Onesie... twosie... threesie...

Monthly onsies... a project I've had in mind since before my dear Mags arrived. I thought they'd be a cute way to track her growth during her first year. Alas, I didn't complete them until month two of her sweet life, which means onesie one is out of the picture. But, better late than never, I suppose.

Here's the plan: I'll sit her in her cute rocker wearing the onesie that coincides with her current month of age and snap a picture. Lambie will join her to help illustrate her growth. 

How the onesies came together:

Step 1: Purchase onesies for months 1 (or two, in my case) through 12, wash them, and iron them.

Step 2: Select fabric for your numbers and iron fusible webbing (stiffener) to the back of each piece. This is a two-sided iron-on material that will allow you to die-cut your numbers and iron them to the onesies. I used Ultrahold Heat-n-Bond by Therm O Web.  

Step 3: Use a die-cutting machine to cut your numbers. I used the Fabrique by Making Memories. Note: If you don't have a die-cutting machine, you can use stencils to trace numbers and cut them out, or you can simply freehand cut them out. It's up to you!

I cut four of each number so I can make extra sets to give as gifts. 

Step 4: Iron the numbers on the onesies. 

Step 5: Take your photos onesie... errr, once a month. ;) 

Since I was a slacker and missed month one, I'm starting with month 2. (How can my baby girl be two months old already?)

You'd think the photo taking would be the easy part. Yeah, not so much. Here are just a few of the MANY outtakes. 

When ever there's a camera out, Jack has to make an appearance.

Reese (dog speak for "cheese")

Going...

Going...

Gone!

Whew! This picture-taking business is hard work.

Cheers!

BTW, I'm thinking about selling these onesie sets. If you're interested in purchasing a set, please e-mail me at M2E2G at aol.com. I'm happy to use colors that work for your needs, and I can do sets for boys, girls, or I can keep 'em gender neutral. Just let me know. :)

Quick Christmas Crafts: Wreaths and Ornaments

My talented Aunt Ruby made this wreath some 40 years ago. Mom hangs it every year. Handmade is so special!

You might say this is a Christmas miracle. After months of no blog bidnaz, I have a little something to share. Handmade holiday crafts! There’s still time to make someone special a decoration. Here are a few of the projects I’ve put together this year.

Last weekend the gals in my family got together to make wreaths, all inspired by the Dec. issue of Woman's Day magazine.

My sis-in-law and I both decided to go with paper straw wreaths. I bought the straws at Orson Gygi, a local kitchen supply company. You’ll also need a hot glue gun, ribbon, and a foam wreath form. 

Here’s how it's done:

1. Cover the inside and outer edges of your foam wreath base with ribbon. You can either pin the ribbon in place or glue it. 

2. Cut straws to two varying lengths and attach them to the wreath base, alternating between the longer and the shorter straw. 

3. When the first layer of straws is done, take another style of straw, cut it to two smaller lengths, and layer them over the background group of straws. Top the finished wreak off with a bow! 

5. Hang the wreath by attaching a loop of ribbon to the back of the wreath. 

Gina, my sis-in-law, went with blue straws for a neat snowflake effect. Cool! 

Mom opted for the box wreath, which is super cute. You’ll need several small boxes in various sizes (I got ours at Xpedx), wrapping paper, ribbon, hot glue, and a wire wreath form. 

1. Position your boxes on your wreath how you want them to fit. 

2. Wrap the boxes with wrapping paper and adhere them to the wreath frame. 

3. Top some of the boxes off with ribbon and hang the wreath. Fun!

Inspired by an awesome tutorial at Jessica Jane Handmade, I also made some clay bird ornaments for my family. I love the way they turned out.

Have you made any crafts this season? If so, I’d love to see or read about them. 

Merry Christmas!

Happy World Card Making Day!

It’s time to create & celebrate. Today is World Card Making Day (WCMD)! I adore shaped cards, so I put together a few using a sheet of paper from Bella Blvd. to share with you in honor of this fun day. 

I love the large shapes on this Sunny Happy Skies paper from Bella Blvd. They make quick and cute shaped cards.

It was as easy as cutting out the different elements from the paper (tree, house, and ice cream) and connecting them to cardstock backings, which I cut following the shape of the cards.  

