{rosette pin tutorial--as promised!}

Buried in a drawer-- that's where I found the battery charger. In fact, the same, exact drawer in which I keep my camera!! Don't I feel just DUMB.

So finally, here is the tutorial-- a bit too late for Mother's Day, but perhaps it can go to good use another special occasion?

So, what you need for this project is:

• a few rosettes in your-- or their-- favorite colors, you can use this tutorial
• needle and thread
• an extra strip of felt
• a pin back
• beads-- or buttons or anything else you like-- for the centers

1. Sew the rosettes to the extra piece of felt. To sew without the thread showing, just insert the threads in between the ruffles. It's also cute to let them show, especially if you use a contrasting color or one that matches your beads/buttons.

I like to overlap and curve mine, but they're also adorable to stack, and be sure to play around before you sew!

2. Cut the backing felt so that it doesn't show from the front. There's no need to finish the edges, but if you're especially hard on your jewelry, you might want to invest in a little fray check.

3. Use the same method used to attach the rosettes to add the beads (or just sew on the button).

4. Attach the pin back to the backing felt, and voila! Easy peasy. I went through each of the holes several times to make it super secure and then tied the ends behind the pin back. It's easy to miss the felt, so make sure you're getting the felt in your stitches each time. I would also suggest gluing down the thread tails to avoid them sticking out.

This is one easy project with beautiful end results. I spend about an hour total on each, so one TV program, and I'm done! I hope all of you will enjoy these as much as I have!

{mother's day surprise}

Well... it's more just like a card and a present rolled into one! But I think all my mothers and grandmothers are going to love one.

I suppose the postage would be a bit more on this than a regular card-- I'm handing them out to my family-- but aren't our mothers worth it?

I designed the card fronts specifically for this purpose, to put a pin next to it. Then I made another version for sending without the pin.

Hopefully, my mother's will wear the pins with pride-- and sorry for ruining your surprise-- or at least enjoy looking at the lovely cards!

** I'm putting the card fronts below. I hoping they are large enough and of good enough quality for you guys to use. I recommend printing them two to a page that is printed landscape.

Feel free to print them out and send them for personal use, but not for personal gain! Also, link love is greatly appreciated!**

card for pin

card without pin

P.S. Watch for a tutorial coming soon!

{busy, busy}

I've been running all day! But it feels good to have accomplished so much. I finally got around to taking pictures of a few projects-- thank you weather, so expect some new posts soon.

And I made Easter eggs! I tried to use the techniques from the most recent Martha Stewart Living, but it didn't work out quite right... Oh well.

I also made an apple pie-- well... am making. It's in the oven right now, and I'm not sure how it's going to turn out. I kinda ran out of crust, and I didn't feel confident enough to try to expand it on my own. I guess I'll have to wait and see. All that matters is how it tastes!!

The cards pictured at the top were also part of this morning's endeavors. These Easter-- well, more like spring-- cards are just a few hand-cut pieces glued to a Liberty of London card from Target.

I hand drew the flowers, trying to match them to flowers on the cards. Then I cut around the drawings with a craft knife.

I could have saved myself some time and just used a printed drawing, glued to the back and then cut around.

I'm working on a few cards now with bird's nests and eggs. They are pretty cute!

Tea inspired napkins

A friend of mine is a great tea aficionado, which she's been striving to turn me into for years. Her love of tea, along with this download from A Print a Day, inspired her Christmas gift, a set of embroidered napkins to go along with her tea.

I drew my cups instead of using the template, so that I could personalize them. I tried to make each one unique and specific to a time period.

I started by drawing the designs onto the napkins. I measured to make sure they were in approximately the same spot--I'm bad at guessing distances. I drew mine in with pencil, but that probably wasn't the best idea on my part. A washable fabric pen probably would have smudged less.

After I embroidered each cup, I washed the napkins, ironed them, and folded them into the gift box.

I'm guessing that she liked them, because the day after I gave them to her, they were already on her dining room table! I wish I could have found such perfect and thoughtfully handmade gifts for everyone, but perhaps if I start early this year, I can make the next year a handmade Christmas!

