Ragtop Originals

a bow tie for the littlest

2011-10-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

Little guy needed a tie. I have loved this gray fabric with the little white raised polk-a-dots from my vintage stash and have almost used every bit of it. I had a small amount left and was inspired by a friend's Instagram photo to make a bow tie for Isaac.

this kid melts my heart! can he get any cuter?

The tie worked perfectly. It's a bow tie with 2 wide pieces of elastic on either side that slips under the collar and attaches in the back with velcro. The velcro closure which is a couple of inches long so as to allow for adjustment is covered in the same fabric.

Amy's dot garland

2011-05-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

I found a really cute children's book for 60 cents at one of my favorite thrift stores. I needed some cute garland for a baby shower I was decorating for and Amy (my sister) came up with this idea. We punched circles (I have a great scrapbook punch from Creative Memories that made the job easier) and sewed them all together. W the help of some friends we ended up making LOTS of this for the shower. I need to post pics of the event. You can see it on this fb album if you want.

Tie belt

2011-02-11T20:29:00.000-08:00

This sweater has been in my closet for several years. I like it, but the double breasted large brown buttons that were on the front of it (sorry- no before pics) weren't working for me so I never wore it. I only liked to wear it when I had a large preggo belly sticking out in front and then the sweater could hang open to the side. Since I'm out of that stage it was time to refashion this sweater. I dug through my grandpa's old ties and removed the buttons and came up with this look the other day. SUPER easy refashion that gave me a new sweater!

grandma's sewing box

2011-02-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

I have inherited my grandma's sewing box. It's a special treasure for me.

There are unique little gadgets in it and beautiful colors of thread.

I got all teary when I found this 3x5 card tucked inside the box that she had typed a poem on.

Bring me Your Flowers Now

I'd rather have one little rose
in the garden of my friend;
than to have the choicest flowers
when my stay on earth must end.

I'd rather have the kindest words
which may now be said to me;
than be flattered when I'm gone
and life has ceased to be.

I'd rather have a loving smile
from friends I know are true;
than tears shed 'round my casket
when I've bid the world adieu.

Bring me all your flowers today
whether pink or white or red;
I'd rather have one blossom now
-than a truckload when I'm dead.

My grandma loved flowers. Her gardens were beautiful. She knew plants and trees and enjoyed God's creation more than anyone I have ever known. Grandma taught us how to make holly hock dolls. She had collections of rocks, shells, nuts, eggs, nests, and pinecones. As much as she enjoyed nature and cultivated and displayed it's beauty around her she cared more her own and others spiritual condition. She studied God's Word regularly and shared His love with others. I miss my grandma. I'm so thankful for all the memories, lessons learned, and time spent. I truly think that every observance I had of her showed me a glimpse of Jesus.

Since Jason's infection a year ago I have thought about the shortness and uncertainty of life on a regular basis. I hope that I show God's love as I have the opportunity to NOW and not wait for LATER. It may never come. Some things that were once terribly important to me aren't anymore and other things that didn't seem to matter so much are infinitely valuable.

.............................................

On a side note, does anyone know what these little leather finger tip things are? I assume they are some sort of old thimble. Just curious.

Christmas tree skirts

2010-12-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

I made a few Christmas tree skirts this year. First I started with one I already have and folded it in half and laid it onto my folded fabric, lining up the folded side of the skirt with the fold of the fabric. Cut around the half circle and around the little hole part. Cut through one of the folds and open up the fabric. You will have a basic skirt. I doubled the thickness of each of these to add some stability and to make them a nice reversible option. The rag-quilted flannel one has all exposed seems that fray when they are clipped and tumbled in the dryer a few times.

Add caption

Christmas gifts for $1

2010-12-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

I've been making a lot of rag garland over the past few years in an attempt to use what I have. I decided to try wreaths this Christmas. They were fun to make and I thought I'd share the idea.

The kids and I went to Home Depot (one of my fav stores!) and shopped around for a cheap circle shape. It was fun looking up and down the isles together for the perfect item for our project. It had to hold it's shape and be thin and be small, but not too small, and be cheap. It was a treasure hunt. This is what we came up with. I'm not sure what it's technical name is, but it is a little over one dollar and was in the heating/ cooling vent area and was also around the plumbing and electrical area also. So, I'm thinking it's some sort of brackets thing. How's that description? My dad's probably laughing at this. I should know a few things from all of those years working with him.

Start by gathering material. I use bits of fabric, old clothes, ribbon, ric rac, sheets and towels. I like things with interesting texture for projects like this. This is all free stuff that is accumulating in my craft storage bins. You seriously will not want to throw anything away if you start doing projects with me. It's bad! Anyway, I never buy new stuff for these raggy scrappy looking garlands like this. Determine what length you'd like the fringe to be and start tying each bit of fabric in place around the form. Be random and have fun. These are great to make while watching a Christmas movie.

Ella was so eager to help me make one for her teacher, but since I'm usually working during nap time she fell asleep halfway through! I love sleeping pics and just thought I'd add this.

