Handmade Kitchen Towels

Tomorrow night I'm having dinner with the family of an old basketball coach.  We recently reconnected via Facebook, and I'm so excited to get to know his wife and kiddos better.

Well, tonight I started planning for a hostess gift.  I have already planned out most of the gifts I'm giving over the year, but these here and there gifts I'm not quite prepared for.  I delved into my crafting craziness of an office and came up with these.

These are super easy!  I'm not the best sewer, and I haven't sewn in quite a while.  So, here you go..

Step 1:  Cut 4 inch strips of your main color fabric (I used t-shirts).

Step 2:  Cut 1 inch strips of a coordinating color fabric.

Step 3:  Using a straight stitch (with the longest stitch length possible on your machine), pass the smaller 1 inch strips through your machine.  

Step 4:  Pull the bobbin thread to create ruffles.  Pull the thread halfway on one side of the fabric, and then switch to the other end and pull the fabric on that end.  This will keep the bobbin thread from pulling all the way out.

Step 5:  Sew the larger four inch fabric rectangles onto the dishtowels.  I used a zigzag stitch to make it look more decorative.

Step 6:  Sew the ruffled one inch pieces across one end of the four inch rectangles.  I continued using a zigzag stitch, but this is your choice.  Also, go really slowly, so you can straighten the ruffled fabric and even it out as you sew.

Step 7:  Sew the ric rac at the top of the ruffled fabric.  This will cover up the ugliness of the stitches.

Step 8:  Fray check, trim ends/threads, and admire your handiwork!  

If you decide to make these, link up a picture!  I'd love to see them.

Decorative Clipboards

Remember this post?  For a quick recap, I declared this "The Year of the Handmade Gift."  I'm a little nervous about creating all these gifts, so I decided to get a head start.

I began with my nieces and nephew.  They are all pretty stinking adorable, aren't they?

Well, Lilly and Will (the oldest) started kindergarten this year.  They are constantly writing in the journals and creating everything they can.  So, I decided a decorative clipboard and notepad would be great for the two of them.  Being that Ella and Libby mimic anything the older two do, I created one for them too.

Here is a quick and easy tutorial on how to create these for yourself!

Although you can use a traditional clipboard, Michaels sells clipboards with removable metal clips.  I purchased these (slightly more expensive...about $1.50 each).  After detaching the metal clips, spray painted the outside of the wooden boards.

Next, spray paint the metal clips a color that coordinates with the paper you want to use.  Hint, you may need to use a fingernail file to remove any excess spray paint that hangs over the edges.

Cut paper down to approximately 1/2 inch less than the size of the clipboard.  Ink around the sides of the paper with a coordinating color ink pad.

Using a foam paintbrush, add Mod Podge to the back of the paper.  Attach the paper to the clipboards.

Use a roller to remove any air bubbles.

Add a layer of Mod Podge to the top of the paper and clipboard.  Allow to dry and repeat this process.

Reattach the metal clips to the clipboard.  Cut a circle and attach the initial of the child to the punch.  Attach the circle to the metal clip with Mod Podge (using the same method as above).  After the circle punch is dry, paint Mod Podge over the metal clip.  Allow to dry and repeat the process.

Lastly, I attached some ribbon to the top for a decorative touch.

Initially, I was worried about how to make a "boy" version of this project...until I remembered Will's insane love for the Georgia Bulldogs.  So, I used "Super G" paper and left off the ribbon to create a male version.

Here are the other three finished projects.

    

Next up...the notepads that match!

Christmas Decorations

So, if you know anything about my mom...you know Santa throws up in her house annually (beginning in October).  Her decorating is insane, and I often wonder why and how she does it.  I just don't feel like I have the energy and desire to decorate as much as she does.

I usually put up the same snowmen, same trees, same decorations yearly and don't even think twice about them.  This year, I decided to go out on a limb and change a few of the decorations.  So, I'm going to show a few off this week.  I'm also going to provide a tutorial or two for the ones I made.  Hopefully, I'll pick up my house enough to photograph my very unusual tree (definitely Mom's idea).

Today, I want to show you my newest decorations that I made several nights ago.

When you walk in the back door of my house, you are typically greeted with a display of photos in matching frames.  My goal was to use supplies and items I already had and only add something if absolutely necessary.  So, here is how these cuties came about.

I purchased a lot of five paper star ornaments at Michael's (the only newly purchased part of this).

I spray painted the five ornaments with some leftover paint I had from a previous project.

While waiting on the stars to dry, I took some Christmas scrapbooking paper and cut triangles to fit the stars.

With my favorite crafting tool, I used Mod Podge to apply the triangles to the spray painted stars.

After applying the scrapbook paper, I covered the entire ornament with Mod Podge.  Once the ornament was dry, I applied another layer.

Taking the picture frames that are typically on top of the bookshelves, I cut white paper to cover the pictures.  Then, I looped ribbon through the back hanger and attached the ornaments.

The final step (I didn't photograph) was to hot glue a button to the center of the ornament.  Don't you think they look super cute on my bookshelf?

I also added ribbon to my candles.  These are so fun because they are items I always have out, but they have a new twist for the holidays.

Christmas Tree Earrings

I love handmade gifts...in fact, I received a few the other night (more on that in a future post).  Anyway, I wanted to make something festive for a few friends, and I came up with these.

Christmas Tree Earrings

In case you need a few last minute gifts, here is a quick tutorial.

Materials:

Earwires    

Headpins




Small yellow round crystal bead

Small black round crystal bead

Large green flat crystal bead (this won't be completely flat, but it should not be round at all)

Medium green flat crystal bead

Flat nose pliers

Round nose pliers

**All of these materials can be found at Michael's, Joann, Hobby Lobby, etc.

Directions:

STEP 1: Add a small black bead to the bottom of a headpin.

STEP 2: Add 2 large green beads to the headpin.

STEP 3: Add a medium sized green beads to the headpin.

STEP 4: Add a small yellow bead to the headpin.

STEP 5: Using the flat nose pliers, grasp the headpin slightly above the yellow bead.  Bend the top of the headpin around the top of the pliers.

 

STEP 6: Switch to the round nose pliers.  Place the end of the pliers through the hole created in the headpin.  Twist the headpin horizontally around the headpin.  There should now be a complete circle or loop in the headpin.

STEP 7: Continue to wrap the end of headpin around and around until there is no more wire remaining.  You may need to use the flat nose pliers to squeeze the wrapped portion.  This will keep the end of the wire from poking your ear.

STEP 8: Place the finished Christmas tree to the side.  Pick up the earwire, and place the flat nose pliers in the circle/loop at the bottom.

STEP 9: Rotate your wrist toward yourself (don't pull with your hand or it will lose shape) in order to open up the circle.

STEP 10: Place the circle/loop of the Christmas tree into the circle/loop of the earwire.

STEP 11: Rotate your wrist away from yourself (don't pull with your hand or it will lose shape) in order to close up the circle.

STEP 12: Continue the steps again to complete the second earring.

Linking to Make it Monday at Cottage Instincts

Linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch