Vintage Post: Father's Day Banner and a Craft Fail

Hello, Friends!  I hope all is well!  With Father's Day right around the corner, I thought I would share a vintage Crafts & Sutch post.  This is a sweet way to honor all the dads on their special day...and get a jolly good laugh!


Originally posted on June 5th, 2010:
Have you ever had a bad craft day?  Well, I had one today and I have to tell you, it's not so much fun.  This post will make you laugh and cry...from laughter!

I made this super cute bracelet last night!

Totally FUN, right?  So I woke up and started working on another one for a tutorial.  Well, it was a colossal bust...literally.  It busted open.  See.

So needless to say, I took a brake from the fabric covered bracelet.  It is salvageable, and there will be a tutorial...some day.  :)

On to craft project number two, a banner for Father's Day!  It's Keith's first Father's Day and I wanted to make it really special!  I thought an "I love Daddy" banner would be perfect!  Then I had a stroke of genius!  I thought, "Why don't I make this two-sided?"  I decided to put I "heart" Daddy on one side and Freedom on the other.  I "heart" Daddy can hang until Father's Day and Freedom could be displayed for the rest of June and early July.  Holy cow!  What a great idea!  See take a look.

Adorable!

And now here's the other side.

My stroke of genius turned into a very, ugly blond moment.  :)  Freedom turned into Modeerf...not really a patriotic word.  When you put the start of one word on the back of the start of the second word (does that make sense), it doesn't work out so well.  :)  I can laugh about it...now.

I will definitely attempt the two-sided banner again because it is pretty fantastic.  I'll just be more careful next time!  My day wasn't a total bust.  The I "heart" Daddy banner turned out perfect and I learned a GREAT lesson!  :)  LOL!

Happy Blogiversary to Crafts and Sutch

Hi, Friends!  I cannot believe that one year ago today I wrote my first post!  I'm getting all nostalgic! :)  I know many of you did not know me way back when so I thought it would be fun to show you how it all began! :)

If you click on the second pic, you can see what Crafts & Sutch used to look like. :)

Originally posted on May 27th, 2010:

Well, here I am! I'm so excited to make my very first post to my Crafts & Sutch blog. I've been truly inspired by so many crafty women in my life, and just recently discovered the craft blog world. Wow! I want to be a part of it too! :)

My first post has been a labor of love and has taught be sometimes Plan B is way better than Plan A. This past year I started to work from home and I needed a space that I wouldn't mind spending a lot of time in. I decided to paint a mural on one wall. I'm not an artist, just someone with a crafty bone and who isn't afraid to try something new.

I found an image on Google images of some modern flower silhouettes. I came up with my color scheme, and printed out my image. I borrowed a projector from my mom and traced the image on my wall (you could rent a projector from a teacher supply store or ask a teacher friend). I painted it with your normal, run of the mill craft paint and simply filled in the lines! Easy peasy!

As soon as I painted the swirls, I knew they were way too busy and needed a softer appearance. I took the wall paint and dry brushed over the swirls to give them a distressed finish (Plan B).


I love how it turned out! The total cost for this project was $6.97 ($2.98 for three bottles of craft paint and 3.99 for some paint brushes)! Not too shabby for a work of art!

Have a wonderful three day weekend, Friends!

No Sew Bleached Sand Dollar Pillow

Hello, Sweet Friends!  I have missed you!  I'm sorry I've been MIA, but I have to admit I had hit a crafting brick wall until Delia invited me to join her Color My Summer series that she is hosting along with Kojo Designs.

I chose the color BLUE because it screams SUMMER to me...blue skies, cool pools, and crashing waves just make me want to pop on my sunglasses and soak up some summer sun.

I wanted to introduce a little bit of a beachy feel into my home for the summer, so I customized some fabric to create this sand dollar pillow in Caribbean blue!

You will need:  a pillow form or fiberfill, Heat n Bond, fabric scissors, disappearing ink pen, iron, fabric (I used broadcloth), a print out of your desired design, and a Clorox Bleach pen.

Start by cutting two pieces of fabric approximately 2" larger than your pillow form.  My pillow form was 14", so I cut my fabric 16" square.

