diy valentine carrier. using an empty oatmeal container.

Many years ago (when I was young), making your Valentine’s Day box and seeing what others created was always one of the highlights of the school year for me. I was always truly amazed at the creativity others had. In not only what their end product was but even more so at the materials they used to create it. Remember this was not only pre-Pinterest but pre-internet days!

With my littles, not as much emphasis has been placed on creating or even needing a Valentine’s Day box. And I’m definitely ok with that – we’ve been doing good some years just to get the cards made and signed! With that being said, if your little one DOES need an easy and inexpensive idea for carrying and/ or receiving their cards this year, decorating an empty oatmeal container works perfect for this. Mine are definitely not contest worthy and I’ve kept them rather simple but you can do as much or little as you please. Just a little color makes everything cuter – especially if you add hearts!

In addition to the oatmeal containers, the only supplies I used were paint, glue, scissors, paper, mod podge, a paint or foam brush, a heart punch, and some scrap fabric and ribbon.

We made the red gingham container from two pieces of scrapbook paper and a little mod podge (watered down Elmer’s glue will work). And as for the pink one, we simply painted it and added some heart confetti that I had punched out of some scrap paper. Place holes on two sides of the container at the top with a scissors or a hole puncher, thread some fabric or ribbon through them and then knot it on the inside of each to create your handle.

And one with baby legs in the background . . .

It’s really so simple! Just use what you have around the house. Add a cute little tag with their name on it or have them write it across the front. If you need to, you can even add a slit in the lid or don’t use the lid at all.

I hope you are feeling loved this week!

~xoxo~

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paper carrots. a simple easter craft.

Supplies & Materials:

• Brown packing paper or kraft cardstock (I used both) – or any slightly heavy paper you have on hand (think upcycle)
• Thread and/ or embroidery floss
• Scrap fabric (green or any color you have on hand)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Carrot templates (you really could just easily free hand the carrot as well)
• Sewing Machine or if you don’t have a sewing machine sew by hand with the embroidery floss
• Fillers – fun items or candy to fill your carrots with

Instructions:

1. Make carrots. Print and cut out your carrot templates and trace them onto your packing paper or cardstock.
2. Sewing carrots. Take two of the same size carrots and layer them on top of each other so that all sides are even with each other. Sew your two long sides together either by hand with the floss or with your machine.
3. Make carrot leaves. Tear your scrap fabric into narrow strips. The length is your preference. I used about six per carrot. Set aside until after you’ve filled your carrots.
4. Fill your carrots. Fill your carrots with any sort of small candy, chocolate, handmade items, stickers, accessories, gift cards, etc. I used jelly beans, chocolates, chocolate eggs, tattoos, friendship bracelets, hair ties (just things I had on hand).
5. Add leaves and sew the top. With one hand hold your leaves in the center of the top of your carrot. Place them far enough into the carrot that you will sew through them. Sew the top of your carrot.
6. Accessorize. Add names or initials to the carrots or some additional floss. You could even paint the carrot if it’s not quite colorful enough for you.

Now – make a few, leave them separate or tie them together, and place them in your littles’ basket for them to tear open Easter morn.

This little project is so simple and inexpensive. If you don’t have orange thread and green fabric on hand, just use what you have. Using colors not necessarily unique to the typical carrot would be lovely. Same goes for the paper- just make sure it’s a little heavier than your regular printer paper. Even your fillers could be simple handmade items like stickers, friendship bracelets, homemade crayons, etc.

Templates:

largecarrot.pdf

smallcarrot.pdf

P.S. – My most recent favorite store bought sweet treat – Anise flavored pizzelles from Aldi.

diy spring flowers. made with fabric scraps.

Happy Monday!

March happens at the end of this week- yay!!! I love the transformation the earth seems to take on during the days of this “still winter yet start of spring” month. In the home, I’ve been craving more color and vibrance. And for myself, I’m already noticing that little extra energy one seems to get at the start of a new season.

It’s no secret that I love paper and fabric almost as much as the smell of a new bebé! I always seem to have bunches of both lying around. Last week, I saw a beautiful photo of one of these rain soaked and it prompted me to try the below. And even though mine turned out really looking nothing like my inspiration source, I enjoyed the time I spent making them. They were simple enough that my mind could wander and relax. Not to mention, they’ll add a little extra “pretty” to baskets and gifts come Easter!

Since I just made this up as I went along, there really is no right or wrong way to do them. Feel free to put your own twist on them or add your own details. My main goal was to just keep them simple (and inexpensive) by only needing a few supplies and those supplies being things I already had on hand.

