Freezer Paper Tshirts

When we were prepping for our trip, I brought up the idea of making special Disney shirts for the kids. To my surprise, Husband was on board with the idea, and suggested we make them for all of us.  

OKAY!!  

After scouring Pinterest, I decided to try out Freezer Paper Shirts.  I had seen these for years, but never believed they would turn out well.  Fortunately, I was wrong!  They were really easy, and we all loved the finished product. 

Supplies needed: shirts, freezer paper, exacto knife, cutting mat, fabric paint, foam brushes. 

First, I found an image we all liked, and I sized it for both adult and kid shirts.  

Next, I taped it onto a cutting mat, then taped a piece of freezer paper over it (shiny side down).   I traced the design with a pencil, and then hand cut it with an exacto knife.  

Here is the finished stencil:

Then, I ironed the stencil onto the shirt, shiny side down (prewashed the shirt, and ironed it so it was nice & smooth). 

Finally, I applied 2 coats of black fabric paint with a foam brush and let it fully dry. I made sure to put a piece of cardboard inside the shirt so there would be no chance of the fabric bleeding through onto the back.  I actually cut up a frozen pizza box - the wax coated paper was the perfect layer to prevent bleed-through.  

When the paint was dry the stencil peeled off with no problems and all the lines were nice and crisp!

At the last minute we decided to add the date and the kids' names to the back of their shirts.  I downloaded a Disney-esque font for free, printed out the date & names, and hand cut the freezer paper stencils (be sure you keep the inside pieces when cutting letters/ numbers!!).  

I love how these turned out, and the kids are excited to have custom "souvenirs" of our trip.

The William Morris Project: Lamps, and Plans, and a Little Crafting

Alrighty.  As usual, Thursday snuck up on me like a Ninja (especially astonishing as I spent most of yesterday resenting the fact that it was only Wednesday, and not Friday).  I haven't done much this week except continue to adjust to the new school/work/activity/homework/husband's crazy schedule.  So yeah.... I don't have a real "project" to share for this week.  But a few weeks ago I bought these hideous lamps, and I DO have plans for them.

I have needed bedside lamps for ages.  But I am tainted by the internet.  I see so many Goodwill transformations and DIY tweaks that I have a warped sense of what I should be able to do with the things around me.  I should be able to jaunt into the local Goodwill, pick up a matching yet horrendously ugly set of lamps priced at $2.71 each, and with a swath of spray paint and a few yards of ribbon, turn them into the lamps of my dreams.  And yet, our Goodwill is AWFUL, and the few lamps I already own are just not right for use next to the bed.  So when I happened upon these hideous beauties at Lowe's a few weeks, it was hard to pass up what was essentially a 2-for-$20 deal.  Yes, they were even a mix-and-match pair, so I consciously chose the green base and blue shade.

I know.

But I don't hate the shades, even though they clash a little (lot) with our blue/grey/greenish walls.  I plan to spray the bases white and call it good.  For now, they live in the realm of the functional.

And then there's this:

After spending months pinning yarn wreaths, I got off (or really, I got ON) my duff and made one.  Or most of one.  Accoutrements are still in progress. 

Have you made a yarn wreath?  If not, let me give you a few tips. 

1. It doesn't take as much yarn as you think.  I have about a half skein left. 
2. I used a straw wreath WITH the plastic on.  I also like the look of the squared foam wreaths.  It really does need a smooth surface to work best.  
3. It is a BORING process.  I wrapped off and on for about 4 hours.  I'd do a section, then walk away to do something else for a while.  If you want to power through it, pop in a movie and settle in for some boredom.  I also found that sitting on the floor with the wreath held between my knees was the perfect way to keep both hands free and keep the wreath in place.  A little hard on the back, but very efficient. 
4. It takes some zhusshing to get it right.  I'd wrap it 4 or 5 times, then work the strands into place, smoothing and tightening.  
5. I don't ever work with yarn, so I wasn't sure where to start with it.  I worried that I was supposed to do something else with the yarn before wrapping, like re-wrap it into a pretty ball or something, but no, I just pulled out an end and went to town. 

 A few more felt flowers, and I'll have a pretty Fall wreath to go on my beautiful blue door!

This post is part of the weekly William Morris Project, a la Pancakes and French Fries. 

End of School

I feel like putting on my Oprah voice for this. 

"It's the End of Schooooooooooooooool!!"

End Oprah voice.  

So of course we had to put together a little Thank You gift for her teacher.  

I will disclose that I stole this idea from A Turtle's Life for Me.  She does really cute, easy crafts, and has yummy recipes to share.  

It's a gift card book!  

I cut everything using the Cricut (so handy!)

Gift cards are $5 each.  

Front Cover

"What will Mrs. XXXX do this summer?"

(all ideas came from what I imagine was a not-so-subtle conversation with Mrs. XXXX)

Plant a garden

Eat yummy ice cream

Get a snack on the road

Go swimming

Back Cover

At 3:30 today she will be a 3rd grader!

