Baby Name Banner

I love that in this particular stage of life our circle of friends have started buying houses and making babies. However, it does feel odd coming to the realization that we all graduated from college years ago. Our conversations now include talking about retirement, educational options for future children, and house repairs. Funny how spend our childhood wishing we were that much older...now we'd be more than happy with time talking a much slower route :).

Expanding families are my favorite though. Nothing is more special than a family welcoming their child into the world. Such exciting change! With each shower gift I like to add a personal touch. So many baby items can feel so generic and engulfed in boring plastic. So, when I discovered my friend was having a baby girl, I knew the exact personalized project I wanted to make. The best part is that it is fairly simple to complete. and can be personalized in any way that you desire. Let's get started!

Materials

- Material                 - Scissors
- Ribbon                   - Triangle pattern
- Lace                       - Letter pattern
- Felt                        - Sewing machine
- Glue gun                - Iron

Begin by making a triangle pattern. I copied one off of Google into Word and stretched it until I had the size I wanted. I would recommend starting big so you have adequate room for each letter and the trim on the top of the banner. Once your pattern is cut out of paper, fold your material in half and cut out as many triangles as you have letters.

To save on material, cut the triangles as shown below. I ended up cutting out eight triangles (sixteen total pieces). Six were used for her name, and two for decoration. 

   

 

Take a triangle and flip it so the material you want on the outside is facing in. Sew each side straight down, overlapping at the point. Trim any excess.

                          

           

           

When your triangles are finished, flip them inside out and iron them flat. Line them up and trim the tops so they are all the exact same size and any rough edges are removed. 

In the same way that you created the triangle pattern, do the same thing for the letters of the name. Once you have printed them out, carefully cut them out of felt. I chose felt for this project because it is sturdier than normal fabric, and it looks better glued. Once the letters are cut out, glue them on the triangles. Make sure to leave at least an inch at the top for the ribbon.

    

    

Measure the length of the ribbon you want to use and pin it to the triangles. Make sure the ribbon is wide enough for it to cover both sides. I didn't want to go through the aggravation of folding the ribbon over and sewing it all together since it is a pain to make sure all three layers stay perfect. So I cheated and only sewed the side you see. When I finished sewing the one side I hot glued the rest of the ribbon on the back. Much easier and it looks practically the same :).

   

     
   
     

For the ends I made lace flowers using this tutorial. I glued them in place as well. Happy crafting!

Life Changes: New House Edition!

I'm not sure exactly when we decided to look for a house, but I remember that we both seemed to come to the idea simultaneously. It just felt right. Coming from two first born children that says a lot. It always seems that when one of us is sure of something, the other one is always there to play devils advocate. Of course by the time the other is convinced, the one who came up with the original idea is back over to the other side. Ha! Please tell me we aren't the only ones who do this?

Anyway, back in May we decided to quietly start looking. No fuss, no Realtor, no high hopes. We worked on getting pre-approved and started perusing houses in our area, simply getting a feel for the neighborhoods. We were really specific in the list of things we wanted, and we were willing to wait. Honestly, I think we both thought it would take awhile to find something. After signing up for a multiple listing service (best house hunting tool ever!) we looked at several. Nothing even remotely came close to what we wanted. Several weeks later we saw a new one listed. The caption said "A perfect 10!" We laughed at the sales pitch, but figured we'd give it a try. Two hours later we had both fallen in love! It was perfect! Sure it had it's quirks and drawbacks, but we loved it. In August we were handed the keys, walked over the threshold, and promptly got dripped on in the living room ceiling...but that's a story for another day. Now we are loving owning our own home! One of those aspects of adulthood that just feels better than we ever dreamed. Two months later we still look at each other across the dining room table and say "Wow, we are eating dinner in OUR house!" Could it get any better? I dare say not :)

Now it is time for some DIY! I am more than ready :)

Denim and Lace Refashion

Fall is officially here, but it didn't stop the weekend from bringing out absolutely gorgeous weather! Sunshine, warm breezes, and the perfect opportunity to wear shorts for the last time. I've had my eye on pairs of shorts edged with lace for awhile, but never found the right pair to purchase or make. After discovering a pair of jeans that needed refashioning I knew it was time. I'm absolutely in love with the result, of course making me wish I had done this back in May instead of September. Whoops! 

Materials

- Jeans or jean shorts

- Lace

- Sewing machine

- Scissors

I'm not sure about you, but I hate it when my favorite jeans wear out! They always seem to get holes in the places that are not fixable either. Luckily, they can usually be redeemed. So grab your pair and let's go!

Despite the front looking just fine, the side thigh was completely worn out. Making it awkward to wear and not terribly attractive. 

               

Starting at the rip I cut across both legs.

                

 After testing several types of edging and material I realized that I loved the look of this lace. 

