I picked up a sewing book while at Barnes and Noble not too long ago (Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew), and while many of the patterns are interesting, some of them are still above my ability (and to think, most seasoned seamstresses say it's for beginners). I found a cute pattern for bibs in the book, however. Sure, Sophie's a little old for bibs, but who wouldn't love a homemade bib or two for a shower gift?


Sophie and I went to JoAnn the other day in search of material for the bibs. She was such a trooper, helping me pick out fun prints, pointing out little details on the material, and shouting out colors whenever she could. I picked up quite a bit of material, but that's okay since I have quite a few friends who are currently pregnant. I'm going with a 100% cotton front and a cotton flannel back (nothing in between the layers). Sophie and I picked out three different sets of material: a set of greens, a set of oranges, and a set of prints that would work with white on the back.

The cotton prints were all on sale for 30% off, if I'm not mistaken (love to save money!). I picked up a few other items as well, including a self-healing folding cutting board (marked down to $9-ish from $49-ish), snaps, a snap setter, and a few simple to sew patterns for clothing for Sophie. The cutting board and the snaps will be used for the bib project, which will hopefully be underway soon.
 

As we returned home, Sophie and I stopped at the mailbox to get the stack we had let accumulate over about the course of a week or so (we're awful about picking up our mail) and there was a pile of magazines in the box along with all the bills and credit card junk. I had a chance to flip through the magazines shortly after dinner and the first one I picked up was Crafts n Things. Wouldn't you know it, the pattern for the bibs was actually in the magazine!
 

I spent time today putting the material through the washer in batches, each load with a bit of vinegar in the rinse to set the colors. All the pieces are folded again and in a nice pile, just waiting for me to get started. I probably won't have time to get started on this until next week, when I'll pull out the ironing board and iron, the sewing machine, and clear space on the dining room table. I'm really looking forward to working on these bibs, even if it means I have to slow down a little on the baby blanket.

Reader participation:  Do you have print and color suggestions for the bibs?  Do you have other ideas for sewing simple baby gifts?  Do you have a favorite gift to give (or receive) whenever there's a baby shower?  Feel free to share here. 

Debbie Krumpos has an absolutely fabulous website offering many scrapbooking supplies as well as links and various tips. Scrapbooking for Beginners really is an excellent place to start when taking the scrapbooking plunge. I have to be one of the least experienced scrappers around (I'm late to jump on that train), but her site has made it easy for me to find what I need and has given me some great ideas (now just to put those ideas to good use!).

At this site, I found step by step help with techniques and scrapbook layouts (I need all the help I can get!). Debbie also offers FREE downloads for digital scrapbooking as well as layout ideas for many occasions. There is a fantastic collection of supplies available from: Picaboo, Scrapbook Superstore, Scrapbook Max, Paper.com and Scrapjazz. It is the ultimate place to fill all your school-bulletin board, scrapbooking, baby, wedding, vacation, and holiday paper needs.

Debbie is a stay-at-home mother of three young children. She was a registered nurse for 20 years and decided the hectic run around for three active children was just not what she wanted. Because they're so active, she has had many opportunities for taking photos and has been doing a lot of scrapping to keep those photos out of shoe boxes tucked in the back of a closet. Thankfully, she has had plenty of experience with good (and bad) scrapping products and is willing to share that information with anyone interested to help them find the good and avoid the bad. Scrapping can be a pricey hobby, and Debbie's experience makes it all a little less painful.

She was kind enough to send two products for me to test and I have to admit, I absolutely loved them. Both of these products can be used for purposes other than scrapping, too (leave it to me and my active, non-scrapping imagination to come up with other uses, of course).



The first item I opened when I received the box was the Arccivo Scrapbook Page Saver. I have to admit, even though I'm not a scrapper, I am seriously in love with this product. I was so in love with it that I had to show my mother while she was here. If any one single product could make me more interested in scrapping, this would be it. Someone was really thinking when they came up with this idea. A zippered folder with magnetic sheets to cover each side so scrapbook pages stay in place while in progress, even if they're transported, is one of the most intelligent and useful products I have seen for scrappers yet. Sure, all the stickers and papers can lure a person in, but it's products like the Arccivo that will really keep me scrapping. What's really cool is it comes in four different colors!

My mother mentioned the fact that it would be useful for her as a quilter as well. She could see using something like that for all of her quilt blocks. I could also see how this might work for people who make cards (so close to scrapping anyhow). Having a dedicated space (or rather lack of dedicated space) is one of the reasons I have avoided scraping, card making, and quilting. The Arccivo would be an excellent work around for that issue, leaving money as my only issue (other than B getting upset with me for buying more "junk").



The other product I tried was a Xyron 150 (Create-A-Sticker). Talk about fun! Had I really had time and been able to plan a project, I seriously could have gone hog wild with this little item. As it stands, with Christmas right around the corner at the time I received the package, I pulled out the Christmas tree paper punch and all the green wallpaper samples (yes, wallpaper samples... I saved them from college, believe it or not) and went to town. After I had a few trees punched, I put them through the Xyron (so easy), peeled the clear plastic layer off the strip, and then stuck three of them on the little plastic case for my paper punch. What's cool about these little stickers is there are two types of adhesive rolls, a permanent and a temporary or movable adhesive. I love the idea of being able to make my own stickers. What a way to personalize! I'm very tempted to get one of these, although I might get one of the bigger ones since they're not terribly expensive. I suppose I'll wait until I go back to work, though.

Both items can be purchased by going through Debbie's website. For those of you scrappers, seriously, check out her website and these two products in particular. I really had fun with them!

Reader Participation:  Do you enjoy scrapping?  What are some of your favorite scrapping sites?  What's the most used item in your scrapping supplies?  Where do you purchase most of your supplies?  Please share photos of your favorite created pages.

 

The director, producer, writer, production manager/coordinator, post production supervisor, first assistant director, second assistant director, production assistant, production accountant, location manager, publicist and as if you didn’t think that was enough, casting director of this classic is brought to you by Ms. Brianne.

 

Our lovely leading lady, who will also be providing the voices of horses Apple and Carrot, is none other then Ms. Emma.

