DIY : Deco Mesh Witch Wreath

Even though it is not quite October 1st, it is definitely time to be thinking about Halloween crafts.

Our house will be all decked out by this weekend and I cannot wait.

Last Christmas my mom and I made these huge, awesome, sparkly deco mesh Christmas wreaths.

So when I came across this Halloween version, I knew we needed to try it.

We made a few tweaks to the original...the biggest being we used deco mesh instead of tulle.

This wreath can certainly be done either way, it really just depends if you want to go big or go home.  

We chose to go big.

First things first, you need a good helper.

(The Crispix box was used to measure our deco mesh and cut down on one million cuts.  Floyd thought it was for snack time.)

We followed the directions in the tutorial as far as the process but as an overview here is what we did:

Cut strips of black deco mesh and tie to craft wreath

Cut longer strips of purple mesh and attach at the top

Stuff socks with newspaper and determine how long you want them to hang

Adhere witch's hat to top with hot glue

I love how huge she is!

We purchased all of these items at Hobby Lobby.  A tip for you...buy all that you can from the fall/Christmas sections.  When I was there the Halloween crafts were not on sale (when are things not on sale at Hobby Lobby?) so I found what I could from the Christmas and fall sections, which were on sale.

I picked up the purple deco mesh from the Christmas area and the wreath forms from the fall, helping save some money.

I picked up some other fall goodies this weekend...be on the lookout for a fall porch reveal soon! 

Holiday Pin to Present : Glitter Canvas

I am not one to pass up a holiday craft.

Last year I made this glitter canvas and a few other as gifts.

I loved them so much (and had rave reviews from their recipients) that I decided to make more this year for our house!

I started with the idea from this pin and added glitter.  As we know, all crafts get better with the addition of glitter. 

And the other best part of this craft is that it takes about 10 minutes (or less!) to do.

I started with a canvas I purchased from JoAnns (3 for $8 on sale), Sharpie, paints and glitter I already had.

I created an organic line across the canvas with a Sharpie and started with red circles for the red ornaments.  I then covered the red with red glitter, letting dry a little and shook off the excess.  I continued this with blue paint/multi colored glitter and white paint/white glitter.  

I love the simple, just sparkly way this one turned out.  

And I had so much fun I made an ornament version as well.

Linking up with Anne today for Holiday Pin to Present! 

Patriotic Paintin'

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Sharpie, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia  #PaintYourWay http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Every year for the 4th of July we head home to our hometown for a weekend long boat race event called 'Regatta'.  And every year my girlfriends and I try to out craft each other with patriotic crafts, foods and drinks.  

We go all out, all weekend long.  

It's red white and blue as far as the eye can see. 

We brainstorm for weeks and then spend a full afternoon camped out in our friends backyard crafting our hearts out.  We try to outdo each other each year to see who can come up with the best crafts, ideas and projects. 

We live for this weekend so adding the fun of crafts to it, definitely make it one of my favorite times of the year.  

 I was recently in Michaels and picked up some Sharpie Paint Markers and a few other supplies and for said weekend and my imagination was running wild with ideas.  

I decided this year I would get a head start on the crafting (don't tell the girls!). 

Including in our celebrating each year, we always do a big, festive cookout one night.

Burgers, dogs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, ice cream sundaes, anything you can imagine, we have a spread of it.

I thought this year it would be fun to have decorations to put on the dishes and the table to bring the patriotic theme full circle.   

Once I got home, I broke out my heavy card stock, Sharpie Paint Markers, glue gun and twine and got to work.  The Paint Markers worked really well on the card stock and I loved being able to layer the gold one over the blue to create the idea of stars on a flag.  

After painting a few festive flags and sayings, I hot glued them to skewers to create a stakes to stick in a few of the meal items.
I think cut out triangles with fun scissors and used the markers to make mini flag banners hanging from twine.  I am envisioning these hanging on the ledge of a beautiful fruit trifle bowl. 

I also created labels for a few of the items that are on the menu so there's no mistaking what we're eating.

For now they are going to reside on our table but they are itching for their official debut on the 4th!

Do you decorate for the 4th of July?  

Lucky for you, Michaels has great deals on Sharpie Paint Markers! Check them out next time you are in Michaels!