I did not have enough lace to go around each leg so I decided to just sew it on the front. First though, I hemmed each leg to prevent fraying and to give the shorts an even edge.

               

Once the edges are hemmed I placed the lace over the top and sewed it into place. I also sewed both the top and bottom of the lace to ensure that it stayed on. With my leftover scraps I hand sewed them onto the back pockets for some extra embellishment. Now I can't wait to wear them!

So what do you think? Ready to make your own?!? 

Fall Changes

I'll be the first to admit that the start of fall is the last thing I look forward to. Summer has always been my favorite season, and seeing it come to a close this year was tough. A lot of change happened this past summer. New adventures and lots of excitement came our way, I can't wait to share more of that soon! However, though letting go of summer wasn't my favorite, fall always brings about the enjoyment of a consistent routine, new flavors, and a renewed sense of gratitude. Sometimes I tend to forget to appreciate the small (and big) things in my life. Fall always reminds me to take a step back and look at all the blessings that I have like...

...I can now use the boots I scored at a summer garage sale

...Ripe peaches from the market

...Hot tea in the morning

...Curling up on the couch with a warm blanket and a good book

...Baked oatmeal

...Listening to the crackle of a campfire

How about you? What do you appreciate in your life right now?

*Photos courtesy of Emily Grace Photography

Burlap and Lace

While I never considered myself into "shabby chic," my love of lace and burlap is a clear indication that I am. Who wouldn't be though? Lace and burlap can add a pretty touch to just about any room. Celebrating my new found love of these materials, I decided to make a table runner. I really like how it came out, and it is the perfect accent for several of the rooms in our home. As an added bonus if you don't have a sewing machine, this project can be completed just as easily with a hot glue gun! Now...let's get started!

Materials

- Burlap

- Lace

- Sewing machine (or hot glue)

- Iron

- Scissors and thread

Begin by choosing the size you want your runner to be. I measured the table I wanted it to lay on, and then added 1/2 inch around the perimeter that would be folded over to prevent fraying. 

Once you have measured, cut your piece.

Around all the edges I folded the burlap over 1/2 inch and ironed it into place. 

This prevents a lot of fraying, and the ironing allowed for easier sewing later on. 

 Sew all the edges on your runner. If you are not using a machine, then glue everything in place the same way.

 Now decide where to place your lace. For this one I chose the two longer sides of the runner to place my lace. I pinned it first before I started sewing. Depending on your lace, fold 1/2 inch of the lace underneath on the end to give it a smoother look. 

 Sew in place!

 Iron out any wrinkles and get ready to decorate! 

 I used this one as a simple table runner.

 This one, as you can tell, has different lace. I used an old vintage lace my Aunt gave me and sewed it on the ends instead of the sides. This gave it a vintage feel and I love the look of the old lace!

New Beginnings

Four months....four long months since I've posted on this little blog of mine. It's been too long. Of course I could give you the myriad of excuses, but let's just leave it as this winter/spring was tough. Emotionally and physically it was rough and my desire to create seemed to vanish. Then of course came summer and with it the beauty of fresh vegetables from the garden, long boat rides, and spending time with friends and family. My spirit was refreshed and my desire to create came back. My brain is practically buzzing with ideas, though that also might be the coffee. Either way, I'll take it.

One way that helped me get my creativity back, was putting up little things around me that inspired me. Most of the time it's a simple picture, or a hastily written sticky note. I wanted something more permanent so I decided to create a visual reminder of several of my favorite Bible verses. They are particularly meaningful to me in this season of life, and what could be a better thing to do than put them on display? Now everyday I can be reminded by the words and enjoy the way it is showcased. Here's how to make your own!

Materials
- Picture frame
- Printer and paper
- Lace
- Needle and thread
- Button
- Hot glue

For the actual printout I played around in Microsoft Word until I found exactly what I wanted. The two types of font that I used were Monotype Corsiva and Old English Text MT, and I printed it out on normal 8.5 x 11 inch paper. After placing the paper in the frame I knew that it needed another touch so I decided to add a flower as well.

 Begin by cutting out three circles of lace. I think lace is best here because it is forgiving and easy to work with, but any type of material you choose will be fine.

 Place the three circles on top of each other

Pinch underneath the middle of the three circles, leaving about half an inch underneath your fingers. 

 Using your needle and thread, tack the middle into place with a few stitches. 

 Now pinch it from the other direction. Often here I find myself folding or pinching in whatever direction makes it look more like a pretty flower. Trial and error is often my friend and yields the best results. Continue with the thread and place stitches in the middle until the flower is secure. 

 I used a random button from my pile to add a finishing touch. 

Beads also work as well. 

 Sew it into place. I then hot glued it to the frame to secure it, and knowing I could peel it off if I ever decided to change it.  

 

 Perfect!