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Gift Boxes – Crafting

Decorative Box made with stuff around the house.

I was invited to a baby shower and of course I wanted to go… I love babies!! I was hesitant at first because we have really been trying to stay within a certain means on our budget. With our girl going to college next year and all the extra’s that the Senior Year includes I just wasn’t sure I should. THEN I found out it was a girl….of course I could make that work. I had all the supplies I needed at home to make the perfect gift for the new princess entering the world. I got busy with the outfit and the headbands. Once I had that completed I began to think about how to deliver the gift. I had bags I could put it in but the presentation would not be exactly what I wanted. After making the gift and not spending a penny I definitely did not want to go out and buy something to put it in. I searched the house. I found a box that I had some miscellaneous stuff in so I put it in the back of my mind. It had a logo on the front so it was not my first choice.

I looked some more….

I kept coming back to that box. It was the perfect size and actually a very nice sturdy box….the box it was! Now I just needed to make it look like a baby gift box. I remembered the babies name was on the invitation, maybe I could do something with the initials I thought. I looked for possibilities. I came across paper and stickers.

Supplies from the closet…

I had an idea. I cut out a heart from the scrap booking paper I had and then adorned it with some stickers to make the babies initials. Then of course I needed a bit of flare… I checked my craft drawer and found the flowers I typically use for headbands. I placed it in the corner of the heart and added a tag to show who the gift was from.

Baby Gift Worthy

I spent zero dollars on this gift but it looks like I spent a couple at least. I am finding that you can achieve a lot if you have the right mind set. You can cut corners and still enjoy those special events. Maybe you don’t have craft supplies laying around or the knack for making baby gifts but this philosophy has helped me in so many different areas.

It is freeing to see what you have and only buy what you need.

I hope you can find the same peace of mind in some of your daily activities this week.

Happy Crafting!!!

Posted on by jenniescreativecorner

Valentine Duo – crafts

Siblings

This week we are keeping with the Valentine Theme and are still using those scraps we have around the house. When you think of Valentines Day you think of love, you think of friendship and often you think of dressing up for that special date. It could be a father daughter dance, a mom and son night out or just two little sweeties staying in. No matter what the event these two definitely make the cutest pair. They fill my heart with great joy and my home with laughter. I am so excited that they were allowed to be a part of my blog this week.

Our little princess is styling the fabric skirt with matching top and headband. It is easy to make and lots of fun for them to wear. When I asked her if she wanted to play dress up she couldn’t get changed fast enough. She is a natural for the camera!! Collin had a lot fun with this photo session.

Very Loved!

To start this project you will gather matching fabric and cut the yards into equal strips. Depending on the age of the child you will cut the length that is appropriate for their height.

Cut strips of fabric..

Next I find this trick is very helpful. I use my sons waste basket to hold the waistband in place. This will allow you to work faster and see how much more fabric is needed as you go. The more fabric the fuller the skirt. I take a strip of fabric and fold it in half and make a loop by the waist band and pull it through – this will leave you with two pieces hanging down of equal length and gives you more fullness to the skirt. I don’t sew the waistband. I simply tie it off so that you can adjust or add more pieces of fabric as she grows.

Use a standing round object to help hold the waistband in place.

Next comes the shirt. If you use an iron on this will take less than 5 minutes. If you purchase a sew on applique like I did and don’t realize it until after you have tried to iron it on then the project will take you a bit longer but it is still manageable. Take it off the ironing board because it will not adhere no matter how long you leave the iron on it (lol) and get out your needle and thread. Make small stitches and keep them nice and neat so you don’t have a lot of extra thread underneath to bother their skin if it rubs.

Then the headband. You can purchase material made for headbands at Hobby Lobby. If you use this it is as simple as measuring your length for their head size and then turn it inside out and sew. The decorative bow is just a piece of the scrap material and it is sewn together with the patterned side facing each other. Once you sew it together turn it right side out and fold in half and cut the ends at an angle to match each other. Then tie it to where it covers your seam in the headband. Don’t pull it to tight because it will pucker the headband and leave an impression in the child’s forehead if your knot is too defined. Make sure the headband is small enough to stay in place but not too tight to where it is uncomfortable for them….at this age Beauty is NOT Pain as the saying goes.

