nerd alert! if you know anything about me, you know I'm pretty obsessed with Harry Potter. i've read all the books multiple times and subjected my husband and dogs to the movies countless times. i figured i'd showcase some of that nerdiness in the crafting i've done! enjoy!

Harry Potter Apron Tutorial

Cinderella Worker Apron - Picture Tutorial

 

 

 

Craftwhore

This past Saturday one of my best friends had a baby shower for her baby girl. I love baby showers because it's an excuse for me to get crafty, and baby stuff is SO easy! Here's a few things I made for it: Newborn Snow White Tutu, Binky Clips, Hooded Baby Swaddler (tutorial is here), Baby Blanket and some Washcloth 'Cupcakes'.

I also found a few of these photos from our time back in Tampa I never posted. 

Ruffled Baby Blanket:

Owl Nap Mat:

Harry Potter 'Slytherin' Apron:

Minnie Mouse Apron:

 

DIY Grinchmas Stocking - Tutorial

I originally saw something like this on Pinterest, but I'm pretty sure it was a plastic door decal type thing. 

But, being the person I am.. I saw it, loved it, and immediately thought "I can make that!". So after two trips to Joann's Fabric (sign up for their email coupons!!) and one to walmart for the green I had all the supplies I needed. 

(I'll do better from now on to keep the receipts so I can post how much I spent on each) This was less than $25 total.

 

Here is what you'll need:
- 1 1/2 to 2 yards of Neon Green Fabric (it was thiiiiin cotton so I got three yards and doubled the front and back layer - $2.99 @ Walmart)
- 1/2 yard of Red Fabric (I got 1 yard because you can never have too many scraps - On sale for $3.99/yd at Joann's)
- Red Boa (this was full price, but had a 50% off one full priced item coupon for Joann's - regularly $8.99)
- Red Thread
- Green Thread
- Tacky Glue (or fabric glue)
- Fiberfill (pillow stuffing - 40% off at Joann's, don't remember the orig. price)
- Ribbon or a piece of fabric (to be able to hang the stocking)

I folded my green fabric so it was in a long rectangle and 4 layers thick, then hand drew the stocking with just a pencil. I would make it another inch thicker than this if I were to do it over again. Pin inside the stocking you drew so it won't move and cut away the excess.

Since my green fabric was so thin I decided to double up so at this point I just quickly (and messily) basted two pieces of fabric together for the front and two for the back. Make sure you sew fairly close to the edge. If your fabric is thick enough just skip this step.

At this point I took random round things from around our house (different size cups, spools of thread/ribbon and a candle holder thing) and traced them on the red fabric with pencil. (Side note: I know people use actual marking pens/pencils and I have quite a few, but nothing has ever worked quite like a plain pencil for me) Now just cut out the circles you've traced. I had a total of 14 I put on the stocking with 2 or 3 left over.

Now just lay your circles out until you like how it looks. Go through one by one and use the tacky (or fabric) glue on the back and lay them back down. (If you are going to use this for indoors, you could probably get away with just gluing them, but I put this outside so I sewed them as well)

This part is technically optional, but like I said mine was going to go outside so I decided I didn't want the spots falling off. I just put the machine on a zig zag stitch and (what felt like took forever) sewed around each circle.

This is where I got lazy with the pictures and they stopped until I was finished. Oops.

Anyway, now after all your circles are securely in place, put right sides together and sew around the stocking, leaving the top open.

Take your filling and a little at a time start at the curl of the toe and pack it in fairly thick so it holds the curl and keep filling until you're at the top.

This is where I took a piece of ribbon probably 6-7" long (1 1/2" thick), fold it so the right sides were facing out (wrong sides together) and stuck the cut ends down into the top left corner of the stocking to make a loop for hanging it. Now sew the top closed. Doesn't have to be pretty it will be covered by the boa.

This is probably the part I hated the most. I took the boa, a needle and some thread and just messily tacked it to the top and just kept overlapping the boa until I used it all.

And wallah! This is your finished product..

DIY Ruffle Burlap Tree Skirt - Tutorial

So this was my inspiration (pinsperation since I found it - like everything else - on Pinterest). You can see her fabulous design and tutorial (that I used) here !

What you'll need:
- 2 yards of burlap [$2.99 on sale at Joann's - Walmart usually has it too]
- 2 yards of red (or any color) fabric (I got 4 because I found some fab fabric on sale at Joann's) [$3.99]
- Hot glue gun [I have a cheapy $8 one]
- TONS of glue stick (I only have 3 left over from a bag I picked up) [I think this cost more than my glue gun haha]
- Cheap or old treeskirt for base (I've read that some people used old table cloths as well) [FREE!]
- Wine (just kidding.. kind of)

NOTE: This is a VERY(!!!) time consuming project! I did it over three evenings.

First start by cutting 3" strips of each of your fabric. Have fun with that burlap! (lol)

Lay out your tree skirt and get ready!

(Isn't that red fabric awesome?! SO Christmassy!)

I started at the bottom of the tree skirt, layed down about 1 1/2" of glue and put the fabric on it and held for a couple seconds. I'd then fold over a little bit backwards and put a dot of glue (fabric to fabric) to hold the 'ruffle'. You can see the glue got HOT so I used my pin box to do the job for me.

Keep doing that all the way around the skirt. Don't freak when your strip runs out. Just glue the next one to it and keep going. It doesn't even have to be pretty, you won't even notice it.

Next row is the burlap. Figure how far apart you want your rows and repeat the above steps. (My burlap ruffles were a bit bigger than the fabric) One thing I noticed with the burlap is it doesn't stick as easily as the fabric (duh). So I ended up pinning each ruffle down as I went like this..

Keep going all the way around and again don't worry when you run out, just glue two pieces together.

I got up at stretched ever time a row was done. My back was KILLING me by the end of this project. The ruffles get smaller as you work your way up.

The finished product!!

UPDATE: After coming home from work one night this is what I found..

BOO!! :( Our Dane has an immense hatred for Christmas.