A Simple Nest

Tree Advent Calendar

 

Aren't advent calendars fun?  I especially wanted one to put daily Christmas activities on it like Jordan Ferny had suggested.  I'll also be adding a daily scripture too.  My little one is too young to help, but this would be a really great kid project.  Very easy!  They could practice their number writing skills, or cutting, or knot tying!  Yay for Christmas helping develop fine motor skills, hahaha.

Of course part of living simply means I wasn't going to go to the store to pick one up or spend hours (and dollars) making one.  So I looked through my crafting supplies and what did I find?  Green paint samples from Home Depot that I kept when deciding on colors a while back!  Yes!  FREE!!!!! (tutorial below)

Step One:  Cut 25 triangles out of paint samples or colored paper.  I used Bear paint samples from Home Depot which have 4 colors per card, meaning I needed 7.  (which is exactly how many I had, lucky)  I like to hand cut because it looks more tree like than perfect triangles...differing sizes slightly is a good thing I say.

Step Two:  Cut strips of brown paper in different widths.  I used a textured patterned paper I happened to have a scrap of, but more paint chips would be great too.  These can be taped or glued to the back of the tree and stick out for the stump

Step Three: Lay out the trees in a line so you can put them in a pleasing order.  Try not to have too many light colors or dark colors in one spot, space them out.  

Step Four: Now that they are in the right order, paint on the numbers with white paint.  You can write with a white pen or even white out too.  I like the hand done look, but if you are afraid of it, use rubber stamps or number stickers.  I actually tried to copy the font of some number stickers I had (which look a bit like stamps). Let dry before working further.

Step Five: Cut 49 pieces of 3 to 5 inch lengths string or twine.  I used thick linen string left over from a weaving project.  The longer the lengths of twine, the longer your garland will be.  Keep all strings the exact same length.  Now cut 2 foot long lengths for the ends.

Step Six:  Using masking tape (since it is easy to rip into the right size and shape) tape the piece of string to the trees so the string come right out the top.

Step Seven:  Tie Tree #1's string, one of the 12" strings, and one of the empty short strings together in one knot.  The further from the ends the knot is, the closer together the trees will be.  Check to make sure it is half the distance you want the other tree to be from it.  Then pick up tree #2 and tie it's string to the end of the short one just tied on to #1, plus a new empty string.  Keep tying 3 strings together in order until you reach the end, then use the other 12" string to end it with.  Always keep the same length of string from the end of the knot on each one so that the trees are evenly spaced.

You can be done here if you like.  I then wrote different activities to do each day until Christmas (see Jordan's blog post) like build a snowman, visit the Christmas lights as Temple Square, read Luke 2.  You could put a different Christmas scripture for each day to read too.   

VARIATION: You could put a decorated Christmas tree on the back, so that each day you have one more decorated Christmas tree.  In that case, cut two trees out at the same time back to back so that they will be symmetrical.  Same with the stumps.  Then decorate with small ribbons and paper punches or glitter glue dots.

 

No Sew Costume: Little Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf

Tutorials for both Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf below.

 

Need a last minute costume, but don't want to spend $50 on a cheapo from the costume store?

Red Riding Hood: $1.50, 20 minutes.

Wolf: $8, 1.5 hours. (only $2 if you have a nightgown already)

How to:
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

I bought a $1 yard of red fabric from Wal-mart and thought I could just drape it over my head. It looked all wrong so I searched the internet for how to make a cloak. I found cute ideas like this one from Martha Stewart and these too, but I didn't want to sew! I didn't want to spend any time at all! Fortunately, I learned at least one thing from these...It needs to be a semi-circle, not a square. Don't even worry about cutting a hood pattern and sewing!!

Materials:

• 1 yard red fabric
• 1.5 yards red ribbon
• Stapler
• Black paper
• Basket
• Old belt
• Tea towel
• T-shirt
• Any color skirt

Step 1 (cut cloak): Cut a semi-circle

Step 2 (wear cloak):
Hang straight edge over head, tie 1 yard of ribbon around your neck (save .5 yard for later), then pull out volume from the top for a hood. (Your done with the cloak in only 5 mins!)

Step 3 (apron): Put on a t-shirt and skirt and tuck a t-towel into the skirt to look like an apron (see first photo)

Step 4 (belt/corset): Take a piece of black cardstock and cut in the shape shown below, then poke 8 holes (4 on each side) down the center for lacing.

 

Step 5: Lace the red ribbon like tying a shoe, then put on an old black belt (or black ribbon tied around you) and staple the paper corsette on the front! No one could even tell it was paper the whole night!

You could use hot glue instead of staples, and it might be more sturdy.

Your done! Just put on some tights and shoes and do your hair however. I used a basket as my purse. You could just wrap all your belongings in another tea-towel so they aren't all visible. Have fun!