P.S. Other cute ideas for embroidered napkins could be birds or trees--especially at Christmas--mixers, cakes, or other kitchen paraphernalia. Check out this sweet free downloadable from LollyChops for more ideas!

P.P.S. Here are just a few sites to check out-- along with Flickr-- for some great embroidery ideas and patterns.

• Sublime Stiching, adorable patterns for a small price
• Pimp Stitch, plenty of cute ideas and patterns
• Feeling Stitchy, chock full of lovely and comical inspirations
• doe-c-doe, new/vintage patterns each week
• So september, cute free downloads and tutorials
• LollyChops, the aforementioned and ever-so-lovely

Oh, the humaity! Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Image courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess
I thought that this link needed to be shared. No, it was begging me, literally. These Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Cups hail from the blog Hostess with the Mostess, and wouldn't any guests love you for these. I can't wait to try them out on some very grateful friends!

Wrap it up!

The title applies to both the year and the few Christmas presents that I have left to wrap.

I love the cute gift wrap that you can buy at Target, but it really doesn't hold up well. But it's too late for this year's bunch. Next year, I'm just going to buy some heavy duty kraft paper, or use brown paper bags, and accent with the cute paper and bows. If only I remember during my Christmas frenzy in 2010!

Sadly, this should be my last post before the holidays, and I just might be able to squeeze one in before New Year's, but I can't make any promises.

But until then, I leave all you last minute wrappers with a little gift wrap inspiration, and a lot of FREE downloads!

Gift Wrap, Anyone?

• free printable gift wrap from Creature Comforts
• gift card wallets via Screen Prints
• fabric gift envelopes from Paper n Stitch
• monogrammed letter gift wrapping on Design*Sponge
• snowflake pillow boxes on Creature Comforts
• printable holiday packaging via How about Orange...

Bows and Tags

• a gift bow from a magazine via How about Orange...
• free printable gift tags via Creature Comforts
• brooches as bows on Bugs and Fishes
• bows from felt on Twig and Thistle
• adorable deer tags on Creature Comforts
• button tags and bows from Bugs and Fishes
• twist tie pom poms on Craftzine
• vintage photo gift tags from Nice package
• free gift tags via Creature Comforts

Holiday Cards

• free printable holiday cards via Creature Comforts
• another free printable on Creature Comforts

Something for Your Sweets

• a sweet holiday tag available on The Long Thread
• a goodie bag topper from Love.Obsess.Inspire.
• revamped hot chocolate mix from Lolly Chops

Ten and Counting...

With only ten days until Christmas-- Yay!!-- I thought I'd go ahead a share these before time runs out! I made these Christmas stockings a while back, but it's been so busy lately, that I hadn't gotten a chance to take photos.

The story is... I absolutely fell in love with a stocking set and tree skirt at Pier1, and since it was pretty simple materials, just felt, I thought, "why couldn't I make that?" So, I did!!

1 I drew up my pattern for the stocking and appliques-- I had to simplify a lot from what I had originally planned, but I think it looks better that way.

2 I cut out the pieces from felt and fleece, and the stocking are actually made from fleece, and glued them to the surface to keep them in place as I stitched the edges.

3 I stitched around the edge of the stocking, making sure to leave a half an inch edge. Then I scalloped the edges, just with my scissors, for a cute finishing touch!

4 The cuffs were just two rectangles the width of the top edge. I stitched the trim on first, then stitched them together, and stitched them on to the top, where I added a loop of ribbon at the side seam opposite the toe.

Sadly, the accompanying tree skirt that I had planned to make will not be joining us this Christmas. All that hand-stitching takes time.

I had also planned to put up a template of the design with this post, but it's not here. It'll be up sometime though!!

Deck the Halls

[left to right, top to bottom]1Design*Sponge 2Scissor Variations 3Scissor Variations 4Thompson Family Life
I've definitely been in the decorating mood. Not only have I made three adorable paper trees, but I've also got my tree up and decorated, and I made a wreath for the front door! I feel very on top of everything, which probably won't last very long.

