Quick & Simple Flannel Scarf

We are celebrating a snow day today, so I am taking a few minutes to write a post about a quick last-minute gift idea or a speedy addition to your winter wardrobe. 

Last winter, I made myself a blanket scarf like  Amy Clark over at Mom Advice describes in her post "How to Make a Blanket Scarf." I loved it, and then I realized I wasn't wearing it. It was just felt too bulky for my neck.

So, I went back to the drawing board, took my giant (1.5 yd) square of fabric and made it smaller. I cut it in half length-wise and shortened it to the length of another scarf I had - maybe about 0.25 yards shorter. I frayed all four edges, and ended up with a scarf that was just not so bulky-heavy around my neck, but still looked and felt substantial. 

I wore this scarf on a recent three-day trip I took for work. I packed everything I needed in my 18 liter REI flashpack, including a laptop and cables.  I was so proud of myself. Everything I needed could ride at my feet on the plane.

I love this scarf so much. I wear it to work at least once a week!

Treat yourself to a new scarf, or keep this idea in the back of your mind for the future. Either way, it is so easy, so comfortable, and a way to incorporate the coziness of flannel into your outfit without actually wearing a flannel shirt to work (not everyone is okay with that!). 

Simple Cutoff Phone Wallet

I have been charged with leading a craft for a ladies' night with a group from my church. I've not ever done something like this before, so I was trying to think of things that would be simple and fun and useful. I think I am going to have us making little felt clutch wallets, but in the process of looking up ideas online, I found cute little felt phone wallets, too.

I don't have any felt lying around, but I do have some leftover legs from some denim cutoff shorts I made a while back. I used some of the denim to update some basic coffee coasters. Today, I used the old jeans to make a couple cute little phone wallets.

The first one I made was all denim. I didn't leave myself enough room, so my phone doesn't actually fit in it. Bummer... So of course I had to make a second one! I used denim for the phone pocket and the little front pocket, and some blue linen (I think?) fabric from a thrift store for the card pocket. All the fabric edges are left raw so they will fray with time, but that's the fun of cutoffs, isn't it?

Materials: 

• Old jeans or other fabric scraps, if desired. 
• Scissors. 
• Heavy duty needle.
• Embroidery floss. 

Step 1: Size the phone pocket. Trace around your phone and give yourself about 1/4 inch extra on all sides. Cut 2 layers of denim for the phone pocket.

Step 2: Decide how you want your cards and bills pockets to lay out. I tried it two different ways. Cut them to fit the whole length of the phone pocket, and then shorten them by cutting the angles.

Step 3: Blanket stitch the layers together. Make sure you are catching all the layers. If you don't know how to blanket stitch, never fear! There are so many good tutorials online. I used one from Holiday Crafts and Creations, because it had been a while since I'd used the blanket stitch.

Step 4: Load it up. If you are giving this is a gift, tuck a gift card to your favorite coffee shop or local store.

You want the phone to be snug, but not difficult to slide in and out. This could be a handy way to keep your phone and cards together when you are hauling around your larger purse, or when you need to toss a little wallet in a backpack for a dry day hike.  If you are worried about things falling out, you could a strap and button or snap closure over the top of the wallet, or run a piece of elastic vertically around it. Or, just be aware that the denim will stretch with time and don't carry it around upside down. Ha. 

I think this is a really cute, imperfect little wallet. The denim will fray a little and will gain character with time. I don't sew well yet - I'm still learning, but I think this is a good project for trying something new. I also like that it uses up the odds and ends of things you might have laying around in your craft box. 

Enjoy! 

Book Page Butterflies

Another school year is upon us.

Next Monday I report to my classroom and begin the process of preparing for the coming semester. It has been an amazing summer. About three weeks ago, my husband and I returned home from hiking the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail. It was amazing. I could spend a long time talking about the trip and showing pictures, but that's not why I'm here today.

One of the highlights of the trip was all of the butterflies in Southern Oregon - they were everywhere!  One section we hiked through is known for its species diversity - it boasts approximately 110 of the 162 species of butterflies in Oregon.

 

Later on in the trip, when we were stopped at a little spring north of Timothy Lake, this guy and his buddy landed on our gear and patiently let us snap photos. 

Getting back to school. The last few days I've been thinking about what I want to do this year to make my room more homey. I'm getting a new desk and bookshelf, which is an exciting new blank slate to make changes. So far, I've...

• Purchased turn-in baskets from Goodwill (the clear plastic, stacking baskets) so that each class period has their own. 
• Purchased and painted picture frames so that the random assortment of 8x10" frames are all somewhat cohesive, add some color, and serve a purpose. 
• Cut out book pages to make a banner to go over my whiteboard. (Possibly another post on this later... we'll see...) 

