Fabric Easter Basket

Good Monday morning to one and all.  This week is Spring Break so Cristian is home.  I think we're going to go pick strawberries one day this week - yummy!!!  He can't wait and neither can I - Love strawberries!

Anyway, today's post is another with an Easter theme.  I think that the basket pictured above is lovely and it appears very easy to make.  Maybe I'll make it in a solid color and then use it to display my fabric covered eggs....hmmm, I may have to get busy - lol!

Here's the link for the step by step picture tutorial: Fabric Easter Basket

It appeared on the modabakeshop.com site and the tutorial was done by Vanessa Christenson at V and Co. Thanks to them for this great tutorial!

Well, have a wonderful Monday.  Oh yeah, almost forgot - watch for more Easter themed tutorials this week!

Fabric Covered Easter Eggs - Tutorial

Good Morning.  I'm going to make this quick today since I'm going shopping at one of my favorite stores - Michael's!

I came across this tutorial by Vanessa Christenson and knew that I had to share it with you since Easter is right around the corner.  Aren't they sweet?  I display ceramic eggs in a basket but wanted a new look for another basket I want to put together.  These totally fit the bill!

You can find the tutorial here:  Fabric Covered Eggs

Or if eggs aren't your thing then check out the whole list of tutorials at Vanessa's blog here:  V and Co Tutorials   She offers many for free and some are available as PDF files in her store.  Go check it out!

Well, I'm off to shop 'til I drop for more crafting supplies - Yippee!!!  Have a terrific Saturday and watch for my next post for making your own Easter Basket!

Outdoor Projects

Hey!  It's TGIF - Hurray!

Spring is in full bloom here in North Carolina and that means outside projects!  My darling husband just shakes his head because his honey-do list keeps getting bigger and bigger.  LOL!!  Here are a few of the things that we'd like to get accomplished outside.

A New Mailbox



Privacy Screens for the Sitting Area in the Front of Our House



Both project were featured at the Lowes Creative Ideas website.  I subscribed to the project magazine (it's free, by the way) and the privacy screens were in the March Issue.  When I went online to get the specs I found the mailbox. 

There's one more that I like - a 4 seasons planter. Each season the flowers change but the Dwarf Spruce remains a constant.  I really like the idea of this planter - I only wish I could decide on a place to put it!  Any ideas?



4 Season Planter



Wish me luck because I'm seriously thinking of doing some interior painting as well and maybe even redoing my kitchen cabinets - a little too ambitious?  We'll see!

Enjoy - hope this inspired you to line up a few outdoor projects of your own!  See ya soon. 

By the way I have a post coming up with a very cute way to decorate eggs for Easter - you won't want to miss it!!!



Easter Bunny Bottle - CUTE!

Good morning fellow bloggers! 

Just in time for Easter, yesterday I stumbled upon this website and loved this idea!  It is the cutest thing ever and I think it would be very easy to make as well.  Maybe as something to put in your child's Easter Basket or as a treat for their classmates - whichever way you decide to use them, I just think they are adorable!

So go here:  Easter Bunny Bottle Tutorial   This link will take you to the instructions at HappyClippings.com and includes not only a step by step pictorial but also free printables you need to complete the project!  Awesome!

Well, off to work on more washer jewelry pieces!  Have a fantastic day!

No Guesses....but Here's the Answer!

Hey, all.  Just a quick post today since I'm busy working on teacher appreciation gifts for next month (which I'll post pics of after we've given it to them). 

I realized that I never told you what the bracelet and earring set was made out of so (drumroll, please)   It's fishing barrel swivels!  That's right - a fishing tackle supply turned into cute jewelry.  Hard to believe, huh?  Well, believe it - your eyes did not deceive you!

Cristian's sleep over was terrific!  They couldn't sleep in the tent because of thunderstorms but they still had a good time.  I know of 3 little boys that slept really well on Sunday night!!!  Pillow fights, water battles, playing WII and talking until early morning will have that affect - LOL!!!!

Have you been watching the eagles?  The babies are getting so big already! Well, have a great rest of your day - see you soon!

Washer Jewelry

Good Saturday Afternoon!

I have a few more pictures to show you of washers transformed into pendants and earrings.

                  

I seem to have an orange theme going, don't I?  Well, the reason is that my dear friend has Multiple Sclerosis and we have been experimenting for a possible fundraiser with all the proceeds going to the MS Society.

The first one was done with alcohol ink, the second is a graphic with glaze and the third one is wrapped ribbon.  The last is another graphic with glaze.  Which one is your favorite?  I like them all but I have a bias opinion, obviously - LOL!  The possibilities with these things are endless.  I have so many graphics that I want to use as well as more ideas for washer/hardware earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

Have any of you figured out what the earrings and bracelet from yesterday's post is made of?  Well, I think I'll keep you waiting one more day to find out!

We are getting ready for Cristian's friends to sleep over tonight (I doubt there will be much sleeping though - LOL).  So have a great rest of your Saturday and we'll chat soon.  See ya!