But since I have a bit of free time, I did some searching. And I found some beautiful holiday decorations!! But I don't have enough energy to do all mine over again... So, this is for you:

• adorable, and quite retro, felt scalloped trees from Thompson Family Life
• ribbon-wrapped tealights on A Studio with a View
• a wrapped rope wreath--try saying that three times fast-- via Design*Sponge
• a retro-inspired holiday wreath from Cathie Filian
• hand-cut snowflakes on Make it Do
• a cute pine cone garland via Scissor Variations
• a crafty, thrifty wreath from a t-shirt on Smile and Wave
• an adorable paper Christmas wreath from The Read Thread
• this lovely bottle brush tree display from Scissor Variations
• and a pom-pom wreath tutorial via Twig & Thistle

Christmas Ornaments Unleashed

ell... I'm starting to get into the Christmas spirit, and this is definitely my favorite time of year!! I think my Christmas spirit has increased in the last few years, especially since I've gotten my own tree to decorate!

And since it's after Thanksgiving, and I've got my tree now-- I even put lights on it tonight!!-- I'm in the mood for some ornaments!! So here are just a few fun and easy projects to get me-- and you!-- in the festive spirit!

• a felt circles ornament tutorial from Craftzine
• retro, disco-inspired mirrored ornaments via Handmade & Homebaked
• a half-eaten gingerbreadman pattern from Elsie Marley
• another free pattern for a cute mitten on oliver + s
• yet another free felt mushroom ornament pattern via The Long Thread
• and perhaps my personal fav, a argyle applique ornament via So September

Drink Up

Winter is one of my absolute favorites times of the year, mostly because of all the delicious things to drink. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, there's no better way to enjoy cold weather.

I'm not so sure how grown-up I want my hot chocolate to be... But here are a few quick recipes and crafts to help enjoy this chilly weather!!

• Grown-up Hot Chocolate via Craftzine
• knitted cup cozies on Meet Me at Mike's
• to top off your coffee, a coffee stencil from How About Orange...
• apple cider... in apple cups via Craftynest
• felt cup warmers on The Small Object
• a free tutorial for coffee cup cozies from mmmcrafts
• and to top off the deliciousness Cookie Cream Sandwiches on Design*Sponge

Softies for Mirabel

While reading my RSS feed, I came across this post on Meet Me at Mike's.

Softies for Mirabel is an event for an Australian charity, The Mirabel Foundation. The Foundation supports children orphaned and abandoned due to parental drug use. The softies made will be matched up with each child.

Submissions for Softies for Mirabel must be sent in by December 10, so if you wish to participate, now is the time to start!

For the address and more information and regulations, click here.

And here's a list for some awesome softie ideas!

• cute one-Hour Softie people
• an adorable soft doll with a free pattern
• a simple and easyfleece snail tutorial
• an adorable mouse softie pattern that reminds me of my mom!
• this whimsical donkey softie with instructions
• a knitted monster softie that's not in the least bit scary!
• or draw and make your own unique creation!

And if you do make a softie, post a link or a picture and let me know!!

A boy and his Star Wars plushie

So, despite how deceptively simple I though an R2D2 plushie-- for a certain special birthday boy-- would be, I couldn't abandon true Star Wars geekiness for ease and less stress.

My mission: to make one very correct plushie for a very discerning seven-year-old.

I think it turned out pretty well in the end. I left in as much detail as possible, although I did abandon the legs--or arms--or whatever. But I don't think he cared too terribly much.

I loved seeing him open his R2D2 pillow, and although it was a lot of work, it was a lot of fun too. It was a challenge to freehand this robot without a pattern, and I think it worked out pretty well.

The greatest reaction...

I recently gave a pretty flower clip to the little girl down the street. She absolutely loved it, and it was such a treat to get to see her prance around feeling pretty. I know how good it feels to have a new accessory! I'm really starting her out early, no? But, I thought I would share this lovely picture with you all... She's such a sweet heart.

She also reminds of another little girl...