namesake design

I Heart Crafting

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

The second Iron Craft project of the year was to create something with hearts. I have been pretty busy lately (did you notice that I didn't manage to post a single blog post last week?) and didn't have much time to dedicate to the heart challenge. I did come up with an easy project that I could whip up without sewing, painting, or gluing a thing - magnetic doodle picture frames.

To make them I used magnetic printer paper (left over from this project), drew my doodle style designs with a sharpie, and cut out holes for the pictures. Each one incorporates hearts in some way. This project also gave me a way to display some of my Christmas card photos - the family (my family ) and the two kiddos side by side (my niece and nephew) are from Christmas cards. I plan to make a few more of these as a way to display some of the other adorable photos that arrived in our mailbox in December.

Another Work in Progress

2012-01-19T21:05:00.000-05:00

So I am back with another Thrifty Thursday post. I wish I had a great "after" post to share, but this week's find is another work in progress to add to my collection. I have been working on it since I bought it (via Craigslist for $150).

I could not resist its mid-century lines. What I am not a fan of is the color. I have already sanded and stained it a darker color. I also painted the shelves black as well as some parts of the lower cabinet. I removed the back and plan to paint and stencil a yellow and white pattern on to it this weekend.

If all goes according to plan I should have at least one "after" project to share with you next week.

An Interactive Globe

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I would be participating in the 2012 Iron Craft Challenge. Today is posting day and I am excited to share my spin on the challenge to "Create something with paper." I spun the challenge by making something with magnetic paper. The project was super simple and feels a bit unworthy of the two week time allotment...but not all good crafty endeavors have to be complicated.

So what did I make? Little magnetic flags for my son's vintage globe. I bought him the globe for Christmas at a local thrift store. He had been wanting a globe and I loved the antique feel of this one. He likes to look at the globe occasionally, but its not exactly the most interactive toy. To make it a little bit more interesting and engaging, I made little world flag magnets that he can stick all over the globe.

To make the magnets, I used google images and searched world flags. I cut and pasted an images of all of the flags into a word document then printed it on magnetic printer paper (Staples Brand). I cut the flags out and started stuck them all over the globe. I also printed out a key (not pictured) so that I will be able to tell my curious four year old where all the flags go. As you can see, I still have a lot of flags to cut out.

Seeing Yellow

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm finding it hard to get into the swing of things. All those long weekends filled with holiday cheer left me a little dazed. I am slowly returning to the real world, and to blogging. This year I am going to try to post three times a week. I like the idea of assigning themes or topics to days of the week (i.e. Thrifty Thursdays). I am still trying to ~~figure~~ plan it all out, and you should see some consistency in the coming months.

Please let me know which posts you like, or could live without, by leaving a comment.

Today I have some really cool thrifty finds to share. Oddly enough they are all yellow and all came from the same store, Value Village. I only bought one, you can probably guess by the pictures (hint, hint - its the one in my back yard). I wish I had space for all three, especially the metal bentwood style chairs. They were $7 a piece and in great condition. They could have been so cute in my breakfast room, after a coat of red or turquoise spray paint.

This campaign dresser was a steal at $30. It was in great condition and I think the color is original.

The find that made it home with me - this yellow faux bamboo chair. Its already been painted and soon it will have a new seat. I promise to share the after next week.

Have you scored any great thrifty finds lately? Do tell.

A Year of Challenges

2011-12-28T14:48:00.000-05:00

The 2011 Iron Craft Challenge has come to an end. Although I didn't manage to complete the last project of the year, I did manage to complete 50% of all of the challenges. I know this would equate to a failing grade, but I still feel pretty good about what I accomplished.

I actually use a lot of the things I created in 2011. I guess I am a pretty practical crafter. I think my favorite projects of the bunch are my gnome light, cork coffee cozy, and school bus pillow. The project with the biggest viral reach was my peep topiary which was featured on Craft! How about you, do you have a favorite? Did you make your own versions of any of my Iron Craft Creations?

In 2012 participants will have two weeks to complete their projects. With fewer projects and more time to complete them I should be able to meet every challenge this year. The first challenge is to make something with paper. Its not too late to join the crafting fun, and you don't have to have a blog to participate. Click here for the details.

Handmade Gifts for Co-workers

2011-12-20T22:01:00.001-05:00

I may have mentioned that I have a new job. I work for a charitable foundation and although its not an outlet for my artistic interests, I really enjoy my work. I have been getting little gifts from co-workers since last week. Most gifts have been baked goods or candy. I don't really like to bake so I decided to make something for each of my new colleagues. I came up with magnets that are yet another spin on the "keep calm and carry on"poster. Since we are in the business of giving grants I made "keep calm and grant on" magnets.

Here's how to make your own:

Step 1: Create an image in Word and print it out on card stock.
Step 2: Cut out your image. I use a paper cutter to get really straight cuts.
Step 3: Cut a rectangle (same size as the paper) out of balsa wood. I used a really think sheet of balsa that I was able to cut with scissors.
Step 4: Attach the paper to the balsa wood with Elmer's spray glue.
Step 5: Apply a thin coat of Modge Podge to the top of the magnet.
Step 6: Use hot glue to attach a magnet to the balsa wood side. I cut up several free magnets from realtors and reused them.

I wrapped each magnet in cellophane, added a candy cane, and attached gift tags (free download here) with some red yarn.

What gifts are you making this holiday season, would you ever make gifts for co-workers?

I want a pony for Christmas

2011-12-16T09:24:00.002-05:00

Where did the week go? I am totally caught up in the holiday rush. I have a million things to get done by next weekend. I spent most of my free time this week working on finishing up a special project for my daughter. If you have been reading my blog for the last couple of weeks you know that many of the gifts my kids are receiving for Christmas are handmade or are spruced up (or just really cool) thrift store finds. The gift I worked on this week is really special. It started out as this.

An un finished, solid wood, sweet little rocking horse. After priming and lots of painting she has been transformed to this. I know Beatrice is going to love her! I still need to give her a clear coat of poly, but I couldn't wait to share.

How will this thrifty find impact the charitable giving bottom line? I bought this little pony for $6. Anything close from a store costs $75-$250! That's a whole lot more money to give away this holiday.

Thirfty Thursday Vintage Toys

2011-12-09T12:04:00.001-05:00

I didn’t repurpose or remake any part of this week’s thrifty find, but I think both are still worth sharing. If you read this post last Thursday (on its regularly scheduled day), you know about my plan to not just buy presents for my children this Christmas, but to also make and buy second hand gifts. I plan to donate the savings (what I would have spent on new similar gifts) to charity, along with my regular holiday donation.

I was super excited to find this vintage globe at one of my favorite thrift stores for $6.00. It is in great condition and has so much charm. I love the colors and the astrological signs on the base. Some of the countries no longer exist, i.e. the USSR, but I think it will still be a great educational tool. Its metal and magnetic so I plan to make little magnets that he can stick on it to make it more interactive (more on that next week).

For my daughter I picked up a vintage-esque fisher price phone for $1.90. I think it’s a newer version that is made to look older. It too is in excellent condition. Beatrice loves pull toys and loves phones so I know it is going to be a hit.

Because both toys are oddly shaped I decided to make reusable fabric drawstring bags to wrap them in. A friend of mine is very environmental conscious and wraps all of her family’s their gifts this way. I love wrapping paper and my kids love tearing it, so I probably won’t totally transition to this gift wrapping method, but I do plan to use it for at least 1/3 of the gifts under the tree.

Ok, now for the tally of savings/money to donate to charity.

This globe was the closest thing I could find to my globe. Its price tag of $49 minus the $6 I spent on my globe = $43 additional dollars for charity.

I found the latest version of the Fisher Price phone for $11. $11 minus $1.90 = $9.10 additional dollars for charity.

$43 + 9.10 +28 (from the stroller last week) = 80 additional dollars for charity! I am just getting started so check back next week for more thrifty gift ideas.

A Thrifty Christmas

2011-12-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

I am approaching gift giving a little bit differently this holiday. My children have more toys than they know what do with, and I am a little tired of the push to buy, buy, buy. I want to teach my children that a gift or anything for that matter doesn't have to be bright and shiny, or be the "must have" gift, to be one of value.

My son will get some of the things that he has asked for, and my daughter (who can’t talk yet) will get a few things that she will surely love too. However, this year, in addition to one or two store bought toys, they (and their cousins) will also each get a few handmade gifts (made by me or from small businesses) and several second hand gifts. I plan to add the money I would have normally spent on them to my annual donation to a local charity.

It’s a win-win all around. The kids will have a wonderful Christmas and hopefully they will appreciate the bright and shiny store bought toys and the creative and unique toys equally; we will be able to give more to those truly in need this holiday; not to mention the fact that buying second hand items is good for the environment.

This week’s Thrifty Thursday project is a thrift store find that is being gifted to my 19 month old niece. I have been on the look out for a used baby doll stroller for a while and found one in excellent condition this past weekend for $3. Of course I forgot to take a picture before I went to work on it, but it looked similar to this, Disney princesses and all. The only difference is that mine is pink with purple wheels.

To spiff it up, first I cleaned it with Clorox wipes and a Magic Eraser (to remove scuff marks). Next, I removed the cheap Disney princess themed seat. I used it as a template to make a new mod seat with cotton fabric. I was able to reuse the little strap that holds dolly in place. Isn't it adorable? My daughter is in love with it and I had to hide it from her.

The total project took me about an hour. I found a new version of the stroller on Amazon for $28. That’s $25 additional dollars for the holiday charity fund!

Throughout the month of December I’ll be sharing other thrifty gift finds, my savings, and the running total of my holiday giving fund. Have you ever given a secondhand gift? Would you?

Counting the Days Until Christmas

2011-11-30T08:31:00.000-05:00

I spent a significant portion of my Thanksgiving holiday working on advent calendars for my kids. I have been wanting to put my own spin on the advent calendar and just needed a little inspiration. This week's iron craft challenge to make a wreath was just the inspiration I needed. I actually made two wreaths. One for each child.

To make each wreath I used an artificial wreath I found at a thrift store; white, red, green and light blue felt; heat n bond, silver thread, and five Christmas fabrics. I made 24 felt and fabric ornaments with little pockets to hold treats (candies, stickers, etc.). To make each wreath I:

Used a cup as a template and traced and cut 36 felt circles (12 circles cut in half for pockets).
Attached heat n bond to my fabric and cut out 24 circles of fabric.
Used the iron to attached the fabric circles to the felt circles.
Pinned a half felt circle to the felt side of each full circle and top stitched it on the sewing machine to create a little pocket on the back of each fabric ornament.
Free hand cut felt numbers (1-24) and glued them to the top of each ornament.
Threaded the top of each ornament with silver thread and hung them on the wreath.
Hung the first letter (made from felt) of each child's name in the center of each wreath with some coordinating ribbon.

Table Toppers

2011-11-23T10:37:00.000-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, this week's Iron Craft Challenge was to make something for the table i.e. napkin rings, runners, center pieces etc. I am not hosting Thanksgiving at my house, so I decided to make something for my Christmas table instead. Last year my table was very colorful and whimsical. This year I am planning a more sophisticated setting using gold and white. After digging through my craft stash I found what I needed to make votives for my Christmas table: plain glass votives, gold glitter, painters tape, and Elmer's spray glue.

I taped off the bottom part of the votive, leaving a band of exposed glass around the top. Next, I inserted a piece of white paper into the votive (to keep glue from getting inside the votive), then I sprayed the exposed glass with glue. I shook glitter over the glass, let it dry and removed the tape. They are sparkly and sophisticated, and I may have to cook a fancy dinner between now and Christmas as an excuse to use them.

Rattan

2011-11-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

I love the look of rattan, don't you?

via

This week's Thrifty Thursday find was actually a gift - two rattan chairs that have graced the homes of my grandmother and mom, my college apartment, and my sister's first house (while I lived in California). Since they were free to me and in need of some fixing up, I am counting them as "thrifty". When I got the chairs, I didn't really appreciate rattan and relegated the chairs to the porch. Then I saw a pair of amazing rattan chairs painted glossy black at a show house. I think I painted my chairs that same weekend.

Here's the before...

and here's the after... I spray painted them glossy black and covered the cushions with a coral printed burlap-esque fabric.

To quote the needle point pillow (made by my dad for my mom), I love them madly.

Scrappy Holiday

2011-11-16T21:04:00.001-05:00

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week! We are going to a friend's house so I don't have to worry about cooking or decorating. With Turkey Day covered, I can turn my attention to Christmas. I know its early, but I love Christmas and I have so many ideas for decorations, activities for the kids, handmade gifts etc. This week's Iron Craft Challenge, create something handmade for the holidays, gave me an excuse to start my Christmas crafting early.

I was inspired by this image I found on Pinterest.

To make mine, I used an embroidery hoop I had left over from this project and l scraps of red and green fabric and ribbon that I had in my stash. I cut the fabric into 1 inch wide x 5 inch long strips and tied them to the hoop. I topped it off with a gingham print ribbon. I plan to add a little bird to mine to but haven't gotten to it yet. I won't be hanging the wreath until December, but when I do its going on the back door in my kitchen.

Have you started crafting for the holidays? Share your projects on the namesake design Facebook page.

Thrifty Thursday

2011-11-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

I love a good thrifting find, don't you? When I lived in Richmond I had more than a few favorite places for thrifting. I recently left my job in Richmond which means that I won't be making the drive south once a week, and I won't get to pop into my favorite thrift stores. At least I'll get to live vicariously through Richmond Thrifter. This great blog is all about a very crafty Richmonder's thrifty finds and projects.

I have been exploring the thrift stores in my new hood and I have found two that I love! Unique Thrift and Value Village. They are both huge mega thrift store chains that sell everything! I am taking a little bit of time off in between jobs, and yesterday I got to spend some time looking for deals.

I found so much stuff that I have decided to add a regular weekly post about my thrifty finds. Today, I am so excited to share my son's new library book cart. Elliot has a ton of books and I am always on the lookout for nice solid wood bookcases. I was SUPER excited when I spotted this little book cart tucked deep within a stack of furniture at Value Village.

It is the perfect size, has casters, and is solid wood. The price of $8.50 sealed the deal. As soon as I got it home I cleaned it, sanded it, and painted it with the paint that I had left over from Elliot's bed (Benjamin Moore's Old Navy).

Land of Nod sells a similar cart (below), with only one slanted shelf for $199. I also found an almost identical cart on a library supply site for $225!

I'll be sharing more great goodies every Thursday! Do you have an amazing thrifty find to share? Post pics and details on the Namesake Design Facebook page.

My Little Chipmunk

2011-11-01T10:33:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween! Sorry its a day late. Last week for me was one of times in life that made me grateful for everything I have, and made me want to hold and hug my children extra tight. I would have given anything to have been able to get wrapped up in the pre-Halloween festivities of pumpkin carving, crafting, and decorating; and I know a dear friend of mine wishes the same for herself.

I don't want to go into anymore detail, other than to say that by last night I was pretty emotionally drained. I did manage to get it together to take the kids trick or treating. I am really glad that I made their outfits early this year, otherwise I would have been desperately trolling the aisles of Target on Sunday night. At 5:45 PM the hubby and I headed out into the Maryland suburbs with Batman and his sidekick, Chipmunk. Dressing up Beatrice as a chipmunk was Elliot's idea. We have a little family of them living in our back yard and he thinks they are very cute.

I modeled her outfit off the Pottery Barn Kids style costumes. She even had a matching acorn candy bag. Originally I made her a hat with ears but she absolutley refused to wear in during our first costume fitting. So instead I attached little ears to barrettes. In the end, they were much cuter than the hat and she didn't mind them at all. It didn't take Beatrice long to get into Trick or Treating. She love following Batman up to every door and seemed to put a lot of thought into her candy selection. By the end of the night she was so tired that she tried to climb into her crib with with her costume on!

Batman!

2011-10-06T15:23:00.000-04:00

I knew it would happen sooner or later. I just figured he would wait until he was at least 6. When I asked what he wanted to be for Halloween, Elliot responded, “Batman.” There are a million Batman costumes available in the stores, but I am committed to making my children’s costumes for as long as they will let me.

I based Elliot’s costume on this “old school batman image.

Here’s what you’ll need to get the same look.

½ yard of black vinyl
Self-adhesive Velcro (black)
A grey long sleeve tee shirt
Grey leggings (I found mine in the girls department at Wal-Mart)
Blue polyester (think cheerleader uniform fabric). I found mine at Jo-Ann’s.
½ yard yellow cotton (found in the quilting section)
¼ yard black cotton ( I had enough in my scraps)
Heat-N-Bond

First up the no-sew components of the costume.

Shirt: I used Heat-N-Bond to fuse the bat symbol (made with black and yellow fabric) to a the grey shirt. I used the image below as my template. A tip when using Heat N Bond or a similar product for applique: trace the image onto the Heat N Bond non shiny side (which is pretty transparent) then iron the fabric to the Heat N Bond before cutting out the image. I cut a solid oval out of yellow, applied the bat to it, then applied both to the shirt. I plan to top stitch the applique after Halloween so that the shirt will be able to hold up to frequent washing.

Arm and Leg Cuffs: I measured the diameter of Elliot’s arms and legs and added 2 inches. I also measured the distance from his wrist to his elbow and ankle to knee, and subtracted 1.5 inches from both. I used those measurements to cut out 4 vinyl rectangles. Next I cut a zigzag pattern across the top of each piece. I wrapped them around his arms to figure out where to place the self-adhesive Velcro.

Mask: I free handed and cut out the mask. I punched holes in it to attach an elastic band.

Now for the elements that required sewing

Cape: I used on of Elliot’s hoodies as a template to create two pieces of fabric, one for each side of the hood. Next, I sewed them together (right side facing in). Then I cut 4 triangles (3 inches wide and 4 inches tall) and sewed them together (long side to long sides – short side left open) to create two triangles. I turned them inside out and used them as templates to create cardboard triangles, which I cut out and inserted into the fabric triangles. I cut two slits (2.5 inches each) in the “hood” I then turned the hood inside out and pinned the open side of the triangle into the slits. The points of the triangles were on the right side of the fabric. I used the sewing machine to secure the triangles to the hood. Next I flatted the top of the hood by sewing a seam between the back of each triangle base (this is hard to explain but I think the picture makes sense).

Next I hemmed the raw edge along the front of the hood.

The last step was to add the actual cape. I measured the length of my son shoulders to floor to determine the length of the cape. I used the bottom edge of the hood for the measurement of the top of the cape and added 12 inches for the bottom of the cape.

Pin the cape and the hood together and use a straight stitch on the machine to attached them to each other.

The polyester doesn’t fray so there is no need to hem the raw edges. I cut a reversed scallop edge along the bottom of the cape. The cape attaches to the shirt with snaps.

Underoos: I am not sure what else to call these. To make mine I used a pair of Elliot’s pants as a template. And sewed little shorts. I had him try them on then drew the line to cut them to create underoos. I finished them off by hemming the edges. They kind of look like hot pants.

Belt: To make the belt. I measured Elliot’s waist then added 3 inched to the measurement. I then cut out a rectangle using his waist measurement +3" for the length and 9 inches for the width. I folded the rectangle in half lengthwise and ironed it. Then I folded each side of the crease (lengthwise) and ironed those sections too. I folded the outside creases in, then folded the center crease to create a long strip with no raw edges along the long sides. I folded the ends, pressed them with the iron, then top stitched the whole thing. I used Velcro to secure it around Elliot’s waist. You could do the same thing without sewing if you use a non-fraying material such as felt or vinyl.

I plan to make Elliot a matching treat bag with "Pow!" or "Bam!" on it. I'll be working on Beatrice's costume this weekend. I'll give you a couple of hints. It is not related to Batman, It is something cute, and it is something we have in our neighborhood. Care to take guess?

Graveyard Bell Jar

2011-10-05T10:17:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that Halloween is a favorite holiday of many crafters. I am no exception. Every year I try to create a few decorations to add to my stash. Last year my favorite crafts included a tissue paper garland and trick or treat banner. My first creation this season was inspired by this week's Iron Craft Challenge to create something with a glass vessel or container. I went to my favorite local thrift store in search of inspiration, and came home with an assortment of figurines and a clock with a glass dome.

After some removing of tape from the glass on the clock, dismantling, painting, and embellishing I had a spooky little bell jar terrarium. My husband thinks its bizarre. I think its fun. I am on the hunt for another vessel to house the other figurines I bought (a pair of owls and a little tree stump).

After removing the clock parts, I spray painted the base of the clock glossy black. I painted the figurine with acrylic craft paint and glued a little scrap of fabric to her hat to create a veil. I used black card stock to create the fence and a styrofoam meat tray to make the head stone. The ground cover is Spanish moss.

A New Normal

2011-09-29T10:03:00.000-04:00

ArtByMarinaPetro

I haven't felt much like crafting, decorating or blogging in the past couple of weeks. I don't usually get too personal on this blog, but I wanted to let you know why I haven't been around. Last week my husband and I took our sweet pup, Zsi-Zsi, to the vet for the last time. She had an infected tumor in her mouth, leukemia, and failing kidneys. It was one of the hardest, saddest things I have ever experienced. We held her and and comforted her until the very end.

My mother gave me Zsi-Zsi at the end of my junior year of college. She was a wonderful companion. We made two cross country trips and lived in five different states together. She adored my husband and learned to love our children. I was very lucky to have had her in my life and I miss her dearly.

I wasn't quite prepared for the deep pain and sadness that accompanies the loss of a pet. Each day that passes makes things easier and we are slowly getting used to a new normal that doesn't include the routines of letting the dog out, feeding her, walking her, and snuggling with her after the kids go to bed. After experiencing this loss, its hard to imagine ever having another dog; knowing that someday we would be back in this place. But then I remember all of the love she gave us and how she completed our family. Someday we will have another dog, but there will always be a place in my heart for my sweet little puli.

A Super Fun Time

2011-09-16T15:10:00.001-04:00

Sorry for being MIA for almost 2 weeks! No, I wasn't camping out for the Missoni sale. I was planning and preparing for my son's 4th birthday, which was followed by a quick get away with the hubby to Quebec. I'll post more on the trip next week.

First up a super hero party for my super kid! We threw a small party and only invited three other couples, their kids, and Elliot's grandparents. Even though the party was small, it was big on fun! Although it may look like I went all out, this party came together very easily.

You may recall the invite which set the theme for the party.

After spending some serious time on Pinterest gathering ideas, I got to work. The big projects for the party included a "picture booth" prop that was inspired by a vintage comic book cover, goody bags which included handmade crayon rolls, bunting made from super hero post cards (available here), cake toppers, and Elliot's "4" shirt. I started working on the projects early so that I wouldn't be overwhelmed. On the day of the party all I had to do was pick up balloons, hang the decorations, and order pizzas!

For those of you that are interested in the details...

Photo Booth Prop: I painted over the dinosaur prop I created last year and added a second hole so that two kids could be in the picture. Its made out of a thin sheet of particle board, and the holes for the faces were cut using a jigsaw. I used this image as my inspiration. Sorry Superman, maybe you'll make the cut next year.

Goody Bags: The bags, squirt guns, monster finger puppets, and stickers are from Target. I found the Marvel super hero fabric at Hancock Fabric. A great tutorial to make similar roll-ups can be found here.

"4" Shirt: Every year I make a number shirt to correspond with the party theme. I used Batman fabric (also found at Hancock) to make this shirt. To make your own shirt:

iron a 5 X 7 piece of fabric on to Heat n Bond Ultra Hold;
print the desired number in the desired font on a piece of card stock;
cut out the card stock number;
use the card stock number as a pattern and trace it onto the fabric;
cut out the fabric number;
peel off the Heat n Bond paper; and
iron the number on to a shirt.

I use a sewing machine to top stitch (with a zig-zag) my numbers but this is not necessary.

Postcard bunting: These were super easy to make and the kids loved looking at all of the comics. All I did was sew the postcards between wide, double folded bias tape. I also made a "happy birthday" birthday banner, and book-ended "happy birthday" with more postcards. I didn't come close to using all of the post cards in the box and have more than enough to use for thank you notes.

The cake: I got the idea for the cake on Pinterest. Last year I made and decorated the cake with fondant, which took forever. This year I ordered a yellow cake and made my own cake toppers. To make the toppers, I used Microsoft Word to create the images, printed them on card stock, cut them out, then mounted them on small pieces of foam board. I stuck the pointy end of a wooden kabob skewer (painted white) into the foam board and the other end into the cake. The most difficult part of the project was convincing the bakery that I wanted just icing on the cake and no other decorations.

I made a few extra signs and stuck them in bowls of candy that served double duty as centerpieces.

This isn't the last super hero post of the year! Elliot wants to be Batman for Halloween so stay tuned for my DIY super hero fun.

Mad About Madras

2011-09-01T10:04:00.000-04:00

Look what came in the mail yesterday! 13+ yards of Madras. What am I going to make with it?

Here's a hint...

Yep, I'm making curtains for my son's room.

I loved these the minute I saw them in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. At $69 per panel (on sale now for $55) they would cost me a total of $414, not including tax and shipping ($330 on sale). That's a bit more than I wanted to spend so I started search the Internet for Madras fabric. I was super excited to find Atlantis Fabric. They have a huge selection and most of their Madras is $10 or less per yard.

My curtains will cost about 1/2 the SALE price of the Pottery Barn Kids version! I'll be busy sewing this weekend and hope to have pics to share with you next week.

Oh, and I promise to post pics of the Master Makeover by the end of the week!

Sweet Dreams

2011-08-31T17:14:00.000-04:00

Last night I made this sweet little sign for my the door to my daughter's room. I have been wanting to make it for a while and this week's Iron Craft Challenge to make something with a book, was the push I needed. It wasn't a hard project, just one of many little projects in the to-do pile.

To make the sign I applied scanned and printed images from an old nursery rhyme book (that I picked up at a garage sale for 50 cents) to a door knob sign from Michaels. I did not use the original images because I plan to use them for other projects (birthday cards, onesies, gift tags etc.)

The book is filled with other wonderful images that I have started scanning. You can see more via this Flickr album.

As is often the case with a first time creation, I plan to make adjustments to this project the next time around. To make it look a bit more professional I plan to superimpose the words on top of the images before printing. I would also like to Modge Podge the top part of the sign with a fun scrapbooking paper - like a cute polka dot. I plan to make more of these, and when I do I'll let you know what the next version looks like.

