How to make a doily

The images are pretty self explanatory but here are the steps.

1. Trace a circle using a cup.
2. Use large scalloped scissors to cut around the circle.
3. Use a hole punch to punch a hole in each scallop.
4. Punch another row above and in between the other holes.
5. Erase circle or flip it over.

And done! 

You can use this same technique in a straight line to make a lace strip like I did for the package on the left.

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Salt dough christmas cookie ornaments

I made these gingerbread snowflake cookie ornaments out of salt dough last week. They turned out pretty good. I took photos as I made them so a tutorial is on it's way eventually. As soon a I find some more time. :)  Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!

a paper mache snowman

Just sharing a little paper mache snowman I made. I am working on another snowman and a girl but who knows how long it will take me to finish them. Recently my husband told me that I have been selling all of my sculptures and keeping none for myself, and he is right, so this one's for us.  The sign says "Jolly Lolly" because my son has been walking around the house singing, "Season to be jolly lolly, la la la la la, la la la la".  It's the cutest thing I've ever heard!

Harry Potter birthday party

With Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one coming out, and the fact that my daughter's birthday was three months ago already, I thought it was about time I posted her Harry Potter Hogwarts birthday party. :) 

I set up a table to look like the Honeydukes Sweets Shop with lollipops, marshmallow wands, Snitch petite fours, and Hedwig owl cupcakes. (I know my fellow Harry Potter fans are disappointed because there aren't any licorice wands, like in the books, but we were on vacation; what can I say?)

Of course we decorated with the red and gold colors of my daughter's favorite house. Go! Go! Gryffindor!


My mom made the owl cupcakes based on the those in the adorable book Hello Cupcake. Since we wanted our owls to look like Hedwig we used butter cream frosting and generic vanilla Oreo's instead of the classic Oreo and chocolate frosting used in the book.

We set up my mom's party tents and had different Hogwarts classes underneath each tent.
In Potions class my husband taught the kids how to make slime using borax and glue. Super easy to make, you can find the recipe here.  This ended up being a huge hit with the adults as well and the kids.

In Charms class my sister gave each kid a sparkler and we practiced different incantations and proper wand waving.

For Quidditch class we used pool noodles as brooms. The birthday girl got to be the Seeker and ran around trying to find the Golden Snitch, a little ball that was hidden in the yard. We even had Chasers, Beaters, and Keepers of sorts. We played with a few 3-year-olds who mostly just ran around; the rest of us tried to play as correctly as Muggles can. Confused? Here is how to play.

 (Here is a different version where someone acts as the snitch and runs around trying not to get caught. It looks like a lot of fun).

 My brother-in-law Jon even made us some really yummy home made Butter Beer (a warm butterscotch/ rootbeer type drink). Really, really yummy! Thanks, Jon!

What a fun time we all had. 

Here is a fun little note: While at the grocery store last week my hubby and daughter got free movie tickets!  Seriously! All they did was stare at the Harry Potter display in the store front and the manager came up and offered free movie tickets to the special pre-opening show. He said he could tell that our daughter was a really BIG fan and thought we would appreciate it. And we do! In fact I'd better go and pick up those tickets right now. :)

Tis the season...

...for glittered felt Christmas trees. I love these trees so much. I made them last year and they were very affordable to make. They turned out so pretty and magical I plan on giving you a tutorial soon so stay tuned. :) 

Also, check out these adorable origami boxes my sister Merrilee made using my tutorial. :)

  She made them for Halloween and put pumpkin cream pies inside, yum! (Ooh what if for Christmas you made gingerbread cream pies, or chocolate with pepermint cream and added crushed candy canes yummmm!)

I was checking out my stats and she has sent quite a few readers over to my blog ever since she linked to my origami boxes and I wanted to share the love and send all of you over to her blog; Mer Mag. So head on over and prepare to be inspired by her loveliness!

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origami advent

Hi there today I'm guest posting over at Whatever Dee Dee Want's.  Go there to see my post about the Fall advent calendar I made.

Felt Flower Tutorial

I have had people asking me to post a tutorial for this felt flower brooch for a while, and I finally got around to making one.  This time I made a yellow one & I really like how it turned out.

 This glittered felt flower is not too hard to make. It's a really great idea to give as a gift, and it fits perfectly into an origami box made with 12in x 12in paper. :)  This project turned out to be difficult to photograph, so I drew it for you. 

You need:

•  glue gun
• felt
• one pearl bead
• glitter
• fastener/brooch pin

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Step one 

• Cut 5 of each size of petal, large, medium and small. (Cut 5 extra large petals to make flower more full.)
• Cut one circle
• cut one scalloped piece

 

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Step two

Glitter each petal and the scalloped piece

 

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 Step three

• Cut middle of each petal almost half way up
• Fold and glue one side to the other
• Repeat till all petals are shaped

 

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Step four

• Glue the largest petals to your circle first
• Glue medium  petals on top of large then small etc...

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Step five

•  Roll the scalloped piece and glue to center of flower
• glue pearl into middle of rolled scalped piece

 Finally attach  brooch pin to the back

And you're done!

Any questions? Just leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!
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Lovely

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A great idea

Kathleen Frances over at Grosgrain is embellishing knits everyday this month.

 Hey, that's my recycled rosette cardigan!

What a neat and flattering surprise it was to see my photo in her post. :)  

Click the button below to see my tutorial.

Sounds fun right?! I might have to participate too. :) Transforming cardigans was something of an obsession of mine. You know about the rosette cardigan, and this girls hooded jacket, but somehow I kept most of the others to myself & forgot to post them.  I will for sure be checking Kathleen's blog a lot this month. Keep checking back here for more of my embellished knits. :)