Homemade Gift: Fabric Play Balls

Last week I came across a free pattern for these fabric beach balls from the ah-mazing The Purl Bee.

First let me say I LOVE this site. It kind of makes me wish that I  had the money/time/skill to learn how to do EVERYTHING they do...especially the knit part. I promise if you have not stopped by there before, you will be thanking me.

Okay, back to the balls...

My side of the family did a cousins gift exchange. One of the cousins we got is a wee one...relatively speaking since he is an infant, but he weighs just shy of my 20 month old. I really wanted to make him something so when I saw this pattern and looked at my ginormous pile of fabric scraps, I knew I had found my project.

The pattern is super easy to follow and would have been even more of a breeze if I still wasn't an ignoramus when it comes to hand sewing...although I am improving friends. I literally clapped and giggled when I managed to close up the first ball and it actually looked good.

I HIGHLY recommend this project. I know the Little Mens' cousin will love this. I know this because I keep having to remind them that they can't play with them..."but moooom they are soooo cool". 

No Silhouette Needed Wall Art How-to

Silhouette machines are gloriously wonderful...mind you I am saying this having only ever dreamed of the machine from a far. While I have entered every Silhouette giveaway in blogland, the blogging gods still have not thrown me a lucky bone.

But do I give up all the glorious projects that a Silhouette offers? No sir...or uh ma'am.

Not everyone can have the hottest and coolest toys, but I have learned through the years that doesn't mean you can't still create some LOVELY things...it might just take a little ingenuity, time, and chocolate.

So here is how you can create your own Christmas Wall Art even without a Silhouette.

You will need:

felt...are any of you surprised I am using felt?
printed off letters in your favorite font, cut out for stencils (mine was Modern No. 20)
lots of pins
a good movie
a good pair of scissors
oh yeah and...
CHOCOLATE

The process:

Find your font, print off letters in the size you want.
Cut out letters to use as stencils.
For each letter, pin to felt and then cut out. You could also trace on backwards. Both ways will take some time.
Put on a movie.
Cut out some letters.
Eat some chocolate.
Wash your hands so as not to give chocolate on your letters forcing you to say something unladylike and then needing more chocolate.
Cut out some more letters.
Gather all your lovely cut out letters.
Find a wall.
Put them up...use what ever adhesive method you want...I used scotch tape...yep that is right I did.

This is a little bit of a labor of love, and yes a Silhouette would be easier and vinyl would be easier to work with...but that is not the point of this craft. The point of this is to show you that you don't need to lament if you don't have the tools. You can do it!

small disclaimer: Depending on what font you use and how dainty it is, these letters might now make it from season to season. It is okay they will still have chocolate next year.

My New Christmas Look

Traditionally we put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving. Nope not this year.

This year I didn't even have the tree up December 1st. Lame.

It is up now and let's just say it makes my heart happy.

This year I changed our same old decor theme. It has been around since our first year of marriage nine years ago. I was done with the gingerbread and gingham theme.

Enter my red white and greenish/blue heaven.

I HEART it.

my "no Silhouette needed" wall art secret coming soon 

and p.s. those pillows are $3 place mats. SWEET.

Since I can't go and buy all new ornaments I used some old red ones, bought some new ones SUPER cheap, and made the rest.

I will have ornament tutorials AND some other really cheap decorating tricks this week.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Lucky Winners

We have two lucky girlies who won themselves something lovely.

Winner for The Shop at No. 144...

#15 Emilee who said she would wear these lovelies to a work party. 

Emilee get ready to have every one LOVE your shoes.

Winner of the 2 custom made Little Men Ties...

#42 Chris and Natalie who said

"I LOVE your little man ties!! My favorites are the little professor houndstooth and the brown and seafoam quatrefoil."

Natalie, email me and let me know the sizes and your contact info.

Thank you everyone who entered both giveaways.

Remember for all of you who didn't win a tie, I am still placing custom made orders. So you didn't miss your chance to own a tie for your little guy. Orders can be placed right now by emailing me at rissa80@gmail.com.

FREE Shutterfly Christmas Cards

Some people have their cards all ordered, printed, signed, addressed, and mailed by about now. I am not one of those people. If you are like me, then you might actually still need to order your prints. Well how would you like those cards for FREE.

Yup, I said FREE!

The wonderful people over at Shutterfly...you know the guys...the ones how offer tons upon tons of the cutest photo designs for anything from photo books, party invites, calendars, holidays cards, photo gifts. Seriously the possibilities are endless.

This holiday season they are offering free holiday cards to anyone who blogs. Not just some, but 50...say what 50???? Woohoo.

I heart their flat stationary cards. They are a little sturdier than the photo cards and come in just short of a bazillion different designs.

Here are a few of my favorite possibilities...

 this one matches my new current holiday decor

 love the simplicity of this one

this one is SO much fun

great and traditional and will allow me to have several family pics

Once you have your sweet family on one of these gorgeous cards guess what, there are more things that Shutterfly offers that will round out your holiday needs.

How about address labels that coordinate with your cards?

Ya might like gift tag labels to add to your good plates or your neighbor gifts.

Seriously endless possibilities, and all you have to do is find your favorite family pictures to add to them. I love the ease and beauty of photo cards and Shutterfly is the place to find beautiful cards and it is the epitome of EASY.

So go take a look. Look into their free offer if you blog.

Get ready to have the cutest cards on the block.

Check into this promotion http://bit.ly/sfly2010 hopefully there is still plenty of time!