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Christmas Clutch

A couple weeks ago I found this pattern and was dying to make it! I finally found some time to give it a go. I'm really quite tickled with how well it turned out! I've never made a clutch before, and I really liked the idea of using scraps to make things. Such a brilliant idea! Why Christmas you ask? Well.... that's all I really had that I thought would go really well together. And it turned out so cute!

Can't wait till Christmas to start using it!

You'll have to excuse the poor pitcure quality. I'm sorta coveting an SLR camera at the moment

as well as a Silhouette, but that's another blog post!

Why is everything nice so expensive?

Menu Board

Even though it may not look like it, I've been making lots of things! I'll try my best to get them all up for y'all to see!

My first one here is a Menu Board. Can I just say how much I love it!! I don't have much wall space in my kitchen so I had to find a long skinny frame to fit on the one bare smidgen of a wall I had open.

I LOVE IT!

All it is, is a photo frame with a cut piece of fabric under the glass. I then used my Cricut and cut out some vinyl letters to adhere to the front of the glass. I got my spacing a little off, guess I need to work on that... Then you use a dry erase marker to write in what you are having for dinner each night. I love being able to look at it and knowing exactly what's happening. I don't know about you, but I spend a lot less money at the grocery store when I have a plan for the week and stick to it. That way I only shop once a week rather then 2 or 3 times. It's so cool!

Baby Showers!

Baby showers are so fun! Especially when I get to make something for it! A friend of mine is having a baby any day now {yay!} and recently had a baby shower. I was lucky enough to get to make her TWO cakes for her special day. A real cake, and a diaper cake.

I've always wanted to make a diaper cake. It's not something you can decide to make one day and make it. You have to have a reason to make it. I was a slightly giddy when I found out I could make one. {You can ask my husband, he can vouch for my childish like excitement when I get to make something new!} It turned out really cute! I hope I get to make another one, it was so easy. They real cake I made is another story. I've decided I don't like working with fondant. It's cool and you can really do a lot with it, but I am so much better with just plain old frosting. Maybe I'm just out of practice. Here are my two cakes. Love 'em!

You know you've lost it when....

... you start making your own bias tape, and actually enjoy it!

I've been making these reusable toy bags found here for my kids and was needing bias tape to make them. I didn't have the right colors to do it so I followed the tutorial here and made my own. I have since been trying to come up with things that need bias tape to make. Little crazy? Yes! But homemade bias tape is so much cooler than store bought bias tape. You can use any fabric you want and make them so fun!

Anyone have any ideas for projects to use bias tape with? I'd love to know!

Snowman Soup

I think this Snowman soup is really cute and funny! What a creative way to package fancy hot chocolate! It would be such a great gift for friends and neighbors. It's from the blog

Brown Paper Packages.

Love it!

Biased Skirt Pattern

My sister-in-law had this on her blog. I thought it was really cute and bookmarked it for later. It's from the

No Big Deal blog.

Can't wait to try it out!

Christmas Planner

Since I haven't been making anything worth while in a really long time, I thought I would share cute things I find on others crafty blogs. There are so many crafty people out there! One can get very lost reading all the blogs and things.

My first one is a Christmas Planner. It is SO cute and such a good idea. I thought of making different themes for it: homework planner, art book {you'd have to find a composition book that is unlined though}. You could really do anything with a cute book like this.

I found it on the eighteen25 blog. She has step by step instructions and a free printable to help make it easier.

So cute!

Crayon Roll-Ups

Crayon Roll-Ups are fun and easy to make. The best part? You can take them anywhere. They fit into any bag for on the go fun anytime, anywhere, anyplace. Inspire your budding artist with their very own Crayon Roll-Up.

Instructions are 4 pages long, in full brilliant color. Even a beginner can make this!

To purchase these instructions look for the paypal button on the side bar under "Purchase Instructions Throuhg Paypal".

After I receive your payment I will email you one PDF document containing the instructions.