Cut out the image and trace around it using the disappearing ink pen.  I found my image using Google, copied it into PowerPoint, enlarged it, and printed it.

Now trace around the lines using the Clorox Bleach pen.

Allow the bleach to work it's magic.  Let it soak in for about 10-15 minutes (or longer).

Then wash and dry the fabric. I love how the bleach spread unevenly giving it a more organic and natural feel.

While I could probably sew a straight line, I don't have a sewing machine. :( One of my favorite bloggy gals, Cassie from Hi Sugarplum!, made some no sew pillows awhile ago and I was instantly inspired to make one of my own.

Following the directions on the Heat n Bond package, fuse together three sides of the pillow (leave about 3/4 to 1" seam allowance on all sides).  I put the sand dollar image right side up, adhered the Heat n Bond strips, put the back of the pillow on top (like a little Heat n Bond sandwich), and ironed it together.

Turn the pillowcase right side out and press the seams.

On the open end, turn the fabric under and iron a crease to create a finished seam.  Apply the Heat n Bond to one side of the pillow (see image below), insert the pillow into the case, and then iron the last seam.

Plop the pillow on a bed or your sofa, and you are finished! :)  It's as simple as that!

I wanted to bring in the seas so I bleached the fabric with a sand dollar design, but this project could easily be adapted to fit into any decor...think monograms, floral patterns, stripes, etc.

I'm so thankful Delia invited me to join her fantastic series!  I adore my pillow.  It's soft, squishy and reminds me of the seas!  How are you getting ready for summer?

I'll be linking up to some of my favorite parties on my sidebar. :)

Guest Posting @ The Scrap Shoppe

Hello, Sweet Bloggy Friends!  I know I haven't been hanging around Crafts & Sutch lately, but you can find me over at The Scrap Shoppe today!  Michele is on Bloggy Maternity Leave, and I'm helping out so she can spend some extra special mommy time with the new little man in her life!  Congratulations, Michele! :)

I'm sharing a photo cube that I made for the monkey's grandmothers last Mother's Day.  If you are still looking for something for tomorrow, it's a quick and affordable gift that is sure to please! :)

Here's a sneak peek:

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Guest Posting @ Mine for the Making

Hi, Sweet Friends!  I hope you are all having a spectacular weekend! :)

You can find me over at Mine for the Making today! 




I'm sharing an easy and affordable spring banner!  Hop on over to say hi! :)

Guest Posting @ Whatever Dee Dee Wants

Hey Sweet Friends!  I hope you are having a lovely weekend!  Here is the printable I shared over at Whatever Dee Dee wants last week!  Take a peek if you missed it. :)

Hello Whatever Dee Dee Wants Readers!  :)  I cannot tell you how excited I am to be here and spend some time with you today!  I'm Erin from Crafts & Sutch. I love all things crafty and have been diagnosed with "I can make that" syndrome. ...it's a real thing, I promise!  I am constantly inspired by the things I see, so I like to create a little bit of everything. :)

Spring is one of my favorite seasons!  I just love the air turning a little warmer, the clear, blue skies, and everything getting green and lush!

I love to create printables and play around on Picnik and in Photoshop, so here is a printable that I created just for Dee Dee's Spring Fling!

Isn't she lovely?  :)  She is all yours.  Simply click on the image above, click again to open it in full resolution, right-click the image and select Save Image As.  Open the file, resize it (if needed), and print it from home or send it to Costco or Wal-Mart.  It would look gorgeous on glossy photo paper! :)

I have loved spending some time with you today!  I hope you'll stop by Crafts & Sutch and say hi! :)  Thank you so much, Dee Dee, for letting me come visit!

Guest Posting @ Whatever Dee Dee Wants

Hi, Sweet Friends!  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! 

I'm hanging out at Whatever Dee Dee Wants today!  I'm sharing a fun, spring printable so pop on over and say hello! :)

Sutch an Inspiration

Hi and Happy Tuesday! :)  I've been a huge slacker when it comes to Sutch an Inspiration, so I'm making up for it today with a whopping double dose of inspiration! :)  These are ideas I've earmarked from the past couple of weeks.

I love this springtime banner Holly made over at 504 Main!  It has so much spunk and personality and is such a fun way to great your guests!

