I saw something like this on pinterest of course and decided to give it a try! I know its early to be getting out Christmas stuff but I'm excited this year Its not completely finished yet but I wanted to go ahead and share. Ill update when it is done!

It turned out a lot better than I was expecting! Basically I had a 6ft fake tree to start. At the bottom I pushed the bottoms 2 rows of branches together then I curled the next row or two of branches in towards the tree to bunch them up as much as possible. Repeat to make 3 spaces for the snowman to go. I had 2 huge bags of different batting from my grandma and it was luckily just enough to make the snowman. I took the loose/small pieces of batting to stuff the spaces first, then I took bigger long sheets of batting to cover them up and make it look smoother. tuck into the top and bottom, the branches hold it all together really well. The bottom ball I had to use a thicker felt type material to cover it cause thats what I had left and it worked fine too. Then put your lights up around the branches.

The "buttons" are ornament balls. The eyes and mouth are buttons. I still need to make a carrot nose. I would like a black top hat, but until I make/find one he has a minnie santa hat. I sprayed the tips of the branches with snow spray. I will probably get bigger branches for the arms. Going to add some pine cones, berries, and maybe birds or squirrels also. The ornament hanging has all our names on it, I ended up moving it to the bottom ball area cause it looked better there. And thats about it! Might add some rain boots underneath too and definitely going to get a better tree skirt. I also plan on making "snow" on the wall behind it using cotton balls and fishing line!


lights off


lights on

I got my son this sheet set awhile back and since we never use the flat sheet I decided to make something out of it. I made myself a dress, loosely following this tutorial http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=252249.0 It was my first time making adult size clothing and trying to tailor. I dont think I did too bad but its by no means perfect. Something weird happened with the hem on one side and I should have waited to go to the store and get a good zipper instead of ripping one out of a pair of jeans   But its definitely wearable!
I had more fabric left over than I thought I would so I made a little skirt for my daughter and appliqued a mushroom onto a shirt she already had. I didnt have any pattern for the skirt I just winged it. First time applique-ing, I couldnt find my iron so I skipped the fusible web but next time Ill definitely use it cause it came out a little wrinkly. I still have enough fabric left to make something else but not sure what yet!
















DD's outfit

I got this at goodwill for $6, I forgot to get a before picture but it looks exactly like this stock picture except the wood part was white. It was in pretty good shape so I could have just left it alone but I wanted it to match the table and chairs set I just painted for my daughter. (You can see that here- http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=384331.0 This was actually a really easy redo, I just took the fabric piece that was on there and copied it by sewing fabric together that I already had in my stash. I need to put a poly coat on the paint and am debating painting some fairies on the side like I did for the table and chairs.


the table and chairs that match are behind it


before

after

I started on my end table tonight! Need to do some touching up, and probably should have done the black part first where the paint is chipped but I was too excited to start on this I think Im gonna add a quote from the book around the edges. Thanks soooooooooo much for sharing, I absolutely love this!!! If you ever get bored and wanna draw some companion art for my other end table lol just sayin...

Im planning a bday party for my daughter and needed a cake stand. I saw this idea online and was thrilled to try it. It is probably the easiest, fastest, cheapest craft I have ever done! I went to the thrift store to get supplies. Of course I ended up with enough to make 4 stands instead of the 1 I originally planned on lol but for only about $5-6! There was just too much to choose from. Then I went to the craft store for some epoxy for glass, I used a 50% off coupon so that cost me $2. Then just glued the pieces together! Thats it!! Now I just hope I can learn to bake by the end of the month haha.


all the finished stands


small stand

the top of it


I think this is my fave


the top piece on this one is actually plastic shhhh. I have to test this one out though and make sure its stable since the base is so tall and the plate is long.



cupcake stand


the lid can fit on this one too

I found this table and chairs set at a thrift store for $5!!!   It is nice, heavy wood and wasnt in bad shape to start out with. I had this crazy idea to add fairy wings to the backs of the chairs and a fairy skirt to the table. I have never used any kind of saw or power tool before so I really did not anticipate it turning out much like what I planned, but so far its going GREAT! I cut the wings out myself--thanks to a quick lesson on the jig saw from my dad   and I sewed the ruffle for the skirt then just nail gunned it to the bottom of the table. It may get ripped eventually Im sure but I guess I can always make a new one? Its cute for now at least haha. ALMOST FINISHED!!! Except I also found a bookshelf that I decided to redo to match lol so really I still have a lot left to do and only 10 days to finish! (its a bday present for my daughter)

I redid a sling bookshelf to match if anyone wants to check it out http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=386126.0


here it is all finished


what I started with


finished


view from above


very proud of my fairy wings!




designs on one of the chairs, Im definitely not an artist but Im hoping I can get these to turn out okay. Gonna add some glittery stuff to this too.


