Sunday, March 31, 2013

Wishing You All A Very Happy Easter!

 I had two of my grandson's all this last week as
they were on their Spring break. It was a great
week and we had alot of fun! Well it's coming to
an end today....so sad, but today we will celebrate
Easter all together as their sister Emma and Mom
are here now too! Yesterday afternoon we put on
our baking hats for one more fun project and
memory together, and made our first ever cake pops!

 
Parker and I ended up finishing them because our
Aiden fell asleep while we were waiting for the
cake balls to freeze so we could decorate them.
 
 
Not sure we got the Easter thing going on here by
looking at them if you didn't know it first lol!
Love how those monster things on Parker's shirt look
like they are going to dive right in our cake pops hehe!


These were supposed to look like Easter eggs,
but the cake and frosting mixture was so soft that
it made it really hard to shape them into egg shapes.
It was easier just to make them into ball shapes,
so that is what we did. We need major practice
decorating with the frosting too lol! So NOT what
we were trying to do..................


This was what we were originally aiming for....
didn't happen! Oh well, we had fun and the best
part was, that no matter what they looked like
on the outside....

they were OMGosh....simply delish!

Maybe with some practice, next year
we might could get them to look like Easter eggs?
Well, we got a whole year to work on it hehe!
The boys were really proud of their creations, and
I think our team effort wasn't so bad, at least they
were Springy lookin sorta kinda! :) Happy kids is
what it's about anyhow! So gram was happy too!

 
Shortly after we finished the cake pops, Emma and
mommy arrived. It was time to color our eggs. We
tried a new type of coloring this year. We all
loved it, and the eggs looked so cool! The kit had these
plastic bags that you put an egg into, a few drops of
dye, then swirl it around and wala....no cups, water,
vinegar, or mess! They were marbley looking and pretty!


Pretty snazzy I thought...and the kids thought this was
way better than the old way of dying eggs. Happy kids
again! Yea! Now it's off to bed so the bunny will come!


Wishing you all a very Happy and Lovely Easter!
 
Love, Hugs, and Blessings!
 
XOXO
 
Debi

 


Sunday, March 24, 2013

Satin Fabric Flowers - I Did It!

 
My First Melted Satin Fabric Flowers!
 
Bonjour mon cheri!
 
(that's French for "Hello my darlings"!)
 
I'm feeling a bit Frenchy today hehe!
 
I am so over the moon excited today!
Looky Looky at what I made!! I did it...I did it!
 
(I only used four layers of satin for each flower this time, next time I'll use more
plus some tulle and lace. The one on the right looks like a magnolia flower doesn't it!?)
 
I finally made those flowers that you see people making
all over the place in forever! I crack up at my self, because
it seems every project that I think will be hard, ends up
being the easiest ever! Then the stuff I think might be easy,
ends up being the hardest lol! Geesh....I have wanted to
make some of these for a long while! Until now, I thought
this would be to hard or to complicated to do, just like
when I first learned to shir fabric, which I had put off
trying for two years, but once I sat down and did it, bang,
it was so stinkin easy to do and I was shirring
everything in sight. I'm such a procrastinator!
 
 
 
Plus with these flowers and having to use a candle to melt
the edges was like....yea me and a flame!? You're either
looking to call the fire department at worst, or here I come
emergency room at the least! The flower would end up in
the trash to boot! Just couldn't get my head wrapped around
me and fire no matter how much I envied how pretty they
were! Well now.....look out, here I am!
 
What really kicked me in the fanny to try it, was my
friend Carol at The Polka Dot Closet. She has a
tutorial on how to do them here. After reading her post
all the way through, I thought...girlfriend you can do this!
The flower she made for the tutorial was stunning too!
 So I sucked up some courage and determination
and did it!
 
Not bad for my first attempt! And I only had a couple
of small singes on a couple of the petals!
 
I didn't burn myself either! It got a little
toasty on the fingers a few times, so I'm
thinking maybe some tongs might help?
 
