Pillowcase Challenge #7: Easy Pillow Cover

I found this pillow sham at GoodWill this week (for 75 cents!) and instantly fell in love with it. At first, I thought I might just cover some art canvas with it and hang it as art...but then I decided to just make a pillow:)

First I put my pillow form into the sham so I could position it where I wanted it and measure where I needed to make my cuts.

Second, I cut my pillow sham to those dimensions that I noted earlier. To sew it together, I place the front panel right side up, and then both of the overlapping pieces right side down.

I pinned all the way around...and then sewed all the way around. No need to leave a space to turn it right side out...it already has an opening in the back. Yay!

Then I just flipped it right side out and put my pillow form in:)

I really like it so far...it's just that pillows don't seem to last long in our house. That's why I don't put much time into them anymore. I have learned the hard way that they get abused easily:)

So, do you like this pillowcase or does it look familiar? Well....that's because the bedding set is still on sale at Target! I saw it the day after I bought the sham:) Do you ever find things at the thrift store that are still full price at another store? I mean...do people really decided to donate their stuff that quickly? And I thought I changed my mind a lot!

Oh, and the hubs and I finally agreed on some bedding! Our bed has only been naked for...well I don't know how long! I change my mind basically on a minute-to-minute basis:)

So, we went with this bedding from Walmart. Just a simple brown. The big seller was how soft it is...it is pretty amazing! I really want white bedding...but with a husband who is around motorcycles all day and loves chocolate (he seriously got chocolate on the last white duvet I made) and a 2yr old that...well...always has something on her...white was not the best idea:)

If some of you share a "love, hate....but mostly hate" relationship with Walmart...read on:

I went to one Walmart for the bedding and they had the color I wanted...but not the size. So I asked three (yes three!) different workers how I could track down the color and size I wanted...to which they all just said, "I need the UPC"...um...I don't work for Walmart...so how would I have that??

Finally the third worker said that they didn't made the brown set in a queen size. I just stared at her for a minute....then I said, "Uh...what?" to which she proceeded to tell me that they made the brown in all colors except queen size. Uh...yeah...I'm pretty sure nothing about that sounded right. But she was quite secure in her statement...so I just walked away...almost starting to believe her. I mean it did sound like something Walmart would do!

Then I got home to my friend, the Internet, and found my size and color in a round about way on Google...and found my size and color at another Walmart.

So...I guess I have to be a little happy with Walmart because I like the bedding...but how badly did I want to go into the first store, with the bedding, find that worker, and say, "You mean Walmart didn't make this bedding??" I know...mature:)

Oh...and my husband's favorite part is that the bedding doesn't match our bedroom furniture (which actually doesn't really match either)...so when we move I am finally getting some matching bedroom furniture! Woot-woot! I can finally walk in my room feeling like a grown-up:)

Scrapbook Wall Art

We got our Disneyland pictures printed out earlier this week so I wanted to frame some of my favorites for the Little Miss.

My dad had made four of these 12x12 frames for me a while back for some mirrors I had. I ended up not liking them with the mirrors...but they worked out perfect for me to scrapbook with:)

I just cut out some foam board in 12x12 pieces and then mod podged the pink and white polka dot fabric over it. I was going to use scrapbooking paper for the whole thing...but I ended up liking the texture of the fabric and paper better.

The flowers I used were from Hobby Lobby. I just picked out a bushel of white flowers and a bushel of pink and plucked them.

I also used chipboard flower and frame shapes that I found at Joann and the ribbon was just some that I already had. I also threw in some handmade vellum flowers to add more texture to the silk ones. Finally, I added some craft rhinestones I had to the center of the flowers and in various other places.

Oh...and I got a sheet of Cinderella stickers at Joann too. They seemed to add just the perfect touch to the layout:)

Once I had scrapped all three layouts...I glued them into the frames. My frames don't have glass in them...so I like how the embellishments pop off the page.

I decided to hang all three on a blank wall above her boutique costume hanger.

I love looking at them every day and so does Miss S:) She looks at them and then says, "Cinderella, and Cinderella, and Cinderella!"

Price:

frames and foam board: already had

scrapbook paper: $1.50

flowers: $2.00

picture prints: $.30

Cinderella stickers: $1.80

chipboard embellishments: $.60

Total: $6.20

Coffe Filter Wreath

I saw this idea on Little Big Nest and decided I had to give it a try. She used white coffee filters, which she soaked in tea to tint them darker. I found the darker coffee filters...and decided it would be more cost effective since I would have had to buy tea to tint white ones:) Unless Pepsi works...:)

Materials:

foam board

knife (or scissors) to cut the foam board

regular coffee filters

hot glue gun

1. I started out with a wreath shape that I cut from some old foam board. I LOVE that the dollar store sells foam board! Take that Michaels for trying to charge $2.99!