  • Finished Piece





Your Sweet Valentine is ready for her Big day out! Daddy she is waiting to dance the night away.

Reading her Valentine.

Next comes our little guy. Not adorned as much but definitely as adorable. This boy melts my heart with his smile!!!

Did you say Black Tie?

This one is an iron on but I made it special for him to match his sister’s outfit.

I chose a plain black iron on material as my base. Then I googled….yes I admit it….I googled how to draw a tie. I drew it onto a piece of paper to use as a pattern and now I have that pattern all ready for the next tie shirt I make. Then use the pattern and cut out the iron on. Position it on the shirt, heat your iron and press it on. Make sure to turn it inside out and heat the back so that it is truly stuck in place. You won’t want to wash this for 48 hours if you can wait. It will allow it to set.

*** I saved the paper left over from the tie pattern and will be using it in a craft for next week. Nothing goes to waste when a use can be found for it!

Happy Valentines Day from these two….we love that you joined us tonight! If you think they are cute go ahead and hit that like button. See ya next week!

Candy and Fun!

Happy Crafting!!!!

Posted on by jenniescreativecorner

Cleaning and Crafting

Old scraps turned purposeful.

I have been going through all my closets and drawers and reorganizing everything. I have thrown out old papers that I’m not sure why I kept for so long but I have a hard time throwing out or giving away anything that could be used. A huge part of my organizing has taken place with all the craft supplies I have accumulated over the years. I am finally getting it all put together in one closet…this will have to do until I have an extra room to turn into a craft room. If my calculation is right I will have that in about 4 years when my son graduates… well, maybe lol.

In my organizing I came across a lot of material scraps. There were many colors and sizes of materials to choose from. Some you might would look at and think were too small to be of use. WRONG…you can use just about anything with a good imagination OR a trip to Pinterest.

For tonight’s projects I chose the fabrics that reminded me of Valentines Day so to keep with our theme for the month.

Just a pile of scraps…

I then took each piece and tried to match it with those that were similar in color and size. Once categorized and seeing what we had on hand I decided to make a Valentines Day pillow and a changing pad cover for the tiniest loves in our lives.

The beginnings of something new…

I cut each piece to fit together and then laid them out to decide on the pattern.

Ready to sew..

The next step is always the trickiest for me. If you are using more than two pieces of material to patch a blanket/cover then you have to be careful to get them all turned the same way. Always place your material face down on top of the other piece with the patterned sides touching. DON’T worry if you get it backwards that is what the seam ripper is for…believe me I have invested in two of them just to make sure I always have one on hand. Mistakes can be altered..I have a lot of practice with that!

Now the face of the cover is done..

Once you have all pieces sewn together you will want to iron it. This will help eliminate any buckles in the finished project. It will also make sewing the straight lines easier.

Keeping it straight and presentable..

Now the backing needs to be added. For the most part I don’t use pins to hold my material because I find it more of a process than necessary but for this project and for blankets I do. The fabric I chose for the backing is a grey t-shirt material and it tends to roll even after ironed so the pins keep it in place.

Pin the fabrics in place..


Once you have those sewn together with a small opening you are ready to view your finished project. Turn the materials right side out and see what you have accomplished.

Ready for our tiniest Valentine!

Reverse Side.

With this in your little ones diaper bag you will never have to lay them on a dirty changing table again. Lay them down with peace of mind that they are free from the germs of the public. Take it home and wash it and it’s ready for your next adventure out.

Valentines Day Pillow

Using much of the same method I made this decorative pillow out of the other scraps I set aside. It is perfect for adding a little Valentine fun in your home.

Thanks again for joining us – today we celebrate one month of blogging! The picture credits as always go to my son!

Posted on by jenniescreativecorner

Crafts

  • Valentines Day!

With Valentines Day about 4 weeks away I decided that I would devote the next couple weeks on crafts that reflect the holiday. What says “I love you” more than a hand crafted treat for your loved one.

