Party Banner

Party banners make things more festive!  It was a quick project, 

the best kind in my opinion!  

My banner was for a shower I hosted for my nephews soon to be bride.  

I needed something to hang above my dessert table.  

I started with 4 pieces of scrapbook paper.  I didn't have yellow patterned paper so I made my own.

I used my brush marker to color some of the white flowers on the paper.  

I left some white to give the paper depth.

 After coloring the paper I cut a V from the 

bottom of each piece for the banner.

I printed Bride To Be on my computer onto white card stock and cut the same V at the bottom.

I cut a piece of yellow card stock a little bit larger and taped to the back. 

I punched small holes on each side and threaded ribbon from the back and connected all the pieces.

The rose was made with yellow ribbon. I stitched the ribbon in place through the hole from the back.

 I found the rose ribbon tutorial on this site...super simple!

 I used yellow stripped ribbon between each banner piece.  

I also used a small piece of yellow to hang between each banner piece.

I made 3 yellow tissue flowers to hang above the banner.  

I also made small cards to label the food we enjoyed at the shower.

I printed the food items on card stock, cut long enough to fold. 

I punched a heart in the corner and glued a small piece of 

yellow paper on the back.  

 The heart is yellow now...!!!  

Just adds that little extra!

 Sweet and Simple

 

This was the coffee station....we had a great time!

Wedding Bells will ring on October 5, 2013!

Congratulations Colton & Stephanie!

Hot Iron Travel Bag.....DCC Style

This time last year my daughter was in the process of making the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader squad for the 2nd time.  She just recently attended training camp again and made the squad for the 3rd time.  The journey is long and tiring for her but worth every minute of hard work...she loves to dance and I love watching.

Each game one of the group members give the girls in their group a gift.  Last year I made Amelia's group a bag to carry their flat iron or curling iron in along with making them a travel case for their pictures they carry to autograph for fans.  Most of the girls were carrying their pictures in a baggie...NOT COOL!
I designed a carry case just for her group.  I have recently repeated the same carry case for her group this year. Tutorial for that at a later date...it took me a year to make one for the hot iron case...life gets busy!

The flat iron bag was my own design....sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.

I  cut the outside fabric 14 inches long and 18 inches long.
(I measured a curling iron for my dimensions)

I ironed on interfacing to the entire piece.
Fold the 14" side in half and stitch side seams with 1/4 " seam.
(I inserted the folded fabric piece with the ring attached into the seam before stitching)


I repeated the process with the lining fabric.
I inserted a piece of heat resist fabric into the center of the bag before stitching sides together.
(I used quilted heat resistant fabric for my lining and the flat heat resist for the center insert. Fabric was purchased from Joann's online.
Leave a small opening in bottom for turning later in the sewing process.






The blue fabric of the envelop top was cut and the pink was added to
the edge.  I monogrammed the names before it was assembled.  I stitched the lining right sides together, stitched around 3 sides leaving the top open to turn.  Press after turning.




Velcro was attached to the underside of the flap and on the front of the bag itself.  I did the same thing 9 times...!

I inserted the lining into the bag right sides together.

Attach the front flap onto the body of the bag.

After attaching flap turn the entire bag right side out...
( Now you know why you left an opening in the lining.)
Press Press Press!







I made a long strap to attach to the side with a hook.

REPEAT 9 TIMES AND YOU GET THE POINT....!

This is the picture carrier I designed for the girls to put their pictures in.
I know this is going to be a great year....1st real game of the season this weekend and I am looking forward to watching her cheer and dance!

A proud mom and Amelia's biggest FAN!

PEACOCK Kitchen Towels

Peacocks seem to be showing up on all sorts of things these days.  I recently did my own version of peacock decor for a housewarming gift for my niece.  

I searched for the perfect peacock image.  My niece loves turquoise and orange so that narrowed the search.  I found the perfect picture and the idea grew into the finished project.

I copied my image on the 8x10 paper backed fabric for inkjet printers.  I had two 5x7 images to print so I printed one 5x7, let it dry and inserted the paper back into the printer and printed the other 5x7 on the other side. Be sure to insert the paper so the image will print on the other side.  Be sure to allow the ink to dry before inserting back into the printer.  Read instructions for fabric after you print.  My specific paper instructed me to let the image dry completely, peel the backing off and run water over the ink until it ran clear.  The fabric is ready to use after it has dried completely.  Iron the fabric and now it's ready for the project.

 I cut a piece of orange fabric 2 inches wide and as wide as my image fabric.  

I stitched this piece to the top and bottom and ironed seam flat afterward.

 I repeated the same process for the sides but I increased the orange fabric cut to 3 inches. 