 

We ask that you be especially forthcoming with flash photography, clapping and cheering throughout the presentation.

 

Intermission refreshments brought to you by, “The Family Refrigerator”.

We hope you enjoy this wonderful production brought to you by Picture-Frame Theatre.

 

For your own Picture-Frame Theatre you will need the following from your local arts and supply craft store:

 

Picture frame or window frame (size of your choosing)

• 1 yard of fabric
• Iron
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• 3 eye screws
• Braided wire
• Ribbon
• Decorative garland

 

Choose a picture frame or window frame at the size according to your needs. While you can pick up either frame at a craft store or home improvement store, flea markets and second hand shops may offer better deals. Should you choose a window frame make sure it is free of lead-paint and rusty nails or hardware.

 

Curtain

Measure out fabric according to the width and height of the inside of your frame, allowing extra length for draping and seams allowances should you sew a hem or add ruffles.  Cut in half, hem and then iron-press 1 to 2 inches of folded material along the top (wrong sides together) and sew. This will be where you will thread the braided wire.

 

Depending on how you wish to hang your curtain, measure out and mark with a pencil three areas for your eye screws. You’ll want one at each top corner on the back of your frame and one right in the center.

 

Hang your curtain, overlapping the wire over the eye screw at the center or threading through as you desire.

 

Tie back your curtains with ribbon and decorate the remainder of the frame with decorative garland or battery-operated miniature LED lights.

 

Extra tips and suggestions! Picture-frame theatres can be lean-tos if using small, light-weight frames. For heavier pieces glue/screw two sets of large, plain bookends to the front and back of the frame; this method is great for standing your theatre on tables. Also, though it may be cost effective to use wire and eye screws, a small, inexpensive curtain rod can be attached to the back of larger frames. Follow directions included with the rod.

 

And don’t forget your ticket!

So the gig is up, obviously I have a penchant for elephants! Who can resist that enormous trumpeting stack of wrinkles, those enormous boat-size ears and did I mention those folds of wrinkles? To top things off, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner; love will be thick in the air and far too much tempting chocolate will be hanging under our noses. Throw caution to the wind, scoop up a handful of chalky candy hearts, persnickety your way through a box of mystery chocolates and of course, wear your heart on your trunk!

This craft is great for kids, just follow the steps below and click the picture to get a large step-by-step guide. You will need from your local arts and crafts supply store the following:

• Fimo Effects clay in sparkling gray and sparkling red
• Large jump ring or 22 gauge wire
• Knitting needle
• Miniature heart cookie cutters
• Exacto knife
• Powdered chalk (pink and gold)
• Elmer’s super glue
• Magnets
• Fabric strips

Things you need but are not necessary:

• Clay oven
• Glaze
• Pasta machine
• Clay sculpting tools

 

Take the bar of sparkling gray Fimo and work well before diving into four balls, two of which will be the same size (ears), one the head and the other a trunk. Make the trunk and bend into a soft hook shape, attach to head, working the two objects together with your fingers. Next take the two like-size balls of gray Fimo flatten in your palm and attach to either side of the elephants head, using your fingers to attach and gently expanding the size of the ears to the desired size.

Use a knitting needle to make eyes and clay tools or an Exacto knife to give your elephant character by adding wrinkles about the face, trunk and ears. Attach a jump ring or bent 22 gauge wire on the bottom of the head and then very gently flatten the back of the elephants heads and ears against a smooth, no-stick surface such as a small baking dish. Decorate the elephant with powdered chalks as desired.

Now flatten a small ball of the sparkling red Fimo clay in a pasta machine and cut out three or more various size hearts. A quick tip for making holes, leave the cutters on the clay as you use a knitting needle to make a hole, this will keep the heart from losing its shape; remove excess clay before lifting away cutters. Make a separate heart with the smallest heart-shape cutter by rounding out a small ball of red, flattening it in hand and splicing to desired thickness with an Exacto knife. Give the heart a slight curve to fit snuggly on the elephant’s trunk tip by using a knitting needle.

Bake your elephant and all hearts according to instructions.

Once completely cool super glue magnets to the back of the elephant’s head. Use as many as you feel necessary to ensure a good mounting hold, in this case I’ve applied three small size magnets. Super glue small heart to trunk-tip and use fabric strips to attach the flat heart to the jump ring/gauge wire at the bottom of the elephant.

A quickie clay tip: This Fimo clay is extremely soft so once you’ve the head of the elephant completed it is best to find a non-stick surface that will allow you to work on the head without actually holding the clay in the palm of your hand or having to pick it up by hand numerous times. The longer it is in hand the more likely it is to hold fingerprints or change shape. I’ve found small cake baking pans that fit in my clay oven are perfect surfaces in which to lay my work, push it gently against the pan enough to stick and then I can freely move the piece about as I continue working on it.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I seriously needed a break from all the holiday crazy crafting. Even the most die-hard goes through a dry spell (I hope so or else they are really making me look bad!) and then slowly, ever-so-slowly starts twiddling away at one project or another to start off the New Year.

But what project to start if one doesn’t want to go full tilt into some massively time consuming craft, but not wanting to waste a single minute of precious time and expensive resources on a smaller project?

Enter the Artist Trading Card, the woman’s baseball card and like a piece of dark chocolate, you simply can’t have one, but even a tiny bite soothes the savage (artsy) beast.

For this crafting project you will need the following from your local arts and crafts supply store:

• Various colored and texture card stock paper
• Scissors
• Magazines/old books/print outs/newspaper
• Stickers
• Stamps
• Hole punches
• Yarn
• Glue
• Glitter
• Markers
• Crayons
• Any type of collage embellishments you may so desire

An ATC measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and this is the ONLY thing about an ATC that is standard. Everything else, from the “ground” paper to the subject of your design and all the embellishments is strictly up to you, the artist. Which means, as a New Year project you can get as complicated or simple with an ATC piece as you see fit. Spend hours and days on one card, or a couple of minutes pounding out dozens.

ATC’s are the truly one of a kind piece of artwork, trade them amongst other ATC enthusiasts or have an ATC party with friends. They are great for kids, especially with Valentine’s right around the corner and your little ones can even have their own art display inviting friends over to look at their work or create an art gallery for their dolls.

