Easter Egg Tutorial

Just in case you are looking for a crafty activity for the holiday, or are not starting the celebration until tomorrow (like us) i literally just stumbled across this fabric egg sewing lesson. Retro Mama’s site is beatuiful in fact with many more activities to try.. if you have the time.

Fabric Eggs :: Retro Mama

we have bits + pieces of upholstery fabric all over the house from a fabric samples book we rescued a few years ago… but we really havent made anything productive yet. This would be a great first timers project that even the kids can get into.

I have also added it to our ever growing list of fabulous tutorials (found across the top)

Custom Tea Set Anyone??

Paint Your Own Tea Cup ::Apartment Therapy Re-Nest

Among many diy recycled crafts i fell in love with this one. first her illustrations are stunning. and fun. who whould have thought octopi would look so awesome on a tea set? and second i really didnt realize it was this simple.

tools: pebeo porcelain pen + paints

how: paint your designs. dry for 24 hours. then bake in oven at 300F

(more detailed instructions at Re-Nest from Apartment Therapy)

anyone know if glass reacts the same as porcelain? think i can paint on glass jars like this???

get yourself into glamourous handmade gear for new years

This is the only holiday that is immediately followed by another equally huge holiday. You have 7 days of breathing room to relax, clean up the house… and then smack-wham another celebration.

If you have found yourself with a little extra time, and are dying to add your personal handmade touch to your new years attire, check these out….

Make a Fastinator

Make Fabric Oragami

Make a Mock Tuxedo Bib

Make a Ruffled Party Necklace

Make Silk Flowers

Make an Osman Tie

all photos and links from Burdastyle.com

Recycled Wrap

Recycled gift wrap on Flickr – Photo Sharing!.

Perfect Recycled Wrap :: Hanniabej’s

just remember to keep the recycling bin nearby –instead of stuffing all this paper in a garbage bag. Don’t forget to recycle this holiday.

sparkling stars light up the night

Im obsessed with stars lately, perhaps for the desire to make a million wishes, or possibly just for their glittering sparkle appeal. If you feeling the same, here are a few tutorials to fulfill your wish-making dreams…

Paper Acordian Star :: Martha Stewart

To make:

1. start by folding a square or rectangle of paper into accordion pleats (you may want to experiment with plain paper before working with fancier stock). The number of pleats determines the number of points on the ornament: For example, four pleats will equal eight points.
2. Fold the accordion of paper in half to find the center; unfold, and staple once at the center. If your ornament is too long to be stapled, you can fashion a staple out of wire: Make two small holes in the center with an awl, insert the wire through the holes, and twist the back.
3. Make a deep diagonal or slightly curved cut into each end of the folded paper (about halfway to the center); the sharp corners will form the points of the star.
4. Fan the sides out so that they meet, and attach them on the back with small pieces of tape. Use Scotch Magic tape, which is easy to remove, so you can flatten and store the star until the next special occasion.

More flat paper star tutorials from Martha Stewart

another fabulous tutorial uses plastic bottles (especially good since apparently they are so difficult to recycle), creating different patterned stars taking advantage of the different designs on the bottom of the bottles.

Water Bottle Stars Tutorial :: Espritcabane

Unique trees = so much love

These yarn wrapped trees are exactly what i was looking for to add colour to my house.

Recycled Yarn Trees :: Paper*Ballet

Yarn wrapping technique :: Paper*Ballet

The general materials are listed on her flickr page (click on top photo) but basically its a cone shape from recycled papers such as junk mail, or toilet paper rolls. You can wrap with anything you have lying around the craft room.

This seems simple enough that i could give this to my daughter to work on by herself. This is a big thing lately. i would most likely get my arm chewed off if i try to slip in and fix something. Funny story though, because its all my fault. I was trying to teach her not to change or ‘fix’ other people projects (i found my doll with a big black smile across his somber face, because i didnt make him happy enough) … and now its coming back to get me, and my need to get my hands in and help ‘guide’ her.

Felted Trees Tutorial :: The Long Thread

I am overjoyed for these felted trees, but i personally dont wear or have wool sweaters. I love the colours though. (square tree from martha, if you dont have wool or friends with wool) Below is another paper tree tutorial

Magazine Trees Tutorial :: Not Martha

And a simple wooden tree…

(i couldnt decide where to list this one.. under sticks or trees.. such serious decisions to make)

Wooden Tree :: espritcabane.com

But for the more serious crafter …

Felt Holiday Tree Tutorial :: The Thompson Family

The unique beauty lies in the choice of fabrics and colours. Use monochromatic colour scheme for an elegant + sophisticated look. Or if your house is like mine, and the furniture, walls and accessories are already monochromatic  (all beige + brown) try for a mismatched random colour selection.

Sticks inside the house

Woodland Snowflake Tutorial :: Pretty-Ditty

You can use these snowflakes to decorate the wall by hanging them on pins, toss them on a tabletop or bookshelf or hang individually from nylon thread to create a snowy sky around a ceiling lamp or over the bed. The tutorial suggests gluing the bits together, but i have to be different so i think i might wrap this silver thread around all the joints. I have had it for years… probably saving it for this very project

Gift Decoration :: Amana Productions Inc./Getty Images

Mom and i used to sit at the kitchen table for days, creating ‘nature bundles’ packed with sprigs of evergreen, colored berries and little plastic floral accessories like wrapped presents or characters… gluing them all together, then gluing them to every present. maybe because of all that time spent, or maybe because i need my projects to be done in 5 min… i like the minimalist approach. one sprig in one single sting.

another easy (kinda) stick craft is the ever popular grapevine wreath.

The Standard Grapevine Wreath :: 2greenthumbs.com

At least it used to be popular to make them yourself. I searched for hours for a tutorial and only found ONE…  on ehow.  I remember freezing my hands off as my mom, aunt and i sat around the patio table one december (a rare december before the snow had come) making wreaths from the vines around her yard.

You should be able to still find a few, and wont feel so guilty because by this point their growth cycle is over. Soak them in water to make the vines more flexible. the longer the better… and inside the house would be wise. Not like us. Not like the ladies who thought it was nostalgic to sit outside in the brisk winter air making traditional decorations like the settlers did.

Pretty things dangle from a willow branch :: ayos about anthology decor

While this one is actually a display rack from a store, wouldn’t it look sweet with say glittering paper stars or tiny christmas decorations. Perfect if you dont have room for a full sized tree, and an alternative to the sticks in a vase… although i really love that look too.

Centerpiece :: Perfect Bound

i wonder … if you omitted the water, and found a container that you can drill a hole into the back… wonder how stunning this would be covered in the tiny fairy lights?

If your yard is like mine (or perhaps a neighbour’s) and the giant branches just toss themselves into the air, landing in a massive pile on the lawn… then you have the perfect materials for these next two projects. a coat rack or a curtain rod from a stong branch.

Coat rack from a branch :: Apartment Therapy

Tree Branch Curtain Rod :: DIY ideas

I have no where to put something like this.. but wow this tree branch chandelier is fabulous

Tree Branch Chandelier Tutorial :: Apartment Therapy found via Craft:Magazine