Valentine's wreath }{ tutorial

My daughter's favorite color is pink. No surprise then that she goes crazy around Valentine's day, specially if we happen to stop by Joann. And we did.

She begged me to buy half of the seasonal decor on display at the store, but instead I promised her we'd do our own. Lucky for me, she loves to do craft projects. Thus, today's post was born.

As I mentioned in the last post, this month's themes are organizing and re-purposing. After unpacking quite a few boxes we're surrounded by empty boxes, so I decided to use some cardboard for the project as a way to recycle it and save some money as well.

Materials

• cardboard (or whatever you have that's easy to cut but still sturdy)
• scissors
• gesso/paint (optional)
• paint brushes (optional)
• glue
• tissue paper (or other decorations like pom poms or buttons)
• ribbon

Steps:

1) Draw the heart shape on the cardboard. It doesn't have to be neat since it will get covered up.

2) Cut out the shape. If you'd like a wreath like backing, cut out the middle as well. We ended up using both parts.

3) Paint the backing with gesso/paint. We did this in case some showed through the tissue paper. It turns out you need a couple of coats and my little one was not that patient, so some of her heart has the box' original paint showing through. It didn't matter to her (reminder: crafting with kids is all about the process, not the product).

4) Dry it with a blow dryer (much quicker, helps the wee ones stay with the project)

5) Spread some glue on a medium sized area (~4 inches), rip tissue paper a little at a time, scrunch it up and attach it to the backing. This will go a little faster if you use larger pieces of paper, and if you don't put them super close together. I did (so it took much longer), but the little miss did not. She also decided to cover her middle with the tissue paper.

6) Repeat step 5 until the whole wreath is covered up. This is where you can let your creativity run wild. Use buttons, combinations of colors, glitter, pom poms, whatever. See what you come up with.

7) Cut a piece or ribbon and glue each end to one bump on the back of the heart (to hang it up). Done! After it's dry just go hang it up. The little miss' went outside for everyone to see, but I took a picture of both so you can see them.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Do you make projects inspired by what you see at the store? I'd love to hear examples.

From a belt to a headband }{ diy

And the boxes are still crowding almost every room...

On the other hand, I'm taking this move as an opportunity to purge, clean out, de-clutter. With that comes some reorganizing and considering the fate of many possessions. I'm no hoarder, but I also don't like to waste. I see potential in a lot of random odds and ends. If it sits in my to do list for too long however, it's time for it to go.

So, this month's theme on the blog will be reorganizing and repurposing.

As part of that theme, today's post is about changing a fabric belt into one (or many) headbands. It's so simple and easy, you can even do it without a sewing machine (although the machine makes it that much faster).

Materials: your old belt, some elastic, measuring tape, scissors, needle/sewing machine and thread

Steps: 

1. Measure your head around the area you want to wear your headband.
2. Measure your belt from one end to about 4 inches less than your head's measurement and cut it.
3. Cut about 2 inches of elastic (depending on how stretchy it is, you may want to make it a bit shorter or longer).
4. Fold the raw edge inward twice (1/4" * 2) and iron (optional but makes it neater).
5. Place one short side of the elastic in downside of the folded edge and pin. Sew edge.
6. Place the other side of the elastic on the downside of the other edge, pin, and sew it in place.
7. Wear your band.

I asked my sister who's living with us to model the headband for me. She's a little shy but reluctantly agreed. Thank you, sis!

Won't you share your repurposing projects?

Birthday party }{ Mini tutorial

She's 3. I can't believe it, but she's 3 years old. Oh my.

This weekend we had her birthday party, and in her request the theme was cherry blossoms (sakura), the official flower of Japan.

Between my husband and I, we did all the decorations, food and drinks, party favors, etc. We did rent a bounce house for the little ones. We had quite a few of her friends over, and they all seemed to thouroughly enjoy their time over.

Unfortunately I don't have many good pictures, since I was too busy running around. I managed to get a picture of the cake and of her blowing the candle. (by the way, my husband made that cake....)

And here's a mini-tutorial for the cherry blossoms vase:

1. Using upcycled glass bottles and jars, I spray painted them using the palette of the birthday theme (white, pink, lilac). I got this idea from Creative Jewish Mom.
2. I bought some twigs and dried branches at the local Joann.
3. Using pink tissue paper, I cut a bunch of circles. Adding a little glue in the middle, I scrunched the tissue into a sort of cone, bringing all the edges together.
4. I glued two or three flowers into each twig and put them in the vases.

That's it! Super easy and cute. They're actually still up in our bookcases, and I think I might leave them up for a while.

Does your husband have a secret talent? How did you find out about it?

I'm back~

I can't believe how long it's been! I really missed blogging.

And why the absence?

Did you notice the name up there?

I'm opening up a shop! And since the name "No Clever Craft" doesn't, you know, inspire much confidence in my wares... I changed. I'll give a prize to the first person who correctly guesses what Mrs. Ricefield means. Or how in the world I picked this name.

In any case, I'm still figuring out the web designing stuff out, so I won't have a shop in m own website for a few weeks. And I'm still waiting on the licensing department in order to actually list anything for sale... But the name is registered and soon, very soon I'll begin putting my things for sale.

So, I'm back! There's a lot going on around here this next month, and thus I decided on taking it easy, posting two or three posts up each week and not having a set schedule. But I'm back nonetheless.

I will be trying to catch up with your blogs soon, and stopping by to visit. In the meantime, remember the handbag I had started sewing with the fabric I received from my mother in law? Here's the finished product. I quite like it!

How have you all been?!