Seeing Red

I am trying my hand at my first Bundt cake although, actually, it's a generic "fluted pan" from Wilton so technically it's not a "Bundt."

I used a red velvet cake mix from Duncan Hines. Here's how it looked coming out of the oven:



Then flipped onto the cake stand,.. PHEW, it's all in one piece!!



With the glaze drizzled over the top.



And I couldn't leave well enough alone so I added some chopped pecans for a little Southern flair!



Drooooool....



Now I'm VERY curious as to how it will taste....will let you know!

Shop for Emily

A sampling of the items in my Etsy shop that benefit Emily through Hope for God's Children.

Read more from my previous post here

Decorative file folders



Bookmarks





Fabric flowers







NOW GO SHOPPING!

Helping Emily {and seeing rainbows}

I found out about Emily Schmidt through Polka Dot Mom.

"Hope For God's Children" is sponsoring a fundraiser for her family NOW through March 4. Just GO SHOPPING on Ebay (using search "HGC Emily") or on Etsy (using search "HGC" or Emily").

You'll see a lot of blue flowers and rainbows...read the blurb from her mom under the above rainbow to find out why.

I listed this blue flower brooch with $2 going toward HGC....



...and within an hour, saw THIS double rainbow right in front of my home. It was the first rainbow BOTH of my sons had ever seen! From my driveway, this was to the left...



...and this was to the right. Isn't that amazing???



Go to my Etsy shop and search "Emily" for the eligible items or check out this post.

You can read more about Emily on her web site
here

Now go do a good deed to help a special family and get t'shoppin'!!

Organizing paperwork with clipboards

I loved this idea from my recent "Parents" magazine. To corral every one's paperwork, use decorative clipboards! They adhered paper to fit then added chipboard letters to spell each name. You can attach invitation, receipts, reminders, etc.



Here's the one I made for me, using a junky old clipboard I had sitting around. I also attached a pen and hung it next to our family calendar.





Drew's will be next {but more manly, of course}!

Push my buttons

I just didn't have enough crafty stuff to do so I decided to start making fabric-covered buttons to go on my fabric flowers.

Not only are they fun to make but I think they are the perfect finishing touch to these "frayed flowers!"





In case you're wondering, I got the button-making supplies on Etsy from

Cutie Stuffs, size 36.

Seeing Red

Red, red, red, red!!!

I added this "RED HOT" flower to my Etsy shop. I think it's perfect for Valentine's Day, although I think red and black are chic year-round.



I love how it dresses up even a simple denim jacket.



I liked it to much that I whipped these beauties up while I watched "The Bachelor" at my sister-in-law's house, while little hands weren't grabbing for my scissors. I tried doing several combinations of silver and red and added in some sparkly tulle, which I looove.



Knowing not everyone is into sparkle and glamor as much as I am, I did some red and white "frayed flowers" as well. I love the stripes and polka dots!



Are you wearing anything fun for Valentine's Day??

Show 'n Tell: Fabric Flowers

I've been having a blast experimenting with several versions of fabric flowers.

They're so versatile!

Use them:
As a brooch to jazz up a suit, sweater, jacket or jeans and a T-shirt
On a choker or bracelet
To attach to a purse, tote bag or evening bag
As a headband
As a hair clip
To adorn a gift

You'd like to get some tips and links?? So glad you asked!

Fabric Flower #1:

This one requires a tiny amount of simple sewing. I love the fluttery effect! You can mix fabrics, too. It requires cutting out two big flowers and four little ones, arranging them and stitching them together, then attaching a button in the middle to cover your stitches.

This tutorial was from
Wise Crafts

I whipped this up from fabric I had sitting around and, for a first attempt, it turned out well!



I thought it'd be cute in pink and white polka dots. Yes ma'am, it is!



Here it is, using six different Amy Butler fabrics. I like this effect, too!



You can have a lot of fun combining different fabrics! I'd like to try linen for the bottom two layers and a thin, filmy cotton for the top.

The green and white polka dotted version will be perfect for St. Patrick's Day--and it kinda looks like clovers!



TIPS:

1. Folding the top four flowers just slightly less than perfectly in half gives the fiished product a little more visual "texture."
2. Make sure all layers are secure before attaching the button.
3. Ball it up in your hand and scruntch it really well to give it a more "ruffled" look.
4. You could add more layers to the top, under the button, like a felt flower or even ribbon.
5. Check out the Flickr group she links to see more examples.

Fabric Flower #2:

This one requires more sewing, but it's equally simple. Here, you cut a strip of fabric (great for any long pieces of scrap fabric you may have laying around), make a running stitch along the whole thing then pull it like a drawstring, stitch it together and attach a button. It's a very cute look!!

She's calling it a "Frayed Flower."

The tutorial comes from
Maize in Montana

I only made one and it was only about 30" long instead of the 40" she recommends. I got impatient! :) I used my polka dot fabric for practice!



TIPS:

1. My only tip is to go with the 40" she recommands for a fuller flower.

Fabric Flower #3:

I call it the "Ragamuffin Flower." The tutorial comes from

Nest Decorating

I've had fun with these and have attached them to customizable cards for my shop. I'd be delighted to receive one of these!

Amy Butler fabric and paper. Listed HERE



More Amy Butler fabric. I love these colors! Listed HERE



Flowers and polka dots. Listed HERE



TIPS:

1. My best tip is to hold it the way she's showing in the picture when you cut it, or you end up with a pile of scraps. Your fingers should be holding what will be the center of the flower.
2. Practice on paper or "junk fabric" first.
3. You do have to cut it almost all the way around, in an oval. Unfold it once and check the depth of the petals before unfolding all the way, so you can correct your cutting if necessary.

Fabric Flower #4:

This one is the "Blooming DeVille." The best part is that you get to use synthetic fabrics and BURN THE EDGES to seal and curl them. It's fantastic. If you've ever drooled over all the fabrics in the "special occasion" section of the fabric store, you'll enjoy this one!

I purchased the tutorial from Etsy. Here's the link to the listing.

This is the first one I made and listed in my Etsy shop. It has about 30 layers so it took a while and made my hand hurt!



I think it's super-funky on a denim jacket.



So I started experimenting with fewer layers and different fabrics. I looooooove this combination of silver/pink/black!



This peachy one would be perfect for a garden party or wedding. You can see the scorch marks...I like it!



I found this polka dot material {and the navy blue satin} on clearance at Wal-Mart. I think it's a hoot!

This one is also in my Etsy shop



This funky fabric was on clearance, too. I wanna call it something like "Nightlife." The colors remind me of neon signs in the city.



TIPS:

1. Every fabric burns differently so have fun trying different ones. The only ones I've found not to work are chiffon and lame. They just go up in flames!
2. Keep trying the layers in different configurations until you get the look you want. They don't have to be perfectly centered.
3. Use differnt textures like tulle and sequined fabrics for an interesting effect.

And just for fun, here's Ethan at 8.5 months in the throes of teething, modeling a flower as it would look if I made it into a headband!



Let me know if you end up trying any of these--and I'd love to see the results!!