You can see that it takes time, but this is getting fuller. Just keep adding more until all the spaces are full.

getting fuller...

no more space

done:

now, make more!

kitchen curtains

2010-11-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

With the time change and the darkness that seems to set in at 4 PM and winter's chill that is in the air I "needed" a new kitchen curtain. I did not want to spend money on fabric since I have so much of it piled up in the basement. So, I went "shopping" down there and found this little vintage yellow and red piece that was barely the right size and is oh-so-cheery with it's little red birds and dainty flowers. It will do just fine to help me beat the winter blues!

more from junk bonanza

2010-11-11T19:28:00.000-08:00

I'm late in posting my junk bonanza treasures from this year, but I wanted you to see the goodies I found. This book is large and was $5. I can think of hundreds of cute things it might be used for in the future! The problem will be picking a project and sticking with it. I tend to hold on to things because of all the good uses they might have and then I accumulate toooo much stuff like this! Maybe one of these days I'll open an etsy shop and then I'll be forced to use what I have.

my bag

2010-11-09T20:44:00.000-08:00

This is my new favorite bag. It's a wall calendar from 1982, you know the ones that grandma had hanging on her wall? I got it at a thrift store for 50 cents. The strap is one of my grandpa's ties. My sister and I raided his closet when we visited this summer! It's lined and is basically reversible. There are also 2 pockets on the inside.

It just so happens that I found 8 more of these calendars at the Junk Bonanza! score! A special one was for a friend, and the rest are waiting to be turned into all sorts of things.

Kate's dresser

2010-10-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Kate needed a dresser and I found this one for $5 at a yard sale. It is in good condition but obviously needed some paint! Kate was very anxious to help me with this project.

First we took it apart and sanded all the drawers and drawer pulls and the body of the dresser.

Even Isaac "helped' us by overseeing our work.

The dresser needed 2 coats of paint. I turned Kate loose with the roller on the backside of the dresser where it really didn't matter. She loved having the freedom to paint her dresser.

She did a really good job!

Kate's bag

2010-10-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Ella got her bag 2 years ago and now it's Kate's turn! Kate "has been waiting her WHOLE life to go to Cubbies". She's so cute and just loves church and her friends and especially her Cubbies class. Ella's bag (which now holds her Sparks book) fits her personality so well. When I made it there was no question as to what fabric I would choose on my shelf. That bright polk-a-dot print just jumped out at me. This time I wanted to make a bag for Kate that would fit her personality as well. It was a lot harder for me to come up with. She's more complicated. If you think I'm crazy for putting so much thought into this you just don't know me! :) It had to be perfect, perfectly Kate. So, here are a few pics of Kate's church bag.

The bear is here to show that the front blue section is a pocket.

Rag garland

2010-09-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to make the garland below for a baby shower for this special little guy. The last picture shows it hanging in his room now with ABC cards that spell out his name. I've made several before for other occasions and they are fun fun fun!

matching dresses

2010-09-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

These are the first matching dresses I've made for the girls. I chose a super easy pattern- no zippers or buttons. The girls love them- especially how long they are.

nap mat makeover

2010-08-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Ella's going to K-5 this year. Her nap mat needed a makeover! Here's what we came up with.

It's basically a large tight fitting pillowcase with ties at the end.

With the ties it will be easy to remove and wash when necessary.

It is still easy to fold and looks so much cuter!

Here she is with her designer nap mat on her first day of school!

blue tutu/ pettiskirt

2010-06-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

This blue tutu was oh.sew.fun. to make! At times all the gathering was quite frustrating, but overall I enjoyed it and am pleased with the outcome. This was my first attempt at a tutu. It's a custom job for someone special :) and I'm still sewing for that order, but I'm anxious to try more. Anyone care to place their orders? :)

tutus

2010-06-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

There's a whole lot of tutu-ing going on around here!

(more pics to come)

decoupaged shoes

2010-06-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

This is something I've wanted to try for quite awhile. I was at my friends house the other night and somehow it came up again and reminded me that I should go for it! My family had a family photo shoot last night and the colors we wore were a variety of blues and this lime green. I was wearing jean, white, and gray and "needed" some cool shoes. So, this is the outcome of about an hours worth of work. I grabbed my paint brush and glue, scissors and fabric and came up with this! I was surprised at how easy this actually was to do. Whenever I am decoupaging I always use lots of glue (mod podge, decoupage, or my secret: a mixture of elmer's glue and water! shhhh...) and get it all over my fingers. Seriously, I do recommend using a lot of glue and using the brush to apply the mixture onto both surfaces but then using your fingers to do the sticking and rub out any bubbles/ air pockets that might be there. For the shoes I pretty much saturated the fabric while I went along. I made sure there was a straight edge around the edge of the sole, but otherwise I just glued and cut as I went along. I've been asked for some sort of tutorial, but there's really nothing to it. Don't be afraid to try! That's my advice. These shoes were $1.98 two years ago at Goodwill and I enjoying them over the past 2 years, and now they're "new" again when covered with this vintage fabric I scored at a yard sale. If you have any questions I'll try to answer them in the comments. Oh, a friend did wonder how they would hold up. I wouldn't be afraid to wear these in the rain, but I probably won't go puddle jumping in them. :) The glue dries hard and clear. They are stiff and durable feeling to me. You can apply several coats of decoupage over the outside if you want to seal them.

fabric markers

2010-03-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

new best friend...

These fabric markers have kept my kids busy for HOURS and have become a wonderful gift idea! I recently needed a gift for a special someone who doesn't really NEED anything, but who I knew would appreciate a thoughtful gift from my kids. The outcome was 3 tea towels (purchased for CHEAP at Ikea). Each of the kids designed their own flour sack towel and we wrapped them up for the recipient. She was very pleased! Since then the kids have each made shirts for themselves (plain white t's that had a few stains on them), burp-clothes for Isaac (again- plain white ones w stains already, and now they're "decorating" my cleaning rags!) I know all the grandma's are getting this year!

