Shag Wreath

So I have to admit, I tried a few different crafts today. The first one didn't turn out as planned. So, I chose to move onto the next one. At 11:30pm. Here my husband and I sit, watching criminal minds, and I break out the sewing machine. My husband very patiently asks me what I'm doing with the sewing machine at this hour. I felt guilty for interrupting his quiet T.V. watching time, and decided that I was going to try to find a way to do this thing without using the machine. And so I did. And as it turns out, I like it even more than I like the tutorial, which you can find http://sunshinemamasite.blogspot.com/2010/04/ruffle-wreath-tutorial.html:

So yes, I changed it up. I have learned as I have been updating this blog, that I am not good at explaining how I craft. So I will do my absolute best....

For the interchangeable flower, I used 4 different ribbon colors. I used one as the base color and paired it with one other color for each layer. I did purple and pink, then purple and blue, then purple and a darker purple. All I did to create the flower was create a loop, then glue it to itself, loop again, then glue it to itself. And I apologize that I have not done well in taking pictures of each step, I will get better, I promise. At the end, I hot-glued a pin to the back so that I can change out the flower according to the season.

For the wreath, I purchased a $1.99 wooden, blank wreath, from Michaels. I had some heavy-weight fabric left over from some valences that I made a few months ago. The tutorial that I got the idea from used a ruffling techinque. I had a hard time replicating that technique, and Andrew wasn't having the sewing machine thing at midnight tonight, so I just cut my fabric into strips, then ran my hand along the cut edges to fray the edges. This created a really cute effect on the material once the wreath was done.

My first step with the wreath was to wrap fabric strips around the base of the wreath, as seen on the tutorial. I hot-glued pretty much every time around. Then I covered the wreath with my strips. I applied a line of glue, then would scrunch the strip and place it on. I did it by row. I did about 5 rows. By the time I was done, it was pretty frayed and looking super-duper cute! Even my husband loved it. And he's pretty hard to please as far as crafts go.

Coming Up....

Greetings unimaginative crafty followers! I am just now realizing that I have already begun to post on this blog much, much more frequently than my every day life blog. Perhaps this is because the rest of my life is super monotonous and my husband and I haven’t been able to find the time to take a vacation in which pictures would be taken, in quite some time! Yes, yes, I believe that this is what I will try to convince myself of….

Anyhow, I have the next craft in the queue and believe that you all, as well as I, will be quite impressed. I am waiting on some things to be shipped to me though before I can start it up. Alas, it is another one where I can’t remember where I found the idea but, I have been doing a lot of research on it. I ordered supplies today for “metal stamping.” I will be making jewelry that is personalized and so cute! I can’t wait to start. The supplies have so far proved to be pretty inexpensive when you’re going the cheaper route….. I’m going to venture to Home Depot this weekend to see what I can find in the way of washers to use as my necklace charms. As a matter of fact, I just got another idea, to combine two separate projects that I was going to do. I think that I will save that for the actual post though. Anyhow, other tools needed; a hammer, a solid surface to stamp on top of, fine point sharpie marker, and a chain for your necklace. Or, I have some other ideas as far as metal stamping goes. We will see…..

Just as I had hoped, my creative juices have begun to flow!

Also on my upcoming list:……..

1.Reupholstering two ratty Walmart pillows to match our new dark brown couch
2.My next Cricut cutout plaque with my brother’s favorite saying from his mission on it.
3.Spring/Summer decorative blocks
4.Canvas wreath for my front door
5.Picture frame “Nothum” on a rod (some of these are hard to explain without showing pictures!)

Project #2!

I know that all three of my followers have just been waiting in anticipation for this first big project. And I am happy to say, that it has been completed!

It has not yet been shipped to my sister in law for her birthday, even though it’s tomorrow, but she will be at Disneyland all day today and tomorrow so I am hoping that she doesn’t browse my new blog until after she’s opened her gift. Here’s to hoping.

I found this idea here: http://cleanmama.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-make-recipe-binder.html

This was not my original idea for her birthday gift. But I thought it was a great idea once I found it! I have a really hard time making recipes from magazines and books that haven’t been tried out in my own family or by a friend that has enjoyed it. So, I compiled a recipe book of favorite recipes from my own family, her family, and some good ones that I found that seemed pretty simple and were sure to be tasty!

This really was a very simple project. And it turned out really cute. The most tedious part of it was typing up the recipes. I think I typed about 90 in total. Lauren’s mom helped me out with about 15-20 more that I can’t wait to make myself!

All you’ll need is a binder of your choice as far as color and ring size, clear packing tape, sheet protectors and your scrapbook paper of choice. ( I also used my label maker and my Cricut machine.)

