sewing for me...

It's time to switch gears.  Despite my daughter {L} begging me to make her a skirt like I made her older sister {A}, I have decided it's time to make some things for me...her skirt can wait.

I stopped by a local fabric store yesterday after dropping the kids off at day camp.  I needed to pick up some wide elastic for a skirt I decided I wanted to make.

On my way back to the elastic I saw this...sitting on top of a table.  {It was screaming cute top at me.}

 It was on sale for $2.99 a yard so I snatched it up.  Once I saw it laid out on the cutting table I realized it had dirt spots all over it, perhaps it had been run over by carts a few {dozen} times. {Bummer!} I asked the woman helping me if she thought it would wash out.  She thought for a minute, then looked at me and said "there are two and a half yards here...I'll give it to you for the price of one and a quarter".

What!?!?  Score!

"Sure", I said.  I brought it home, sprayed it, soaked it a bit, and it came out perfectly clean.

I was so excited about this piece of fabric...

I've been wanting to make an ombre maxi skirt, but dreading trying to do the dip-dying or ombre dying with the kids around.  So when I saw this {already in the colors that I wanted} I just knew it was meant to be.

Months ago {back when I was Pinterest-ing} I was inspired by a polyvore "get-up" to turn this...into a bag.

Wish me luck...my wardrobe could use a couple new pieces.

Thanks for stopping by!

-R.

Seeing Stars {Easy Tiered Skirt}

Welcome!


I love bright bold summer colors!  This summer I'm loving the emphasis of red, white, and blue {showing the love for the 4th of July and the 2012 summer Olympics}.

Do you ever get an idea in your head or just know of something you really want but maybe can't find it?  Or maybe you decide you will just make it for yourself but then can't find the right materials or items necessary to make it?  


It seems to happen to me quite often.  I had a skirt inspiration come to me last year {February 2011} for my daughter.  I knew it would be easy enough to make, so I set out to find the perfect fabric {I had a mental picture of this perfect fabric}.  I searched and searched but never found "the one".  I should mention that I have been looking for white or off-white cotton fabric with larger blue stars on it.


When I was doing my freezer paper stenciling the other day, I had one of those "aha" moments.  The thought to freezer paper stencil it onto white fabric crossed my mind...but I couldn't imagine cutting out all of those stars.  Then I thought to actually stencil it...but I wasn't to sure of how that would go.  So while digging through my craft supplies for my brushes I saw a packages of sponges and thought to "stamp" stars onto my fabric.


Here are my instagram pics of the stamping process...

 

 


After completing my "custom" fabric I was able to quick whip up this three tiered skirt for my daughter.

I'm really happy with how the skirt turned out.  I {kind of} wish that I had used a darker blue for the stars, but I can live with it.


Now, if I could just figure out how to get my kids to "happily" model for me and cooperate with me, I would be in luck!

I'm starting to think I might have to turn to bribery...  


Thank you for stopping by!
-R.

Linked Up To:

Here Comes the Sun: Fabulous Friday

Freezer Paper Stencil Tutorial {Twins Onesies}

My two oldest girls are gone during the day this week to church day camp which has left me with high hopes of getting projects worked on {yeah for nap time!}.


Yesterday proved to be an uber productive day! I freezer paper stenciled!!!


Now I know this is by NO means a new concept.  I have been wanting {intending} to do it for years, but have never gotten around to it.


I had so much fun doing this and it was so easy!


I chose to make onesies for my twin niece and nephew that were born a couple of months ago.  While searching online for "twins" gifts for them I came across an online store with clever "twins" apparel, but I wasn't a fan of any of the colors and onesies they used nor their prices! I had an "I could totally do that" {but in a way that I liked} moment. 

Here's how I made mine...


These are the supplies you will need:
* the image you want to use (printed in black and white is easiest)
* freezer paper
* pen or pencil
* exacto knife or small utility knife
* fabric (item you want to stencil on to)
* iron
* card board (I used a cut of foam core)
* fabric paint
* paint brush


A quick note: when tracing your image/artwork onto your freezer paper, make sure the shiny side is down {the more matte finish is up}.


First you will want to print and trace your design {or draw it directly} onto your freezer paper...I chose to do words as my design...nothing fancy, just simple word art in Microsoft Word.

