Stash Busting/Craft it Forward Giveaway – Today's the Day

Don’t forget it not too late to sign-up for a chance to get a free handmade item(or items) from my “stash”.    This is a fun way to help bust your craft project stash and share the results with your fellow crafty types! 

I’ll let random.org select the 5 winners TODAY at 5pm EST…and currently there are only 3 people interested (which makes me a bit sad) but that also means your odds of winning are outstanding! 😉

To enter visit this post and leave a comment!!

DIY: Sweet Race Car Onesie

I have this “thing” where I feel like I need to make a little something for each and every baby/bridal shower I attend.  It’s a compulsion of sorts and often I stress myself out coming up with the perfect little handmade treat to go with the gift purchased off the registry.  With 4 people around me having babies and a few weddings thrown in you can see where I might have my hands full.  However, the gift below was not only the easiest to construct and economical, it was also the easiest to come up with.

You see my friend’s husband drives a race car in one of the local circuits.  He already has big dreams of his sweet little girl being the next female racing star, so it just stood to reason that she would need the proper attire even at her young age to support her favorite race team!  Granted here in the south there is a huge supply of NASCAR baby racing gear so I could have bought something commercially, but I thought she needed something a little more “sugar & spice” to mix with “my daddy rocks”.

Materials Needed:

  • Cotton Onesie
  • Fabric for car & numbers (non-raveling since there will be exposed edges)
  • Matching embroidery thread
  • 2 Large Buttons
  • Heat Tape

Supplies Needed:

  • Needle
  • Scissors
  • Template
  • Pencil or Pen
  • Iron

Instructions (text below pictorial):

  1. Remove all stickers and tags from onesie and press flat with iron.
  2. Print out your race car and number templates.  (I used a stock image from MS Clip Art and re-sized it to fit a smaller onesie)
  3. Cut out your race car shape.
  4. Trace template outline onto backside of fabric (I used a regular pen, however a fabric marking pen/pencil would be a better option).
  5. Use scissors to cut out along traced guidelines
  6. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5  to create race car numbers
  7. Using embroidery thread  sew the numbers to the car.  I used a straight embroidery stitch and stitched down the center of each number.  You could also do this step with your sewing machine if you prefer.
  8. To help hold the car in place while you stitch place one small piece of Heat Tape down the center of the car and press onto the onesie.
  9. Now that the car is stead place the steering wheel under the edge of the car fabric and using the same method as in Step 7 sew it to the onesie.
  10. Switching embroidery thread to match the body of the car, use a blanket or edge stitch and sew along the car’s edge, attaching it to the onesie.
  11. Attach your button wheels to the car also with embroidery thread, careful to tie off all knots/etc. under the buttons or car to keep “itchy stitches” away from baby.

Cost Breakdown:

  • Onesie – Garanimals brand from Wal-Mart – $3.81
  • Embroidery Floss – Had on Hand from multipack purchase 2+ years ago
  • Pink  Felt – $0.26
  • White Felt – Had on Hand
  • Buttons – 4 Pack from Dollar Tree/used 2 – $0.53
  • Heat Tape – Had on Hand
  • Grand Total:  $4.60

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Safety Note:   Make sure all buttons are sewn on securely.  Due to buttons, do not leave your baby unattended while wearing this garment.

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What about you…anyone else have my same “I must make them something compulsions”?  And if so, please share some of your favorite DIY baby gifts…

A Different Kind of Giveaway – Stash Busting

Update as of 4/18/2010: Since I still haven’t heard from a couple of the winners…I’m opening comments back-up for potential new winners. If you are interested in Crafting it Forward with me just leave a comment and if I haven’t heard from the original winners by Thursday, April 22nd at 5pm EST I’ll draw for new winners!  Come on, comment…you know you want an excuse to making something fun for a new friend!!