 

How to:
THE BIG BAD WOLF

Materials:

• 6 inch wide fur material
• X-acto knife
• White paper cup
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Black electrical tape (or masking + marker)
• 1 stretchy rubber band
• Nightgown
• Curlers and bobby pins (or a night cap)
• I knew he needed a snout and I was at work when making it (our cafe) so the cup-snout was born.

Step 1: (Snout)
Get a paper cup (ask for an extra at the coffee shop in the morning) Cut out the bottom and cut up the sides so that one half is about 1/3 (the lower snout) of the cup and the other is about 2/3 (the upper snout) of the cup. Cut a little more of an angle pointing to the bottom so its more triangular. (see second photo below)

Step 2:
Cut jagged edges on the sides of both the upper and lower snout. Then on the larger (upper) snout tape a ball of black tape around the end for the nose

Step 3:
Tape the inside of the mouth black, then tape the two pieces together at the top (jaw). (Now they are connected, but flexy so that you can bite on the lower jaw with your teeth to make it open and shut. Bend the teeth toward the inside of the mouth

Step 4: Using the cup parts, trace a pattern on the back of the fur and cut the fur out using an exacto knife (if you use scissors the fur will look funny and you'll have fur everywhere.) The just staple the fur on top and bottom of the snout. Strap a rubber band around the jaw so you can put it around the head, and your done!

 

Step 5: (Ears)

Cut 2 triangles (with x-acto knife) with the fur direction going toward the top of the triangle. Then just fold them in half at the bottom and bobby pin them in the hair (secured with curlers on either side) or pin to a night cap.

 

Step 6: Arms (or legs)

My wolfs granny nightgown had really short arms for him, so we put fur on the arms. You could also do the legs and then put on granny slippers. Measure around the arm and mark. Then cut out the piece in a slightly belled shape (more room to move hands around), staple (or hand stitch for a more secure hold) the ends together and slip over arm stuffing ends into the sleeve.

Step 7: (Tail)

Just clip the short end of your fabric and rip a long piece of fur (ripping won't cut any hairs so it wont get all over, so it's much better than cutting and easier than exacto knife). Then fold the piece and staple, then pin to your wolf's nightgown by the bum.

 

You're all done! Just put the pieces on, and maybe a little grey make-up if you want.

Paper Butterfly Tutorial

Paper butterflies are so easy and fun to use for many craft projects.  I made wall hangings and a mobile for my babies nursery pictured above.  I also like to use them as gift toppers.  You could make teeny tiny ones for scrapbooks, or use them in flower arrangements.  They sky is the limit!  View my video tutorial or use the written instructions for the how-to below.

 

Written Instruction:

1-  Fold 2 layers of tissue paper (or one layer of other paper) in half and cut out shape similar to the one shown in photo below.  A rounded top wing will look like an upside down figure 8 shape when unfolded.  A pointed wing will have a triangular or squared off top.

2-  Unfold and scrunch in the middle (for tissue) or acordian fold the paper horizontally.

3-  Twist bendable wire around the middle leaving the ends long and rounded back in on themselves to make the body and antenas and spread out the tissue or paper wings

Note that card stock is not a great choice as it tends to be too thick and rips to easily and does not flair out

Play around with the shape of the wing tips, it's fun.  Now let your imagination run wild with what you can do with these paper butterflies. 

 

This tutorial was part of these link parties:

 

Paper Flowers Tutorial

Holy Smokes, it took me forever to make enough for nine tables!  One table's worth would just take a movie long though.  These flowers are a cinch, and so pretty!

his is my first video tutorial...it's so weird hearing yourself outside your own head, I'm such a geek, haha.  Scroll down past the videos to see what I did with my flowers.

 

T

I volunteered to be put in charge of the center pieces for The Relief Society birthday celebration because it's the fun part (who wants to plan a program, speech, or buy Costco supplies?  Boring. 

Here's my inspiration post, for when I was brainstorming.  I was so totally enamored with the Emerson Made fabric flowers table, I used it as my inspiration.  Emerson Made has the most beautiful handmade flower line on earth.  I am slightly obsessed.  Ever since my visit to a very old handmade flower factory in NYC, I have a special appreciation for the detail and craftsmanship of a fine handmade flower.  But alas, to buy 9 tables-worth of Emerson Made flowers would have cost a small fortune, and this cost me about $25 bucks, and that's including the craft paper and light blue plastic table covers.  (If you're just doing the flowers for one table it only costs $3!!!)  Still, I think I may have to splurge some day soon and purchase a real EM flower to wear.  Check out the Dahlias in her store!

When I bought the craft paper roll (which I cut in half for the table runners)  I was thinking in total length rather than SQUARE feet, so we didn't have enough and had to do every other table without a runner. 

 

Not to bad really, even without the runners.
 

