Clothes Pins

My mother in-law, Teresa, did this one first and used them as chip clips. She let me pick what I wanted to take home. Our pantry and fridge are full of them now.

I had been using small clothes pins left over from another craft to clip the matching bottoms to the hangers of Elaina's cute outfits.  After receiving our cute chip clips it got me thinking.
So after getting the steps from Teresa I made a bunch for Elaina's closet. I went a little crazy and had a couple hundred made. I gave them to friends with little girls and even used them in my closet to hang my skirts up.

So as you can see there are endless uses for this craft.  Gift it, use it in your closet, add a magnet for the fridge, clip a card on a gift bag, use it as a chip clip or any other idea you may have. They are practical, cheap, and cute.

Materials:
Clothes pins, scrap book paper, mod podge, sand paper, buttons, thread, and hot glue

Step 1 (optional):
I didn't paint or stain my clothes pins but Teresa did. It is up to you.

Step 2:
Measure the length and width of the clothes pin and cut paper to size. Do not be deceived. Not every type is the same. Spoken from experience. If you have a paper cutter this is super easy and fast.

Step 3:
Paint a thin layer of mod podge on the clothes pin and smooth paper over it.

Step 4:
Sand the edges to soften the edges and ruff up the paper.

Step 5:
Mod podge again.

Step 6:
Hot glue a button on.  You can thread the holes or leave it plain.  Thread or joot rope works good.  I used cross sketching thread.  You could use any type of embellishment.

And done.


Try it out. Let me know how you pin it up.

Desk Organizers

I love to organize.  I love baskets and bins.  But my hubby thinks I tend to go over board. I think it is because he doesn't like me spending the money.
So I came up with a way to organize my craft room and desk at school with out spending any money. Empty cans.  They come in all sizes and are recycled any way.  I just cleaned them up and wrapped them in cute coordinating scrapbook paper.  I was really happy how it turned out. And I got to use my old cans and pieces of scrap scrapbook paper.

My office organizers!

Materials:
Cans, scrapbook paper, tape

Step 1:
Clean can.  Use pliers to push down jagged edges.
 
Step 2:
Cut paper to fit can.

Step 3:
Tape 1 end of paper to can.  Some cans still have a some glue on them and don't need that.  Wrap the paper around and tape again covering the entire seam.

Done.

Update:  Here are some pictures of other uses for the cans.

Baby spoons.
I added another one for forks and knifes.

Bible Study meets at my house
and we use plastic to cut down on the cleaning.

Blankets for the NICU

Bryan took this before she
was whisked away.

Elaina was born 2 months premature (31 weeks) at 2 lbs 11 oz and 15 in long.  She spent 5 weeks in the North Kansas City Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  She graduated and came home at 4 lbs 3 oz.

While she was there she received little hats and blankets from strangers that had sent them to the NICU for the babies.  She had amazing care there and I have wanted to give back to the nurses and doctors that did so much for us.  Also, I wanted to give to the families that would be going through what we did.

8 days old.
This blanket was donated.

So.......... 7 months later (yesterday) I have finally completed my first batch of blankets to give to the NICU.  They were super easy and are so cute.  I even got a great deal on the fabric ($2.99 a yard at Joann's normally $6.99).  

If you are interested in joining me in the cause or donating to our efforts to give back just let me know. 

Materials:

2 yds of fleece (preferable 1 patterned and 1 solid), sewing machine, pins, scissors, iron

Step 1:

Iron the fleece.  It is often wrinkled and may be cut uneven.  So when you go to pin the 2 together it may not match up.

Iron the fleece.

Step 2:

Place right sides of the fabric together and pin the top.  Then fold the top edge in half and smooth out the wrinkles and bubbles.

Right sides together.  Wrong sides on the outside.

Smooth out the fabric.
Notice the edges are not straight.

Step 3:

Cut a straight edge so that all layers end at the same spot.  I used a rotary blade and cutting board but you can just use scissors too.

Make sure that all edges match.
Also make sure you cut off the company
printed words on the side of the fabric.

Step 4: 

Pin all of the edges together making sue you have a straight edge and that you have created a rectangle.

