Posts Tagged ‘Crafts’
Tee Turned Tank – Try New Adventures
Posted on: May 3, 2012
- In: Life
- 12 Comments
Tuesday night, while the girls ate dinner, I scanned through Pinterest. I came across this fun little number ::
{Pinterest via Lacy Melville}
It really took me longer to pick out a shirt to practice on than it did make. But I finally chose this one. It’s a favorite of mine, that I’ve had for a couple of years. The neck is a bit stretched out, which made it a good choice ::
Making the tank is super, super easy.
1. Cut off the sleeves at the hem.
2. Cut straight across the top just under the collar.
3. Cut off the bottom hem.
4. Cut one more .5″ strip off the bottom {you’ll use this for your straps}.
You sew a straight line across the front top and front back at the collar line. Here’s an example from the original blogger ::
Honestly, I didn’t even pin my shirt. Lazy, right? But that’s what happens when you start a crafting project right before the kids’ bedtime and the youngins start melting down. Not my smartest idea.
Once you have your stitches done, thread your straps through. This did take a little time, but once I hooked the strap onto a crochet needle, I was able to push it through with little trouble.
{Sorry for the low quality photo – Jon left for work before I could get him to take it. Yay for bathroom pictures, right?}
Seriously, this was such an easy project. And the top has been given a whole new life!
What new projects have you been doing?
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
Learning All About Christ
Posted on: December 2, 2011
- In: Life
- 5 Comments
Yesterday marked the first day of Advent. The girls and I started on our candle ornament from Truth in the Tinsel : An Advent Experience for Little Hands. We read through Isaiah 9, about Jesus coming to bring light into a dark world. We talked about how our hearts are dark from sin, and that only Christ can give us light. I even went so far as to have them stand in my closet, door closed, and lit a match to “bring light” into the darkness. {Thankfully, the house did not burn down.}
Truthfully, taking the above picture was ten times harder than the craft making.
I was a bit under prepared for the first craft. Hannah used up all our glue on purpose {bonus points if you get that reference} and all I was left with was about two inches of Scotch tape. But we made it work! Though, a trip to the store has happened so we are ready for the rest of the month.
I can’t wait to spent the next three weeks talking about Christ, His birth and our redemption.
What’s your Friday joy?
This post contains affiliate links.
- In: Life
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Last year, I was convicted about how our family celebrates Christmas. While we talked about Christ, our focus during the holiday was never fully on Christ. Rather, it was the presents, the decorations and the tinsel of it all. This year we are implementing new traditions, one of which is celebrating Advent.
I had the great pleasure of reviewing Oh Amanda‘s new ebook, Truth in the Tinsel : An Advent Experience for Little Hands.
Amanda provides 24 days of awesome Advent crafts to do with your children. Each craft is an ornament that your child could hang on the tree or, like we are doing, on their own little craft board.
From a candle ornament to cute little sheep, Amanda has provided fun, easy ways to teach your children about Christ’s birth and the real reason for celebrating Christmas. Each day there is a Bible verse to read that correlates with that day’s craft. In addition, Amanda has provided wonderful simple truths to share with your children while you’re making your ornament.
I’ll be honest, the idea of crafting with a 2 and 4 year old every day seems overwhelming with a newborn. But after seeing how easy these ornaments are, if I can do it, anyone can. While Amanda’s versions are simple, your ornaments don’t even need to be anything more than construction paper and crayons {as I am sure many of ours will be}. The biggest thing is spending time each day with your children talking about Christ and shifting the Christmas focus to Him.
On December 1, Amanda is issuing a “challenge” on the Truth in the Tinsel Facebook page to go through the book with your children and post pictures of the crafts you’ve made. It will be a great way to see what others have done and to encourage one another.
If you buy the book today, Black Friday {November 25, 2011}, you will get it for the sale price of $2.99 {regularly $4.99}. The ebook includes daily Bible verses, instructions on how to make the ornaments {along with printables}, and truths to talk about with your children.
Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to help teach your children about Christ’s birth and the reason for the Christmas season.
Buy Truth in the Tinsel today!
Disclosure : This post contains affiliate links.
- In: Life
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Have you met my good friend Pinterest? What’s that? A website can’t be a friend? Au contraire. Pinterest has been a great source of inspiration for me over the last couple of months.
