Homemade Stamped Art

      Over at Alisa Burke, I found a cute idea for Rolling Pin Stamps. I instantly fell in love. I just had to make my own. So I did. Mine weren't as heavy duty or as pretty as hers, but they certainly did the job! I ended up with this:

It just looks bad and all smudgy because of the dirty glass. Don't worry, I cleaned it after I took pictures.
My "rolling pin" was really just a toilet paper roll and I used cardboard instead of foam.

Here's the finished product.... still wet

I just cut out a piece the same size as my glass, popped it in the frame and wallah!

I think it's the perfect housewarming gift for my dad's new apartment (he got a job out of state). Here's the finished, post -cleaned product:

I love it! Although, I don't know if I really like the white with the cream frame. Oh well.

Hair Bows

This post was inspired by Anthropologie inspired hair bow Anthropologie inspired hair bows at Sew Home Grown. She made ADORABLE little hairbows to slip into easter baskets last minute. They're perfect for that. I started to make one from her tutorial but when I got to this stage:

I decided I didn't like it. I didn't have any white bobbins already wound and I was too lazy to wind another so I just used pink.

CONFESSION TIME: I don't actually know how to wind a bobbin. Is that sad? I've been shown how to loads of times and I just can't remember how to.

Anyway, instead of folding it inside out and sewing it, I just did a stitch all the way around and then proceed to twist it and then wind the wire around the center.

I decided I didn't like it.

I took a little strip and stitched a line right down the middle... or close to it and then glued it around the middle.

I hot glued it onto a bobby pin and wallah! I looks like a piece of crap in that picture. Yuck.

Here's it in my hair. Trust me, it looks a lot better in person. I love the little pink stitching. No one can really see it. But still... It's just all dainty and shabby and cute. I love it.

Feed Sack into Reusable Bag

As I was feeding my chickens this morning, I went through the last of this bag of feed. I felt an urge to do something with it in honor of Earth Day. I set it in the trash can knowing I'd be back for it. After quite a few minutes of looking for tutorials on how to make a reusable bag out of a feed sack, I finally came across one understandable enough at Backyard Poultry. I followed their directions and here's some pictures if you want to try to make one. Their directions were a little spacy, though.

 Add another inch on for the bottom so it's really 16" by 6 1/4"

 Sewing the bottom is VERY awkward!

 Whoops!

 It's the surprise inside!

 I did make a few mistakes along the way. Sewing through many layers is hard and slowwww.

       It's obviously not perfect but I am proud of myself. If you have any feed sacks left over from anything, GO MAKE ONE! There's nothing better than being able to go show off your stuff at the grocery store. They often give you savings for using your own bags. Less trash, more cash! It's a win-win! I think I might have to make some as gifts!

Spring Fabric Bunting

        Woohoo. Now I can actually say SPRING without looking outside and dying a little inside. I found out the hard way that YES it is possible to tan and burn in 50 degree weather. Well, thankfully the burn has already turned into a tan. Sadly, it was only on one shoulder so I now have one very tan shoulder and another a dark shade of pale.
        Well, the other day at Diary of a Crafty Lady, I stumbled upon her Fabric Mini Bunting. I fell in love. I knew I wanted to make something similar. So I did. I came up with this:

 The only scraps I had were hot pink. It works, though. I can leave it up until my birthday party I guess.

My triangles were so tiny and the rope was so fat that I didn't bother wrapping the tops around the rope.

My camera (or probably the person holding the camera...) wasn't cooperating. Most pictures turned out like this.  Yuck.

 My sister came home with caterpillars from her "Butterfly kisses" themed daddy-daughter dance. The instruction sheet said 7-10 days in their caterpillar stage. Ha. It's been more like 2 weeks. Today, I woke up and one was already in it's chrysalis. The other is starting to form. Then I get to move them into a cardboard box as soon as that happens. Very exciting.

I think hatching chicks is much more rewarding. And I think it's probably faster than the rate that these guys are going at. Urghh. That makes me really want more chicks. We've always got chicks in the spring. This year were not because of my dad's new job. I'm the one who raises them so I don't see why not. Oh well. Shhh. I just like them because they're good photography subjects. 

Picture of Paper

I don't really know how to describe this...but I LOVE it. It's simple and it can be applied to SO many circumstances it's not even funny. I could have titled this "Taking a picture of a piece of paper and adding writing to it on the computer." But hey, that's too long.

        I simply took a piece of paper, ripped it up so it would look artsy, went outside (in my socks!) and then took a quick picture. I got this:

I uploaded it into Picnik. You can import photos to there from your computer, facebook, flickr, photobucket, or myspace. I LOVE picnik...

Anyway, I quickly googled some quotes and found a few I liked and wallah: 

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."

"I am not afraid for tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and love today."

       I've seen quite a few bloggers do this for Christmas cards or valentines. Well, Mother's Day is coming up. Grandma could use a little lovin' huh?

Just wanted to share this idea since it seems to be the only creative thing I've done so far today. I made a few felt flowers yesterday. Tomorrow I might get around to posting pictures. Better start on that huge project due in less than three weeks...

Easter Eggs

       After my mom decided it was time to take down Easter decorations (before Easter?), I decided to counter act her with a little Easter festivity. While mother was away, it was time for her children to play! I pulled out 2 dozen previously hard boiled eggs and me and my sister set to work! 

       Shhh don't tell her about all the spills... After they dried they stained the counter. Thankfully, after a LOT of scrubbing they did come off.
       And no, these eggs DIDN'T come from my chickens. We only have 1 white egg layer. Boohoo. It's a little hard to dye brown and green eggs. No one in my house will probably end up eating these. Once you taste farm fresh eggs, they say you can't go back to store bought.
     CONFESSION TIME! I don't really like eggs. They make me sick. I'll eat hard boiled and deviled but sunny side up, scrambled, or even in an omelet just make my stomach turn! Oh and I don't like homemade maple syrup either. Store bought is the best!