TO DO Tuesday

Another glorious Tuesday and another TO DO list to go with it!  :)  I must say I'm still loving all of the Halloween and fall crafts I'm seeing around.  It never ceases to amaze me how creative and clever you ladies (and perhaps gentleman) are.  :)

Here are a few of the many things I found this week that I've added to my to do list:

Mrs. Owens at A Pumpkin and a Princess showed us how to make this adorable candy dish that looks like a gumball machine. Isn't this the cutest?  I cannot believe this is just a terracotta pot and saucer and a votive holder!  I'm so making this because I don't like to leave open candy (like candy corn or M&M's) uncovered. 

Jenn over at Crafting for My Sanity made these shabby chic pumpkins with 2"x4"s.  I have seen a ton of 2"x4" pumpkins around blogland, but these are the chicest!  I love how she added rub on transfers to give them a shabby feel and the raffia is the perfect finishing touch on top.

Michele over at The Scrap Shoppe showed us an adorable altered lunch box that her friend Amy made to hold all of her little one's goodies from the hospital.  What a fantastic keepsake!  I'm definitely going to have to make a cool, boy one and put Kason's coming home outfit and hat inside. :)

Sammy at Scraps N' Strings gave us a wonderful tutorial on how to make a tag along stuffed lion.  I love this lion's cute little face, fuzzy mane, and how he is essentially a body pillow for her little guy.  I especially love that here little guy, Finn, named his lion Phil.  Too cute!  This tutorial could easily be adapted to many different animals.  I wonder what Kason's favorite animal will be. :)

Susan from Living with Punks made this insanely adorable ruffle button scarf.  If I ever have a little girl, she will sport one or two (or five) of these.  ...and if I don't have a little girl, I'll totally rock it. :)  LOL!  On a side note, I'm pretty positive this little beauty has her model pose down.

Wishing you a terrific Tuesday!

Pumpkin Pillow and Garland

Hello there!  Another Monday is here and guess what!  I have not one, but TWO super, duper EEK Weeks fall crafts to share with you today!  Prepare to fall in love with these fall crafts because they are too cute!

Let's start with a no sew pumpkin pillow.  You will need:  a brown pillow (mine is store bought because I don't have a sewing machine :)), doilies, green felt, craft paint (combination of orange, yellow, red, and brown), textile medium, spray adhesive, wax paper, a hot glue gun, and jute.

Start my mixing your paint colors until you get the perfect orange for your pumpkins, add the textile medium, and water to the paint.  Dip each of the doilies into the dye, wring them out, and lay them on a sheet of wax paper to dry.  When they are completely dry, toss them into the dryer to heat set the paint.

While the doilies are drying, make the stems for the pumpkins using jute.  Make a zig zag with the jute and put a line of hot glue across the bottom to keep it together.  I used a straight pin to help hold it together while I was gluing.

Cut out heart-shaped felt leaves and arrange the pieces on the pillow.

Spray the back of each piece with spray adhesive and put onto the pillowcase.  Take a sheet of wax paper and lay it over the pieces.  Press down around all of the edges to ensure a strong bond.  You could use hot glue for the stems and the leaves if you want to.

Hot glue a piece of jute onto one of the pumpkins.

Make a loop with the jute and glue down.  Repeat this a few times to create the curly, twirly vines.

Toss on your sofa and enjoy!

Now for the equally adorable garland.  You will need dyed doilies, jute, hot glue gun, material for stems (either bark, felt, or jute), and materials for leaves (either silk leaves or felt).

Dye the doilies using the same technique as above and allow them to dry.  When dry, thread the jute through each doily.  Hot glue a stem to the top of each one. I had these great little birch wood chips from a wood chip Christmas tree that fell apart, but you could use brown felt or make jute stems like we did for the pillow.

Now add leaves and curly, twirly vines to the pumpkins.  You can make them all the same or do each one a little differently.

I think adding a few leaves onto the vine is a fun, 3-D touch.

 

Hang the garland and LOVE it!

Didn't these doily pumpkins turn out so insanely cute?!  I can picture these on a canvas too.  They would make fantastic fall art!  The doilies for the garland were bought at the Dollar Tree in packs of two, so it was a very affordable project!  I am adoring my new fall decor!

I hope I've inspired you to create some doily pumpkins! :)  If you do, let me know!  I'd love to feature you!