Now if I can figure out how to make friends
with my glue gun, I will be a happy girl!
That bugger gets me every time lol! My fingers
are scared for life!
 
Ok, now ya'll know I have a new photo editor so of
course I had to play with the pictures of my flowers!
 
Here is just a couple, few I did! :)
 
 
Using the spotlight feature.
 
 
Using the ray of sunlight feature.
 
 
A fancy focal shot.
 
 
A close up with sun glow.

 
A gritty shot and some other features....I forget all of them.
 

 
 All done! Thanks for coming along....it was fun!
I used an old half slip that is way too small for me now
to make these flowers with. Recycle is good! :)
 
Thank you Carol for such a great tutorial!
 
Until next time!
 
Love, Hugs, and Blessings!
 
Au Revoir! (giggling)
 
Debi
 


Saturday, March 23, 2013

Pretty With Purpose Burlap and Birds

 Nothing better than good ol' Mason Jars
for Organizing and Storage!
 
 
 I had a large box full of mason jars and in my
quest to start doing something with all the stuff
I have collected over the years, I am determined
to do something with all of it! I have found tons
of stuff I didn't even know I had that I have stuffed
and saved in my pack rat nature! I have been trying
to make some sense in my craft and sewing room,
and realized I needed badly to get things organized!
Especially since our move...I can't find nothing!
 
With tons of little things all over the place, I need
to get it altogether in one place and in their own
containers. Then I MIGHT just know what I have!
And where it is when I need it!
 
So.....this box of mason jars was first
on the list to do something with!
 
I made some pretty candle holders and or flower vases
with a few using pretty spring floral napkins that
I decoupaged on, and added pearls and rhinestone
brooches to bling them up with. They turned
out pretty sweet. Those can be seen here. Now I'm going to
dress up a few for storing bits and bobs for the craft room.
 
Here I've made my first pin cushion topped containers.
I was pretty proud of these since I had no idea what I
was doing and had no directions to follow. I'm sure there
is a tutorial out there somewhere, but I didn't want to
spend hours looking. Once I'm in the mood I want
to just get started! And...how hard could it be lol!

 
I love burlap and have tons of that so I grabbed that
up along with some pretty bird fabric I bought long
while back. I decided I would use the fabric for the pin
cushion top and then do a flower for the front.
 
Then I found these pretty blue glass stones that were
once used in a flower vase. Thought they would bring
out the blue in the fabric so this would be perfect for
the flower centers. I took a paper bag and tore some
narrow strips of that and then glued that over in the
center of the  burlap. I ripped some strips of the fabric
...love doing that, then rolled and twisted to make the
flowers. I glued on the glass stones, then wrapped a few
strands of burlap around the whole flower and glued it
over the wide strip of burlap I had already wrapped
around the jar.


 
I then thought the paper needed something, and went
to get some of my stamps and some tea dye ink.
I stamped the words "create, inspire, and dream".
That's what a craft and sewing room is about isn't it?




Then the tops...which wasn't as easy to do as I thought.
I had one lid that was just a plain screw on lid...
the other was the regular canning lid...with the two pieces.
The two piece lid wasn't to hard at all. I cut a round of
the fabric making sure to get the bird right in the center.
I got some stuffing and laid it between the flat lid and
the fabric, then pushed it up through the screw on part
of the lid. Once I had enough stuffing in there, I slit the
edges of the fabric so far in all the way around so it would
fold over to the underside with no flurples and glued
it down. Then I ran glue all around the inside of the
twist on cap, and pushed the lid up through the screw
on lid and wala! It looked like a pin cushion. Then I
finished off the lid with a bit of trim.  

 
Not bad!!! And no flurples either!
 