On a completely different topic, I am in need of a new camera. Mine is no longer functional and I am relying on my iPhone to take pictures. Do you love your camera? I am looking for recommendations. I want something that is affordable, easy to use but not too basic, and most importantly - takes great pictures. Thanks in advance for your feedback/advice!

Back to School Pillow Project

2011-08-24T12:22:00.000-04:00

For this week's Iron Craft Challenge (which seems to have become more of an every other week challenge for me) we were asked to make something transportation inspired. With the school buses resuming their routes in the neighborhood this week, and my son's great interest and excitement about school (even though he still has a couple years left of preschool) - I decided to make him a school bus pillow.

First I drew my bus onto the yellow fabric. I then cut it out, traced it, and cut out a second bus using a soft denim (I didn't have enough yellow fabric).
Next, I cut three strips of yellow fabric (each about 18 inches long and three inches wide). I sewed the three strips together to make one long strip. I pinned the long strip around the yellow bus (wrong side to wrong side) then attached the denim bus the same way. You can see a good step by step tutorial of a similar process here (I actually found this tutorial after I made my bus. I am glad other bloggers think to take pictures of their projects in process!)
I then stitched the long strip to both buses. I did not close off the opening where the strip ends met. I used the opening to turn the pillow right side out. Next I applied Heat N Bond to black and red fabric. I cut out my embellishments (windows, tires, stop sign etc) and ironed them on to the bus.
Once all of the embellishments were attached I filled the pillow with fluff and hand stitched the small opening closed.

Elliot loves the bus, but so does his little sister! I am going to have to make another fun pillow for her. I also want to make more transportation inspired pillows for Elliot - I think a stop sign and a stop light would also be really cute.

Owl Mobile

2011-08-23T15:37:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the mobile I made for my daughter's nursery? I used all of the cards I received when she was born to make the butterflies. She still loves it and wakes up every morning "talking" to her butterflies.

I recently made a variation of the mobile using owls made out of scrapbooking paper. I used two owl shapes that I found searching google images for owl silhouettes.

When I made her the mobile she didn't know if she was having a boy or a girl. She had a boy and they fit his Midcentury Mod Meets Woodland nursery perfectly. To make your own click here.

Master Makeover - Art Collection Installation

2011-08-22T19:57:00.002-04:00

Close-ups from my collection of Japanese prints

When planning for my Master Makeover I knew that I wanted to include four original Japanese prints in the design. Two were given to me by my mother and two by my Uncle (my Dad's younger brother). Although all of the prints work well in the room, the original frames did not. They were a variety of colors, the mats were aged, and one of the frames was damaged. re-framing all of the art was not in my budget so I took a more cost effective approach; I dismantled each piece, spray painted all of the frames the same color (Rust-o-leum Stone), had new bright white mats cut, and put everything back together. The total cost was less than $100 (I could have easily spent $500+ having it all re-framed) and the end result now looks like a cohesive collection rather than a random assortment of prints. The color of the spray paint is somewhere in between the greys in the curtain fabric and brown on the headboard.

Before paint and new mats

wood, plastic, and gilded frames were all represented...

I hung one on the wall between the bathroom and my closet, one on the wall between the two windows (sorry the pic is so dark), and two prints over the bed.

I think I need to edit the dresser styling

I plan to bring one more piece of art into the room. I spotted this amazing abstract on Pinterest, and I am going to try to recreate it. Don't worry, I won't make you wait for me to take on an oil painting before posting pics of the room reveal. You can expect to see those later this week.

Calling All Heroes..

2011-08-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

I am feeling a bit defeated and could use a super hero. Actually, my sister is the one who needs the hero. She is back in the hospital receiving more treatment for GBS. She still has paralysis, her 17 month old can't visit her in the hospital, and on top of all of that her basement flooded a couple of days ago! Yes, the basement that I organized and decorated, that she says she dreams about from her hospital bed, it flooded. Carpet ruined. Baseboards soaked. Its just a big mess and the last thing she needs to deal with right now. I just hope the insurance claim can be expedited so that it can put back together before she leaves the hospital. I know it could be worse. She will get better, the flood wasn't a fire, and her daughter won't remember this time they have spent apart. Still it sucks and I wish I could do more to help her.

I am hopeful that my sis will be recovered in time for two special occasions in September, a dear friend's wedding and Elliot's 4th birthday. Elliot likes to tell people that his name is Batman. I know that if he could save the day and make his aunt better, he would. To celebrate we are throwing our super guy, a super hero themed party. I have been pinning all kinds of ideas and inspiration on Pinterest, and I already made and sent out the invitations.

I hope my sister has hers hanging by her bed. Because I know, even though it won't make her better, it will make her smile.

Because Pictures Need Captions

2011-08-11T14:34:00.000-04:00

I am working on the decorations for a baby shower and I am using napkins with this on it as my inspiration. I'll post pics of all of the decor next week. In the mean time, I thought you might like a sneak peek. One element of the decor (the menu item displays) are doing double duty - at the end of the shower they will go home with the guests as favors.

Guests can put whatever pictures they want into the frames and add their own captions, like this:

These were super easy and economical to make. To make your own you'll need the following:

Unfinished frames (I got mine for $1 at Michaels), scrapbooking paper (1 sheet per frame), Mode Podge, a paint brush, scissors, pen or pencil, glue, and mini paper clips (I got mine here).

Step 1: Remove insert from frame and trace inside and outside onto the back of the scrapbooking paper.
Step 2: Cut out the traced image.
Step 3: Apply a thin coating of Modge Podge to the front of the frame with a paint brush.
Step 4: Line up the paper with the fame and smooth it on to the Modge Podged surface. Use your paint brush to apply a coat of Modge Podge to the top of the paper. Some bubbles may appear, but they will smooth out as the paper dries.
Step 5: Glue on the clothes pins. I used clear Tacky glue and let it dry over night.

I basically set up an assembly line and was able to make six frames while watching TV one evening. Cute huh? Have you done anything fun with Modge Podge lately? Oh, and what do you think about my slightly snarky baby shower inspiration.

A Room to Heal In

2011-07-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

Sorry I was MIA this week. I took a last minute trip to West Virginia to visit my sister and help cheer her up. You see, a few weeks ago she woke up with a strange numbness in her feet. A couple of days later she was hospitalized and practically paralyzed. Needless to say were all terrified and baffled by her mysterious and scary condition. A spinal tap (that was successful after 4 attempts!) confirmed the diagnoses - Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS). Thankfully, GBS is treatable. Unfortunately, it temporarily cripples its victims and requires months (sometimes even years) of recovery. All signs seem to indicate that my sister's recovery will be on the shorter end of the spectrum (not that a few months is a short period of time).

I got a teary call from my sister last Friday and I quickly made plans to visit her this week (Tuesday through Friday). In addition to helping with the cooking, cleaning, and taking care of my sis; I set out to organize and decorate one room in her house. How can a person recover if the space they are in isn't bright and comforting. I decided to tackle her basement/family room. I cleaned, organized and decorated. It was a big project, but well worth it!

The first area I tackled was the office. I rearranged the furniture, took the posters off the walls, created a gallery wall with framed art work the owned, organized the desk, created a giant pin board, and brought in some new lighting. To hide the cluttered storage on the wire shelves (below) I created a slip cover for the unit using the existing curtains in the room. I also found a new home for the mailing tubes - an unused planter I found in the yard (cleaned and spray painted of course).

Next, I focused on the area between the office and the living area. We brought a large bookcase down from their dining room, styled and organized the bookcase, and swapped out the concert poster with some wall hangings I found stacked on a shelf by the fire place. In addition to wanting to visual separate the office from the living area, I wanted to make the space more kid friendly. I found the perfect solution in a play tent. I used two twin flat sheets and a hula hoop to make this tent. Check out my "sew easy" pattern here.

front of the play tent

view from the living area to the office area

Next, it was on to the living area...

The living area felt a bit crowded with all of those bookcases and curtains around the TV. I moved the long bookcase on the left to a spot behind the couch and moved the one with the drawer to the laundry room. To add a little color to the room I painted the remaining bookcase a glossy green. A small stool/ottoman was placed by the TV to keep the little one from getting to the wires and a toy chest (a thrift store find I sewed a liner for) was brought in to store toys.

the toy bin (don't worry they'll baby proof the outlet)

bookcase behind the couch

I think the window treatments made for the biggest transformation. I lined bamboo shades with the brown curtains and sewed a simple valance for the existing curtain rods. They look so much cleaner and make the room feel much bigger!

The last area I addressed was the fire place...

I didn't really do much here. Just cleaned and organized. I used art and other objects I found around the house to dress up the mantle. The sliding door by the mantle (not pictured in the before photo) also had dark brown curtains. I whipped up some much lighter curtains (with flat sheets!) and hung them at the same level as the tops of the windows. I swear this instantly added a foot of height to the ceiling.

I am really glad that I was able to help my sister and her family. I loved working on her basement and its got me thinking about a possible career as a professional organizer. Hopefully the next time I visit my sis we will be able to tackle a design project together.

my darling niece and her favorite new thing in the room

From Gilded to Glossy

2011-07-25T11:38:00.000-04:00

My mother gave me me this mirror that she ~~didn't like~~ "didn't have a place for" in her house. When I showed it to my husband he made it clear that it would not be adorning any of the walls in our house either. He had a similar reaction (as did my running buddy) when I grabbed this hideous a framed print out of a neighbor's trash one morning and brought it home with me. Although I too wasn't keen on the gold frames or the freaky historical figure print (does anyone know who this guys is?), I really liked both frames and knew they could be transformed with a little paint.

So I cleaned them up and spray painted them white (Rustoleum White Enamel). I swapped out creepy historical guy with a piece of foam core covered with the geometric print I used here. I stuck a few straight pins through the fabric and foam to create a place to store and display some of my jewelry. Not only do I love the fresh white paint on both pieces, but I like the way the ornate mirror is balanced by the simple clean lines of the jewelry holder.

My husband actually likes the mirror now, and my Mom mentioned that she could have found a home for this mirror in her house.

Where We Start Our Weekends

2011-07-22T09:00:00.001-04:00

I am very lucky to live in a walkable community. Not only are we 10 minutes from the metro (and a short ride to DC), but we live within walking distance of grocery stores, restaurants, shops, and a wonderful farmer's market and art market. The kids and I hit the markets almost ever Saturday to check out the art; eat crepes; and buy fresh produce, meat and cheese. Both markets are located in downtown Silver Spring near the corner of Fenton Street and Ellsworth.

We always visit the Fenton Street Market (the art market) first. Our first stop is the crepe truck. They even have a little step stool at the counter for curious three year olds that want to watch their crepes being made. Elliot and I both love the Banana, Strawberry, Nutela crepe. Next, we check out the art, jewelry, clothes, and antiques. Elliot and Beatrice's favorite stop is the model train display (sponsored by the Riverdale Model Train Club).

There is always a vendor selling Guatemalan crafts

Jewelry by Bella Acai

Bags by five mile road

Prints by evolution now

Art prints by Larry Stevens - We bought this one for Elliot. He loves the Beatles.

Bibs and other baby gear by Yinibini Baby

There is a flower stand at the Farmer's Market that sells amazing bouquets for $8!

If you live in the DC area, I highly recommend a visit to downtown Silver Spring on a Saturday morning. There really is something for everyone. Also if you do visit the Fenton Street Market and really enjoy it, be advised that it may not be back next year! You can get more info and sign a petition here.

Now that I have lived within walking distance of two open air markets (I posted about the market near us in Richmond way back in 2009), I don't think I could have it any other way.

A Little Wristlet

2011-07-20T16:05:00.000-04:00

I haven't been the most loyal Iron Crafter lately. A craft a week doesn't sound like much, but it can be hard to squeeze in. I jumped back in this week with a simple little project. The challenge was to craft something with buttons.

My daughter (age 15 months) is obsessed with my purses! To help keep her out of my things I have been whipping up little pint sized purses just for her. My latest creation needed a little embellishing - and I thought buttons would do the trick. I didn't like the colors of any of the buttons I had on hand, so I spray painted a bunch. I was really happy with the results and I think they are the perfect embellishment for her new little wristlet. Recognize the fabric?

To prevent drips and pools of paint, I used tooth picks poked through a foam tray to prop up the buttons. Now that I know how easy it is to change the color of buttons I may be using them to craft more often!

Ready for paint

Now we're on the same page

For those of you that would like to make your own little wristlet, I'll be posting the instructions - and long overdue instructions for my baby wipes cover - later this week.

Master Makeover - Furniture Quick Fix

2011-07-14T11:43:00.000-04:00

As you may recall from this post, I had quite the list of projects for my Master Makeover.

~~Make and hang new curtains~~.
Paint all of the doors and trim bright white.
~~Replace the bedding and make some nice decorative pillows for the bed~~.
~~Put a bed skirt on the bed~~.
~~Bring in the reupholstered wing back chair~~.
Re-frame and hang a collection of inherited Japanese woodblock prints.
Paint and hang an antique mirror.
Add a pop of color to the bedside tables.
Replace the ceiling fan with a white low profile fan.

