Home Sweet Home - Tutorial

I always remember my mom's cross-stitched "Home Sweet Home" in our house growing up. And while I probably (very unlikely) ever duplicate the cross-stitch... I LOVE the saying.

This is a gift to a sweet dear friend of mine signed on a house yesterday. YEEE-HAAA! So I whipped up a very cute (if I may say so) house warming gift. I love wreaths... they are so easy.I used a round styrafoam wreath at JoAnns. I like the round ones because you can reposition the ties much much easier. I like things that make my life EASIER! (Ahhh... the joys of finding ways to be lazy!)

Cut 3 fabrics in 1.5"x14" stripes. (You will need 1/4 yard of each fabric) I ripped mine length wise then cut them in thirds. I like the frayed edges. And just start tying knots. Simple as that!
Now for the cuteness. I bought twine for the $1 store and tie in a knot, then unraveled that! LOVE IT!!!!For the house and vinyl... I DID IT! I would be HAPPY to share the cuteness. Let me know if you want one (the wood and vinyl - unfinished)! $2.00 plus shipping (for my non-local crafters).

PARTIAL KIT:
$2.00 for 4"x4" house and vinyl
(excludes paint)

HOW TO ORDER:
Email: AllDahledUp@gmail.com
and include vinyl color: white or off white

Dear Fellow Crafters... (A MUST READ!!!)

Just a few tips that I have learned while shopping at JoAnns....

1. The last yard of all fabric is considered a remnant piece - which means 1/2 off the sale price! (Except fleece which is the last 1.5 yards) You can ask them not to cut it but to leave it as one piece. It will show up as two cuts when you check out. I OFTEN go back to the home decor department and measure my fabric before going to the cutting counter! Each roll of the fabric on the bolt is ~.5 yards. For example, if there is 2 yards of fabric on the bolt - I will ask the cut counter for 1 yard and the rest as a remnant = 1 yard sale price + 1 yard 1/2 of sale price!!!!!
2. You can use Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Craft Warehouse, Hancock Fabrics coupons at JoAnns. As long as the competitor carries a compriable item. For example, you can't use Michaels coupons on fabric - because Michaels does not carry fabric. Sunday papers are a MUST.

3. Most IMPORTANT FOR THIS WEEKEND. The smaller cricut is on sale for $79 vs. $199. You can put a 24 hour hold on items. For example, I will be putting a hold on the personal cricut today and pick up tomorrow when it goes on sale. SNEAKY... I KNOW! But if it works!!!!

Hope this help with your creativity budget!

Sincerely,
Jenn

TUTORIAL - Characteristics Of A Child

I love all things personalized. When I pass away... which I hope is a very long time from now... STOP MAKING THAT FACE AND LOOKING AT MY GRAY HAIR! I hope that my children will appreciate those things that I have made specifically for them. This being one of them...

Seriously love each one of these on my picture wall!!!!

Onto the TUTORIAL..

1. In Word and start with “Child's name is…"list all characteristics. Don't worry about spacing not quite yet! See... I am really not this creative. Hint: In Word, the thesaurus is Shift+F7.

2. Change fonts – keep your font size at least 1/2” or 36 pts size font. Be sure to BOLD the words before playing with the fonts. I absolutely love the following fonts. Grenoulle, Honey Script, I’m Bored, and Monterey. Seriously HAVE FUN! 3. Once you get it to where you like it… print on burlap. Make sure you have a little bit of a margin. For a very nice tutorial (haha it's mine!) for printing on burlap. Then trim the burlap to fit the frame.4. Place in picture frame. They often go on sale at JoAnns pretty regularly, if not USE A COUPON. I purchased and 8"x8 frame. I left the glass in and hot glued the burlap to a piece of cardboard before placing into frame.5. Paint letter. After distress, rough up edges with some sand paper. They are ~$1.50 at JoAnn's. Cheap huh? 6. Glue on ribbon. I like wire - it is very obedient - much more than my hair today. grrrr!

7. Make and place three burlap flowers. For a great tutorial on the burlap roses, go to Under My Umbrella.

Ta - Da... So stinking CUTE!

TUTORIAL - Tutu for Piggy Banks

I love these piggies!!!! There are one of my favorite gifts... birthday or baby showers and beloved by all. They are just so gosh darn CUTE!

Ready to learn???? They are very simple. And for my followers - I am going to supply you with the vinyl you need to personalize your piggies (up to four names!). Is your piggy ready to get "All Dahled UP"???

1. Get a piggy. I found mine (~4.5" tall) at JoAnns - they sell them three to a carton for $9.99. If you think like my hubby "bigger is better", JoAnn's also sells ~9" too. PLEASE ALWAYS GO WITH A COUPON - please don't kill me with shopping full price! Sunday papers... sign up... even use Michaels, Hobby Lobby or Craft Warehouse. They take them all for the piggies.

