ST. PATRICK'S DAY SKIRTS

Last March I made these skirts for St. Patrick's Day for my little girls and then posted a quick photo but I never gave a tutorial. This year you get the tutorial.

I love this Cricket Clover fabric by Heather Ross. It's part of the Briar Rose collection from 2013. You can still find it. When I bought it, I wasn't sure what I would use if for so I only bought a half yard. Then I decided to make mini skirts for my girls but I needed enough fabric for two skirts so I added a band at the top for one and a different band at the bottom for the other to make it work. Overall, the size 3 (the skirt with the pink on the top) is 1/2" shorter in length and has a 1" smaller waistband than the size 5 (the skirt with the pink on the bottom). My measuring is very rough because I made these quickly and I can't stress this enough... I am not a seamstress with real skills. I wing it. Always.

As a side note, these skirts still fit my girls, a year later, so the size 3 is working for 4 and the size 5 is working for 6, almost 7. I figure, if it's too short, put on some leggings or shorties underneath and it's all good.

SUPPLIES
- Looking only at the size 3 skirt with the top band of pink:
(A) Fabric for the large portion - (Cricket Clover) 9"H x 44"W
(B) Fabric for the shorter portion - (pink) 5.5"H x 44"W
Pins
Iron & Board
Sewing Machine & Thread
Elastic (3/4") & 2 Large Safety Pins

PROCESS
1. Wash and dry your fabrics. Iron and lay out flat. *My fabric shrunk a bit so it was more like 42" after washing (instead of 44").
2. Cut the (A) half yard of clover fabric in half down the long length so you have two 9"x44" pieces. I was making two skirts so with a 1/2 yard of fabric and only one skirt, you could make it much fuller and have two side seams. I only had one side seam and utilized 1 piece per skirt. The more you have, the more fullness in the skirt.
3. Cut the (B) shorter portion of fabric to be the same long length but only about 5.5" in height.
4. Back up (A) and (B) along the long side and pin. (see top photo)
5. Stitch those two together about 1/2" from the edge.
6. Fold over and press the (B) fabric on one long end about 1.5" pin.
7. Stitch about 1.25" from the folded edge on the (B) fabric. This will be for the elastic.
8. Press the sewn seam connecting (A) and (B). Then go back and top stitch along that seam so it lays flat. (see second and third photos)
9. Roll fold and iron a hem at the bottom of (B) fabric. Top stitch 1/4" in from the edge.

10. Insert a large safety pin into your elastic piece and feed it through the elastic seam. Pull it so that the waste band is about 18" (size 3-4) or 20" (size 5-6). At your end point, safety pin that end to the fabric to hold it in place. Make sure the starting pin is connected to the fabric as well. Leave a few inches of elastic on both ends hanging out just incase you need to loosen it.
11. Back up the long strip so that you create one large hoop and pin the end side (see bottom photo).
12. Using just one safety pin, pin all of the waistband into place. Make sure your pin is going through all layers of elastic and fabric.
13. Stitch the end seam about 1/2" in from the edge. Make sure you stitch over the elastic a couple of times. And cut the excess elastic. *My girls don't like to feel their seams etc. so I actually stitched a smooth ribbon over this edge... again, a fine example of me winging it. I know there's a real way to insert elastic and have it hidden, but I need to figure that out.
14. Turn the skirt inside out and Press the seam open.
15. Flip the skirt back out so that the print is on the outside and top stitch the seam so that it stays open in place. On for each side of the open seam.















































Once this was finished I added a little pocket to the front of each skirt in the coordinating (B) fabric.

GREENS & GOLD FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY

St. Patrick's is coming up next! I'm not Irish but I like this time of year a lot. I think it's the colors!

I love all greens. It's so refreshing to bring the beginnings of spring color inside after a long winter. Of course, this winter is weird... it's February and it feels like April. So I'm feeling Spring early.

Along with green I'm ALWAYS interested in adding gold. I have several ways of adding gold. First, I love to gold foil anything and everything (plus a little more).

I also appreciate a good gold paint. The Martha Stewart Metallic Acrylic Craft Paint is my favorite. It works great on glass, wood, cork, leather, fabric... just about anything. I have yet to find a really amazing gold spray paint, but I keep trying.

I painted the bottom of an old vase to use for St. Patrick's Day decorations. It's so easy. Seriously, zero effort on this one.

SUPPLIES
Masking Tape
Paint Brush
MS Metallic Acrylic Craft Paint
Vase

PROCESS
1. Just mask off a clean line with masking tape.
2. Brush on a couple of coats, and let dry.
3. Peal off the tape carefully.