2nd chair I painted a design on, its a tiara. I want to add glitter and do some touchups to it still.


castle chair, probably my fave. needs glitter and retouching still


unicorn chair, same as the others, needs glitter and retouching


table top in progress


chairs with the glitter added


fairy wings before the polyurethane coat, I found the stars at michaels and epoxy'd them to the wings I cut out.


table with skirt added, the fabric is a shiny lavender something on the bottom with a hot pink glitter tulle on top. colors are a little off in the pictures


another shot


you can see the fabric a little better here

I said I wasnt going to get crafty for her party, but of course after googling ideas I wound up starting a ton of projects anyways   I decided on pinks and yellows for the colors, which lead me to pink lemonade cause what is better in the summertime than a nice cool glass of pink lemonade haha.
These are just a few pictures I took the other day to use for her birthday invitaitons. The lemonade stand came out great. The glass and the lemon juicer are antiques that were my great grandmas and have been passed down And her dress was a yard sale find for 10 cents!!!














chloe and big brother gabriel

The invitation-I am really proud of this and it took me a lot of time to make it! I used PSP. The pink and yellow background on the right side are from free digital scrapbook paper downloads. The striped pattern on the left I made myself. Found the tiny lemon graphic online too. And then I just made the little boxes for the font using the rectangle tool on psp and found some pretty fonts. On the real one my address and phone number arent blurry of course.


The party turned out great! I added some last minute crafts-the candle holder with her picture (different one on each side), the happy birthday banner, the tissue paper puff balls, and the cans/jars decorated to hold hold the utensils. I made the cupcakes (lemonade flavored of course) and little cake for her, also made some pasta salad, ham and cheese roll ups, and a frozen strawberry pie. My in laws brought potato salad and sandwich wraps and my dad brought pulled pork and stuffed jalapenos. It turned out to be a great party! The pictures dont do it justice. I had wanted to set it up outside but it was WAY too hot so I had to settle for our small kitchen instead


birthday banner, the pics underneath are 2 from birth, 2 from 1st bday, and 2 from this bday


covered some cans and jars with scrapbook paper to match other decorations


the cupcakes...looked better than they tasted imo...im not much of a baker and they were really sweet


table set up...pink lemonade of course and in the punch bowl is summertime tea (with tequila in it) for the adults, it was delicious! the recipe was in this months taste of home issue


setting stuff up, this is more what the colors looked like in real life


the candle holder, it had a different pic on the reverse side


birthday girl sneaking candy and when she got caught she told me "its MINE" lol


the little cake


she loved it!


everything getting set up, the banner at the bottom says her name (chloe)
Decided we needed a pretty cake stand...found out how to do them diy-style and ended up with 4 haha. Total cost=about $8! I got all the pieces at the thrift store and used a 50% off coupon to get epoxy at ac moore for $2. Simplest craft ever! And so pretty! now I must learn to bake.


cupcake stand


prob my fave! the top fits on the top tier of the cupcake stand also


a small stand


all together..
now if only all my crafts were that easy!  

My son's 9th birthday is on Saturday and we are doing a super mario theme party. I have been working on some stuff since selection is kind of limited on mario party supplies unless you wanna order mostly overpriced online, and I am always looking for a good excuse to craft something especially if its nintendo related So far I have finished the treat bags, painted a star pencil holder (a gift for him), started working on some star garland, and almost finished a yoshi egg pinata. Oh and made the invitations using an image I found on google and paint shop pro. I am also going to do some mario theme games...pin the moustache on mario, yoshi confetti egg toss, bad guy balloon bust, and whatever else I come up with before then. And I printed out mario coloring pages to give out as favors. I will add pics as I get stuff done, so far this is what I have pics of!

**UPDATE**the party turned out great! It was yesterday. The kids had a lot of fun with the games especially pin the moustache on mario and the balloon pop.