I think the house is my favorite. For me, it’s the little details that make it extra fun (the door that opens, the flowers by the door, and the sun and cloud in the sky). I already sent it to a friend who had invited me to her home, but you could also use a card like this for a Welcome to the Neighborhood and Moving card.

This would make a fun birthday card for someone who loves their ice cream with sprinkles on top. But the “You’re Sweet” sentiment would also make this card work for a thank-you.

And I sent this one to Mom and Pop. It’s always a good time to tell someone you love them. If you aren’t sure what card(s) to make this WCMD, why not do a love note for someone(s) special in your life?

Happy WCMD, my crafty friends! I hope you’re doing something fun to create & celebrate this special occasion. 

Cheers!

Easy Burlap Gift Wrap & CKU Details (at the hop!)

Welcome! Whether you hopped this way from Michelle Hill's blog as a part of the CKU (Creating Keepsakes University) blog hop that's going on today or you just happened by, I'm happy you're here.

Let's talk burlap wrap!

Wanting to share my love of burlap with you, I'm giving you a sneak peek at something special I'm working on for my CKU class students. Shhhhh... don't let the cat out of the burlap bag. ;)

(I'm teaching at our special CKU reunion event next month. Woot! But more on that in a minute.)

Let's paint some burlap.

Supplies you'll need:

1. Burlap bag(s) (or canvas, or paper, or any style you fancy)
1. Note: My bags are from Jamali Garden, a fab floral shop in NYC. If you're reading this from NYC and wouldn't mind picking me up some more, please let me know. I promise to make it worth your while. :)
2. Acrylic paint
1. Note: I used the new and lovely Martha Stewart line of paints in Summer Haze blue and Wedding Cake white. I purchased these at Michaels. Check out my girl, Marth, talking up her paints. 
3. A tag or scrap of cardstock
4. Paint brush or sponge
5. Foam stamps and/or number stencils
1. Note: I used the Monogram Serif Stencil set from MSC. 
2. The foam stamps are a former Creating Keepsakes kit. I'm afraid it's no longer available, BUT you will get to play with these stamps if you take my Got Your Number class at CKU. (Again, more on that soon.)

Ready, Freddy? It's as easy as either stenciling or stamping a number on a bag with your paint. 

Note: Because this is a special treat for my CKU class, which has a number theme, I used numbers, but you can do this with anything--a monogram, an ampersand sign (&), a heart--anything! 

Before you paint, make sure you insert a heavy scrap (i.e. tag, cardstock, or cardboard) into the bag to keep the paint from bleeding through. Muy importante. 

I stenciled the No. and stamped the 2.

The burlap took the paint beautifully. Well... except for the glitter paint. It didn't show up as well. But I do like the subtle, almost water-mark look it creates. Do you see the 3?

Make any gift stand out with this quick and easy gift-wrap project.

Now, let's talk getaways...

Calling all Creatives! 
Do you like playing with paper? Fancy a little fabric and sewing? How about the oh-so-popular mixed media craze? Are you a beading babe? If you're anything like me, you said "YES!" to all of these questions. (I know how we creative peeps are.) Whether you like one craft specifically or dabble in several areas, you're going to love the CKU Reunion!

I feel very blessed to be joining this fantastic group of instructors as a teacher at this highly anticipated event.

I imagine you recognize many of these friendly faces. Each of these talented gals have something unique and inspiring to offer you during this fun-filled weekend.

My Class: Got Your Number
Anyone born before 1985 knows that Jenny's # is 867-5309, but what are your digits? In my all-day album class, you'll discover that many numbers make up your beautiful life.

Huzzah! We are going to have a blast exploring our life numbers.

Take a look at what you can expect!

• A super-cool, number-based album. This includes several layouts and a 12"x12" scrapbook album. 
• A special gift from me. 
• Games, and lots of 'em!
• Memorable "shopping" opportunities!
• Rad giveaways. Free, it's a magic number; yes it is!
• New crafting techniques!
• An awesome class kit, sponsored by: Pink Paislee, Maya Road, Amy Tangerine for American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, Jillibean Soup, The Crafter's Workshop, My Little Shoebox, Technique Tuesday, and more! Now, that's a kit! 

