DIY Mini Christmas Trees & Chalkboard Idea

Merry Christmas!

It's almost here!  I am so excited on so many different levels.  Yay!  This week, now that I am done with Christmas orders of Boot Cuffs, I am getting some last minute crafting in.  I have been making tons of trees if you follow my FB page, then you have seen my other ones.  I wanted some smaller ones to put on this shelf above my tv and to go with my new garland and Chalboard art.

This year, I am transitioning to a new decorating theme.  "White Christmas".  Maybe its because I haven't seen snow in a while, maybe cause I am sick of the bright colors of decor I have had for the past 6 years, maybe its because I am again turning into my mother and wanting my house to look "pretty" for Christmas.  Either way, it's happening. 

I have seen so many pretty Mantel Decoration ideas on pinterest.  Along with different chalkboard art.  I love that I can change what it says every year as well as the rustic vintage feel the smeared old erased chalk gives.  and the white chalk just adds the white to my "White Christmas"

So I am going to share a little trick with you about burlap I learned from the lady at the cut counter. 

To gather, simple pull one of the threads a few rows down, and pull gently while moving the gather further down the strip of burlap!  Don't use your machine to gather...you may be going through quite a few needles.

Make a cone.  I found how to do so HERE using cereal boxes and poster board.  You can make each tree pretty much for a dollar if you find your supplies from the dollar store and use cereal boxes.  What's better than Beautiful Handmade Christmas decorations?  CHEEP Beautiful Handmade Christmas Decorations. 

After Gathering the burlap, start at the bottom of your cone and glue it in a spiral fashion. 

If you want to alternate fabrics, do it in rows.

work your way to the top!

Enjoy!!

Snowflake Ornaments

If you live in warm weather at Christmas time, then you know the importance of snowflakes.  Waking up to blue skies and sunny weather year round is great, but I do admit that I miss the change of seasons.  Especially at Christmas time.  That is why I decided that this year I was going to make it snow at my house.  I even wanted to buy a flocked tree.  I will be flocking my own soon, with a little paint and glitter.  I wanted to decorate in snowflakes this year.  Sparkly, icey snowflakes.  The classic cut outs of white paper and these awesome hot glue snowflakes.  So grab your:

glue gun & Tons of Glue Sticks

wax paper

mod podge/spong or brush

snowflake clip art printed from computer

dish soap

sugar/salt glitter

string/twine

 Lay out your template under the wax paper shiny side up.  Coat the paper with a thin layer of dish soap and wet your fingers to spread it around the area of the snowflake.  Begin to glue with a slow steady movement so you make it thick enough that it wont break.  You can still fix it if it does by adding for glue to the stressed areas.  The glue may slip around because of the dish soap but it will keep it from sticking to the paper and you having to peel it off.  If that does happen, after the glue is pretty much dry, peel it off the paper, and rinse under cold water to get excess paper off and glue.

Make your mixture of sugar, salt, gitter in a bowl or plate that is big enough to fit the snowflake. Do this while your snowflakes are drying.

Once it is dry, rinse under cold water to remove soapy residue.  Apply a dab of hot glue to one of the tips and place  your string for hanging.

Apply a thin layer of mod podge to the snowflake then lay in the snow mixture, making sure it gets covered.

Lay out to dry about 20 minutes. Shake off any excess snow mixture.

Isn't that pretty?  I plan on making tons more and replacing most of my other ornaments with them.  I want it to look like a Winter Wonder Land in my House this year.  I have had the same old stuff for about 7 years.

You may have heard

So I have been crocheting since I was 12. Loved it. Now I have gone from blankets to accessories and what a way better fit for me. If you know me or have been following me for a while then you know I like quick projects. So scarfs and boot cuffs are perfect. Luckily for me they are also the latest fashion trends. The boot cuffs have been an absolute hit in my shop and I thank you all who have supported me with your purchases. So if you haven't already, go and checkout all the new wonderful items I have added for children up to you fabulous mommies! Www.babynightnight.etsy.com

Baby Doll Car Seat Cover- Handmade Christmas

Continuing my handmade Christmas for my girls, I just decided today to make a car seat cover for Bella's baby car seat.  She has been walking around pushing the carseat either in her shopping cart or the stroller with her blanket draped over it.  She is quite the little mother and definately will be a fantastic baby sitter when she is older.  She loves all babies that she sees and asks to "pet" them.  So sweet.  She is also a little bossy,  I have to remind her constantly when we are around other kids to "relax" and "you're not the Mommy".  Bless her heart, it is going to be easy to make her stuff to go with her baby this year.  Tonight along with this cute project, I made a little miniature flannel blanket and matching mini burp cloths.  So cute.  Okay here we go.

First you will want to cut two coordinating fabrics roughly 19x27 inches.  Its a little larger than a fat quarter.  i got excited at first thinking I could just use some of the fat quarters I already have cut, but it was a tad too small.  darn.

Right sides in, sew 1/4 inch SA leaving an opening wide enough for your hand to fit it so you can turn it out.

Once sewn, turn it right side out, making sure the corners are all the way turned.  Then iron it nicely.  Then do a top stitch all the way around the cover 1/8 in SA sewing up the opening as well.

next cut four peices of fabric measureing 3x5 inches.  right sides together, sew two peices leaving a  2 inch opening.  Turn them right side out and Iron flat.

Do a top stitch 1/8 in SA closing the opeining.

Next place the cover on the little car seat measureing on the handle where you will attach the straps.  Make sure the cover is layed on there evenly before you mark, pin and sew.

Place the straps on the cover just to make sure...

Apply  your velcro.  One on each side ;)

Replace the straps where you marked with pins and sew down the center of the strap sewing it to the cover.

And there you have it.  How easy!  You may just want to make more, for your pregnant girlfriends!  They are super easy and fast.  I would say this is a 20 minute or so project for a advanced sewer, then 30-40 maybe for a beginner.  It is really simple.  A great first project that could be fantastic for toys or realy babies!

Emmett's Fight DAY

Remember this little guy?  Mr. Emmett?  If you don't know his story go HERE to his blog.  It Links to the entire blog that tells of his miraculous story.  Emmett swallowed a button battery when he was 1.  2 years later and over 35 surgeries later, Emmett is about to undergo a tremendous, last resort surgery.  An Esophagus transplant.  Only 150 done on children in the last 30 years.  This little boy is a fighter.  On Thursday, December 6th, He will be having his transplant surgery in Cincinatti Ohio.  This will be at least a 10 hour, difficult surger that will put him in a 6 week ICU recovery.  As a close friend of the family, I ask that if you have bough an Emmett's Fight shirt, to Please wear it on Thursday.  Please send your prayers to his family and to his doctors that will be performing this miracle.  If you would like to purchase a shirt please go HERE to my Shop.  All Profits are being donated to the awareness campaign PLUS I am matching the profits from my own pocket.  Adult Shirts $15 and Kids $10.

If being born at just over 26 weeks wasn't enough.

Go Emmett!!!!