Step 5:

Sew the edges together.  Leave a gap of about 7 or 8 inches to turn the blanket right side out.

Step 6:

Turn the blanket right side out.

Step 7:

Iron the edges flat and smooth out the fabric.

Step 8:

Sew over the edges again to finish off the blanket and to seal up the gap.  You might want to even sew over the gap closer to the edge so that it doesn't flap open.

A wider edge makes it look cuter
but then you have to go over the gap again.

And your DONE!!

All rolled up and ready to go to the NICU.

Lydia, a friend from college, made 2 of these blankets for Elaina.  I am thinking of hiding all of the other blankets until those become her favorite blankies cause they are so cute.

Try it out and see how easy and cute these blankets can be.  And while your at it make a couple extras to give away.

Jewelry Frames

I made these for my jewelry.  I will have to get the steps up.

Picture Frames

I love this easy cheap gift.  I will get the steps up.

Hooded Towel

I will work on getting steps for this easy baby gift up.

Pacifier Clip

Elaina wants her pacifier at one second, spits it out and the wants it again. the next.  I looked online to buy a clip for her but after looking at the pictures I thought I could just make one myself. 

Materials:
large ribbon (1- 2 in width), medium ribbon (1/2 to 1 in width), small ribbon (0- 1/2 in width), suspender clip, felt, scissors, needle, thread, hot glue gun, sewing machine

Step 1:
Cut large ribbon to desired length (cut 2).  Approximately 12 to 15 in long.  You could also use a cute fabric.

Step 2: 
Cut a strip of felt to do the letters with.  This strip insure each letter will be the same height.  Make sure that the width of the strip or height of the letters fits on your large ribbon.

Step 3:
Cut your strip into squares.  One for each letter.  This is so each letter is the same size.

Step 4:

Cut our your letters on each square.  I like to keep mine very straight lined cause it is easier to do.

Step 5:
Repeat steps 2 & 3 but with a border color for the letters.  Place each letter on its own square.

Step 6:
Hand sew on each letter to its border.

Step 7:
Cut the border color to create an outline edge for each letter.  You can also leave it as a square with the letter on it.

Step 8:
Lay out the letters on one cut large ribbon and center the letters appropriately.  Pin down the letters then hand stitch them onto the ribbon.

Step 9:
Cut your small ribbon and hot glue it onto the top of the large ribbon that has the letters stitched to it.  You want to cut it about 6 to 8 inches long.  Put a small dab of glue so it is not bulky.

Step 10:
Cut your medium ribbon and hot glue it onto the top of the large ribbon that has the letters stitched to it.  You want to cut it about 1.5 to 2 inches long.  Put a small dab of glue so it is not bulky.  Make sure to thread the ribbon through the suspender clip before gluing down.  You will probably want the clip to face down so the nice side it showing with the right side of the ribbon.

Step 11:
Pin the large cut ribbon pieces together.  Make sure that the correct sides are facing out.

Step 12:
Sew with the sewing machine the 2 pieces together.  Make sure that the stitch is right next to the edge.

Step 13:

Cut a piece of the medium ribbon that could wrap around the front and back of the large ribbon with a little extra.  Put a thin layer of hot glue on one side of the large ribbon up at the top.

Place the medium ribbon over the glue with a little above and a little on one side.  Press down to the glue. 

Put a little bit of glue on the small over lap and fold it over to the other side.

Step 14:
Fold over the other edge of the medium ribbon and measure how long it needs to be to cover that side.  Cut the ribbon so there is a little bit to fold over to create a clean edge. 

Glue the little edge over.

Put a thin layer of hot glue over the area and press down the ribbon.  Make sure there is a little glue to cover the little edge that is over the large ribbon so it creates a seal and stray threads from the large ribbon are contained.

Clean up any lose hot glue strings are excess glue.

Step 15:

Repeat with the other side.

Both sides should be completed and now only finishing touches are required.

Step 16:

You can add flowers or bows to either end to embellish the pacifier clip. 

And DONE!!!!!!

Some other designs and ways to use it.  We clip it onto Lainey's car seat so we never lose a pacifier or when we are in the car we can find it easily from the front of the car.