for Ava

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

jeans to skirt

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

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!

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

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

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"

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.