These little pocket works of art are great for home decor. Frame one or dozens in display frames, glue them to clothes pins and clip to curtains or glue magnets on the back to hang on the refrigerator.

The possibilities are endless!

For some reason, I get the organizational bug about once a year (sometimes more often than that, but not usually on as large a scale).  Because we just did the swap between the office and the guest room, this seemed the perfect time to make sure both rooms are as organized as possible.  With my parents giving me the sewing machine for Christmas and me going hog wild with the crafts this year for Sophie and my nieces, I decided the guest room closet will be my new supplies closet.  Granted, it houses other items as well, but it's mostly crafting supplies.  

B and I have been in our new house for almost two years now (it will be two years mid-March) and this room swap has really helped us get some serious unpacking done.  I know, we're a bit slow, but we've had a baby to worry about.  We did most of the unpacking when we moved in (right around the time Sophie was born), but there were various boxes of odds and ends scattered about that we pretty much forgot with all the family visiting and furniture assembly and room swapping and diaper changes, etc.

Lucky for me, many of those boxes were filled with fun craft supplies.  I knew about all the yarn (had that all unboxed within the first month or so) but had forgotten so many of the other supplies.  I found plenty of fabric and felt, wooden pieces, candle making supplies, paper items, lots of patterns and instructions, basically a general hodge podge of "junk" (as B likes to call it).  He seems to think I have enough to open my own craft store, but I truly don't.

I proved that to him once I organized the closet where all my craft supplies are stored.  Our guest room has a fairly large closet (double doors) that was literally packed from top to bottom with boxes of stuff.  This room used to be the office, so most of the stuff was office type stuff, but when we did our room swap, *some* of the office stuff came out (not all), but all of the stuff in the garage and the old guest room was moved into the big closet.  I wish I had taken a picture of just how packed this closet was because I have a feeling no one will believe me after seeing the pictures of how it looks now.

I started my organizational project at JoAnn Fabric.  They were having a sale on all of their IRIS storage items (40% off) so I picked up five somewhat large tubs (30 qt, I believe).  I almost bought drawers but am SO glad I didn't.  While I was at JoAnn, B was at the Home Depot looking at storage containers as well.  I wasn't impressed by the drawer system he found there, but was interested in looking at the other containers they had.  We went together to the Home Depot the following day and I picked up a couple sets of smallish tubs (6 qt and 15 qt) while he found the rails, brackets, and shelving needed to turn our mess of a closet into something manageable.  I was beyond excited to get rid of all the huge Dell boxes we had snagged at work for our move before Sophie was born (and all the various other boxes we still had floating around).

I have to admit, my husband really is my hero.  The shelving in the closet makes it so much more user friendly now.  We have shelving in the parts of the closet that are tucked away as well as on part of the back wall.  I didn't want to cover the entire back wall since it IS a guest room and people actually do stay there from time to time.  I would like for them to have a place to hang their clothes still, so we left a little room for that.  After B put up the shelving, he decided he wanted something a bit sturdier so he ran to the Home Depot for braces (and more tubs).

The end result really is wonderful.  All of my craft supplies are organized.  Every clear tub and drawer is labeled with a list of contents (except for the tubs holding the wooden pieces for now - I have to get out the labeler again).  The closet also contains candles and computer bits and pieces, but those tubs are labeled as well, so nothing in my closet is a mystery.  I have a drawer for all of my scissors (I have a lot of scissors - from fancy paper edging scissors to super sharp fabric scissors).  I also have a drawer for all things glue (rubber cement, various glues, glue gun, magnets, velcro, etc.) and one for all things paint (paint, brushes, sponges, etc.).  Because this project has pretty much put the Christmas undecorating on hold, I think I'll make a tub for old Christmas cards as well since I plan to start recycling them into various crafts at some point.

I think the best part of the entire closet is the two 5.5" Moon Lites (by AmerTac) we installed under the top shelf.  It makes it so much easier to see my labels, especially on the bins that are tucked back out of the way.  Needless to say, we both feel rather accomplished.  It's not quite done yet, but it's pretty darn close.  I still have a few empty tubs and will be moving the candles around most likely, but I want to get Christmas down sometime before January is over (and possibly still get cards mailed out, who knows).

The next order of business for my craft supply closet will be a total Martha Stewart step.  B will be making fun of me for years to come, but I don't care.  I want to take the closet door on the right and add some sort of organizational system to the back of it.  I'll have to draw it all out so I can plan it just right, but there will be pegs and rods and all sorts of great fun stuff so I can hang more "junk" on the back of the door.

Now... if I could just figure out a way to get all the other stuff out of that closet...

Reader Participation:  Have you organized your craft supplies?  If so, what is your system?  If not, why not (too few supplies, not enough room, not enough time, etc.)?  Feel free to share photos!  Also, feel free to ask questions if there was something I didn't cover or if you're curious about something you see in my closet.

I love crafts and I love free, so to find a website for All Free Crafts pretty much meant heaven for me.

From what I have seen so far, they have free crocheting, knitting, and sewing patterns, along with free craft ideas for various holidays. There are also free patterns for crafting with the kids.

This site is excellent for beginners or for people wanting to try their hand at a new craft since patterns can be pretty expensive. There are several crochet patterns, including patterns for a crochet baby blanket and a crochet hat. I'll be hitting up the sewing patterns here to practice my sewing since I could really use some practice getting my stitches straight. Perhaps I'll be able to find a good knitted hat pattern for B after the boat blanket is done (worked on that today, by the way... pictures will be taken soon, I promise).

I also really like the All Free Crafts blog. There are lots of ideas for how to recycle old books, magazines, cereal box liners, and wrapping paper (I am on the hunt for how to recycle Christmas cards and plan to post about that fairly soon).

(Probable) Upcoming Posts:

• Ringing in The New Year and Keeping up with Resolutions: Craft Room Organization
• Boats for Cameron Knitted Blanket Progress Pictures
• What to Do with All Those Leftover Christmas Cards

I have a renewed love for the Crafts n Things magazine.  This used to be a favorite magazine of mine, but over the years I lost interest.  The magazine contained projects that were either repeats of old projects or projects my grandmothers wouldn't even be caught dead doing.  Every now and then there would be a good project stuffed in between all the less desirable projects and those good projects made me keep going back, but I finally gave up altogether.