In honor of the upcoming Earth Day & as one way I’m participating in the April Stash Bust…it’s time to craft it forward! What is craft it forward you might wonder?  I’ll give you a quick little back story and then fill you in on how you can be the next to carry the crafty torch and stash bust in the process. 🙂

Back in February Amy from The Nifty Newlywed announced she had been selected to participate in a “handmade giveaway” of sorts from Jenna of  ThatWife.  She would select 5 people to send a free hand crafted gift and in exchange they would also craft things to share with 5  people to keep the endeavor going.   I thought it was a fun idea, and left a comment.  The random.org powers were in my favor, and now it’s my turn to carry the torch forward.  So, currently the chain looks something like this: Anne –> Julie –> Jenna –> Amy –> Me       Confused yet?

Let’s see if I can make this easy…I’m going to send 5 people something handmade for free! But here is the catch, the lucky 5 will need to keep this fun little endeavor going.  If you are anything like me you already love making things but often feel guilty if they are all for you…so here is your chance to express your crafty nature and share it!  I think it’s a pretty fun concept! PLUS it also gives you an incentive to use part of your craft stash and share it with others!  That’s a double win!

Here’s how it works:

  • I’ll be randomly picking 5 comments on this post to get a Craft It Forward package from me which will include your handmade item and perhaps some corresponding goodies.  It’s a surprise after all!
  • If you are selected, you should Craft It Forward to 5 other people as well. It is a chain after all  and while I won’t bug you about it later I do think it’s a fun idea to share the crafty goodness around 🙂
  • Winners will get their goodies before June 1st
  • You can select your 5 people any way you want, and the winners don’t have to wait until June 1st to start Crafting it Forward.
  • I dabble in many types of crafts, most of which I never get around to blogging about. You could get anything from an apron, personalized stationary, a tote, cute shirts for kiddos, or something else from the list of things I want to make but haven’t yet.  While it’s up to me what I make, I will ask the winners a little about themselves to get a better idea of what might be awesome to send them!  You can even make a request but what you ultimately receive is a big surprise!
  • I am by NO means a professional, so I make no guarantees that you will like what I make but I will do my absolute best.

Want to join this chain-gang and Craft it Forward?

No jumping through hoops necessary… just leave a comment. Simple as that!

This contest ends next Thursday (April 8th) at 5:00 PM EST and I’ll announce the next wave of the Craft it Forward chain on Friday, April 9th!  So, what are you waiting for…leave a comment and start planning what you might make to share!  Click here to visit Dollar Store Crafts if you would like to learn more about the April Stash Bust

DIY: Weekend Teaser

We had a busy but relaxing Saturday and then today I’ve been busy, busy working on…well work!  Which means I still have a few finishing touches to  a couple tutorials but thought I’d give you a little sneak peek of what’s coming down the pipe for later this week and in the weeks to come.

  1. I’m excited to be hosting my first give-away of sorts! A few weeks back I was selected to participate in “Craft it Forward” over at the Nifty Newlywed.  So I’m excited to continue the craft-it-forward movement with 5 other fun crafters!  Look for more information mid-week and start thinking about what you could make & share with 5 people if you are chosen!
  2. Cupcake Toppers! There are quite a few templates out there for cupcake toppers, but I’ll share my easy way to make last minute toppers with dollar store supplies & a craft tool or two (or even things you have at home).
  3. Baby Shower Gifts: With 4 baby showers in 2 months, I’ve been hard at work on a few handmade gifts.  The first shower was last week so that means I can finally start revealing a few of the goodies.
  4. Craft Room/Office ReLocation/ReModel 2010: We are in the packing portion of the process of switching out our guest bedroom and my office/craft room so that I get the bigger room with more light!  I’m super excited and the guest bedroom isn’t getting the bad end of this deal since the new guest bedroom is getting a makeover as well.  Out with the ugly dark blue industrial carpet and in with some plush and relaxing (and easier to clean).  So I’ll be asking for lots of suggestions along the way…for example how can I best organize all my crafting supplies and still maintain a clean look?
  5. And finally…wedding projects! I’m determined to write up tutorials on several of our DIY wedding projects …and also determined to do that before our 1st Anniversary!  So be on the lookout for quarter-page bi-fold programs,  activity book programs & crayons for the kiddos, rehearsal dinner menus, jam escort cards, and photo thank you cards.  That’s quite a few tutorials to write up…

What about you…what did you do this weekend?  And do you have a growing “to-do” list you want to finish before summer?