I'm VERY excited about the fun to come in Sunny San Diego, California, Oct. 27-29.
Will you be there?
There's still time to register!
An entire weekend of creative fun for only $295!
And once you've registered, I'd be honored if you had my number and dialed into the sure-to-be-fun Got Your Number class.

Hop On!
Thanks for hopping in to check out my bag project and learn a little about CKU. Time to hop on to the next blogger in our line up, the stellar Kim Watson, and see what she has in store for you. Tell her hi for me!

Note: If you're interested in starting at the beginning of this here hop, jump on over to Mou Saha's blog, where the fun begins!

One More Thing, a la Sesame Street
Before you go, here's a quick flick to enjoy. Since I'm working on my CKU class today, which is all about having fun with numbers, I've watched this gem more times than I'd like to admit. Thought we'd take one more listen together. (Click the image below to let the fun begin.)

Hope to see you at the CKU reunion next month!

Oilcloth Projects: Part 1

Oilcloth! It’s hip, it’s durable, it’s fun to work with, and it’s loaded with nostalgia! What’s not to love about this versatile fabric? 

What is Oilcloth?
If you aren't familiar, oilcloth is a laminated fabric that's been fused to a durable vinyl backing. Cotton laminate has a similar smooth finish, but it's lighter weight and a little less durable than oilcloth. Vinyl is another fabric option with a similar consistency. You can find these fabrics online and at some fabric shops. 

What's it Used For?
With it's smooth finish, oilcloth is great for outdoor decor, tablecloths, lunch bags...anything that runs the risk of getting wet or messy.


I used both oilcloth and cotton laminate to create today! Most of my supplies were purchased at Material Girls Quilts in South Jordan, UT. 


It totally reminds me of my grandma, as she used to have oilcloth tablecloths on her kitchen table. Believe it or not, this was the affordable option for her low-income family, at only $0.05-$0.15 a yard. Now adays, oilcloth averages about $15-$20 a yard. It’s worth every penny, if you ask me. Just look at all you can do with this sassy crafting supply!

Create a Cloth Banner

I’m super excited at how this one turned out. You see, the black pieces of the banner are actually made from chalkboard vinyl, which has similar durable properties to oilcloth.   I purchased this fantastic fabric at Bolt, an amazing fabric shop in Portland, OR. I love it, because it allows me to personalize my banner over and over again for different ocassions. Since I’m sharing this on Studio 5 this morning at 11:00 MT, I thought I’d dress it up accordingly using a bistro marker (chalkboard marker). 

Make your own banner in 4 easy steps:

1. Cut fabric pieces to desired size.
2. Sew two pieces of fabric back to back to create a double-sided banner. 
3. Cut out around banner pieces with pinking shears or a decorative blade.
4. Punch holes in top of each banner piece and thread onto twine. 

Banner Supplies

1. Oilcloth and/or cotton laminate
2. Chalkboard vinyl 
3. Sewing machine
4. Pinking shears
5. Hole punch
6. Twine
7. Bistro marker or chalk

Try a Table Runner

Inspired by my sweet grandma’s tablecloths of yesteryear, I decided to create a modern take on an oilcloth table covering. To make this runner, simply measuer and cut the fabric to the length of your table, only covering a portion of the table’s width. Dress up the edges by sewing on some jumbo poms. Simple and cute!

Supplies

1. Oilcloth or cotton laminate
2. Jumbo pom pom trim
3. Sewing machine

Cover a Tray

Transform a basic tray into a durable serving/storage piece by inserting a piece of oilcloth or laminate in the bottom. You can either glue it in place with a sturdy fabric glue (such as Fabritac by Beacon’s) or hot glue. Or, for a more finished look, try sealing the edges with book binding tape, as I’ve done here.

Supplies

1. Oilcloth or cotton laminate
2. Tray
3. Book binding tape (mine is from Paper Source)

Cut Coasters

Oilcloth is water resistant, making it an excellent coaster option. Simply cut squares from fabric, and sew two squares back to back. Note: I used two different fabrics, making my coasters double-sided. Hey, you can also skip the sewing and use a single square for a slightly thinner coaster option. 

