It's the Life

A Little Late: Felt Holly Leaf Tutorial

I had this tutorial all ready to post and then...I forgot to post it.  I realize it's now January, but I'm going to post it anyway.

I wanted to hang three wreaths in my kitchen window, but every wreath I saw that I liked was expensive enough that I didn't want to buy three of them.  So, I decided to try and make them. I love how they turned out!

You will start with three different colors of felt. I just bought inexpensive felt at my local craft store. Those $0.25 per 8x11 piece felt. I cut out the image (below) and pinned it to one color of felt. you can see from the paper, I pinned it a few times.

Right click on the image above and save it to your computer. Print it and cut it out.

Once you've cut out the leaves in your first color, pin it to the other two colors and cut them out together. You don't have to do it this way, but it saves a bit of time.  The best time saver would be to have a fabric cutting machine, but I do not have one of those, so I did it by hand.

Once you have a bunch cut out, you hot glue the leaves to a foam wreath.

I staggered the leaves as I went around, alternating colors.

I went all the way around on the top, then I flipped it over to make sure no white was showing when it hangs.

At this point I had to cut out more leaves. It take a lot of leaves.

Once I had it fully covered, I started adding berries. I bought a bag of small red felt balls in the same section of the craft store. I grouped them in threes.

Using hotglue, I attached them randomly on the wreath.

Almost finished! I found this adorable ribbon. I wrapped it around the wreath and used hot glue to secure it to the back.

Make sure you don't touch the hotglue until it dries, it hurts. You should probably not set it down on your counter until it dries either.

I cut the ribbon really long so I could attach the wreaths to my window in my kitchen.

I'll be honest, these turned out much cuter than I thought they would. I also love that they are not only inexpensive, but really light weight, so I didn't worry about hanging them from the window frame.

Is it ever too early for Halloween?

My mom has been busy sewing Halloween hot pads and hand towels!

These and other Halloween patterns are for sale at our ETSY shop!

Custom Chevron

I found these scrapbook papers at a local scrapbook store. I picked them up and said to them..."why aren't you fabric? I need to sew with you!" I want so much to make a chevron quilt with them...but they are not fabric, they are paper...but I chevron'd them anyway!

 

I've had this large black frame since we were in the "old house". It had our family photo in it, but Jefferson was about three years old in that photo, Ryan had long hair and no facial hair, and I...well, I don't really like any photo of me.

I took a 12x12 piece of card-stock and trimmed it to fit the sides of the frame, but it was still too short.

So I cut another piece the same size and added it to the bottom. This created a bit more stability to the paper as well.

Taped both sides together then removed it from the frame.

 

I cut my beautiful paper into 3 x 0.5 inch strips.

Starting in the middle, I made a Chevron shape by gluing the strips ends like so.

The I added another row with another color.

Keep adding rows. I thought about stopping here. I really like the look of the Chevron pattern a bit off center with the rest of the grey "white space", but I taped my papers together at the other end, so I had to finish it out.

It would have been cute like this. I do like my finished one as well.

Once you reach the top, you keep adding as if there was not an ending.

Do the same with the side edges. 

Once you are done, you can flip it over and trim the excess.

 

This kind of activity is so relaxing to me. Even though I love it, I was sad when it was finished. 

 

Love! I still want a quilt to match. If you see fabrics that look like these papers, let me know!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are having my family over for the holiday today.  I have been slowly collecting placemats, chasers, glasses etc for a nice table setting. I think it turned out even more beautiful than I had it in my head!

 

Everything is from Pier 1.  I really love that place. Jefferson designed the name cards.  He picked out a turkey that looks really worried. 

 

I hope you all have a wonder day.

Halloween Decor

  

I've had a couple people ask me to post some of my halloween decor, so here it is.  I really love halloween, it's so fun.  The awesome green-faced witch was made by my mom.  It's my most favorite decoration.

Here are some shots of the hutch:

  

From my kitchen:

  

  

My mom also gave me these witch shoe s&p shakers. Love them too. I seem to really like witches and their shoes.

 

This baby is new this year! Courtesy of my other mother, Laura, and Rachel.  It's wrapped in black velvet and I am in love with it.  It's almost as if it was made to sit in my kitchen window. I can't believe they found it, and I can't believe they didn't keep it for themselves when they did. Thanks guys!! (I hope to find something equally spectacular to put there at Christmas.)

The entryway: 

 

Family Room:

 

Jefferson made sure I took pictures of his decor as well.  He decorated the entertainment center.  All by himself.

 

Now to decide what everyone is going to be for Halloween.  Any suggestions?

Backsplash

Remember when I posted two backsplash options for my kitchen?  I was afraid that the design I really really wanted would be too "bathroom-y". Remember?

Well check it out in this kitchen! (Original Photos found here)

It's official.  I want it. I really really want it.

I just don't think I would love that color as much with my dark cabinets. I think I love it so much because it's in a white kitchen. 

Curse you husband for talking me out of a white kitchen!!  Why? Why?

Here is my kitchen (before we moved in). What if I did the same design, but in different color? Maybe get a tile the same shade as my counter tops and then grout the color of the walls? 

I do have blue bar stools and a blue chair at that desk...Maybe I could do the light blue backsplash...One year into the house is a bit too soon to change out cabinets...isn't it?

Kidding.  Sort-of.

Blue Tile

Do you think I could do this pattern of tile as a back-splash in my kitchen?  Or is it too "bathroom-y"? 

I really, really love it. 

I also like this simple brick pattern as well

The thing I like the most about this tile is that it's not all one solid color.  I also want that Seafood sign.

Spoiled!

I invited Rachel to come over to my place over the weekend to play around with Photoshop. When I answered the door she was holding a large bag full of these!

So. In. Love.

Are they not the most fantastic plates you've ever seen? Her mom, my "other mother", Laura got them for me!  They spoil me rotten!

I can't bring myself to put them away in a cabinet.  I'm starting to think I should have done some open shelving, or glass doors in my kitchen. 

Thank you, Thank you, Ladies!!!

Easter Decor

I didn't have any Easter decorations in the last house.  So I've added just a few smallish things this year.

 
Happy Easter! 

Things that Amuse Me

My friend Rachel showed me this website today.  I think it's super funny.  They make fun of catalog photos.  You should look through the website, it's pretty entertaining.  Here are a few of my favorites

And this one is my favorite