Of course, that is until last month.  I picked up the December issue for ideas for holiday crafts and Christmas ornaments and am so glad I did.  It appears as though every issue contains knit or crochet patterns, jewelry making directions, flower arranging instructions, paper crafting ideas, card making directions, and even a Christmas ornament section (and much more).

I know there are other crafting magazines out there, but I love Crafts n Things so much because it covers all the crafts I love to do, and crafts I have never tried before.  I'm more likely to buy a magazine that covers a wide variety of crafts I do infrequently than one that is specific for a craft I rarely do. 

If you've never checked out Crafts n Things, or if you remember the old issues and fell out of love with them, I highly recommend taking another look.  You won't be sorry!  I'll be signing up for my subscription very soon!

Wooo Hooo! It is time to start shopping and stocking up. Sales are amazing! Here are a few this week from my favorite craft stores.

JoAnn Fabrics: Prices effective Wednesday December 26th, 2007 to January 12th, 2008.  70% off Holiday Inspirations and Best Value Christmas Clearance. Included in this sale:

• Gift Wrap and Accessories
• Ribbon and Bows
• Indoor and Outdoor Decor
• Trim-a-Tree
• Gifts
• Christmas Trees
• Party Wear
• Floral
• Candles
• Reg $.49-299,99 each
• Sale $.14-89.99 each

Michaels': Sale begins December 23rd. Christmas Clearance, 50 to 70% off original ticketed price.
This sale includes the following:

• Christmas Trees and Lights
• Ornaments
• Holiday Baskets
• Holiday Floral
• Christmas Bows
• Cards
• Wrap
• Ribbon
• Picks
• Plus, Hundreds of other Holiday items.

A.C. Moores: Sale beginning December 26th - January 1st. Christmas Clearance, 60-75% off all Christmas merchandise.
Included in this sale:

• Christmas Floral
• Christmas Bushes
• Ribbon
• Decorated Wreaths
• Boxed Christmas Cards
• Baskets
• Plus many more.

The above stores also have many other crafting supplies for sale, not only for Christmas clearance. They include:

• Yarns
• Fabrics
• Beads
• Findings
• Kid's Crafts
• Art Supplies
• Scrapbooking

  So many things to enjoy. Be sure to check out their complete flyers. Have fun stocking up!

Christmas is over, which means my frantic rush to get all crafts done and out of my house is over as well.  My sisters received the gifts for my nieces and everyone was fond of the decoupage boxes and the knotted blankets (I have borrowed Sophie's knotted blanket several times already!).

The lids of the paper mache boxes were the most fun of all the Christmas crafts I put together.  Decoupaging is so much easier now than it ever has been in the past because there are so many stickers available thanks to all the scrappers and card makers out there (nearly no tiny detail cutting necessary).  In the photo here, I have two different sets of stickers shown, but I did use three different sets of stickers (all purchased at Michael's, a local craft store).  The vintage looking cards shown were cut from wrapping paper found at Hobby Lobby, another local craft store. 

Each lid made was different, but only slightly.  They all had the same ribbon around the edges and the same music paper, but the placement of the stickers and the cards are really the only differences.

Paper mache has not been appealing to me since I was a child, mainly because of the mess.  Thankfully, my local craft store carries a nice selection of already made paper mache boxes in various shapes and sizes.  I had a difficult time selecting the boxes for this particular Christmas project, but I think the boxes I picked will be perfect.

The purpose these boxes have is to serve as a decorative place for my nieces and my daughter to store the Christmas ornaments I make for them each year.  I know this isn't a gift that will excite three children under the age of two too much this year, but I hope someday they will appreciate it.  Of all my holiday crafts this year, this is by far my favorite.  I'm honestly pretty impressed I remembered how to decoupage since it's been years... and years.

Because these boxes needed to be shipped to a land far, far away, I didn't want them to be terribly enormous.  I also wanted them to fit under the Christmas tree if the girls decided they wanted to leave them out (years down the road when they're on their own, that is).  Because of their purpose, the boxes couldn't be too small, either.  I plan to make lots of ornaments through the years.

Firstly, I must warn all of my readers that decoupage is no laughing matter.  Quite plainly, the goopy white stuff is about as messy as it gets.  Various forms of glue may be messier, but decoupage is really just another type of glue with a fancy name to make it sound important.  Knowing this, I put newspaper on my work surface before doing any decoupaging (I was pretty certain my husband would frown on me decoupaging the dining room table, although given the right supplies, that could actually look pretty cool).  I made sure all my supplies were close at hand, and started measuring at cutting to get ready for the pasting.

A bit about the supplies.  I found two very beautiful Christmas wrapping papers at Hobby Lobby, along with the three paper mache boxes.  One of the papers was a line from a well known Christmas carol printed with the melody.  The other paper was a collection of vintage Christmas cards.  I am currently banned from buying more Christmas paper (we have one of the larger Rubbermaid tubs nearly filled with paper), but this paper had a purpose and was allowed without comment (thankfully - I adore the music paper!),  I also picked up the Mod Podge (decoupaging medium) while at Hobby Lobby.  Other items were purchased at a later time.

After laying out the newspaper, the first order of business was to cut enough of the music paper to fit around the bottoms of the boxes.   I tried decoupaging three different ways.  For the first box, using a tiny piece of tape, I secured the paper to the box, then glued the paper down using a thin line of Sobo craft glue.  I later decoupaged the entire outside of the box, but really only used the decoupage medium and not the actual technique of decoupaging.

The second box was decoupaged in the true sense of the word, but came out with many wrinkles I simply couldn't remove.  I really didn't like the way it turned out so for the third box I decided to paste down the paper with a little bit of the Mod Podge on the starter edge and then not use the paste again until the opposite edge.  Once secured, I then decoupaged over the box and it pretty much turned out the same as the first box.