Supplies

1. Oilcloth or cotton laminate
2. Sewing machine

Add Oilcloth Details

Finish your party decor with oilcloth-wrapped bottles. It’s as easy as cutting your cloth to fit a bottle or vase (I used coke bottles that I’ve been saving for such a fun project), and secure it in place with fabric glue or hot glue. Wrap an oilcloth bow around in a different pattern to finish your design.

Supplies

1. Oilcloth or cotton laminate
2. Recycled bottles or vases
3. Fabric glue (I used Fabric-tac by Beacon’s)

Play with Posies

In place of traditional flowers, try oilcloth creations. I made pinwheels following these instructions and cut a butterfly using my Slice Fabrique tool. For the stems, I simply punched the top of spoon strawes, and tied the buttons on my shapes through the holes. I added some glue to keep things extra secure. 

Supplies

1. Oilcloth or cotton laminate
2. Buttons and twine
3. Hole punch
4. Spoon strawes (snowcone straws)

For more oilcloth ideas, check out the baby bibs I made from this happy fabric here. 

And check my blog again later this week for part 2 of working with oilcloth, as well as my Studio 5 segment. Thanks for your visit! I hope these projects inspire you to create with oilcloth. You’ll make your grandma proud, and add a cool vintage vibe to your next celebration. 

Cheers!
Megan

DIY Felt Fortune Cookies

Hey there, cookie! Here’s a little Valentine’s Day good fortune for you. It’s a felt fortune cookie. 


Inspired by the talented Kristine McKay's Studio 5 segment, I created these cookies for my coworkers last year. They come together quickly and make a great and unique surprise for anyone who brings a little good fortune to your life. Here’s the recipe for these cute cookies.

Step 1: Cut a felt scrap into an oval.

Step 2: Cut jewelry wire to the length of the center of your cookie.

Step 3: Apply fabric glue to the center of your felt piece.

Step 4: Position your wire to the glue and secure in place by adding a strip of ribbon across the top. 

Step 5: Fold cookie in half and stitch around edge. Leave a small area unstitched so that you can insert a fortune. 

Step 6: Use your finger to form the wire into the fortune-cookie shape. 

Confucius Say: This is one project you’ll love this Valentine’s Day!

Cheers! 

Valentine's Day Garland How-To

I love creating Valentine's Day projects, and this garland was no exception. It's quick, easy, and lovey-dovey cute. Give it a try! Here's how:

Supplies Needed

You'll need twine (I used the baker's variety), pom poms (bitty and a bit bigger), felt hearts, and a needle.


Step 1: Thread the first half of the heart.

Step 2: Add bitty pom to center of heart and thread needle through remainder of heart.

Step 3: Thread a bigger pom.

Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 until garland is the length you want it.

Love will really be in the air when you string up this puffy string of sweetness. :)

Cheers!

Perfect Pen Giveaway and Tricky Tags!

If you’re like me, procrastination is your game and you’re just now getting to the gift wrapping. That’s okay. You still have time to make those gifts stand out with your own gift-tag creations. I put together a few tags for Creating Keepsakes and Studio 5 recently. I thought I’d share a couple of those with you here. 

Bitty ‘Bot Santa

I had fun making a bitty robot Santa tag using fabric from Cosmo Cricket. 

First, cut two of the same robot from the fabric.

Next, stitch those pieces together (wrong sides together), adding a little puff of cotton from a cotton ball to the middle.

Santa needs his hat, so I used these cute hat stickers from Jolee’s to top my robot off. I selected hats that were mirror images (opposites) so I could stick one to the other to adhere them to my bitty ‘bot. 

When your Santa is done, string a little twine through his hat and you've got yourself a groovy tag (or ornament). Domo arigato, Santa! 

Cone Kiss Tag 

This bitty cone tag doubles as a gift. You see, if you untie the baker's twine, there's a surprise inside the cone—a sweet chocolate Kiss. Fold the cone from an old sheet of book paper, insert a bit of tissue paper along the inside rim, attach a handles, add your Kiss (point down), and tie the cone shut with a piece of baker’s twine. Write your gift recipient’s name on a tiny tag, and attach it to the cone using the twine. 