The first two tabs that I created are not for recipes. I did a menu section, where you can pull the recipes that you’ll be making for the week and insert them into this section for easy access over the course of the week. The second tab has a master grocery list that’s breaks down the grocery store by section. So at the beginning of the week, or whenever you do your grocery shopping, you’ll pull your recipes and highlight (at least that’s what I do) the items that you need on the master list. If you would like a copy of my master shopping list, let me know and I can email it to you as a Word document and you can modify it to your needs.

The other tabs that I mad were breakfast, breads, appetizers, snacks, sides, entrees, dessert and cookies (because I have so many of these, I thought they deserved their own section!).

All I did to make the dividers is to insert your paper of choice into one of the protectors and use my label maker to print out that section label (ie: bread). I stuck the label to a small, cut out piece of paper and attached the tape to both sides of the divider and folded the tab into the middle of it. (I know that sounds terribly confusing. Sorry.) I just repeated this throughout! I used my Cricut machine to cut out letters to put on each scrapbook page as well, just to spice it up a little.

I also put a measurement conversion chart at the very front of the book for easy access.

And just in case it isn't painfully obvious, Lauren LoVeS pink! So I made sure to humor her on that one....

And just for Erin, here's a close up of one of my button magnets. Cute picture, right? Honeymoon picture. For some strange reason, this ended up being the only close up I took on my camera phone. Not the best ever but, you get the idea.... I just layered a large and small button and used a hot glue gun to do the job.

I would love to see your version of the book should you decide to make one!

Over Achiever.....

I am going to brag. I did something great this weekend. I completed (or at least almost....) 2 whole projects.

The first one s nothing much to write home about. But it was a project all the same. I made butoon magnets. I've had tons and tons of extra buttons just laying around in my junk drawer and sewing bins, forever. And I could never figure out what to do with all of them! So, I came across this blog that gave me such a great idea! So cute. And so simple! The photo magnet board, I made at a R.S. activity. Also very cute. Also not my idea.... Disclaimer: I DID find this idea on another blog, however, I cannot remember or find where I found it. I forgot to save the link. So, I at least want to say that I am not taking credit for this idea in any way, shape or form. But its a cute one!

As for the other project, I cannot show pictures or disclose what it is yet. It is my sister in law's birthday this weekend and I made it for her. She is turning the ripe old age of 20. Happy birthday Lo! I don't want to take the chance of her reading this before she receives the gift in the mail and spoiling the surprise. So, pictures to come probably at the end of the week.

Happy Birthday Lauren! You are wonderful and such a great sis in law! Hope you have a terrific day!

Here Goes Nothing....

So I feel like I've just had a sheer stroke of genius!

I've been bitten by the crafting bug lately. I don't know why or how. All I know is that I'm itching to get out there and start stocking up on supplies for my evergrowing list of crafts!

I can't help but laugh to myself because not but 9 or so years ago, my brothers and I would sit at my parent's dining room table making fun of my mother for making so many "craps," as we so lovingly referred to her crafts. And now, here I am, wanting to create for my own home! To my mother, I apologize for our relentless ribbing. It was all out of love.

This blog post is just a preface. I have not started yet on this journey. It is an account of things to come. And, as you can see by the title of my blog, I am unimaginative. I have been told, more times than I can count, that I don't have any imagination at all (I like to think though that those people were referring to my disinterest in fantasy movies....). While I may not be able to think up these crafts, I can replicate. And I'm hoping upon all hopes, that as I begin to copy-cat peoples great ideas, that I will be inspired to come up with my own ideas!

I have been scouring others' craft blogs for the past several days. I'm not savvy when it comes to cooking, creating, refinishing or repurposing. However, this does not mean that I am not ready and willing to try! I am so ready!

So here goes nothing. On my blog, you will see photos of my new adventures, which will be copied from others. And of course, I will be inserting links to those peoples blogs, in which they can give you directions for the same craft, recipe, etc.

I can hear you asking yourself what the purpose then is of my blog? Well you see, I'm fairly certain that I would draw inspiration from another woman who claims that she has not a creative strand of hair on her head. If she could do it, then I would think to myself, SO CAN I. So, maybe I'll inspire someone. Myself included.

My husband cooks more than I do. And pretty much the only thing that I've been able to think of to use my beloved Cricut machine for is to make greeting cards and sayings to put on placards. So in short, I'm not the most domestic woman you've ever met.

If you find a craft that you think I might like, send it my way. Or if you know of a better way for me to do something that you see I've done, please let me know! I want lots of ideas!

I'll also be posting links to some of my favorite crafty blogs for your enjoyment.

Here goes nothing!......