Handmade Jewelry Sets

Good Afternoon!  A few days ago I told you that I had made a birthday gift and that I would post it once I knew they had received it.  So here you go:

As you can see it is made using washers and beads.  Purple is her favorite color so I decided to use it for the washers.  They are colored with alcohol ink - don't they look cool?  It almost makes them look like they are stone.  The ink is so easy to work with and the results are incredible and unique.  That sort of makes it a one of kind original!  Anyway, the rest of the project was just head pinning the beads and connecting everything together with jump rings.  I thought it came out very nicely.  It turns out that my sister-in-law thought so too when she got it!

I have another set I want to show you and you'll never believe what it is made from!

Can you figure out what I used to make this set?  Sorry, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out!  If you think you know - leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear your guesses.

So have a great rest of your TGIF day and see you tomorrow!

'GOTCHA DAY' and Decorah Eagles 3rd Egg Hatch

As we were enjoying dinner last night with friends at Texas Steak House for Cristian's 'Gotcha Day', the 3rd egg hatched in Decorah, Iowa.  Of course, after having watched over the past few days and to have missed the last egg hatching was very disappointing.  But thanks to the folks at the Raptor Resource Project and Xcel Energy, we can relive the moment at YouTube!  And lucky for you, I've included that video in today's post. (See above)

As I mentioned, yesterday was Cristian's 'Gotcha Day'.  It is a very special day in our family because that is the day that we officially became one!  Each year we honor this day with a small celebration of sorts. 

On April 6, 2003, we were blessed with an incredible boy who we proudly call son.  Hence, his 'Gotcha Day' celebrations began!  Every year on this special day he gets to pick a favorite meal at home or place to eat out and usually he gets to do something special as well.  This year he chose the steak house for dinner and he's having a couple of friends sleep over on Saturday night.  We're hoping for good weather because they want to sleep in the tent and so far it looks good for that!

Well, that's it for today.  Enjoy the video and we'll chat soon!

Candy Bouquets

Good Morning All!  Did you get a chance to check out the Bald Eagles and their babies?  If not, yesterdays' post has the links you need to see them.  The babies are soooooo cute and fuzzy!!!

Today I want to show you the Candy Bouquets I made for Cristian's tee ball coaches a couple of years ago. 

I used fun size candy bars and carefully hot glued them onto skewers.  Then I took red cellophane and cut it into squares and made a very small cut in the center.  The skewer was inserted there and the cellophane got twisted to resemble the flower petals.  At the bottom of the cellophane, I then wrapped floral tape to keep it in place and to give it the resemblance of a stem.  The 'vases' are empty and clean coffee cans with a laminated cover that I designed in PSE.  Inside the can is a piece of floral styrofoam that was hot glued to the bottom of the can.  The skewers were inserted into the foam at different levels (short in the front gradually getting taller in the back) to give the candy flowers dimension just like a floral arrangement. The tag, as you can see, is a laminated baseball tied at the base of one of the candy 'flowers'.  And the finishing touch was a wide ribbon around the vase and tied in a bow - I believe I hot glued it to the can so it would stay in place.

It was the first time I had ever made these and I was pretty happy with how they turned out and his coaches seemed to like them as well!!  I think these could also be cute teacher appreciation gifts, especially if they like chocolate (who doesn't like chocolate, right? LOL).

Well, that's it for today.  I've been making more washer pendants and a few other things.  As soon as I get a chance to take a few pictures I'll post them.  I made a set as a birthday gift and as soon as I know the recipient got it I will show you that, too. (Don't want to ruin the surprise!)

Have a fantastic day! 

Visit Nesting American Bald Eagles and Their Newly Hatched Babies!!!

Hello, friends.  Hopefully your weekend was good.  Ours was, but busy.

Let me explain the title of my post today.  My internet provider's homepage has streaming news.  One of the stories caught my eye yesterday about Eagles and their eggs hatching being watched by over 100,000 people.  As a bird watcher (we have a bluebird nesting box in our backyard and every year we watch them nest and then wait for the eggs and babies) I had to check out the story and ended up going to the link to see the nest cam (pictured above).

The nest is in Decorah, Iowa and it's in conjunction with Xcel Energy and the Raptor Resource Project.  I have to say that it's pretty amazing, to say the very least.  Cristian is just tickled pink to be able to watch these eagles on a live feed.  Sadly, after I took him to school this morning, it was feeding time for the 2 babies and he missed it.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that hopefully this afternoon he will be able to see it.  Also, it appears that there is still one egg to hatch and I really hope we can catch it as it happens - he will love it!

Decorah Eagles and Babies Nest Cam  ***Link Updated 4-7-2011***

I've provided two links for you today.  The Xcel Energy link will take you to their homepage of the 2011 bird cams for not only the eagles but other birds as well.  The 2nd link is for the live cam feed for the American Bald Eagles and the hatchlings.  Take a few minutes and check it out.  It's pretty cool to be able to watch them and maybe you'll get lucky and see the last egg hatch or the babies be fed!!!!

Have a great day.