DIY: Easter Napkin Wraps – Religious Themed

I have a friend putting together a ladies pre-Easter brunch at her church who asked me if I could put together a couple of reusable religious themed wraps.  So using MSClipArt (I’m being lazy since I’m so swamped at work) I whipped up several options that could be used not only at Easter but for other events later in the year.

Let’s start out with a pastel cross theme:


Download Template:  Pastel Cross Napkin Template

And then my friend requested a black & white option with a bible theme:

Download Religious theme template: Black & White Bible Napkin Template

All templates above use Monterey BT font which is free to download from SoFontes (see link on templates page).  New to Napkin Wraps?  No worries, visit this post for step-by-step instructions on how to use my napkin wrap templates!

DIY: Pink Lily Napkin Wraps

Yesterday a reader sent me an email asking for a template featuring an Easter Lily, and since I am always so excited to hear from someone who reads my little blog I couldn’t turn her down.  So, Becky…this one is for you and thanks so much for your kind words!


To Download Template:  Pink Lily Napkin Wrap Template

All templates above use Monterrey BT font which is free to download from SoFontes(see link on templates page).  New to Napkin Wraps?  No worries, visit this post for step-by-step instructions on how to use my napkin wrap templates!

It’s true what they say about comments being the crack for bloggers…so what say you?  Any suggestions for future templates that you’d love to see?

DIY: Easter Napkin Wraps – Part II

Today we have Easter baskets & banners, as well as a new idea for how to use the napkin wraps.  Lets start out with a cute Easter basket wrap:

To download: Easter Basket Napkin Template

Next up, a cute Easter banner template that can be used as either a standard napkin wrap, OR just cut and lay it across your place-settings as a quick & simple name card.  These would also but cute if cut on the ends to duplicate the banner shape (I just thought of that as I was posting the photos).



Download: Easter Banner Napkin template

All templates use Monterey BT font which is free to download from a link on the templates page.  New to Napkin Wraps?  No worries, visit this post for step-by-step instructions on how to use my napkin wrap templates!

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In other news, we started the great craft room/office/spare bedroom relocation process.  It will be amazing to have a much brighter, larger space to use for my crafty fun and office but I dread the process since it involves painting and new flooring.  Any suggestions on how to organize all my craft supplies once I’m able to unpack them?

DIY: Easter Napkin Wraps – Part I

I realized this week that Easter is just around the corner.  It seems that this year is just speeding by and I’m left wondering where did the first quarter of 2010 go?  Sadly, the job that pays the bills has been demanding most of my nightly internet time and I missed St. Patrick’s Day completely…but I am determined to whip together a few last-minute Easter decorations this week.  Starting with napkin wraps!

This post is about more casual napkin wraps, with bunnies.  Up next will be a post with Easter baskets & banners.  Later this week I’ll post a few more religious themed wraps I put together for a friend to use at a church event.  It going to be a Napkin Wrap fest this week in the Smurfy household 🙂

Let’s kick this off with the cutest little brown bunny.  He’s so cute I want to hug him 😉


Download template: Brown Bunny Napkin Wrap Template

And a more vintage looking bunny:

Download: Vintage Bunny Wrap Template

A finally, a parade of bunnies!

Download: Bunny Parade Wrap Template

All templates use the Monterey BT font which is free to download from Sofontes (see link on templates page).  New to Napkin Wraps?  No worries, visit this post for step-by-step instructions on how to use my napkin wrap templates!

DIY: Large Matchbox Candy Boxes

Yesterday I showed off a few of the candy box Valentines I handed out this year.  I think they turned out far better than I expected and I have a few ideas up my sleeve for ways to use them in the future.  Today…I’ll go through how to make your own!  Warning:  this is a photo heavy post because I think it makes it a bit easier to follow along with the process.