Titus' quilt

2009-11-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

My friend, Kim, had a baby 8 months ago. I'm JUST NOW finding time to sew this quilt for him. I really like how it turned out.

giveaway

2009-11-22T19:44:00.000-08:00

I'd LOVE to win a $25 gift certificate from The Fresh Stitch! Head over to Spearmint Baby and find out how you can enter to win too!

teaching ella to sew

2009-11-19T20:49:00.000-08:00

This is the same concept as a lacing card. We are starting with large dots on fabric, a hoop, a large blunt needle, and embroidery floss. My mom has saved a few bits of fabric that I sewed on when I was 3! She would draw simple designs onto fabric and I would follow the outline. She'd also give me the button can and turn me loose! What a good and patient mommy I had/ have :). I've had good intention of starting before now, but at least we started. I plan on having Ella stitch the A,B,C's onto separate squares of fabric and then we'll make a little quilt together out of them.

wipes container

2009-11-13T10:21:00.001-08:00

jewelry shelf

2009-11-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

This was an old wood country looking shelf. I decoupaged scrapbook paper onto it and now hangs in the girls room to hold their jewelry.

wristband thingy

2009-11-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Recently I needed to come up with a creative gift for a good friend. This is what I came up with. The fabric I used is jersey knit. (it's actually the scrap off of the bottom of a dress that I shortened- shhh.... don't tell!) I'm not sure what I did- LOL! I really liked it though- enough that I made myself one also! I created the cuff part with the sewing machine, but the flower I hand stitched and then attached to the cuff. That might not make sense without step-by-step pictures and instructions. sorry. If I ever make another one I'll try to include those. So, what do you think?

a giveaway

2009-10-30T19:36:00.001-07:00

Hop on over to Brown Paper Packages for a giveaway! I'll see you there.

kitchen clock

2009-10-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

When we moved to this house 2 1/2 years ago there was an old (50's) clock hanging up in the kitchen above the door leading into the girls room. I took it down to discard it and found that it was covering a large hole in the wall where an old doorbell was. For awhile I tried to find something different to cover the hole, but the truth is this ugly clock was perfect- and perfectly affordable! I recently found the time to decoupage it with these old adds (a project that's been on my "to do" list for 2 years!) and now it's just right.

Women's skirt= girl's dress

2009-10-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

I enjoy making dresses for Ella out of my old skirts. Here are 3 pictures that show the progression of this simple transformation.

1. Decide how much to cut off of each side, depending on the width of the child. Leave the top alone. Decide what length you want the dress to be, depending on the height of the child.

2. Use the side pieces that you cut off for straps. Decide how many inches the straps need to be, again, depending on the width and height of the child.

3. Finish the straps and sew them to the front and back of the garment. Here's the dress! It's that simple.

We've been painting...

2009-10-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

TILES!

Thanks pumpkin

2009-10-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

Pillowcase dress

2009-07-05T20:10:00.001-07:00

These pics uploaded completely backwards, but this way you can see the finished product first. I've been wanting to try a pillowcase dress for quite awhile. It's a very easy concept that only takes about 15 minutes to make- literally! I used an old pillowcase from my grandma's house. I like how it turned out except that it really looks like a pillowcase to me (duh)! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I don't think I'll put this on Ella (normally a size 5T - the length of a standard pillowcase). It would be cuter cut for a smaller girl. I'll cut a good 10 inches off of the top (the sewn edge of the pillowcase) and make one for Kate next. I'll post pics of that soon! There are all kinds of tutorials and videos out there for making these so I won't try to give many details. The following pictures (starting at the bottom) show the progression of laying out the pillowcase, cutting off the top sewn edge and J-shaped notches in the corners for the arm holes, finishing the armholes by turning the edge under twice and sewing, make a casing across the top and back to run ribbon through and then tying the ribbon together at both ends to form adjustable straps.

If anyone would like to send me a pillowcase,your child's height, and $10 I'll make you one!

dress-up skirt

2009-05-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

This week I made this skirt for our neighbor, Maya. She turned 2 and every little girl needs dress up clothes, right? There's nothing simpler than this. Gather a length of fabric (in this case I used the bottom 11" of a curtain I made 4 years ago) and sew it to a ribbon. Tie it around the waist of your cutey and she can twirl all day!

rag doll clothes

2009-05-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

This old little doll needed some new clothes so I took apart the old ones and used it to make a pattern.

I love the new clothes! I might just have to re-clothe all the dolls in this house! What do you think? ;)

for Ava

2009-04-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

A new sweet baby girl needs a new bib and a cute headband to match!

jeans to skirt

2009-04-26T20:39:00.001-07:00

I remember seeing these jean skirts back in my college days and thinking how clever they were. I've been saving old jeans and hoping to make a few skirts for years now and just recently took the time to tackle this project. It was surprisingly EASY and FAST. That's what I'm all about so that's why I'm sharing with you! I didn't take before shots, but it's easy to explain. Lay the old pair of jeans on the table in front of you. Start cutting along the inside seam from the bottom hem of one leg up to the crotch, through the crotch, and down the other leg. Repeat on the other side of the seam. You don't need to seem rip the whole thing. That's not necessary. Just cut it out! It might be easier to cut the seam out by turning the jeans inside out. If you want to make a short skirt (most of the ones I've done are because the jeans have holes in the knees) then you should cut across the middle of the jeans at the length you'd like your skirt. It doesn't need to be very exact. Don't be afraid- just chop off the legs. The 2 leg pieces that you have will become the triangle section in the front and back of the skirt. Piece one of the leg pieces in the front and one in the back. Pin them in place and trim the excess fabric. sew right on top of the pants in the outline of that triangle. You'll have to do a little bit of work at the crotch to fold it over (see pics) and make it lay nicely. I had to cut a little more out of the back than than the front. The denim will fray nicely when it's washed and dried. I do two rows of stitching to enforce the seam and then 2 rows of stitching around the hemline to prevent too much fray. That's really not necessary though. I completely forgot to hem a skirt I made for myself and it's perfect! This is seriously fast and simple. If you can get past the intimidation of chopping up some old pants then you're almost as good as done with this sewing project. Let me know if you've done this before or if you try it. I'd love your to hear your comments!

