Irish onesie and dry erase menu board

I've been crafting/sewing/other-type creating quite a bit lately.

Here's my first attempt at freezer paper stencils with the Silhouette, with fabric paint (and a really bad applique):

This was for the new baby boy of a friend. I won't point out all the imperfections; I'll just say that I'm learning.

I've needed one of these for awhile! I've completely stunk at actually cooking meals lately. We've been living on hot dogs and mac 'n cheese and quesadillas for I don't know how long.

Best part: I got the wood and white boards--enough to make three of these--for 56 cents!
(I already had everything else I needed, except for felt by-the-yard for the back.)

The wood was 51 cents from the bargain bin at Home Depot (which is also where I got the wood for my turkeys), and the white board pieces were free!

They only sell it in 6'x8' sheets--for only around $8, but still, yikes!--but one had broken and so they'd cut it down into 12"x12" boards and just gave me a couple, as well as cut them for me.

So, I sanded down the boards, painted, mod podged scrapbook paper, and glued on the white board, ribbon for a hanger, and some felt on the back (the wood was cheap enough that one side wouldn't smooth down; the felt fixed that nicely). I used my Silhouette to cut the vinyl lettering (yay!), and there you have it!

Oh, and the little pen holder is actually a Christmas lights holder--it has a suction cup and a little thing that's made to go around the bulb of mini Christmas lights, to keep them in place on windows, but we've found that pens fit them great. Cheap! (It just falls off the board after awhile. I'm going to glue it on.)

It's not perfect, but it works for me, and anything that makes my shoebox of a kitchen more cheerful AND functional is a good thing.

Hanging Organizer

I've actually made a LOT of crafts and stuff lately that I haven't posted on here, believe it or not. I've been crafting so much that I think it would bore everyone to tears if I posted every little thing.

But this...this must be shown off. It took SO LONG to make and I was SO TIRED of working on it! It took me more than TWO WEEKS to complete! For anyone who knows my crafting preferences, that's not me. I like projects that don't take long; instant gratification, baby! But now this is done, and I have to admit I'm proud of it.

I got the idea and instructions (I never would have attempted something like this by myself) from this post on Make It and Love It, the absolute best crafting/sewing how-to site ever. LOVE it.

She used it for jewelry; I'm using it for all my sewing notions. My little sewing box was crammed so full, it was hard to close it!

(If you're wondering, the doorknob hanger is from the dollar store. I bought the pumpkin as-is and simply glued ribbon to it. Adds a little fall cheer to my kitchen. :))

Now I don't have to go digging for all these little things in that crowded box.

Here's the other side. It's the same fabric in a different color; wouldn't have been my first choice except I was trying really hard to use up what I already had instead of spending more money on new stuff. As it is, I only bought the bias tape, vinyl, and zipper for this project. $5-$6, maybe.

So, the zipper I mentioned--that wasn't in Ashley's design. I put that in so that I could store bigger things, like my quilting ruler (is that what it's called?) inside. (And yes, I am proud of my little self for thinking of it, figuring it out, and getting it to work!!) I got that idea from a hanging wrapping paper organizer that my mom has. Why not utilize all parts?

When possible, I also put projects in there that I'm working on or planning to soon work on.

I still have a long way to go to get all my crafting/sewing stuff organized the way I want it; that probably won't happen until we have a bigger place. But I'm making progress, and we've been seeing a lot more of the surface of the dining room table since I made this!

Yay.

Mission: Keeping a toddler entertained on a plane

We got back from California on Wednesday, and although I plan to post some pictures from the trip, I wanted to post these first because I was really happy about how they turned out.

I stayed up way too late the night before, going shopping for supplies and then making a whole bunch of stuff to keep Jamie busy and happy on the plane. Thank you, Pinterest!
(Are you on Pinterest? Are you addicted? It's hard not to be, dontcha think?)

Here's the collection of stuff I bought/made for him to do.

This one I got from this blog via Pinterest.

A geoboard! I decided that for travel I would use a small corkboard instead of a wooden board because it was lighter, didn't have to be painted, and easier to get the push pins in. I wanted to use these hair bands I bought (at Dollar Tree) on it, but they didn't have enough stretch.

I got this one from the same blog here. I got the puffballs and the magnetic letter set (which I want to get more of) at Dollar Tree. I stinkin' love that place! I bought a package of magnets and the baking pan (0.97) at Wal-Mart, as well, and still have lots of magnets left over.