I stitched these pieces to the sides and ironed flat.

After all four sides were flat I pressed a 1/4 seam along all four sides in order to have a finished edge.

I placed the finished fabric image onto the orange kitchen towel (I purchased mine from Target).

I stitched it on all four sides and around the inside four sides as well.

 I cut a piece of the orange fabric the width plus 1 inch of the towel width.  

I turned the fabric wrong sides together and stitched the ends 1/2 inch on either end.

I stitched the orange fabric piece onto the bottom of the towel with right sides together.

I stitched across the top of this strip to enclose the seam underneath

 After finishing one towel I was ready to repeat the process.

I was PEACOCK proud after I completed my gift and she loved them!

Sunflowers, Birds and Bees!

The sunflowers I planted a few months back have been such a joy to watch grow.  They attract all kinds of birds, bees and butterflies!  I have enjoyed watching the different sunflower faces appear each day and hate to see them start to fade.

I will do the sunflower patch again next summer but I have BIG plans for what's to come!  My husband knows that means more work for him but it makes me happy ....and the old saying "When moma is happy, everybody is happy" is true at my house!

This year I used the seeds I harvested from my last years patch and didn't really know what type sunflowers would appear.  I want a bit more organization to my next patch, I have a bad case of OCD and I think the sunflowers were beautiful this year but a bit too random for my taste.  I want to make sure my little sunflowers are in the front row and go up from there.  I imagine it something like a children's choir...because they look like smiling faces raising their heads to the sun ready to sing a  joyful song!  OK, I have a big imagination but that's what I want!

I am enjoying the last of the flowers now, the bees are collecting the precious golden pollen and the birds have a secret place to hide out among the big stalks and leaves.  I am hoping the snake I saw on my patio decides the sunflower patch is a better place to live....YIKES!  I was too busy trying to get my 90 lb Lily back into the house after she spotted it to see where he went.....just hoping he's not at my back door tonight when I let her out!

"Fairies sit atop colorful blooms and gossip with the butterflies."

SUNFLOWER SEASON

It's that time of year....SUNFLOWER SEASON!  My favorite flower of all time, they make me so happy!  I planted my little piece of heaven about a month ago and it is growing like wildfire!  This time last year was my first time to plant seeds that I purchased...I was a SUNFLOWER NEWBIE!  I had so many flowers and really surprised myself that I could grow something so pretty.  Believe me, if I can grow it, anyone can grow it!!!
After the flowers bloomed last year, I cut them with about a 6 to 8 inch stem and hung them in my garage until they were fully dried.  The seeds will start poking out as they curl up and dry.  I pulled all the seeds out and stored them in a container.  Those seeds I harvested are the seeds that I planted this year.  I am so excited to see them grow and look forward to collecting the seeds once again for next year!

 Seeds just started to sprout! YIPPEE!

 

 The seedlings look a bit sad but they grow big and BEAUTIFUL!

 Look how much they grew in about 2 weeks!

Growing bigger every day!

My first SUNFLOWER showed her pretty face today 5-28-2013!

Looking forward to seeing many more SUNFLOWER FACES!

Makeup Brush Carrier!

Every project seems to start with a NEED! My daughter needed something that she could put her makeup brushes in to travel.  When she gets to where she's going she can unwrap the carrier and she can lay her makeup out on the towel and it won't have to be on the bare counter.

I started with 2 hand towels. I cut the binding off the towel so it would be easier to sew.   I used pink check fabric for the outside and the tie.  I laid one of the towels out and cut the other towel in half width wise.  I laid the cut towel right side up onto the other towel with the finished towel edge as the top.  I decided how far apart I wanted the brush pockets.  I placed a piece of tape every 2 inches on several and 3 inches on the others.  I took it to the sewing machine and stitched to the right of the tape through both layers of towel.  I also cut a piece of the hand towel and made 2 pockets on the upper edge for extra storage.  I used the finished corners of the towel for the pockets.  I made the tie closure by cutting a 4 inch piece of the pink check fabric, folded it in half and stitched on one side and turned it to form the tie.  I placed the ties on the edge of the right side and stitched in place.

My outside fabric was cut the same size as the hand towel.  I placed the towel and fabric right sides together with the tie inside (pin in place so you won't stitch the tie into the edge seams) and stitched all four sides leaving a 5 inch opening to turn.  I did an over lock stitch on the edges so it wouldn't fray when washed.

After turning I pressed all seams flat and hand stitched the opening closed.  The brushes can be inserted into the pockets, fold the top of the towel down halfway, fold to the middle, bring the ties on opposite sides and tie it up! It's ready to travel!

Ready...Set....Travel....!