With the exception of painting the trim (which I started last weekend) all of the big projects are behind me. The rest should not be too labor intensive. Today I am excited to share a very easy project that, I think, makes a big impact.

I had two dark wood bedside tables in the room that I wanted to keep:

before

Sorry for the poor quality of the picture. The table on the left is a hand-me-down from my Mom that I've had for years. As you can see, the top is in pretty poor condition. I thought about painting it, but I like the dark wood. The table on the right is about a year old and was purchased at World Market. To hide the damage on the top of the table on the left I decided to cover the damage with fabric and top it off with a piece of glass. Since my husband has some sort of aversion to using coasters, I decided to do the same with the table on the right to keep it from ending up equally damaged.

I made a trip to my local Home Depot, with measurements in hand, only to discover that they do not cut glass at my Home Depot. They do sell sheets of glass and glass cutting tools, and the clerk assured me that the glass would be very easy to cut. When I got home, I re-measured my table tops and set up a glass cutting workshop on my deck. To cut the glass, first you mark the cut with a grease pencil. Next, dip the cutting tool in oil and, using a straight edge as a guide (I used a metal yard stick), drag it along the grease pencil line to score the glass. Make sure you follow the instructions on the package if you are using the cutting tool for the first time - it may need to be primed on a scrap piece of glass. Lastly, place the scored line on a straight table, counter or similar type edge and gently break it along the scored line. The last step is a little scary. I totally expected the glass to shatter, but it didn't. It did exactly what it was supposed to do. Three cuts later and I had two glass table toppers.

To make the fabric toppers, I simply added 2 inches to the width and length measurement for each table top then ironed a 1 inch crease around all four sides of the fabric. No sewing needed! I topped of the tables with the fabric and glass and called it a day. In total (not including the trip to HD) the project only took about an hour start to finish.

After

What do you think? Have you had any adventures in glass cutting?

Master Makeover - Making the Bed

2011-07-13T17:35:00.000-04:00

Because I used such a bold and colorful fabric for the curtains, I didn't want to go overboard with the bedding. Even though I kept it simple, I think the small changes and additions make a big impact. I added a simple white bed skirt (from Target), swapped out the old duvet cover with a crisp white duvet cover (again from Target), made two euro pillow sham covers, and made a new cover for an old round Ikea pillow (pictured below).

So without further ado, do you remember the before?

Now for the much improved after?

I was super excited to find a duvet that has a geometric pattern that is almost identitical to that of the fabric I used for the shams. I didn't want to have to off load a bunch of pillows from the bed every night, so I only created three very simple decorative pillows. The covers are removable and washable (a must with kids).

With each step, I am loving the room more and more. Decorating the room has also motivated me to keep it nice and tidy. Afterall, it would not be a restful retreat if it was messy. For the past week I have been trying to make the bed every day and have not allowed myself or my hubby to use the chair as a resting place for clothes that we are too lazy to put away. So far, so good.

Master Makeover - Wing Back Chair

2011-07-06T13:34:00.000-04:00

Before

I have been waiting to do something with this wing back chair that I inherited from my grandmother (by way of my sister who didn't want it) since we moved into our house a year and a half ago. It is the perfect scale for our bedroom and now that it is reupholstered it is just, well, perfect!

After

I read all sorts of online tutorials (here, here, and here) about how to upholster furniture and thought (briefly) about doing it myself. I chose not to because of the following advice 1) it is a two man job, 2) it requires a serious investment of time, and 3) its best not to start with a complicated piece of furniture (i.e. a wing back chair). The chair did require a little DIY. I painted the chair legs a glossy white (they were dark brown) before handing it over to the upholsterer.

As for the selection of an upholsterer, I got pretty luck with this part of the process. Since I recently moved to the DC area, I didn't have a trusted upholsterer to rely on. So I searched nearby upholsterers with google maps. I read any available reviews then called around for quotes. I was shocked by the range of quotes. The highest was $650-$700 not including fabric! A few had more reasonable rates, but required that I buy fabric from them or charged for pick up and delivery. In the end I selected the business with the best quote and the best customer service, Trust Interiors in Rockville, MD. They not only picked up and delivered my chair free of charge, but they also were able to complete the job in two weeks. If you live in the DC area you should definitely consider them for your next upholstery job. The final cost of the chair (fabric + labor) came in at just under $400. Not too bad for a one-of-a-kind piece.

See how it's all coming together! Next, I'll turn my attention to the bedding.

Summer Camp Crafts

2011-06-29T09:58:00.000-04:00

This week's Iron Craft Challenge was to create something inspired by summer camp crafts. My son, our au pair, and I used sand art to whip up some summery votives. Sand art is a fun and easy craft and a great project to do with kids. Its also a craft I recall from my summers at Camp Friendship. Cheesy name isn't it? Despite the name it was great sleep away camp where I made some amazing memories between the ages of 13 and 15.

To make colored "sand" shave chalk with a knife and mix the shavings with salt. Stir until the salt is covered with chalk (my son loved and took charge of this step) and is the desired color. Use a measuring cup to pour the colored salt into a glass vessel. I used a small glass and my son and our au pair used baby food jars. Add layers of colors and, if you like, use a tooth pick to add striations between the layers. Drop in your votive and viola! I plan to make a few more votives out of glasses and to make them a bit more visually interesting when in use, I plan to use varying heights for the salt levels. To hide some of the lid groves on the baby food jars we wrapped the tops with a little bit of raffia.

Master Makeover - The Plan

2011-06-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

So my big project for the summer is to makeover our master bedroom. A couple of weeks ago I revealed the fabric selection via this post. Shortly thereafter, I pulled the trigger and ordered the fabric. Last week the upholsterers picked up the wing back chair and blue chevron fabric, and over the weekend I started and finished sewing four of the curtain panels with the floral fabric. I hung them up on Sunday. Before I get into the curtain details, I thought I'd share some before pictures of the room. Please don't judge...

White store bought 80" curtains

View from the door. These windows had the same white curtains but I removed them to use the rods for the playroom makeover.

We did have a bed skirt but it was ill fitting and ripped. So it was removed and disposed of.

bathroom door (left ) and closet door (right) - both were installed in February when we replaced all of the flat hollow-core doors in our house. All of the doors were primed white and most still need to be painted white.

Even though I am not loving the room now, I think I have a great foundation to work with. I like the paint color, shag rug, window blinds, headboard (West Elm), sconces, dressers, and tables. The room is also pretty big for a 1940s house - that's a California King bed! In addition to changing the curtains I also plan to:

Paint all of the doors and trim bright white. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but the trim is currently a dirty looking off white.
Replace the bedding and make some nice decorative pillows for the bed.
Put a bed skirt on the bed.
Bring in the reupholstered wing back chair.
Re-frame and hang a collection of inherited Japanese woodblock prints.
Paint and hang an antique mirror.
Add a pop of color to the bedside tables.
Replace the ceiling fan with a white low profile fan.

New curtains hung on just two of the windows has already transformed the space. Here again is the before:

And here is the after (two of three windows of it anyway):

The new curtains are 90 inches long and make the ceilings in the room feel much taller. The hardware is from target and is more bold and substantial than the old hardware. I was able to stay on budget by reusing the old curtains as liners for these. By ripping the seams I gained about 15 inches in length and 8 in width - more than enough to line the new 90 inch panels.

I can't wait to share the rest of the room as it comes together!

Not Your Traditional Necktie

2011-06-16T13:06:00.000-04:00

My husband doesn't have to wear ties for work so he has never received one for Father's Day. This year I thought I'd give him the quintessential Father's Day gift, with a spin. Inspired by this week's Iron Craft Challenge, I tried something new; I etched necktie designs onto two pint glasses (picked up for $.99 each at Tuesday Morning).

It was a very easy project! First I taped off the neck tie design on the glasses using painter's tape. Next, I applied the etching cream. You have to put on a very thick coat. The instructions said it would etch in 5 minutes. I found that this was not the case and had better results letting the cream sit for 20 minutes. The last step was to wash off the cream with water and remove the tape.

Have any of you ever etched glass? What brand of etching cream did you use? Were you happy with the results?

Master Makeover

2011-06-13T11:04:00.000-04:00

The only room in our house that I have not decorated is our master bedroom. We did paint it, but that's it. I think it has taken me so long because I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. I finally decided it was time, and a couple of weeks ago I ordered a bunch of swatches. The walls are light blue (very light) and I don't want to change the color. I really like the blue and green color combination, so I started the decorating process by searching for blue and green fabrics. This weekend I made my final selections:

The flower print is called Hot House and it will be used for the curtains. The geometric is called Joy Its has a similar pattern to the bedding I ordered and will be used for accent pillows and a couple of accessory projects. The chevron is called Zig Zag and it will be used to reupholster a wing back chair that was my grandmother's. I have put off this project for so long that just selecting the fabric feels like a huge accomplishment. I'll be posting before pictures (please don't judge me) later this week and more details about my plans for the room.

Home is Where the Heart Is

2011-06-08T08:00:00.005-04:00

For this week's Iron Craft Challenge, we had to craft something with maps. I was inspired after reading this article in the Washington Post Magazine about the designer of the iconic Metro map being asked to redesign it after more than 30 years. As a DC native the Metro map is a very familiar image and one that makes me think of home. I decided to do my own little take on the metro map, with a crafty spin of course. The heart symbolizes my Metro stop in the place in the DC Metro area that I currently call home. I may take another stab at this project as I am not completely satisfied with the stitching. I plan to frame this or another attempt and add it to the growing collection of art for the gallery wall in my son's room. Pics of that coming soon.

To make my metro map I:

Downloaded and printed a metro map from the DC Metro Website
I used paper clips to secure the map to a piece of card stock
On the sewing machine, I carefully stitched over the printed map
After I was done sewing I carefully tore off the printed paper to reveal my stitched map.

New Addiction

2011-06-06T21:36:00.001-04:00

I know its been around for a while, but I just got hooked on Pinterest. It is the coolest. site. ever. Basically, if you see something you like on the web (inspiration, something for your wish list etc) simply pin it to your own digital design board. Once you get started its really hard to stop. I spent the better part of this evening pinning ideas for Father's Day and my master bedroom makeover. Do you Pinterest? Are you addicted too?

Al Fresco

2011-06-01T10:23:00.000-04:00

This week's Iron Craft Challenge was to create something cookout worthy. I love grilling and eating outside in the summer. Its so relaxing and the clean up is super easy. I found my al fresco inspiration at a local Goodwill when I spotted a tin tray and a basket tray. To me they looked liked the perfect landing spot for drinks and cocktail napkins.

A little spray paint (regular and chalkboard), a couple of magnets and ribbon, and viola!

The ribbon strung between the magnets (held in place with hot glue) keeps the napkins from blowing away in the wind - one of the perils of outdoor dining. I know I strayed from my policy of only using materials I already had (I did have everything but the basket and tray), but I love thrifting and making old things new. Now that it is garage sale season you may be seeing more projects like this!

All in the Family

2011-05-25T19:52:00.001-04:00

This week's Iron Craft Challenge was to create something inspired by our heritage. I am a mutt of mostly European descent and I couldn't settle on one country for my inspiration. So I decided to go a slightly different route and created a family tree. I am working on gathering pieces of art for a gallery wall in my son's room and I think this will be a nice addition. My tree was actually inspired by a frame I spotted at Target. To make my tree I sketched my tree, and where I wanted to place my family members, on a piece of poster board, used my handy Fiskars circle cutter to cut out the holes, printed black and white photos on the computer, then taped each picture behind it's hole. I filled in the tree and trunk with each person's name and little facts about my family and its origins.

It was very easy to make so if our family grows, it won't be difficult to make a new tree.

Playroom Makeover

2011-05-22T17:00:00.002-04:00

This summer I plan to tackle four decorating projects that are in varying stages of progress: the playroom, master bedroom, craft room, and the breakfast room. With our new au pair arriving this Friday, (our current au pair has been with us for a year and is moving on to bigger and better things *tear*) I decided that this past weekend would be the prefect time to finally, really decorate the playroom.

When we remodeled the basement last year the only upgrade we made to the playroom - an already finished space - was to replace the carpet. Eventually we would like to replace the paneling and fix some of the remodeling shortcuts made by the previous owners, but those things aren't likely to happen any time soon. I started working on the playroom last summer when I made a play tent (details here) and fixed up an old Ikea bookcase (details here). Then I basically ran out of steam. As you can see in the following before shots, the room was fine the way we had it, but it also felt a bit like a catch-all for toys and not really the bright, fun, cohesive space that I knew it could be.

The room is long and narrow and I have arranged and rearranged the furniture numerous times. When we have guests the room has to serve double duty as a guest room so there has to be enough space to put a queen size air mattress. I spent a lot of time thinking about the layout and I am finally happy with it.

Normally I select fabric first, then the paint color, but this time I chose the paint first. I thought painting the whole room would be a bit much and would only highlight the imperfections from the poor paneling installation, so I painted the only wall without paneling light blue (Behr - Sapphireberry). In the middle of the blue wall I painted a big orange (Behr - Orange Zest) square. I applied two coats of a magnetized primer before applying the orange paint. I also nailed Ikea cork trivets (painted orange) to the square for additional art hanging surfaces. I was very lucky to find the perfect fabric at Ikea. It doesn't feel too boy or girl and it really ties all of the colors together.

