Easy as pie...

I've never really understood that saying...but dressing up this bag is definitely easier than making a pie. The bag itself is sold at Joanns/Michaels for like $5. Then first I sewed the ruffle on the top (just black 2" grosgrain ribbon) same ruffle as shown in this post.

Next I found a bowl the same size as I wanted the completed flower to be. I traced that circle out 4 times on my fabulous damask fabric and cut them out. Next I folded each circle once in half and then in half again and glued them all down in the flower shape. Any fabric glue will work.

The finishing touch was a big black button sewn in the center.

Button Earrings

I have been looking for fabric earring tutorials all over the internet lately and can't find one (if you know where one is.. let me know)!! I did come across this blog post, however, and thought it would be fun to try. Very cute, and Tanya explains so well how to do it!

Burlap Wreath {with paper towel flowers}

I know I post a lot of Jen's ideas over at Tatertots and Jello but what can I say, burlap+flowers is adorable in all sorts of ways. This idea actually comes from Made by Nicole, so if you want to follow the tutorial click on her link. She made these flowers out of paper towels. Amazing.
I love how spring-ish this wreath is. Love it.

Spring Tee

What to do with a white sheet I bought at DI?? Cut it into flowers and sew them onto a plain white tee shirt for a fresh spring look (and no more boring shirts I so often wear)!

Here's how I did it:

First, I cut out my shamrock-shaped flowers. I do have a pattern for these, but can't find the link to them (sorry!) You can just freehand it (that's what I did for the smaller size). Once you bunch them up (see below), you'll never notice imperfections. I double layered the fabric when I cut so I could stitch around the edge. The edges will fray a bit when I wash it, but I think it will look cute like that.

Next, I took my stitched-together flower and bunched up the 'petals.'

Then, I stitched together the base of the flower to give it the puckered look.

Finally, I sewed each flower onto the shirt.

I sewed a lot of big ones together to make the large flower, then smaller ones ascending the side of the collar.

Happy spring!

I LOVE TREES {especially fabric ones}

I LOVE TREES. I really do. All kinds of trees. Right now, I'm loving tress with BLOSSOMS, but being that it snowed here last night, I'll have to wait for that. Anyway, I came across Kalleen's "At Second Street" blog and I fell in love with this tree craft. Click over to her site to see her tutorial. She did it using her kids' hand prints for the branches, which adds character for sure. Super super cute! I'm going to have to try it out..

Happy Easter!

Happy Good Friday to you!

(This post is for you, Mom xoxo)

I just finished my last cake decorating class on Tuesday. I wish I had taken time to learn how to actually bake a cake and ice it from my Mom, who always made the most amazing cakes when we were growing up. Should have taken advantage of that.

I was stressin big time the day before the class because the oval cakes I made to stack together were completely falling apart. Even touching the cake with my finger would break off little chunks. Cake in your icing is not cute. I was so disappointed because I didn't have time to make another cake. I just had to accept that fact that I wasn't going to make my last class (the finale: using the flowers I'd made all month to put the cake together). Anyway, bless my husband's heart, he helped me salvage one of the cakes, so I did end up going.. and made the second cake that I posted here. When I got home that night, I had icing left over, so I decided to try to make a little egg out of my the left over cake that was in worse shape than the first. Enough icing covered up the gaping holes :) Since I didn't decorate my house for Easter AT ALL, nor did we paint Easter eggs, at least we can feel a little festive looking at this:

By the way, I highly recommend learing how to cake decorate from your Mom before you move 12 hours away. If you made my mistake, I recommend taking a Wilton Cake decorating class. I think they offer them at most Michaels'.

Window Pane Decor

In my opinion, this project has the biggest "bang for it's buck." I was given this old window pane from my friend Lori, and I just stapled fabric to the back of it and hung it on the wall. Super easy and low-cost. I need to find more friends willing to give me their old vintage treasures. Don't throw away those old window panes!