stitched swirls on the turtle's shell!

These served as the back drop for the shower, as well as the gift from the hostesses! Hope the Mama-to-be liked them!!!!

Cookie Lollipop Favors...

2010-05-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

So here's a fun idea for a party favor for your next bash... Cookie Shaped Lollipops! They are super simple to make and are a cute and personal touch for your guests. For the recipe that I used check out "Cocky Chocolate Chip Cookies"- you can use any recipe that makes fluffy or thick cookies (so that you're lollipop stick can be held in the cookie).

You will need:

Lollipop sticks (Michael's candy making section)

Small baggies (also sold at Michael's in the same isle)

Ribbon

Cookie Ingredients

** Optional: Tags or a sign "Thanks for POPPING by!"

Bake your cookies and as soon as they come out, stick your lollipop sticks in the center of the cookies and let them cool. Then with a spatula, slide them off and into a bag, tying them with fun ribbon combinations!

A touch of cuteness to a plain bib...

2010-05-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea to create a little something special and unique for a little one- great for a gift or to tie to the top of the package. It's super simple, so even if you're not a gifted seamstress, you can pull it off- just get creative!

Babies R Us sells packages of plain white bibs (and colored ones too) so you can pick up a package and use your imagination. For this girlie bib, I cut out different sized petals, and two coordinating leaves, tacking them in the center with a matching button (which I hand stitched). Once your flower is assembled, run two stitches (like an X) threw the center of the flower to tack it to the bib. I left my edges frayed, and didn't back it with anything, but if you don't want it to fray you could iron on some pellon to keep it from unraveling.

Happy creating- and if you come up with something cute, email it to me and I will add it to the post!

Trees and more critters...

2010-01-14T16:10:00.000-08:00

I actually haven't done a set of canvases in a while, I guess the holidays really did sweep us up!! My sweet friend from college had a request for a set of canvases that match this ADORABLE shower curtain from Target (see below picture), so here's what I came up with. I think they turned out pretty close to the original design, thanks Target for the inspiration! Hope you like them Krissa, they will be on their way to San Diego this weekend!

Christmas Wrapping Tips

2009-12-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas is by far my favorite holiday- so I thought I would share with you some of the favorite things I do in preparation for the holiday. One of my favorite parts of the holiday is wrapping presents. (Yes so much so that I volunteer to wrap other peoples- honestly, I love it- want me to wrap yours??? I am not kidding, drop them off, I'll do it, serious!) We aren't doing many gifts this year, we are trying to give less stuff and give more of ourselves relationally with our time and our talents, but the few things we are giving should look pretty darn cute and festive right??? Here are some holiday gift wrap tips, simple and inexpensive.

1. When buying wrapping paper, try to buy in coordinating rolls so that you can mix and match and create stripes on the packages. This especially comes in hand when you cut the paper too short or need to add a patch on extra large boxes, make it look like you did it on purpose! (In the photo above you can see that I wrapped a box in one sheet and then added a complimentary strip of paper in a coordinating color, and a ribbon on top of that. My husband refers to this as the "racing stripe".)

2. Get creative with your bows! Use left over bows (yes, I recycle ribbon!) and think out of the box- use twine, string (like old fashion packages), non- Christmas colors work as long as they match the paper and don't be afraid to add chatter- you can see a package wrapped in plaid and tied with a polka dot ribbon.

3. If you want to spice up your gift tags but already have the "sticker" kind, simply apply them to a piece of colored card stock and cut out a shape, hole punch, and tie with a cute ribbon. (I cut corners this year and didn't do it- kinda wishing I had- oh well!)

4. And last but not least, have fun! Make yourself some coco and turn on a Christmas flick and get all your supplies out so you don't have to keep getting up. Enjoy it or bring it on over and I'll help you out!

Framed Fabric...

2009-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

So here's an easy way to dress up some walls with fabric and frames! And the best part about it is you don't have to hunt around for that perfect print you won't get sick of. All I did was buy some large black frame that had matting inside, cut a piece of the fabric an inch large than the whole and then taped it on the back- you could use masking tape or blue painters tape. I also added some fake flowers (that I pulled apart and laid flat) and glued a rhinestone in the center of each flower for some added sparkle. These were for a teenage girl and all three were hung right above her bed. And if you get board with them, an inexpensive fix- change out the fabric! Think out of the box- could you use these anywhere you have a bare wall??? use fabric or dishtowels or an old sentimental piece of clothing??? Have fun with it!

Shower Favors...