Fist we will start with the glass mason jar. This is a fun way to make a unique gift with that special person in mind. I filled mine with candy because that is what we had around the house but don’t be afraid to personalize this the way you want to. For example, if they like crafts you can put beads, ribbon, or buttons in it. Be creative!

Valentine’s Day is known for its messages of love so with that in mind this craft has an extra special way to display those words of admiration. They will be surprised more each time they get into the gift a little further. If they don’t get to the bottom layer for a week or so then just imagine their surprise to see your words of love even after Valentine’s Day. Be careful not to put greasy items or candy that will melt because your message will be ruined.

See this example.

  • A hidden message….
  • separating the layers of goodies.

Take the lid and draw at least 3 circles for your jar and cut them out. Use one on the actual lid to display to and from on it. Then on the next two write special messages to the person that will be receiving the gift. Use these to separate the layers, in my case it separates the different candies I put inside.

Now to decorate the outside. I used an old banner that I had from my daughter’s 16th birthday party to cut out hearts for the front of the jar. An added bonus is that the banner itself is still usable…especially for a Valentine’s Day party. You took away and added at the same time – its a win all the way around!

  • Banner and accessory.

Hot glue the heart onto the front of the jar, add a bow out of string and then finish it off with a button. You have your first gift!

Another favorite item of the Valentine’s Day holiday is candles. My kids love candles in their rooms (keep in mind they are 14 and 17) but I still check each night to make sure they are not still burning. With this next craft it is as simple as getting a glass votive candle whatever size you desire and hot glue some red ribbon on it, add your heart and button and you have your second gift.

Lastly if you are going to spend money on something store bought like a piece of jewelry you can still make it special with a hand made bag to put it in.

  • Valentine’s Day gift bag.

First you will start by picking out your material. I chose two different patterns that compliment each other but you can use all the same material if you prefer. Cut two pieces of fabric equal in size (this will vary depending on what gift you have in mind) and lay them inside out. If you want a decoration on the bag now is the time to add that. Hand sew it on the piece of material that you want to be the front of the bag. Once you have that just as you want it turn both pieces of material patterned side down facing each other. Then stack two pieces of ribbon in between the layers of material. The ribbon should be about an inch from the top of the material. You are now ready to sew.

You will sew 3 sides of the bag, make sure you leave the top open to put the gift into.

I hope you enjoy these crafts and that it inspires you to spend the next 4 weeks thinking of something personal for that special someone. You don’t have to spend a lot to send a simple “I love you.”

Happy Crafting!

Posted on by jenniescreativecorner

Crafting Gone Wrong!

Organization is the key to a great crafter.

  • Glitter – my new nemesis!

I had a couple different ideas for tonight’s craft project but the night turned out much differently than I had planned. I took down the Christmas Tree and decorations and I was so excited to find I had much more room to store things than I did last year. I hadn’t even touched the small boxes I usually put the garland and snowman in. I was a bit puzzled but still stoked that I had it all in one nice neat red container to store for next year. That is until I turned and started to pick up the branches and place them in the box from which they came earlier in November. I looked around and could not find the box….I looked to my husband. He asked me what I was looking for and I told him I needed the box, the long white box that we store the tree in. I was sure he had moved it. He had a very awkward look on his face as if he was afraid to answer. I asked again. He tried to answer without laughing…..”you put everything in the tree box.” WHAT??? I kept my cool… “What do you mean I used the box, this is a red container not a long white box?!?!?”

“That tree came in a white box he replied as he pointed to the tree in the corner that was already put away….that one (pointing to the one on the floor) was stored in that red box.”

UGGH! Then came my brilliant idea. I needed to get out my craft supplies anyways and I knew there was a large box in the closet that contained many of my supplies. I thought maybe I could reorganize that box into smaller boxes and use the larger container to store the tree. IT WOULD BE A WIN WIN – I would get the tree put away and would see all my options for tonight’s craft. It was a great idea UNTIL I opened that box. WHAT WAS I THINKING! A huge tub full of ribbon to the brim mixed with other craft supplies and a huge bottle of gold glitter. I could have walked away and believe me I thought about it but I then I remembered one of my New Years Resolutions – To organize and minimize. I started in. About 2 1/2 hours later I finally had all the ribbon separated and organized by color. I also had a living room full of glitter and thread! I will be wearing glitter for days.