Oh, if you want a long skirt ( I love how LONG these are- touching the ground!) you'll need a second pair of pants to cut apart for the long triangle section in the front and back. You can always use another fabric for the pieced sections though.

Giveaway

2009-02-25T11:03:00.000-08:00

I just came across a new blog today that I'm anxious to look through and it just so happens that there's a giveaway. So, head on over to The Story of a Princess and her Hair and if you hurry, you might win some cute hair clips!

Tag, you're it!

2009-02-21T07:15:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Coralie to post about the 6th picture in my 6th folder. Then I am supposed to tag 6 others to do the same. So, here goes!

This is a picture of Ella that I am "someday" going to turn into a silhouette to put on this canvas. I put each of my kids on a chair in front of the window on a sunny day and turned the flash off on my camera. This is what I came up with. I'm just going to cut around them and then trace the cut out onto the paper I want for the canvas. I'm then going to decoupage that onto the canvas. The last picture of this post shows where they will hang on my living room wall.

And here are the 6 really cool people I'm tagging.

Cathy at Cranberry Cottage

Pam at Pam Warden Art

Meg of Meg Anne Design

Pleasant at Pleasant Vonnoh Photography

Hannah at LIFE AS WE KNOW IT

Erin at Future of Hope

OWOH Winner

2009-02-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to comment #148:

Coralie Cederna Johnson

Coralie has won her choice of one of the bags pictured below and 2 fabric circle pins. This event has been tons of fun. Thank you so much for all of the comments. I look forward to visiting each of the blogs listed on OWOH's site in the months ahead.

OWOH Giveaway

2009-02-01T13:00:00.001-08:00

I'm jumping in at the last minute on the OWOH giveaway! I'll be giving away something I'm currently working on. Here are the details:

1. Leave a comment on this post before midnight on February 11.

(If you do not have a blog to link to please leave me your email address so I can notify the winner!)

3. I'll draw a name and I'll post the winner here on Feb 12.

2. The giveaway will include ONE of the bags below- your choice!

and

TWO fabric circle pins like the one pictured

Thank you for visiting me! If you're not already part of this event and want to see some fabulous blogs and great prizes click on the button below.

"S"

2009-01-31T19:36:00.001-08:00

NEVER throw away Anthropology catalogs. If you do, send them to me! It hurts me deeply to cut them up, but they are full of such stunning colors and pattern that make me so happy to decoupage with them!

I got this large "S" (yes, for Stamper) from Michaels. I have a square punch for scrapbooking so the square cutting was a piece of cake!
The "S" is sitting on the window hanging above the couch in my living room. I'm going to group family wedding pics in and around it. Isn't the pic of my grandparents in their car so cute! I love it!

And here's a little sneak peak of 3 canvas' I decoupaged with the same paper on another wall. I'm going to do a silhouette of each of the kids on those- I'm still trying to figure that out.

This was such a fun project! Do any of you decoupage? What things have you done? I'd love to see your work. My e-mail is on the side. If you send me a picture I'll post it here.

circle pins

2009-01-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

I don't know what to call these. I used this link I found recently and made my own version. I made them into pins for a skirt refashion that I'll post soon. I'm anxious to try hair clips also.

new project

2009-01-21T20:47:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned I LOVE TO DECOUPAGE? :) I'm working on something new for my living room wall. More to come soon!

who, me?

2009-01-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Cathy I have my first ever little doodad to put on the right column of my blog! Now I'm supposed to tell you about some things I'm addicted to.

*COFFEE* It's sad. I get major headaches without my best friend and comfort drink. I kind of loose track in the morning and just keep pouring cup after cup. It lasts till about noon if I'm at home. It's probably good for me to get out more often! The worst thing about having the flu last week was the insane headache I had for 2 days because I couldn't drink coffee!

*YARD SALES* It takes such incredible will power for me to pass up a yard sale sign! Some of them actually call out to me. ha ha ha... I need to drive with blinders on. My kids are starting to look for signs now. When Jonas was little he always pointed out houses that had especially junky yard ornaments or lots of stuff around them and scream, "yard sales!" even though they weren't having one. He never understood why I passed those up.

*FABRIC* I usually find this at those fabulous yard sales! The yard sales with old people are the best! They usually have boxes of fabric or old crocheted or quilted things... that will be me one of these days... boxes of started and unfinished projects that my family will have to sell at yard sales when I'm too old to keep crafting! ha ha ha - what goes around comes around.

*BLOGGING* obviously... I spend too much time on here...

*MY KIDS* I just love staring at them and listening to their voices and seeing how they think, draw, imagine, create, learn, dream, sing... one of my favorite things about this house is the hole in the girls door where the door knob has never been put on. It's the perfect peep hole for me straight to Kate's crib. I love to watch her singing and talking to herself in her bed before and after sleep. It's precious.

Dress- up clothes (fast and easy!)

2009-01-10T19:29:00.001-08:00

Here's a quick and easy way to make dress-up clothes for your little princess. If your special little girls are anything like mine they live in dress-up clothes so make sure to reinforce all the seams! This set was actually something Ella helped me with. It was a gift for her little friend.

SKIRT

1. Ella helped me choose fabrics and rip them to the desired length and width. The length here was for a 5 year old from the waist to the floor plus 3 inches (1 1/2" for the elastic casing at the waist and 1 1/2" for the hem).