I selected round boxes for this project, and round is not conducive to wrapping without a little creativity.  The paper I picked up has these marvelous grids on the back that made it extremely easy to do the majority of this project.  I took my little Scotch paper cutter (seriously, this is one of my favorite wrapping tools in the history of convenient tools) and cut strips about an inch wide all the way around the box, top and bottom (click the photo to enlarge).  I then decoupaged each individual strip (two at a time) and pasted them to the box.  On the bottom of the box, they overlapped a bit to create a circle.  After I had these strips pasted down is when I decoupaged the bottom of the box.

Once all three of the bottoms were done, I started on the tops.  I had to find a circle in my house large enough to act as a template.  I found a Christmas platter that was a bit too large, but better than anything else I found.  All of my pots and pans (even the big stock pots) were just a smidgen too small.  Once the circles were traced, I spread the Mod Podge all over the top surface of the box lid.  I flipped it carefully to place it roughly in the center of the paper I had laid out.  I had to fight the curling (it's possible to see a bit of the curling in the photo, especially once the strips are cut), which made the process a bit of a challenge. 

The grid guidelines were the most helpful when doing the bottom of the box, but I was still able to use them a bit for this portion of the cutting.  I cut the paper into fourths around the edge and then split each of those fourths in half, and so on, until I had fairly even strips (all eyeballed, no measuring for something like this) all the way around.  Going back and forth between sections instead of trying to go around in a circle is pretty much what kept my strips close to even.  Since the platter was just a bit too large for the template, I trimmed the excess from the lid prior to decoupaging with my trusty little Exacto knife after folding the strips into place.  I spread the Mod Podge on two strips at a time, folding each strip carefully over the edge of the box as I went along.  It took a while, but the end result was worth it.  Of course, it wound up being hidden mostly by one of the finishing touches I added later.

Because baking, cleaning, and sleep are all calling my name quite loudly, I must stop here for the night.  Please, stay tuned for the continuation of the decoupaged paper mache boxes.   All three have been completed and all three are slightly different.  There will be plenty of pictures to share.  Also, don't forget to check back for pictures of the finished ornaments as well as the finished no-sew knotted fleece blankets.

I have a confession to make; it’s sad and embarrassing. So here goes, I will simply say it and be done with it, the sooner it is off my shoulders the better.

      *cough, cough*

      “Hello, my name is Beth, mother of two, and I have no ability, whatsoever, to wrap gift  gifts; birthday, Christmas, wedding, etc., none, zip and nada.”

I can take a roll of decorative paper, a dozen tape dispensers and one child’s scissors and at some point, hours later, there will be a heap of items resembling wrapped gifts. An entire roll of tape has been used, each gift has mushy corners with indiscriminate bumps and rolls across what should be a smooth surface and did I mention an entire roll of tape is used in the process?

I don’t understand it. I’ve two perfectly working opposable thumbs. I have studied gifts received with reverent awe. I have carefully watched my husband, yes, THE hub, wrap gifts with expert ease.  I come from a long line of women who wrap with perfection, albeit that they have a tendency to leave price tags on everything, but who cares amongst the smart, sharply wrapped corners and perfectly tied bows?

Yet, here I sit so close to Christmas, a mother of two, breathing deep into a paper bag as I prepare myself for the inevitable catastrophe that will soon be lumped under the family Christmas tree.  

So, for my sisters out there in the world, somewhere, wherever and whoever you should be, that also find themselves stricken with such inability as to wrap something as simple as a toy truck, a small doll or even, a bowling ball. I’m here for you, I sympathize and hey, there’s always the fabric gift bag to turn to for Christmas gifts.

You will need to following from your local arts and crafts supply store:

• Fabric scraps of various sizes
• Sewing thread, needle, and/or sewing machine
• Scissors
• Decorative garland, ribbon, string, etc.
• Tissue paper
• Safety pin

Depending on how big the gift will determine the size of your fabric gift bags. For me, I made several small bags for the Christmas ornaments made for the girls’ teachers at my blog entry Santa’s in the House.

Before seam allowance my bag measured a little over 11 inches in length, six wide, allowing extra length not only for seam but for turning over at the tops for looping ribbon. Use the gift as a guide for how large a square to cut. I suggest folding fabric, with the bottom of the bag running along the fold.

Once you have your fabric folded cut with like sides together and iron, then fold the top three to four inches back, iron flat.

I sew the top folds first, leaving enough room for the ribbons, strings, etc. that you plan to use as drawstrings to close the bag. Use your finger as a guide, one finger width is great, two is much safe.

Make sure that when you next sew up the sides you do not sew the top folds for the drawstrings.

Once sewing is complete turn right side out, iron if needed and string ribbon, garland, string or all three through the top folds. A safety pin is a great way to get ribbon through the folds. Fill bottom of bag with tissue or shredded paper, then your gift, and pull close.

Simple, easy, recyclable, and no tape required, though opposable thumbs is still recommended!

Don’t forget your gift tags and remember, I’m here for you!

 

I am currently unable to share images but will be posting pictures as soon as this is resolved. 

My holiday crafts are coming right along.  The Christmas ornaments for the girls are completed.  I have one blanket finished and two left to knot.  The paper mache  boxes were started last night and are looking good.  I have to work on the tops today.  Sophie and I picked up some supplies at our local craft store yesterday to add to the tops of the boxes and I can't wait to get them finished. 

In the rest of my Christmas world, the baking is well under way.  I haven't started the cards yet.  I am waiting on one package before sending off my box of gifts (as well as finishing up a blanket and two boxes).  Things are starting to come together but my house is starting to fall apart!  I am leaving B in charge of gifts for his father and brother, so I don't have to worry about that, at least.

Because I am not with my family this Christmas and everyone will be at my parents' house on Christmas Eve, I called the local florist to have a fresh flower arrangement sent to my mother.  I know Linda (she's been our florist for years - my mother used to babysit her daughter, and I tutored her daughter... all years and years ago) will do an excellent job with the arrangement.

