Faux Wooden Bead Necklace-Beginner's Craft (older children)

If you made the napkin rings from the tutorial yesterday, I know you were looking at the beautiful kernels (and letting them slip through your fingers...it's so hard not to play!) wondering how else to display them effectively. How about an earthy yet elegant necklace? My boys did this for their grandmothers a few years ago and Grandmas loved them.

You Will Need:

• Multicolor Corn Kernels
• A Stout Needle
• Thread
• Thimble
• Towel
• Ribbon (optional)

1.) First you will need to soak some kernels over night, like you would dried beans.

2.) Thread the needle, I like to double over the thread for added strength. Then carefully push/pull the needle through the kernels as you would beads. This is where you will need the thimble to help push the needle and the towel to help pull it.

3.) When the strand is "beaded" long enough to be put on over your head, tie off and connect the ends. Of course you can use the jewelry making clasps if you have them...but I don't have them.



4.) Stitch a ribbon at the joint and tie a bow for added flair.

Just look how lovely and natural it is!

Thanksgiving Napkin Rings (Kid Friendly Craft)

Continuing with the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts Kids Can Make book (could they have picked a longer title?), today we do the multicolor corn napkin rings. I think these are very cute and a great addition to the harvest theme.


You Will Need:

• Multicolored Corn (used for harvest decor)
• Cardboard Tubes- TP tubes or Paper Towel tubes (you will get about 4 rings from a TP tube and 11 from a Paper Towel tube)
• Tacky Glue
• Glitter if Desired
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Small Paint Brushes

• Newspaper and other mess containment items (I found a pizza box works wonderfully!)

1.) Remove the corn from the cob.I find this easy to get started by holding the kernels with one hand around the cob and turning the cob with the other hand... like a twisting or wringing motion.

2.) With the measuring tape mark the tubes at one inch intervals.



3.) Cut the tubes at the one inch marks to make rings.


4.) Paint the tacky glue onto the cardboard rings, and apply the kernels. We did this in sections, but whatever way works best is the way you should do it..

(Be advised that with young children-4 and under- the kernel placement will not be this neat. ;) )

5.) When the outer surface of the ring is covered as much as you can, you either just let it dry or place it in a baggy of glitter and roll/tilt gently to fill in the gaps.

(You may also cut strips of felt and glue them to the inside of the rings if so desired)





After the glue dries you have a lovely Thanksgiving Napkin Ring!

Straight up Slippin', Boo! Using a Bed Sheet for a Slipcover

I'm so close to having my own creative space! The walls are up and painted a cheery yellow. Next we put in the drop ceiling and carpet. Woo hoo!

Something I will need after all the construction stuff is complete, is lovely furniture. I've already begun painting old cabinets...



... My project yesterday involved a cute little arm-chair. Just the thing for relaxing!



What? You don't think it's so cute? You don't see it working with cheery yellow walls?

Neither do I.

So I took myself over to Joann's and priced out the upholstery fabric for recovering (which happens to be 50% off this week).

Yeah...not gonna happen on my budget. I have expensive tastes.

Fortunately my quilting experience has taught me, a great way to get lots of fabric very cheaply is to buy a sheet. I got a full size set at a super store for right around $20, less than half of the price of the material at Joann's.

First thing I did was to take that horrible trim from the bottom.



Borrowing an idea from the now defunct Trading Spaces, I removed the cushion and draped the flat sheet over my chair and got to pinning.



1.) After draping the sheet (wrong-side up) over the chair, adjust (but not tuck) so that the bottom edge is even all the way around.

2.) Pin in the places where there is just too much fabric, corners, curves, etc. to fit the sheet to your chair's shape.  Spend a lot of time on this step. The more pins and time, the easier it will be to sew and the better it will look.

***For a No-Sew Slipcover, use a bunch of safety-pin to fit the sheet.***



3.) Gently pull the sheet off of the chair, turn right-side up and place back on the chair to check the fit. You will likely do this step at least twice, just remember the more time you spend here the better it will look.

*** No-Sew: after this step you're done! Just pull a pillow case over the seat cushion and you're good to go.***



4.) Once you have it just how you want it, cut the excess fabric  about half an inch away from the pins.

5.) Sew the, now cut, seams. (This is where I added a little trim)

 

6.) The seat cushion is as simple as making pillows. Measure the top square (or rectangle in my case) from side to side, and add an inch to each measurement. Cut two squares, that size. for the gusset (the strip that goes around the width) do the same, adding that inch to the width and length.

7.) Sew that all together, leaving the back open at one seam so you can slip the cushion in there.