2. Sew the strips together. The more you use the fuller the skirt will be.

3. Turn under the top to form an elastic casing. Run elastic through and finish.

4. Hem, try on and twirl!

SHIRT

1. This shirt is very simple. It's 2 rectangles of fabric. I didn't measure the width, but the length is about from the armpit of the child to a little below the waist (however long you want)

2. Sew the side seams together and hem the bottom and the top.

3. Gather the top edge

4. For sleeves cut 2 more rectangles. Again, the width doesn't matter, but the length would depend on the height of the child. Hem the edges of these rectangles and attach to the front and the back of the shirt.

5. Embellish however you want. Here Ella chose buttons and a fabric to gather for a ruffle effect on the straps.

gift bags

2009-01-01T13:06:00.001-08:00

This year I tried to be resourceful with Christmas gifts! I usually don't have very much time to make gifts, but I did a little bit of planning ahead this year- VERY little! These are a few of the bags I made (all with stuff I already had) to hold small gifts in. The bag was both a gift bag and a reusable tote!

handmade Christmas

2008-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Here's something anyone with a glue gun and a few buttons can make. This is a cork board I got a yard sale for 10 cents. I painted the frame and cut a piece of brown craft paper to fit over the cork. Ribbon, sticks, and buttons do the rest of the work.

Cousins!

2008-12-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

Titus and Ezra live too far away from us! My sweet nephews need to know their cousins and so for Christmas I decided to send them some cousins to play with! I copied some pictures of each of my kids onto regular paper and then cut around them.

I love this stuff! It is a big magnet with a sticky backing. I put the picture on the magnet and then cut around it again.

Here's what they look like now:

To make them extra durable I laminated them and sent them off and there you go- cousins to play with!

diaper bag

2008-12-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

This little diaper bag/pouch has a snap closure and works great for dropping Kate off at the nursery. It's all I need!

This GREAT fabric that I just love can be found here.

Advent Calendar

2008-12-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

I finally made the advent calendar I've been planning for 3 years! Please don't get too excited. This certainly does NOT look like it's been worked on for 3 years, it's just that I finally made the time to do it. I had several ideas in mind, but here's what I finally chose to do:

I painted a canvas dark brown and then cut out 25 tags (these are actually the tags I use for the Calico Barn so I already had them made). Then I put brads through each hole to hold the tags onto the canvas (pins stuck into a framed cork board would be nice too). I bought these brads at the $1 spot at Target.

Some of the numbers are hand written, but most are just stickers from my scrap-booking stuff. On some of the brads I hung little things. On the backs of each tag I'll write something special for our family to do together each night this month.

Now, practically speaking we're not going to be able to have a perfect little family warm and fuzzy holiday- spirited, cookie- baking, craft- making, cocoa- sipping, carol- singing, story- reading, movie- watching, popcorn- stringing night every one of these 25 days, but we'll have fun trying! This was fun and EASY to make. If you don't have an advent calendar I recommend making one and by all means don't wait 3 years to do it! :)

Calico Barn

2008-12-08T16:27:00.001-08:00

On Saturday I worked my 3 hour volunteer shift at the Calico Barn. Each season that I have stuff there (there are 2 seasons each year) I have to sign up to work one 3 hour shift. It was kind of fun! I've already done this several times before and usually am spending the whole time looking at the clock, but Saturday they were busy and it was fun to talk to lots of people. I also got some new ideas for next year. It's tricky finding the right things that will sell at this location and it's helpful for me to see the clientele there. For instance, the aprons are not selling! However, several people were looking for tree toppers and small tree skirts and none of the crafters at the CB make those things. Someone was looking for napkin rings also. So, I'm adding some more projects to my to do list for next fall.

nothing new

2008-11-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

Since it's been forever since I've updated this blog and especially since I have absolutely nothing new to share, I thought I'd re-post an easy and CHEAP fall decor idea. I've been enjoying this garland again this year. Here is another great idea. For the past few years I've wanted to make an advent calendar. There are so many different ideas and different ways to make them. I think I'll finally make time this year to attempt that project! Any ideas?

Scarf and garland

2008-10-22T08:32:00.001-07:00

Calico Barn- fall '08

2008-10-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

I have been forgetting to take pictures this season! Here a couple though. This is one of the table runners I turned in recently.

This pile of scraps , believe it or not, is garland that I sell. For some reason this garland sells well at the CB. Here in Minnesota most everyone you meet will tell you that they "have a cabin up north". I'm not sure exactly what this "up north" means, but everyone here goes there for some rest and relaxation every chance they get. This raggy stuff is perfect for the Northwoods lover! It's not my style, but I've definitely found what sells here! These are all of my leftover scraps from quilts. I sew them in whatever order or fashion I grab them with a zig-zag stitch onto a long piece of jute. it's takes about 20 minutes to do and is free to make and sells for $12! The first time I made this I was almost embarrassed to turn it in and the owner bought it before putting it out on the floor and she asked me to make more. yeah!

The Ella Bag

2008-09-23T19:51:00.001-07:00

Since Ella started Cubbies this year she needed a new bag! We made this together. She helped pick out the fabric (thanks for Meg's great stash!) and we bought the iron-on letters from JoAnn Fabric. It's a small messenger bag style and it's just perfect for Ella!

more headbands

2008-09-19T20:09:00.001-07:00

Sling

2008-09-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Here's the sling I've been working on. Ella took these pictures for me so I'm sorry they're awful! ha! I think this one works for a medium sized person. I need to figure out the measurements for both petite and tall sizes. I'll be making a few for some friends that fit that description!

