oh... hello fall

I have wanted to try a few handmade pumpkins for fall. So, I decided to do whatever I had on hand - all in one naptime. I am hoping to make a few more this week. Possibly a different color scheme for a different room.

I bought decorated store bought orange pumpkins last year on 75% off. So about a quarter a piece. I spray painted some white before decorating them.

I made 2 different burlap pumpkins. The larger pumpkin has a tighter weave. This one is actually a plastic ball (like the ball pit kind) wrapped in a little polyfil and then covered in burlap. The smaller burlap pumpkin has no filler. It is just a puffy empty sack sewn together at the top and bottom. It is from a wide roll of burlap ribbon. 

burlap pumpkin wrapped in twine with tag

I added a wooden tag to the larger one that said, "oh... hello fall" in a coordinating ink color.

Some of the painted pumpkins have jute or twine around them for depth. For the littlest 2 white pumpkins, I wrapped their plastic stems in jute.

The remainder of the pumpkins have real pumpkin stems. They are hot-glued on to each pumpkin. I saved them after last years pumpkins were getting thrown out. My husband thought I was Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. :)

But I have a vision! It just might take me 10 months to get around to accomplishing it.

The other littlest pumpkin in wrapped in twine and then I wrapped it around the pumpkin vertically as well to add definition, because once wrapped, the little pumpkin lost its shape.

I wrapped a medium plastic pumpkin in linen ribbon and then added the twine for definition again.

Also, during the same naptime, I decided to roast my acorns I had picked last week from my neighbor's driveway. Shhhh.... But really, will they miss them? They were just going to drive on them and smash them to smithereens.

When I was looking for something to put a couple in, I realized the my little Chevrolet truck was the PERFECT shade of aqua to compliment the pumpkins. So stinkin' cute!

If you want to try this, just set your oven to 175 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. It is recommended to crack the stove door to let moisture escape. I have seen online that you can bake them anywhere from 20 minutes to all day. I did it for about 3 hours, since I had them sitting in a bag for a week. I wanted to make sure to dry out any moisture and/or critters. {eeeeewwww}

I wanted lots of different textures. I think I'm happy so far. Next, I want to make some out of velvet. I might add some glitter or epsom salt to the plain white pumpkins to add a little more character.

Have you made any new fall decorations? Share with me - I need some more inspiration. :)

Sometimes I link up with the following fabulous linky parties: The 36th Avenue, A Ruffled Nest, At the Picket Fence, Be Different Act Normal, Between Naps of the Porch, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blissful & Domestic, Bowdabra Blog, Cheerios and Lattes, Coastal Charm, Common Ground, Country Momma Cooks, Crystal & Co (The Mommy Club), The Dedicated House, DIY Show Off, Elizabeth & Co., Embracing Change, Faded Charm, Family Every After, The Farmhouse Porch, Finding Fabulous, Fine Craft Guild, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Free Pretty Things!, French Country Cottage, Ginger Snap Crafts, High Heels and Grills, Home stories AtoZ, House of Hepworths, I Heart Naptime, Lil' Luna, Ladybird Ln, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Little Becky Homecky, Mandatory Mooch, Milk & Cuddles, Mod Vintage Life, My Repurposed Life, My Romantic Home, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Nap Time Crafters, The Nature of Grace, Nifty Thrifty Things, Not Just a Housewife, One More Time, Primp Your Stuff, Redoux, Savvy Southern Style, Shabby Art Boutique, Simple Home Life, Six Sisters' Stuff, Skip to My Lou, Someday Crafts, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Stone Gable, Tatertots and Jello, Thirty Handmade Days, Tip Junkie, Twigg Studios, Uncommon Designs, Under the Table & Dreaming, The Vintage Farmhouse, ...

  

DIY Grain Sack Photo Frame

I had seen some photo frames in Pottery Barn's catalog a while back. They were a bit pricey, and I thought I would wait for them to go on sale. Well, they did, and I missed it. They are sold out. So, I decided to make my own. I learned a lot making the first one, and will probably do it a little differently if I make more.

The list of items I used to make my own DIY Grain Sack Frame:

• frame {clearance for $1}
• dropcloth {for my faux grain sack fabric}
• scissors
• craft paint
• small paintbrush
• tape
• ruler
• self-healing mat
• craft knife
• cotton batting 
• quick dry tacky glue
• stapler

Gosh, this list looks long, but really, I had everything on hand.

You'll want to pick your frame first. I have several out-dated, damaged, clearance or dollar store frames that I keep around just for the random photo frame inspiration. 

Here is the original inspiration for my DIY, but I decided I wanted to change up the stripes a bit:

via Pinterest (from Pottery Barn)

You can use any fabric you chose. I decided to use a drop cloth I had tucked away. Osnaburg is a good and inexpensive choice. Or if you're really lucky, you have some actual old grain sacks lying around. If that is the case, I'm jealous, you can skip the painting steps.

