Scrapbook Flower Clips and My First Giveaway!

First off, I was AMAZED at the response to my last post! Thanks so much to everyone who visited, left wonderful comments, and became a new follower! It really made my week! I am still shocked that anyone looks at this little blog:) I have visited every blog of people who have commented and become new followers, and I am in awe of all the talented people out there! I love looking through blogs and learning something new:)

So how about a flower clip tute and a giveaway to say "thanks"!

I found these flowers in the craft section at Target. They were on clearance for $1.98 and I loved the colors. They look as if they are hand stamped and the designs on each one is unique.

When I opened them up I discovered that they were a thick canvas...not paper, so of course they had to become flower clips for my daughter, right?

First, I paired them up in ways that I thought looked appealing. I took some of the flowers and placed them face down in the center to add a little more dimension to the design. I also trimmed the petals on some so that they would stack better.

Next, I glued each flower together and then glued a craft gem in the center.

Finally, I attached them to an alligator clip like I have shown here.

Easy peasy!

So, are you interested in a chance to win two of my clips? I would love to give them away! Just leave one comment (to make it fair) at the end of this post and next Sunday I will randomly pick a winner for these two clips below!

So, go! Make your own scrapbook flower clips, and leave a comment for a chance to win two of mine! Saturday (9.4.2010) will be the last day to comment:)

Again, thanks for all the blog love!

Pier 1 Knock Off

I recently spotted this Pier 1 plate wall hanging on their website and I really wanted it. So I looked online to see if I could find it for cheaper than $79.95...with no such luck. I even went into Pier 1 hoping there might be one with a chip that they would sell me for cheaper:) But once I saw it in the store...it wasn't really the colors I was looking for. I went to Kirklands and they had a lot of great plate decor too...just much smaller and still about $40. So, I racked my brain for a few days wondering how I could recreate this on the cheap.

On one of my many trip to the dollar store...there were these white chargers with a fun dot border, so I thought, "Why not paint my own plates?" So I left the store with 4 chargers and 4 mini plastic plates (2 for $1)

First, I primed the orange plastic plates. I just used a regular white primer I already had...but if I ever did this again, I would buy the plastic spray paint for a better adhesion.

What took the longest in my planning was how to get the embossed look on plastic plates. I could have just painted a design on them...but I wanted some pop. Then I decided that puff paint would add the perfect dimension.

So I free handed different designs on each plate after I primed them. If you are not comfortable doing this, then simply draw on a design and trace it with your paint:) I liked that if I messed up, I could just wipe it off and start again.

Here are my chargers:

Next, I just painted the plates with acrylic paint. Here is one after the first coat. Each plate took about three coats.

To give the "embossed" design some pop...I mixed the color of the plate with about a pea size of brown to make it just a tad darker. Then I painted on the design with a eye shadow brush.

My next step was to seal the plates. I went to the store to just get clear spray paint, when I discovered that Krylon makes glaze in a spray can! Woo-hoo!

Here is my plate after one coat of the glaze. I just did one coat on each to make sure it would last for the whole project. I did not want to run back to the store for more spray glaze!

It's crazy how it really made the plates look ceramic!

OK...so I don't have any helpful pictures of how I put this together. I know, right? My dad mainly did most of it...while I watched and offered to help:)

What we did was arrange the plates on the table face down and then he took thin (about 1/2" thick) wood and we glued them down on the back of the plates with JB Weld. Then he took silicone and filled in the gaps along the sides of the wood to make it super sturdy.

I know this picture is terrible (it's off my non-iPhone), but I just HAD to take it! After applying the JB Weld, my dad wanted something to hold down the wood while it dried...and after looking all over the dining room...he could only think of his gun to weigh it down! Such a dad thing!

So after the back was dried, we flipped it over and my dad mixed together some more JB Weld and we glued the little plates to the front. And that's it!

I have to say I really love my Pier 1 knock off:) I had a hard time deciding how to arrange it. All the ones I have seen in the store are not symmetrical...but I am such a symmetrical person...that it only felt right:)

I love all the color it brings to the space. I typically on decorate in black and white...but I love all the colors:) I can't decide if it needs a little plate in the center too. I dunno...I will let it sit for a while.

