Simple and Sweet Poppy Pin In Honor of Memorial Day Veterans

Simple and Sweet Poppy Pin in Honor of Memorial Day

Materials:

Gemstones, Buttons, or Black Felt Circle for the Poppy’s Center

2-4 inch circle of fabric

Hot Glue

Thread

Sewing Needle

Scissors

Elastic or Ring Form (optional- if you wish to make a ring or headband)

Headband (optional)

First take a circular item and trace a circle onto a piece of red or reddish-orange fabric. You can use anything you wish, but remember that the end result will be approximately half the diameter. Cut the traced circle out of the fabric. My circle was just over 2.5" in diameter. It definately was not perfect.

Take a threaded needle and knot the end. Sinch up a few gathers and run a basting stitch through it. That is a longer loose stitch.

Once you meet the knot you have completely gone around the circle's edge once. Pull the thread to draw up the edges in to a tightly sinched pucker.

Hot glue a gemstone or button to the top of the opening. Hot glue felt to the rear and an extra strip for a clip if this will be a pin. Trim off the edges of the felt to clean it up and only show the poppy flower from the top.

Add a piece or elastic for a ring or if you have a ring form hot glue it on. For a head band, you can either glue it to a headband you purchased or to a piece of elastic long enough to encompass the head that will be wearing it. Lol. I say that because I have a XL head when it comes to the diameter. Apparently, the normal or regular sized head has a circumference of 22.5” and I am at a whopping 23.75”. With that size when hat shopping means XL. It is the same for me from top to bottom with headbands. I just have a big head literally. So make sure you have enough elastic for the size you need.  You can also tie off a ribbon under the hairline with poppies glued to the top or a pretty scarf can act as a headband. Another quick and easy headband is to cut the band from a T-shirt measure the circumference and sew the ends together. With that, you can make it as wide as you would like. You can glue or sew the poppies onto the top side of the headband. That makes a beautiful and comfortable headband.

Memorial Day Is About Remembering...

Memorial Day is quickly approaching. Memorial Day is a day of Remembrance. It is a day that is solemnly for honoring those who have served for the greater good and lost their lives fighting for freedom under the control of our government. Those that believed in working together and being a part of something bigger than themselves.

I find that old traditions of visiting grave sites and commemorating loved ones, friends, family, and those thousands of soldiers unknown to us personally, but known to someone is a thing of the past. Today people barbecue and celebrate a weekend off of work for Memorial Day, but that is not what it is about. It may be nice to be off of work and that is always a celebration, but Memorial Day is about honoring those who died for our country. That could be a soldier, fireman, police officer, you name it. It is our duty to keep that tradition thriving so that our younger generations carry on values that made America a great land once and it can be great once again.

So this Memorial Day, give thanks by re-dedicating yourself to your country. Honor those who have served, who have lost lives, and who serve today. Let not those who have died be done so in vain.

If you do have a barbecue, make sure to do something with your children and teach them. Make a display for your friends and family to see that is in honor of our countrymen. Be it wearing a small poppy flower on your lapel, headbands, or displaying names of soldiers who lost lives on a canvas, jewelry, or some other type of showy piece. Print a story and frame it as a centerpiece about a veteran that served well so others can read it. Ask your grandparents or great grandparents to tell you stories about what they remember during the war. I am sure they know some. Visit graves and place flags or poppies on them. Say a prayer...but keep Memorial Day sacred, remember.

I am making a pin for my sweater out of fabric, thread, needle, and black round gems.

Zebra Shelving Remade for Teen Bedroom or Home Decor



For this I took a cheap pair of shelves that were pressed board covered in laminate and beat up a bit. They were used and I hated to let them go to waste. I gathered the materials list below to remake them into something beautiful. I got the screws and brackets from Lowes.

Materials: Krylon Plastic spray paint white x 2 (1 per shelf), Collage Pauge, black paint acrylic or satin house paint or whatever color you paint your stripes, paint brushes, inspiration for stripes (mine was fabric), sand paper, white paint, pencil with eraser (optional), shelves. (Missing in this photo are: sand paper, eraser, shelves "before" picture, and white acrylic paint).

I first sanded the shelf edges a bit where they were smashed. The paint says you do not have to do this if you buy the right type of paint for plastic, but I thought it might make it a bit more adhesive and the shelves were really boogered up.

I covered the boards with white Krylon for plastic spray paint. I made sure it would adhere to plastic type surfaces before I bought it. You pay a little more for spray paint like that, but you get what you pay for.  I learned this from buying a dog in the Walmart parking lot for $25 and have regretted it ever since. LOL. This project took two cans of Krylon Fusion for Plastic. It runs about $4 per can. I picked up 3 cans to be safe and stored the third can for future use.   

I put 2 coats on the shelves one at a time allowing for drying time in between. That was hard. Then I went back touched up the shelves by spraying areas that seemed lighter.

I then used a pencil to start drawing zebra stripes at random. I found that when I went to paint the shelf with black interior satin gloss paint that I had on hand from our house (you can use acrylic), I did not stay in the penciled areas and ad-libbed so to say.  It was just easier for me that way. I have however pasted a template that I just sketched for you below. You can use this template on frames, folders-- the opportunities are endless.

