She Believed She Could, So She Did Art DIY

I saw this quote on Pinterest and found in love.  Can you think of any stronger message to send to your daughters? 

I immediately went to work creating something with this saying on it for Chloe's room.  

Pick out a font that you think fits the message best and print it out on regular typing paper. 

I don't know why it's sideways but you get the point. 

Grab some wax paper and rip off enough to cover the words.  You will be tracing the letters so you need to have plenty of space on the wax paper. 

Using puffy paint in the color of your choice, trace carefully over the words.  (If you mess up, move the wax paper and try again - FOOL PROOF!)

 

Continue until all of the words are covered.  Let dry.  

Once all of the letters are dry, line them up onto your canvas however you would like them to be arranged.  Play around with it until your happy!  

Use Mod Podge and carefully glue each letter into place.  I picked up 1 letter at a time, and replaced it before picking up the next letter.  This helps to keep the words aligned.  (You could also use a ruler as a straight edge if needed).

I choose white puffy paint on white canvas intentionally.  My original idea was to spray paint the whole canvas the same color pink that I used on Chloe's bookcase, but I ended up really liking it white and haven't pulled the trigger on painting just yet.  (My white puffy paint is iridescent, which helps it to "pop" off the canvas. 

Ta Da!   The possibilities are endless with this project!  Different colors, different sayings, adding a design... make it your own! 

XO!

Upcycling a Baby Doll Bed Tutorial

Isn't it funny how innate it is for little girls to play mommy? I love watching Chloe be sweet and loving to her babies (all 8324 of them).  While helping her go through her toys the other day for our monthly "Let's get rid of anything you don't play with!", I noticed her baby pack-n-play was ripping at the bottom.  It wasn't too surprising, considering the material used to make it, is the same thin material most princess costumes are made of. (and we all know how easily those rip or fray or snag!) 

My first thought was to sew up the hole real quick and move on.  But the more I sewed, the more it ripped.  2 hours later, someone had a completely "new" baby bed.  (It's most definitely not perfect, and when I was taking the frame apart and putting it back together, I tweaked the levelness of it somehow... but it holds babies, the fabric is cute, and Chloe loves it)

Materials:
   sewing machine (hand sewing would take forever, but you could)
   scissors
   fabric for the sides ( 11" x 36" )
   fabric for the bottom ( 12" x 21")
   thread to match
   coordinating ribbon

• Begin by cutting your pieces.  I struggled with the decision to cut panels, or use one long piece of fabric.  I decided it would be easier to manage with panels. (each measurement allows for a 1/4" seam)
• 2 side panels measuring 11x14"
• 2 side panels measuring 11x22"
• 1 bottom panel measuring 11x21"
• Sew these all together with a 1/4" seam.  (I hate 1/4" seam, but it allows for the least amount of fabric waste. 
  • *Don't forget* Iron your seams for a sharp edge. 

• Now that you have one long piece of fabric, measure the allowance for your bed leg.  Mine was 1 1/2".  (put your pins in to hold it, then check with the leg before sewing)
• *Tip* Use a rubberband to mark your seam allowance to keep your sewing straight!

• Attaching the bottom seemed intimating at first, but just take it one side at a time.  I started with a longer side to get it out of the way. 
• *Tip*  When sewing with Minky fabric, pin every inch.  The fabric stretches as it runs through your machine and will bunch up if you are stingy with your pins. 

• As you begin to sew around the bottom, think of the extra material as wrapping paper.  Fold it as you would if it were a present to keep it out of the way. 
• Attach your bottom to the "wrong" side of the fabric so when you look into the bed, you see the "right" side of the fabric at the bottom. 
• DO NOT sew the "pocket" for your bed leg. I used a larger pin to remind myself when to STOP before closing the "pocket". 

 

• After attaching the bottom, fit your creation (what would you call this thing?) onto your baby bed to make sure all is well. 

• Cut 10 pieces of ribbon and sear the edges with a lighter to keep them from fraying.  Line them up evenly along the top (over the rail) and attach with pins.  Hand sew or machine sew on. 

• Ta Da!  High five to you and be happy with the cute (more kid resistant) baby bed! 

Bloopers - Almost every time I do a sewing project, I have at least 1 oops of sewing the fabric together wrong.  I had 3 this time.  Lesson learned, don't do this with "helpers" or past my bedtime.

XO!

DIY Felt Board for Toddlers/Preschoolers

In Chloe's preschool class, the kiddos are encouraged to write books about anything that interests them.  As a way to help Chloe understand that things are drawn with different shapes, I created a felt board that she can manipulate into many different scenes using basic shapes.  (square, circle, rectangle, triangle)  As she grows, the possibilities of what she can create are endless by adding felt shapes as she wants.

