Tag Archives: tutorial

Join me for the One of these Days Challenge

Okay y’all, here’s the deal … That’s pretty much how I would start this conversation were we sitting across from one another at the local coffee shop. I would be leaning forward, making some sort of not-social-media-worthy face and using my hands way more than is necessary and you would naturally “be hanging on my every word”! I have almost 30 boards and just shy of 4,000 pins on Pinterest. Seriously! Check it out right here. You should go ahead and follow me too while you’re there, I’ve pinned all sorts of awesome ideas for the both of us. The thing is,  I’ve probably actually tried a 100 or so of those. Don’t get me wrong here, I love Pinterest for so many things but it needs to be more than just a collection of super cool ideas and inspiration or I should find something else to do with my 3 spare minutes a day. Just yesterday I thought of another one I’ve wanted to try and yet again that thought was immediately followed by this snarky thought, “One of these days”. And now I’ve decided today is that day. And I’ve also decided that you need to join me for the One of these Days Challenge.

Pinterest Feed

The details go something like this … Read More

DIY Chalkboard Fabric Bunting Tutorial

How about a midweek project? Or maybe a few days to plan for a weekend project? My guess is you’re either about to be snowed in or dreaming of a beach somewhere and a much-anticipated spring break. Either way, it seems Wednesday is a good day for a creative diversion so here’s a great little project for all those fabric scraps. The DIY Chalkboard Fabric Bunting Tutorial was posted about a year ago, and it’s a great one for any occasion and any time of year. It can be made of fabrics from neutral cottons and linens for a timeless more romantic look to bright festive prints like the one shown here to celebrate all sorts of special events.

chalkboard bunting

Another perk of this bunting is that it can be made
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How to stitch narrow hem cloth napkins

In our part of the country, it’s all things spring with daffodils, hyacinths and pear trees in full bloom followed by freezing temps and weather that just can’t seem to make up its mind. It’s not completely unlike the groggy morning debate between workout or roll over, back and forth and back and forth … My solution? Go ahead and add spring touches here and there, with the firm belief that she will eventually come to stay. That means actually putting away winter decor and scattering bits of spring throughout the house. You already know how I feel about cloth napkins since last week I shared how to stitch wide hem cloth napkins with crisp mitered corners. And as promised today I have a follow-up post about how to stitch narrow hem cloth napkins.

finger-press-hem

How to stitch narrow hem cloth napkins

They happen to be a quick, inexpensive way to add some fresh Read More

How to stitch wide hem cloth napkins with crisp mitered corners

Years ago I had a friend who insisted on drinking her morning orange juice from a goblet. It was her way of starting her day with an ordinary routine made special. Napkins are that extra touch for me. Perhaps it’s because I remember Mama making them when I was a girl. Or maybe it’s how much softer they are than the paper variety and they don’t fall apart within 10 minutes. Either way, they can ruin you for paper napkins in no time at all. And just in case you want to try a few of your own, Today I have a tutorial for you with lots of pictures on how to stitch wide hem cloth napkins with crisp mitered corners. Then you can let me know if you too are completely ruined for paper napkins.

How to stitch wide hem cloth napkins with crisp mitered corners

The wide hem and mitered corners give these napkins a very polished look. You can make them a variety of sizes by Read More

How to make a Fleece Photo Throw using your home printer

I’m sure y’all have noticed a slight shift in the color scheme of winter from icy whites and muted blues to soft pinks and bright reds. Sure enough, the day is approaching that we look for the best way to show the love of our life how special they are. It’s always a good idea to tell others what they mean to us. Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to show our love to so many in our lives, well beyond that one special person. Last year I shared 10 DIY gift ideas to create for those on your list of appreciations but this year it’s mostly about things to do with those you love, with a few gift ideas sprinkled in here and there. You can look for those starting next week, and today I want to share how to make a fleece photo throw using your home printer.

fleece photo throw
How to make a fleece photo throw using your home printer

Materials needed for your fleece throw

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Short Sheet Fix | Tutorial with faux flat-felled seams