 
This lid was a bit more....because it was just a regular screw
on lid, I was trying to figure out how I could make this one
with a pin cushion top too. So I got a brain idea! I save tin cans
along with the lids...thinking I would use the lids as fancied up
gift tags one day. Well one of those lids was gonna help me out
here. I took my fabric with the stuffing and put it over a dog
food can lid. It was just a tad tiny bit bigger than the jar
lid but it would work I think. I glued the edges under like
I did on the first one. Then I took and glued this on top of
the screw on lid. I added some trim around the outer edge
of the fabric to kinda frame it, and it worked great!
I added another strip of trim around the main lid like I had
done on the one before, and by golly.....it worked!
There was a couple of flurples, but overall, it was perfect!

 
I took some of my glass beads and stuck a pin through them
and made litte crowns for the birds too! Cute huh!?
 
I was pretty happy with the end result of my pin cushion
mason jars....and the colors are happy and Springy too!
 
These are holding all my tiny glass beads and wooden
beads. I had them spilling out of their bags all over the
place so this is perfect! Although I need to add more
jars just for storing beads. Didn't know I had so durn many!
 
I also have overloaded my pin cushion
so this works for all the pins I have, plus I won't have
to go digging through the several sewing boxes trying
to find them when I need them.
 
We're Happy!
 
Now to on to another type of dressing up for the last
remaining jars..... FINALLY!
I'm about over MASON JARS hehe!
I like lots of different looking things. And...
I don't like making the same thing over and over.
 
Well this was fun!
 
Hug's, Love, and Blessings!
 
Debi

Monday, March 18, 2013

Rustic and Frilly Twine Easter Eggs

 
Working on Easter Pretties
 
I had a totally different idea with what I was
going to do with these plastic eggs I got,
but as i was looking through all my laces,
I came across several bags of these sweet
little bonnets I had purchased years ago!
 
 
And of course forgotten all about them!
 
I thought, bonnets...Easter....Eggs....
perfect combo!!! A perfect use for the bonnets!
 
I had already wrapped the colorful plastic eggs in
twine, but I thought to myself, hey......
nothing wrong with rustic, frilly, and dainty!
There were only four colors with the bonnets,
so I made just a set of four.
 
A little bit of lace, pretty ribbon, the bonnets...
and just cuteness as the result!
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'll take some of the other eggs and do what
I had originally planned with them. They will
look really sweet on the table with these too.
 
Cute huh? Well I think so!
 
Thanks for the visit!
 
TaTa Till Later!
Love, Hugs, and Blessings!
 
Debi
 
 
Linking up to:

Wow Us Wednesdays at: Savvy Southern Style 
Frugal Friday at: The Shabby Nest
The Scoop at: A Stroll Thru Life



Fun With Mason Jars and Napkins and Imagination

Old Mason Jars with Pretty Purpose
 
 
 I finally finished all the jars I wanted to do with the
pretty spring floral napkins I had laying around here.
I'm using them for flower vases or candle holders.
They look really pretty on my table and buffet
in the dining room with the water in the jars,
even more so if the jars are setting where the
sunlight is shining behind them.
I might even use them to store some of my bling
and buttons, and ribbons in too.
 
 
 
I used two different pretty floral napkins to create
these five little lovelies. I think the strands of
pearls and the rhinestone brooches just top them off.
 
Because the napkins were double layered,
I peeled the back layer off then glued them on
white paper, to get the colors to show better.
I recut them again, then glued them on the jars.
In the photo above the jar on the right I didn't do that.
 
As you can see, when the light hits it a certain way
the pores in the paper show up darker, almost
giving it a moldy look. I didn't like that,
so the white paper behind takes that away.
 
You end up having to cut the flower out twice,
but it sure is worth it. It looks much better.
 
I used Modge Podge to glue them on, and for
the pearls and rhinestones I used the E6000 glue.
Was a bit of a pain doing those pearls, and lots
of patience! I found to keep those pearls from
 rolling so much, it was better to spread the glue
on the jar....give it about a minute or less or more
depending on how thick it was, to let it start drying
and then lay the pearls on, press it lightly, and then
adjust the line if any of them started to roll again.
Once it got close to the drying part, they stayed in
place without you helping them. Don't turn your
back on them until it gets to that point, or your
straight line will get messed up, and you will have
to pry it off and redo it again. I had to do that on
a couple and I hate having to do things twice! 
 