8.) Finishing the edge for the cushion cover has a few options. You can hand stitch it closed, use hook and loop (like Velcro) pieces, or if you're lazy like me and out of velcro you can safety-pin it shut.

I can't wait to post some finished room pictures!

A Sweet Little Pin Cushion-No Sew

Today, I had a nagging pain in my neck and head. Today, I had dishes and laundry piled up. Today, the laundry just isn't getting done. Today, I needed a simple craft. Something quick and pretty, with almost instant gratification.Today...I stumbled upon the sweet little pin cushion tutorial from Creations By Kara. Perfect!

I gathered my supplies...

Tuna Can, and coordinating Fabrics


Cut a strip and a circle...



I gathered and stuffed...



I glued...


And glued some more, then embellished...



Ahhhhhhhhh. I have crafted. My laundry is still there, but I feel my day is complete.

Do me a favor and check out Kara's tutorial. She did a great job, and so will you!

Nifty-Gifty: A Quick Little Basket with Sew or No-Sew Instructions

This sweet little recycling piece is actually a project I did in Summer Camp around the age of ten (in a group of 9-12 yr olds), using hot glue guns instead of sewing machines. It makes use of an old plastic bottle and fabric scraps; it's a great fat quarter/scrap project;  AND it makes a perfect little gift basket for smaller items.

You Will Need:

• A Plastic Bottle (2-Liter soda bottles work well)
• Fabric
• Trim
• Glue Gun
• Rubber band
• Ribbon
• Stuffing

1.)  Cut 2 circles from your fabric. I used a 13 inch pot-lid to trace them out, but I found it was just a little smaller than I wanted. I suggest a circle with a 15 inch diameter.



As you can see I chose 2 coordinating fabrics


2.) I find it easier to work with if I sew the trim to the right side of one circle...



3.) ...then sew the second circle to the first one (right-sides together), sandwiching the trim between the two pieces. Leave a few inches unsewn  and turn right-side out. (P.S. If you don't have a piping foot, a zipper foot is very helpful)



*************************************************************************************

No-Sew Instructions:

1.)Iron a quarter-inch fold, towards the back, around the edges of both circles.

2.) Hot glue the trim to the back (wrong side) of one circle

3.) Then glue the second circle wrong-sides together to the trim, leaving a portion of the edge open to stuff.

************************************************************************************

4.) Stuff lightly.



5.) Cut the bottom off of the soda bottle about 4 or 5 inches up. The bottom will be your basket.



6.) Cut a strip of fabric long enough to cover the circumference of the bottle, and 8 inches wide. Hot glue this piece to the outside of the bottle, then fold to the inside of the bottle and glue down.







7.) Place the bottle on the center of the stuffed circle.  Gather the circle upward and secure with the rubber band.



8.) Cover the rubber band with a ribbon.



9.) Fill with whatever goodies you like: flowers; candy; potpourri; tea and crackers; soup mix; etc. Wouldn't this be a great gift basket or craft/party favor?



I filled mine with the lovely Coffee Filter Flowers I made (yes, I said those flowers were MADE) from Aunt Peaches' Blog.

Remake: Ruffled Poncho

It's that time of year in the North-Midwest. There's frost on the grass in the morning, Apple Cider is a grocery staple, and cozying up in your favorite blanket with a mug of coffee/cocoa/tea is a luxury we all indulge in.

Wouldn't we love it if we could stay wrapped up in our blankets all day? But that would make it a shawl or poncho... well there's an idea! And that's where my two yard sale finds com in.


A chenille yarn throw and a full length knit skirt. Fifty cents each!

As you can see, the blanket is a little worn. The tag on it says "Dry Clean Only", and the easiest way to take care of that is to cut the tag off. Really, I'm not going to dry clean it. I just pop it in the wash to get any shrinking done and over with.

**Note to self: chenille yarn doesn't shrink...it fuzzed out all over the washing machine**

1.)So with everything washed and dried, I trim off the scraggly ends.



2.) Fold the blanket into fourths, and cut a shallow neck hole. You may want to use a shirt as a guide. (Remember: Start small!)



3.) Unfold once (so it's only folded in half: short ends together at the bottom), cut down the center from neck to bottom edge.



4.) Cut strips from the skirt. I cut four strips about 4 inches wide and then sewed three pieces together to make a long ruffle around the neck and down the front, with one piece to trim the bottom edges. Of course how many you need to cut etc. will all depend upon your available materials.

5.) Pin and stitch the trim in place.

6.) Wear! The edges are a little rough yet, I might make my own bias tape and sew that on later.

I just noticed the strings hanging down. LOL I missed those ones but since it's all stitched, it's easily taken care of with a quick snip.