Baby Sling

2008-09-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm trying something new. I'm experimenting with a baby carrier. I need a good name for it. There are so many different brands and names given to these slings (The Peanut Shell is a popular one). Mine is nothing fancy. Simple and definitely not original. I've thought of "Stow and Go Baby". Now it's your turn. Please share your ideas with me. If you read my blog, but don't have a blogger account in order to make a comment you can message me on facebook or here's my e-mail address: jbstamper@hotmail.com As soon as possible I'll post some pics to help you visualize my endeavor. Thanks for your help!

Calico Barn- fall '08

2008-08-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today was the deadline for the Calico Barn. I've been working hard. Let's hope it pays off! Thanks to Sara, Elisa, and Amy I'm ready to go. Everything is priced and tagged and looking good! It's exciting to see the final product. There's a lot more stuff to come also. I think I deserve a to take a few days off though. :)

Aprons

2008-08-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

I've been busy making child size aprons for this season at the Calico Barn. I've decided that this is the best way to use up all of my scraps of fabric (I have TONS). The first apron is a cloth napkin from a yard sale. I got 4 of them for .25 cents. The flowery fabric on the other ones are from a set of 4 vintage place mats I found at a thrift store for $1.45. All of the other embellishments were left from other projects or free to me. That means I made 8 aprons for $1.70! yay!

Aprons

2008-06-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Apron

2008-06-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

SCORE!

2008-06-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

I got a bunch of great vintage fabric at a yard sale today. YAY!

And the winner is...

2008-06-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your participation!

Happy Birthday

2008-06-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

to me!

I'm going to help you help me celebrate with a giveaway! This will be fun and hey- your odds are pretty good since there's only usually like 2 comments! I'll leave this post up for one week. Please leave me a comment if you'd like to enter the drawing and next Saturday, the 14th, I'll post the winner. I'll be giving away a headband.

Headbands

2008-06-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

headband tutorial

2008-06-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

I've had several questions about the headbands I make. I decided to try a "how-to" post complete with picutres and wordy instructions that will probably not make much sense. I'd welcome some comments on this. Please tell me if these instructions are clear and understandable or if I should make changes. The photography is poor, but this is as good as it gets here. Thanks for your help!

1. Cut 2 strips of fabric (I use flannel. It "sticks" to bald baby heads and holds better to hair). The strips should be approx. 14" long (maybe 16" for an adult although 14" works fine) and 1 1/2" wide at the ends and about 2" at the middle. Also cut 2 pieces of ribbon (I use sheer, but for this illustration I've chosen a darker color) approx. 12" long.

2. Place one piece of ribbon on the right side of one piece of the headband.

3. Place the 2nd headband piece over the first with right sides together. The ribbon will be in the middle of the 2 pieces now.

4. Stitch along the outside edge of the headband on 3 sides making sure to secure the ribbon to the headband. Leave one end open. Now the "fun" part- carefully turn the inside of the headband out.

You should have something that looks like this now:

5. To finish the open end, turn 1/4" of the edge toward the inside of the headband. Stick the end of the 2nd piece of ribbon into the headband and stich the end closed. With this stitch the end will be finished and the ribbon secured.

6. Topstitch all the way around the headband and ta-da.... DONE! See- this even fit mommy's head! (to see more click here)

Apron

2008-06-03T20:44:00.001-07:00

Sundress

2008-06-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to post about this dress so that I could get better pictures, but that might take tooo long! I've been neglecting this blog! This was the skirt that I turned into a sundress for Ella. First, I cut the waistband off of the skirt. Second, I opened up on side seam and cut about 4 inches out of the skirt so that it wouldn't be as full. Third, I sewed a piece of elastic around the top of the skirt and another piece the same length about 6 down. This became the empire waist of the dress. The fourth step was to add pink grosgrain ribbon for straps at the top (not pictured) and around the waist to tie in the back. I also added a section of crocheted lace at the front of the waistband.

making something with this...

2008-05-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

This is an old skirt of mine. I love it. I have never found the right top to wear with it though. I can't stand the thought of getting rid of it. So, I've been thinking about a pilliow, a dress for Ella, hmmm.... the possibilities. Any suggestions?

Tea towels

2008-05-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about doing a tutorial on making rag quilts. Does anyone care about that or would that be a waste of my time? I'd love your feedback. I haven't done much sewing lately, I've been busy addressing wedding invitations for Mark and Amy.

A few months ago I bought several yards of vintage fabric at a thrift store. It was only a couple of dollars. It was a great find! I love the colors and the fabric is perfect for tea towels. I finally got around to making a few. I'm going to sell them at the Calico Barn this next season. I have enough fabric to make several cute sets of towels and napkins. I may even make a few aprons. I really like how they turned out and they are perfect in my kitchen! uh, oh. I hope they make it to my inventory list!

Baby quilt

2008-04-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've decided to re-join the Calico Barn this next fall season as a crafter. I have sat out the past 3 seasons to let life happen (Jason finishing school, adding Kate tot he family, buying and fixing our house, the move, etc...) I need to have $1,000 worth of merchandise by mid-August, so I'm anxious to get started! It's been hard for me to keep up with the demand (NOT because of my great product- just because of the high traffic at the store). This time will be different though. I have help! My friend, Amy S, and I are going to make this a joint effort. She is knitting some very cute baby hats and helping me with my stuff whenever she can.

Ella's patchwork circle/twirly skirt

2008-03-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

I bought this beautiful brown paisley fabric, the blue, and the houndstooth from my friend. The cream colored piece was an old tablecloth (the one I made for our tiny table when we got married) and the pink was a fat quarter from Jo-Ann Fabrics. I followed somewhat the tutorials that I have linked to on the right side of this blog. This skirt was really fun to make and easy except that all the gathering took a lot of time. Each row is 2x the length of the previous one. The bottom row was 15' long! That was a TON of gathering. And the applique on the front of Ella's shirt was so fun! I'm really excited about doing more of that. There's not a good picture of it, but the process was the same as the church bag.