I cut the dropcloth fit the dimensions of the frame plus about 4 inches extra on each side. I chose a piece with some obvious flaws/nubby areas. 

Next, I taped off my lines. Sorry, no photos. But I used standard tape, not even painter's tape. {Too lazy busy to find it.} You can do just the 2 skinny lines like the original Pottery Barn style, or just one thick stripe. I chose 2 skinny with 1 thick stripe in the middle.

I mixed my blue craft paint with a little black to make it in between royal blue and navy. Then I painted away between the tape. {Tip: put something underneath your fabric, so the paint won't bleed through. Seems obvious, but I anyone can forget that detail.}

Set it aside to dry completely. Yeah, like any of us have that kind of patience. Ha! But seriously, the next step is with the frame and batting, so you really can set the painted fabric aside to dry. :)

I cut skinny strips from my cotton batting because I wanted to fill in the bevel in my frame. {Looking at it now, I wish I had actually done 2 of these layers.} I just used my quick dry tacky glue and placed them on the frame.

Then I added thicker pieces on top, again gluing them onto the current layer of batting and the outer part of the frame. I over-cut the thickness for overhang to cause a soft outer edge, but kept the inner edge close when gluing. {You need the glass, photo, and backer to still fit once you wrap it.} I cut my corners on an angle to not cause too much overlap and lumpy spots on the frame.

Then I flipped it over onto the dry {wink, wink}, painted fabric. I tried to straighten it as much as possible and line it up where I wanted the finished lines to be.

I added my glue to the back of the frame and proceeded to wrap the outer edges over. I was not very aggressive about pulling the fabric too tight - just straight.

After wrapping 3 sides, I decided to cut the fabric on an angle at the corners. I did not cut all the way to the outer edge though.

Then I stapled the edges down for good measure, continuing to straighten and pull just a little.

I trimmed off all the excess fabric from the outer edges and did my best to tuck in the 4 corners to look flat, but covered. I added more staples as necessary.

Then I laid the piece down on my self-healing mat and used my exacto knife to cut an X in the center. Again, getting close to the corners, but not too close. 

Then I added glue to the inner ledge of the frame and stapled it down. I continued to press the fabric onto the glued areas, and then put the glass inside to flatten and help the fabric adhere to the frame.

I removed the staples on the four points shown above once the glue dried. Then I trimmed this excess fabric with the exacto knife. {Note: Every frame is a little different in its width, depth, and how the glass and backer are incorporated. For this particular frame, the fabric needed to be as short as possible, but long enough the wrap around to the inside.

I completed this frame on September 11. The date was heavy on my mind, and that is why I changed my frame - because I changed what I wanted inside the frame.

I found this printable around 4th of July by A Little Crafting, and I tweaked it a bit. I made the colors more muted (vs. the 4th) because I feel somber in remembrance of this day - and the days, weeks, months, and even years that followed.

It reminds me to feel blessed. The little things tend to disappear and I realize how lucky I am.

Sometimes I link up with the following fabulous linky parties: The 36th Avenue, A Ruffled Nest, At the Picket Fence, Be Different Act Normal,Beyond the Picket Fence, Blissful & Domestic, Bowdabra Blog, Cheerios and Lattes, Coastal Charm, Common Ground, Country Momma Cooks, Crystal & Co (The Mommy Club), The Dedicated House, DIY Show Off, Elizabeth & Co., Faded Charm, Family Every After, The Farmhouse Porch, Finding Fabulous, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Free Pretty Things!, French Country Cottage, Ginger Snap Crafts, Home stories AtoZ, House of Hepworths, I Heart Naptime, Lil' Luna, Ladybird Ln, Little Becky Homecky, Mandatory Mooch, Milk & Cuddles, Mod Vintage Life, My Repurposed Life, My Romantic Home, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Nap Time Crafters, The Nature of Grace, Nifty Thrifty Things, Not Just a Housewife, One More Time, Primp Your Stuff, Redoux, Shabby Art Boutique, Simple Home Life, Six Sisters' Stuff, Someday Crafts, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, Thirty Handmade Days, Twigg Studios, Uncommon Designs, Under the Table & Dreaming, The Vintage Farmhouse, ...

Easy DIY: ouch-less hair bands

I have long hair, because, honestly who has time to make, much less, keep a hair appointment these days. My daughter has shoulder-length hair. Ponytails are a necessity, but they can be so painful.

I buy hair bands out the whazoo {spelling/actual word?}, as she mysteriously loses them in the playroom at preschool. Riding a tricycle indoors is pretty active stuff - those ponytail bands go flying apparently. Actually, I realized how true this statement is. I have a real photo of her zoooooming through the house on her new tricycle during the winter months. Her hair was much longer and her pigtails were parallel to the floor. My little speed demon.

