Make a frame, make some art!

I know some girls get things like clothes and makeup for Christmas, but for the past few years, my Dad has been stocking me up with awesome tools! It started with a basic tool kit, but as the years have gone on, I guess I have proven myself worthy of the big stuff!

This year I received my very own Compound Miter Saw! Isn't it lovely?

I'll admit, that blade is a little scary, but it sure does make this project I have been working on so much easier!

I have been making a lot of these fabric wall hangings and I need frames for them to wrap around. Theses are so cheap, and take no time at all now that I don't have to manually saw each of the boards!

Just take a 1X2 piece of wood, figure out the size you want your frame to be and make 45 degree cuts. Once you have your 4 edges, just staple them together at the corners. I used 2 staples on each corner, then flip it over and put 2 more staples again at each corner. Pretty simple and very sturdy.

Now, on to the fun stuff!

These fabric wall hangings are so much fun and the possibilities are endless. What I love about this is that you don't have to use a lot of fabric so you can raid the remnant section at Hobby Lobby and find all sorts of fun fabric without paying a ton and having a lot left over.

I just cut out whatever shape I want, lay that over a contrasting fabric, sew around the edges and then add some detail! Once everything is sewn on, just stretch it across your frame and staple it to the back.

Here are some examples. I really love them and they make great gifts!

Here are some up close

And here are some others I did ...

Easy felt bunting banner

For my roommates Birthday, I made this easy felt banner.

Basically, I cut some triangles out of felt and sewed them on to some thick bias tape.

Then I cut the letters out of felt and just stuck them on to the flag.

I didn't sew those on because I figured I can re-use this banner for all sorts of occasions. Just cut out more letters to say things like "Happy New Year", "Celebrate"... anything really!

I think it added a lot of fun to her day!

Burlap Hoop Wreath

I haven't done anything crafty since the dining room re-do so I was getting a little antsy!

On a weekend trip home, my grandmother insisted I come for a visit because she had something she wanted to give me. I wasn't sure what she was going to pull out for me, but boy was I surprised when she handed me this old box of giant plastic buttons!

Not only were there about 100 buttons in the box, but they were such fun colors and so big that I knew I could do a lot with them! I was thrilled. Honestly, as random as it is, I think it was one of the best presents I have received from my Grandma; Mainly because it proved she knew me well enough to know that I would appreciate something like that!

I took the buttons home and knew I needed to use them right away! It just so happened that 2 of my best friends are about to celebrate their 30th Birthday, so that was the perfect excuse to spend some time crafting.

I have seen lots of wreaths and decorations using those crochet hoops so I thought I would jump on board!

I wanted the texture of the burlap on the wreath, but also needed something more sturdy when sewing, so I put a piece of linen behind the burlap.

I sewed on the buttons, and then used a back stitch to sew the letters and stems on the flowers!

I added some ribbon to hang them with and viola! I think they turned out really cute!

Later, I went back and spray painted the hoops a bright green color.

Happy Birthday Lori and Emily! And thank you Grandma for the awesome gift! I'm sure there will be many more projects using these buttons in the future!

*What would you use the buttons for? I would love some suggestions!

Crazy Quilting

Crazy quilting is really fun, but not one of those projects you can finish in a day therefore I don't do it alot. However, for special occasions like babies and housewarmings, they make a great gift.

The best thing about it is that there is no wrong way to do it. I only know a few basic stitches, but so far that is all I have needed. The funnest part (excuse the grammar) is piecing all the different fabric together. I love to get sample pieces of upholstery fabric from places like JoAnns and Hobby Lobby. All the different textures and designs make for a fun, interesting piece of work.


I also know some women who work on crazy quilt projects as a team. Each person gets a chance to add an element until the project is finished. Then the recipient has a beautiful, handmade gift from all her friends. How cool is that?!


Here are a few things I have done -I am definitely not an expert, but it was fun thinking about each person as I spent time working on their pillow!

I gave this to a friend who was having her first baby. It has appeared in the background of many of their photos!

This one was for my mom one Christmas. It sits on her bed



This was one of the first ones I made for a very special friend.

Can you see all the different stiches and designs? Crazy quilting is definitely a way to express your creativity!