Make sure to cut your wreath a little smaller than the finished size that you want. The filters make it look larger in the end.

Also, I tried to show how I folded my coffee filters so that I could glue them on.

2. I started by placing them along the inside of the wreath.

I wrapped them around the inner edge and glued the little "tails" on the backside so the foam board was covered.

Here is the first row all finished:

3. I worked my way around the whole wreath. I would tuck the tails of the coffee filters under, then apply glue to them and use them as a little prop so my filter would stand up.

I applied coffee filters up to the edge of the wreath.

4. Finally, I applied another layer of filters to the outer edge, much like I did to the inner edge so that no foam board was showing. Here is my husband being my wreath model:)

You could hang this straight on the wall, but I glued a loop of ribbon to the back and then a bow to the front and hung it about our television.

My daughter was too busy watching Word World for me to get a picture without the TV on:)

Price:

coffee filters: $1.49

wreath: old foam board

Total: $1.49

I am linked to:

The Girl Creative Party Blog

Someday Crafts

Tatertots and Jello

Dipped Mickey Mouse Cookies

I saw this great idea here about a week ago. My parents came over the other night for our post Disneyland party:) I know...could I drag out this vacation any more? Ha! We had pizza on the Mickey Mouse plates and napkins that I forgot to bring with us and snacked on these Mickey Mouse cookies while we looked at all the vacation photos.

I did my cookies a little differently than the original...mainly because I had only seen a picture of the original on Google...and never went to find the actual directions:)

First I started with some chocolate cream cookies. Then for the "ears" I used chocolate Necco Wafers. I pushed them right into the cream filling of the chocolate cookie.

I originally tried Junior Mints...but they were too small, so then I wanted to use the chocolate melts that you find in the candy section at Michaels...but they all looked old and frosty white...kinda gross:)

Then for Mickey's "pants" I melted some red candy chips (also found in the candy section at Michaels) and dipped the bottoms of the cookies right in and let them cool in aluminum foil.

Then I took some white frosting and applied some "buttons" to the front of the pants with a toothpick. The original post says to pipe them on...which I will do next time if I am making a larger amount.

Super simple and my 2yr old loves them:)

Best Whipped Frosting...EVER!

Was the title of this post dramatic enough for you?

Now, before I get comments from people saying that they have the best frosting recipe...I want to say that this is totally in my own opinion...which in my baking world...is numero uno:)

I have never been a fan of homemade frosting. It always just tastes gritty to me....I know, I know...I am sure there is a recipe out there somewhere that will blow my mind and change my opinion:) My mom decorated cakes as a side business when I was younger, so I grew up on homemade icing. I had never had icing out of a can until my teens...seriously.

ANYWAYS...my friend and I tried this recipe today and although we tried the frosting twice, it just came out gritty and way too sweet. Even our husbands agreed!

So we were thinking up ways to make the same version, but with yummier frosting. I LOVE whipped cream frosting...like LOVE it! It was on our wedding cake...which I made sure to have a HUGE piece of at our wedding! I would always opt for whipped cream over butter cream or any other frosting.

So I decided to combine one whole tub of whipped topping and 1/2 can of the larger can of fluffy white frosting...and it is UH-MAZE-ING!...if you are a whipped cream fan like me:) Oh, and the best part is it takes about less than a minute to prepare...but tastes like it's from a bakery!

It's so creamy and light that is almost tastes like soft serve ice cream. Yum! This is my new go-to frosting recipe. I can't wait to try it with other flavors of canned frosting like lemon or cherry.

So, has anyone heard of this before? Feel free to burst my "I'm so proud I thought it up all by myself" bubble:) And...you can also post links to any other homemade frosting that I may need to try:) I will try and be open minded!

And let me know if you try it and what you think:) If you make it...the cupcakes do need to be refrigerated because the whipped cream will melt.

Oh, and did you like my ugly cupcake picture? Ha! I promise my other cupcakes were much prettier...we just ate them before I decided to post about it:) Oh, and that is drizzled milk chocolate on top...yeah...:)

Pillowcase Challenge #6: Bible Cover

I found this cute pillowcase a while back and I even paid a whole dollar for it! I know..what a splurge:)

I went back and forth about what to do with it. At first I was going to make an apron and oven mitt set for the Little Miss...but I decided I wanted to be selfish and make something for myself:) I started a new Bible study for moms at our church...so I decided my bible could use a cute cover:) This could also work for any other book you want to dress up. I so would have done this with all my textbooks in college if I knew how to sew back then! Ha!