Once Christmas is over, I'll be able to work on my knitting and hopefully finish up the baby blanket I started... in January of last year (yes, I feel shame).  It's probably about half done, but if I'm not careful, my niece will be graduated by the time she receives it!  I would like to knit Sophie another scarf since I wound up giving hers away by accident.  I don't remember the pattern I used (I made it up) but I still have the yarn I used (Misty Alpaca, if I recall correctly - very soft and cozy) so I should be able to come up with something.  I might make a hat to match.  I think I'm ready to knit another purse and felt it.  Perhaps I can make a bag big enough to be a diaper bag.  I might even take the time to try my hand at crochet again.  I really just need to master my tension.  However, the baby blanket must be finished first!!

Pictures will be forthcoming as soon as I am able to upload again.  I can't wait to show off the decoupaged paper mache boxes!  For now, back to baking and blanket knotting!!

I really wish I had taken the time to get progress pictures today while making the latest of my Christmas crafts.  First, a little back story:  My family (sisters and parents) has decided to draw names for Christmas this year.  Along with drawing names, each person actually made a wish list that was emailed to everyone because we're keeping the names secret until Christmas.  This pretty much stinks for me since I live so far away and don't get to share in the fun on Christmas Eve when they're all together, but it makes it easier since I just have one set of people for whom to buy gifts (we decided to draw couples and then buy for the family or the individual, buyer's choice).

Some of the choices we all put on our wish lists were gift cards.  Since gift cards travel well, this is what our giftees will be receiving.  One of the cards came in a nifty little box that pops the card out of the opposite side that's being opened.  I didn't want the other recipient to feel left out, so I decided to make a quick gift card holder.  It isn't anything fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but it turned out very well, better than I expected, even.

Today, I sewed my first cuffed mitten without a pattern.  The gift card fits in the mitten perfectly.  I'm still rather amazed I managed to do this without any sort of instructions, to be perfectly honest.  I wish I had taken the time to take notes while making the mitten since I would be able to write my own directions then.  I'm pretty impressed with myself for figuring this out, however, I'm slightly annoyed with myself for second guessing my original design since I think I created extra work for myself.  It's all part of learning, I know.

I think my sewing machine hates me now, though.  I used fuzzy felt and it was pretty thick going through the feeder.  Some of the fuzz wanted to catch every now and then, but for the most part I made it through without too many problems.  What's even more amazing about the entire project is that my seam actually managed to remain even!  Yay, me!  My sewing is improving!  Now I need to remember how to thread the silly thing so I can change the color of the thread.  Thank heavens for the manual!

I really do wish I could be there for the recipient to open this gift.  I think it will be much better received now that there is a little gift card holder made by yours truly, or at least I hope that's the case. 

Specific to me, of course!

 

I have mentioned previously that Christmas ornaments are probably one of my favorite Christmas crafts to make (overall favorite, for that matter - Christmas just happens to be my favorite holiday).  I was thinking about this the other day and realized I've made a lot of different ornaments through the years.

 

Just to list a few:

    * paper bag ornaments (sounds crazy, but very simple)
    * felt shape ornaments
    * felt and fabric ornaments
    * quilted ornament balls
    * fabric shape ornaments
    * wooden and fabric ornaments
    * cinnamon applesauce ornaments
    * photo ornaments
    * recycled Christmas card ornaments
    * painted glass ornaments

 

The list could go on and on.  I think I might have pictures of some of these ornaments somewhere, but if not, I'll have to ask my giftees if they can take pictures for me since I always have given away the nicest of the ornaments.  My sisters were the recipients of the majority of my ornaments, and now I will be making ornaments for my nieces.

 

Because of the ornaments I want to make for the kids, I think I'll try to make an ornament every month or so.  It will be like Christmas all year long!  I have a few ornaments I want to make already, some from the recent issue of Crafts n Things and some from a few books I have here.  I also think I want to attempt knitting some mini stockings and hats, but I'll have to find a pattern first.  I'll have to pace myself or I'll wind up making too many ornaments and there won't be enough room on the Christmas tree for all of them!

 

In any case, here's to getting started early for next year!  Yay for holiday crafts all year long.  :)

I am so glad B comes home tomorrow from his training in New York. I am hoping to get a lot more done with him home, although I'm not entirely certain that will be the case. At least I can take a blanket with me to the airport to knot in the car on the way home.

Speaking of B coming home, instead of working on any Christmas crafts tonight, I worked on cleaning up the house a little and spent a rather lengthy time talking to him on the phone. He talked to the baby on the phone as well and amazingly, she actually rambled on and on. Usually she clams up on the phone, but tonight the child was just out of control. She's so cute right now with all of her new words, and it was very obvious she was excited to talk to her daddy.

B will be frustrated to see many of my craft supplies are sitting in boxes in the guest room, but I don't want to put them in the closet just yet. I really would like to get some sort of storage system going in the closet other than huge boxes, but that will have to wait for a bit. Perhaps after the new year I'll make a trip to the Container Store and get my supplies organized again. I'll probably put the boxes in the closet sometime this weekend, though. I think I am going to try to use the boxes as a gift wrapping surface, but I'm not sure that will work. It's certainly worth a shot.

I worked on the ornaments last night. The blankets are still staring at me, sitting in a pile on my sofa waiting to be knotted. I took advantage of Sophie being asleep last night and sewed up all of the ornaments so they're ready to be stuffed. Out of all the crafts I have ever done, holiday crafts are always my favorite, and out of the holiday crafts, ornaments rank at the top (I seriously wish I had pictures of all the ornaments I've made throughout the years - I should ask my sisters for pictures of all the ornaments I've made for them). That's probably how they managed to get worked on before the paper mache boxes and the blankets, although I don't have sealer for the decoupage yet, so that can wait another day or two.

I sewed three sets of three ornaments each. I'll take pictures of all the ornaments oncethey're finished, but for now I focused on the Christmas tree. These are some of the easiest ornaments I've ever made (usually I use the blanket stitch around the edges or some other hand-sewn detail), and the first ornaments I've ever made with the sewing machine. I wish I'd made them a wee bit larger but I don't think they'd look good on the tree if they were too big. As it is, this ornament was probably my smallest at roughly 1"x3".