Print these on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Use carbon paper or a pencil to trace the stripes. The pencil will leave an indention that you can go over with pen or pencil and paint.

I found that starting in the center and making lines going from left to right down the board made it easier to paint the lines from top to bottom. If you look at my board you can see the center to see what I am speaking about. It is hard to explain.
Once the zebra stripes were completed, I went back and erased the visible pencil marks and had to touch up paint a few zebra lines with regular acrylic white paint to clean it up a little. 

I covered it lightly with a finish that I had already on hand called Collage Pauge-instant decoupage in glossy.  I love this stuff. It provides a nice glossy finish that is water resistant. 

It turned out real neat and everyone loved it but my husband who said it was great if you like zebras! A first and last name came to my mind... "Debbie Downer". 

Paper Bunting

Make A Paper Bunting 

Paper
Scissors
Craft Glue
Ribbons, trims, lace, rick rack, etc - any and all are optional
Scrapbook Paper or Wrapping Paper
Double Bias Tape (actually is made of fabric in the sewing section)

First I made a triangle template using a heavy paper stock I measured, traced, and cut it out. Once that was completed, I traced the template over a few pieces of scrapbook paper and cut them out. I only needed three for this project. You can use wrapping paper, but you will need to paper mache the paper onto a heavier paper stock or even cardboard. I used three coordinating colors of scrapbook paper and did not need a heavier back to it.

I used some ribbons and trim. You can use rick rack or anything you have available. I cut strips placing a line of craft glue down each side of the paper and attaching the ribbons and trims. Using the computer, I typed the word I was looking for. The font only went to 72 in Word, but I highlighted that number and typed "125"  and hit enter. You can do this for just about any font to get a bigger size. I cut out the letters individually using scissors and an exacto knife. I glued the words to my triangles. I did this before bedtime, so in the morning it was dry and I was ready to continue. 

The next day/night, I took a thin double bias tape used in sewing; I opened the bias with the inside facing up and placed a line of glue down each side. Next, I laid the bunting triangles where I wanted them positioned on the bias tape bottom half and folded the top half over the top of the triangular paper.

I added some felt roses that I made using my Felt Rose Tutorial. You can use glitter, gems, sequins, or anything that you have handy.  I let that dry completely. I trimmed the ribbon edges, the bias tape, and cleaned it up a little and it was ready to hang!

I made my bunting for Mother's Day, but you can make yours for a holiday, welcome home, birthday, baby shower, wedding shower, graduation, or a just because!

Synthetic Fabric Rose



Pretty and Quick Rose Clip Tutorial :)

Cut a 2" strip off the edge of the fabric.

Lightly sew a stitch through one side and pull.

Use a lighter or candle with water nearby and get close enough to the edge to pucker it, but not singe the fabric.

Add hot glue to a piece of felt and glue the rose threaded side in a spiral pattern making a rose.

 Add a button or embellishment to the center if you desire one.

Add a back, pin, alligator clip, or other type of device to attach it.

In keeping with the flower theme for Mother's Day, I have made a quick and very easy rose from a sheer fabric I caught on sale at JoAnns.

Happy flower making!

Well, Mother's Day is just around the corner. My mom loves flowers, but she is so allergic to the pollen that she gets sick just from anything blooming nearby. I found this project and thought about her since this flower is so beautiful I am going to plan on making it. I just haven't decided if I want it to be a pin for her work vest or if I want to try to tackle it as a long stem flower in a arrangement w/ a vase full of other types of flowers. All hand made of course.

Picture and tutorial posted at the blog by Holidash . The tutorial is located at:
http://news.holidash.com//2010/04/23/mothers-day-corsage/ . Supplies consist of thin cardboard, scissors, two pieces of different colored felt sheets, pin, Fabri-Tac, and a needle and thread.

Felt Rose for Gift Packaging, Scarf, or Purse Embellishment

To make a flower out of felt, I first purchased a 9” x 12” rectangle of felt.  I folded it into three long sections and cut the sides to make three long strips.

Then I folded the three strips together into three – four squares and cut the edges.  Now this gives me a stack of squares that are not perfect, which is what I wanted. I trimmed the corners off the squares to round them.

I then took the rounded piece and folded it in half. I did this again putting the center of the folds together and in a weave pattern as you would the top of a box you wanted to shut.  The center now looks like a plus sign and the outside edges are loose and rounded.

I took a needle with thread and sewed a few stitches in the center to connect them all. I added a few stitches in places to tighten it down.

To make it a little imperfect, I took the scissors and added a few extra cuts or “V’s and U’s” so that the flower petals were not so perfectly rounded. If you like that look, then just skip this step. 

Lastly, I added a piece of felt to the backside using hot glue or a threaded needle, sew a rounded bottom underneath the flower. Then add a small rectangular strip to the bottom to allow for a clip or pin to attach to the flower's base.  

Voilah! You are done! You have a rose that you can clip to your purse, scarf, gift packaging, or anywhere for that matter!