Flannel sheets are great … until they shrink

There are so many things to love about winter! For all you flip-flop lovers out there, just bear with me here for a minute, I’m trying to redeem your not-so-favorite season. It’s the abundance of all things cozy that gets us every time. The chunky afghans, fuzzy socks, thick sweaters, mugs of hot chocolate on early winter evenings and one of my all-time favorites – flannel sheets.  But after several seasons of washing and drying, those pesky top sheets tend to shrink so much that they easily come untucked in the middle of the night. And if you’re using flannel sheets it necessarily follows that it must be cold. Untucked flannel sheets + cold night air + frozen toes = certain disaster. Granted, that’s a bit dramatic, but you get the idea. So just in case you’ve had similar issues with your own sheets, today I give you this- Short Sheet Fix | Tutorial with faux flat-felled seams.

how to lengthen a flat sheet

Short Sheet Fix | Tutorial with faux flat-felled seams

Follow along for a brief explanation of each step, and pictures just in case Read More

Fuzzy Lamb Ornament Tutorial and PDF

In another week or so, the kids, yours and mine, will be out of school for Christmas break. They’re so excited they can hardly stand it, and we’re not far behind them. Plans have been made no doubt for all sorts of Christmas magicalness – baking cookies, wrapping gifts, caroling, Christmas movies and parades. It’s such a fun and necessary break from our routines. Yet, we also know that at some point, a bit of boredom will set in, and it’s always good to have a plan for such moments. So it seems like a good day to share a fuzzy lamb ornament tutorial and PDF, of course.  And the best part is that it can be prepped ahead and ready for even the pudgy-fingered toddlers to make.

fuzzy lamb ornament
Fuzzy Lamb OrnamentDF

If you’re wanting to make a bigger event out of it than just making ornaments, check out the book, The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado. It has a message that older kids will understand and somehow makes the little lamb ornaments even Read More

Gifts for Giving | DIY Christmas Canvas Prints

If you’ve shopped for gifts more than a Christmas or two, and I know you have, then you know how hard it can be to come up with the perfect gift. We’ve had plenty of years when we wanted to give gifts to dozens of people, but lacked the budget to support said gift-giving. Making gifts is always fun, though finding the time isn’t always the easiest thing. Then there’s the issue of coming up with a gift that isn’t completely tacky when you only have a couple dollars to spend on each one. There have been a few years when our family made almost 100 such gifts to give to our church family, neighbors and others. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a little series here and there with some quick inexpensive gift ideas. And today, I give you the first in our series – Gifts for Giving| DIY Christmas Canvas Prints.

Gifts for Giving | DIY Christmas Canvas Prints

Christmas Art Canvas
Christmas Art Canvas

Several years ago I purchased a few sets of Christmas prints from Read More

On shelters and stools and spray paints and a giveaway

On shelters and stools and spray paints and a giveaway

With the arrival of fall and cooler temperatures, we squeeze in all the outdoor weekend activities we can – from pumpkin patches and hayrides to hiking and bonfires. In a matter of weeks, we’ll tend to spend more free time inside than out – roaring fires, hot chocolate, chunky afghans and a good book. Our DIY projects tend to do the same thing – outdoor gardening is replaced by indoor handwork. Painting projects have always been an interesting one for me. When we lived in south Florida, I usually did spray painting outside, but that doesn’t work so well farther north. But fortunately there is a solution and today I want to share with you a little project and thoughts on shelters and stools and spray paints AND a giveaway!

folding-stool-before-and-after
Folding Stool – Before & After

This weekend was one of those projects for me. It had great potential for creating a tremendous mess, but the only clean-up was a bit of paint overspray on my hands. It was a quick makeover that fit nicely between a wedding, a birthday dinner, church family gatherings and a surprise visit from our soon-to-be daughter-in-law. What’s not to love about a dramatic transformation that is both quick and tidy?

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