You can also paint the inside of a vase by swirling the paint around and turning it upside down onto wax paper to let it drain to the top of a vase. This is great if the vase isn't going to ever have water in it. I like to have a variety of green vases and gold objects in my St. Patrick's Decorations so I use both methods.









































I also like to include, clover, moss and gold chocolate coins. That's all I need to feel the St. Patricks vibe. This year, I may add a little more. Stay tuned.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE... WIRE WRAPPED IN YARN

These are are a fun craft to do on Valentine's Day. I did this little "love" impromptu with a couple of girlie friends while our kids played. I do so enjoy walking away from a playdate with a completed craft in hand.

Once this is learned you'll want to make these for every holiday. They can be any shape you want... St. Patrick's Day is next... four-leaf clover! This idea is also great for kids names too, to put in their bedrooms.

SUPPLIES
Wire - 12 gauge aluminum
Yarn
Scissors
Mod Podge
Paper
Pencil

PROCESS
1. Draw out the shape you want on a piece of paper.
2. To create your shape or word, place the wire over the drawing and follow it.
3. Slightly undo the word to just loosen up the loops so you can wrap the wire easily. You'll get it back into shape after it's wrapped.
4. Glue an end of yarn to one end of the wire and wrap it around the tip of the wire, then wrap the yarn back over itself to secure that end. Keep wrapping, you can glue occasionally if you want but I try not to glue, it leaves the yarn stiff.
5. If you change colors, cut the yarn and glue it down. Start your new color, glueing slightly over the top of the old to secure the transition.
6. Keep wrapping until you get to the end of the wire and finish it the same way you started. Wrapping the tip with yarn so you don't see the wire.
* The more you wrap the thicker it becomes so try to keep all the yarn on the same level (one layer).
7. Once it is all wrapped and glued, you can reshape using your drawing as needed.

These can be hung with straight pins on a pin board, or you can add tiny magnets for a magnet board. You can also create a small loop on the ends and tie string to it.

xoxo...  HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

VALENTINE'S CLASSROOM EXCHANGE FOR KIDS

I'm a bit late with my kids class treats for Valentine's this this year. If you are as well, and need a quick idea, print this out, gather some goodies, load some baggies... you can get this checked off your list in an afternoon.

SUPPLIES
Cello Bags - I used 2.5" x .75" x 6" (Try to get bags as close as possible to this size).
Cardstock - I used Paper Source Stardream Opal or Quartz
X-acto Knife, Cutting Board & Bone Folder (Scissors or a paper cutter will also work)
Ring Erasers - I got these from Target
Candies - I got chocolate kisses, Jelly Beans, and gummy XOs all at Target. Also at grocery stores.
Stapler - This could be cuter, with ribbon etc., but a stapler will do in a pinch. I thought about making the staples gold but again...!
Sharpie - To write their names on the back.

PROCESS
1. Print out the cards below on 8.5" x 11" cardstock.
2. Cut the center vertical line, and two outer vertical lines.
3. Turn your paper and cut the horizontal lines.
4. Keeping the paper in it's place, score on the fold lines. You should have six cards.
5. If your child is old enough to write their own names have them help out with this part. If not, write in their names.
6. Partially fold each card along their scored line so that they're ready for placement.
7. Fill each bag with a ring and some candies. Of course, the kids love to be involved in this part.
8. Fold over the top of the bag and place the folded card over the top of it. Staple closed.
* If you can't find this size bag, use what you can and fold it down to fit within the card closure.
9. I used the red for boys and the pink for the girls.

VALENTINE'S EXCHANGE

It's not very often that you can gather 30 creative ladies together. It's even less often that you can get them to make a dozen of something crafty and lovely. These crafts are time takers for sure but when Stephanie throws her annual Valentine's Exchange Party, it's time to get busy and get there.

The deal is you craft up twelve of, something... a Valentine, to exchange. With so many talented people there, I was a wee bit intimidated. But it really was fun and rewarding.

I made weavings, each one of a kind with a mix of cream, gold and pink yarns on a gold painted twig. Then I placed each one in a glassine bag, tossed in a few tissue hearts, sewed the top, and topped it with a heart sticker.  Twelve of those, took me about a week of nightly work while watching TV.



































After a short break, maybe I'll make myself one too. I'll show them all soon.

For now, take a peek at what I traded them for!
Starting at the top left:
Flowers by Millie
Deer Valentine by Stephanie Ford
Moss hearts by Rachel David
Cornhusk Flowers by Brittany Jepson
Needle Keeper by Amy Holmes
Felt Tissue Case by Tia Harrison
Heart Paper Garland by Faith Wallis
Candy Jar by Caroline Drake
Fabric Garland by Melissa Bell
Bag of Felt Balls by Aubry Bennion
Cement Earrings by Kersey Campbell
Lavendar Sachet by Kersten Swinyard