Make a Room Sign

I'm not sure what I've been working on lately, maybe being a wife and mom, but my poor little Cricut has become dusty. So I scanned the message boards, piddled around and started playing again.

I am reminded that I LOVE THIS MACHINE. Today I plan to try making magnets but in the meantime, look what I made for a friend's new niece.
To complete this project you need:
an unfinished sign/plaque/board
at least 2 colors coordinating pain
clear coat acrylic
sponge brushes
a cricut or stencils or stickers...whatever you nee to embellish
brads, stickles, stamp pads

Coat the board with at least 2 coats of acrylic in good heavy strokes. Allow to dry completely.

Using the Home Accents cartridge I cut out stencils with clear contact paper for the swirls in the corners. then I used Plantin Schoolbook with italic letters and cut a stencil for her name.

Place the stencils on the painted, dry plaque and rub vigorously to prevent seepage. No one wants to see that.

Using pink, go over the stencils in nice thick coats, at least twice, drying completely between coats. It is important to leave the stencils on until the paint is dry. Trust me on this. Okay?

Finally, using tall ball setting on Plantin Schoolbook cart I cut out 2 flowers in each color. I stickled the brown leaves and distressed the pink ones with Distress Ink in Burlap Brown. Secure them together with a bronze brad.

Apply two coats of a clear acrylic coating (I like glossy but whatevs). Set aside to dry.

Finally using a good strong glue of your preference, attach the flowers.

Mail it to your friend's new neice. Oh wait, that's me.

Feltalicious Holiday Garland

I bought a great applique letter pattern from designsbyjuju.com to use on t-shirts. I love the cute curvy puffiness of this pattern. But my kids are a trifle too old for cutesy tees. I didn't want to waste the pattern, so I stitched out the letters for Merry Christmas and suspended them from ribbon. This little holiday spice will hang by the chimney the day after Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, I realized, of course that a Give Thanks garland would keep us focused on giving thanks until the thunderous hordes hit the stores.

Another use for this sweet pattern would be hair clippies. I used a few other patterns on colorful felt to make these sweet little pony decorations. On the back, a hair clip is inserted through a slit in the felt and secured with craft glue. Slip it above your pony tail or (as the girls are doing at our middle school) wear a huge clip right at the forehead. I don't totally get the look, but I'm not in 6th grade, so there's that.


To do it, simply stitch out your applique on felt using tear away stabilizer, trim away excess fabric. To make a clip, snip a little opening, slide a clip in, and dab a bit of glue. To make a pony tail holder, simply cut another smaller piece of felt, glue down the holder, then stitch the felt down, without going through to the front.

Earth Day Tutorial

I made 24 reusable sandwich/snack bags for 5th grade no trash lunch day. I also sell them in my little store.
If you are sew inclined, you can make your own.

Cut 2 7" squares of cotton. Press down 1" on top of each.
Cut 1 6" piece of sew on velcro and align across the 1" of cotton you pressed down.
Stitch close the both long edges of the velcro and repeat for other piece of cotton.

Put 2 pieces cotton right sides together and stitch using a 1/2" seam allowance, turning at bottom corners to sew along three edges of bag.

Clip corners, turn, press and think you are wicked cool.

Don't feel sew inclined. Visit fourcorners to buy yours...buy one get one this week. Oilcloth are listed, but cotton will be posted later today. Share a bunch.

Make your Own Oilcloth Key Fob

Don't you just love the word "fob."

A fun little project anyone can do...with the right tools.

I had scraps of oilcloth left from myriad projects. Cut into strips 2" by 12". Fold the long sides toward the center and finger press into place.

Stitch using long machine stitches with oilcloth down the lenth of both sides. Right sides together at short ends, stitch several times across to secure.

Turn right side out and finger press. Using a small hole punch, pierce a hole near the stitching on the short end. Set eyelets according to package directions, but remember to work on a hard surface and use a good hammer and a good grip (at the end of the handle).

Open keyring with gloriously fake nails and slide into place on eyelet, cursing if your fakies break or get pockets...but I digress.

Voila! Your very own key fob.

Or you can buy one at my etsy shop.