Here's how to make your own.  I began with an easel we bought from Ikea last year for Christmas.  One side has a chalkboard that she loves to draw on, which is also great for her writing muscles since it's large enough that she has to reach up and pull down.  The other side is a white board that rarely gets used because of the lap-sized marker board she's always drawing on.  If you don't have an easel, a large frame would work just as well!

For an easel sized felt board, you will need 3/4 yards of fabric.  I chose black so any scenes created would "POP" out.  White or brown would have the same effect.  After cutting the felt to size, I used a clothespin to help hold it in place while I marked where I wanted to Velcro to be.  (If you are using a frame or do not care if the felt is permanent, hot glue the felt into place.  I wanted to be able to remove it should we need the marker board in the future.)

Mark where you want the Velcro to go, and sew on to secure.  I planned on using 4 pieces of Velcro - top corners and bottom corners - but once I started securing it to the frame, 6 peieces were needed to keep a taunt pull, plan accordingly. 

Once the Velcro is attached to your felt, stretch it onto the frame and mark for the companion Velcro piece. Because it was on the back of the frame and you can't see it, I hot glued the other piece of Velcro onto the wood.  

Continue as needed until you are satisfied with the tightness of the felt on the frame. 

Add whatever shapes or pieces will interest your little one! The benefit of this project is that you can customize it for you - if you don't have a lot of room, make it small, if they need help with spelling make letters that can easily be moved around, etc.  

What would you put on a felt board for your toddler or preschooler? 

XO! 

How to Freshen Up Your Mattress DIY

Do you (or your hubby) sweat at night?  Have you noticed the negative impact on your mattress?  We have a mattress cover (that is supposed to stop EVERYTHING from going through or so said the salesman who sold us the mattress that was never supposed to sag but absolutely does after only 2 years of owning it - anywho) and I still feel better taking a day to freshen the mattress and karate kick any dust mites that may be living up in our stuff.

If you notice from the previous posts, I like things that are simple and easy.  This is not unlike any of those other posts.

Sprinkle baking soda onto the mattress (I use a spoon to help evenly distribute, you don't have to) and let it sit. I usually let it sit on the mattress for an hour or so, letting it do it's Baking Soda magic. (And usually by the time the mattress pad it done being washed and dried, I'm ready to make the bed)

After it's done, vacuum it all up.  Ta Da.  You can do what you want, but I usually lay on the bare mattress and smell the freshness because I can.

You're bed is now ready to be re-made and enjoyed.

Until next time... XO!

Stained Clothes and Smelly Towels

Laundry is not something I hate doing. I don't mind washing, drying isn't so bad and as long as I can watch something (or listen) good on TV, I will fold and fold. What I do hate... putting clothes away! If I could, I would leave the nicely folded clothes stacked in organized piles all over the living room floor. (And sometimes I do for hours.) I know I'm not alone, right?!

One part about laundry I really enjoy is the thrill of getting a stain out of something that you know is a stubborn one. The cleaning aisle at the store is one of my favorite to browse and see what's out there, and over the years, I've tried A LOT of stain removers that didn't really do anything that detergent alone wouldn't do. Since having kids, I have been on a mission to make the clothes last as long as they can (mostly because Chloe and Aria don't grow out of a size for what seems like forever - my 5 month old is still wearing 0-3 month stuff for example). After searching and scouring the interwebs, I may have found the mother of all stain removers...

1 part Dawn dish soap
2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide.
(And if its a old stain, like your husbands yellow arm pit stains, add a dash of baking soda)

I usually mix it up in a little dip cup, pour onto the stain and scrub with an old toothbrush for about 3 seconds then toss it in the washer!
Strawberry stain on white shirt, gone!
Mud, gone!
Bottoms of socks that have ran through the yard, not gone... But much whiter!

After a crazy day at daycare in the sandbox and yard on a sweaty day... yuck! 

Not perfectly white, but a VAST improvement! 

This recipe has even been used on our carpet when someone, ahem Chloe, attempted to secretly color on the carpet. (And maybe that time I spilt hot pink nail polish all over the floor - but I tried this after lots of other attempts)

Something else that happens on a regular basis is our laundry room: Vinegar! If your towels smell after being used a time or two, throw 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar in with your regular detergent and fabric softener and wash as usual.  The difference is unbelievable! I do this with every load of towels I do and never notice a smell anymore.

What laundry tips or tricks do you have?

XO!

2 Ingredient Shower Scrub DIY

If you're anything like me... winter is a KILLER on your skin.  My skin is very dry all the time, but with these bitterly cold days, I can't do anything but iiiiitttttccccchhhhh. Here is a scrub that you can make and take with you into the shower once a week to help slough off the dead skin and moisturize what's left.