Because the kids spend a lot of time in the playroom, I wanted to make it a place that emphasized learning and playing.

To help the au pair keep the kids on some sort of routine, I created a daily schedule (1). In addition to a spot to hang a calendar it has a place to write the day of the week and then select daily activities such as school, story time, play date, playground etc. I made the activity cards (2) by copying pics of kids books (via Google images) printing them on card stock, cutting them out, and laminating them. They stick to the board with Velcro. The schedule is hung at kid height so that they can help the au pair plan their day.

Next to the orange display wall is a chair for story time (3). The chair was in Elliot's nursery, but doesn't match his big boy room. It felt like an after thought in the room before, but now matches the blue wall perfectly. There are also lots of floor pillows and cozy places to curl up and read books throughout the room. Elliot's favorite place to read is the tent.

Speaking of reading, have you ever seen fabric book shelves (4). I have (although I can't remember where) and I have been wanting to make them ever since I first spotted them. They were super easy to make and they add a nice pop of color to the wall.

To help teach Elliot about different countries and cultures I created a postcard map (5). I mounted a world map on foam board and hung it on the wall with command strips. Tacks and yarn link post cards to their origins. Friends and family have been great about sending post cards. My mom went a little nuts in Australia and New Zealand and sent 9! Elliot loves to get mail and each post card teaches him something new.

Lastly, I wanted to share a few of the little design details that I thought fit the form and function of the space.

Have you decorated a play space in your house? I'd love to see it. Join the Facebook page and share your creative play, or other, space. Got a question about this space? With so much to share I am sure I missed some sources and other details.

Deep Breaths

2011-05-18T22:10:00.000-04:00

The past couple of weeks have been a such a blur that I feel like its been hard to just get my head above water to take a few deep breaths. Tonight the hubby is working late, the kids are sound asleep, the house is clean enough, and I the work I needed to get done today is done. Time to catch up. I could be paying bills or doing laundry but tonight what makes me happy trumps being productive.

I wish I had something fun to share with you tonight. Unfortunately my day job has been so demanding that it has spilled over into my nights, not leaving much time for crafting or decorating. I am bummed that I missed the last couple of Iron Craft projects. I'll be back in the game next week. I also have a few fun projects planned for this weekend. Stay tuned.

Print by Hop Skip Jump Paper

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 18

2011-05-04T13:31:00.001-04:00

This week's challenge was to create something inspired by spring flowers. I have a small collection of vintage flower pins that I try to work into my wardrobe this time of year, and I thought it would be fun to attempt to make my own version. This faux enamel pin is very easy to craft, and used kid friendly materials which makes it a nice little project for little ones to make for mother's day.

Here's the inspiration. Sadly this wonderful collection is not my own, but was spotted on Strawberry Lemonade:

Here's the How-to:

Step 1: Cut out two "cups" and a circle from a cardboard egg carton. I used a nickle as the template for the circle.

Step 2: Cut slits in the cup to create flower petals

Step 3: Trim the tops of one of the cup's petals by about a centimeter (grey cup pictured)

Step 4: Paint the cups and circle. I used acrylic craft paint.

Step 5: Once the paint dries, spray the cups (both sides) and the circle with a glossy, clear spray paint.

Step 5. glue the pieces together (cup with shorter petals on top). Make sure you line up the grooves on the bottom of the cups so that they fit together snugly.

Step 6: Attach a pin with hot glue. I added a little felt backer to mine before attaching the pin.

Bonnet Giveaway

2011-04-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

I am hooked on bonnets, and have made a bunch to give as gifts. I have whipped up an extra bonnet to give to one of my readers. Enter to win a baby bonnet like the one pictured above by:

"liking" namesake design on Facebook and posting a comment about the bonnet on the Facebook page; and/or
following namesake design and leaving a comment to let me know you are a follower on this post.

All entries must be received by 10 PM EST Wednesday, May 4 2011.

Double Feature

2011-04-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Namesake Design was featured on two baby related websites! The woodland themed shower I hosted for my sister last year was featured on Bump Smitten, and Beatrice's nursery was featured on Baby Lifestyles.

Bump Smitten is a relatively new website that is bursting with baby shower inspiration. If if you aren't planning a baby shower in the near future, the site is still worth a visit. Many of the ideas showcased on the site could be easily interpreted for wedding showers, birthday parties, etc.

Baby Lifestyles is a site that celebrates all things baby. In addition to great nursery design and party ideas, the site is also filled with articles about parenting, celebrity moms and dads, gifts ideas and much more. Look for the baby Lifestyles e-magazine - launching this June.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 17

2011-04-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

This week's challenge was inspired by the royal wedding and called on iron crafters to create something for a wedding. I mulled over ideas for wedding gifts, decorations, invitations and then decided to create something for a member of the wedding party, the flower girl. I have been wanting to make my little girl a bonnet to keep the sun off her fair haired head and I thought a pretty white bonnet would be a lovely accessory for a flower girl in a spring or summer outdoor wedding. Amazingly, I had the perfect fabric on hand (light weight, bright white, and eyelet trimmed). I also had about a yard of lace trim in the same shade of white.

I perused Etsy for ideas and once I found something I liked I went in search of a pattern. I found this pattern and modified it a bit, to achieve the look I wanted, by adding a ruffle trim and rounding off the edges along the bonnet brim. Scroll down for my tutorial.

Quick Tip: Solar Lights

2011-04-25T09:09:00.001-04:00

Shortly after moving in we found 10 solar lights stashed away in our shed. They remained there for a year and were brought out last week to place throughout our newly landscaped backyard. They were all in working condition, but most (9) were missing the stakes that hold them in the ground. I could not find replacement stakes at Home Depot and I was afraid to order them online in the event that they didn't fit. That, and the fact that replacement stakes sell for $3-5 for per 2 pack. The solution? I used 10 inch spikes. I purchased a box of 15 at my neighborhood hardware store for just under $15 (less than $1 per spike). They went into the ground very easily, the lights fit them perfectly, and they seem to be more stable that the plastic stakes that the lights came with.

Happy Earth Day

2011-04-22T13:51:00.000-04:00

Print by LizzyClara

Happy Earth Day! Although we are celebrating the earth today, we try to incorporate conservation into our everyday lives around here.

We recycle everything we can! We are lucky to live in a county where almost all plastics are recyclable; in addition to paper, glass, and metal.
We reuse. I save all kinds of things for the kids' crafting projects. Tubes, jars, Styrofoam, you name it.
We grow some of our own vegetables. Our yard gets lots of sun and despite the disaster that our yard once was, we manged to have a nice little vegetable garden last year. This year we are growing zucchini, cucumber, tomato, beans, sage, rosemary, and basil.
What we don't grow ourselves we try to buy from local sources. We are lucky to live within walking distance of a great farmer's market.
We conserve water. We have a high efficiency washing machine and we recently installed a rain barrel in the garden. Our water bill also shows us how we compare to other households (average use per person). I am proud to report that we use much less than the average.
I even try to work conservation into my crafting. I am committed to not buying any new supplies for the Iron Craft Challenge (with the exception of peeps).
We also buy used. Most of the furniture in our house was found in thrift stores, at garage sales, etc.

Could we do more? Absolutely! After reading about this family, I was inspired to to cut down our house hold waste. I use way too many paper towels, we buy lots of snacks with individual packages that can't be recycled (such as granola bars and juice boxes), and then there's the issue of disposable diapers.

We won't change overnight, but I think we are on the right track. How about you? How do you incorporate Earth Day into your everyday?

Outdoor Makeover

2011-04-21T10:01:00.000-04:00

I was out of town for work this week and didn't have time to complete my Iron Craft project. The challenge was to do something related to money or taxes. I was going to make a reusable grocery bag out of disposable plastic grocery bags - I thought it would be a clever nod to the bag tax in DC. Of course inspiration didn't strike until Monday night and I just wasn't able to pull it together in time. I do plan to finish it and will post at a later date.

Despite having a growing pile of unfinished craft projects, I have been checking home projects off the home to do list. I am happy to say that a little over 1/4 of the way into 2011, the hubby and I have completed 3 of the 10 items on our list. Today I thought you might like to see our new back yard. The old yard was landscaped about 15 years ago and was pretty neglected by the time we moved in. There were vines and weeds everywhere, a defunct pond (that we drained almost immediately), and lots of big overgrown plants and bushes in need of major pruning. The deck and patio were nice, but we really couldn't enjoy them without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of yard work.

After trying to tackle bits and pieces of it ourselves, we decided it was time to call in the professionals. After interviewing and getting bids from three local landscapers we selected GreenSweep LLC. They were competitively priced, listened to our needs, made excellent suggestions, and completed the project in a few days. Now I am turning my attention to sprucing up our deck. My plans include painting the patio furniture black (its green now), purchasing an outdoor rug, making some outdoor pillows (I already bought new cushions for the chairs), and hanging some lights.

Before GreenSweep. The tarps everywhere were my attempt to kill the invasive vines.

During the overhaul. The large area with wood chips is the future site of a play house for the kids.

After! We can't wait for the grass to take root.

There were a few things that we did that I think helped make this process a smooth one.We spent a lot of time thinking about what we wanted to do to the yard. We divided the yard into zones (A, B and C) and made a list of everything we wanted to accomplish in each zone. We had a few wish list items like a new fence to replace the chain link along one side of the yard, and a sprinkler system that didn't make it into the plan. We nixed the sprinkler system after learning that they are not common in this neighborhood and wouldn't result in much of a return on investment. Also, the yard is not very big so we can water it pretty easily. A new fence would be very costly and is something we can live without for now, but save for and complete at a later date. Once we finalized our list we gave the same list to each of the landscapers that gave us estimates. This really helped to ensure that all of the bids included the same things.

We also tried to work with what we had. We kept most of the established shrubs and bushes, relocated plants from areas that would become the lawn to the new beds along the fence, and turned the pond into a rock garden/construction zone for our son.

Lastly, we have started an outdoor art project over the weekend that will grow and add color and personality to the yard over time. I helped kids to create little paintings (on wood) that we attached to side of the shed. We'll create new pieces each season and someday hope to cover the whole side of the shed.

Shop Alert - Changes to Coloring Books

2011-04-18T08:00:00.004-04:00

Wedding season is right around the corner and I've made some changes to the way I sell my coloring books. Now, instead of paying a design fee per page and and an assembly fee per book, customers will be able to pay a flat fee for a 4,6,8, or 10 page book that will be emailed to them as a PDF. This allows the bride and groom to produce as many copies as they like of their book. Unfortunately, I will no longer be offering to print books for customers. The time it took to print and ship the books did not make economic sense.

I just completed a book for a May bride in NC (excerpts pictured below) and I am working on a book for a June bride in VA. If you would like more information about my books or would like to place an order please visit, http://www.namesakedesign.etsy.com/. You can also see examples of my work on my portfolio page.

Pretty in Pink

2011-04-14T08:00:00.004-04:00

This past weekend we celebrated the first birthdays of Beatrice and my neice, Natalie. Our house is still over flowing with pinks, greens, and butterflies! I had so much fun decorating for this party, and definetly went over the top.

1. I had Sassy Photo Creations create this custom inviation based on another one in her shop. It fit the theme perfectly. I have worked with Agnes twice and love her work.

2. I made this birthday banner (sorry I couldn't get it all in one shot) for Elliot's first birthday (which was also a joint party with a sweet little girl named Allie).

3, 4, and 5. The favors consisted of little pink and green watering cans (picked up at Micheals for $1 each), butterfly crayons by Ducks in a Row Boutique, and number one cookies by Sugar Coated Cookies.

6. I revamped the wish tree from my sister's baby shower by adding little crepe paper flowers to it. I found the pre-cut white butterflies and oval cards with scalloped edges at Paper Source.

7. The flowers were all pink and green and I had several of these arrangements throughout the house. They are also very similar to something that I created for my sister's baby shower.

8. I whipped up some butterflies to dress up drinking straws. They were a hit with grown-ups and kids.

9. I used the Paper Source butterflies as a stencil to create these little butterflies that I placed throughout the house. To make them, I took two card stock butterflies, sewed them together (straight stitch on the machine) and folded them so that they could stand on their own.

10. Besides the adorable birthday girls, this was my favorite element of the party. I used Duff brand fondant (available at Micheals) and set aside almost an entire morning to bake and decorate the cake. This was my second fondant attempt, I think I am addicted. It is so fun to work with!

11. I have been wanting to make tissue paper pom-poms forever. I used this very simple tutorial. I hung them from the chandelier with thread so that they looked like they were floating. I am loaning them to a friend for a party next weekend, and afterwards will hang them from the playroom ceiling.

12. This is the best picture I got of the birthday girl that shows off her number one t-shirt. Both girls had matching shirts and tu-tus.

Lacking a number, but probably of interest, is the table cloth. Its actually three yards of this fabric. I am planning to use it to make floor pillows for my living room.

Please leave a comment if you'd like more detailed instructions for any of these projects.

Is it April Already?

2011-04-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

Wow, time is flying and I have been creating and decorating up a storm. Unfortunately I have been so busy crafting that I haven't had time for blogging. Well this week I'll be catching up on blog posts and catching you up on a few recent home improvement projects, all the fun I had planning my daughter's birthday party, my weekly submission to the Iron Craft challenge, and more.