I like that the sides come up, as opposed to a cookie sheet, to keep things more contained. Jamie loved rearranging the letters, I spelled things for him, and we made letters out of the puffballs.

Be sure to look at the link, because this lady had lots more uses for the puffball magnets for her older kids!

You can also use the other side and the magnets as a nice hard coloring/stickering/painting/whatever surface!
Here's the funny thing. Jamie loved the magnets so much, I actually didn't get to try out most of the other stuff on him yet! Near the end of the trip TO Sacramento, he finally got tired of it and we put fish stickers (yay Dollar Tree) on a paper. On the way back to Phoenix, he got mad when I took it away when the plane landed, and he refused to get off! (It was past naptime.)

This one was my own idea. Empty wipes case, and I photocopied colorable pictures from the church nursery manual and added a set of Dollar Tree crayons.

I super-glued a clip (from a free magnet I got somewhere) to the back to make a good coloring surface.

I have to say, though, the crayons don't work very well, and the ink from the pictures smeared. I printed them from our home printer. So I've been thinking about lamination and dry-erase crayons, maybe using a commercial copier or something...let me know if you have any ideas!

Another of my own ideas. Some felt shapes stored inside the case...

I meant to get a picture of the back by itself--that big blue piece of felt (the sky) is glued to the back of the wipes case to make a felt board.

Here's another option. Still trying to think of more ideas for this one.

I really want to try to do more creative things with Jamie, and I've had some more ideas on how to expand the uses of some of these since I made them. Hopefully this is the beginning of a more fun mom!

***Edited 9/20/2012*** I noticed that this post has had over 600 views--crazy for my humble little blog, and obviously due to Pinterest. Please, if you like what you see, make a girl's day and leave a little comment. It would make me so happy to feel like I had made a difference to someone!

Shoe makeover, and a quick video

Remember when I recovered the arms of a desk chair I got at a yard sale last year, here?  I finally figured out something new to do with the leftover faux leather. I've had these shoes for a long time, and they needed an update.

Before

Not-very-good-picture of After

Sorry, I know these pictures just aren't very attractive, but when you can only craft late at night, light and photo ops are limited.

I got a template to cut the flower pieces out of from this post on Make It and Love It, my go-to for most all things crafty. Want to know a secret? They were way too dull-looking; to make them shiny, I colored each layer with a Sharpie!

Then I just hot glued each layer together, cut the bows off the shoes, and hot glued these on. Very easy.

I might even try again and put a different flower on. These were, in all honesty, just the easiest. I also have these shoes in tan and I wear them to church practically every week, so I'm thinking of how to make those over, too.

Here's a small dose of Jamie for you, in his wonderfully messy glory.

(his smile comes right off his face the minute he notices the camera)

A sweet friend gave us some toys and clothes for Jamie Sunday night, and he has been SO excited about them! We obviously need to go garage sale-ing and get him more stuff that's more his age.

Almost-free Cutting Mat

While we were visiting my parents in March, I was cutting fabric for projects I was working on, and I said to my mom, "What I really wish I had is a cutting mat and rotary blade. That would make this so much easier than--"
Here's where she said: "Well, why didn't you take mine when I offered them to you??"

I stared.
"You have a rotary blade and cutting mat?!"

She did. And she gave them to me. Thank goodness we drove so I could get them home!

I used a JoAnn coupon and got a new blade for about $5.
I also picked up a couple of white paint pens, because of this:

The mat was just blank. No measurements. That really made it a LOT harder.
Oh, and I bought one of those big, plastic rulers people use on the mats.
After a good few (tedious) hours of carefully drawing lines, I had this:

(Darn sideways picture.)

Though I haven't priced it exactly, I imagine I probably saved at least $50.

Is it perfect?
Not even close.

Is is a bit ghetto?
Definitely.

Am I happy with it while I'm on a very limited budget, and loving how much easier my fabric cutting is?

Heck yes!!

Last-Minute Easter Centerpiece

Plain plastic eggs: $2 for 2 pkgs, didn't use them all
Easter grass: $1
Big plastic bowl: $2.50
(all at Target)

Put the eggs in the bowl.

They were a little too boring.

Add ribbon.

What else is there to explain except "I used a hot glue gun"?