2. Cut six ~6" strips the width of tulle. Any colors you'd like...tulle is pretty cheap (especially with a coupon :) If you can't find a ruler (because your kids are much like mine and when you go to find something they might use... it is no where to be found! Use a normal sheet of paper and fold it in half... ahhhhh make-shift ruler. 3. If you use more than one color of tulle... stagger them, and cut the width even.4. Using a matching color of thread (NOT LIKE SHOWN HERE). Sew a running stitch... No need to pull out the sewing machine for this little task! Make sure then end you start with had been tied off... no fun to pull that through :(

5. Once you reach the end pull string - GATHERED! Ta-da! Play with the gather to match the width of your piggy around it's bum. Hot glue it on. Try to breathe!

6. Hot glue a ribbon on top of your gather to cover up your stitching. Make a bow, get a button, or do a cute flower thing and glue it wherever you'd like. I normally pick a spot where I goffed (SHHHH!) I used a thin black sharpe to give eyelashes.

7. And because you are a follower (if you are not by this point... shhh I won't tell - go be a follower quick!) you should have already requested/received the names and dots for earings. Peel and apply! Again... keep breathing!

Your piggy is officially All Dahled UP!

TUTORIAL - Hand Embroidery

I love ALL things personalized. I don't have a fancy dancy (that is a technical term, btw!) embroidery machine. Besides, I kind of like the hand stitched look. It is very very easy to do...

You need a couple of things... embroidery needle (I use whatever needle I can find... bad bad me.. I know), embroidery floss (Joann's $0.37), hoop - size that fits your fabric, fabric, and design.

1. Go to your computer and print out something you like. Lean towards the line drawings or fonts that don't have alot of difference between their width. (If you want some "Love" copy and paste this image into Word and manipulate it to fit your fabric.

2. Each of us has a light box in our home... it is called a window. You need daylight to do this step... SORRY, but wait til the sun is up. Tape the design to your window, then tape your fabric over that.

With a pencil, trace your design.

3. Place in hoop and start stitching! Try to keep your stitch widths the same, and if it starts to pucker you are pulling the thread too tight. If your hoop is not big enough don't worry, just move your hoop throughout your design. Play with the number of stands you use. On something like my LOVE pillow... I used three stands.

4. Try not to go too crazy in your home with this.... it is really cool though!!!! OOOOOHHHHH the possibilities!

TUTORIAL - How to follow a blog

Okay, so I have heard from some of my friends that they have forgotten how to follow a blog... so... here ya go! (I am hoping that you practice on my blog first.... PLEASE!)

1. Click the "Follow" button.

2. You can use your Gmail, twitter or Yahoo accounts.

3. Sign in using your user name and password.

HAHAHAHA!!!!! Done! Now you are one of possy! SWEET~ I love you already!

DID THIS WORK FOR YOU?

TUTORIAL - Establish a House of God

These were a huge hit on Sunday... and I have already made two more... so I thought I would share the process with you. (well... if you wanted it... if not skip to the next post).

Materials - one finial (there are all kinds - pick the one you like. They are about $3 for a pkg of two), 2"x10"x12" peice of wood, white paint, sand paper, 3/4" white button, black felt cut to 8"x10", paper jewelry cording, printer (and a computer), a glue gun, freezer paper (located at your grocery store), and burlap.

The WOOD - Cutting wood can be scary for you and your friends (love you Vicki!)... So go to a home improvement store. I went to Lowes where I made eyes at one of the guys working there who was kind enough to pick a 2"x10"x6'. He found one that didn't have many splits and was not warped. (Look down the edge of the wood on it's side and if it bows out or down the middle - pick another one). At Lowes, they will cut your wood for you. (You don't even have to bat your eyes!)

Sand your peice of wood. Pre-drill your hole for the finial (works so much better - less mucsles required!)

Paint it. Don't forget the bottom! (People will pick this up and look at it!) Cut out a 8"x10" peice of black felt. Hot glue gun it to the middle of the front of your wood.Cut freezer paper the exact size of a 8.5"x11" peice of paper. (I used card stock as a template.) Using the non-steam setting on your iron, heat up the burlap. Make sure it is as straight as can be. Then place the shiny side of the freezer paper against the burlap. Iron again. Cut the burlap to the size of the freezer paper. Make sure all stragglies (that is a technical term, by the way!) are cut off.
Place the burlap in your printer. Copy the following picture into your word doc... Make the image 7"x5". Print... try not to hold your breath!!!

Peel from freezer paper, cut 1" off of all sides. I freyed two strands... you may like more. Hot glue to your black peice of felt. Wrap jewelry cording around top three times. Use the strands to tie the button... AHHH FINISHED!