Celebrate the USA Link Party Features

It's been an inspiring Celebrate the USA Link Party  month!  And it's befitting that it's ending just as we're celebrating Independence Day and the Fourth of July. We've truly enjoyed seeing all of the red, white and blue ideas that were shared during this party! So much inspiration! Today, the co-hosts are featuring some of their favorites!

My first favorite feature is actually in two parts from Debbie @ Debbie Dabble Blog: Here and here.
Debbie goes all out with her patriotic spirit!  She decorates her entire home for the Patriotic Summer Holidays.  You can't Celebrate the USA any more than this! Wow!  Please visit both of her patriotic posts and be inspired.  It's truly amazing!

Next, I love how Stephanie of Abbotts At Home shows us how to make a quick and simple Patriotic Utensil Caddy using small power tools - something I have never mastered!  It's an awesome, handy creation that can be used throughout the summer! Stop by and check out her wonderful, easy to follow tutorial!

And then I chose Sue @Super Mom - No Cape, who shared her Patriotic Prairie Point Star Ornaments!  I love handcrafted ornaments and these are absolutely stunning!  Sue offers a detailed tutorial here, so please stop by and check it out.  And the best part, you will be making them for any themed occasion once you know how!

And finally, for my last feature, we'll end with a yummy looking dessert! It's an amazing, decorated Stars & Stripes Cake by Gloria @Across the Boulevard!  Would you believe she was a teenager when she created this? What skills!!! For all of the details on this cake, be sure to stop by her blog that she shares with her mother, Beverly - one of our co-hosts! 

Thanks again to everyone who linked up! You all rock with creativity!

Please visit all of the co-hosts to see their favorites too!

Across the Boulevard
My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies
Two Chicks and a Mom 
Stone Cottage Adventures
Dazzle While Frazzled
Sew Crafty Crochet
Purple Hues and Me 

Christmas in July 2017

It's Christmas in July!  We're so excited to join with a group of our blogging friends to co-host this month long link party! It's never too early to begin thinking about Christmas and planning ahead for décor ideas, activities, recipes, gift ideas, and so much more!  It's one way to beat the holiday rush!  We'd love to have you add your ideas and projects to our Christmas in July Link Party.

Decorative No-Sew Santa Basket

Hey, did you know July 1st is the start of Christmas in July??  How cool, I mean how hot is that! Lol!  This is such a fun time of year where you get a head start on Christmas holiday crafting and actually enjoy creating something lovely without that rushed feeling! Yay!!!!  So, I'm sharing with you how to make an adorable No-Sew Santa Basket that's great for holding all things Christmas! And you know we all need something like this around the house during the holidays!

Let's begin by gathering the materials: 

Wicker basket

Felt, trim

Scissors

Fabri-tac glue
Hot glue

Poly-Fil 

Google eyes, pom pom
Clamps

Santa Face Templates

Next,

• Copy and paste templates, enlarging to full page in Word.

• Then, cut out all the pieces required in felt. Beginning with Santa's Beard pattern, run fabric glue along the edge, leaving an opening and pressing together both pieces, applying extra pressure around the edges. Let dry.

• Lightly stuff with poly-fil and add fabric glue to open edges and close.  Clamp edges to seal and let dry.

• Add glue around edges of Santa's Face and apply to center of beard.  I also tried another type of fabric glue - Liquid Stitch, but I like Fabri-Tac the best.

• Continue gluing the pieces of the face together - the moustache .  .  .

letting it dry and then lightly stuff. 

Next,  glue moustache pieces together onto face.

The nose next .  .  .

and eyes!

• For the hat, glue on the cuff trim to the hat form, let dry, and then add glue to the edges, leaving an opening on the bottom cuff edge.
• Add the back hat piece, matching edges and pressing together.  Once dry, lightly stuff and insert santa head into opening of hat. Seal with glue. Add pom pom to hat tail. (not shown)

• For the arms, measure half around basket for the length - in this case, 16 inches.  Cut felt five inches wide and 16 inches long. 
• Fold over, right sides together.  Apply glue to long edge, sealing together, let dry, and turn inside out.  Lightly stuff length.
• Glue edges of Santa's Mittens, leaving an opening, light stuff and glue open edges close.   Insert mittens into ends of arms, gluing edges of arms and pressing together.

Clamp ends together to dry.

Hot glue arm with mittens onto basket.

Glue head onto center of basket and arms.

(Back)

• Add fabric glue around edges of Santa's Boots, leaving opening and lightly stuff. Close open edges with glue and let dry.  Hot glue boots onto front of basket at edge.

What a fun Christmas in July DIY craft project!

I hope you enjoyed this easy to follow tutorial!  I'm part of a group of talented ladies who have put together a Christmas in July Link Party featuring Christmas ideas. Please visit each and everyone for their awesome Christmas creations and don't forget to link up your favorite Christmas projects, too!

Across the Boulevard

Purple Hues and Me

My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies

Olives & Okra

Sew Crafty Crochet

Stone Cottage Adventures

Two Chicks and a Mom


Happy Christmas in July Crafting!

Add a Whimsical Decorative Touch To Your Garden

Add a whimsical decorative touch to your garden by recycling a rubber door mat and cutting a lizard image out of it .  .  . and then cover in stones.  It's a super easy project that anyone can do, super cheap! 