Its Wednesday, which means its time to post my Iron Craft submission. This week's challenge, "use peeps as your medium" was tough. I have been wanting to enter this contest for ages, and totally missed the deadline this year - I won't next year. I didn't have time for something quite that elaborate so I went to CVS looking for peeps and inspiration for a simple but cool peep project. After finding a bunch of green peeps and remembering that I had a foam ball, a dowel, and polka dotted flower pots from another project; I decided to make a peep topiary.

How hard could it be? Stick ball on top of dowel, use tooth pics to attach peeps to ball, stick ball in pot filled

with floral foam, wrap dowel with ribbon, line top of pot with paper disk (just a circle of paper cut to fit around dowel on top of floral foam0, top off pot with M and Ms. Yeah, thats not exactly how it all went down. Peeps don't like to be stuck. They kept sliding off the tooth picks and their sugary coating was EVERYWHERE. I managed to get them all stuck for the photograph (an hour or so after I started sticking peeps on tooth picks), but I will be needing a better solution if I want it to last until Easter. Suggestions?

Check out all of the other Iron Craft peep projects here.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 13

2011-03-30T19:00:00.001-04:00

This week's challenge was entitled "Best In Show". I've had a couple of projects waiting in the wings for my pup, Zsi-Zsi (a new dog bed and placemat) and I decided to tackle both of them this week. If you don't have pets, don't fret, both projects have other applications.

First up, the dog bed. This is a good project for beginner sewers. I made Zsi-Zsi's bed out of scraps of outdoor fabric (approximately 1 yard) and an old patio chair cushion. I used the cushion as the filler for the bed and sewed a cover out of the fabric. You could use this same technique to make washable covers for any pillow or cushion.

Step 1: Cut fabric. Measure the height, width and depth of your cushion. Add 1 to the depth measurement (ie. if depth = 3", 3"+1" = 4") and add that number to the height and width measurements (i.e. if H=15" and W=20"; 15"+4"=19" and 20"+4" = 24") . Cut out one large rectangle with your new height and width measurements.

Step 2: Divide the new width by 2 (24"/2"=12") and add 5 to that number (12"+5"=17"). Cut out two rectangles with the new width measurement and the old height measurement (H=19" and W=17"). Fold and sew the raw edge along oneside (the height edge, 19") of each of these pieces. Lay the pieces on the floor (right side up), over lapping the pieces so that the height and width is equal to the first rectangle you cut (19" x 24"). The edges you stiched will be facing in, overlapping each other. Place the first rectangle you cut (right side down) on top the overlapping rectangles. Pin all of the sides and sew closed (around parimeter of rectangle) on the sewing machine. When turned inside out the overlapping edges will create an opening for the cushion - but don't turn it inside out yet!

Step 3: To give the cushion some dimension turn each corner so that the seams that make the corner are laying flat against each other, this will create a point. Sew a straight line perpendicular to the seam to create a triangle, this line should equal the depth of your cushion (4' in our example). Repeat this process for each corner and cut off the tip of the triangle above the seam. If you know the terminology for this please add it to the comments - I'd love to link to a video of someone demonstrating this.

Step 4: Turn the cover inside out and place the cushion inside of it.

I made Zsi-Zsi's placemat with a scrap of oil cloth from this project (actually the table topper in this picture met an untimely demise thanks to my three-year-old's scissors so I made a new one with polka dotted oil cloth). To make the placemat I traced an old placemat, then traced an empty yogurt container to make the scalloped edge. I cut it out and put it right to use. You could do the same thing on a larger scale and use it as a high chair splat mat.

Fresh Fridays - Now on Twitter

2011-03-25T09:57:00.000-04:00

Are you a trendsetter? Do you like handmade or vintage things? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, then you probably enjoy reading my Fresh Friday posts where I highlight talented Etsy sellers that haven't had thier first sale. Starting today, Fresh Friday finds will be posted via Twitter (@namesakedesign) and will no longer be posted on the blog. I hope to see you there!

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 12

2011-03-23T09:54:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to make sewing cards for a while. They are a great *quiet* project for my three year old, especially on rainy spring days. To fit the guidelines of this week's Iron Craft Challenge, I used Little Golden Book covers with with lucky symbols - rabbit, numbers 4 and 7, and a horse shoe.

To make my sewing cards I used:

- scraps of mat board cut to 5X7 cards

- Modge Podge

- paint brush

- a small hole punch
- X-acto knife
- my computer and printer
- an extra long shoe lace

Step 1: surf Google Images for Little Golden Book Covers and save selected images on your computer

Step 2: Crop images as needed (I use Picasa to edit my photos) and print images (5X7 format) on regular paper.

Step 3: Using a paint brush, apply a coat of modge podge to each of the 5X7 mat board cards.

Step 4: Lay your printed picture face down on a smooth surface and press the mat board card on to it (you should be able to see the printed area through the back of the paper). Use an X-acto knife to trim the paper not affixed to the mat board card.

Step 5: Apply a thin coat of Modge Podge to the image. This will seal it to the mat board. The paper may buckle in some spots. Do not attempt to smooth them out. They will disappear once the modge podge dries (over night)

Step 6: Use a hole punch to punch holes around the borders, images, shapes, etc.

Step 7: Give the sewing card and a long shoe lace to a child and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Let's Get Cooking!

2011-03-21T08:00:00.002-04:00

If you are a regular reader of this blog you know that much of what I do here is inspired by my kids. I especially love to make things that will inspire creative play. When I saw how much Elliot liked playing with Beatrice's little talking Fisher Price kitchen, I decided to make him a kitchen of his own (I am sure Beatrice will like it when she is older too).

To make Elliot's kitchen I rehabbed a little play cabinet that had been sitting in my Mom's attic for years.

Check out the before and after. Can you believe the transformation?

Here's how I did it. First I removed the top doors (they would not be coming back). If I kept them on I wouldn't be able to open and close them when I added the sink and stove top. I also removed part of the upper cabinet support.

Next, I removed the bottom doors, and one of the drawers so that I could sand and paint them and add the new hardware (all purchased at Home Depot).

I removed the other drawer to make room for the sink. I found the sink at the Container Store. To set it into the counter top, I turned upside down, traced it and cut out the hole. I made the cut about a half a centimeter in from the line I drew so that sink would have a ledge to rest on.

After cutting the hole for the sink, I patched any holes (from the removed doors and hardware), sanded the entire cabinet, then applied two coats of white cabinet/trim paint. I painted one cabinet door with metallic spray paint to make the oven. After the paint dried, I placed the sink it its hole and sealed it to the counter with some caulk. I used an old kitchen towel to make the curtain under the sink (which I attached with a staple gun) and the curtain over the shelf (which is hanging off a dowel that was cut to size and nailed to the cabinet).

To make the stove, I painted wooden disks (from Micheals) and glued them to the counter top.

I am so happy with the new kitchen and I hope it will be enjoyed for generations to come.

The kitchen tools in the drawer are a mix of old and new.
Some are from my mom's childhood. The little pots and pans are from Ikea.

Mimosa - Fresh Friday*

2011-03-18T10:09:00.001-04:00

I love this onesie and pretty much every thing else in the Mimosa shop. According to the shop announcement, "Mimosa is two sisters, one is good at drawing, the other is good at everything else! Holly and Ariel develop all of Mimosa's products together, with careful consideration of craftsmanship, resources and techniques. They strive to create sweet and unique designs using high-quality materials."

*Fresh Friday posts feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 11

2011-03-16T12:30:00.001-04:00

This week's Iron Craft challenge was to create something green. Since I missed last week's fat quarter challenge due to a case of strep throat, I decided to create something this week that was a combination of the two challenges. I found the perfect inspiration in a bag of scarves and decided to transform one of them into a clutch.

I love vintage scarves and have a hard time passing them up when I find them in thrift stores or at tag sales. I had a few green scarves in my stash to chose from, and I settled on a bright green wool blend with a" Made in Japan" tag. It is the perfect color for spring.

If you are new to sewing, this is a good beginner project.

Step 1: Select a scarf and iron it on to a piece of Pellon fusible interfacing (shiny side to wrong side of the scarf).

Step 2: Cut out the portion of the scarf that would would like to use for the purse. I used a 12" X 17" rectangle for my purse. Do the same thing with the fabric that you would like to line your purse with. I used a piece of blue silk taffeta. I did not fuse the liner fabric to Pellon interfacing.

Step 3: Fold both rectangles (right side to right side) 6 inches from bottom to creating an 11" X 12" rectangle. Pin the areas where the fabric is folded and use a straight stitch on the sewing machine to close the openings. You will end up with two "envelopes".

Step 4: To give the clutch some dimension take the corners at the bottom of the envelopes, and smush them seam to fold (along the bottom of the clutch). Using your sewing machine, stitch 1" in from the point of each smushed corner. I am sure there is a technical term for this technique. If you know it, please leave it in the comments.

Step 5: Cut off the tips of points you created in step 4, and turn the scarf envelope rightside out.

Step 6: Slide the scarf envelope into the liner envelope. The right sides of the fabrics should be facing each other.

Step 7: Leaving a 3 inch opening along the envelope flap (see arrow) and stitch the two envelopes together. I rounded the corners of the flap when I did this, but you could also keep them square.

Step 8: Use the 3 inch opening along the flap to turn the clutch rightside out. Smooth the liner into the clutch and press the seams with an iron.

Step 9: Top stitch all seams. I added a little snap to mine. You could also use Velcro or a button closure.

Do you think you'll give this project a try? If you do please post pics to the Facebook page.

Under the Weather

2011-03-09T16:26:00.000-05:00

Passing Shower by Eloise Renouf

No Iron Craft post today, and given the way I feel I probably won't be posting for the rest of the week. My tonsils are huge I have a fever and all I want to eat is chicken noodle soup. Thank goodness our wonderful au pair has been willing to work a little over time this week.

Playing Catch Up

2011-03-06T22:18:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts last week. I was traveling for work and was simply too tired to blog at night due to jet lag. I did manage to whip up my submission for the Iron Craft Oscars Challenge before I left. The week 9 challenge was to create something inspired by film or the Oscars. One of my favorite things about the Oscars is the fashion. I love the dresses, the jewels, the shoes. I used the red carpet glitz and glam as my inspiration and made myself my own "show stopping" necklace. It's, admittedly, a little over the top - but it wouldn't be red carpet inspired if it wasn't.

To make your own necklace you'll need:
- pellon interfacing
- hot glue
- buttons (mine were all vintage or made using one of these little kits)
- fabric
- needle and thread (optional)

First decide on the shape of your necklace. The one I made for Iron craft was a half circle. I decided to use a crescent shape for this tutorial. Cut the pellon into the desired shape of the necklace. Next, select a fabric to use as the base of the necklace. Thinner fabric works better for this. I used a very thin gauzy cotton from an old shirt. Iron the fabric to the pellon interfacing, wrap and glue the excess fabric on to the other side of the shape.

To hang the necklace around my neck I made two cords out of an old black rayon scarf. I cut the scarf into 6 strips then braided two cords. I attached them to the pellon base by poking small holes on both sides of the base and attaching them to the base with brads. You could also use ribbon, chain salvaged from another necklace, or strands of beads.

Now for the embellishments. before gluing or stitching anything on to my base I played around with the fabric to create fun shapes, then experimented with the arrangement until it looked"right" to me. Embellishing the necklace is the fun part. You can use trim, buttons, beads, scraps, charms, or just fabric shaped into flowers. For some great fabric flowers tutorials click here, here, and here. I cut the ruffle right off the shirt that I also used for the base fabric, and glued it on to the base. Also, to make sure the buttons were secure, I sewed them on to the base before applying a dab of hot glue.

Once your necklace is embellished to your satisfaction I suggest gluing or stitching on a backer (I used a scrap of black cotton) to hide the glued down fabric and any stitches from securing the buttons.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 8

2011-02-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

This week's challenge was to create something inspired by the word "hometown". I have live in 9 different towns in my lifetime. That's an average of roughly 3.7 years per place. Therefore, it is hard to pick just one place as my hometown. So for this week's challenge, I came up with a project that pays homage to a few of the places I have lived.

Inspiration stuck when I found a stash of old license plates in my craft room. I decided to use them to create an art piece for my son's room, which already has a transportation-esque theme. First I gave the plates good scrubbing with some Bar Keepers Friend (that stuff is AMAZING) and water. Next, I painted a large 36" X 24" canvas (also stashed in my craft room) the same color as my son's walls. I arranged the license plates to form a large "E" (for Elliot) and affixed them to the painted canvas with duct tape and hot glue. I thought about just sticking the license plates to the wall with command strips, but decided the canvas would look a bit more polished. I am really happy with the way this VERY simple project turned out.

I also like that the three states represented are of major significance in my life.

I spent most of my life in Virginia and actually attended part of elementary school, junior high, and one year of high school there. Its also where my husband and I got married, and its the state that both of my children were born in.

I moved to Colorado after college and only lived there for a year, but it was a life changing year! I met my husband and future in-laws Colorado, and started my career in the non-profit sector there. Because I now have family there, I get to visit Colorado at least once a year.

California is where my husband I lived before marriage and kids. We got engaged while we lived there, and spent our first year of marriage there. It was a wonderful place to get to know each other and fall in love.