*** Instructions and pictures were created by me and are my personal property. You may make as many Crayon Roll-Ups as you wish with these instructions and sell them if you want, but please do not copy, reproduce, or otherwise distribute these instructions.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I've been so busy lately I haven't been able to make anything. I sure missed it. I got busy today being creative! Since it is Valentine's day soon I thought I would make my girls at church a cool Valentine. It was super easy to make. All I did was wrap a Hershey bar with pretty paper and embellish. So easy...and who doesn't like chocolate?

Fun with Mod Podge

So I have had this particular project laying around for (gasp!) 8 years! I know, very long time. Allow me to explain...

I love collecting quotes and poems. Particularly ones that have special meaning for myself. I think I have done this since before High School. I was watching Martha Stewart 8 years ago, and she was showing how to make a plain composition book look really nice with scrapbook paper and other things, I think. I really liked this idea and wanted a cool place to keep all my quotes and things. I bought a composition book and 2 sheets of paper that I really liked to cover it with. I think there were other ingredients I needed and just couldn't find or never was able to get. I can't remember. We were poor, starving college students then. I began writing in the book at least. So I have had this notebook, and these 2 sheets of paper for 8 years. I know it was 8 years because I wrote the year on the title page. Recently I have discovered the art of decoupage and the very versatile glue Mod Podge. Now... I have made a resolution this year to finish all my unfinished projects BEFORE buying any more. So I can home yesterday with this desire to finish my 8 year long project. I am quite pleased with myself! :o) I think it turned out really nice, and I even still like the paper I had bought for it!

The plain notebook before I covered it...

Proof I started in 2002...

The finished product....

I think everyone needs to have one of these now!

Made In Texas

I've been having some fun making glass tile necklaces. Here is my latest one. I like it! You can't really see it in this picture...all the edges are black, and the stain ribbon is pink.

Ghost Clippies

Someone was selling some very elaborate and fancy hair bows at the craft show I went to recently. I am so impressed that others have the patience to make hair bows. I do not. I like to once in a while, and certain ones are much more fun to make than others, and I would make a million for my friends if they asked me too. There was this one being sold that I fell in love with. Maybe it is my love for Halloween that I was so drawn to it, I don't know. But I knew I had to make 3 of them for my girls to wear this October.


Don't you love them?

Fashion Show and Benefit

Come join the fun as Sassy Pants Studio

presents

Friendswood's first and finest

Children's Fall Fashion Show and Boutique

Benefiting the Laura Recovery Center Foundation

Come see the latest in custom clothing and accessories for the littlest loved ones in your life!

And find something special for yourself while you're here!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Doors open at 10:00 AM

607 S. Friendswood Drive - Suite TBA

(Sherwin Williams Shopping Center)

Friendswood's littlest fashionistas will begin strutting their stuff at 10:30 AM

See back-to-school gear, fall fashions, holiday clothing, costumes and more

Boutique couture that will carry your kids from football season to Frosty.

Looking for the perfect gift for mom, grandmom, or baby?

All of our items are handmade and customizable.

Our items are one-of-a-kind and not sold in stores.

Meet the artists and let them design something special for you!

Tawnie's Sweet Shop will be tempting your taste buds with free refreshments after the show!

This is a unique opportunity you won't want to miss!

Premier Children's Fashion Boutique

Open from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Custom Creations by local artists and designers!

2 Pink Ladyz

British Knits TX

Christie McGrath Photography

Hyjinx Crafts

Laniebug Bowtique

Le Petit Poisson

Lollypop Designs

Murals by Kathy

Nico Designs

Nicole's Nursery

Sparkly Strandz Jewelry

Sassy Pants Studio

Sugar Plum Alley

and others!

Why wait for the Nutcracker Market? Our entry fee is only 8 dollars for adults and children are free!

Don't fight the Houston traffic. Shop locally and support our local Charity.

Tutu Instructions

With these instructions you will be able to make a very lovely tutu for anyone of any age. Even the beginner can make something to be proud of. No sewing machine required!

