2.27.2011

Felt Flower Fridge Magnets

It's still February, but spring is upon us down here in the Houston area, and I'm in full blown garden and flower mode!  I'm also all about magnets since we have very few of them here at the house, and most are really ugly.  So I decided to combine the two and make some felt flower fridge magnets.  I found a few flower templates online, and got to work!



I decided to make a Peone and large and small Cherry Blossoms.  Just click to get to the templates!

Here's my tutorial for how to do the fridge magnets!

Supplies:
Sharpie
Felt in any colors plus green
Buttons
Hot Glue Gun
Magnets (I used "magnet buttons" from Walmart"

Step One: Print and cut out the templates.



Step Two: Trace the templates onto the felt in the colors you choose with the sharpie.  Make sure to cut the leaves out of green





Step Three: Cut the shapes out of the felt.  Try to cut inside of the line from you tracing so there is as little of the sharpie showing.


Step Four: Lay the pieces out in the order they will be stacked up (smallest to largest leaves on last)


Step Five: Put a dab of hot glue on the leaves then attach the next largest piece.  Continue until you've put all the pieces on






Step Six: Attach the magnets.  The magnets I used had a sticky back.  If yours don't you might want to attach them with E6000 (Oops didn't get a pic of that, but you get the idea!)

Step 7:  Attach the button.  I used high temp hot glue and they are fairly secure, and since they will pretty much just always stay in place on the fridge I don't think they will fall off.  But if you plan to move them around a bunch, I'd glue it on with E6000

Step 8: Stick it on the fridge for all to admire!

2.25.2011

All the Free Stuff!

I'm constantly amazed at things I find Etsy sellers selling.  Last night I was browsing through and found a store where all that is sold are tutorials on how to make fabric flowers.  The crazy think was, she was charging $12 per tutorial! Well, it wouldn't be so crazy I guess if I didn't know I couldn't get the same information for FREE by just doing a simple google search.  I'm not going to call anyone out, but I do want to let you know where to get for free the same info some idiot is trying to sell you!  Please don't be one of the hundreds of other idiots who have bought these tutorials!


Fabric Flowers: K Google and You Tube are really going to be your friends for this one.  There were so many great sites I'm having a hard time picking just one out.  But I've gotta give props to my girls on my SAHM of Etsy team, Jeni from Stitches By Jeni shows how to use a burn technique to make flowers over on her blog.




Crochet: Just about anything: Aside from my own crochet patterns, of course, you can look up a pattern or 100 for pretty much anything you'd ever want to make at www.crochetpatterncentral.com.  A few of my patterns are even featured over there.  I also love Youtube videos! Its a great way to brush up on you crochet skills.

Yoga Pants Tutorial by Samstermommy.blogspot.com

Baby Yoga/Lounge Pants:  OK, so maybe if you're planning on mass producing these adorable pants, you might want to buy a pattern that has multiple sizes (that you're allowed to sell from!), but if you're just going to make them for your own kid, then this is the tutorial for you.  It uses a pair of pants your child already wears as a template! Don't forget to check out the awesome list of tutorials on the left side of the page!






Pettiskirts are VERY in right now, thanks to a huge 80's flash-back we all seem to be having at the moment.  Youcanmakethis.com has an awesome list of free, and paid, tutorials on their site as well.  Check here for a great pettiskirt tutorial! I love that this one has the satin top so It's more modest.





Sewing Patterns! Google is seriously your friend for finding all sorts of great free sewing patterns.  Just do a quick search before you buy one to see if you can't find anything that you like that will work for you.

There are a few places I DO recommend you buy patterns from:

Youcanmakethis.com has a great list to choose from.

RomeoandMae: Great Patterns, and great customer service!

NoodlesandMilk: Patterns give measurements for the pieces, and she includes pattern pieces as needed.  They are REALLY great!

ScientificSeamstress: I have yet to buy a pattern from her, but I've heard rave reviews from very highly trusted sources.

Libby Lu's Boutique: A great Etsy Seller with many amazing patterns!

2.24.2011

Love Sticks

I'm really loving the "Love That Sticks" campaign that KSBJ (local houston Christian radio station) has going right now.  The concept is very simple.  Put a message such as "God Loves You" on a post it, and put it up somewhere for someone else to see.  It's such a great idea to spread God's love to others.  I haven't done it yet, but I did get some post-its at hobby lobby yesterday, and I've gotten messages written on about 10 of them.

The stories that have been shared have been amazing! God really is working wonders with this! One story I heard that was especially great was that a woman had put the notes on her money.  She was being robbed at gunpoint and the man read the note on the money, immediately got teary eyed, and left the lady alone.  What a miracle! I can only hope and pray that that man went to get the help he needs.

God promises that every seed will be fruitful through him.  This is such a small seed, but I'm praying that God will continue to use them in a mighty, mighty way!!

God's message is super simple! It's I love you, I love you so much that I sent my one and only son to die for you and raised Him again so that you can have eternal life, because I, God, want a relationship with you, I want to be one with you! (John 17, and 3:16)  I serve a truly amazing God and am forever humbled that he would choose to love and forgive a sinner such as I.  I pray that you know Him and have a close relationship with Him!

2.15.2011

Ruffled Scarf Pattern

This scarf is super duper cute, and I've had TONS of compliments on it.  And the pattern couldn't be any simpler!  I've made this one pretty long, but you could make it however long you want.



Abreviations:
    Ch: Chain
    DC: Double Crochet
    TC: Triple Crochet
    sl st: Slip st

hook: J

Gauge is not important.

Ch 103
Row 1: 1 dc in each stitch. 6 dc in the last (106)
Row 2: Instead of turning and going up, you'll work on the "bottom" in the chain st.  1 DC in each st, 6 dc in last st.  sl st to join (At this point it will look like a super long oval) (106)
Row 3: Chain 4, 5 TC in next 100 st.  skip 3 st and sl st Cut yarn and tie off.

It's that simple! I love how it twists! My daughter gets soooo many compliments on hers!

2.09.2011

I'm the Member of a Wonderful Team

That's Right! I love the SAHM of Etsy team!  It's such a great group of ladies!  I'm also the blog team leader and have been hard at work, along with some other great ladies, to get the blog off to a great start!  Today is the official launch of the blog and I hope that those of you who follow me, will soon follow the blog.  It's gonna be great!!

Stayathomemomsofetsy.blogpot.com