Supplies needed:

• Small foam or paint brush & Scissors

• Fabric scraps – torn into strips (bigger or smaller depending on what size flower you are wanting to make)

• Mod Podge or diluted Elmer’s glue (or fabric stiffener) I had the fabric stiffener but I love and prefer the texture that the mod podge gives the fabric once it dries.

Step 1:

Tear your scraps into strips. Mine were about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. You don’t want to get too wide because they will be harder to tie and shape. The length can really be any length. I tore my strips and then cut them in half (but because I was using scraps the lengths varied). Just remember the longer your strips the bigger your flowers will be. For solid flowers, I used 10-15 strips of the same color for each flower and then I tore some small strips (1/2 inch wide or so) for the inner part of the flower. I just used one small strip per flower for the center. I also tore one to two wider green strips per each flower (for the leaves).

Step 2:

Cover your workspace with parchment paper or old newspaper and then lay all of your strips out flat. Use your brush to cover each strip with mod podge (or glue substance) so that they are completely covered. Once all tops are dry, turn them all over and cover the bottom of each strip and let that side dry completely as well. If you want flowers with less stiffness, only cover one side or use less mod podge.

*do not mod podge your smaller center strips at this time.

(All of these strips of solid color fabric reminded me of when used to do the winding of the maypole every spring in elementary school 🙂 )

Step 3:

In really no right or wrong way, criss cross the strips you have chosen for your flower over each other. Use a small scrap or strip to tie the strips together (this one does not need to be mod podged or stiffened). Lay it over the flower as shown below.

Step 4:

Use one hand to hold the strips in place while you turn them over to knot the small strip. From here you really can do no wrong. This is when you you pull, rumple, fold, etc. each “petal” of the flower. The more you mess with them the more texture and life you create.

Step 5:

Once the flower is to your liking, find the center and flatten it. Brush a good amount of mod podge onto the center area of your flower. Then take a small center strip and crumple or ruffle it between your fingers. At this time generously coat it in mod podge so that it stays together and then place and press it in the flattened center. See below. Let it dry completely.

*you can also use hot glue to secure the center

Step 6:

If you want some “leaves” thread one or two strips through the knotted strip on the back or bottom of the flower. You can use these or some twine to secure the flower to baskets, wreaths, or anything else you want to add a little “spring” to!

Step 7:

The fun part! Use them to adorn or decorate whatever you please. They’re perfect for Easter baskets or wreaths! Or we are hanging onto our egg cartons, painting them and filling them with goodies to deliver to our neighbors during the Easter season so they will add a little extra “pretty” to them as well!

Yay for March! And Yay for Spring!

– XO!

new use for an old calendar – origami heart garland.

The first week of a new year always leaves me a bit torn. Torn between wanting to achieve ALL of my 2019 goals in one week and wanting to do absolutely nothing and recover from all of the holiday festivities. Crazy, huh?! I’m happy to announce this past week seemed like the perfect medium. A lot was accomplished and several goals were set (not yet achieved ;)) but I did in fact take some time to clean up my home and clear my mind.

Speaking of cleaning up – since moving, I’ve been trying my darndest to not be such a collector of things, especially ALL THE PAPER! It has and will always be one of my weaknesses (it’s all so pretty!). Glass jars or really glass anything is another one! But instead of tossing my old paper calendar into the recycle bin, I thought why not make it into a new something pretty! Not to mention, something that will be cute when the month of February rolls around! HEART GARLAND!

Some notes about the garland:

• The calendar pages were a bit thick but it still worked! Next time, I would probably make my hearts just a little bigger. For these, I cut down my pages to 6 x 6 inch sheets. I was able to get two sheets from each calendar page. Therefore, I made one garland for me and one to give as a gift. Hearts will help them welcome in the new season!
• You could use any paper you have lying around. Including a thicker wrapping paper (use some of those remnants from Christmas – red and white dots or stripes would be lovely)! I love that this is actually a project that can be done without a trip to the craft store.
• I followed this tutorial I found on Pinterest. There are so many out there, but I love kids doing tutorials. I’m always so impressed!
• I used a glue stick to adhere my hearts to the string. Just dab a bit underneath the folded tips (the last fold if you follow the above tutorial). It dries fast and does the job.
• I used the end of my scissors to keep the distance the same between hearts. Although my cutting board with measurements was sitting right there. 🙂

Such a simple yet thought provoking craft to turn something old into something new! Once I got the hang of the “heart making” it was very meditative. Not to mention, it’s the perfect decoration for now until mid February (V-Day) at least!