Washer Necklace - Super simple!

Watch this :

Make these:

We didn't have the type of clasp they used in the video, so we improvised with what we had... make the leather strap a bit longer, tie a loop knot at one end & use a bead at the other end for the closure.

Thanks for Looking!

Spring & Summer Blocks

Start with some scrap lumber... I used a 1x6 & had hubby cut them 4" wide.

Find some really fun coordinating paper & cut to size of block. You will need 6 pastel patterns for SPRING & 6 bright patterns for SUMMER. One side of the block will be for SPRING & the other side will be for SUMMER.
Trim down the paper a bit, so you see some wood edges.

Mod Podge them onto the wooden block. TIP: I used my Pampered Chef Stone scraper to make sure there were no bubbles. You could use a credit or gift card too. Let one side dry good before you turm over to do the other side.
I then used a chocolate brown stamping ink pad & rubbed it around the edges to add a bit of an antique look to the block.

Do the same with your letters. TIP: wear rubber gloves when doing this. It is kind of messy.

OPPSY...I forgot to mention that I used coordinating colored card stock and cut 4" letters from my latest Archiver's excursion. Mod Podge these on to the blocks over the decorative paper. Again, make sure it is dry before turning over to do the other side.

Display... on a Mantle

On an entertainment center

On top of your kitchen cabinets

On a shelf

On an End Table

Or maybe not...

I want to make another set for AUTUMN & WINTER someday...

Bleeding Heart

Coffee Sleeve Card

Inspired by this mini book ~ I'm making recycled cards from Coffee Sleeves.


Ironically enough, I don't even drink coffee, so shout out to Danielle who supplied me with her coffee sleeves for this project. Also a shout out to Liz who gave me a sheet a stickers that she won at Archivers last Friday Night.

This is a super simple craft that only took a few minutes.

Mother's Day Cardigan

STOP - If you are my Mom - do not read this or it will spoil your Mother's day surprise.








Others may continue.






Today I'm re-purposing an old T- shirt into something a little better that what it was.





Take old jersey T-Shirt that fits or is slightly too large for you & cut off the bottom & sleeve hems & neckline. Then off the button cut a bunch of 1/2" wide strips. I wanted the length of this top to sit about where you pant hit at you waist , so I think I cut 7 strips off the bottom.


Take each strip & give it just a little tug so that the edges start to curl a bit. Jersey fabric curls to the right side. Typically this annoys me. but today I'm using it as a trapuno effect.


I then shaped the neckline to be a nicer curve. The detail I'm adding to this top will be mainly at the empire height (high waist). So the neckline looks really low, but this cardi is not meant to be worn alone.


Try on the top as you have it so far & check the length - is it too long? now is the time to shorten more. Do you like where the neck will hit on you? Is the body width too big? Now is the time to slim it down.


Here is where you will need to mark where your empire waist is. Use this mark & measure how far up it is from the bottom edge & draw a faint line to follow all the way around the garment.


Once that is done, you will need to round off the front at the bottom. Just trace around a dinner plate for a nice curve. You can do this for the neck too if you do not have fancy rulers.



At your machine, take one of the 1/2" wide strips you cut & snip it open at the side seam. You should now have one really long piece. With the right side of the fabric up, lay the edge of the cut strip on the line that you drew at the empire waist. Pin this all the way around the garment & sew down the center of the strip allowing the edges to curl slightly. ( I'm not pinning it... use you best judgement if you want to use pins of not.


Set aside one piece to be the tie.


For the second strip, snip this open at the seam allowance. Flip the bottom edge of the first strip up & align the next strip of fabric right below it. Sew this on all the way around the garment at the empire waist line.

Do this one more time for a 3rd row at the empire waist line.

You next step is to take another strip & sew it on around the edge of the sleeve. Again, align the cut edges together, face side up & sew down the center allowing the edges to curl slightly.

Repeat this on all the cut edges on the entire garment, back neck, front, and along the bottom. When you run out of one strip of fabric, just overlap with another one... the curled raw edges is the desired effect.

When you get to the front empire rows take the tie & lay it on top of the 3 rows extending off the front of the garment. Then that the strip that you are sewing on around the edges & lay that on top of the 3 rows & the tie & stitch thru all layers - remember to back tack!

Finished cardigan. Once you wash it the edges will curl even a but more.

Close up of the detail at the waist.

This was a super simple top that did not take long to sew. Actually, I'm spending way more time blogging about it than it did for me to think about it, cut & sew it up. I think I want to make one for myself in Yellow!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Compact Mirror Re-do

We all have some old make-up that needs throwing out. But if you are like me, you just hate to throw anything away.There is a perfectly good mirror that can be re-used.
Remove make-up & take mirror out of compact. Use a utility knife to scrap off the hinge & clasp portion of the frame.
Find some fun paper & trace the mirror frame (I then had to go & trim off a little more so it sat down in the back side of the mirror better.

Using all purpose glue, glue the paper onto the back side of the mirror frame. Let dry for a few hours. Make sure the paper dries flat (you will have to check it & smooth it back out occasionally depending on the weight of the paper... the heavier the better).
I then used a product called Diamond Glaze which creates a hard "candy coated shell" on the paper. Squeeze on the whole tube & spread around with a tooth pick to cover the entire paper.

Let dry for a few hours.

I now have a cute little cupcake compact for my purse.

See link for a free sample of Diamond Glaze.

>>>>One a side note: I'm working on a recycled project/toy for Peepers... If you drink frozen concentrated juice, please save me your metal lids. Thank you :)