 
The front of all of the jars.
 
 
I wanted the back of the jars to be pretty too,
so I added Mulberry paper roses, and cut the pearls
longer so they would dangle a bit down the back.
 
Now all they need is some pretty flowers or candles!
They sure sparkle and if anyone knows me....
I love sparkle! I really love these!
 
Now you make some!
 
Sharing Today at:
 
 
 
TaTa for Now!
Love, Hugs, and Blessings!
 
Debi
 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Remembering At Easter

 
Remember This!.....
 
 
We should be remembering this with every breath we take!
 
Jesus died so we could live!
Jesus died to free us of sin!
Jesus died so we could be forgiven!
Jesus died, because he loved us so!
 
 
Wishing you a Happy and Love Filled Easter Season!
 
Love, Hugs, and Blessings!
 
Debi


Friday, March 15, 2013

The Ladies Are Going To A Ball

 
My Ladies and I are attending a ball!
 
 
 
Hello my darlings! Oh we are so excited about the ball!
We are just about ready to head to Carol's fabulous 2nd Annual
Dress Form Ball at The Polka Dot Closet!
We have been bustling around all day trying to get ready.
The girls have been driving me CRAZY!
 
Lady Annabelle in all her elegance has changed her outfit
about fifty times! And you should see her room!
Can anyone say bomb!?
 
Lady Jane knew right off what her attire was going to be.
Thank goodness, because Lady Kate was outrageous all day!
Lady Jane's Victorian flair never fails her, and
she was ready straight way!
 
Then we have Lady Kate! The wild child! She is
certainly my SASSY Girl! I tried to talk her into staying
home with the others who decided they had
better things to do, but oh no! If she can find a way
to be the center of attention, and if she thinks
the men will be around,
SHE will be there come heaven or, well you know what!
 
Well we are running as my grandmother would say,
"Fashionably Late!" So  we have to run! Pack it up girls!
We're outta here!
 
Hope to see you there!
 
 
This calls for high styling it! :)
 
Meet Lady Annabelle!
 
 
Lady Annabelle loves her feather boa's and might I add,
 her vintage rhinestone jewels! She loves to sparkle!
A very sweet and loving down to earth girl. She is
so elegant all the time, much like a sweet princess.
 
 
 
Isn't she stunning! She has borrowed a dress of mine
that I can no longer wear....I like to say it shrunk hehe,
but it really didn't...I grew a bit.
 
  
  
Meet Lady Jane
 
 
Lady Jane is such a sweet soul, such a caring, giving heart.
She has a great love for history, mainly the Victorian era.
Her style reflects her passion for antique and vintage.
She's a beauty inside and out!
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
I just love her style! So many details and she
certainly knows how to use them. She is a girl
after my own heart! Love all her vintage accents.
 
Meet Lady Kate
(our so so Sassy girl!)
 
   
Lady Kate is just a wild care free kinda girl!
She is high spirited with a tad of devil in her.
But still, a wonderful little girl in spite of herself.
  
  
  
  
 
See, did I not say she is a sassy girl!
Lord, if that dress was any shorter....
I tried to tell her that tie really didn't go with
her dress, but these modern styled girls think
anything goes!
 
Well, have to run! Going to see if Carol has anything
stronger than tea! After the day I've had, I need a bottle hehe!
 
Thank you Carol for such lovely fun!
It's just been a fabulous day!
So many BEAUTIFUL girls are here!
Can't wait to visit with them all!
 
SIMPLY SMASHING!
 
The girls are loving it! Oh and I see Lady Kate
has wrapped that tie around some guys neck!
 
I need to go cool her off before trouble starts!
She is such a bad girl sometimes hehe!
 
I hope you all have had fun too!
 
TaTa for now!
 
Love, Hugs, XOXO, and Blessings!
Debi
 
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