I'm always seeing small lizards in my garden. They are quite helpful in the garden in more ways than one.    They are very beneficial in eating insects and pests that would normally feast on your flowers and plants. And sometimes they are quite amusing to watch - especially when changing colors to match the background while scampering along. I've even named a few since they always seem to be around when I'm in the garden! 

To make, you will need: 

2 bags of stones - Dollar Tree

Thin rubber mat - thrift store/Five Below

Waterproof clear silicone adhesive

Craft/utility scissors

Lizard image/paper/tape/marker

Let's begin by getting an image of a lizard.  I can't draw very well so I found a free lizard image online by googling. Then I went to a wonderful website that enlarges images called BlockPosters.com and was able to print out an image 27 inches long. 

This lizard image produced four print pages which I taped together and then cut out.

Next,  trace the image on a thin outdoor rubber mat. I was lucky to find one at a thrift store for three dollars, but Five Below also sells them for $5.

Then, fill in any missing lines and  .  .  .

cut out using craft or utility scissors.

Begin gluing on stones using a waterproof outdoor silicone adhesive. I started with the feet first, trying to find black, somewhat round stones for the toes or claws.

Then the tail,

and trunk .  .  .

almost like putting a puzzle together!

The stones have a natural beauty  - ideal for any garden project!

And colorful flowers are the perfect surroundings for this whimsical craft offering a decorative touch to your garden!

An Ode to the Lizard: "On a stone you are a stone with two small, ancient eyes -- eyes of the stone." - Neruda

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy -

Happy Crafting!

Create a Patriotic Korker Bow Turban Twist Headband

Hi everyone!  I'm over on Bowdabrablog today showing you how to create a fun, super easy patriotic korker bow on a matching no-sew t-shirt turban twist headband. Whew! Hope that wasn't too much in one gulp, lol!!!!!

Everyone loves dressing up for a holiday celebration and this is the perfect hair accessory for kids or grown-ups alike to compliment their patriotic outfits. It's a turban style, red, white and blue headband topped with an adorable korker bow that's super cute to wear to any patriotic celebration, including Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Flag Day and even throughout the summer! 

So stop on by Bowdabrablog, where I'm on the design team and check out my easy to follow tutorial.  Why not give it a try and show off your patriotic spirit by making this adorable korker bow turban twist no-sew t-shirt headband! 

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy -

Happy Crafting!

Dollar Store Crafts - Monthly Challenge Blog Hop

Welcome! 

It's that time again for our Monthly Challenge Blog Hop!

On the 2nd Monday of each month, a group of talented bloggers share their themed creations for the month, be it Upcycling, family Recipes or Dollar Store Crafts.  This month, it's Dollar Store Crafts, new or old! Everyone loves dollar store crafts so I'm really excited about this one!

It's amazing what can be created with items from the dollar store! Can you imagine making adorable centerpieces of handcrafted foam flowers with crystal-like centers in large salt shaker vases filled with pebbles?

Yes, I can and let me show you how you can, too! 
Gather the following from the Dollar Tree:

• Large Salt Shakers - 5"
• Foam Sheets - assorted colors
• Seed Beads
• Bag of Pebbles
• Hot Glue Sticks
  

You will also need:

• Floral Wire - 18 gauge
• Glue Gun
• 2" Scallop Circle Puncher or create your own circles by hand
• Scissors
• Smooth Hot Plate or Iron 
• Packing foam or bouncy/soft surface
• Wooden spoon round handle tip

1. Begin by punching out lots of scallop circles from the foam sheets. If you don't have a puncher, just make a two inch circle pattern with scallop edges. You can count the holes in the shaker tops to see how many you might need.
2. Then make slits in the circles every two scallop edges, stopping just before center.
3. Lay the foam circle on a heated plate or iron for a few seconds and

let the edges curl.

4.  Remove and lay on top of foam, pressing tip of handle down in center of circle, twisting to form flower shapes. Repeat to make more.

5.  Next, cut floral wire into 4 and 6 inch lengths.

6. Then, add hot glue to the tip of the wire, swirling the wire around so the glue won't fall off.

7.  Dip the glue tip into the seed beads, swirling it around. You can use your fingers to shape the beads around the wire while it's still in with all the beads to help with not touching the hot glue and getting burn.
*Keep a cup of ice water nearby for touching the hot glue.

8.  Remove and cautiously use your fingers to shape the beads round and let cool.  

9.  Insert opposite wire end into center of foam flower shape, pushing it toward the seed beads.

10.  Add a dab of glue to bottom of beads and press foam flower shape together to form an adorable handcrafted flower.

Love how the seed beads look crystal-like! 

11.  Fill the salt shaker containers with pebbles and screw on tops.

12.  Insert handcrafted foam flowers into top holes, curving the wires and arranging at different heights.

Then stand back and admire your lovely creations!

Be sure to visit all of the ladies' blogs for their awesome Dollar Store Crafts:

Beverly@Across the Boulevard 

 Marci @Stone Cottage Adventures  

 Laurie @My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies
Mary@The Boondocks Blog

Gail@Purple Hues and Me

Thanks for stopping by and we hope you've been inspired to make your own Dollar Store project!