Treat bags-I saw these on etsy and figured I could make them...she had only 5 of the designs (mario, luigi, mushroom, yoshi, and princess peach but I did my princess alot different), the rest I came up with all on my own! I think they turned out really cute. Simple to make, just cut out paper and glued it to the bag. A few I hand drew details on and goomba I had to paint white paper brown cause for some reason the pack of construction paper had no brown.


all the bags


boo with a 3d tounge, piranha plant, fire flower


question block, princess peach, goomba


6 of the bags


chain chomp w/ chain


star, bowser, shy guy, bobomb...bowser and peach were probably the 2 hardest ones


mushroom, yoshi, mario, luigi


Star pencil holder-found this at hobby lobby in the wood section, painted it yellow and added the eyes. also really simple! gonna have to go back and get another for my computer desk lol I want to keep it for myself!



Birthday invitation-googled mario birthday, found an image (I think on deviantart) and added the text with paint shop pro. Obviously on the real invitation my address and phone number arent blurred out


The party!

birthday tent all decorated. I printed the stars out on cardstock and just taped them up. Drew the faces for boo and chain chomp on the balloons. They also had gold coins in them, and then the kids popped them and whoever had the most coins won a prize.


the party table with presents, treat bags, yoshi egg pinata, and confetti filled yoshi eggs for the yoshi egg toss game. One had a star in it and the person who got it won a prize. They threw them at a picture of bowser.




yoshi confetti eggs


boo and chain chomp coin filled balloons


the cake! ordered the edible image on ebay and just had them put a border around it at the store.


about to hit the pinata


pin the moustache on mario


yoshi egg toss


bad guy balloon bust

We cant paint cause we are renting but I was dying to do something to my daughters walls besides hanging pictures. I heard from another craftster about doing diy wall decals with contact paper. While searching that online, I found links to show how to do wall decals with fabric instead. I have TONS of fabric Ive been picking up from the remanants at Joanns that I figured Id find some way to use eventually, and I thought this would be the perfect use for it. It turned out to be a super fun project, and easy!
There are different ways of adhering the fabric to the wall...I started out using two sided fusible interfacing. You iron it to the fabric first, then peel off the paper on the other side and stick it where you want it on the wall. Once you have it in place, you iron it to the wall to bond it. It really does come off without peeling the paint too, I tested! But considering how big of a project I had planned, it would be too expensive to buy that much interfacing. So after using up the pack I had already bought, I switched to using corn starch and water (1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup cold water, then add 4 cups boiling water...makes a lot!). You paint a little on the wall with a brush, stick the fabric up, then paint over the fabric with more starch and let it dry. This works just as good though it is a lot messier. I also noticed there is some excess starch residue I will wipe off once I have totally finished.
Most of the stuff I freehanded it onto the fabric then cut it, or I googled whatever shape I was looking for and the pieced it together looking at the pictures I liked. The deer and squirrel I looked for silhouettes online to use as a guide and the owl I did applique on my sewing machine before putting it up. This isnt finished yet, I plan on adding some flowers, more animals, maybe a sun and clouds, mushrooms, a gnome, etc...But it is finished enough to start posting pics I thought I also need to trim up the tree and some of the edges of the fabric that frayed, then wipe off the excess starch but like I said, might as well wait til its done...Ill add more pics as I get it finished, its going to go a lot slower now though since I start school back on Monday blah 


what it looks like as of last night


the beginning, ironing the tree stump to the wall


you can see how the top looks darker cause I had switched to starch, but it all dried the same color.


all of the tree up, plus the birdhouse


birdhouse


applique owl in the hole, the body is light pink it was wet still when I took this pic so it looks a little different


top of the tree


bird with birdhouse, thinking about adding a baby bird or birds egg in the birdhouse maybe


another bird


squirrel


my favorite so far, the deer. this was done in 4 pieces-the body, the head, and each ear

Im redoing my daughters room in a woodland/animal theme and this was my first project I finished. I found the idea here http://www.flickr.com/photos/montessoribyhand/3284664009/ and thought it was just beautiful! Luckily there is a tutorial for how to sew the birds also at this link http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/ (and another cute way to use them, as a mobile). It was really simple! Then I just found a branch in my backyard and hot glued the birds where I wanted them, then used invisible thread to hang it. I even had a few leftover birds for my daughter to play with, good thing cause she really liked them! Heres the pics...




side view


chloe with her birds