2009-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a inexpensive favor for a shower, these were used for a baby shower and the tag on them says "Thanks for coming to celebrate this little peanut!" I just had friends save their glass baby food jars, I ran them threw the dishwasher and then cut paper to cover the jars. I just used sticky tape to adhere it to the jar and a dot of glue on top for the button. Then, I filled them with "peanut" m & m's! Easy peasy!

Critters in the Tree...

2009-11-10T12:58:00.001-08:00

Here's another canvas for my sweet friend Annah, she is having a little boy, Will, due around Christmas! This canvas has so many different creatures; owls, birds and their nest, a worm, a badger, squirrels, and even a snail!

Rollin' In....

2009-10-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest canvases that have rolled in, a set of 3 tractors that match the Christopher Construction Bedding from Pottery Barn for Kelee who is due in December. Her little boy is going to have sweet dreams of digging, mixing, and plowing with these hanging over head!

Completed Nursery...

2009-09-25T22:25:00.001-07:00

So, my sister just sent me this picture of Joshua Jude's completed nursery with the tree canvas all hung in place, so I thought it would be a fun post to show you all the final product! Didn't it turn out cute??? I love it!!! Thanks for sharing, it's always fun to see the canvases in their element!

Car Seat Blanket...

2009-09-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this, I know a lot of people make these, but I LOVED these fabrics from Strawberry Patches, I loved the colors, the prints, the fat ric-rac and the texture of the gray velour- it's so incredibly soft! (I have one for sale if you know of a little boy who is in need of a bold and bright snuggley blanket- for you or a gift- just leave me a comment.)

This was a very special blanket, given to my newest nephew whom I met and feel in love with today, Mr. Joshua Jude Stokes.... covered him in kisses and this blanket!

Flowers in your Hair Part 2....

2009-09-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

So, a cute idea for a flower girl... here's two flowers I made for my sister-in-law's sister who is getting married in 2 weeks. Her flower girls are going to wear these, pinned back on one side of their hair.

Super easy to make, I took apart 2 white flowers and then cut out flower shapes from white toile. Then I alternated, one toile and one petal, stuck a pin through it, and then hand-stitched them together. I finished it off with a covered button and attached an alligator clip to the back!

Put up your Party Banner!!!

2009-09-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

So, here's another idea I borrowed off of someone else's blog, and thought I would post the idea for parties, shower, and the likes! It's super simple to make, it would be a great beginners sewing project because not much sewing is needed. I simplified the idea so that it would take less time (my overall theme when crafting because I don't have a ton of time!)

So, I made a template out of a piece of thin card board and cut out 15 triangles with the "right-side" of the fabric facing out on each one. *** I cut out 14 because I was going to use it as a congratulations banner = 14 letters.

Then I measured and pinned each triangle inside of a piece of "bias tape" (purchased in any craft department). Each triangle was 2 inches apart.

Then I ran a stitch down the bias tape with a complimentary color.

And finally, this part is optional (you could leave yours plain) I cut out felt letters and glued them on with fabric glue to each flag.

(Bad picture I know- it was dark, too far away, about to take it down after the party... but hey, you get the idea!!!)

And wha-la!!!! You have yourself a homemade party banner---- let the celebration begin!!!

Flowers in your Hair....

2009-09-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

Try stacking your flowers in a different order a few times before landing on your final choice. Also, try alternating 2 colors like this one: red and pink. Then hand stitch an X in the center to keep them from moving.

On this one, I covered a button in some complimentary fabric and hand-stitched it onto the center of the flower, you can also use a plain button or two buttons stacked on top of each other.

Here's a sample of some other colors, the yellow one has a piece of complimentary ribbon in the center (click on image to enlarge) and the purple one has a fuzzy center that came as a center to one of the flowers.

And of course, my model, Emery girl.

So, here's an easy and fun way to spice up a plain head band or clip... buy some fake flowers, layer them, handstitch the center together, add a button (regular or fabric-covered) and then hot glue it to a an alligator clip. (I cover my alligator clips in grossgrain ribbon first). This way you can change it up- move the flowers to different headbands depending on the outfit! (Target sells some great colors of kid sized headbands right now for pretty cheap- 6 for under $4!)

Spicin' Up An Old Skirt

2009-09-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

So, I have had this skirt in my closet for a really long time, it was a hand me down from a friend of mine, and I was thinking, maybe it needed a little pick me up... so here's what I did...

I followed this tutorial on how to make fabric flowers. I printed out their template for flower shapes, but then I added some of my own, a few larger and a few smaller than they suggested, and I folded the circles in half to get the fullness and fluff I was going for.
I held them together with a pin until I stitched them together and added a button in the center.
Then I tacked them to the skirt by hand, stitching the flower in place and making sure the back flower had some stitches as well, so that it wouldn't flop over once the skirt was on.
Here's how they turned out, they will fray a little when washed because of the raw edges, but I like that look!
Give your hand at it, find something in the closet that's been sitting there too long- a t-shirt, skirt, knit dress, hat, hnadbag or tote, a tank top, a baby onesie- that could use a new and updated look to bring it back to life!

