Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Petal Earring Tutorial (+ another kit!)

My new favorite earrings:


I love them in white with lace the best,
but they're also fun in bright colors!

They were inspired by these two pair from Anthropologie:
They were so easy to make! Even the newest beginners at jewelry making can do it!


1: You'll need 4" of your favorite ribbon for each earring, burned or treated with fray check on the ends. Take a needle and thread, and do a running stitch along the edge of the ribbon....

2: Push your ribbon down the thread to gather, and stitch once in the back to secure, and set it aside.

3: Then thread 8 4mm pearls onto silver headpins, and clip with wire cutters with a little less than 1/2" left on.

4: With needle nose pliers, bend the pin into a circle. Twist the end up slightly to open the loop.

5: Attach the loop to a jumpring. Repeat for all 8 pearls, connecting them all to the same jumpring.

6: Bring the needle from the back of the ribbon flower, through to the front and thread it through the jumpring, then back through to the back of the flower. Pull firmly 'till you see the jumpring through the hole in the back, and stitch a few more times to secure. Knott twice.

7: Use a strong glue to attach the flower to an earring post, and let dry.

Enjoy!!




I don't know what it is, but I ADORE them!!

But what's that you say??
You don't want to go out and buy all that stuff? Well lucky for you, I twisted my sister's arm, and she's made another jewelry kit for us!! Yay!!

  • You can get all the supplies you need to make 2 Pair of these earrings, including lace, and your color choice of ribbon with pre-burned edges
or
  • If you already have ribbon that you want to use, and you just want all the jewelry making supplies, she also sells a separate kit for that!
to go to her shop!

I hope you're able to make some, they're tons of fun :o) I'm kind of addicted.

Also, if you're interested in jewelry making, my sister has a blog where she does tutorials now and then! I love that. Most jewelry sellers don't want to show you how to make it yourself, so they won't lose money, but she does! How nice! :o)

Talk to you soon! I'll post a few more entries for the "Ruffle Your Stuff" contest soon!
God bless you guys!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Ruffly Shirt Refashion

Here's a little refashion I did the other day!
I almost didn't post it because I didn't want you to see the horrible pictures of me, and because there's no shortage of ruffly t-shirt tutorials out there, but I thought I'd share it with you anyway. Pride before the fall, right? :o)
This shirt was a little $5 Target special that my husband got at Christmas time. I was planning to add some rosettes or something. I love the coral color! (which looks orange, because my camera can't handle coral.)


1: To make it, you'll need to take a long-sleved shirt, and cut the sleeves off so they are a nice short-sleeve length:
2: Then cut each sleeve into two 4" strips, and trim another 1" section off of each, leaving 4 3" strips.


3: Sew one end of two of the 3" strips to the end of the other two, to make 2 very long 3" strips. (do the same for 2 of the 1" strips)

4:Gather both the 3" strips into ruffles that are the length of the front of your shirt.


5: Lay the ruffles on the front of your shirt, with gathered edges ouching, then lay your 1" strip over the gathers, and pin well.


6: Sew the 1" strip and ruffles on to your shirt with a zig-zag stitch.

7: Then arrange buttons down the front, and tape them into place with clear tape. Sew them to your shirt well with a zig-zag stitch.
(You'll need to adjust the stitch width, and use the hand wheel to make sure that the needle will go into each hole without hitting the button.)


Then hem up your sleeves with a zig-zag stitch, and you're done!


Possibly the worst photo ever taken of me;
I'm not 5 months pregnant, I just have bad posture, and it was potluck Sunday, you know what I mean?


And this one is blurry, but at least I'm not pregnant! I really failed in the photo-taking department today! Sorry! :o)

And thanks for all the feedback about the layered skirt! I'll be starting it soon, and I'll try to do a t-shirt waist band version as well! You were so right on about the springy floral fabric, I'm dying to make one like that! Yay, spring!!

Take care!!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Don't worry, I told the little devil "no" :o)

Don't you??
I seriously live in them in the spring/summer time.

This is one that I made for a darling reader, Irma, who asked if I would be willing to do a tutorial on one of these little layered skirts so she could make one for her daughter. She even sent me the extra-wide elastic, because they don't sell it where I live! So sweet!
I fully intended to do a tutorial.
But time got the best of me, and I ended up just making the skirt for her daughter :o) (I hope she likes it!) As soon as I finished it and tried it on, the little devil on my shoulder (yes, preacher's wives have those, too!) said "Keep it, Disney!! You can tell her you had a house fire and the skirt went up in flames!".
I love it.
a. lot.


I don't know why I spilled 90's on these photos....that's late-night Photoshop for you! :o)


Anyway, do think I should still do a tutorial for one? Would anyone else find that useful?
I don't have any more elastic, but I can fake it with a t-shirt waistband. (Love those!)

