Candle Holders - w/tutorial

Things you will need:
baby food jars
wire
beads (that will fit on the wire)
Goo-Gone for the jars and a paper towel
Needle-nose Pliers (for bending and cutting the wire!)
Tea light candle


I used baby food jars..I figured applesauce would smell the best if there was still a smell after they were washed. I cleaned them out and used Goo-Gone to remove the Sticky label. I actually had to use some 'elbow grease' too..that is some tough glue! Pick your bead color. I think glass beads would be good..in case the get hot with the candle..but these ones I had on hand are plastic.

Next I wound some wire around itself and slipped it over the rim of the jar and pulled tight..then twisted the wire up so it wouldn't slip and come loose.

String your beads onto the wire to make the hanger. Then attach it to the other side by slipping the wire under and around a few times. Needle-nosed wire pliers/cutters are awesome for this!


Then I strung some more beads onto a smaller piece of wire, fed it through one side, wrapped it around and through and strung some more beads onto the other side of it and wrapped it to tie it off. I then bent the wires to little curly-q's, and you're done!Easy Shmeasy! I think this would be a fun craft to do with your/a child! Make a bunch and hang them around your backyard, or for a birthday party or something! A boy could make one and just use a different color scheme!

BACK TO TUTORIALS

Baby Bedding Before

Well! We're having a girl!! Did I tell you that already?! and I've got my work cut out for me!

Today I went shopping for some new bedding..or fabric to make bedding. A couple months ago I found a mini Portable Crib for free so I snatched it, found a mattress for $20..and now I'm going to make the bedding to fit...it's not regular size crib bedding. I am excited about this little crib because the baby will be sharing a room with our son and it is sooo small. I've been cleaning out and getting rid of things while I still have the energy too, and trying to figure out how I'm going to fit 2 kids and their beds and a recliner and all his toys in this little room..anyway..
I found some fabric I like..here are the projects I've got up my sleeve:

Crib bumper - w/white pattern
Crib sheets - pink and green
Crib skirt - brown polka dots

I found some other really cute fabric that I may snag and make another set for this bed that matches the brown skirt too! Need to figure this one out first though!
Then I'll paint these letters to match the bedding..and glue on the little flowers like I did for my sons name and make this dragonfly mobile with the clothes pins pictured and then I'll have to figure out some fabric for a quilt! The ribbon is for a little taggie blanket!

This will be the mobile over her bed!

Party Hat

Well, it's VERY late..or early! but I finished my sons Birthday Hat! I've been wanting to make one and decided to make the numbers velcro so it will last more than one year! I can make other things to interchange with it too..a little 'Thomas' choo choo train, a 'Lightning McQueen' car, or 'Nemo', or 'Wall-E', or ... whatever he's into in the next few years! He turns 2 next Tues! It'll be a Thomas theme this year.

Oh how I wish I had more time..more space..more money to craft! One day, I keep telling myself, I will have a craft room. Out of the kids reach and all organized with a place for everything and everything in its place, but for now I have to make due and be thankful for what I have, and I AM thankful for our blessings and housing while [we] are in school.
It's hard to have everything out and be able to keep it out in our little 2 bedroom townhome. My husband has his hobby table and I have my craft table which makes the living room feel even smaller, but we enjoy what we do! Any ideas on better organizing methods? (My husband is into model airplanes this month..along with RC cars and planes and rockets and video games. He recently got an airbrush kit and has been having fun with it. His hobbies, like mine, keep him happy and busy - when he doesn't have to stress about school!) I am finding myself more and more busy as well. With house chores and errands, a 2 year old and baby on the way..and traveling while my husband has a couple weeks off school. We are enjoying our time, but I have a list of things to do when I get back. ..things to mail and sew and create (sorry to the people I need to send something to..soon, I promise! - you know who you are!) I am excited.

Clever Idea

So, my friend got a BIG bag of Popcorn for their wedding..and after a few years hadn't used it. When they finally went to pop it, it wasn't so eatable..so they put it in a big tub and gave it to their daughter to play in. I borrowed it for our Pack Meeting tonight. Then theme was Jurassic Park. So I put the boys awards in the "dinosaur" eggs (leftover from Easter) and threw in some dinosaurs (12 for $1) and magnifying glasses (12 for $1.50) and had them all find the egg with their name on it! They had an absolute blast.. I wish I had gotten a pic of about 8 boys all hunting for their eggs through the popcorn! I think I will do this for my son! It's not nearly as messy as sand. For dessert we had dirt cups..pudding with oreos over the top. It was a fun night! I wonder what we'll do next month..these callings are sure keeping me busy! For Webelo's Den Meetings we are going to be making some things out of wood and leather this next month..crafty boys!lol!!

Sock Monkey

This was a blast to work on..and so easy! It turned out better than I thought for my first one! I have some other socks to make another one with.. more colorful! It'll be fun! I had my husband pose for me..he was really just ignoring me..but it was funny.

Cake Class!

Our cake class has been so much fun! Here is my last cake..for this class. I'll (we'll) take another one in a couple months. It's been a blast! I like this one the best of all that I've done..the Chocolate tastes SOOO much better too..maybe I'm just tired of the white cake and butter cream frosting..but maybe not! mmm....chocolate!

Quick and Easy (Maternity) Shirt

This is made from 1 yard of fabric! The fabric is already gathered with the elastic at the top and already hemmed at the bottom, so I just measured myself and sewed a seam up the back. With the little bit left over I made the straps. I'm all about these quick easy crafts!!
You could also use this fabric to make a little girl dress!