Hair Clip Tin

2009-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

A quick and easy solution for anything that is cluttering up your coutertops- for me it was my daughter's hair bows and clips that were all over her dresser as well as the rest of the house! They needed a permenant home, and a cute one at that!

I found this cheap little tin bucket at the dollar store, never mind the design because it will quickly be covered up! Then I got out some fabric, trimming, and extra buttons just in case!
I measured the tin, cut the fabric, ironed it and then ran a bead of fabric glue around the top and bottom of the tin and pressed my fabric on to it firmly, ironning out any bumps with my finger tips.
Then I attached some pom poms, ribbon and well, some more ribbon- and wha-la! In 15 minutes I had myself a cute little storage container for her bows and clips!

Hoo Hoo Hooray!!!!

2009-09-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

More owl canvases, and these ones are a girlie girl set!!!

(The colors are a little overexposed and the detail of the button eyes didn't get captured, but you get the jist!!!!)

Say goodbye to these birdies, they are being shipped off!

All you need is LOVE...

2009-08-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Here's another canvas to match the previous ones, a complementary one for above the crib! I love it, it's bright, classy, and bold all at the same time, hope you like it Brittney!

Here is Baby June modeling with the canvas! I don't know which one is cuter!!!

Classy Lime Canvases

2009-08-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Here's another set of canvases I just finished for a sweet girl I just met who's almost ready to give birth to another sweet little girl that will have the classiest bedding in all of Bakersfield!!! Honestly, the bedding she chose for this nursery is gorgeous, I would put it in my room if it came in a queen! Here's the bedding and a glimpse of the canvases, I hope you enjoy them Brittney! (That is definitely a perk of making all these fun canvases, I get to meet all these fun girls along the way!!)

Dr. Seuss Canvases...

2009-08-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

(Double Click on Pictures to Enlarge & See Detail)

Here's another order of canvases I just finished for someone whose nursery theme is Dr. Seuss. I made it to compliment the bedding set from Pottery Barn, and went with a fun color pallet of turquiose, yellow, red, and black--- perfect for a boy or a girl!

the Loving Tree...

2009-08-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

(Double Click on Pictures to Enlarge & See Detail)

I am LOVING this tree for my sister's new baby.... due around Sept. 18th. They have waited a long time to be chosen as adoptive parents, and Lord willing, this little baby will be part of their family soon! We saw a similar tree to this in a Pottery Barn magazine a few months- maybe even a year ago and we saved it as an idea for her future nursery. So, with out any further a-do.... here is the biggest beast of a canvas that I have ever taken on..... 6 canvases pieced together, over 10 fabrics and two bottles of paint-- THE LOVING TREE!

Simplify Cake Decorating

2009-07-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy tip for decorating your next cake.... use cookie cutters! I baked my cake, frosted it, and let the frosting harden a little. Then I took out a cookie cutter- mine was a star- and lightly touched it to the top of the frosting which became my outline to trace with a frosting bag. To make a simple, throw away version of a frosting bag, take a ziplock bag, fill it with frosting and cut the tip. A smaller tip will result in smaller piping line or smaller polka dots, and a larger cut corner will result in bigger lines and polka dots. If you have different tips with different shapes, you can drop that into the corner of the baggie before filling it with frosting to give your frosting different shapes like waves and flowers. Have fun and get creative!

Bugs-Galour!

2009-07-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

I found this picture in my photo gallery from a few years ago, but I thought I would post it because I think it's a really cute idea for a birthday party or special ocassion for a little person! They were really fun to make and really allow you to let your creativity run wild! I made simple boxed cupcakes, frosted them, and then decorated them with a bunch of different candies.... take a look!

I used m&m's, Mike & Ike's, almond slivers (for the wings), and melted chocolate chips for the black piping. (To make a homemade piping bag, melt your chocolate chips, scoop that into a sandwich ziplock bag and cut a tiny tip off of the corner and wha-la! You have yourself a homemade bag- throw it away when your done- no clean up! You can do the same thing with frosting.)

Bring on the Cake!

2009-07-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't something new under the sun, but here's diaper cake with a few changes to make it a present all in itself!

My friend Janelle registered for diapers on her registry, so I bought a package of those and added some extra goodies to make it more exciting! I added embellished burp clothes (rolled up) and a binki tail and topped it off with a rubber duckie on top! She doesn't know what she is having, but if you knew the gender, you could add some socks, shoes, hair clippies, pacifiers, teething rings, and more! The idea is to add extra little gift to make it a gift within a gift! Get creative and "bring the cake" the next time you show up to a shower!

