Baby Shower Banner

My cousin contacted me a couple weeks ago and asked if I could make her a fabric banner/bunting for her friend's baby shower.  She also wanted me to put the baby's name on the banner.  This is what I ended up with. 

I started by picking out four different fabrics in coordinating colors.  She requested pink for the baby girl! 

Then I found a template HERE so that my flags would be the perfect size.  I grabbed my rotary cutter, mat, and fabric and got to work cutting flags.

After I cut out my flags, I pinned two together back to back so that the bunting would be double sided.  Then I sewed around the sides using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. 

Then I trimmed each flag with pinking shears to add a cute detail and strength.

Then I pinned the flags to double-fold bias tape approximately 2-3 inches apart and then sewed the flags to the bias tape.

To add the name, I first found a font online that I liked.  I used Marcelle Script. Then I printed her name on card stock and cut out the letters. 

Then I traced the letters onto a small piece of fabric that I ironed onto a Heat n Bond iron-on adhesive.  

Once all letters were traced, I cut them out, peeled off the paper and ironed on to the flags. 

Easy and Cheap DIY Baby Mobile

For Wesley's mobile I created a super easy and super cheap version of some mobiles I saw on Etsy.  If you are a perfectionist, you may want to stop reading because my methods may drive you mad.  This project was done the easiest and quickest way and is in no way perfect.  (you will be able to see that in the detail pics).  But I think it works just fine and  I am very happy with the way it turned out.

DIY Baby Mobile 

What you need to make your own:

construction paper

sewing machine and thread

two small dowels (got ours at Michael's)

fishing line

hot glue gun

small hook to attach to ceiling

paint (optional)

circle punch (optional)

Step 1: Cut out circles

I just used regular old scissors and cut out circles out of regular old construction paper.  They are not perfect circles and I wanted several different sizes, so I just went to town cutting. 

Step 2: Sew circles together

Did you know you can sew paper? Welp you can.  Just feed the circles through like you are sewing anything else and wait a few seconds before you add the next one.  The few seconds in between will create the spacing between your circles. I went completely random in the order I fed the circles through.  

(If you don't have a sewing machine, you could just glue circles to string)

Step 2b: Create separate strings of circles

You can do this two ways.  you can sew one looooong string of circles and then cut the strings at the desired lengths.  Or you can start and stop sewing each new string.  Either way you do it, you want to end up with 17 strings.  If you are more exact than me, you will want to measure your strings and make sure that you have 4 each of 4 various lengths, plus one extra string that is the longest. I just did mine at random lengths (are you beginning to understand my ways?).  

Step 3: Attach dowels together

Optional step: paint dowels first.  I kinda wish I would have painted mine. 

Form an X with your dowels and secure together by wrapping thread or yarn around the center.  I couldn't get mine tight enough so I used hot glue to help bond them together as well as the thread.

Step 4: Attach strings to dowels.  

You will tie one string of sewed circles to the X of your dowels and then four strings on each dowel leg.  I simply tied the thread around the dowel and then secured it in place by adding a drop of hot glue. 

Step 5: Attach fishing line to dowels

This was the tricky part for me.  I couldn't figure out a way to keep the mobile balanced, so I ended up tying fishing line to the ends of each dowel leg (and securing with hot glue).  Then I gather the four strings together above the X and tied them in a knot with a long string of fishing line.  I attached the end of the fishing line to a small hook that screwed into the ceiling. 

  

Chevron Pallet Art

Can I let you in on a little secret?  The reason Jeff gets so many projects done in such a short time is because

  1. he is not a perfectionist 2. he's a genius in creating short cuts.

Case and point: Chevron Pallet Art

First, let me show you what I ended up doing with it. I got some great ideas from a couple friends on how to spruce it up, including adding a neon stripe or cutting out our silhouettes using the scroll saw and hanging them up on the pallet.  I thought those were awesome ideas, but since my secret is that I am inpatient (and i didn't have any neon paint nor did I want to wait to make silhouettes), I ended up with this.

I used three yellow frames I had around the house that weren't really doing much for me in their present state, added a little jute string, and initial tags made from my cricut, and there you have it.

But back to Jeff's secret (not so secret any more).  This project is a perfect example because 

1. The chevrons are not straight

2. he came up with the most genius way of taping off the chevron pattern

This is how jeff taped off the chevron print.  Look at the top portion of the boards.  See how he just taped off diagonal lines creating a basket weave-like pattern?

Then using an exacto knife, he cut away the lines that he didn't need, revealing the chevron print.

I though this was so smart of him because every time I thought about painting something chevron I didn't end up doing it because I knew it would take me forever to tape it off. 

To complete the project, Jeff used an old can of white spray paint and gave the whole thing a light coat making sure that you could see the wood grain through the paint.

And in case you are wondering, this picture shows you how Jeff put the pallets together.  

Scroll Saw Frames

Check out what Jeff whipped up for me last night on the scroll saw!  Aren't these great.  I showed him this picture from the Orange Blossom Etsy shop, and Jeff did the rest.  I love the way they turned out and can't wait to paint them, stick pictures in them, and hang em up!

  

Finger Painted Pillows for Mother's Day

I wanted to show you the gift I made for my mother and mother in law for mother's day.  I wanted to do something that involved Wesley and this idea just came to me a few nights before the big day.  I think it turned out great {I'm actually pretty proud of myself}. It was relatively simple and I think it makes a great handmade gift for grandparents at any occasion.

A few notes about the supplies:

For my fabric, I used an old white sheet.

It is almost necessary to have a helper (other than your artist)  

I just taped regular computer paper to our dining room table. If I were to do it again, I might use glossy photo paper because when I transferred the paint to the fabric, some of the paper came with it. It eventually came off but to avoid that issue another type of paper would work better.  Or if you had some plexi-glass or other type of material hanging around, that would probably work to.

 

I don't have a good picture of this step (I was washin the baby), but this is really the key for getting the look I got on my fabric.  I don't think you can really mess this step up, but don't try to finger paint directly on the fabric.  I mean, I guess you could, but I don't recommend it.  I think you get a cooler, more abstract result by transferring the image. 

Here is a good pillow tutorial for you: Click Me.  I am no expert sewer.

And tada! You are done. It was a total hit with the grandmas.  I actually wish I had made a few more for myself.