The project I was working on today also involved book pages. I had a beat-up copy of a Tom Clancy novel kicking around my craft box, and I've been thinking of simple crafts I can make with it.  When I was a kid, my mom would make butterflies with us, using old magazine pages. So, this is basically that project, using book pages instead of glossy magazine pages.

To do this project you will need: an ratty old book (please do not cannibalize a lovely old book...),  a cutting board, scissors, and string or yarn.

Step 1: Tear a page out of your book and cut it into squares.  I was using a paperback with a shredded binding, so my big square is 4in. x 4in. and my small square is 2.75in. x 2.75in.

Step 2: Create creases in your squares to make accordion-folding easier. Make a center fold by folding two corners together. Open your paper back up, and then fold those same two corners to the center line. Fold that outer edge to the center line again (without unfolding), and again, until your paper has the number of creases in it that look good to you. I think I folded mine 4-5 times. Then, open your paper back up.

Step 3: Accordion-fold your paper. Starting at one corner, using the creases as a guide, fold your paper one way, then the other until the whole thing is folded like an accordion. 

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 on your other square of paper.

Step 5: Line up the two squares like shown in the image below. Pinch the two together in the middle, holding them between your fingers. Cut a length of string or yarn and tie them together. (I trimmed the ends of my string to make them shorter.)

Step 6: Spread out your butterfly's wings so they stay open. 

I love butterflies because they remind me of new beginnings, fresh starts, and second chances. I love butterflies because they remind me that no matter how crazy, messed up, and hurtful our world is, a day is coming when we will hear God say, 

"Behold, I am making all things new." (Revelation 21:5)

In this we have hope. For this we pray. And because of this we rejoice.

I feel like butterflies keep showing up in my life. From my initials, to the trail, to my classroom crafts... so many butterflies! That's okay, though. They still make me smile...

Cutoff Coaster Reupholstery

I had these coasters lying in a drawer for a while. Just sitting there. Minding their own business. Forgotten in their quiet solitude.

They were leftovers from my first apartment.
They were very inexpensive.
They were quickly overthrown from their reign as the living room coasters when we ordered a set of circuit board coasters.

So the bamboo-and-cork coasters just sat there, unwanted.

Until today...

 

Here's how to make your own cutoff coasters, if you happen to stumble across a coaster set like this lurking deep in one of your kitchen drawers:

 

You will need old coasters, the left over pant leg from a pair of denim cutoff shorts (but any heavy fabric remnant would probably do... plaid flannel, anyone?), a pair of scissors, a sharpie, mod podge, and Q-tips.

Step 1: Remove cork. Peel carefully to try to get a piece as whole as possible. You really only need one whole one to use a stencil.

 

Step 2: Use the whole piece of cork as a stencil and trace the outline of the cork on the leg of the jeans. Then, cut it out.

Step 3: Dry fit the fabric to make sure it isn't too big. (I got a little excited about my first one, skipped this step, and now have one that is a little too big and sticks up on the sides. Rats.) Trim as necessary.

Step 3: Use a Q-tip to apply mod podge to the inset circle on the coaster. I tried to make an even coat of mod podge that went all the way to the edges.

Step 4: Carefully adhere the fabric to the coaster, smoothing out any bubbles or wrinkles that form as you do so. Smooth all over to make sure it sticks evenly and you don't end up coming partially unglued.

Step 5: Repeat until all your coasters are reupholstered. Heh.

It's just a simple, silly little project, but have fun with it. It's a small way to breath life into something that was otherwise forgotten.

O Tannenbaum...

I love Christmas trees.  I could sit and stare at the lights on a Christmas tree for hours, mesmerized by their beauty.  As a child, I used to love sitting in the living room with the room lights off, gazing at the tree and the patterns made on the ceiling from the colored lights.

With Christmas just around the corner, I wanted to write a quick post on inexpensive ways to decorate your Christmas tree...

Here is my tree this year:

I find tree skirts to be extremely expensive.  Last year I bought a 70" diameter round red tablecloth at an after-Christmas sale for about $10.  This year, I folded the tablecloth in half and then draped it around the base of the tree.  I'm really pleased with how it looks, and if I ever decide to change it, I can use the table cloth for something else!

My mother's tree growing up had crocheted snowflake ornaments on it every year that have been in her family for a while.  I like the look, so I wanted to make some for my tree.  I found two different patterns online via Ravelry (love that site) and came up with these.

The ribbon on the tree is left over from my wedding.  The "tree topper" was a pew bow that my mom rescued after the ceremony.

My husband found a set of house numbers in a drawer when he moved to our house in years ago.  I love the shape of these numbers, so I decided to hang them on the tree, too!  Someday, when we live in a different house, we will have something to remember our first home by...

The red wooden bead garland was an after-Christmas special last year, as well.

In an effort to add more hand-made to the tree, I found an origami dove video on YouTube and made six little white doves for the tree.  They look a little bit like they could be mistaken for humming birds... hmm... The peace doves are significant at Christmas time, because we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace.  We can rest in His peace...