*Oh, and by the way! I don't normally wear skirts this short, I guess it doesn't work as well on a tall person! :o) I think I'll add another couple of ruffles to mine.

P.S. I hope this post finds everyone well and cheerful! :o)


Guest Posting at V and Co!

Today I am guest posting at V and Co with this Pottery Barn basket tutorial!
Sorry for the extra click, but I'd love it if you came over to see!
Thanks! :o)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Contest Sponsor: Amy Butler!

My new favorite person in the whole wide world?

Amy. Butler.

Or-as she has become known in our household-"AMY STINKIN' BUTLER!!!!" :o)

I emailed Amy during the planning stages of the "Ruffle Your Stuff" contest to see if she wanted to donate an autographed book to the grand prize winner. (Yeah, right. Like Amy Stinkin' Butler cares about my little contest.) And a couple of days later her wonderfully sweet promo specialist emailed me and said that Amy would love to donate a book, and how about some patterns, too? And to let them know if there is anything else they can help with. Ah! Could they be any nicer?? That just totally warms my heart, that big, fantastic people still care about the little, less-fantastic people like myself :o)

So I mean it, whole-heartedly, when I endorse her, and say....go blow your entire life savings on her fabric. :o) Her newest collection, "Love", is, well, just that. I would give up a year of life to get some of that fabric :o)

And in case you're new on the scene? Amy Butler is a designer, most famous for her beautiful fabrics and sewing patterns, but she also has many other wonderful products. Books, bags, bedding, art, stationary, even gift-wrap and table ware!
Please go and check out all of her stuff, and be prepared to fall deeply, deeply in love.


Some of Amy's handiwork:

Fabric swatches:

(DYING OVER THESE!!)

Bedding:


Rugs: (cool!!)
Even towels!
You'll have to go to the website to see the rest!


So thank you, Amy, for your sweetness and generosity! :o)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Handkerchief Rosette How-To!

For everyone who wanted to know how to make the handkerchief "rosettes" from this post!

Confession:
when I shot this photo, I was in a terrible hurry (story of my life), so I just scrunched them together and pinned them to the shirt.
*gasp*
I know! I'm a big cheater!!

But now that I have a little more time, I'll give you the real way I had in mind to do it! :o)

1: Cut a square out of the middle of the handkerchief, leaving about 2 inches on the outside.


2: Then cut 1" triangles in the corners:


3: Sew a gathering stitch all the way around the edge of the inside.


4: Pull the bottom strings to gather all the way up:


5: Hold the gathered seams together, so that the bottom is flat.


6: Glue a 1.5" circle of felt or fleece onto the bottom, and then glue a flat-backed safety pin to the circle!


Pin it on your shirt!


Or you could glue it to a hair clip, or headband!


Use them to tie back curtains...


Or simply make them to share with a friend :o)

So there you go! Pretty easy and self-explanitory!

The reason I clip the triangles in the corners is so that the corners won't stick way out when you gather it up. It's much more pretty and even this way!
....But if you just want to scrunch it up and pin it to your shirt, I won't tell anyone :o)

Monday, March 8, 2010

"Ruffle Your Stuff" Entries.....


Here is the first installment of the "Ruffle Your Stuff" Contest entries!
It was SO difficult to pick randomly, and not be able to put them all up (you guys are so talented!), but don't worry-I'll post them all at the end!

Ready to be inspired??
.....................

1. Ruffle Bib from Jessica, 2. Ruffle Bum from Joy, 3. Girls' Ruffle Tunic from Kristyn, 4. Ruffle Cloche 5. Toddler Ruffle Apron from Cheryl, 6. Girls' Ruffle Hankie Dress from Susan, 7. JCrew-Inspired Ruffle Dress from Haley, 8. Spring Ruffle Tank from Jessica

Headband from Nicole

1. Ruffle Capelet from Ronda, 2. Ruffle Zipper Headband from Linda 3. Couture Ruffle Necklace from Chea 4. Pink Linen Ruffle Skirt from Atlanta, 5. Ruffle Shirt from Becky, 6. Ruffly Spring Tunic from bethany

Ruffle Clutch from Becky

1. Ruffle Lampshade from Susan, 2.Ruffle Photo from Jan, 3. Wedding Scrapbook from Sherry, 4. Chair Re-do from Ali, 5. Red Ruffle Bag from Jen , 6. Ruffle Bag from Prudence 7. Green Ruffle Bag from Melli

Ruffle Puppy Collar from Rachel


As I said, these are just randomly picked! So if your project isn't pictured here, it doesn't mean that I don't like it as well as these! There were just way too many wonderful projects to post all at once! Thank you for all the entries everyone, and keep up the great ruffling!!!

(P.S. Just for fun, which one is your favorite??)