I got a hand-me-down tie-back top that I love on my daughter. Every time she wore it, other mothers complimented me on it and I realized, I need to make more of these! So I laid the top out and copied a pattern. I took some left over fabric I had in my closet and tested it out. In no time I had an adorable top and better yet, a pattern to make more!
She Sells Sea Shells
I am a treasure hunter by nature so collecting shells is fun for me, and gives my kids a project to do with me. After collecting so many shells… what do you do with them? Conversation pieces are always a great idea. Welcome loved ones to your home or table with local shells or memories from a vacation. I dry out and clean all the shells. On the centerpiece I left them natural and hot glues them to a styro foam ball, then shellaced them and attached to an old candle holder I wrapped in twine and gems. The wreaths I painted the shells with glue and dusted them with glitter and then glued them to a burlap wrapped styro foam wreath frame. You are welcome to use this idea as inspiration if you are crafty or request one made for you.
Up-Cycled Light Bulbs
One of the best things about being a mom in the summer is the fistfuls of flowering weeds that I get from my loving boys. Dandelions always remind me of how much they think of me. However, they are so tiny and so plentiful that I never have enough bud vases for them. A perfect (free) solution… the light bulb. We always are throwing them out and they are super easy to hallow out of you have ginger hands. So break that capped end with duck nosed plyers, pull out the insides, wrap and glue some wire around the neck to hang the bulb and viola…. Instant (free) bud vases. Something I would like to try when I have a reason for a photo back drop is to hang a bunch with colored water and see the light play off all the colors…… Please take this idea as inspiration if you have the time and hands to make it, or visit my Shop section to buy some pre-made ones that I have saved from a horrible life in the trash can.
Re-purposed Frames
All of us have old frames that we have gotten bored with. Here is a fun idea to bring life to an old frame…. Faux stain glass window it! I was introduced to this technique when I saw a tutorial on Youtube and I just ran with it. I found artwork on the internet that inspired me and drew a picture on the glass with a magic marker. Then I flipped the glass over and applied the lead lining and glass paint. The results were spectacular and I wound up selling this frame to a friend. Another great idea is to lay the glass over your kids artwork and trace it to have a memory that really catches the light.
Spring Dress
This is a simple Blog that I wanted to post because every now and then I am blown away that a block of flat fabric can be cut up and sewn into a beautiful dress, that in this case, makes a little baby girl look so sweet. I found some adorable white linen with pink embroidery and made it up into a sweet peter pan collar dress, my favorite collar on a baby.
Spring Centerpiece
Spring is always a wonderful time of year. The dreary winter is melting away and new life is blooming. Decorating is always exciting because of you can put away the winterberry reds and evergreens, which seem so dull and pull out pinks and yellows and purples…. And the baby bunnies and chicks, tulips and hyacinths, all so fresh and new again. So you have family come over to celebrate it all and you want to make it special, but then you go out shopping and realize … wait, I can make that for half the price…. So you do. I am a huge advocate of going out and gathering inspiration and then coming home and making it your own. In this photo I took an old place mat and a broken topiary (thanks to my curious kids) and I broke it down and rebuilt it. It was painstaking but I pulled off all those boxwood leaves and glued them on the place mat one by one. It took a lot of time, but not a lot of skill, so anyone can do it. And the results were spectacular. I got a lot of compliments and a few requests to make more….. which I declined, LOL.
Lillian Catherine's Christening Dress
Tradition is strong in my family and when my 2 older sisters got married, they both wore the same dress. I would have followed in the line, however, I am much larger than my sisters’ petite frames so I had mine made with the gift of one of my dearest friends, Jackie. Her gift to me was the French lace of my choice. I still get goose bumps thinking about it. I had a simple, beautiful dress made that was elegant and classic. To wear it only once would be a crime. So when I was blessed with a daughter, I knew I would make her Christening dress from my wedding dress. I had a friend shorten the gown for me (and I have been able to wear my wedding dress again) and with the left overs, I made my Lillian Catherine a beautiful Christening dress that she can pass down to her daughter. This is a great way to incorporate a lot of sentiment into a special moment.