Carol over at The Answer is Chocolate made this chic ring from scrapbooking supplies and a ring blank!  A jewelry project that is simple, affordable, and beautiful is right up my alley!  :)  I love how the scrapbook paper looks like fabric.  That, combined with the sharp, black and white pattern really makes this ring look like a million bucks!

I want to make a pair of these Easter egg topiaries that Haley made at The Autocrat!  They would look beautiful on my mantle!  She did a fantastic guest tutorial over at Itsy Bitsy Paper to show us how she made it.

I think this egg crocheted garland that Mama Michie's Musings made is so sweet and simple.  She has an easy to follow tutorial and since I've been to Mandipidy's crochet boot camp, I know what all the terms mean! :)  This garland would look fantastic strung on your mantle, down a staircase, in front of a window, or wrapped around your kiddo's Easter basket.

Rachel over at Sun Scholars made this giant, flower pillow with cushy, super snuggley  fleece!  I think it is perfect for a little girl's room or even as floor pillows for a game room (and let them migrate into the living room for spring.)

We all know that I have a wreath obsession.  I'm okay admitting it.  I have it because of projects like this patch worked  kite frame wreath that Carlee shared over at Ladybird Ln.  I am over the moon about this project that she put together for under $5!  Does it make anyone else wanna sing "Let's Go Fly a Kite?"  No?  Just me?  Hmm... :)

I showed off Cyndy from The Exchange around Christmastime when she made some fantastic fabric covered topiaries from poster board.  Well, she put a spring twist on her project by wrapping the trees in moss!  Genius! 

I sure do adore a modern mirror!  Can you believe that Alicia from Thrifty and Chic made these from PVC pipe?  PVC pipe is affordable and comes in several diameters.  I don't think you could go wrong with this project because the visual impact is stunning!  P.S. I love the console table too!

Hello, Beautiful!  Nikki over at Kreative Knack "dressed up" an old dresser with a little elbow grease, some paint, and a cardboard stencil!  I've never refinished a piece of furniture, but this project makes me want to try.

Malia at Yesterday On Tuesday made these bright and cheerful fanciful Easter eggs!  She painted plastic eggs, added some sparkly glitter, and a sweet little sentiment on each egg.  She also has a tutorial to make that adorable, little sheet music peat moss bucket!

Ladies, thank you so much for always keeping me inspired! :)

Birthday Party Gift Idea

Hi Sweet Friends!  I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!  We had a weekend full of craftiness and family!  Kason was invited to an art themed birthday party this weekend and he had a ton of fun!

We were asked to bring art supplies for gifts rather than the "usual" gifts like toys and clothes.  Of course, me being the crafty gal I am, LOVED this idea and I ran with it!  This is what I came up with:

I filled a tackle box with all the artsy craftsy stuff a little girl could ask for:  watercolors and brushes, various sizes and colors of pom poms, pipe cleaners, construction paper, foam stamps, glittered foam stickers, crayons, sidewalk chalk, various stickers, and alphabet post it notes. :)

I found the tackle box at Wal-Mart for just over $5.00 and managed to fill it with lots of crafty goodies.  The whole kit cost less than $20.00.

You could also rummage through your craft stash to add items like scrap paper, stickers, etc. and save a few dollars! :)
 

I personalized the gift by cutting some vinyl with my Cricut.  I love that the apostrophe is an artist's pallet.

I finished it off with a polka dot bow and a handmade artist's pallet gift tag and paint brush.

Because the kiddos were going to be "gettin' artsy," it was requested they come in clothes they could get dirty.  I took this as an opportunity to make something new.  :)  Makes total sense, right?  Kason and I made an artist's pallet t-shirt just for getting dirty.  His hand print is the pallet and his thumb prints became the paints.  The hubs came up with the "handmade" slogan. :)

The monkey's favorite station was the painting station.  He stood in front of this easel for at least 30 minutes! Professional artist in the making if you ask me.  :)

Here is his t-shirt after the party. While the paints used at the party are washable, I love the "new" look of his handmade shirt.

I might have to borrow this idea for the monkey's second birthday! :)  He is definitely a creative little fellow!

I'll be linking this up to some of my favorite parties.  See you all tomorrow for a double dose of Sutch an Inspiration!




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