Fabric {Flower} Tutorial

I've been meaning to make a few more flower clips for my girls out of the extra t-shirt material I have left from my sisters shirts. I made a memory quilt for her little girl {HERE} right after she passed away and couldn't get rid of the rest of it. My girls love their "Charish flowers" so I wanted to make some more. I thought I'd share how I do it.

T-shirt material is great fabric to use because it doesn't fray. I love it, but it also works well with other fabrics also. Not to mention fraying is sometimes really cute!

I'm going to apologize right now for two things . . . my lame, half polished nails, and my not so perfect pictures. My good camera is dead and the baby is being good. Didn't want to waste the opportunity to get it done so I used my junk camera. :-/

Cut out a few circles. For this one I used 6. They don't have to be perfect. I used a soda can as a template. Dr. Pepper is never far from me . . . so that was the most convenient thing. Maybe I have a problem?? ha

Cut a small circle out of felt to glue the pieces to.

Oh this picture is awful! So sorry. Fold the circle in half, and then in half-ish again. It ends quartered, but it's good to not make it perfectly quartered. I like to do it off center.

Put a dab of hot glue on the tips and glue them down onto the felt piece.

I know . . . really?! These pictures . . . sigh. I'm just trying to show them glued onto the felt circle.

Put some hot glue on top of the four already glued down . . . just in the center . . .

. . . then for your last two circles try to fold them an extra time . . . more like in half, and then thirds . . . just to give some extra swirls. Glue them down on top . . .

. . . then while the glue is still soft pinch the whole flower so that it sticks up instead of lays flat. {Does that even make sense?? My tired, new baby brain is fried.}

Once your flower is glued together, cut another felt circle . . . a little bigger than the first one so that it covers it completely. Clip your hair clip directly onto the felt circle before gluing it down. The felt in between the clip will help keep the flower from slipping in your little girls hair.

Cover the felt circle with hot glue and then center it on the back of the flower.

We love them. They're very easy and if you're not into sewing this is a great little project for you! Happy spring!!

{CREATE}

"The more you trust and rely upon the spirit, the greater your capacity to CREATE"

I have loved this since I first heard it, and I think of it often. Just wanted to share! Enjoy.

S'more {Peep} Casserole

First off . . . I'm alive. I know . . . it's been forEVER and I've probably lost every follower I had. So sorry!! I've hit a wall as far as crafting goes. I had a sweet baby boy in December and just haven't gotten back in the groove. I really need something like this . . . a "me" thing . . . so I'm going to work on bringing this poor blog back to life!

Okay! So I found this adorable idea on my friend, Heather's, blog. You can find her original post {HERE}. I fell in love with it . . . and anything that involves Peeps . . . LOVE.

Here's what you need:

1 sleeve graham crackers {crushed in a large baggie using a heavy rolling pin}

1/3 cup brown sugar {I like more brown sugar so I use 1/2 cup}

8 marshmallow Peeps

1 cup plain Easter M&M's

1 quart mason jar {I used a paper circle for the lid and some ribbon to decorate}

{to make you'll need to following}

1 stick butter {melted}

1 tsp vanilla extract

I went to Walmart looking for jars and found this box of 12 Mainstays brand for under $8. Can't beat that!!

I've made three of these now. The first time I had a hard time squeezing in all of the M&M's at the end, so the second time I mixed the M&M's with the graham cracker/brown sugar mixture . . . then it was hard to squeeze the Peeps in at the end. So the third time I decided to just layer everything. It turned out the cutest but still was hard to squeeze the Peeps in.

haha . . . slightly crazy, but I got them all in. NEXT time I'm going to pour in half of the graham cracker/brown sugar mixture, then M&M's, then Peeps, then I'm going to pour in the last half of the crumb mixture. I'm thinking this will work better . . . maybe?? haha

To make:

Dump all of the jar contents into a large bowl. Take out the Peeps and either cut them into small or large chunks or save and layer them whole on top of mixture before baking. Melt 1 stick of butter and add to bowl along with 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix well until everything is coated evenly. Dump into a greased 8x8 baking dish {or whatever you have . . . I don't have one small enough so I used a pie pan} and, with greased fingers, firmly pat the mixture down.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let it cool COMPLETELY before cutting into them so they don't crumble.

A perfect teacher gift or just to swing by a friends house to let them know you're thinking of them.

Happy Easter!!!

Advent {Calendar} Day 2

Day two and we've completed three pockets and started three more. So on top of the two I made yesterday {both white with red polka dots} we have 5 completed . . . 20 more to go.

