"Congratulations" Banner with Tutorial

How many times have I said to myself, "Ugh, I'm so tired of my boring crate paper and balloon go-to decorating for showers I throw! I wish I had a big ticket decoration that I could reuse and something that looks pretty and finished (but mostly pretty :) ...)." So I decided to stop whining, and actually make something, in advance, for a baby shower for our dear friend, Angela.

With the help of Natalie from A Tale of Two People, who donated the gorgeous fabric to the cause, I made this little beaut!

Here's all I needed to make this happen:

- A total of one yard of three different fabrics (I just used Natalie's scraps, and didn't have a ton of the orange, so I staggered the colors).

-1/3 yard fabric for letters (if using Cricut)

-6 Yards of coordinating bias tape

-one yard of lightweight interfacing (optional for between layers of each flag)

-pinking shears

-iron

-Cricut for cutting letters

-Heat 'n Bond

-thread, scissors, and sewing machine

Step 1: Prep all fabric by ironing smooth. Then, on wrong side of fabric, measure down 8.25", fold, then press the entire length of the fabric on that fold. You should have 8.25" of the right side of fabric showing. *

*(I forgot to take a picture of this step while making the banner, so here's a photo using different (and wrinkly) fabric just to show you what I mean)

From here, you can measure across the fold 10", and that's the length of each flag. Cut as many across as you can on the fold, then move down the fabric and fold and cut again. By folding the fabric, you're able to make two flags at a time, with wrong sides of fabric facing, and the top of the flag is attached (if you unfold the flag, it'll be one long diamond shape). And, the banner can be reversible!

Step 2: Now you've measured and marked every 10" across (leave about 1/4" between each 10" segment), Find the middle of each 10"segment (5"), and that'll be the point of your triangle. Each triangle is 10" across, and 8" down.

Step 3: Cut triangles with pinking shears.
Step 4: Topstitch all three sides of flag. Pinking shears dramatically reduces the potential of fraying, but still try to stitch closely to edges of fabric.
Step 5: Cut 12" x 12" squares of fabric for letters. Iron on 12" x 12" squares of Heat 'n Bond, and place on Cricut mat. Cut letters.
Step 6: Iron on each letter to each finished flag.
Step 7: Find middle of 6" bias tape and sew on the middle triangle (letter U). Sew each banner on from there!

Isn't that easy! I'm so stoked about it, and I love it to pieces!

It was a hit!

Julie's Jewelry Frames

My friend, Julie, has a TON of beautiful jewelry! So she repurposed some frames to make not one, but THREE jewelry frames. For her long necklaces, she added hooks to the bottoms of the frames so they can just hang.

Great job Julie!

DIY "Moby" Wrap Tutorial

My little lady is 2 years old now, and too mobile and heavy to carry in any sort of wrap. She enjoys the Kelty pack only because she's carried high enough over our shoulders to not miss out on anything.

I've seen a lot of my friends with infants using this style of wrap- the Moby Wrap.

Isn't that sweet?! When my friend had her baby boy, I immediately knew what I was going to give her. Since these wraps seemed a bit spendy for what they actually are, I decided to make my own.

Here's all you need. Pencils ready...

~5-6 yards of fabric (I prefer jersey knit)

~Scissors

That's it! It's super easy, and my friends have gotten a TON of use out of them from church, to parks, to getting things done at home.

Step 1: Fold fabric in half lengthwise ("hotdog fold" for you educators out there)

Step 2: Cut along fold to make one looooong strip of up to 30" wide fabric.

The edges don't fray with the jersey knit (but do roll a bit), and it stretches nicely as you're doing the wrapping. Click here for directions on all the different wraps, and if you're giving this as a gift, be sure to print these off for the mommy so she'll know what the heck to do with all this fabric!

March Card Event

Here is a preview of the beautiful cards I got to take home this month! I {heart} card club!

Wire stems, glittery paper, and Cricut love.

Button embellishments, stamps, and graphic designs.

Great job ladies! Absolutely lovely.

Kids' Apron and Chef Hat

My talented friend, Sarah, over at Forced To Cook, had such a fun idea for her handsome little man since he loves to help out in the kitchen. She made this amazing apron using this tutorial. I just LOVE the fabric she chose!

To "top" off the chef look, she whipped up a hat using this tutorial!

Look at this guy in action. Such a charmer with his curly hair sticking out from under the hat!

So cute, Sarah (both the kiddo and the ensemble)!

Shamrock Topiary

My mom came to visit for a week, and brought me some supplies to make this cute little shamrock topiary! It was so fun making this craft together. She was kind enough to be my model in several of the tutorial pictures. :)

Finished it in a naptime, and I'm super happy with it.

Here's what I used to make this:

3/4" dowel (cut with chopsaw to be 12" long)

3/4" drill bit and power drill

2x4 block (cut with chopsaw into a square)

shamrock template

1/3 yard St Patty's print fabric

green acrylic paint

sponge brush

rhinestone embellishments

tule ribbon

Step 1: I bought a package of these cardstock shamrocks last March at JoAnn's (I've seen them at all kinds of stores, however). This is the template for the shamrock. Fold fabric in half, then place template on the two layers of fabric, and trace. Cut.

Step 2: Place fabric shamrocks wrong sides facing, and topstitch around edge of shamrock, about 1/4" from edge. Leave about 3" unstitched for stuffing the shamrock. Leave bottom of stem unstitched also (where the dowel will be pushed through).

Step 3: Using poly-fiberfill stuffing, stuff shamrock firmly. It needs to be pretty full so that it has enough gusto to stand up straight when mounted on dowel. Topstitch the opening closed.

Step 4: Paint dowel piece with green paint. After letting dry, glue the end of the dowel piece and fit into hole in block.

Step 5: Smooth glue bubbles, then paint block with green paint.

Step 6: Spray with sealer for a more finished look.

Step 7: Glue the top of the dowel, and push stuffed shamrock up and through shamrock.

Press firmly onto dowel and let dry.

Step 8: Tie bow with tule, and embelish shamrock and tule with rhinestones and buttons.

Cute!

Peek-A-Boo Quiet Book Page

I have a problem. I'm obsessed with these quiet book pages! I recruited 14 crafty ladies for aquiet book group here in St Louis in December, and LOVED the result. So much, in fact, that I organized another group with friends from college and we're exchanging those pages next month. I can't wait to add to the book!

Here's what's been occupying my life, and dining room table for the last couple of weeks. A Peek-A-Boo page where you can switch out the pictures or flashcards in these vinyl pockets behind the shutters, chimney, windows, and door.

For the detail stitching on the shutters, I found a quick method (since I ended up stitching horizontal lines across 40 of these bad boys):

I fed each rectangle through the machine, one after another. The pic below shows how they're all in one long attached banner, and then I just trimmed the strings and detached them after. You have to be sure to backstitch at the beginning and ending of each line on each rectangle.

I'm thinking of adding a little something to the door for a doorknob. Other than that, all 10 pages are finished!

Now that these pages are complete, I can finally get back to focusing on St Patty's Day again!