The William Morris Project: Week 5

I am still in post-party-decompression-and-catch-up-mode around here, and between that, and planning another mini-event for next Saturday, I have not been thinking much about anything useful or beautiful in my home.

I mean, other than the fact that I no longer have 4 overflowing laundry hampers.

That is absolutely gorgeous.

But The William Morris Project looms large in my mind, so I couldn't just not do something.

I finally whipped up a quick craft that I think meets the qualifiers of "useful" and "beautiful" while also satisfying my need to have something to look forward to.

I made a countdown frame!

I gathered supplies that I already had: scrapbook paper, chipboard letters, glue dots, and a frame. I've had all the items stashed away in my craft drawers, just itching to be put to use*. The frame had even been painted to hide the little dings & it was all alone in a corner, begging to be used.  

I was looking for a simple solution, so I just cut a few 12" x 12" pieces of paper in half, used the glue dots to secure them together, then added the letters.  It took me about 15 minutes in all (again, what have I been waiting for??)

And now, we've got a countdown calendar for our important events!

Like.......

Yep, we are taking the plunge and going for a whole week in March.   We'll even be there for Big J's 4th Birthday, and I fully expect his head to pop off from all the awesome.  

*According to The Happiness Project, this is called Aspirational Clutter.  I have A LOT of it. But is it clutter if I'm actually using it??* 

DIY Photo Canvas

I found this idea on Pinterest (where on earth did we get our ideas before Pinterest?), and decided it would be the perfect Christmas gift: DIY Photo Canvas.

Supplies Needed:

(I think everything on this list can be found at Walmart)

• Scrapbooking paper
• Photos to mount
• Artist canvas in the size to match the photos
• Mod Podge in Matte finish
• Brush or foam applicator
• Ink pad & sponge
• Clear Acrylic Sealer (spray)

I had my black and white photos printed at mPix. 

I then trimmed them down by about 1/4" on each side to fit my 8"x10" canvas.  

Strips of scrapbooking paper, cut to fit the edges of the canvas, leaving about 1/4" gap all around.

Brush the Mod Podge over the entire canvas & let it dry for the full 20 minutes. 

Tip: I started with a foam applicator, but switched to a 1" brush & got MUCH smoother results.

Assembly line.

I laid everything on wax paper so they didn't stick.

Apply another coat of Mod Podge to the edges, then adhere the scrapbooking strips on all 4 sides. 

You'll see a little of the white canvas underneath, but that's OK. 

Coat the top of the canvas once more, then apply the photos.  Although I've seen tutorials that suggest you use a brayer to get out any air bubbles, I found that if I just smoothed it with my hand, then weighted them down, there were no bubbles. 

I turned them face down on the wax paper, put a few books (actually my Everyday Living magazines) in the middle, then weighted them down with larger books. 

Once dry, turn them face up again and coat all visible surfaces with Mod Podge.  Work quickly, and try to keep a smooth, even coating. The brush works much better than the foam applicator for this step.  Let this dry completely. If you'd like, you can do a second full coating, but it's not necessary. 

Once dried, take your ink pad & "distress" the edges by tamping a sponge onto the ink. Lightly apply it the edges and corners, and if you like, blur it onto the edges of the photo itself. 

Last step: When everything is totally dry, spray them with a light coating of acrylic sealant.  Do this outside, as it will stink up the garage when you're trying to get your project done in 40 degree weather. 

Hang & enjoy!  

What I Did This Morning

I have to craft when the impulse strikes me, or I'd never get anything made. 

It's not usually at night, after the kids have gone to bed.

Or during naptime, which wouldn't be helpful anyway, as he has decided to cut naps down to a scant 45 minutes a day - without prior approval, I might add. This really puts a crimp in my sitting around, eating truffles, watching Tori and Dean time.  

PS, have you tried the Choceur truffles from Aldi?  They are AMAHZING. 

Instead, as soon as Sis gets on the bus, we huddle up together with Kick Buttowski in the background and do a little cutting and gluing. 

Today, I made these: 

I never knew felt flowers were so easy to make!  

I think it took me longer to whip together the backing than to make all the flowers & leaves for each one.  The pictures don't even do these justice; they are much cuter in person. 

Teacher gifts: COVERED. 

Pillow Posting

Did you know I am craft deficient?   Sure, I can glitter with the best of them, but when it comes to sewing, I am a bit... lacking.  I don't know what it is, but I just can't keep myself from winging it.  I don't like to measure 3x and cut once.  I usually just eyeball it and take a whack at it.  It's just fabric, right?  And somehow, it always works out.  Maybe I have a magic sewing machine, or thread made from fairy hairs (Does Guterman use fairy hair?  We may never know).  There must be something supernatural going on, because today I felt compelled to turn a table cloth into a set of holiday pillows - and it worked!