  • As it should be.
  • Plain and Simple.
  • Better Storage.

Therefore my crafting tips for this Thursday are as follows:

  • DON’T EVER PURCHASE GLITTER but if you do put it in a zip lock baggie, wrapped it in a Walmart bag and then finally store it in a separate container away from everything else. LOL
  • It is not better to use a large container for every option. If you just throw things haphazardly into a box one day you will have to go through it.
  • Mark and Label everything…it makes finding it when you want it so much easier.
  • The better organized you are the less money you will spend. Going through my ribbon I realized I had several of the same pattern. Know what you have on hand before going to the store, especially if you are making the craft to turn a profit. This will save you time and money.

HAPPY CRAFTING

Posted on by jenniescreativecorner

Kids Project

Join us for Slime!

Slime is for all ages. Kids and teens alike enjoy making and playing with this old favorite. I remember when it was the rage and I went to the store to get the ingredients for my son so he could make some of his own. When I got to the store they were completely out of glue, on to another store and the same story was told. Finally I found the glue and then couldn’t find Borax. Eventually we were able to gather all the necessary ingredients and we struggled to get the correct consistency. TIMES HAVE CHANGED….this Christmas I bought him a kit from Micheals that had all you needed to make the perfect slime. Within 5 minutes he had 3 different colors of slime. He swears it is a stress reliever and encouraged me to knead it to relieve some of my own stress. Unfortunately it did not relax me… so sticky between my fingers it drove me crazy, the texture freaked me out LOL. I will leave the kneading and de-stressing to him.

The kit was convenient but he still didn’t feel satisfied that he had actually made his own slime. It was too easy so he got out the ingredients and made his own. He wanted to compare the results from his to the results of the store bought kit.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 4 oz bottle of glue
  • 2 tablespoons of laundry detergent
  • 1 1/2 cup saving cream

He had fun making the slime from scratch but at the end of the project he did like the consistency of the slime kit the best. The overall stretch was better and it was not sticky once you got it kneaded all the way to the finish.

Tips:

  1. Don’t give up on the kneading process! Just when you think the project has failed and your hands are sticky mess keep kneading, it will come together into the slime you were wanting.
  2. Add Shaving Cream if you want the slime to be fluffier but add it a little at a time or you will ruin the consistency all together if you add to much at one time.
  3. Borax is a favored ingredient but Liquid Laundry Soap works just as well.

A fun project to do with your kids, let the teens make on their own or if your not as afraid of mess as I am you might want to make it for yourself to use as a de-stresser.

Posted on by jenniescreativecorner

Crafts

Welcome to our first Thursday night Craft Tip!

My first tip for anyone that enjoys being creative is to keep it simple. Some of the best crafts come from items you have laying around the house. Keeping the cost down will allow you to enjoy the end result that much more.

Our first project is this adorable snowman and he is perfect for any tree. It honestly took me longer to gather all the supplies than it did to make it. From start to finish this bundle of snow was hanging on our family Christmas Tree within 30 minutes.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!

If you don’t have wooden circles improvise. You could use card board or even an empty roll of ribbon, just cut out the circles and paint. Sometimes I go to far out of the box and make my husband wonder if I have lost my mind. Tonight I thought the felt hat needed a bit more….I rummaged the closet and couldn’t find what I wanted. As I was turning down the hall I noticed the rubber plant sitting on my desk and knew the leaves were exactly what the project needed. When I took the scissors to the plant my husband said “I am not even going to ask!” Then I know he got worried when I pulled out an old shirt from my drawer and cut off a small black button. It does look cuter on Frosty then in my drawer though and as far as the plant…well, no one but my husband and all my readers will ever know.

Supplies:

  1. Red Felt
  2. 2 wooden circles
  3. Paint- white, red, black and tan
  4. Hot Glue Gun
  5. Thin Rope ** can also use ribbon or yarn
  6. Button/leaves if desired

This ornament won’t likely be found in Rockefeller Square this year but will make an adorable memory to hang on your tree for years to come. It is a simple craft that your little ones can help you make.