Here's a bonus: if you wait a few more days, you could get all this stuff on clearance and do this cheap project for even cheaper than I did!

I pretty much love the one with the flower.

This, btw, is one of the chairs I found for $6 last October. Jason's next project is to sand and stain them and the bench. I'm loving the green cushions I just got at Ikea--and they fit PERFECTLY! Maybe the chairs came from Ikea to begin with?

Single Awareness (a.k.a. Valentine's) Day Wreath

...two whole days before Valentine's. Ha. :) But at least I'll have it for next year, too.

(yes, it's totally hanging on a light switch for picture-taking purposes)

You like?
It makes me happy whenever I see it.

Supplies:
Wooden hearts, like 39 cents each
Acrylic paints, brushes, and clear spray sealer: on hand
Ribbon for flower: on hand (I bought it to use on the Church bag I fancied up and made a lining for, and I still have some left)
Heart ribbon: $2 (50% off at JoAnn--this is why I waited until so near to the holiday to finish this project! I was so happy to find ribbon that matched the conversation hearts I'd already painted!)
Wreath form: $3 (after JoAnn 40%-off coupon, but next time I'll check the dollar store)


Process:

• I painted the conversation hearts one evening. It was so nice, mixing colors, getting paint on my fingers, experimenting, and just having fun painting.
• I glued one end of the ribbon to the back of the wreath, and wrapped it around the whole thing until it was completely covered, then glued the other end down on the back.
• Glued the hearts on. This whole project was done with a hot glue gun.
  

It took me awhile to get the flower right. Here's what finally worked:

• Cut out a circle of cardboard about 3 inches in diameter from any old place you can. This was once part of a box of fiber bars.
• Start gluing your ribbon around the outside edge, bunching a bit as you go along.
  

Keep gluing, winding around in a spiral shape, until you've gotten to the middle of the circle and covered nearly all the cardboard.

(Hehe. You can see my iPod cord there. I was bopping along to some oldies.)

Leaving a bit extra, cut your ribbon, and glue the end of it right in the middle.
You now have a flower.

Mine turned out a bit big for my taste, so I trimmed off a bit of ribbon and cardboard to bring down the diameter a bit.

I love recycling where I can!

For a nicer finish, you could cut out a circle of felt the same size and glue it to the back. I just didn't really care at the time. You will also want to use a small dab of glue on the end of the ribbon here in the back, gluing it about halfway down on the ribbon it's next to, so you don't have a square edge poking out of the back of your flower.

Before I stuck it on the wreath, I cut a length of ribbon for the hanger, wrapped it around the top of the wreath, and glued both ends securely to the back. Then I cut a smaller length to put inside the first, chain-link-like, so that it will hang on a hook without twisting.

Then I glued on the flower, and here's the finished result:

A cheery, totally original Valentine's decoration that I love. Mission accomplished!

Lined Basket

You know how you (or your darling husband) come home and want to get into comfy clothes, and all the stuff in your pockets--receipts, credit cards, chapstick--needs to go somewhere, but you're too tired to figure out where it SHOULD go, and it gets dumped?

THIS...

is NOT what the top of our dresser used to look like.

No. It was MUCH WORSE.
*shudder*

There was a huge pile of my husband's receipts (once I got them all IN a pile, that is) that dated all the way back to July. But I have my dignity. I'm not showing a picture of the full-scale mini-disaster!

I decided something needed to be done. I've been really into organizing lately.

I was browsing at Dollar Tree, and found these babies:

My mind took off.

With a leetle spraypaint...

And a little lovely fabric (and awhile at the drawing board and sewing machine)...

I was able to make this!

It's hard to tell, but I included two credit-card sized pockets, one on each side, for Jason to put his tons-o-cards in so they stay more organized.

If you're interested, Ashley from Make It and Love It has a good tutorial on making square basket liners (of course! :)).

I'll be honest with you, folks. I started trying to "briefly" explain how I made this...and maybe it's because it's late, or because I didn't take pictures to illustrate, but it just seemed too complicated.

I'll tell you what. This really was not hard once I figured out how I was going to do it, and though it's not perfect, I've been really happy with the result. If any of you are actually interested in knowing, please holla and I will totally explain it. Shoot, I'll make another one and do a picture tutorial of it if someone actually asks me to, I'll be so happy! Plus, I'm thinking these could be good gift ideas. Who doesn't like a nice lined basket that didn't cost $25 at the store?