1. Joseph’s name banner
2. Dry erase message board for the girls
3. Race bib display
4. Major awesome onesie for Joseph
5. Fall mantle decorations
6. Quote for the girls’ room {I printed out and framed}
{Pinterest via Jayme Roth Coonce}
7. S’mores, oh the s’mores
{Pinterest via Molly Weesner}
8. Peanut butter ice cream
{Pinterest via Mandi Holcombe}
9. Cloth Wipes
10. Yummy, yummy pancakes
{Pinterest via Tammie Mosley}
How has Pinterest inspired you lately?
Visit Amanda at Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
- In: Life
- 19 Comments
The temperatures in Austin have dropped, and I’m already bringing out my fall clothes!
Ok, not really. The temperatures have dropped, giving us low 90’s instead of 110’s. But, with the exception of two mornings this week {when I went outside and it was still in the low 60’s}, I have not brought out any cold weather clothes. However, for the last few weeks I have been working on making a crocheted scarf.
As part of my 30 before 30, I wanted to learn to crochet. While I specified making a pot holder, I decided to go all out and make a scarf after I found some cute yarn at Hobby Lobby. Here is the end product ::
It’s about 50″ long and 8″ wide. Here’s a better picture to show you the length::
Other than to take these pictures, I haven’t worn the scarf. Which gives me even more reason to want the weather to cool off. I’m super excited to actually wear something that I’ve made. And in public no less!
I got some more fun yarn to make the girls each a scarf for Saint Nicholas Day gifts. So far, those are proving to be even faster projects, since they are quite a bit smaller than mine.
What crafty new adventures have you been up to?
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
- In: Life
- 4 Comments
A while back I made my top ten “nesting” list. While I didn’t call it nesting at the time, I’m pretty certain that is what I should call it. Literally overnight, I went from very blase to complete nester. Seriously, if I could spend all day, every day, preparing for Baby Boy’s arrival I would. Anyways, I’ve been chipping away at my list. Last night, after weeks of pestering kindly asking only once, Jonathan hung my purse hook.
Already I’m loving it. Knowing that my purse is out of reach from little hands and not cluttering the counter or floor has given me this sense of accomplishment. Despite the fact that the only effort I put forth was buying the hook. Still, it has been checked off the list.
I am nearly done with painting Baby Boy’s changing table. I’ve hit a small snag with the weather. Since I’m painting outside {too ensure maximum air circulation}, the temperature has too be below 90. Seems easy, right? Well, since yesterday’s high was 111* and it was 90* by 9am, I’m working with limited time. I’ve been trying to get out there by 7:30am, but then my morning gets thrown off. For now, his changing table stands in our backyard, almost completed, collecting leaves.
What fun projects have you done lately?
Flexing My Crafty Skills
Posted on: August 11, 2011
- In: Life
- 11 Comments
Since making my braided headband, I’ve been trying to really flex my crafty muscles. Be it in the kitchen or something for the house, I am keeping an eye out for what will be a fun little project or adventure.
Recently on Pinterest, I came across this cute idea of turning an unused picture frame into a dry erase board.
The original idea for the board is to be used as a to-do list or menu. I already have a menu/to-do list board, but still really love this idea. I thought it would be really cute as a message board for the girls in their room.
Being the non-scrapbooker, I had no cute paper on hand {which is what the site suggests using}, but I did/do have cute fabric. And I scored double that the fabric goes with the girls’ color scheme.
We always ask the girls “How much do we love you?” and it is met with the reply “too, too much.” I thought it only appropriate to have that as our first message on the board. The fun part is, as the girls get older and start writing, we can turn it into a real “message board” and write notes to each other.
It was super easy to make and allowed me to try something new with low risk {helping me build those crafty muscles!}.
What crafty things have you done lately?
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures.
Visit Jill at Diaper Diaries for more Things I Love Thursday.
A Top Ten To-Do List
Posted on: August 2, 2011
- In: Life
- 11 Comments
{Be sure to enter my giveaway for a copy of The Help}
I’m a planner. If I thought that it was at all reasonable, I’d have the next 5 years of my life planned out. I’ve tried that before. Trust me, it doesn’t work. But, I can plan out certain projects that I want to get done before the end of summer.
1. Paint Baby Boy’s Changing Table – We have the same changing table we used with the girls. It’s a little brown, three tier table. It’s nice, but because of Baby Boy’s new-to-us white crib, the table doesn’t match his room. So I’m setting out to paint the table white. Maybe, just maybe, I might add some blues and greens to it. Maybe.