It dawned on me when I was shopping that many of the hair bands boasting "pain free" and "ouchless" just looked like they were made out of old tights.

I had a couple pairs of tights sized 12 and 18 months sitting around, not sure if they could be donated now that my daughter has outgrown them. But I didn't want to just throw them away. She wore them once, maybe. No one I know has had a baby girl, though. So in a drawer they sat until today.

I decided to go about making my own ouch-less hair bands. Here is a very simple tutorial for DIY ouchless hair bands. Keep in mind that the various widths and styles in this tutorial are from one pair of  infant-sized tights.

Supplies you will need:

• pair of old tights or panty hose

• ruler ~ if you like straight lines :)

• rotary fabric cutter ~ or scissors if you're free-handing this whole deal

• self-healing mat ~ if you're using the rotary cutter - and you like your tabletop

*Tip: Start by turning your tights inside out. This enables the curl to go the right direction, so that the finished bands will actual have the right side facing out.

Easy how-to:

1. Cut off the waistband and tag if there is one. More recent pairs will most likely be wonderfully tag-free, but you will still want to cut off any brand name and sizing info that is printed directly onto the material.

2. Cut off the remainder of the tummy/bottom area. Then cut off toe seams.

3. Use a ruler to cut strips in desired widths. I cut 1/2" and 1" strips for variety. (As mentioned in supply list - you could totally eyeball this whole project with scissors, but depending on how sharp your scissors are, the material can stick or snag.)

4. Stretch your cut pieces. {Please don't judge my dry skin or terrible nails. I haven't had a manicure since my wedding - 10 years ago this month!}

5. If you are seeing portions that are not curling up all the way around, just stretch in every direction. It's actually very quick - a couple seconds for each piece.

By the way, I have GOT to look up directions on cleaning a self-healing mat! Between the tights and a fleece project, my mat is seriously fuzzy looking. 

Here are completed 1" and 1/2" bands side by side. I assume the wider one will be a bit sturdier, but the skinnier one will be good for wrapping several times like at the end of a braid.

Now, should you not want to waste any of the remaining tights from the tummy/bottom area, you can cut off the seams as shown above and knot the ends. I used 1" cuts for these bands.

Here is my collection of 27 ouchless hair bands from one pair of baby tights {FREE}:

• 13  -  1/2" seamless bands
•   6  -  1" seamless bands
•   4  -  1/2" tied end bands
•   3  -  1" tied end bands
•   1  -  1/2" double tied end band

{Do you like my nod to the Olympics. I didn't mean to do that - it must be subconscious from watching swimming and gymnastics all weekend.}

Imagine the quantity and variety a pair of adult size tights would make. Headbands galore!

NOW... just picture how cute this would be with patterned tights! :)

For more creative {and just plain practical} ideas for repurposing tights and panty hose, click here.

~All photos in this post are my own.~

Somtimes I link up with the following fabulous linky parties: The 36th Avenue, Be Different Act Normal, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blissful & Domestic, Bowdabra Blog, Cheerios and Lattes, Country Momma Cooks, Crystal & Co (The Mommy Club), DIY Show Off, Family Every After, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Free Pretty Things!,  Ginger Snap Crafts, Home stories AtoZ, House of Hepworths, Lil' Luna, Ladybird Ln, Milk & Cuddles, Nap Time Crafters, Not Just a Housewife, Simple Home Life, Six Sisters' Stuff, Someday Crafts, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, Uncommon Designs, ...

Easy DIY: Wood Stain

So I've seen a lot of tutorials about DIY wood stain, and I knew I wanted to give it a try. I just found two natural baskets for a steal and figured now is the time. {I apologize in advance, as all photos are from my iphone - my camera was missing. Brother-in-laws, what are you gonna do?}

Here are the supplies I used:

• Apple cider vinegar
• empty jar
• steel wool

A note about the supplies - I had the vinegar on hand. I read that apple cider vinegar creates a grey stain, and that's the result I was wanting. The steel wool came in a pack of 15 at the dollar store. It didn't say what grade it was {0000 was recommended in my reading}, but the dollar store isn't too specific in their packaging. :)

I placed the steel wool in the empty jar and covered with vinegar. I sealed the jar and left overnight. I have read that the steel wool will dissolve. Mine did not seem to at all, which is probably because it wasn't the recommended grade. It wasn't necessary, however, as the stain was still very effective.

Here is my natural woven basket. I used a cheapy foam brush to apply. I had read that it smells pretty bad, worse than just vinegar. So I set up outside on my deck table. I would highly recommend a well-ventilated area {aka - outside} to do this. And if you don't have a glass table that will rinse off, put down a dropcloth of some sort.