Supplies

about 4 yards of tulle in color of choice
1 inch wide elastic (enough to go around the waist of the person the tutu is for)
Scissors
Ruler
Sewing Machine (optional)

Step 1

Measure around the waist of the person the tutu is for. Add 1 inch and cut the elastic to that size. Over lap the two ends together (about 1/2 inch) and sew them in place either by hand or with a sewing machine. Make sure the elastic is not twisted. Sew over it several times to ensure that it will not come apart.

Step 2

Cut the tulle into strips. I recommend cutting them 5 inches wide by 24 inches long. The finished tutu will be a little less than 12 inches long. Adjust the length as desired. Just remember to double it when cutting. Example: If you want your tutu to be about 10 inches long, then cut the strips 20 inches long by 5 inches wide.

Tip: Tulle is much easier to cut when it is folded into a strip.

Step 3

a. Fold one piece of the tulle in half. Hold one end in each hand. Put it through the middle of the elastic and hold it with your first two fingers like the picture.





b. Grab the two long ends of the tulle with your two fingers and pull it through the loop. Tighten it around the elastic.


c. When tightening the tulle the elastic will be squished together. This is okay. It creates the look of a round waistband when the tutu is finished. The elastic will twist as you keep adding strips of tulle. This is okay as well. It does not matter which side, top or bottom, the tulle is put on...just be consistent.

The right side of the tutu will look like this picture....


The underside of the tutu will look like this picture....


d. Continue adding the strips of tulle until you have gone all the way around the elastic, making sure the tulle is close together. Adjust the strips as necessary and fill in any gaps with more strips of tulle.

Your finished tutu will look like this...


Add some style!

Want a more unique Tutu? Alternate two or more different colors of tulle as you put the strips on.

To add a little flair to your tutu, tie a bow with a piece of matching satin ribbon and sew it onto the tutu. Or tie long pieces of satin ribbon around the waistband.


That’s all.
Congratulations! You did it!

These are my instructions on how to make tutus. You may do as you wish with the tutus you make but please do not copy these instructions or pictures for any reason.

Copyright July 2009 by Jen Smith, All Rights Reserved.

I Spy...Letters, Numbers, and Shapes

So I had to post about these new I Spy Bags I've made. I wanted to make these for a long time, but have never been able to find something that would work. Well...I finally found it!

This mini I Spy Bag features all the letters of the alphabet, numbers 1-9, and an assortment of shapes. What better way to make learning and recognizing the alphabet and numbers and shapes fun and entertaining? I think it is very cute, but then again, I'm slightly biased! So I finally found some letters and numbers that would work well in the mini I Spy Bag. It was great! I was walking through Michael's and there it was! I scooped it up quick! I honestly don't know why I love these things so much! Oh... and they don't even need a tag on the back... so you can actually see the print on the fabric.

Little Wallets

Last week my children and I decided we needed to make some wallets for them. (How much stuff do they really need, and why do I have to carry it all?) So we got to work and this is what we came up with. They are very proud of their handy work! They turned out really cute, too!

Exploding Box

This was really fun to make. I was trying it out because we were going to make it for the kids at school next year. I think it is way cute! I posted a link to the instructions on the side under my favorite web sites. Very fun!!

Cake Anyone?

I made this cake for my daughter's birthday. It was fun to make and it turned out pretty good! The bottom is a home made gluten free carrot cake...one of my favorites...and the top is a box mix that my daughter picked out. Both tiers are covered in fondant. I added a satin ribbon around the base of each and then cut out fondant flowers. The mobile is made of the fondant flowers with the ribbon tied to it. It was delicious!

Site Make-over

Since my website is getting ZERO traffic... (I think I'm the only one that looks at it) ...I am cancelling it and moving things over to my blog. I've put a list on the side called "What I Sell..." with everything that I make to sell on a regular basis. It will continue to grow as I get things moved, so check it often! I also have things listed on Etsy...but don't hesitate to ask me for a custom order. (I think those are more fun anyway!)