Tutorial : How to make a window in your origami box

Remember when I figured out how to cut a hole in the top of my origami boxes? Ever since then I have been wanting to make a video. Well I finally did!

I have a tripod now so the video isn't as wobbly as my other video so thats nice. I don't teach how to make the box itself in this video so to learn how to make the box go here. I made some as gift boxes for Christmas presents for my nieces. I put little recycled Rosette hair clips inside them. It was because of the window that they turned out so adorable I think! I am so excited to share this with you all! Lets get onto the video!

{I link up in these link parties}

Tutorial : Candy filled valentine doily

I have had this idea in my head for a long time now and I am so excited to share it with you!  Seriously, can you get any cuter than valentine doilies laced up and filled with candy? Adding a heart window flap just magnifies the cuteness!  Plus the lacing part is super easy and fun for kids to do.

 

Materials

• red card stock
• hole punch
• large scallop scissors
• yarn
• candy
• cellophane (or recycled plastic bag)
• x-acto knife
• tape

1.  The first thing you need to do is make two doilies. (See my doily tutorial here... Also, instead of punching two rows of holes I only did one).

2.  Next you need to cut a little heart window out of one of the doilies. I made a heart template and traced it in the middle. following the tracing lines, I cut only half the heart with an x-acto knife. (This part is not intended for kids.). Then I folded it over to make a cute little flap that finishes the other half of the heart shape. (Remember to erase any pencil marks when finished.)

 

3.  Now you need to put plastic in the window. (You can use cellophane but I just cut out a piece of plastic from an old bag I had on hand.) Tape the plastic to the back of the doily to cover the hole.

4.  Grab some yarn, lace it up three fourths of the way, and fill with candy. Finish lacing and tie a pretty bow at the top.

Ta-da you're done!
Enjoy your sweet little valentines!

{I am linking up at these link parties}

Crafting with Delia from Delia Creates : Valentine chocolate box

On Tuesday I got together with Delia from Delia Creates and did valentine crafts! We first met through blogging. I found her blog about a year ago and after recognizing a location in her photos I learned she lived in Logan too! We exchanged emails and I eventually invited her to my Halloween party. It was really fun finally meeting her in person. This is only the third time we have gotten together (If you count her coming over to pick up a dish she left at my house).  :)  I am sometimes intimidated by her complete and total awesomeness! Not because she herself is intimidating, quite the contrary, she is so nice, sweet, and sincere!  She is super creative and fun to be around! :) Thanks Delia for a really fun afternoon! :)

When I arrived at Delia's house she invited me in and on the table was a lovely collection of lace and fabric all ready for us to use.  The photo above is actually of some lace at my house because I was not thinking and forgot to bring my camera. :(  It was so fun looking around her house and seeing a few of her lovely creations in person.
Like her neat magnetic Family Home Evening board.   Such a fun way to organize family night.

....and her vintage book paper wreath!  It looks so pretty hanging in her living room. I want one too now!

For our craft Delia showed us how to re-cover chocolate boxes with fabric. We then embellished them with lace and other findings. I brought my youngest and oldest with me. My baby played blocks on the floor (sometimes) and my daughter decorated her own box, check it out here,  When she finished her own we finished mine together. We decided to give it to dad. He loved that.
Here's how ours turned out.
 
Delia's boxes turned out so lovely. One had red lace on top of pink fabric, another had purple fabric and ruffled lace. I wish I had brought my camera!
Delia, I'll have to have you over to my house soon, and maybe I could bake us a treat! Ooh ooh what if we have craft night every month, and maybe invite a few friends? Wouldn't that be fun?! Just an idea.
Thanks again Delia for having us! We had so much fun!

vintage crochet and knitting patterns

 A while back I bought some vintage craft books and have been swooning over all the knitting and crochet projects.  I love that even though these are dated they are still in style.

The yellow little boy sweater is my most favorite. I love that anchor! I love the boots too! :)  And don't you adore the little boy in blue with the gingham shirt collar? I love gingham right now!

Isn't this top so pretty? I love the lacy look and the belt too! This is a complicated pattern and I am not to this level but I still wanted to share it with you.

This red jacket is something I want to make for my husband. He would love this.  If i am secretive enough I can make it for him for Christmas. :)

I love this scarf it is so full and soft looking.  It's all garter stitch too, super easy!

Hope you enjoyed looking into the past for inspiration with me. :)

Gift: handmade nutcracker

My 4 year old son loves nutcrackers.  He became obsessed last Christmas when my daughter rented the ballet at the library.  He would ask us to paint a mustache on his face and red dots on his cheeks. Then he would put a stick in the back of his shirt and when he moved it up and down He would open and shut his mouth. He would buy cheap little nutcrackers but would eventually break them. When contemplating what to make him for Christmas I kept going back to a hand-painted wooden nutcracker, but that was quickly followed with the realization that he is still too young and it's just a matter of time before it too will get broken.  Then when I was at DI and found a plush nutcracker I knew that fabric was the way to go. I sewed and sewed into the wee hours of the morning working on this guy.

So with out further adieu here is the plush nutcracker I made.

I hand sewed most of his face except the teeth, which are hot glued. The X on his chest, and the feather on his hat are also hand stitched. He is machine sewed pretty much everywhere else. 

His arms are button jointed, and his hands, feet and bum are all weighted with rice.  The body is a cylinder and his legs are sewn into the seam so because of the rice he sits up on his own! :)

He is so cute and My son LOVES him! :)

skinny jeans or " jeggings "

New Years resolution #1

Make more clothes for myself . 

I was talking to a friend Sunday and found out we both had resolutions to spend less time looking at sewing blogs and more time actually sewing!

So I made some old jeans into skinny jeans the other day. The result is super tight jeans that, "make me lose about 20 lbs" -says my husband. Awesome right?! I love them!

To make them I did the same basic idea as this tutorial.

Valentine salt dough cookies

I thought it would be fun to re-share the salt dough cookies I made last year. They are so festive and pretty! These are really easy to make, just use the same recipe as the snowflake cookies, but omit the food coloring so they look like sugar cookies! I also didn't add glitter to some of them and I like how they turned out. What do you think?. I glued ribbon loops to the back of some and gave them as a gift to my friend to put on her valentine tree. She loved it. :)

I tried some new techniques when I made the cookie below.  First I painted a red heart with craft paint. Then I decorated on top of the red paint with white puff paint and glittered the wet puff paint. It ended up looking awesome!

 

 I have them hanging on my Valentines tree and they look really cute! 

(P.S. The glitter cupid cost me 25 cents at an after Christmas sale! I also got my pink ball ornaments after Christmas at Walmart. A box of 25 ornaments for $3, you can't beat that!)

These look so pretty all packaged up in a pink origami box made from 12x12 pieces of card stock.

If you haven't tried to make these yet go and try it. They are so fun and addictive!

If you don't have mountains of 12x12 scrapbook paper you can cut two 12x12 pieces out of any paper grocery bag. :)  Like the one pictured below. This is a very cost effective and earth friendly form of packaging. :)

You might have noticed that these boxes have shallow lids. I usually make lids that totally cover the bottom box. It was kind of hard to figure out.  Once I have it simplified I'll give a tutorial on that. :)