You need Brown Sugar and Olive Oil - that's it! You have those in the cupboard on any given day.

Don't worry about any specific measurements, just put in enough brown sugar to cover your body keeping in mind it will "melt" a little when you pour in the olive oil.

And you're done!  How easy was that?

*Be careful in the shower when using this scrub, the olive oil can make the floor slippery.

Bonus Scrub
My mother-in-law used to sell Mary Kay and I was always gifted products during Christmas or birthdays. One of my favorite things I was given was the TimeWise Microdermabrasion set. (it also came with a shimmery lotion which I really like, but it's not moisturizing enough for the winter)

The sad news about this stuff is the cost.  If it wasn't a gift, I would have never spent the $40 on it.  

Luckily, the lotion has lasted longer (since I don't use it as often) and was able to create a similar scrub for my face.  And you're not going to believe this... it's even easier than the sugar scrub above!

A small amount of baking soda and a teeny amount of water.  Approximatly.. $.02 compared to $20.. I'll take it!  Plus, I feel like it works just as well, as long as you use your regular facewash before this. 

Now all I need to discover is a good hair treatment and I can have a spa day at home for pennies! 

Until next time... XO! 

Hair Bow Frame Tutorial

Before I begin this tutorial, let me strongly suggest NOT purchasing a shadow box via Goodwill. I was trying to be green in an attempt to upcycle something from the local donation shop (not to mention save some bucks) and thoroughly regretted my decision.

Anyway-
Here is my brilliant idea for a frame.  In retrospect, I would go with a regular picture frame for pure ease. 

U to the G to the L to the Y

I knew this going from the moment I picked it up in the store, but I thought... what's a little hot glue, I can get that off with a utility knife, no problem.

LIE!  

Why yes, I am boring a hole into the back like a mouse... it was the ONLY WAY

Once I succeed getting into the frame, I pried the rest of the back up and it went much easier... until I saw the inside

MORE HOT GLUE?!?  Who put this picture together?  The inventor and tester of hot glue?!

More prying, cussing, and finally some broken glass... we were in business to begin with the tutorial. 

Little cuts keep appearing on my hands, I guess I wasn't as careful as I should have been

And now, it gets simple... 

Decide on some ribbon that you'd like to use, cut and glue into place.  I contemplated running the ribbons horizontally but am very happy with the vertical look.  

It's that easy! Just add bows, clips, headbands... whatever you have laying around getting lost.  With 2 girlys, this is a necessity! 

If you give this project a try, I'd love it see it!  Tweet me or shoot me an e-mail :-) 

Until next time... XO

$2 Tutorial for Wall Art

A few months before Aria was born, we moved Chloe from her room to another room so we wouldn't have to change much for the nursery.  (It was already pick, the crib fit well along with the changing table.. ya know).  But with such an easy transition from toddler room to nursery again, all the wall art stayed the same from Chloe.  I wanted to make something specifically for Aria - I'm feeling guilty because she doesn't get a lot of her own things.. mostly hand-me-downs (clothes, toys, wall art).  After standing in her room for a few minutes to decide what the "theme" really is in there... I decided on some pretty pink butterflies for her.  

Here is the steps I took in creating this look for approximately $2! 

I had the picture frames that I picked up at the Target Dollar Spot ages ago and never really had a plan for them.  They came in a pack of 3 and they are 5x7.  I began by cutting white cardstock to fit inside the frame using the temporary picture that comes inside frames. 

If you don't have one, this grid cutter is a great asset to any crafter's home

I googled images that I wanted and converted them to a .studio file so I could cut them on my Silhouette Cameo (LOVE IT!) 

Don't mind the mat... it's well loved

I peeled the butterflies off the mat and centered them onto the cardstock and inserted them into the frame.  TIP: before putting the back of the frame on, pick it up and check the look of the picture - there's nothing more annoying than having to pull up the little metal brackets again because your image is off center. 

Because my frames were so cheap, they didn't come with a wall hanging bracket on the back so I had to do some problem solving.  I considered using the pop top trick like I did with my fabric wall art but I went with some ribbon to give it a little more "length" in the art. 

Hot glue the ribbon to the frame. 

Tie until you are satisfied with the bow and there you have it! 

I cut my ribbon a little short and was not happy with the bow I was able to produce so I tried a different approach to "fake" a bow. 

Cross the ribbons as high as you'd like the nail to hang and hot glue together.  Fold over 1 side of the ribbon, glue and fold over the other side, glue. 

To hide the fact that this bow isn't really tied, I picked out some buttons and jewels to dazzle the center of the bow.  

And there you have it.  Super cute wall art for less than $2 in materials (including frames!) The whole project took about 30 minutes with a 3 year old bugging me to help and begging for them to be in her room. 

Best of luck... XO