I made the green with lime green polka dots the same as yesterday. I traced the dots using a poker chip {out of everything I could find that was the best size, but you obviously can use anything or even free hand them}.

My girls made the other two. My 9 year old made the ice skate {it's hard to see but there are two snow flakes above the skate}, and my 6 year old made the present. I cut out a piece of paper for each of them the exact size of the pocket and let them design their own. Once they had them drawn out, they cut out their pictures so they could trace them onto the felt and cut them out. I think they did such a great job! And it will be fun for them to see their own creations on our calendar. They've both started another one. My 9 year old is doing stripes and my 6 year old is doing a snowman . . . both of which are turning out super cute. I have another green polka dot one going too, but ran out of lime green, so I'm throwing in a red polka dot for fun. Anything goes . . . gotta love doing your own thing instead of going off of a pattern!

Advent {Calendar}

I have been really wanting to buy an advent calendar for the past few years, and while shopping for one this year I came across this cute Pottery Barn one. I fell in love, but didn't think I could stomach spending $69 {plus shipping & handling} on something that I think I could make . . . especially when I have so. much. stuff. stashed away from old projects. {I have an extreme amount of felt left over from when I was making {this} quiet book, and have been trying to figure out what to do with it. Ah. Ha. Moment}. Anyway, so instead of posting my completed advent calendar I decided to post as I go so that, if you feel the rush that I did, you can follow along.

We only have 2 1/2 weeks left! So that's A LOT of sewing to do if we want it done in time. You in for a challenge?! I know I am! So join me, or save the ideas {if you even like them} for next year when you have a little more time.

Here's the inspiration . . . cute, right!?

I like to sketch out how I want to do things before I dive in. I decided {I think} to just make mine a square instead of a Christmas tree. Although I'm making all of the pockets first, so I can always change my mind if I feel like it. There are a few pockets that I'm not sure what to do with yet . . . but I have plenty to "use" from the Pottery Barn one. Just haven't decided yet.

I'm cutting my pockets out of felt {but am not eliminating the idea of using some scrap fabric on anything either}. Each pocket is 4" x 5 1/2". {By the way, my camera must have been on a funky setting because the red I used is NOT that bright or orange. It's just a regular deep red}. I traced my circles using a "token" {aka poker chip . . . my kids earn tokens for good behavior . . . we don't actually play poker . . . if you were wondering. lol}. I'm going to make two of these, and then two more just like this using deep green for the pocket and lime green for the polka dots.

We have 25 to make and only 19 days to do it, so I'm giving myself the goal of making at least 2 pockets a day {but shooting for more like 3} so I have time to sew them all onto the main/big fabric and stitch all of the numbers on. I'm hand stitching most of them since I run around like a crazy taxi driver all week and sit through hours of sports with my kids. I actually prefer the hand stitched look anyway {not to mention every time I try to machine stitch felt it always stretches in absurd ways}.

So good luck! Let me know if you're following along so I can post more sketches the day before of the pockets I'm going to do.

And last note: it's good to be back!

So Sorry for Being SO {M.I.A.}!!!

Aaaaand we're back! Although I can't see myself getting my sewing machine out for another few days I just wanted to let you know that I have NOT forgotten about my blog. For the past few months I've been sick with morning sickness . . . and now that that has gone away {for the most part} we've been busy moving. My love was offered a job in San Diego {where we both grew up} so of course he couldn't say no . . . so as sad as I am to leave the great people of Irvine I am beyond thrilled to be back "home." I have unpacked most of our house and hope to bust out the sewing machine and TONS of fabric {most of which I completely forgot about until I had to box it up . . . "Uhhh . . . errr . . . where did all of THAT come from?!"} so I have plenty to work with and plan on coming up with something creative . . . hopefully!

Sooo . . . to sum it up . . . don't give up on me! I'll be back just as soon as I get the rest of our lives unpacked {priorities royally stink sometimes . . . lol}.

Best Recipe Website!!

Okay, I know I am a serious slacker! So sorry!! I've been in a major slump. I'm almost positive that it has something to do with the morning sickness I've had . . . I'm pregnant with #4 and have been SO. tired!! I really do intend to get this blog back up and running soon!!

I have been craving cake from my favorite little cake store called Nothing Bundt Cakes, and since I live nowhere near one, I decided to look up a copycat recipe . . . which led me to this website tonight . . .

I am in love . . . it's a fan stinking TAStic website . . . can't wait to try some of the recipes. Enjoy.