Price:

4 chargers: $4

4 mini plates: $2

spray glaze: $2.97

puff paint: $1

Total: $9.97-Hooray for saving $60!

I am linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

Tea Rose Home

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Here is my first felt food creation! I didn't start out wanting to make them "mini" size, but it kind of just happened. I was inspired by this tutorial and when I went out to buy my felt...I just bought the 9x12 sheets...not the felt by the yard, thus making my cinnamon rolls smaller. It ended up being the perfect size for my toddler's little hands anyways...so it all worked out!

Materials:

tan felt and brown felt (2 9x12 pieces of each color to make 4 rolls)

iron

hot glue gun (or fabric glue)

needle and thread (optional)

1. Start by cutting your felt lengthwise in half. No measuring here...I just folded and cut.

2. Fold in your strip 1/3 of the way and iron. Don't let the iron stay on the felt too long or it will burn it. I just dabbed it to keep a crease for gluing later.

3. Fold down other side 1/3 of the way and iron.

I just realized how embarassing it is that I don't have a real ironing board:) Oh well...a towel on the kitchen counter works just as well!

4. Repeat with all the remaining pieces of felt. So you should have 4 brown strip and 4 tan strips.

5. Go back and hot glue (or fabric glue) the flaps down to secure them. I used hot glue cause I am impatient:)

This is after they have been glued.

6. Place your tan strip down (with seam facing up towards you) and place the brown strip on top of it (also with seam facing up). Place the brown strip about 1" to the right of the tan strip. This makes it easier for rolling.

7. Glue the end of the tan strip and roll it up onto the brown strip like so:

8. Continue to glue and roll. I glued about every 1" or so.

9. When you get to the end, cut off the brown strip so that it is about 1" shorter than the tan strip like so:

10. Glue the brown strip down and then glue the tan strip down. Seal up your edges with more glue if necessary. You could also run a stitch across the edges...but I didn't find it necessary.

Repeat with the other strips and you have 4 cinnamon rolls! They look a little plain though...

There...that's better:) I added a little white puff paint for the "icing"

I forgot to show this, but the cinnamon rolls looked a little to flat to me, so before adding the icing, I pushed up on the centers from the bottom of the roll to make it look like they had "risen" in the center.

Oh, and don't tell your 2yr old that you are putting on "icing" because when you leave the kitchen to let them dry...she will scale the counter to try said icing:) Yup, true story. She came out of the kitchen with a dab of white paint on the edge of her lip and informed me that the cinnamon rolls were "nasty".

So after checking to make sure it was non toxic, a wipe off of the tongue, and water...I let the cinnamon rolls sit (far out of sight!) to dry:)

Boutique Style Costume Hanger

My friend had a great idea to hang her daughter's costumes in her room (instead of shoved in closet) with a mini coat rack....so adorable right? I decided to make a knock off version.

She gave me this sign rack since she is redoing her bathroom. I am never one to turn down anything that may be transformed in the future:)

This is how it started:

Then I cut out a piece of scrapbook paper to cover the front. I just glued it on with a glue stick.

Next I designed this "boutique sign" with Photoshop Elements 2.0 (yeah I kick it old school) and also glued it to the front.

I saved the boutique image to a USB and took it into FedEx Office and they printed it out on nice computer paper for $.59!

The dress form image is from The Graphics Fairy and the fonts were on my computer. I can look up the names if anyone is interested.

Finally, I hung it in her room with her first (of many to come) costume. I hung it lower so that she could reach it and would not pull it off the wall on top of her head.

I also found this bucket in her closet that I got at Target for $.60. It matches the stripes on the paper perfectly! The bucket is for her dress up accessories.

You could also make this by taking a thin piece of wood and screwing in decorative knobs. The possibilities are endless!

Price:

rack: $0

scrapbook paper: $.59

printed image: $.59

Total: $1.18

I'm linked to:

The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday

Seven Thirty Three Link Party

Appliqued Silhouette Shirt

We are taking a vacation next month (can you guess where?) and the Princess needed her own princess shirt:)

You can turn any silhouette into a shirt for your little one...or for yourself:) How cute would this be with the grandchildren for a grandpa or grandma?