I'm linking up to these fantastic parties! 





See you tomorrow for another installment of TO DO Tuesday! :)

Trick or Treat Frame

In case you missed this post I did over at seven thirty three a few weeks ago, here it is:  :)

Hey, Everyone!  I'm Erin from Crafts and Sutch and I'm thrilled to be hanging out with you and Kim at Seven Thirty Three today!

Well, if you are anything like me, you are in full swing Halloween/fall mode!  I love this time of year and I love to create new things to update my holiday decorations.  Today, let's dive into creating a cute Trick or Treat frame that will sit perfectly next to your candy bowl.  :)

Here is what you'll need:  a frame without the glass, scrap fabrics, glue gun, glue sticks, batting, needle and thread, iron on letters, Heat-n-Bond, ink pad, buttons or other embellishments.

To get started, take the cardboard insert out of the frame (if you are using an open back frame, then cut an insert out of cardboard) to use as the base.  Cut the batting about 1" larger than your cardboard on all sides so it can wrap around the base.  Using your glue gun, wrap the cardboard with the batting.

Now using the same process, wrap the cardboard with your base fabric.

Cut two more pieces of fabric, one will be the middle layer (I used black) and one will be the top layer (I used khaki).  The sizes will depend on your frame size.

Iron on the letters following the package's directions to the top layer of fabric.  If you don't have iron on letters, you could use a fabric marker or create a freezer paper stencil and use craft paint.

Use the Heat-n-Bond to adhere the top layer of fabric to the middle layer of fabric.  I cut the Heat-n-Bond about a 1/4" smaller on all sides so I can sew around it later (see yellow arrows).  Distress the edges of the top piece of fabric with ink.  My favorite tool to use here is a paper towel. :)

Now run a stitch around the outside of the top layer of fabric.  I used three strands of orange embroidery floss.

Apply Heat-n-Bond to the back side of the middle layer of fabric and adhere it to the base using the package's directions.

Now for the fun, decorate your base with some fabric rosette "lollipops" or "gumball" buttons, put the finished product in the frame, and swoon! :)

The best thing about this project is that you can make it in any size, in any color, and for any occasion...other holidays, make one with your kiddo's name on it for their room, or for a wedding gift with the bride and groom's last name and their wedding date!  :)  The possibilities are endless!

Thanks so much to Kim for having me today.  :)  I hope you all will stop by Crafts and Sutch to check out EEK Weeks...eight Mondays full of Halloween and fall fun!  :)

Linking up to these super outstanding parties! 

A Sweet Necklace

Hey, Everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying a relaxing weekend!  I thought I would hop on while the little man is napping to show you a necklace that I made with the help of my friend, Kristyn.  Did you know that I make jewelry?  I know.  You would never know because I haven't made anything in a very long time.

Anywho, Kristyn wanted a unique and personal gift for a friend's birthday.  She picked out all of the components and helped with the design.  I think it is absolutely perfect.  I love that it is casual, but could easily be dressed up for an evening out and I especially love how the pendants are tied together in the center with a bow.  So sweet!  What do you think?  :)  Would you like to see some more jewels?

I hope to see you all back on Monday for EEK Weeks!  I have to tell you Monday's project is the best by far (to me anyways) and it's a double feature...not one, but two fantastically fall projects!  :)  Have a great rest of your weekend!

Linking up to all of my favorite parties HERE!

tEXas EXpats Blog Design

I've been busy playing around designing some more blogs.  I love this one I created for my best friend Mary!  She is currently living in Brazil, and her blog is the easiest way to keep up with her and her family's happenings.  She wanted a design that reflected the beachy feel of her home away from home. 

Go take a peek at the full design when you get a chance!  It is too cool!  tEXas EXpats

I've got one more design in the works and should be finishing it up within the next day or two.  :)  Stay tuned!

Overstock.com Goodness {discount} :)

Hello, Lovelies!  I hope you are having a most spectacular Wednesday!

I've been toying with the notion of updating our master bedroom.  This December will mark five years in our first home, and we've had the same bedroom decor for the entire time.  For me, that is remarkable because I'm always changing my mind.  I do love what we have because it is very me, but my tastes have grown and changed over the years and I'm ready for something new and wonderfully calm and relaxing.

I love "window" shopping online!  I've been pursuing the "aisles" of Overstock.com to find just the right items to fill my new bedroom!  These are a few of the thing that are inline with the feel I want in my new room.

