iLoveToCreate: Christmas "PEACE" decor

I did get a chance this past fall to get a few Christmas projects done.  This PEACE sign was a 'use what you've got' project.  My friend was having a craft day, and had a number of these wooden plaques available.  I had just gotten a Sillouette machine and was going to try to use it.  I have the paint, vinyl, Christmas paper, and Collage Pauge on hand... and I got the fabulous hinges at ReStore (more on this later)!  Voila!  Cute Christmas decor!

1. Paint wooden plaques and hinges
2. Collage Pauge Chirstmas paper onto plaques.
3. Choose font and size and cut out the letters for 'PEACE'
4. Stick on vinyl letters and seal with Collage Pauge
5. Once dry, attach at the back with hinges.

LOVE letters | Valentine's Day Inspiration

I found these at iheartnaptime sometime during the summer and have been wanting to make them ever since.  What's great about Valentine's Day decor is that it can really be used anytime of the year, especially since these aren't completely pink and red!  

I know what your thinking... and yes, I do realize that this would be another Collage Pauge project... I am telling you, I'M OBSESSED!! 

project and photo from iheartnaptime

I am going to be looking for more Valentine's Day inspiration, I think all of my Valentine's decor fits into a plastic grocery bag.  Sad!  If you have any ideas, for fun Valentine's decor shoot me a comment, I am looking to get crafty this week!!

iLoveToCreate: The letter 'H', wrapped canvas project

Happy New Year!   I am finally back to business on blogging and am ready to get up to date on the projects completed (or started) in 2010 and move on to new projects this year!  Thank you to anyone that has been checking regularly to see if I have posted anything new... I will do my best to get a few posts up per week.  I am excited to see where this blog will be by the end of 2011!

I am not exactly sure what to call this project.  I found a cardboard letter 'H' on clearence at Michael's and knew that it would work somewhere in my daughter Hannah's room.  It wasn't all that large so I was hoping that I could think of something to give it a little pizzaz.  The final product reminds me of a giant rubber stamp or old-style newsprint letter.  Either way, I was happy with the outcome :)

As I have mentioned before, Collage Pauge is my friend.  If I am not careful my walls will someday be entirely covered in this stuff... and I am only a little bit kidding... ;)

So, for this project I used:

•  Matte-finish Collage Pauge
• an 8x10 canvas
• two complimentary colors of fabric
• Cardboard letter H
• Foam brushes
• rotary fabric cutter

I cut one of my fabrics a few inches larger than my canvas.

Than I cut out the corners, making sure to leave enough fabric to cover the corners of the canvas. 

Using a foam brush, paint the front of the canvas liberally with Collage Pauge (CP),  line up the fabric and place it over the top, smoothing it out the best you can.  Paint another layer of Collage Pauge (CP) over the top. 

Starting at one edge, paint on the Coallge Pauge (CP) and pull the fabric over the edge adding another layer of CP over the top. Work you way around the edges and back of the whole canvas. 

This is what my edges looked like....

For the letter H, I cut the fabric large, but had to get creative and do another layer of fabric over the top as there was not enough to cover all of the brown cardboard.  Does that make sense?  Use the CP in a similar manner as above, doing the front first and working out to the edges and back, pulling the fabric smooth, and painting the CP over the top.

So, there were two layers of fabric over this H.  If I were mass producing these I would try to find another way, but for my decorative purposes it worked out well. 

And, the final product!  After both pieces had dried I used some Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to adhere the H to the canvas.

Here is the final product, displayed on a frame easel in my daughter's very purple room! 



Project: Lemonade Stand

As a family we enjoy getting up early every now and then on Saturday mornings, grabbing a donut  (or two), and hitting a few yard sales.  This summer  we went to one yard sale where there were two little girls selling lemonade.  The girls thought that was just about the coolest thing EVER. 

They asked John if he could build them their own stand. 

He agreed.  Thinking it might happen at some future point.  The girls were persistant though, and John drew up plans and had it built by the NEXT day :)  ... What a sweet Daddy!

Here is John putting his miter saw to good use building the frame.

The frame of the stand.  John's idea was to use fence pickets to make the front of the stand.  I think it looks great!  The girls wanted it to be pink ;-)

Particle board for the top, and (not shown) the bottom shelf.  Chalkboard paint for the top sign made out of another fence picket.

And the Goober-girls putting the stand to good use!  They sold orange punch, pink lemonade, and danishes.  I am looking forward to them using the stand many times in the future :)

iLoveToCreate: Poodle Skirt Sequins Application

The mission was to complete the poodle skirt in time for Halloween :)  I opted for the brilliant plan of making my girls poodle skirts this year for their costumes.  Not a bad idea, except that I don't know much about sewing clothing or following a sewing pattern.  Thankfully, I have friends that lent me their knowledge and moral support and helped me me complete the skirts.  I am looking forward to my next sewing project, it isn't as tough as it looks :)

So, I had the skirts done.  I found a poodle applique.  I got 1-1/2 yards each of sequin trim from the fabric store.  And I got out my bottle of Aleene's Fabric Fusion Permanent Dry Cleanable Fabric Adhesive.

I ironed on the poodle applique, then strung the sequins out in a way I liked.  I made a line of Fabric Adhesive exactly where I wanted the sequins to go. 

I found it best to work in sections, carefully applying the sequins.  I let it dry for a few hours.

And, here they are being put to use!  I do have to say, the Fabric Fusion is pretty strong stuff, and I like that it is clear and hides the areas where I added just a bit too much glue.  ;)  I am pretty sure that sequins is not going anywhere!

Fabric Pumpkins| Fall Inspiration

I am trying to decide which fall decorations I *NEED* to make. 

This one is at the top of my list.  Danielle Thompson over at Thompson Family-Life has a really great tutorial for making them... and they don't look all that hard! 

Although I love her take with the suprising, non-traditional, vintage-y fabrics... I think I will try finding some more traditional fall fabrics for mine.  I am hoping mine come out as cute as hers!

4x4 Wooden Pumpkins|Fall Inspiration

One of the reasons I wanted to start this blog was to be able to keep some of the ideas and inspiration I find all over the web in one place.  I happened to see this cute and easy 4x4 pumpkins over at Crafts ReDesigned . 

4x4 wood posts, cut to different lengths, and painted orange. 
Distressed slightly.
Add wood as the stems and rafia.
So cute.