Materials:

fabric for silhouette (I chose black)

any fabric for additional appliques (I used a blue satin for a headband)

Heat N Bond

matching thread

iron

white computer paper

marker/pen

shirt

1. Draw your silhouette image on plain paper. I used computer paper. Also, you can save this as a template if you want to make more silhouettes in the future.

2. Cut out your silhouette fabric a little larger than your image. Also cut out a Heat N Bond piece the same size.

3. Iron your Heat N Bond to the wrong side of the fabric per the package directions.

(There's my mini iron again!)

4. Trace your silhouette template on the paper side of the Heat N Bond. Remember that your image will be reversed when it is ironed on....so I flipped mine around so that it would face left when I ironed it on the shirt.

5. Cut out your silhouette.

6. I then drew out a headband template and repeated the applique process with some blue satin.

Here is the "headband". I just laid it on top of the silhouette to show you...I didn't iron it on yet.

7. Peel off the paper back of the Heat N Bond, place the silhouette on your shirt, and iron it on per the packaging instructions.

8. Stitch along the outer edge with a straight stitch. You could use a zigzag if you want...I just liked the clean look of a straight stitch.

9. Next I ironed on my "headband" piece.

Here it is after I stitched along the edges.

For a little extra "sparkle" I sewed on a large craft gem for an "earring".

And that's it! This project was super easy and I am pretty pleased with the results. Rarely does a project come out the way I saw it in my head:)

You could really make silhouettes for anything like a purse, a backpack, or a blanket. How cute would these be made out of paper in a girl's room? I am thinking of recreating this on a larger scale out of paper for my daughter's next birthday party.

As soon as I showed it to her...she asked where the "other princesses" were...I didn't know I had to make more than one!

Price:

shirt: $1.00

black material: $.40

blue satin: $.20

I already had the Heat N Bond and the craft gem

Total: $1.60

I am linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

Flat Sheet Curtains

I wanted some neutral curtains for our bedroom and I found some flat bedsheets on sale at WalMart for $3 (twin size). All I needed was a twin for my window, but you could use any size sheet for your windows. The full flat sheet was only $6 so you can't go wrong! They also have about 12 colors to choose from.

I got a white one for our curtains and a gray one for pillowcases.

I told the cashier that I was going to make curtains out of them and she said, "You can do that?"...and I said, "Well, I guess so because I'm going to!" :) I love sharing crafty ideas!

Materials:

flat bed sheet

matching thread

iron

1. Fold your sheet lengthwise or if you can remember being in 1st grade, fold it like a hot dog:) Pin the edges so that it will stay together when you flatten it out.

2. Flatten out your folded sheet. I found it easiest to drape it over my bed.

3. Cut along your fold. Now you should have two long panels.

4. Starting with your long side, fold in the raw edge 1/2" and press with your iron, then fold it in another 1/2" and pin. Sew in place with a straight stitch.

5. Now on the top of the sheet where the larger fold is, fold that section in half and pin. Make sure your curtain rod can fit through that space. If not, than adjust your measurements accordingly. Sew with a straight stitch.

If you are going to clip your curtains into curtain hooks...then skip this step.

6. Place your panel on your curtain rod to see how much you need to hem it. Sheets work great if you want your curtains hung up high by the ceiling. Measure how much you need to cut off and hem.

7. Cut off the amount you need. Remember to leave enough for your seam allowance. I left 1 1/2" for a seam allowance.

8. Fold in your bottom edge 1/2" and then another 1" and pin. I wanted the bottom hem to be a little thicker to give it a little more weight. Sew with a straight stitch.

Hang it and repeat the same process with your other panel. Before you hem the bottom of the second panel, hang it up while it is pinned just to make sure both panels match. Oh yeah...and press all the wrinkles out too.

And that's it! I have done this before with the flat sheet in a sheet set because we never use it. Instant matching curtains without paying any extra money!

Total price: $3.00