I'm thinking of a palette of grays, browns, and blues.  I'm using these paint samples from Martha (who else?) as inspiration. :)

As well as this picture also from Martha...do we need to mention her last name? :)

 

Here are a few things I found on my shopping spree. :)

I absolutely love this upholstered platform bed, so I used it in every scenario.  

The blue accents will be brought in with toss pillows, art, and small pieces of furniture.

Overstock.com has so many options at outstanding prices and the best part is shipping is always $2.95 for your entire order!  :)  WOW!  That makes me smile!

What does your dream bedroom look like? Go window shopping at Overstock.com for beds, bedding, rugs, and lamps!

Now for the best part!  Overstock.com is offering Crafts & Sutch readers 10% off all Overstock.com products!  :)  Too cool, huh?  Please enter discount code 121728 at checkout. 

All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post, however, I was provided with a discount code.

ONE Out of this World Birthday Party

I cannot believe my little guy is ONE! This year has just flown by. We celebrated this past weekend with an Out of this World birthday party!

I started party planning by researching space themed parties on the Internet to get some ideas I could run with.  I found some great ideas here and here.

Invitation:  These super cute invitations that I made over at Picnik set the fun and spacey tone for the party!

 

Decorations:   I used my Cricut and Sure Cuts a Lot software to create a few banners.  This one is a countdown banner with a NASA rocket blasting off at the end. 

 This banner hung across another window in our living room.  It said, "Happy Birthday Kason!"

We bedecked the mantle with more NASA rockets.  Those are actually design your own shields that I found at Michael's Craft Store but I decided that when I flipped them over, they became rockets.  I covered them in aluminum foil and glued on a NASA symbol that I printed off of the Internet.  My husband's claim to fame are the flames! :)  

The rocket on the mantle is made from two formula canisters stacked on top of each other and wrapped in foil.  I cut the top and the fins (not sure of the technical term LOL) from craft foam and glued on an image of Kason looking out of the port hole.  :)  

The poster was such a deal!  I ordered it from PosterBrain.com for $14.99!  You read that right!  They are having a sale right now, and a 24"x36" poster print is only $14.99!  The quality was outstanding and I got this baby ordered and delivered in three days!

Four dozen balloons covered the ceiling to replicate a starry sky and we stapled stars onto the streamers and let them hang down into the room.

Kason's highchair was dressed up with some spacey bunting and a giant number one balloon.  The triangles are decorated with a UFO, a planet, stars, and the word ONE.  His party hat (which he didn't ever wear) is wrapped with ribbon and topped off with a big, brown pom pom.

Food:  His party was at three in the afternoon, so I thought a choice of desserts was the best way to go.  The treats were displayed in aluminum foil pans (easy clean up) and silver bowls.

We had Crater Cupcakes!  Little cakes that were dressed up to look like the top of the moon.  Each one had a Teddy Graham astronaut and an American flag on it. 

Moon Rock Rice Crispy Treats were topped off with a craft foam moon buggy that I found at Michael's on clearance.  Black Hole Banana Pudding had one chocolate chip stuck in the middle and the person who found the chip won a spacey prize.

Cosmic cookies were store bought and time friendly! :)

Beverages included Liquid Hydrogen lemonade and Rocket Fuel tea.

Kason's birthday cake was inspired from this Lunar Cake I found at Kraft.  I put my own spin on it and made it silver with crunchy moon rooks (silver sprinkles) on top.

No space party is complete without some starry-like bubbles dancing around the sky!  I found a small bubble machine at Wal-Mart for $6.00!  :)  The kids loved it, but we could only leave it on for a little while.  It started making the play mat super slick! :)

Planet Goody Balls:  Each kiddo got a planet goody ball filled with...well, goodies! :)  The big kids got squishy alien-like balls, blast off bubbles, a party horn, an asteroid ball, alien stickers, a flying saucer, starry headbands (for girls), and Starburst candy.

We sat them by the door with each kiddos party hat on top.  The party hats were too much fun.  They had shiny pipe cleaners with googly eyes glued on to them stuck in the top of each hat.  :) Very alien-like!

Kason's party was a spacey success and everyone had an amazing time!  We are so very blessed to have  friends and family love us the way they do!

I hope you are inspired to have an Out of This World party for you kiddo too! :)

Linking up to these super great parties and