Next {make sure to use a cutting mat or board to protect your work surface} using your exacto knife cut out your image.

Once your image is cut out, position the freezer paper shiny side down onto your fabric.  {If the item is something that will be worn or washed I HIGHLY recommend washing and drying the item before stenciling it.}

Iron with a warm DRY iron {don't use steam} to adhere to the fabric. {I went over mine several times to make sure it was "stuck" on well.}

Now you're ready to stencil! {I pre-laid out my colors that I was going to use so that I knew where every color would go.}  Use a stenciling or pressing motion to paint your design on to your item.

Once done stenciling, set aside to dry for four hours {or according to the directions on your fabric paint}.  I had a REALLY hard time waiting...I think I made it three hours before I couldn't stand it anymore.  


Once dry, carefully peel off your freezer paper.  Voila!

{I recommend letting your item dry over night and then heat setting the fabric paint.  The directions on my fabric paint said to wait to wash for 72 hours.}


I still can't get over how easy and fun this was!  The wheels in my head have been turning and turning...I may get on a freezer paper stenciling kick.  This would be such a fun activity for kids too.  I definitely think my two older girls would have fun freezer paper stenciling some shirts of their own.


Thanks for stopping by!
-R.

Liebster Blog Award

I was very curious the other day {let's be honest, it was the other week now} when I read a comment that had been left for me from Rachelle at the eternal thread.  She had awarded ME with the Liebster Blog award! {Ummm...but what's the Liebster Blog award?}


In all honesty for a split second I {semi} worried thought it was maybe a joke or maybe wasn't a good thing to be awarded.  I quickly went to her blog to find out more {I also had to Google it to be sure}.  Whew! It's a good thing!

Thank you so very much, Rachelle, for thinking of me! I am very humbled by your kind recognition. {If you haven't already, go check out the eternal thread, poke around...my favorite project is the square inch pillow...gorgeous!}


So...what is the Liebster Blog award?


Liebster is German for dearest, beloved or favorite.  This award is bestowed on blogs with less than 200 followers but deserve more attention.  What a great way to support fellow bloggers you admire!

The Liebster award has a few rules attached. The person who receives it is to acknowledge the giver, just as I have done, and then pass the award on to 3-5 other blogs by leaving a comment or emailing the blog writer. The chosen blogs must have less than 200 followers (this is the harder part - if you do have more than 200 followers and I selected you, please don't be insulted) and must capture your heart or your fancy, as the word "liebster" means dearest. You must also paste the award button onto your blog, so others will know you have already received it. 

Now for the fun part! I took my time {sorry, I kind of took a LONG time} looking through blogs to choose my winners.  So, these blogs are ones that I truly enjoyed finding and really did catch my eye as Liebster Blogs. 


So, in no particular order...these are my picks. Please go check them out and enjoy!

1. Creative Raisins

2. 2 Crafty 4 My Skirt

3. Queen B Creative Me
4. Sunny Sweet Life


Happy Monday!
- R.

DIY Artwork {on a budget}

I've been working on some "artwork" for my youngest daughter's room.

She and my son {the babies of the fam} share a bedroom.  The paint color was existing and I haven't felt 100% motivated to re-paint, so I decided to work with it.  {I actually kind of like the color, it's Benjamin Moore - Smoked Oyster}

I should add...we are actually short-term renting a house from a friend after recently selling our home.  I have full permission to repaint anything I want, but I just haven't had the itch {aka the ability and time with 4 kids} to repaint quite yet.

The walls have felt a bit bland and I thought they needed a little attention.  I didn't want to spend a lot of money on art, frames, and decorating since it's not going to be permanent {OK, anything super long term}, but I wanted to do something.  

So I went to Michael's and found this cut out frame...

and spray painted it white.

I had bought this letter {her initial} at Michael's on clearance a while ago...

already white.

I have a love {borderline obsession} with chevron right now.

So, I painted a chevron design onto some matte board that I already had...

the color isn't showing quite right in my pictures.

Put it all together...

and there you have it, artwork {wall filler with color} for under $10! {don't worry I didn't actually use that screw to hang it...it just happened to be there for pic purposes!}

I also have a couple of smaller frames that I am going to add in {trying to decide what to put in them still}.

Now I just need to come up with something for the little man's side of the room...

Have a great weekend!

- R.