I'm not terribly fond of the rickrack I used for the Christmas tree hanger, but what's done is done. Since this is the first time I'd ever sewn anything like this and I wasn't using any sort of pattern, it took me a few minutes to figure out how to get the rickrack so it was facing the right direction to work as a hanger when I was done. I took the time to pin down the rickrack and then pin the two fabric pieces together (the green is felt, the Christmas tree is simply cut from some Christmas fabric I purchased at a local craft store). I ran into an issue while sewing with the pins in place and wound up having to remove the pesky ones that were in the way of the presser foot, but that wasn't too often.

I have to admit, while I like sewing with the machine, I don't really care for sewing small items such as this. Not only is it frustrating because of all the stop and go, but the size made the ornaments difficult to turn out once they were all sewn up. I do like, however, the fact that it cut my sewing time by elevntyhundred hours. Had I thought about what I was going to do for my nieces for Christmas earlier in the year, I would have gotten a jump start on the ornaments and probably would have done them all by hand. Oh, who am I kidding. I would have planned it and probably would never have gotten around to it and would have skipped the whole thing altogether had it not been for the sewing machine.

I did remember to leave a bit of a gap so I could turn the ornament, which for me is a small miracle. I was surprised I managed to get all nine ornaments sewn on the machine without mucking up any of them. Of course, I still have a small bit of hand-sewing to do, which leaves plenty of room for mucking about, but the gaps are small, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Once I finished sewing the ornaments, I trimmed off excess material and clipped the corners. I made sure to leave a little extra fabric on the side that needed to be sewn up so I had a little more fabric for playing (or mucking, as the case may be). When turning the ornament, I used my scissors (the deadly-cut-you-so-you-bleed scissors) to poke out the corners, and that's only because I managed to misplace the seam ripper that I used to own years ago. I know this was a bad idea, but thankfully it had no bad results. I told B a seam ripper would make a great stocking stuffer, so hopefully I won't be turning corners with my scissors too much longer.

Once turned, I stuffed the ornaments with a little bit of Polyfil (very little bit) and made sure it was tucked into the corners as well (again with the scissors of death). I then folded the fabric at the gap down into the ornament to be flush with the seam already there and pinned it shut so I would have an easier time sewing the hidden seam. I still have a few ornaments left to stuff and pin and then I will work on the seams after all that is done.

I'm not looking forward to the hand-sewing, mostly because I have a "boo-boo" on my favorite needle pushing finger (middle finger, right hand). It currently qualifies as a boo-boo and not a sore, wound, or crack (or anything else it could be called) since it is wrapped up in a Care Bears bandage as well as a Hello Kitty bandage. it has certainly caught Sophie's attention!

These ornaments should be done by tomorrow night or Sunday at the latest. I will probably take a blanket (or perhaps all three?) with us to B's parents house on Sunday if we go over there to watch the football game. I'm not sure when I'm going to get the decoupage done. I do have a few more gifts coming in the mail that need to be sent to the Great White North in time for Christmas Eve, so I have a little time. I have a feeling I'll have to do an overnight shipping or something with this package, though. I was the one asking around about Christmas gifts and trying to figure out what to get Sophie well before Thanksgiving, and I'm still rushed to get everything done. One of these years I will get organized and be done by Thanksgiving (yeah, right!). Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

I should really be working on the last blanket instead of writing this (or I should be in bed), and yet, here I am.  My mind has been racing with all the holiday crafts ideas floating about and I'm dying to get them all down. 

 

Of course, I'm sure I've forgotten the majority of the ideas, but they'll eventually come to me again.  I have a file box somewhere with ideas from years ago.  I wonder if some of the recent ideas are really old ideas I've forgotten.  That's certainly something I would do.  Unfortunately, hiccups are preventing me from remembering much of anything right about now (or is it lack of sleep?), so I'll have to start jotting down those ideas when they come to me.

 

I considered writing out the instructions for the no-sew blankets but I found a link for the No-Sew Fleece Blanket that works just as well.  It's so easy, even my craft-challenged friends can do this.  Thankfully, it's not necessary to follow the directions exactly.  I am pretty confident that my strips are not all exactly one inch wide nor my corners five inches by five inches. but once it's all together no one will know the difference.

 

These are the two fabrics I selected for all three blankets.  I spent one evening laying them out and trimming them all.  I pinned them with safety pins so they wouldn't come apart when I moved them since I knew there would be no way I would get close to cutting the strips that night.  It takes an amazing amount of time to get these fabrics trimmed, especially times three!  I made one of these for my mother-in-law a couple years ago (used pinking shears that time... never again!) and I vaguely remember it taking me slightly longer than I had expected.  I attribute that to the pinking shears and lack of experience.  This time, I think it's just taking me so long because of the fact that I'm dealing with three blankets here (and I'm slightly less than motivated).

 

I started cutting the strips yesterday during Sophie's nap.  I managed to make it halfway through one of the blankets (wasn't being my most efficient).  I took the time to pin the edges just so my strips would be somewhat even, but I didn't bother to measure.  I have this extremely awful habit of eyeballing measurements and placements, but I'm usually pretty good at being very close, if not dead on.  When pinning this, I pinned one side and then cut (here, the pins shown are all on one side, but folded in half to make it easier to pin the second half - only half the guesswork involved this way!), and then pinned another side and cut.  Tonight, when cutting the remaining strips in that blanket, I actually folded the blanket in half and just used what was already cut as a guideline.  The second blanket I cut tonight was done in a slightly different manner.  I folded the two sides together and then cut them together (talk about saving time!).

 

I put a safety pin in each of the corners to make sure the blanket stayed together enough that I wouldn't have to worry about which way the material goes and now have two blankets ready to knot.  That can easily be done with Sophie around since there are no scissors (I use my deadly-cut-yourself-and-bleed-super-sharp scissors for projects like this, so I don't like to have them out when she's awake) and no pins (again with the deadly - these little glass head straight pins are killer!) involved in knotting.

 

Most likely I will have to spray these again with the Static Guard.  I noticed a bit of static electricity tonight, but not much.  I don't want to have to deal with that at all, though.  I'll spray them tonight before I go to bed and they should be fine for tomorrow.  I will definitely have to vacuum and lint brush when the blankets are completed because the green fabric loves to leave fuzzies behind.  It's rather annoying to see all of my pillows, my sofa, our clothing, and even the dog covered with little green fuzzies.

 

Now, off to attack the last baby blanket and then to bed! 

Celebrations, Christmas and holidays in general are never boring for my family. Whether it was the unforgettable moment of my mother having lost an entire meatloaf she cooked for a get-together (we’ve yet to explain that under an hours time), yours truly having caught her hair on fire while blowing out birthday candles (I will never live that one down) or the fact we highly anticipate who receives a gift with the price tag still on! (Yes, we look and keep track so as to tease the giver relentlessly!)

To tie into those slightly uncontrollable, highly unconventional family gatherings we look for ways to be unexpectedly creative with our gifts, from the wrapping paper, the gift bag and even the gift tag!

Yes, something as little and seemingly insignificant as the gift tag can be creatively jazzed up for any gift-giving occasion with a little bit of clay, fabric and these easy directions.

You will need the following from an arts and crafts supply store:

• Premo Polymer Clay (in the colors of your liking)
• Premo Liquid Clay
• Paint brush
• Aluminum foil
• Yarn, fabric or string
• Drinking straw

Recommended but not necessary:

• Clay oven
• Pasta machine
• Clay glaze
• Molds, cookie cutters, etc.
• Stickers, glitter, etc.

Take a flat color such as brown or black to make the base of your tag. The shape can be anything you wish, circles, stars, squares. I suggest using molds, cookie cutters or cut outs. I typically use a paper punch the shape of a gift tag on stock paper.

After rolling out my base clay through the pasta machine I cut out the shape of the gift tag, using aluminum foil to protect work surfaces. A straw is perfect to make the hole to string fabric, yarn or ribbon through for later. (Tip: Push the straw all the way through and then twist the clockwise and pull up so as to get a clean, thorough and large enough hole. This may take a practice run with extra clay. Putting the flattened clay in the refrigerator for a few minutes is also helpful to get a nice circular cut.)

Once you have the base of your tag it is time to decorate with more clay! Depending on the size of your tag use clay molds, cookie cutters or as I have done on this tag, cut out various shapes to create a one of a kind design. (Leave space for stickers or other items that can only be added after baking.)

Polymer liquid clay is great as an adhesive for your design and then bake according to instructions.

Once the tag is completely baked and cooled continue decorating your piece with stickers, glitter, etc. Glaze, if desired, but allow drying time before stringing fabrics or yarn. I like to use wild yarns or for this tag, pieces of fabric with silver garland.

The possibilities are endless and won't your receiver be surprised! A great activity that's fun for kids, as well, with adult supervision, of course.

The fleece for the three no-sew blankets is all trimmed and pinned and ready to be fringed for knotting. It took me a little longer to do it than I expected, but that's okay. The fringe part should be fairly quick, and the knotting is very mindless. I can do the knotting while playing with Sophie if I work it just right. The fringe I'll probably do tomorrow night after I get Sophie to bed. Once the fringe is cut, I think I'll work on decoupaging paper mache boxes. That shouldn't take too long, once I have all the paper cut and placed. I'm not sure if I want any other embellishments on there or not. I might possibly put a little ribbon or raffia or maybe some buttons on there, but we'll see. I just might have time to work on the nativity ornaments for the girls if I'm lucky.

 

The blankets are going to be a serious pain if the weather stays cold and the house is dry. There was much static cling tonight, so bad I had to grab the can of Static Guard. Even after I sprayed (and I can't stand the smell, either), the fleece was still full of static, but I didn't spray again unil later.

 

Pictures will be forthcoming. I took one tonight, but it was just of the fleece put together on the floor and was not terribly exciting.

Projects I need to complete in time to be mailed for Christmas arrival:

• No-sew Knot Blankets for Sophie and nieces (aka: the girls)
• Decoupage paper mache boxes for the girls' ornaments
• Ornaments for the girls (quilted nativity scenes)

Projects I would like to complete in time to be mailed for Christmas arrival:

• The knitted Boats for Cameron blanket for my niece (This has been in the works since January 2007 and I still have quite a bit left to do. Sadly, it wasn't finished by the time she was born. Oops.)

Projects for later:

• Christmas pillows started as sewing practice
• Ornaments for the girls for next year
  
• Nightgown for Sophie
  
• Scarf for Sophie
• Annouk for Sophie
• Stuffed critters for Sophie (I'm beginning to see a pattern here...)
• Knitted skull cap for B

My craft time is often limited to a few hours after Sophie goes to bed. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get all of this done during that short amount of time, but I'm going to try. It's possible I'll be able to get her to cooperate with me and play on her own for small periods of time during the day. I'm sure I can work on the knotted blankets while she's awake after all the cutting has been done.

There is a good chance I won't get the quilted nativity scene ornaments done, but I have a backup plan. If I see Christmas is closing in on me and I just don't have the time, I'll make a quick batch of cinnamon applesauce ornaments since I plan to make those for them eventually. The big picture for these ornaments and the decoupage boxes is for the girls to have ornaments and a nice place to store them for when they move out on their own. They're all babies right now, so by the time they move out, they'll have a somewhat decent starter collection if I continue to give them at least one ornament a year. Of course, now that I have this plan in place, I know this is something I can work on throughout the year (maybe even get ahead a few years?).

The knotted blankets were started today, but they're off to a very weak start. I cut the material into three different sections for the three blankets, so I made a total of six cuts. Ooh, be impressed! Tomorrow (I hope - although I do have to go to the grocery store and take my husband to the airport and make dinner for my parents), I will place the front and back together for trimming and fringe cutting.

I'm also hoping to work on the other Christmas pillow I started while my mother is still here (I feel like such a dingbat when it comes to the sewing machine still). We may venture out to find a quilting shop while she's still in town but I'm not so sure I could control myself if we do that. My love for shopping and for all things pretty might get the better of me.

So much to do and so little time... Must remember to take pictures! In the meantime, I leave you with my all time favorite knitting link (also great for crocheters): Ravelry - If you love knitting or crocheting (and possibly more yarn arts), check it out and sign up for an account (it's free).  You'll find me there as sm00bs, although I only have one knitting project in the works (yeah, it's that blooming blanket mentioned earlier...).