Here it is, junk-ified:

By the way, total cost of this project:

$2 for 2 baskets!

I already had the fabric and the spraypaint (which my wonderful friend GAVE me after she'd used just a little on a project)--so all I paid for was the baskets! (I did make two liners, I've just only shown the one here.)

And here is the wonderful "after" photo of the now-clean, calm dresser top:

Yay!

Or should I say, Ahhh...

I might be getting high off paint fumes...

I opened the sliding glass door to the porch and am sitting with a breeze blowing on me (hello, Arizona in January!), but it's still bad. I guess spraying the clear coat on the picture frame I just painted INSIDE was a bad idea...

Anyway, it's late and I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm not in the mood to go to bed. So here's over a month's worth of pictures, including holidays and vacation. Ready?

Christmas goody preparations underway...I probably went a little overboard, but I love giving.

Anyone want the recipe for those Butterscotch Cashew Bars? I assure you they are sinfully, ridiculously delicious!

This is why I didn't send Christmas cards, even email ones. In Jamie's defense, he was dying to go to the nearby playground, but we couldn't let him because he'd been circumcised a few days earlier and was not allowed on play equipment for two weeks. (And looking again, Jason and I look dorky in this one anyway, so whatever. :))

See the feet poking out of there--one with slipper on, one without?

He reminds me of some sort of bird here.

These are flat iron travel pouches that I made--I gave the pink one to my sister-in-law, Janelle, for Christmas. I actually keep my awesome flatiron in mine all the time, because I live in fear that it will break. (It's expensive, and it was a gift.)

You can find the tutorial for this here at Crap I've Made.

Jamie seems to know that no picture is complete without him in it :)

Salem enjoyed having us home at my parents', for obvious reasons.

Christmas morning--stockings

(That's all. Sorry, I'm not great at picture-taking on holidays.)

We called this "Jamie's Wonderland." On this particular day (after Christmas), we had my twin cousins, Emily and Celeste, over to knit with my mom; Rob and Conner over to play Wii with Jason; Liz and Ali (alias Lexi) over to play with Jamie and me, and Aunt Colli even stopped by at one point! It was great!

This would be my son...NOT sharing. Look at that face. Sheesh.

Every once in awhile, Ali and Jamie would hug--and out came the cameras, with us telling them to do it again and again, trying to get a good shot. :) (Hey Liz, did you get any better than mine? Could you email them to me?)

Muah!
This one actually is on the brink of disturbing me...just a little. Lol.

Michelle and Rob with Jamie

The Lemon Meringue Pie I baked for my dad as his Christmas present--check out the recipe on my recipe blog if you're interested. (I'm not a pie person, but dang, it was good.)

Just for the gross-out factor: this is what it looked like when we came home.

Be really, really glad you can't communicate smells over the internet.

Ugh, just looking at it has me remembering...

We were the lucky recipients of a like-new, comfy loveseat! Our friend's sister got a new one because this one acquired a big ol' ink stain (and the person who caused the stain paid for a new loveseat, having been warned previously not to leave his pen there). She was nice enough to offer this to us for free! We used some AMAZING cleaner, and you can barely tell it was ever there!

P.S. As Jason just looked over my shoulder and noted, the loveseat looks "schlumpy" in this picture taken with my crappy camera, but in reality it's very nice and new-looking.

We're up to the present! This...

...was used for THIS! We bought a white board to write down goals, to-dos, and...well, read the magnets for yourself. :) I really like how they came out, and that I could make my own after seeing "days of the week" ones at Target for like FIVE DOLLARS that weren't even as cute as mine are. They're a tad time-consuming, but really easy.

And, finally, the offending frame...

...and the finished project.
Maybe.
It's kind of a lot of black. That might change.
Anyway, see how the letters are 3-D? Hard to tell, I know.
Tutorial here, with better pictures.

I'm happy because the frame was one of those uber-cheap, maple-looking ones from WalMart, that I simply sanded and painted. I think it came out really nice, and though the sanding is a pain in the neck, it's a much cheaper alternative than actually buying a nice frame. :)

Did you stay with me for all of that? If so, I'm impressed...and flattered!
I seriously feel better now that I'm caught up, so I guess I can go to bed now. Lol. Blogging is such an addiction. Goodnight!