DIY Wall Letters

Now, out of all the projects I have done, I think this one was probably the most fun. It also gives you so much room to be creative and add your own personal touch. There really are so many different things you can do to decorate these, both for a boy's and girl's room. I made these letters for my oldest daughter's room. She wanted them to be girly, but not too over-the-top. I had been browsing websites and saw similar ones selling for $10 and up for each letter. I almost certainly was not going to pay $50 for something that I could make myself for a lot more inexpensive! Pottery Barn sells some adorable ones, but they didn't really have what I was looking for. That's when....DING DING!!! I decided to make them myself!!
The letters, however, I did not make. I bought them at Michael's for $1.99 per letter. I already had acrylic paint which is what I used to paint them. I did buy some glitter dust, which was $1 for a small packet, but was plenty for what I was using it for. I also purchased from Michael's some pink scrapbooking flowers ($2.99) to add on each of the letters. I won't go into details on the steps I did to make this, as it is pretty self-explanatory. But please feel free to comment if you have any questions that I may answer. I hope you have fun with this project and if you are making them for your little one, have them help out too! 


TOOLS NEEDED:
*Pre-cut letters (any size)
*Acrylic paint
*Glitter
*Small craft paint brushes and/or sponges
*Embellishments of your choice
*Hot glue gun
*Velcro for wall hanging or some nails and a hammer

How to Make a No Sew Tutu!

Super Quick and Easy Flower Tutorial!! Less than 5 min. to make!

Ribbon Carnations by Crafty Ribbons

The Fabric Of My Life

Here are just a few of the ribbons and fabric I use to make headbands and clips with. My collection has actually grown quite a bit but this was just the beginning.

Here is a picture of one of the first headbands and clips I made. These ones are simple but I made them to match my daughter's dresses. The headband I made using the purple fabric pictured above and added in some white tulle. For the clip I used the pink fabric. I hot glued an alligator clip to the back and added a rhinestone to the middle of it.

Rolled Ribbon Headband

    ~~~~~Ribbon Rose Headbands~~~~~


I made this headband by rolling ribbon. I started rolling very tight for the center. After every few turns, I would twist the ribbon away from me once then roll it straight another couple times. I ended the ribbon at the bottom of the rose and secured it with hot glue. I then secured it to the elastic headband with felt and more hot glue. This headband looks SO cute when it's on!

Zulily Is My Indulgence!

I was just going through my little lady's closet and admiring all of her cute outfits and dresses. Ever since I found www.zulily.com I have been hooked! It hasn't warmed up enough quite yet for her to start wearing all of her adorable dresses, but we have had a few nice days that she was able to show them off. Part of the reason I started this blog was to share ideas (and perhaps get ideas) on how to save money. Zulily.com has amazing deals on clothes, shoes, accessories, and household items for babies, kids, and even moms. If you place an order, you get free shipping for the rest of the day until midnight and the shipping fees are very reasonable. I have found some really cute things on other websites but their high shipping prices kept me from making a purchase. If you do a lot of online shopping, then I would definitely suggest taking a look at this site. As all my friends on Facebook already know....I am always raving about Zulily!

Headband/Hair Clip Holder

A Must For Any Little Girl!

THINGS YOU WILL NEED:

Staple gun - To attach the ribbon to the back of the frame.


Hot Glue gun - If you are going to add a flower or other embellishment to the front of the frame.


Photo Frame - You can use any size photo frame you like. I used a 16x20 natural finish photo frame that I purchased from Wal-Mart for $5. The bottom should be flat so that you can screw in the hooks without damaging the frame. 

Spray Paint -  You can use any color of your choice. I chose one with a high-gloss finish. You can also use acrylic paint. I did find that the spray paint was somewhat messy to work with. 

Small Craft Hooks - I used 11 for mine. But, you can use more or less, depending on the amount of space you want between the hooks.


Ribbon -  It is best to use ribbon with the ridges to act as grippers for the hair clips.


Flower or Other Embellishment - You can choose to not use anything for the outside of the frame, but I think it adds a nice touch. 

I started off by spray painting the frame. It took a few coats to cover it completely. After the paint has dried completely, you can then screw in the hooks. It's important to screw them in straight so that they are all aligned. You can choose to leave the hooks unpainted (most come in white, chrome, or brass finish), or paint them any color you like. Next, you will need to measure enough ribbon to staple to the back of the frame. The ribbon will serve as the new home for hair clips and barrettes. Be sure to add a few extra inches to each strand of ribbon so that you have enough to fold it and staple it down. You can cut any excess off when you are done. Be sure to pull the ribbon tight so that it does not leave any waves in it once it is stapled. I used 2 staples for each end of the ribbon. 

If you are going to add any sort of embellishment, you can now hot-glue it on to the frame. You can use flowers, butterflies, ladybugs, or anything that goes with the look you are trying to achieve. You can add only one, or you can add a lot. The choice is yours!!!! Either way, it will be unique and you can proudly say that you made it yourself!!!!

Day 2 of Blogging

So it is day 2 of my new blogging lifestyle! I am actually pretty excited about this! I can't wait to start adding pictures and "how-to's" of all the crafts I have done and will continue to do. I have stumbled upon many blogs in the last few years that have provided me with so much information, and I am using what I have learned from them as my inspiration. The internet is such a powerful tool that it would be a waste to not take full advantage of it. Not only am I a wife to a wonderful man and a mom to 3 wonderful children ----- I also work full-time away from the home. I like to keep my self busy on my days off but also want to have fun (don't we all?). That's where crafts come into play. I love that you can take things you already have at home and turn them into something completely useful. Sure, most of it is just for fun......but that's what makes it so enjoyable! I hope each and every person who reads my blog can learn something from it, as well as have a positive experience. I appreciate all of you for taking the time to browse my page. I hope you have a wonderful day!

No-Sew Tutu!

This is one of my recent projects I did. I made a no-sew tutu for my 3 year old daughter. It was fun and really easy to make. I bought some elastic from Wal-Mart, which cost less than $2, and also 2 yards each of tulle (fuchsia, light pink, and lavender). The tulle was $0.97/yard. I also purchased some solid color ribbon in matching colors to use to hang down from the waist. 

I started out by measuring the elastic around my daughter's waist. I subtracted an inch to make sure it had a good, snug fit. 

I then hot glued it together to form the waist of the tutu.

Next, with the elastic still around her waist, I measured with measuring tape to see how long I wanted the tulle to hang. I then cut 6 inch strips of tulle and multiplied the length by 2, and added an inch to replace the knot that ties around the elastic.

Next, I made a slip-knot with the tulle and tied it around the elastic, being careful not to pull too tight and bend the elastic. I continued this process of knotting until I had no room left. After that was done, I cut the ribbon to mach the length of the tulle and added them in.

And voila! That's it! IT was then time for my little princess to enjoy her new handmade tutu!

This whole project is really easy and doesn't take much time at all. The most tedious part was cutting up all the tulle. 

Here goes......

Hey everyone! This is my first official post on my first official blog! This will definitely  be a learning experience for me, which I welcome open-armed!