I also have mini cookie cutters and real pine cones (wedding leftovers) adorning my tree... These speak to my childhood family Christmas tradition of making sugar cookies and my love for hiking and nature. :) 

Hope you find some ideas here you can use! :)  And Merry Christmas!

Harvest Pumpkin...

I was on the phone with a friend the other day, and she was telling me about a project she was starting where she was going to decoupage book pages onto a black plastic pumpkin she had lying around to make it less dreary.  I really liked that idea, but I hate destroying books, so I came up with a Harvest Pumpkin...

To make your own, you will need: 

• A small fake pumpkin ~ I found this beauty at my local dollar store... supposedly you can carve it, so I'm guessing it's made of some sort of styrofoam.
• Hymn lyrics printed on ivory computer paper ~ I'll give instructions for how to do this very shortly.
• Scissors, Mod Podge (matte finish), and a 1-inch foam brush
• One paper bag ~ This is for keeping your table glue-free as well as for covering the stem.

Step 1: Find lyrics and prep your paper...

Start out by selecting the hymns that are either meaningful to you, or relate to praise or harvest.  I picked:

• "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" by Joachim Neander
• "Sing to the Lord of the Harvest" by John S.B. Monsell
• "For the Beauty of the Earth" by Folliot S. Pierpoint
• "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" by Henry Alford
• "As the Sun Doth Daily Rise" by an unknown author
• "All Creatures of Our God and King" by Francis of Assisi

I then found the lyrics to these songs on Net Hymnal, a great resource for finding old hymns and lyrics, as well as authors and dates the lyrics were written.  

I then copied and pasted the lyrics into a word processing program, formatted them to a font and size I liked and oriented the page in landscape to fit the size of my pumpkin.  I printed them and cut the sheets of paper into strips with approximately 1/2 inch border around the top and sides, leaving the bottom full-length.  (I did not end up using the text I put in the fancy text box, but you could...)

Step 2: Crumple and start gluing!

Once you have cut out your strips of lyrics, crumple them up to make the thick computer paper more flexible.  I ended up crumpling each sheet twice.  

Glue the back of the page and then begin to position it on the pumpkin, starting at the top and smoothing it down the side.  I ended up with some extra paper on the sides and bottom that didn't lay nicely, so I tore off the parts that hung over, and was then careful to cover the parts I tore.  

Once you have positioned all the paper, use the sponge to put a layer of the glue over top of all the paper.  Tip the pumpkin on its side, resting it on the stem to allow it to dry.  (Cover your glue and clean your brush while you wait so it doesn't dry out.) I had to wait a little longer than the drying time described on the bottle, because I put the glue on a bit thick in some places.

Be careful with this step, because the ink has a tendency to smudge when it gets wet.  There are a few places where my fingers smeared the ink a bit while I was holding the pumpkin to glue.

Step 3: Cover the Stem

Once the glue dries, cut a square of paper from your paper bag, large enough that it will meet up with the rest of the paper on the pumpkin when you fold it down over the stem.

Crumple the paper a few times to get it soft and pliable.  Trim notches from the edges to make a jagged edge where the stem meets the pumpkin.

Apply glue to the back of the paper, and form the paper around the stem, crinkling it so it follows the contours of the stem.  Once you are satisfied with its positioning, spread a layer of glue over the top of the stem and allow it to dry.  Clean up and put your feet up. 

When it dries, add your cute little harvest pumpkin to your fall centerpiece, your mantle, or somewhere you can look at it and smile. Enjoy!

Ribbons & Twine

I wasn't happy with my buffet.  It felt disorganized, and I was ready for a change. Tomorrow being the first official day of fall, I thought it might be nice to start making things more autumn.  I love summer, but I love the coziness of fall.

My goal in "decorating" is to try to reuse things I already have as much as possible, to avoid buying a bunch of decorations that have to be boxed up at the end of the season.  I also have a little house, so it doesn't take much for things to look overdone.  I love all things nature and all things simple.

So... I went to the store, and found some pretty copper ribbon and a new glass jar for the nuts my husband has had sitting out since before we were married. (Don't eat them.) The twine came from the garden shed. Combined with some leftover pine cones from our wedding over a year and half ago and a teapot and matching bowl from my Grandmother-in-law, my buffet is starting to look a little more pulled-together.

I just used a little piece of scotch tape to attach the ribbon to the jar, and then folded the other end and taped the other side of the ribbon to itself. I tied the twine around the ribbon to further secure it in place.

I also added a bit of ribbon and twine to the unity candles from my wedding I still use to decorate.  I don't burn candles very often, but they make cute decorations... even when they are not burning. Maybe this post should be called "101 ways to reuse wedding decorations..."

I have a crochet project in the works to go along with this coppery-fall buffet update... but I'll save that for another post.

Happy autumn, everyone!