Also be sure to check out Michaels on Facebook and Twitter! 

USA!

Lacelets {Giveaway}

Remember when I told you my neighbor invited me over for crafts and coffee the other day?

Well her craftiness knows no bounds and she's out done herself once again.

I bring to you Lacelets by TwentyThreeTen!

Alexis and her sister, Hannah, came up with the genius idea of personalized bracelets out of baseball leather.  

And they are amazing.

She made me this one and I literally haven't taken it off since she gave it to me.

Why yes that does say Floyd.

Did you need another reason to consider my certifiably crazy? ;)

But seriously, how cute is that?

I love that these bracelets can be dressed up or down.  

I've worn my with an arm party of blingy bracelets and love it and love it just as much wearing it along with just my watch.

And what is really awesome is that, Lacelets can be customized to have any saying or phrase that you want!

From their Etsy shop :

'One of a kind leather wrap made from the leather lacing in baseball gloves that are hand stamped.'

Are you in love?

 Because I'm in love!

Like I said, I haven't taken mine off, showered and worked out in it and it continues to look great!

And because they are the bestest, Alexis and Hannah are giving away one Lacelet to a Total Basset Case reader!
a Rafflecopter giveaway 

I think these would make great gifts or friendship bracelets! 

Be sure to check out their shop today!! 

{DIY} : Valentine's Day Burlap Banners

Last weekend my neighbor texted me and said, 'I'm drinking coffee and crafting, want to come over?'

I couldn't gather my supplies fast enough.

Also can we talk about how fabulous it is to have amazing neighbors?

Our neighbors two doors down are out of the park fantastic, sweet, helpful and caring.

It's the best thing basically ever.

Not to mention I came home to a fabric heart banner in our mailbox the other day...I'm telling you, the best. 

So to gear up for the 'ol love day, I thought I'd whip up an easy Valentine's Day craft.

I'm not sure you can even call this a DIY because it is so easy but here we go.

Supplies:

Burlap

Felt

Paint

Hot glue gun

Ribbon

Coffee

I made this up as I went but it went something like this:

1.  Cut a rectangle of burlap and felt.  Make sure the burlap is a little taller than the felt so you can fold the top over to attach the ribbon on the back.

2. Hot glue felt to the burlap (careful! if you felt isn't thick the glue may come through the burlap, don't burn your fingers!)

3.  Paint your design on your burlap.  Wait for it to dry-should only take a few moments.

4. Turn banner over and hot glue ribbon the length you want to the back.

5. Hang up!

See, SO easy and you could definitely make these for all the holidays! Or I think it would be super cute to do multiple ones on a long ribbon. 

Love is in the air! 

SPD: Valentines Craft Edition

One of the goals on my 2013 list is to create and keep track of monthly blog goals.

One of those goals for each month is to create more holiday projects/decor (from Pinterest) for our house and blog about them (of course).

It always seems like a week before an impeding holiday I try to whip up a craft and do not get to enjoy them for very long. 

I am going to try to change that this year.

So in an effort of looking ahead and motivating myself to get some DIYing done, I have picked out a Valentine's Day crafts I want to do.

I really love Valentines Day (pun intended) and can't wait to start decorating for it!

So I'm cheating a little today and calling this 'Saw It Pinned It Going to do It'

 Scratch off cards

X and O felt garland. I'm thinking this could be cute over our frames, similar to the fall one I made.

I think the stud muffin in my life needs one of these in his lunch

(heart shaped) strawberry oreo cookies

Heart shaped wreath with fabric scraps

Our house is about to get all sorts of love DIY'ed.

Linking up with Katie and Steph

*remember I changed my domain to www.totalbassetcase.com so make sure you change your bookmarks and blogroll, thanks!!

Turns out Floyd isn't the only basset out there that helps with personal training.

Check out this awesome basset. Floyd needs to step up his game.

DIY: Glitter Canvas

 Update: I am linking up with Hi Sugarplum and crew for their Christmas Cheer linkup party!

 This may be the easiest and glitteriest (yep made that word up) craft I've ever done and I'm sorta kinda really in love with it.

I first saw this pin

and knew that something similar needed to make it's way in my home.

Christmas decoration covered in glitter?!
Sign me up.