Yep, from entertaining accoutrement to head cradler in just one short hour.  I used two different methods, the second of which was MUCH faster than the first.  These are envelope-back pillows, and the first way used 3 pieces of fabric, while the second used just one long piece.  2 quick hems, a straight stitch up each side, and me and my plaid pillows were nap ready.

My couch has been lacking in character for months, and the ease of this project has inspired me to seek out a bit of new fabric for some post-holiday revitalization.  After all... napkins are cheap, and the standard 20" size nicely stitches into an 18" down-filled pillow.  

Action!

In an effort to redeem myself from the whining of my last post (because really, don't we all read blogs so that we can make ourselves feel bad that we're not recycling our tin cans into precious pen holders or stitching up reusable sandwich baggies or decorating our new apartments with nothing but $30 and a trip to Goodwill?).....

Wait, where was I?  

Oh, right.  

My doldrums of a few days ago turned out to be the beginning of a mild cold.  After going to bed at 7:30 last night (and yet waking up at 4:30am today ), I am feeling much better, and am in fact TAKING ACTION.  Yep, for me the best way to conquer whatever item is putting the Fear into my heart is to make a list and start checking it off.  Although I have been considering the Holidays for months, I thought that perhaps a Christmas Planner would help.  At the least, it couldn't hurt. I took a cue from the Christmas Planner at eighteen25, and whipped this up on Wednesday evening:

Despite searching the aisles of the Dollar Tree, Walmart, and Joann's, the only supply I purchased was the composition notebook for $1. I had partially convinced myself that I MUST have an adorable pack of Christmas themed scrapbook paper or my Planner was sure to be a bust... but after realizing that the paper alone was going to be $12+, I stepped back to rethink it.  At home, I dug through my crafting supplies and came up with some textured red paper, a sparkly white cardstock, a lime green ink pad, and a green striped gift bag.  With these - and the adorable printables supplied by eighteen25 - I made a very satisfactory planner.  

I've already begun to fill it up and plan out Christmas 2011.  In fact, since Wednesday, I have bought 2 Santa gifts, ordered the gifts for the grandparents, and even started filling in Advent ideas.  Christmas decorating begins next Friday, and it's all downhill from there.  

PS: Tabs are To Do, Menu, Calendar, Cards, and The List

Halloween Deco: Are You Into It?

Halloween is just one of those holidays I don't get super excited about.  I like to decorate.  I like to dress up. I like to eat candy.  But I can do those things any day of the year (although I do get funny looks when I wear my cat ears grocery shopping).  I was having a particularly tough time feeling spooky until my Mom sent me a big box of decorations.  These mostly consist of Annalee dolls.  If you're not familiar with them, they are wool felt dolls with handpainted faces, created for a variety of holidays.  My Mom has been a collector for many years, and these dolls featured heavily in decorating for all the major holidays at our house.

When I opened that box, inspiration struck, and I got to work clearing off the buffet table.

I came up with this first:

But it was a little bare in the middle.  I knew I wanted to use the big frame I had left over from breaking the bathroom mirror, but wasn't sure how to make it less empty.  Pinterest to the rescue!  I found a tutorial for making a cute "Spooky" banner, and 2 hours later, it was hung.  Most appropriately, I made the accordion folds from paper out of a Frankenstein book.  

Much better!

PS: I love that bat garland from Martha Stewart.  I bought it on clearance after last Halloween & have been waiting for a chance to open that box.

PPS: I used Command strips to hang the frame.  Those are genius!

I Love Free Stuff

I am digging the blog eighteen25.

I am using their Thanks-a-Latte printable for Big Sis' teacher, and am excited to send it to school with her this week.

I also appreciate their free subway printables.... as well as the suggestion to print them at Costco (why did I never think of uploading & having the prints turn out AMAZING instead of AVERAGE??).

Go check them out today.

Chairbackers

Well, I did it.  I conquered another crafting project.  

Although I STILL don't love Valentine's Day, I have always loved the 

Pottery Barn Kids Valentine's Day Chairbacker.  

(image from PBK website.  Sorry,  And thank you, PBK.)

I mean seriously, how cute is that??  

Fortunately, I stumbled upon an amazing tutorial, and decided to go for it.  This really stretched my crafting skills, and my confidence has grown tremendously.  

I learned to use interfacing.....

I made buttons.... I didn't even know you could do that!

I sewed buttonholes!!  

Back straps

Front, open.

I used ric rack!  

Hanging

Back

Hers & His.  

The PBK version is more like a backpack mailbox, whereas this one is a fully-lined backpack.  

I like this version better.  

I LOVE the end result, and can't wait to fill them with little goodies for Monday morning!

Notes: If I had to do it again, I wouldn't use the (cheap) eco-felt that I chose.  It's fine, mostly because this is only going to be used for one day a year.... but it's not as substantial as the (slightly) more expensive choices out there.  

I like this so much, I am seriously thinking about doing some for Christmas.  I think it would be perfect for Christmas cards & goodies on Christmas eve.