I was so happy that many of the women wanted to take the flowers home.  Yippee!  Made me feel so good.  Now to make some for my home....I'm thinking spring flower garland on the mantel.

This post is part of the Link party at Tea Rose Home

 

Sweater Refashion

I had a sweater with crazy sleeves.  CRAZY!  I wish I would have taken a before pic to prove how crazy they were. Tight up to the elbows and then BANG they blow out like a balloon.  But the cashmere material was scrumptious, so I couldn't get rid of it.  Now it has new life in a skirt! 

The bottom was already unfinished and I liked it that way.  I just laid a favorite skirt on top as a pattern and cut the top half of the sweater to shape of it (leaving the original side seams on the bottom half). Sewed it up with a straight stitch, then zig zag to reinforce it.  Easy peazy.  I didn't finish the top, it stretches just fine and I like the unfinished edges. 

The sleeves will be a dress for my baby when she's a little bit bigger. :)

Cherry Blossoms Tutorial

Tissue flowers on twigs to make cherry blossoms is not a new craft, but I adapted the flower making technique, and I really like the look of the result.  Many of my visitors actually thought they were real at first!  I love these for spring when I have no trees to pull from (and lets face it, I wouldn't want to hurt my cherry tree's if I did have some).

What you'll need:

• White tissue
• Dark pink tissue (or red if that's what you have on hand)
• Light pink tissue (optional)
• Stapler with staples (or floral wire)
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Branches
• And a garbage can under you so that your floor doesn't end up looking like this when you are done:

1.    Fold a sheet of light pink into many layers so you can cut out many flowers at the same time using a flower outline template. Repeat with white in the same size. For the dark pink, you can just cut out a smallish wonky circle.  I cut out smaller flowers at first but soon realized the shape doesn't matter so much, the dark pink will just be poking out in little punches.

2.    Layer the flowers with white on bottom, then light pink, then dark.  The petals in the white flower should peek out between the petals in the pink flower. 

3.    Form the flower by pulling the inside into a point

4.    Staple about half way up, just enough for the dark pink to peek out, but not be covered up completely.  Floral wire would work wonderfully, but I never seem to have that on hand, and stapling is so quick. :)

5.    Flare out the flower and shape it up a bit, it really doesn't have to be too symetrical/perfect to look good so don't be a perfectionist.

6. Hot glue them onto some branches, and you're done!

 

I used marbles to balance my branches and hold them in place, but I think it would look much better without, or in a non-transparent vase.  I'm thinking I'll move them to my non working fireplace soon actually. 

Storage tip: If you want to keep these to use next year, but don't want to store big awkward (live) items, just pull off the blossoms, put them in a tiny box, and glue them on to new branches next year. 

Bird Bath Tutorial

Great News!  I found my camera cord!  Which means I can start posting tutorials, (my original main purpose for this blog).  Look for a new tutorial at least once per week.

First, the Bird Bath Tutorial.  Wonderful decoration for Spring or Easter.  I love spring, and I love the little tiny bird baths I'm seeing in the decorating stores, but at a $60 price tag?  Not so much.  This one was made with a $2 price tag (since I had the glue and spray paint already).

Step 1:  Find yourself a wide shallow bowl with a flat(ish) rim/lip, a vase with the desired shape (I like it bigger on bottom), and a little birdy.  I had better luck at the thrift store for the dishes, but birds abound in my local dollar store.  

Step 2:  Glue vase and bowl together with a glue gun centering the vase on the bottom of the bowl. High temp is better.  If you want the bird to look like part of the bath design, glue it on now before painting.  If you want the bird to look as if he's landed there wait until after step 3.

Step 3: Spray paint.  I used a satin finish in the color Almond.  When spraying always stay at least a foot away and do many light coats.  Don't be tempted to get in close and coat it thick, you'll only ruin it with drips (believe me it just takes more time to fix if it can be fixed at all at that point)  Stay back, circle around it and spray light.

Step 4: After it's completely dry glue on your bird.  If the lip of the bowl slants downward make sure you have a bit of a clump for the bird to sit upright on, otherwise it doesn't look natural if he's slanting inward.  

Done!  So easy, so instantly gratifying.  I love spray paint and hot glue!  

I set mine out on the entrance console table to collect my keys, pocket change, or ipod.  Corralling the clutter is a simple way to make life easier and more beautiful, and I always know where to find the essentials (wallet/keys) when I have a collection bowl near the door.  What do you use to stash your pockets full of stuff when you walk in the door?

Upcoming spring related tutorials: Beautiful paper flowers for centerpieces (or whatever) and my realistic version of the tissue cherry blossoms

This post is part of the link party on Tea Rose Home!

Mar 26, 2010 11:47:43 PM | My handmade, Seasonal, Tutorials (mine)