Materials:

pillowcase (or about 2/3yd of fabric...depending on the size of your book)

matching thread

iron

1. Iron your fabric and lay your book out on top of it.

2. Cut 3/4" around the whole book. You want 4 of these pieces all together. My pillowcase was still assembled, so I was able to cut two pieces at a time.

3. Now you should have 4 rectangles of the same size. And yes...that is my unmade bed in the picture:)

3. Cut one of the rectangles in half down the middle of the longest side.

4. Take one of your half pieces and fold in one longer side 1/2" and iron, then fold the same side over another 1/2", iron, and sew with a straight stitch.

5. Repeat with the other half piece.

6. Now to make a pocket for the backside of the cover. Cut another one of your rectangles in half the same way as before. Fold over the long side 1/2", iron, then fold over another 1", iron, and sew with a straight stitch.

7. Fold in the other long side 1/4" and iron.

8. Place this piece on the right side of one of your rectangles. Position it about 1" in from the outside with the larger fold facing the outside and your shorter fold on the inside. Sew down the side with the small fold with a straight stitch.

9. Now for the straps. Cut out strips that are as long as you want your straps, plus 1" and double the width you want plus 1/4". I cut my strips out of the side of the pillowcase so I have seams running down the middle of my pieces.

10. Fold your strips in half lengthwise and sew up one side with a 1/4" seam.

11. Flip right side out, iron flat, and top stitch each side of the strap with a 1/8" seam.

12. Now we are going to put it all together. Lay your last plain rectangle down, right side up. Place both of the half rectangles you hemmed earlier right side up on top. Line up the raw edges along the outer edge so that the hemmed sides are facing in towards each other.

13. Now place the straps on top, folded in half, with the raw edges lined up on the outside. Make sure they are even on both sides.

14. Finally, place your rectangle with the pocket piece on top of everything right side down. Pin all the way around. Sew around the whole outside with a 1/2" seam and remember to leave a hole so you can flip it right side out.

15. Flip the cover right side out, iron (make sure your fold in your hole) and then top stitch around the whole outside with a 1/4" seam.

Put your book in. I liked how snug of a fit it is.

Here is the back of the cover with my pocket for papers, pens, or my daughter's childcare receipt which I always manage to lose when it's time to pick her up!

The front of the cover still looked a little boring...so it needed something. So I made some rosettes out of some old shimmery organza, white cotton, and pink jersey knit (that was actually a pillowcase too!)

Then I just hot glued them onto the front.

Total Price: $1.00

Painted Glass Jars

Now that our Disneyland vacation is over (boo)...it's back to some serious crafting!

I got these jars at the thrift store a while back. The large one was $1.50 (yay for Goodwill half off sales!) and the little one was $1 at another thrift store.

They originally had clear glass lids and I had them in our bathroom storing cotton balls and cotton swabs on the counter. But I am weird about having things displayed that could be tucked away in a closet...so they got taken out of the bathroom. The all glass design didn't really fit in with our living room...so I decided to take a chance and paint the lids.

First I taped off the bottom ridge of the jar so that it would still be clear. I just used regular scotch tape.

You can see here how the lower part was not painted:

Then I just sprayed the tops with black spray paint that I already had and after that dried, I brushed on some metallic bronze paint I had (with a foam brush) to give them a brushed bronze look.

Finally I peeled the tape off and let them dry for the day so that they wouldn't stick to the base of the jar.

And that's it! I think it totally changed the look of them and they fit in nicely with the living room/dining room decor:)

For now I have them on my ladder shelf that my dad made me when my husband and I got married. I put some faux fall leaves and pinecones that my daughter had collected in them for the season:)

It's a really simple way to change the look of a jar using paint you might already have:)

I am in the midst of finishing a few more fall projects for this shelf too...so I can't wait to share this week! I love fall. Even though it is still 110 degrees here...I am determined to make it feel like fall inside!

California Vacation

We headed out to California early Friday morning. Why is it no matter how early you wake up...you still end up leaving hours afterwards?? We even had everything packed and laid out!

The ride was nice and there was a alot of car dancing to "I've Got a Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas (which may or may not have gotten caught on video). We made it to CA in record time (considering we had a toddler) and after a quick rest at the hotel (where there was a lot of toddler jumping on the bed which resulted in only one head injury on the headboard)...it was off to Huntington Beach:

We had so much fun just sitting, playing in sand, and chasing birds (well...only one of us liked chasing the birds...)