Have you done anything creative with old license plates? If so, please post pictures on the namesake design Facebook page.

An Oscar Worthy Party

2011-02-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

My Oscar's inspired cake toppers last week got me thinking about throwing an Oscars party. I don't know if I'll be able to pull it all together in time (the awards are on 2/27), but here's a little glimpse of what it might look like if I do.

1. Using some card stock and my printer I'd whip up wine tags with all of the nominated movies on them. These wine bottles would be for display only and would be lined up a buffet or scattered throughout the entertaining space 2. I love these very elegant popcorn bags spotted on, Amy Atlas Events. It wouldn't be an Oscar worthy party without popcorn! 3. Jessica of How About Orange created this 2011 Oscar's Bingo card which can be downloaded here. 4. My Iron Craft Challenge cupcake toppers, click here for the how-to. 5. To dress up the table I'd use a couple of yards of black and white fabric as a runner. This great chevron is a steal at $6.98 a yard on fabric.com. 6. I love the look of these flowers spotted on For the Love of Design. I have two black urns, that I am always looking for an excuse to use, filling them with red flowers would really glam up the decor. 7. Speaking of glam. I may have to channel my inner diva with some sort of accessory like this feather headband by Lily Lady Blue. 8. Lastly, this party would be the prefect excuse to buy these vintage cocktail glasses, available via Vintage Revival Living, which I would use as votives.

Wool and Bloom - Fresh Friday

2011-02-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

I work from home 4 days a week. I'd like to say that I get all gussied up for work every day, but I don't. In fact I frequently can be caught wearing slippers (but NOT PJs) at 4 PM. My house is cold and socks just aren't as comfy. These adorable slippers from Wool and Bloom make be the ticket to improving my work-from-home wardrobe.

*Fresh Fridays feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 7

2011-02-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

This week's challenge called for a Midas touch. The only rule, use gold. It could be glitter, gold leaf, paint, beads... just make it gold. Inspiration struck while I was reading movie reviews, The Oscar statues are gold. I could craft something Oscar related. After a little bit of sketching and an assessment of available supplies, I came up with Oscar cupcake toppers.

To make your own you'll need:

-black card stock

-a pencil

-scissors

-double sided tape

-gold glitter

-mini craft sticks

-Modge Podge

I used this image for my template

Cast Your Vote

2011-02-11T19:43:00.000-05:00

The week 6 Iron Craft Challenge will have a winner. Check out all of the great entries and vote for your favorite here. Of course I would love a vote for my Scandinavian inspired tote! Voting ends Sunday night.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 6

2011-02-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

This week's challenge was to create something crafty with a winter theme. To mix things up a bit, this week's challenge has a prize tied to it! Oh how I love a good competition. Although I could have gone over the top, I kept things simple and tried something I have been meaning to try since I started blogging, crafting with freezer paper stencils.

I carried over last week's Valentine's theme into my creation this week and whipped up a winter/love themed tote bag. The image is inspired by Scandinavian folk art and the word "Kӓrlek" means love in Swedish. I created the image in Picnik (which I discovered through Picasa). If you like it, feel free to use it to make your own stencil.

This project was very easy. First, I printed my image onto a piece of paper. I placed a sheet of freezer paper on top of it (glossy side down) and traced/cut the image with an exacto knife. The sharper the knife the better. I think mine was a little dull. Once the image is cut out, iron it on to your bag, shirt, or whatever you want stenciled. Use a stenciling brush to apply fabric paint. Allow your paint to dry throughly before pealing off the stencil. The canvas bag was not the smoothest surface which caused the paint to bleed slightly in a couple of places. I ended up liking the imperfections in the end, as it created a woodblock print effect.

One of the images that I used for inspiration

stencil mid-cutting

I am looking forward to experimenting more with this technique so you can expect to see it used again. Have any of you tried freezer paper stenciling? Please share your tips, project ideas etc. in the comments.

King and Queen of Hearts

2011-02-07T11:09:00.000-05:00

Apparently these USPS stamps were issued in 2009. I discovered them other day when I asked my friendly postal worker is she had any stamps with hearts on them. I love everything about these and will be using them for more than just mailing Valentines.

Year of The Rabbit

2011-02-03T11:57:00.001-05:00

Sorry the blog has been so crafty lately. I haven't had much time lately for anything other than the Iron Craft weekly challenges. I promise there is more than just crafting on the horizon, including updates on house/decorating projects and more Fresh Fridays. Today's departure from crafting is a little collection of finds to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Rabbit.

1. Rabbit Taper - Anthropologie, 2. Rooster and Hare Pillow - Eristotle 3. Clutch - Brianna Edelman Designs, 4. Rabbit Notebook - ModCloth, 5. Rabbit Ring - Urban Outfitters, 2. Rabbit Hook - ModCloth, 7. Bodallo Pinheiro Sandwich Tray - Replacements, Ltd.

Iron Craft Challenge - Week 5

2011-02-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

This week's challange was to create a valentine. The challenge invited traditional valentines, baked valentines, plush valentines - you name it! I have been wanting to try my hand at doll making for a while so I set out to make two Valentine's Day dolls for my kids. A monster for my three year old boy, and a rag doll for my 10 month old daughter. After lots of sketching and some experimenting I created my patterns and started sewing. Once again I only used supplies I already had.

Each doll (or creature) has a heart pocket to tuck a special valentines note in. Little Miss Doll's is on the front of her dress and Mr. Monster's is his the back. They are quite the odd couple, aren't they? If there is enough interest I'll create and post a tutorial, so comment if you are interested.

The hardest part about the rag doll was her hair. I sewed a little cap turned it inside out, cut out the felt to reveal her face, then whip stitched her felt hair to her head.

Mr. Monster has a removeable cape (thanks to black velcro). The "E" is for my son, Elliot. The striped material is from a jersey knit shirt of mine that had some small holes in it. I loved the shirt and was glad to be able to reuse it.

Cork Coffee Cozy How-to

2011-01-26T19:49:00.000-05:00

As promised here's the how-to for my cork coffee cozy. To make your own you'll need:

- cork contact paper (I got mine at Home Depot)
- scissors
- single hole punch
- embroidery thread or yarn
- crafting needle
- scrap of felt
- quarter
- Starbucks coffee sleeve

Step 1: Open up the Starbucks cardboard coffee sleeve and trace it on the grid side of the contact paper
Step 2: Trace the top half of a quarter (repeat to create scalloped edge) on top of the traced sleeve image. Cut out the image.
Step 3: Create a pattern with your hole punch. Draw dots on the grid side of the craft paper to make sure you are happy with the design. Use your hole punch to punch out your dot pattern.
Step 4: Peal the grid paper off the cork and attach the cork to the felt. Smooth out any wrinkles or bumps then cut off the excess felt around the cork.
Step 5: Attach the button and rubber band. Punching holes in the cork to make it easier to sew on the button. The rubber band I used had a little metal piece that helped to anchor it behind the single hole punch.
Step 6: Wrap your cozy around your coffee and enjoy your caffeine in style.

Iron Craft - Week 4

2011-01-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

I'm back from vacation and back to work. After sifting through a sea of endless emails it was nice to set aside a little crafting time on Monday night to unwind. The project, the iron craft challenge of the week "make a coffee cozy". Once again I strayed outside of the parameters a bit, although not quite as far as I did for the draft dodger challenge. Guilt set in when I saw the Iron Craft post on Wednesday which included the following:

" Please embrace the week's challenge. You are welcome to think outside of the box & make the challenge fit your skills & interests but if we ask you to make a scarf & you bake cookies well that's not embracing the challenge is it? Let's face it every challenge is not going to be a perfect fit for everyone but we look at Iron Craft as a change to stretch our crafting wings, a chance to try & learn new things."

Um yeah, I think they were referring to me. So this week I created two items in response to the challenge. One inside the box and one slightly outside. Let's start outside and work our way in. I embraced this as a beverage cozy challenge and started thinking about my own beverage needs. I immediately thought of my metal water bottles and how cold they are to hold and how annoying it is when they "sweat". So I whipped up a little sleeve/bag to hold my bottle (I'll post the instructions tomorrow) and keep my hands from getting wet and/or cold .

Now for the in the box idea. I made my coffee cozy out of cork contact paper and felt. I had both on hand from another project and thought the insulating properties of cork would be perfect for the challenge. I used a Starbucks cardboard cozy as a template, added a scalloped edge, used a hole punch so that some of the red felt could been seen under the cork, and added a button and elastic to hold it together (instructions also to be posted tomorrow).

With the exception of the first challenge, so far I have felt like the Iron Craft challenges have been a bit too specific (make a draft dodger, make bunting, make a coffee cozy). I hope they get more challenging. Even if they don't I'll continue to challenge myself to create something unique every week.

Heading to the Rockies

2011-01-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

Sunset in Erie, CO June 2010

I'll be taking a little break from blogging and crafting for the next week and a half. I am headed to Colorado to spend some vacation time with family and friends. I'm sure I'll come back with some Rocky Mountain inspired ideas.

Iron Craft - Week 2

2011-01-12T12:07:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge, "make a draft dodger or door snake," didn't initially get my creative juices flowing. I do have one particularly drafty door, but it is being replaced in a couple of weeks. I hate to create something I don't need, so I started thinking about spinning the challenge. Since I am going to be visiting family in Colorado this month, I decided to create a couple of personal "draft dodgers". One for my ears and one for my neck. I hope the creative folks behind Iron Craft don't shun me for basically ignoring their instructions this week!

To create my ear warmer, I used an old fleece ear warmer I've had since the late 90s as my template. I basically just laid it out flat, traced it, and cut out two rectangles (one of fleece one of felted wool from an old sweater) giving my self 1/2 inch seam allowance on all sides. If you don't have your own ear warmer to use as a template you'll want to cut your rectangles to be 25"L x 4" W.

I sewed the two pieces together (right sides in) leaving a 3 inch opening along one of the long sides. I turned it inside out and top stitched the entire thing to close up the 3" opening. I re-used the Velcro from my old ear warmer. I used scraps of the felted sweater and buttons for the embellishments. Once again, I didn't have to buy any new supplies for the challenge.

ear warmer circa early 90s

You can find additional ear warmer tutorials here and here.

To create the neck warmer I followed this pattern and added felted wool embellishments. I was not happy with the fit of my first neck warmer attempt, so I added 5" to pattern for a 25" X 25" square.

If you are new to sewing these are both very easy projects.

What a Difference a Year Makes

2011-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

Its hard to believe that just a little over a year ago that my family moved into our home in the DC area. Last holiday season we were living out of boxes. We were also busy making our to-do list for this house, as you may recall from this post. We managed to get a lot done and I thought you might like an update, as well as our to-do list of projects for 2011

In 2010 the hubby and I set out to:
1. Paint shutters and front door - We plan to do this in 2011. With so much to do inside our house the outside fell to the bottom of the list.
2. ~~Paint walls and trim~~ in breakfast room, and dry wall ceiling - I still need to paint the trim around the window and the exposed brick wall. We are replacing the entry door in this room and I plan to paint once its installed.

~~3. Paint kitchen cabinets white and change out hardware~~ - We took this a step further and installed a new microwave and faucet too! We need to have a professional come in to swap out the water filter faucet. The garbage disposal is in the way and we don't want to mess with that! More kitchen pictures here.

4. ~~Paint, decorate, and organize the nursery~~ - You can read all about this project here.

5. Replace railings on stairs - This turned out to be a VERY expensive proposition. A friend with metal railings in her home, painted them black and they look great. I am going to remove the gold finial and do the same. Care to weigh in?
6. ~~Replace runner on stairs~~

7. ~~Paint dining room (I'm thinking grey)~~ - I also added curtains (details here) and recently, a new rug.

8. Change outdated light fixtures - finding affordable fixtures that match the one in the entry hall has been tough. I did score this one for $55 on EBay. With a little work it will be great. Now if lightning would just strike twice.

9. Paint trim and radiators in bathrooms white - the vintage tile is actually in great condition - On hold because we decided to get new doors (more about this next month) which will also need to be painted. I figure I might as well do all of the painting at the same time.

10. ~~Remodel basement - we'll leave this one to the professionals~~ - Done! I know you are still waiting on the playroom and craft room reveal. Its hard to keep both rooms organized enough for photos! I promise to post pics by March.

Here's what we plan to tackle in 2011:

1. Replace tacky light fixtures

2. Landscape back yard

3. Paint bathroom radiators white

4. Paint shutters and front door

5,6,& 7. Paint trim, drywall ceiling, and replace exterior door in breakfast room. This room also needs some SERIOUS weatherizing and insulation.
8. Paint stair railing black
9 & 10. Replace all interior doors (the current doors are flat, hollow, and ugly) and re-paint trim throughout house (if we don't do this the trim will look very dirty next to our bright white doors).

Iron Craft - Week 1

2011-01-05T14:18:00.000-05:00

Iron Craft is a fun blogging experiment that challenges crafters to create and share a project a week (based on weekly guidelines). As soon as I heard about it, I signed up. This week's challenge didn't have many parameters, "make something to bring some sparkle and light into those long winter nights. Create candle holders, lamp shades, luminaries, anything that will bring on the light!"