I ran to the Hob Lob and picked up the following:

 8x10 canvas (any size or varying sizes would work!)

red glitter

white glitter

mod podge or regular glue

pencil 

paint brush

and a dash of hair spray

Instead of the reindeer (which is adorable) I decided to go with a different holiday image...Santa hat it was!

 I googled some images and started tracing the outline.

(I've also recently decided that if it can't be found on Google, Amazon or Pinterest it isn't worth finding.)

I then applied a thick coat of mod podge to the red area of the hat

 and GENEROUSLY covered it with glitter. I let the glitter dry all of the way before I shook it off.

 Once that was dry I did the same with the white glitter.

 I then sprayed the whole piece with hair spray.

Why? Because Pinterest told me that would work and hold the glitter in place.

And who am I to argue with Pinterest?

Ho Ho Ho glittertastic!

I love the way this turned out! 

I am thinking these would make great gifts and could be super cute for other holidays as well. 

*for other Christmas crafts, check out my yarn trees here

Holiday Blog Hop!

Hi friends!
It's Holiday Blog Hop day!! 

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We are so excited to see what you have come up with! 

Crafts, recipes, meal plans, traditions, wish lists...we want it all!

First up, is my creation! 

I've seen variations of these yarn strings floating around Pinterest and wanted to try my hand at them.
And I am so excited to have one of my Christmas DIYs already knocked off my list.
I love nothing more than crossing things off my list and this project is no exception!

While I LOVE the way these turned out...let me just tell you they are not for the faint of heart.

I know they look simple but for a girl who hates for her hands to be dirty or sticky this one was tough for me.

You'll see what I mean below.

I followed a combination of instructions from here and here and a little of my own.

Supplies Needed:

-styrofoam trees (well, cones if you want to get technical)

-parchment paper

-straight pins

-cornstarch

-school glue

-water

-yarn and/or raffia

-glitter (optional but why would you not want glitter?)

1. Wrap your trees in parchment paper and secure with straight pens

 2. Mix up half a bottle of glue, 1/3 cup of corn starch and 1/4 cup of water until a thick paste forms (light up spoon optional)

 3. Carefully dip a yard (or more) of yarn in the paste.

(Be careful to not get the yarn tangled) 

4. Slowly pull out the yarn and squeeze off the excess glue while wrapping the yarn around the cones in a random pattern, using as much yarn as you would like.

This is where it gets messy. I may or may have stopped to wash my hands about 47 times.

5. Continue with either a different colored yarn or raffia.

 6. At this point I sprinkled white glitter on my trees to add a little sparkle,

totally up to you but I really liked how it made the trees look like they had snow on them.

7. Set your trees aside and allow them to dry overnight (don't skip this!)

8. The next day, carefully take a knife and separate the yarn/raffia from the parchment paper.

You should be able to rotate and loosen the tree out and then tear the paper away. 

 Ta Da! 

 Now let's see what you have!

Be sure to follow Jamie Dawn and I and link on up!

(feel free to grab our button!)

P.s don't forget to enter the Glamour Me Jewels giveaway! 

DIY: Fall Garland

Since making our Fall Bucket List and marking a few things off, I have been itching to add more Halloween and fall to our house.

We are seriously lacking in the decorations department (i.e. all we have are some of my mom's old decorations) so to make up for that, I have been wanting to get crafty.

I have always admired those adorable felt garland, whether it be for fall, spring or the holidays and have been itching to make one.

 I decided that would be the first (and probably easiest) craft to tackle.

I had full intentions of going to Hobby Lobby later this week to stock up on felt and the necessities.  

Before I went, though, I wanted to see what I had in my stash at home.

Lo and behold I had enough stocked away to create my own garland!

I know I am not reinventing the wheel with this garland but here is what I used to make mine.

Supplies

-gray felt

-brown felt

-patterned fabric (left over from our bedroom window treatments)

-ribbon

-hot glue gun

 I started by cutting out circles of varying sizes 

(I am sure these would be prettier if I had used a template but I was just winging it)

Next I measured my ribbon and laid out the circles to make sure I had enough

I placed about an inch's worth of hot glue on the ribbon and started laying down the circles until I reached the end

The first strand went so quickly that I decided to whip up a second one as well!

  I love the little touch of fall they give our space!

Have you whipped up an DIY projects lately?