After getting to bed at 11pm...we were off to the Happiest Place on Earth the next morning!

We rode some classic rides:

And danced with some princesses along the way:

We even sat for a story by Belle herself! The Little Miss and I are upfront, close to the action:) My husband had the camera this whole time. Didn't he do a great job?

While in Fantasyland, we met Sleeping Beauty, Princess Tiana, Ariel, and Snow White came down off stage to dance close to us!

After the princesses, we had a quick diaper and costume change...and we were off to find Mickey and Minnie! Mickey had a sign out front of his house that he wasn't at home...and Minnie's house was closed for renovation! We thought we were going to miss them both...until we turned around and found Minnie!

They compared dresses and ears...and even swapped a few hugs and kisses:)

(I'm SO glad I made the classic dress...I love that they match!)

After a few more hours, we found ourselves on the curb for the parade.

This was as close as we ever got to Mickey. I don't know why he wasn't out and about. Oh well:)

There was also a ride on a flying elephant:

We went back to the hotel for a little break before some more Disney fun.

We got back just as they lit up the park:

The fireworks were amazing:

So, I was so concerned about keeping tabs on our daughter...that I never thought about getting lost myself! We rode Pirates at night (right before Fantasmic) and when we got off, I told my husband to stay there with our daughter and I would go get the stroller (out of the stroller abyss) and be right back...leaving my purse (with my phone) behind with my husband. Well...10 minutes later I realized I was all turned around, it was pitch black because of the show...and I couldn't hear a thing (because of the show). I found one worker (after 10 minutes) who let me use her cell...but my husband couldn't hear it...and then 20 minutes after that...another worker found me crying (it was so frustrating!!) and offered to let me use his phone. The show had stopped, so my husband heard it that time and we reunited halfway through fireworks.

So am I crazy or has that happened to anyone else? I mean...it was pitch black! No lights except for the show on the water. I think I just lost it because I asked several workers if there were phones I could use and they all told me to either find a payphone (um...no purse...so no money!) or they just stood there and said, "I don't know". Very frustrating! I know...silly me for walking away without a phone. I will NEVER do that again!

I think we got back to the hotel after 11pm and in bed after midnight. What a long day!

On the way home today we saw my brother and my sister-in-law that live in CA...and we managed to find a chocolate dipped cone on the way home too:)

So, I purposely left the most amazing part of our trip for last.

It was this:

The best 5 minutes...ever.

I realized that as we got ready to stand in line to meet the princesses...that I had been telling our daughter that we would see Cinderella at Disneyland. Well, it didn't occur to me (until we were next in line) that I had no way of guaranteeing that we would see her at all. Then I panicked that we would not get to see her and that our 2yr old would be sad...until we turned the corner...and there she was:)

This was not just my favorite because of the costume, or pictures...but because Cinderella was the nicest character we had met all day. Some of the princesses seemed like being a princess didn't really interest them (?!)...but Cinderella was amazing. She danced with our daughter, and hugged her a ton of times, and told her that she loved her dress and flower headband. She never once stood up or rushed her on for the next kid. At the end she asked Shayne if she could blow a kiss...but Shayne did one better, and planted a kiss on her cheek! Oh my heart!

With all of the ups (and downs) it was the best first family vacation ever.

Oh...and for the last few months I had been putting together a surprise bag for my daughter for when we got to Disney full of crayons, a coloring book, stickers, Cinderella lip gloss, Mickey Mouse plates and napkins to eat with, and candy...and I forgot it in her room at home!

So I decided to get all the pictures printed and put in an album...so we are going to invite my parents over and have a little post Disney party to look at all the photos and eat off our Mickey plates:)

For now we are home and our daughter is in bed for the first normal time in two days:) When my husband went to put her in her crib, she pointed to it and said, "I want to lay down in there"...so I think she was happy to be home too!

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful comments and well wishes for our trip:) I would love to see any of your past Disney pictures or any of your ideas for future Disney plans!

PS-The park had sold out of Minnie Mouse headband ears...so I had one lady run up to me to see where I found Shaynes ears. I let her down by saying I made them:) I was still flattered that she thought I bought them...but she just walked off in a huff while saying, "Of course". Does it amaze you to find so many grumpy people at Disneyland??

And while riding the train, I had another woman ask me what shop I got Shayne's Minnie dress at. I told her I made it and she proceeded to tell everyone on the train that:) Does it make you excited when people think you bought the things you crafted? It does for me:)