Guest blogging on Kiki Creates~ Holiday pavers!

I am so excited to be blogging over at Kiki Creates today!

She is having her Easter Extravaganza that you have to check out!

I decided to share a super quick and cute Easter craft that can be used for any holiday, last name, address, etc...

This is what we will be making today!

What a fun way to add some color by your door!

Supplies list

paver/brick

stencil/pattern

paint

paint brush

pencil

glitter

craft glue

ribbon (optional)

Step 1

trace your shape or pattern

Step 2

paint your traced pattern

Step 3

after paint has dried apply glue to your painted area

Step 4

apply glitter to painted area

Step 5

add a piece of ribbon and set by your door

There you have it a simple, yet cute decoration to greet you at your front door!

Changing Pad!

I have been in a sewing mood lately! I am still behind on baby gifts, so this is what I made last night.

A changing pad!

This is so much better than the changing pad that comes in your diaper bag. This one is soft and made with waterproof mattress protectors. It is so easy to throw in the wash machine as well. Not only do you just get to see a picture of the finished product, but I am including a tutorial! Yes, I know this is the third one within a week. No, I am not sick, I am just sharing the love with all of you who would like to make your own. These are perfect baby gifts!

Supply List

*fabric

*minky fabric

*waterproof mattress pad

*sewing machine

*thread

*rotary cutter

*cutting mat and ruler

*scissors

*ribbon
*iron
*straight pins
*fabric marker/chalk

Step 1- Cut your fabric, minky fabric, and mattress pad the same size. I cut mine 26 x 16.

Step 2- Put the fabric and minky right sides together and lay the mattress pad on top of the minky

Step 3- Pin all 3 layers in place

Step 4- Take a cup and a piece of chalk or fabric pen and round your corners off.

Step 5- Sew a straight stitch around the outside of all 3 layers. Make sure to leave an opening so you can inside it out. Cut corners to round them!

Step 6- Put your hand in the hole and pull through to right side it out.

Step 7- Press around the seams including the open hole. Tuck the material under to match the rest.

Step 8- Pick a decorative stitch to top stitch around the edges. I prefer a rounded zigzag stitch.

Step 9- Measure the width of your changing pad and split it into thirds. I measured in 4 1/2 inches on each side. Then take your chalk/fabric marker and draw a straight line down the material .

Step 10- Use a straight stitch down the chalked or marker line.

Step 11- Turn your changing pad so that the material is facing up.

Step 12- Cut a piece of ribbon 26 inches long.

Step 13- Measure in one side 3 inches and down 4-5 inches and mark. Then place your ribbon here and pin into place.

Step 14- Attach your ribbon onto the changing pad. I used a zigzag stitch and went over it 3 times to make sure it was secure.

Step 15- Fold it in half and roll it up

Step 16- Tie your ribbon around it and your done!

 Hint! Minky isn't cheap, so if you get a 40% of coupon for JoAnn's then you can get it cheaper.
If any part of this tutorial doesn't make sense please feel free to email me at www.nightowlcrating@hotmail.com or leave a comment!

Bouquet of Flowers (teacher appreciation gift)

This week is teacher appreciation week! I have had this idea for a couple of weeks now, but my Disney Land trip snuck up on me and it didn't get finished until last night. Nothing like waiting til the last minute. So I decided that since I am a teacher and my pens are always walking off of my desk, that I would make a lovely pen bouquet!

I am sure you have all seen these, but I am including a tutorial on how I made mine!!!

Supplies

• fake flowers 
• ribbon 
• dried beans 
• pens 
• bucket/pail 
• glue gun 
• glue sticks 
• scissors

  1. Cut a flower off of the bouquet and grab a pen without the cap!

2. Glue the flower onto the bottom of the pen.

3. Grab your ribbon and glue it over the bottom of the pen and start wrapping it around the pen to the tip.

    Put another dab of glue at the tip to hold the ribbon in place.

Here are a few others that I made!

4. Glue ribbon around the center of the bucket/pail and add flowers if you prefer.

5. If you want a little extra pizazz then glue a little jewel to the center of the flower!

6. Spill the beans into the bucket/pail!

(sometimes I crack myself up!)

7. Arrange your flower pens into your bucket/pail!

Ta Da! How easy is that? I love how cheerful it looks! These pens would be hard for a teacher to misplace and for a student to steal accidentally walk off with it!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

I am linking to these parties!!!
 
   

Little Miss Skirt Tutorial

                                        Here is the tutorial that I posted over at seven thirty three!

Supply List

*sewing machine

*thread

*2 pieces of coordinating fabrics

*straight pins

*scissors

*rotary

*cutting mat

*rotary cutter

*Texture magic

*tape measure

*iron

*elastic

First of all have any of you heard of TEXTURE MAGIC? Well let me tell you it is FaBuLoUs! It comes in a package that looks like this...

               Sorry about the glare, this is what happens when you craft at night (no natural sun light).

1. Measure

My daughter is a size 12 months, so you might have to adjust your measurements.  First of all measure about how long you want the skirt to be off of the waist of the little darling that you are making the skirt for. Mine falls a little below the knees!  For the bottom layer of the skirt you will add 2 inches to the bottom and 4 inches to the top for a total of six inches plus your desired length. I measured my daughter at 8 inches and added 6 to equal 14 inches for the width.  My length was 26 inches!

2. Texture Magic

I took my 1/2 yard of fabric and laid it face down.  Then take your texture magic out and lay it on top of the fabric and pin in place. It should look similar to this.

3. Sew texture magic onto fabric. Sew on top of the texture magic side. Take a rounded zigzag stitch up and down over the entire piece. I had to make my stitch length longer. It should look something like this...

4. Heat the texture magic.  The directions on the texture magic package tells you how to do this.  Take the iron directly above the texture magic and it will start to shrink. Do not apply straight onto the texture magic, just hold it above it. Isn't it amazing what it does! I am in LOVE with this stuff!

5.  Cut your texture magic piece. I cut mine 8 inches wide by 26 inches long.  This will be the top of your skirt.

6.  Fold under and pin each side that is 25 inches long. Then you will need to sew along each edge to give it a finished look.

7.  Put your top piece of the skirt off to the side and grab your other piece of fabric. We are now going to create the underneath layer of the skirt. Cut your fabric according to the size you need! Measurements on step 1.

8.  First you will need to fold bottom of the skirt 1/2 inches under and pin it.  Then sew along that piece to create the hem of the skirt. 

9.  Now for the other side. Repeat step 8, then you will need to fold down the fabric 2 inches and sew a straight line down to create your casing. It should look similar to this.

10. Attach the top of the skirt to the bottom of the skirt. Lay the textured magic piece on top of the other piece of fabric with both right sides facing out.  Then pin the top part onto the bottom piece. You will NOT need to do this to the bottom. This piece is designed to just hang down!

11.  Put the elastic through the casing. The easiest way to do this is to attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic to help pull it through.

12. Once your elastic is all the way through then bunch up your material along the elastic.  Pin the two pieces together.

13. Fold the skirt in half with right side facing right side. Make sure to pin it so that the top of the texture piece meets with the other side of the texture piece. In the picture I didn't fold it all the way, so you could see what to do.

 14. Sew along the edge to connect the skirt together.

15. Cut any loose strings and the end of the elastic.

If you want you could make a shirt to go with it and matching hair clips. I am so into pinwheels right now, that I made a pinwheel shirt and matching pinwheel hair clips to go with the skirt. For the pinwheel tutorial you can go here. I am including a picture of my daughter in her completed outfit.

If any part doesn't make sense or you have any questions than you can email me at nightowlcrafting@hotmail.com.