Soft soled baby shoes

2008-03-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Kate NEEDED some new shoes! :-)

Bib

2008-03-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

Isn't this cute baby fabric? I made a bib out of it.

Church bag

2008-03-13T20:03:00.001-07:00

Jonas needed a little bag to take his "stuff" to church in so we made one. We used this fusible webbing to create an iron on applique. It was really easy! The possibilities are endless. I'll be using this stuff a lot more.

Jonas chose an airplane from the fabric I used in his bedroom.

You stick the "steam-a-seam" onto the fabric, cut out the shape you want, peel the paper backing off of the webbing and then iron it on. I cut up an old jean skirt to create the little bag.

Here it is all packed and ready to go. This whole project only took about one hour.

Kate's Birthday Dress

2008-03-11T12:04:00.001-07:00

This was my very first time to sew a real dress for one of my girls! I am so pleased with how quickly it came together and how it turned out. It's kinda sad that I had to put long sleeves and tights with it because it's still so cold here, but it will be really cute without a shirt this summer. I got this pattern from a thrift store back in highschool and I've been saving it for "someday". I was so happy to be able to finally use it. I cut out the pattern and fabric and then realized it didn't have the instructions. It was really easy to figure out though. Isn't this a cute pattern?

I'm NOT confident with my button hole or zipper abilities yet so I just left 2 straps to tie together at the shoulder.

I used a different pattern for the shoes this time. I like the other one MUCH better. So I'm gonna stick with that one for the future.

This felt cupcake and the ribbon that ties around the middle that says "my little cupcake" are scrapbooking embelishments from the $1.00 spot at JoAnn Fabrics. When Ella first came to the hospital when Kate was born she called her "baby Cake". It's kind of been our little family joke to call Kate "baby Cake". So the little birthday cupcake seemed fitting!

Sneak Peak

2008-03-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today's project for Monday's birthday girl

Purple child's apron

2008-03-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

I'm toying with the idea of making child-size apron's to sell at the Calico Barn. I've committed to the fall season there and I need to start sewing! This past week I made a baby boy quilt and this apron below. I think that apron's for little girls would be easy to make and cheap. I could use my scraps! This apron was a skirt I had made for myself years ago and never wore. The pocket on the front is half of a vintage hankercheif. I'm not good at doing ruffles yet. Actually anything besides a straight stitch for hems and seams is not something I'm comfortable with! I'm learning.

Soft soled baby shoes

2008-02-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

Ella's comment to me is that "they are certainly pretty, mommy!" So sweet. That's all the compliment I need.

Soft soled baby shoes

2008-02-20T13:14:00.001-08:00

I hope you're not checking for completed pictures of Jonas' room. One of my greatest faults is having too much going on at once and not finishing something I started. I have worked on his bedspread today, but it's just not coming together very quickly. So, I took a break and worked on these instead! I needed something small to start and finish all in one sitting! I've wanted to make these for a long time, but never could get to them. They were so easy and I don't know why I put off this project for so long (no that #3 is almost walking!). I found the pattern here. The instructions were easy to follow (even for an ameteur like me). I thought the casing was confusing so I didn't even use one. Instead I put the elastic right through the top part of the back of the shoe. Don't look very close. I was too lazy to change my thread to a color that would match. These were just test. I hope to make many more. (oh the possibilities!) Kate has been wearing these shoes around the house for hours and they haven't come off. Robeez has noth'n on me!

sorry... I just deleted the picture that was here. I don't know how to add it now. Blogger is really not that easy to use! I'll have to post a pic separately above.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T14:36:00.001-08:00

I hope you're taking the time and making a little more effort to share your love with friends and family today. My kids have had fun writing little love notes. I've been a little crafty! I've wanted to make a bib for Kate for awhile. I got a cheneille quilt at a yardsale this summer that was in poor condition. I was inspired to use it for this bib by a small newborn one that some friends got for Kate when she was born (thank you Goetz!). She needs some bibs that fit her better so I think I'll be perfecting this pattern and making a few more.

Testing it.... It works!

Getting ready to sew for Jonas' room

2008-02-14T14:34:00.000-08:00

Shelves for Jonas' room

2008-02-14T12:11:00.001-08:00

We spent the morning together

2008-02-11T11:46:00.001-08:00

Art line

2008-02-06T12:38:00.001-08:00

My aunt Erin gave me two of these curtain tie back pegs when Jonas was born and I've never used them! (Nic, I'm glad I saved them - tee hee hee!) I'm finally using them!

Jonas and Ella got involved by painting clothes pins.

I strung jute from one to the other and voila- a place to display Jonas' drawings!

Drums

2008-02-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

Need a quick craft idea to keep the kiddos busy for an hour or more? These are coffee can drums my kids (4 1/2 and almost 3 yrs) made the other day. You know those stacks of loose ad papers that come in an envelope in the mail periodically? They are great for kids to practice cutting on. I don't like cutting pics out of magazines with my kids being this small because I end up having to tear out pages for them to cut (I'm lazy!). With these ads I can put a stack on the table and turn them loose! Whenever those come in the mail I give Jonas and Ella each a glue stick and a huge piece of paper and they love it. Now, obviously the pics on the cans above were cut out by me (were you beginning to think that my kids had great cutting skills?), but they picked out which pictures they wanted. Each of them used a paintbrush and a bowl of decapauge (you can also mix Elmer's glue with water) and went crazy with glue! I hot glued the lids onto the cans. This was a fun project and the plastic lid top works well as a drum, but what was I thinking? Did I really need to purposely create MORE noise around here? LOL!