Tools Needed:

  • Cutting Device of Choice (Scissors work great, and I used a cutting board and craft knife)
  • Ruler
  • Bone Folder or Scoring Pad (I used my new Martha Scoring board look for a review coming soon).

Supplies Needed:

Instructions:
Creating the Box Bottom (instructions below photo)

  1. Print out the template for the box bottom and cut it out with scissors.  If you plan to make several boxes it might be easier to go ahead and trace the template on a sheet of stencil plastic before cutting it out so you have a sturdier template.
  2. Lay the box bottom template down on the long edge of your sheet of paper and align it to the left or right edge to decrease the number of cuts you’ll make later.
  3. Cut out your box bottom along the blue lines on the template (this will be the outside edges and then an extra inside cut on each side to create the side flaps.
  4. Now it’s time to score the sides.  Using your template’s green lines faintly mark the lines to be scored on the inside of your box bottom.
  5. Carefully score the box from the inside (this only matters if your paper is different on the flip side) using a bone folder or scoring board.  I typically use a ScorPal, but picked up the new Martha one at Michael’s recently and decided to give it a spin).
  6. Now it’s time to fold! Turn your box so that it is laying horizontally on your table, and start by folding the left and ride sides down.  Feel free to add a piece of double-sided tape inside the center of the fold if you want to make the box a bit more sturdy.
  7. Now on the same pieces fold the sides to create the flaps (these will be created by the internal cuts you made earlier).
  8. Fold the outside edge of both horizontal sides of the box toward the center (do not tape).  Repeat by folding it over again towards the center (again not taping).
  9. Open up the folds, and place a piece of double-sided tape on the inside of the outside fold, and make sure that the side flaps are “down”.  The left and right sides of the box should form a bracket shape on both sides.
  10. Carefully fold the horizontal side of the box flap over the flaps and press down on the inside of the box to seal the tape.
  11. Repeat for other side of the box… and you are finished with the box bottom!

Creating the Box Top (instructions below photo):

  1. This is the easy part, no template required (but feel free to make one if it makes it easier on you)!  Take out the sheet of paper leftover from cutting out the box bottom.
  2. Using the 8.5 inch edge you didn’t cut from before measure up 4 3/8 inches and cut straight across creating a rectangle that is 4 3/8 inches by 8.5 inches.
  3. Lay the paper out horizontally and again using your ruler & scoring tool score the rectangle from top to bottom vertically in the following increments (from left to right).  This is where the Martha score board was a wonderful addition, I didn’t have to mark out the scores since the ruler is built right in!  Note:  All measurements are in inches and measured from left to right from the edge of the page.
    1. 2 inches
    2. 2 3/4 inches
    3. 5 3/4 inches
    4. 6 1/2 inches
  4. Carefully fold all scores upwards toward the center of the page.
  5. Insert the box bottom with the open side down
  6. Carefully fold top around the bottom and secure with a piece of double-sided tape.
  7. You now have a box perfectly sized to hold 8 Hershey’s Nuggets (or a gift card perhaps).

(Click here to see more Valentines Boxes)

Now…how will YOU decorate your candy box?

Weddingbee Valentines Swap 2010

Last year the day before Valentines I saw this adorable template for making a larger matchbox style paper box with matching candy wrappers to fill up the inside with.  I quickly downloaded it, printed it out…and hit a roadblock.  No matter what I did with the settings it was either too small or too large and I deleted it and gave up.  (sidebar:  I honestly don’t remember where I found it last year since I didn’t save it and I’m also quite positive the problems were with our old printer).  So this year I wanted to do something similar to send my swap partners for the WB Valentine’s Swap…so I sat down with some scrap paper, a ruler, and a pencil.  It took an hour or so…but I ended up with a box template that would hold 8 Hershey’s nuggets.  

I went to work decorating the boxes and their chocolate cargo…and I think they turned out quite cute!  Each includes a Shrinkey Dink magnet on the front with a familiar little bee for them to keep to remember their fun ‘bee times with for years to come.  I hope they like them half as much as I enjoyed making them! 🙂

PS.  I’ll be posting the templates & instructions for how to make your own matchbox style boxes later tonight 🙂