* I used fabric and ribbon to decorate the cake.*

Spicing up something old....

2009-07-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

I LOVE garage sales, and look at this find for $5!!!! All I needed was a can of spray paint at Walmart for $3 and we have ourselves a new little chair for a little tushie that loves to read and rock all by herself! Keep your eye out and imagine what a can of paint can do for YOU!

BEFORE

AFTER

"IN ACTION"

Cute As a Button

2009-07-06T22:21:00.001-07:00

Every little girl needs a little something cute for their locks, even if they only have a few strands! So, here's what I have come up with for Emery's little blonde locks for the time being- clips with hand-stitched buttons or bows.... polka dots and buttons- can't get any cuter than that! Want some? Let me know, I would love to make you some in any color combo that you want to order!

Buckets of Fun....

2009-06-25T19:27:00.001-07:00

So, I originally made a bucket like this for my nephew's Easter gift, but I bought extra buckets (and continue to pick them up when I am out and about) because they make darling containers for any kind of gifts. You can make them for little people or big- to stuff with toys, candies, gift cards, baby goodies, or even Easter Eggs around that time of year. Here's the girlie one that I made- soon to be stuffed with girlie items- unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the boy one before I gave it away- but it will give you an idea and jump start your creativity. I found the idea on www.kiddley.com. It's easy as pie- cut out old book illustrations, wrapping paper, or pictures and use Mod Podge to stick it to the tin. Then add another layer of Mod Podge over the top to make a final seal, add your trim (ribbons, buttons, pom poms, ric rac, etc.) with a hot glue gun and you are done!

Owl Canvases...

2009-06-14T00:42:00.003-07:00

What a "hoot" these were to make! They are actually the first set of canvases I made without a specific home- they are for sale, and might even make their way into a boutique! Let me know if you are interested in them, they are absolutely adorable!

Jungle Canvases...

2009-06-14T00:36:00.001-07:00

Here is another set of custom canvases for two little girls who share a bright and colorful bedroom. They love animals so we incorporate them in with the bright colors of the bedding!

Birdie Canvases...

2009-06-14T00:31:00.000-07:00

Here's another set of personalized canvases for a baby nursery. This set was purchased as a gift and used for the center piece of the baby shower- great idea!

Ladybug Canvas...

2009-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

Well, this is one of my all-time favorite things to make... fabric canvas' for children's rooms. They are VERY time consuming and detailed, but I love the finished product. Here is a set of three I just finished for my sweet friend who is having a baby girl, June or "June Bug" as they already call her. Her nursery is darling with ladybugs everywhere! Too cute!

Birthday Cake!

2009-02-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

How fun is this birthday cake? In case you didn't know who it it... I will help you out! This is Flicker the Flashlight from the Handy Manny tool man cartoon. My nephew turned 4 and this was his choice for a cake. My sister, her friend, and I worked on it for a few hours and we really excited about how it turned out. Hopefully sometime soon I will post a tutorial, for now, here's just a snapshot.

Baby Bibs...

2009-02-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to see that Babies R Us was selling plain bibs because that meant that I could embellish them with some cute fabric and give them as baby gifts! Here's the two that I've made so far... they are lots of fun and easy to make!

Burp Cloths..

2009-02-22T20:16:00.001-08:00

Here's something simple that lots of people make... baby burp cloths made from cloth diapers. This set of six was for a friend who is having a girl in a few weeks. She dropped off some plain burp cloths she had used with her son and asked me to spice them up for a little girl, here's what we came up with!

It's a bloomin' good day!

2009-01-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally finished it! I started this sewing project a few months ago, and for many not-so-good-reasons, it has been put on the back burner- but here it is, finished-completed-and as cute as all get out!!! My first pair (of many hopefully) of little girl bloomers! My model here is Miss Emery Lynn herself... too bad she doesn't get to keep them, they are being given to someone else- I will make her a pair next! Check out the Strawberry Patches website to purchase your own pattern.

Thinking outside of the box... or vase

2009-01-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

So my husband was sweet today and came home with a big bouquet of roses for me- what a love- and I decided to think outside of the vase if you will, and I decided to display them with a little more pizazz than normal- a teapot and a oil jar that has been missing his top for months! I love fresh flowers and I decided to keep my eye out the next time I am at Good Will or a garage sale for items that would suit this idea. Quick, easy, and fun!
*Note, I put a small glass inside my teapot, so that I didn't have to worry about gettting gunk in my teapot and scrubbing it later- just thinking ahead!