Inspiration struck when found a bunch of red felt as I was sifting through my craft supplies (I am going to try not to buy any new tools or materials for the challenges). The felt reminded me of the gnome ornaments I made for Christmas, and after some sketching I came up with mushroom night lights.

To make your own you'll need:

- small jars (I used stage 1 and 2 baby food jars)
- velum
- felt (red and white)
- double sided tape
- paper cutter or scissors
- a printer
- elastic
- small hole punch
- flameless votive candles

First, I cleaned the jars and removed the labels by soaking them in soapy water. While they dried I drew my little gnome silhouette, scanned it, scaled it down, and printed it on velum. If you like my little gnome feel free to "grab" him.

Once the gnome was dry (I have an ink jet printer), I cut the velum to the height of the stage 2 jar and attached it to the jar with double sided tape (gnome feet facing opening of jar so that jar can be placed over the flameless votive candle).

To make the mushroom toppers I free-handed and cut an oval out of the red felt (approximately 12" wide by 8" tall). The topper for the small jar was slightly smaller. I used my hole punch to create holes about 3/4" apart around the perimeter of the oval. I then threaded the holes with elastic. I gathered the elastic and tied it. You want it to fit the jar snugly, but not too snugly. If its too tight it will slide and pop off. I shaped the little topper to my liking, then glued on white felt dots. I used a quarter as my template for the dots.

To light the little shrooms up I set it the jars over the flameless votive candles. The gnomes have currently taken up residence in my three year-old's room.

A Colorful Year Ahead

2011-01-03T10:00:00.019-05:00

The new year marks new adventures, goals, and possibilities. For those who got engaged over the holidays (which from personal experience, I think many do) the new year will also be filled with wedding planning. Are you or is someone you know planning to get hitched in 2011? If they are inviting younger guests or the young at heart to their wedding, please let them know about my custom coloring book favors. I started making the books when my sister got married and they are one of my absolute favorite things to make! They are also great for children's birthday parties.

Megan and Joe's Wedding in Gainsville, Florida. Joe is a sign language interpreter, so I drew him signing "I love you".

Paul and Laura's Williamsburg, Virginia Wedding

Children's Museum of Richmond Carniball Gala favor

I've finally updated my portfolio page (one of my New Year's goals) with my coloring books. More of my work will be posted by the end of the month.

Izze Vintage - Fresh Friday*

2010-12-31T10:00:00.001-05:00

I love vintage clothes and Izze Vintage's shop has some great finds. Here are two of my favorites.

I find myself spending more time surfing Etsy for vintage items than handmade items, as evidenced by this little treasury list I created a couple of days ago.

*Fresh Fridays feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.

Sweet Seat

2010-12-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

I only made one gift this Christmas, a little chair for my eight-month-old neice. I didn't actually make the chair, but I cleaned it up and painted it. Isn't it sweet? It should be right at home in her nursery.

Tweet Tweet

2010-12-28T12:24:00.000-05:00

After @modgepodgerocks tweeted about this post and visits spiked, I decided it was time for me to join Twitter (@namesakedesign). Now to come up with a great first tweet...

Finishing Touches

2010-12-24T14:14:00.000-05:00

Presents bought, stockings hung, house decorated, cookies baked, and table set. Today I completed the last of my Christmas preparations, setting the table for Christmas dinner. I set out to make a new set of six festive place mats and napkins this year (instructions to be posted in the new year), but due to a cutting error ended up with five. This wouldn't have really mattered, as last week we invited three additional guests to dinner for a new total of eight. I decided to use my new place mats and napkins anyway and mixed in silver chargers, a couple of white napkins, and one festive paper napkin for Elliot. I made eight napkin rings with fabric scraps to tie it all together. The flower arrangement consists of white hydrangeas, red hypericum berries, red tulips, and some green and yellowy filler with a name I don't remember (sorry). I love Whole Food's 3 bunches for $12 deal!

My green plates aren't looking very green in these pictures. I promise they match!

I picked up a tube of eight ornaments at Target (for $5) and tied one to each place card.

I got the trivet at my office holiday gift exchange. Could it be anymore perfect? It came from here.

Pay it Forward

2010-12-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

I really liked the sentiment of this post on Brunch at Saks. So instead of my usual Fresh Friday post I thought I'd share my own list of ways I plan to pay it forward in the new year.

My Pay it Forward List:

1. Introduce my son to volunteering. The park by our house has several community led clean-ups throughout the year which I think may be the perfect volunteer project for a three year old.

2. Visit the nursing home where my grandmother lives on a regular basis. I have been so bad about going there. She doesn't recognize me which makes the visits really tough. I have to remember that even if she doesn't know who I am, visitors always make the residents happy.

3. Give more of my time and talents. I am starting off the year by donating a custom item to a silent auction for this wonderful organization.

4. Model generosity. Every time we turn on the TV, my son needs a new toy. It would be easy to blame the TV, but when I want something I simply buy it. I hope to find ways to show Elliot that richness in life does not come from the things we have, and that giving is more rewarding than getting.

5. Be a better friend.

Card Tree

2010-12-21T10:52:00.000-05:00

Although I didn't make Christmas cards this year, I did create a fun way to display them. This wreath, spotted here, was my inspiration.

Here's what I came up with:

To make your own card tree you'll need:
- cardboard, I used a shipping box
- an exacto knife
- masking tape
- a hot glue gun
- clothes pins, the kind with the springs
- green crepe paper
- double sided tape
- Modge Podge
- a small plant container with a 5" diameter across the top

Step 1:
Draw and cut out (using your exacto knife). Mine were 5" wide at the base and 22" tall.

Step 2: Hot glue the pieces together along the edges then reinforce with masking tape.

Step 3: Tear pieces of crepe paper and decoupage to "tree" with Modge Podge. This will hide the tape and further reinforce the tree.

Step 4: Affix the tree to your plant container with hot glue. Apply a generous amount of hot glue to the rim of the container and carefully place the tree on the container. Warning, the glue dries fast so you won't have much time to level the tree if needed.

Step 4: Cut 2.5 inch wide strips of crepe paper (I cut mine the length of the paper) and cut fringe (approximately 2 inches deep). Attach strips of fringe to the tree with double sided tape.

Step 5: Use hot glue to affix clothes pins. I used large and small clothes pins (at the top). I embellished the pins by using Modge Podge to seal strips of fabric to the tops of the pins.

Step 6: Adorn your tree with cards. The tree I made holds 20 cards, without doubling up. The taller the tree the more cards it will be able to hold.

Emma and Lizzie - Fresh Friday*

2010-12-17T08:09:00.000-05:00

My hair is in a growing out phase. This means that it is constantly pulled back into a pony tail or bun. Although its relatively low maintenance, this look is boring. To spice it up this holiday I may try one of Emma and Lizzie's pretty silk flower headbands. Perhaps not for the office, but certainly for my next holiday soiree.

*Fresh Fridays feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.

Sweet Sillouettes

2010-12-15T21:52:00.001-05:00

I know that silhouette ornaments have been popping up on other blogs, but I wanted to make a couple of my own. One for each child. They were super easy to make and they really pop on the tree.

I wrote each child's name and the year on the back of each ornament.

One more ornament to make before Christmas, stay tuned!

A Fully Dressed Tree

2010-12-13T14:39:00.000-05:00

Our poor Christmas tree has been skirt-less for the past five years. This is due to my insistence that I make vs. buy a skirt, and trouble deciding what kind of skirt to make. I am happy to report that our tree will be naked no more! Inspiration struck after I completed the sweater stockings and still had quite a few sweater remnants. I love that the new skirt ties the mantle and tree together and that I gave me another use for the sweater project. A similar look could easily be accomplished with fleece or felt.

Here's the how-to:

STEP 1: Select a fabric for the base of the skirt (I used some green corduroy I had on hand). You'll need about 1.5 yards. Fold it in half and use a long string and pen fashioned as a compass to make a semicircle. Cut out the semicircle then unfold it to reveal your circle and skirt base.

STEP 2: Cut smaller circles out of the felt, fleece, or old sweaters that you have selected. I used a Tupperware top as a template. I traced and cut 60 circles.

STEP 3: Arrange the first layer of small circles on around the base of the skirt. You'll want to leave a 6-8 inch space to cut the slit that will enable you to wrap the skirt around your tree.

STEP 4: Sew on the first layer of circles. I sewed mine on about 1.5 inches from the top (pointing into the skirt) of each circle, with half of each circle hanging over the edge of the skirt base.

STEP 5: Arrange and sew on the second layer of circles. They should be staggered, like bricks, over the first row and will overlap slightly.

STEP6: Arrange and sew on the third layer of circles.

STEP 7: fold the skirt to find its center and trace a circle in the center. Draw a straight line from your opening and cut up the line and cut out the circle. If you are using felt or fleece you will not need to finish this edge. I used pinking sheers then a zig-zag stitch along the edge of mine to prevent fraying.

STEP 9: wrap the skirt around the base of your tree!

Bortoluzzi Studio - Fresh Friday*

2010-12-10T10:00:00.002-05:00

Tania Bortoluzzi is a Brazilian artist who recently began selling her paintings on Etsy. Her early work really isn't my cup of tea, but some of her recent work is quite wonderful. Priced between $160 and $1,000 her work is relatively affordable for original oil paintings. The following painting, entitled A World of Ideas, is my favorite.

*Fresh Fridays feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.

Salt Dough Ornaments

2010-12-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

For our first batch of homemade ornaments, my little helper (Elliot) and I whipped up a batch of salt dough.

Ingredients:
1 cup salt
2 cups flour
1 cup warm water

Mix salt and flour in KitchenAid then slowly blend in warm water. If you are making ornaments or anything with detail, use the dough within 1 hour of making. It can also be stored in a zip lock in the fridge if you use it like play dough. To harden the dough bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Once cooked, the ornaments can be painted and glazed (I used a clear spray varnish). I also dressed up most of my ornaments with bits of ribbon and felt. The great thing about salt dough is that it can be used to make very detailed ornaments or very simple ones. My helper was very content rolling the dough and cutting out shapes with cookie cutters; while I was busy sculpting little gnomes, reindeer, and wreaths.

Ornaments after baking, ready to be painted.

My helper, hard at work.

Gnomes before varnish and felt embellishments

Mrs. Gnome

Mr. Gnome

Wreath and candy cane embellished with ribbon.

Christmas Countdown

2010-12-06T10:00:00.002-05:00

My mom bought Elliot a lovely little Advent calendar with little cardboard doors that reveal a piece of chocolate when you pop them open. Unfortunately when we opened the first door, it revealed a melted and remolded blob of chocolate. I was ready to go out and buy a replacement calendar when our au pair suggested that she could help Elliot make one. They emerged later in the day with the perfect little calendar, which we promptly hung in the kitchen. She did most of the making, and it turned out beautifully. I filled the little paper pockets (click here for paper folding instructions) with trinkets and treats from the dollar bin at Target.

Do you have a handmade way to countdown or mark the passing days of the holiday season. Inspire others, share your handmade holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, etc.) creations on the namesake design Facebook page.

Neat Shop - Fresh Friday*

2010-12-03T10:00:00.006-05:00

I have cards on the brain today. I have been agonizing or whether or not to make my own Christmas cards this year. I think I have enough on my plate as it is, and I will be purchasing cards. Which brings me to this Friday's find. While perusing Etsy for photo cards I came across Neat Shop. Although they didn't have the Christmas card I was looking for, they do have a small selection of creative cards. I especially like the Everything Card. I could use about 10 of these as I am always remembering card worthy occasions at the last minute!

*Fresh Fridays feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.

It Must Be Inherited

2010-11-30T12:00:00.001-05:00

Because we moved into our home a couple of days before Christmas last year, I did do much decorating other than putting up a Christmas tree. That's why I have started early this year! The tree isn't up yet but the mantle, hallway, and dining room are starting to feel festive.

As I was going through all of the boxes of decorations I was struck by how many handmade and vintage ornaments I have. All were acquired or made by my grandmothers, and passed down to me.

They are so sweet and special and they have inspired me to make a few handmade ornaments of my own this year. I'll be posting pics and how-tos for one ornament a week until Christmas. I am not the only crafter out there making ornaments. I found dozens of lovely ornaments made by other very talented crafters that I may attempt to copy. The following are a few of my favorites:

1. April's Mini Matroyshkas; 2. Artichoke Ornaments; 3. Retro Foam Ornaments; 4. Folded Felt Spheres; 5. Fabric Trees; 6. Vintage Paper Snow Flake

Have any of you ever attended an ornament swap? Like a cookie swap, but everyone brings a handmade ornament. I would love to host one but I don't think I have enough crafty friends in the DC area. Let me know if I am wrong.

Starbird - Fresh Friday*

2010-11-26T10:00:00.002-05:00

Cooler days and nights have me pulling out the extra blankets and on the look out for stylish throws and quilts to scatter throughout the house. I have always loved quilts but only have one (in my sons room) because although I admire the craftsmanship, they don't really fit my design aesthetic. That was until I found Starbird Hammer Thread's Etsy shop, which has a small inventory that includes a few lovely very modern quilts that would fit my home perfectly.

*Fresh Fridays feature Etsy sellers that, at the time of writing, haven't had their first sale. Help them out, buy handmade.