Getting Closer...

2008-01-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

Another map for Jo's room

2008-01-26T11:26:00.000-08:00

This project is SLOW going! I've had stuff out for 2 weeks. I could be totally consumed it and work for hours everyday- FUN, but that's just not possible. So, yesterday I decoupaged this map onto a 11"x13" canvas I had picked up for 50 cents at a yard sale this summer. I painted the edges brown. I like the antiqued look of this map. I didn't think it looked good in a frame. I really like it on the canvas though!

Jonas' room- a work in progress...

2008-01-24T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is a sampling of the things I'm working on right now for my son's room. I've painted a lot of different frames red (paint left from our living room). I found a large picture book of maps at Barnes and Noble for only $12.00! It's so big that I'll be using it for years. There are some really great maps in it. The colors are just right.

I DON'T want the cutesy scrapbook look, but I think this will be alright in a collage I'm working on.
The frame below is a piece of art from that major country-style era. It had little patchwork hearts in it, but Africa covered it up nicely! I love the frame.

I wanted to hang a larger map in a unique way so I just glued it to one of my stash of $2.00 windows that's in the garage. Yes, a glue stick worked perfectly!

I'll post more as it comes together. With my regular day to day responsibilities that might take quite some time!

Magnetic Tray

2008-01-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

Have I posted about this already? I can't remember. I'm not going to look it up. I have found an abundance of these vintage metal trays at places like the Buffalo Nickle, Annie's Attic Antiques, and a few yard sales. The one below hangs in my kitchen. I've made several as gifts.

These magnets are made with clear stones used for floral arrangements. You can buy bags of them at Michaels. There are similar ones at Walmart; however, they're round and not as uniquely shaped as these below. Just use any craft glue to adhere them to any picture cut to the same size as the stone. Hot glue a small round magnet (also purchased at good ol' Walmart) to the back of the stone. I've also made magnets out of marbles, buttons, dice, dominos, scrabble game pieces, brooches, and old foreign coins.

This strawberry tray is one of my favorites and is displayed on the high shelf in my kitchen.

Here is a tray waiting to be used! It's actually black. I'm not sure why it looks silver. I have made one on a silver tray before and loved how it turned out.

The board below with ribbon is an old picture I didn't care for. I used spray adhesive and cut a piece of fabric to the size of the board (with spray adhesive on the edges of the fabric there's no need to hem the edges) and stick it on! Then in several places I used hot glue to attach the ribbon to the board. On the places the ribbon crosses each other I glued foreign coins.

Jonas' room curtains

2007-12-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

Table runners

2007-12-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

Child- size apron

2007-12-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

This is the apron I made for Jonas' little friend, Sara, for Christmas. It was super easy! The strap is all one piece. I have plans for more Christmas gifts. We'll see how many I actually get done, but if I have any other ideas to share I'll try to post them! I hope you're enjoying the season of gift-giving!

Kitchen curtains from vintage table cloth

2007-11-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

Old drawer

2007-10-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the drawer I found at a yard sale this summer. After some cleaning and sanding this is what it turned into!

Old jeans? New skirt!

2007-10-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

Problem: Jeans with holes worn right through at the kneeSolution: A new skirt for your little girl!

I just hate throwing things away. (I get that from my mom!) I use my little boys jeans that are worn out. I've also picked some worn out jeans up at yard sales. Cut the legs right off and sew on a skirt! Add embelishments or leave as is. Easy!

Fall Garland

2007-09-24T16:30:00.001-07:00

I created this tag garland today for the front window. It says "Blessings" and on either side are my kids handprints. On the back side of the tag belonging to each child is a personal note to them from me with something specific I'm especially thankful for about them right now. I hope each of you are taking time to count your blessings and are having fun being creative as you decorate for the season or just survey the change of nature!

License Plate Sign

2007-09-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Jonas' bedroom is dark blue on the bottom half of the wall and a tan color on the top half. Jason is in the process of putting together several old WWII model airplanes to hang in there. I'm looking for just the right map to hang on one of the walls. When I saw these license plate letters I knew I needed them for Jo's room! I cut a piece of wood to the right length and then cut out a section of a map to put on the wood. I used some decopauge to stick the map to the wood.

Next, I hot glued the letters on. And this is how it turned out! Jonas was a big help and is very proud of his name sign!

Artful Blogger Tea Party

2007-08-08T12:29:00.001-07:00

This post is for artsymama's artful blogger party. I feel somewhat unworthy to join the party goers, and I have no tutorial, but I wanted to share this collage. All you need is a frame, a piece of chipboard cut to size, spray adhesive and lots of old treasures (or new copies of old treasures!). I tore pieces of handmade paper for the background and then started layering. The family picture is one I found in my grandmothers basement. It was torn and going to be discarded. I rescued it! The stamps are from 2 of my grandmothers collections. Some of the labels were from scrapbooking pieces and the ribbons just scraps from other projects. It's been used and displayed in different ways in my home, but for now it's with this grouping on my wall.

I can't wait to see all of the tips and treasure I discover through this virtual tea party! The best part of it is that I'm sitting on my bed with my laptop in my pj's sipping a real cup of English Breakfast tea. So fun!

Jewelry Wall

2007-08-08T12:14:00.001-07:00

I'm still unpacking boxes from our move 3 1/2 months ago! I've been needed a place to put my jewelry and this display is what I came up with.

Happy Birth-day Carson!

2007-04-16T12:13:00.000-07:00

This is the quilt I made for our dear friends John and Jennifer Tittle and their new little one, Carson Michael.