The reaction of the solution on the wood is very quick. This was after a quick layer. The right side has the stain applied, while the middle was just added. The time between starting and taking this photo was probably one minute total. It is VERY quick! And the longer I worked, the darker the stain got with only one coat.

The two baskets side by side. The left basket has only one layer of stain! The right basket is untreated.

You can sand down the wood after it is dry to reach the desired color. I just gave it a light sanding. I did not seal it with anything yet. And I think I will try the other basket adding water to the solution to see if it creates a lighter driftwood effect.

There you have it! A quick {and did I mention EASY} DIY wood stain with vinegar and steel wool.

All completed during naptime!

~All photos are my own.~

And, why yes, that is my new Dash & Albert rug under the baskets! I got it for 50% off! Woohoo!!

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Teacher Gifts

I don't know about you, but I am always scrambling at the end of the school year for teacher gifts. Yes, a gift card will suffice, but I like to give something else with it. Usually I end up spending $10 or more on the little gift - and I'm not even that impressed with it. Well, that changed today!

I kept a promise to myself, that I will use Pinterest for good, not evil! Okay, not evil - just a positive influence and not just a major time suck. (You may have seen my previous post on my Pinterest addiction.)

So I am challenging myself to create some of the things I pin. With such amazing ideas posted every day, surely something would be a great DIY teacher gift to accompany a gift card to Starbucks, right? But it needed to be something I could accomplish with supplies on-hand at 10 o'clock the night before the last day of school. Yup, that's how I roll.

Enter the current project - super simple, inexpensive (most items everyone has on hand) and downright adorable. I followed the links from my pin to a tutorial for a 3-dimensional apple made from an old book. I did modify my supplies, only because I can be a bit lazy and impatient when completing a project. Don't judge! It's still really stinkin' cute.

No worries about deconstructing a good book. This was a children's math logic book that is seriously out of date! (I chose a paperback - I think that is less work than a hardcover.) My book was even tall enough to cut 2 apples from it. One for the teacher and one for the teacher's assistant. 

It was a fairly simple project. I promise!

I used the following supplies:

~ an old book 

~ a pen or pencil

~ sharp exacto knife

~ hot glue gun

~ twigs or even a real apple stem

~ ink or paint 

~ extra embellishments

Now, here's where I get lazy. The original tutorial I found used a template. And you may want to cut a template for yourself, but I like to wing it sometimes. I'm just crazy like that.

First, I tore off the cover. Then I drew a half of a heart shape - but left about 3/4 inch at the bottom for a base. (Very technical, I tell you.) Hopefully, the image below will help. This shows the two heart shapes I cut out of the book. The spine is to the left.

I started by cutting through a couple pages at a time and then increased as I went along. Again, a template could be useful for someone who prefers a less "wing-it" approach.

Once I had my shapes cut out, I took my handy-dandy damp paper towel and and dabbed red ink long the egdes of the curved shape. I found it easier to do this before you open it. You can put on as much or as little as you want. I ended up with two different looks. You could also do yellow or green on the apple if you prefer.

Next, I opened them up (approximately in half) so I could see the spine. Then I used hot glue to adhere my "stems". If you haven't noticed yet, I am a very impromptu kind of gal, so when I realized I needed something to resemble a stem, I ran into my family room and broke off a few tiny branches from my birch twigs in a vase. Hey, they worked perfectly!

Once the hot glue was cool and dry, I fanned open my book shapes and again used hot glue to adhere the front page to the last page. {I didn't feel like waiting for craft glue to dry.} Be careful not to burn your fingers. My hot glue gun must be a low heat type, as it wasn't too hot to burn.

Again, once dry and cool - I continued to fan and fluff the pages until they looked full and even.

Next, I cut a free-hand leaf from green cardstock. I wrote the teacher's name on one side and "Love, Bella" on the other. Then I hot glued the appropriate end in between two book pages at the top. (I left a long stem on the green leaf to make sure it would have something to adhere it.)

Now my apples were finished! Yeah! A homemade gift to include with the gift cards. So cute, and pretty unique if you ask me. And free to boot - I had all items on hand.

I even took a few pages from the cut book to make personalized gift bags.

I used glue dots to adhere the open apple pages to a kraft gift bag. Then I hot glued another "stem" and leaf with the teacher's name. I drew on seeds with an embossing pen. I wrapped the apples in tissue paper and put them in the gift bag. The tissue paper left a good fluffy spot to set a gift card.

These are for preschool teachers. And my 3 year old is very curious, so I decided to tie the bags shut with some red and white twine.

I was so happy with my finished product! And proud of myself for making a craft instead of buying something at the store. I also fulfilled a promise to myself to create some of the fun things I pin on Pinterest.

I'm giving this project an A+. Sorry - I couldn't resist!

~ All images on this post are my own and can be found, where else, on my Pinterest boards. ~

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