2. Get a Purse Hook – My purse ends up either on the floor or kitchen counter. Neither place is very good, because it’s either in danger of little hands or taking up space. I’d love to find one like this at a repurpose store ::
3. Add Art/Color to the House – Thanks to pinterest, I’ve got a lot of wonderful ideas. However, I don’t have tons of time or money to see them all through. But, this is one idea that I really love
4. Finish Julia’s Dress – I’m in the process of making a dress for Julia {as part of my 30 before 30}. I’ve stepped away from it for the last several weeks, but I think it’s time to come back to it.
5. Paint Baby Boy’s Room – Currently, one of the walls in Baby Boy’s room is hunter green. And the window valence is a green/red/khaki combo. Not my favorite, as it looks super office-y. We are planning to tone down the green and get new curtains.
6. Plan Julia’s 4th Birthday Party – In my I’m-a-planner nature, I realize that I’m most likely not going to be up for planning Julia’s 4th birthday weeks after Baby Boy makes his arrival. Slowly I’ve been setting aside ideas for her party {going with a princess and knight theme}, so that when the time comes everything is ready to go.
7. Take a mini-vacation – Our family is in need of a little vacation. Nothing major, just a few days away. We are currently looking at visit South Padre at the end of August. Fingers crossed all goes well and we can enjoy beach time together.
8. Plan Julia and Hannah’s Spring School Schedule – We started preschool yesterday. Nothing major, just learning numbers, basic math, ABC’s and introduction to writing/reading. {I do need to brag for a second. Julia totally wrote her own name yesterday!} We started school so early, because I plan to take off November and December. But, before Baby Boy arrives, I want to have the spring planned out, as to not have any excuses for not finishing the school year off strong.
9. Start Christmas/St. Nick Shopping – After last year, we decided to go forward with not exchanging gifts on Christmas. We are celebrating St. Nicholas Day and using that as our gift giving holiday. I am planning to make gifts for our neighbors and have some pretty great ideas going. This one I thought was really cute ::
10. Read More – That seems a bit vague, but I’m really wanting to read a few more good books as the summer ends and fall begins. I’ve gone through two in the last month, so I’m hoping to going through two or three more. Just a little mama time when the girls sleep.
Do you have an end of summer to do list? If so, what’s on it?
Visit Amanda at Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
- In: Life
- 8 Comments
{Be sure to enter my giveaway for a copy of The Help}
I’ve always asserted that I am not creative. You know those people who can look at two pieces of fabric and see a beautiful dress? Yeah, that’s not me. Or those people who plan months in advance for their Christmas card, which turns out to be the best card of the season? Again, not me.
But, Jodi at Life and Oh-La-Dee-Dah has been challenging her readers to do something creative, whatever it may be, throughout the day or week. Every time she shows her way fun creations {or re-creations} I think “I really should do something” and promptly think it’ll be too hard. You know, since I’m not creative.
Friday I came across this headband on pinterest ::
And I found myself thinking “That is so cute, I wish I could do that”, and sighed with defeat. But, the June Cleaver in me decided to toss caution to the wind and just make the headband. If it didn’t turn out, what do I have to loose? Fabric. That’s it.
So I went to town. I grabbed three different sheets of scrap fabric and started cutting, braiding and sewing. I decided to only make one band instead of two, because I’ve found that the bigger the headband the less likely it is to stand in my hair.
Here’s the end result ::
I liked it so much I made one for both girls and another one for me {that is red and black}. Maybe I will take on Jodi’s creativity challenge.
What creative things have you done recently?
Decorating With Letters
Posted on: June 23, 2011
- In: Life
- 19 Comments
Before Julia was born, I found these adorable white wooden ABC letters at Hobby Lobby. Since we had decided on her name, I went ahead a bought the letters to hang in her room. Once Hannah was born, I got the letters for her name too. Since moving {not only from house to house in Iowa, but across the country} the letters have been tucked away in our closet for “later”.
“Later” finally came last week. Inspired by a sign hanging in the girls’ room, we choose the colors.
Jonathan, being the genius that he is, came up with a whole scheme for which letters should be which color:
So I got to work. I laid out all the letters that coordinated with a certain color:
Then I started painting, or spraying, however you want to look at it:
After working most of the morning, this is my end result:
What fun projects have you done lately?
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
Visit Jill at Diaper Diaries for Things I Love Thursday.
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
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