Bitty Box Tag 

Dress up a bitty box (I used decorative tape and sequins) and use it as a tag on a bigger box. You can either insert the "to/from" alone in the box, or you can insert a smaller gift in the box for a double surprise!

Give a Gift Tag Set Last year, I created these boxes of tags and gave them as gifts. It’s as easy as using scraps from your creative stash and a few shaped punches, and you can create an entire collection of one-of-a-kind tags. Throw in a few fantastic pens to complete the gift, and you have something your gift recipient can use throughout the year. 

Pen Giveaway!
Speaking of fantastic pens. I recently had the pleasure of receiving as assortment of JetPens, and I love them! They have pens for any and all of your pen needs, from gels pens and brush pens to craft pens and and so much more! And they want to spread the holiday cheer by offering one of you a $25 gift certificate to pick and choose your own assortment of awesome pens from their website! Simply leave me a comment here between now and Monday, Dec. 27 and I’ll randomly select a winner. Trust me, this is one prize you’ll want to win. :)

More Tags

Looking for more tag ideas? Please check out my latest Studio 5 segment and check out the Creating Keepsakes blog. Thanks for playing this game of tag with me!

Cheers! 

Cuckcoo for Cone Crafts

Here’s an elegant fall craft to try, whether you’re decorating for Thanksgiving or just want to warm up your home as the weather outside cools. It’s a Happy Fall banner made from rolled paper cones. Call me a conehead, but I just can’t get enough of the paper cones. And this is yet another idea for creating with them. 

Step 1: Cut 6” x 6” cones from paper (I used vintage music paper), one square for each cone in your banner.

Step 2: Roll your paper through a paper crimper for added texture. (Note: This step is optional.)

Step 3: Cut two of the four edges of the square with decorative scissors. (This creates the decorative edge around the top of the cone.) 

Step 4: Fold corners of paper in to form cone shape, making sure the cut edges are at the top (the cone opening), and glue or staple cone into place.

Step 5: Punch holes in both sides of the cone. You will eventually string your cones onto your banner using these holes, so you’ll want a larger enough hole punch to fit your ribbon choice through. 

Step 6: Color cone with spray ink (optional). 

Step 7: Create accordion flowers from scraps of paper. Attach letters to centers of flowers to spell your banner’s greeting. (I spelled out “happy fall,” but you could also do words like “thankful,” “home,” “family,” or “love” if you want your banner to be less seasonal.) Adhere accordion flowers to cones.

Step 8: String cones to form banner. Note: I strung mine with tulle. This works well, because it holds the cones in place, where they might slide around on a thinner or smoother trim. 

Happy fall! 

Halloween Lighting and Prizes!

It’s starting to look like my lantern decorating is becoming an annual Halloween tradition. Last year I had fun decorating the lanterns in this post and this post. And this year I’ve been at it again. Here are a couple of my creepy creations, each created with vinyl from Stampin' Up! and lanterns (and a vase) from IKEA:

Gone Batty

I was excited to see this blood red lanterns this year, just right for a little vampire bat decor. I vant to suck your blood!

I love the shadow this style of lantern casts.

Spider Style

I couldn’t resist doing another spider lantern, but this time I used a jumbo-size lantern. It makes a freaky statement!

Venomous Vase

My vinyl fun didn’t stop at lanterns. I also adhered it to this tall, skinny vase.

I added some Stickles (glitter glue) from Ranger to the letters for a sparkling finish.

It looks like a spider has already moved into my vase. She appears to be a widow. Eep!

I made this flower with a little crepe paper, a spray-misted doily, and a bitty spider cupcake liner from Martha Stewart Crafts.

Note: Please keep in mind that these lanterns do get hot. Follow product instructions to ensure your safety. Thanks!

Enter to Win

Now’s your chance to bring a little vinyl boo-ty into your home. I’m giving away two sets of vinyl designs from Stampin’ Up! Simply leave me a comment here by Sunday, Oct. 17 and I’ll randomly select two winners to receive the following images:

The Prizes Continue

See another one of my lantern designs on the Creating Keepsakes blog and enter to win even more fabulous vinyl.

See a Demo

I’ll be on Studio 5 today at 11:00 AM sharing my lantern creations. If you’re in Utah, I hope you’ll tune in for the frightful fun! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!

Cheers!