So Thursday night Richard and I went to my sister Megan's house. She told me to bring a craft for her two year old, Lexie, and finding one is not the easiest. So, if you have a two year old and you want to do a craft then plan on making a mess. We enjoyed doing some pudding painting and it is the easiest craft to set up.
I used one large box of instant vanilla pudding. I separated it out into four containers and put a few drops of food coloring in each. Lex loved watching the pudding turn color as I stirred it. You can obviously use more colors, but I did red, yellow, blue and green. Then the fun begins. I recommend stripping the kid down to their diaper, putting out a large piece of paper and letting them go crazy. We used paper plates for Lexie to paint on... We found out quickly that a larger area would be needed. Check out the pictures below and go have some fun pudding painting :)
Check back tomorrow for a new tutorial, Silk Dyed Blown Eggs. We are also going to start a YouTube channel with my tutorial videos on it... I'll let you know about that when it's up and running.
The last week has been a little hectic. So it's time for a....
Richard had an AMAZING time at PlayList Live. He met up with a lot of really cool YouTubers and made some awesome business connections for himself. His viewers have grown drastically and well, things are just really looking up on that right now. One of his videos is below, check out his channel... You know you want to and well, I want you to as well.
Next, we will talk about my past week... So on Friday I had my last final and I have to say I am surprised I got a high C on the test, which means I passed the class :) yay me. Also on Friday I had a day with my nephews, Nolan and Jake.
They were super adorable. We went and got some ice cream at the mall and then came back to play in the sunshine with Coco... They all got a little worn out and we ended up inside watching Pokemon, Ninjago and I think some other shows. Here's Coco sleeping with her owl after the boys wore her out. She did surprisingly well with them, but she still gets over excited easily and a little cranky.
Then, Coco and I took of for my parents house for the night. This was her first time using her new bag instead of the kennel and well, she was quite entertaining.
She would press her nose up against the mesh so she could sleep and ended up looking like this. I carefully snapped a picture while driving because this was just too funny.
I was kind of nervous about her with all the dogs because my parents have eight of them.... She was one of the pack by the time we left.
While staying at my parents I spent some time with my sister Megan, her husband Sam and their adorable kids Lexie and Avery. It's always good to see them even if Lex can be a little brat. But, she actually was nice this weekend, gave me kisses and everything. Below is Avery in his super cute sunglasses getting ready to go out shopping with us. He is just a little chunky stud and I love him. I will admit, by the time I left there, my arms felt like they had been given a workout from holding him.
Also went to Sweet Tomatoes with my parents and then to see The Hunger Games. I loved it. Loved, loved, loved it. It was amazing. I am only disappointed they didn't spend so much time on the relationship development but seeing the game makers perspective was kind of cool. It is crazy to me how movies are made from books. I guess I just find it interesting the details I think are important compared to what the producer thinks is important. They did an awesome job casting it. I'll be honest, I liked it so much that I went to see it again when Richard got home :) he liked it as well and the second time I was able to actually watch the movie without thinking about all the things they changed from the book.
Then, on Monday I decided to go get a tattoo. I have a slight obsession with them. This is one I have wanted for awhile and means many things to me. "By your side I'll stay forever", my parents, my husband, my siblings, everyone in my life that is important to me fit with this tattoo. I've had a lot of people flake out on me and this is just a reminder of all the ones who have stayed by me through everything.
My other three all have meaning as well. On my ankle I have the Christian fish. One shoulder says beautiful mess in French. The other shoulder has a bird feather with six birds coming out of it, one for each sibling. I've gotten a new tattoo every year since I was 19. They all mean something important to me and I think I only have a few more I want, but I really don't know yet.
My final weekend activity was making some silk dyed chocolate filled blown eggs. Yeah, the name in itself is a mouthful. They are going to be Easter presents for my nieces and nephews. What kid doesn't love chocolate?
I'll get the tutorial up soon, and am also working on making a YouTube channel so I can put it on there... But the minimal directions are this.
First you need to blow out the eggs, ie get rid of the actual egg so all you have is the shell. Then boil that in vinegar water to clean it out a little. I also baked mine to help clean them even more. Then wrap them in silk and cotton and boil them in vinegar and water again. Fill them with chocolate or even just use them as decorations, but there you have them. Again, I'll do a full tutorial later .
Anyways, I think that is the full update for now. Oh wait, tomorrow we have another roommate moving in, so things might be a little hectic again, I'll let you know next update. Remember, check out Richards YouTubechannel... And subscribe to him. :) and watch this collaboration video he got to do.
I finally was ready to make a new iPad case. I loved the one I had, but just wanted something different and something personalized. Plus, the husband was out of town so I had plenty of time to get it done. I am very happy with how it turned out and even had time to make one for a kindle fire all it took was some sizing changes.
Materials:
Cork- I used 12x12 squares instead of rolled cork because it was easier to work with. Make sure the cork is about 1/8th of an inch thick. You can find this at most stores like Fred Meyer, Michaels, Target...
Cotton- enough to make 2 squares about 9x10, I used an old shirt.
Fleece or felt- this will be the piece that your iPad actually comes into contact with, so softer is better. I used felt pieces I found at Michaels.
Steam-a-Seam fusible web- this is found at JoAnns.
Poster Board- use this to make a stencil. I used the kind with lines on it to make the stencil easier.
Begin by making your stencil. Lay the poster board out and use the ruler and lines on it as a guide. The stencil needs to be 10x11 inches, I left a slight curve on the top end of mine. Once the stencil has been made use it to cut out two matching pieces from the cork with the Xacto Knife- do not use scissors or it will not cut the cork nicely.
Just to get an idea of how things will look, lay your iPad on the stencil. To make the stencil for the cotton and the felt, cut down your original stencil to about 9x11. Use that to cut out the cotton and felt. Set the felt aside for now. Now, cut out the same size square from the fusible web (Steam-a-Seam).
Peel off one side of the paper backing from fusible web. Place the now sticky side onto the cotton piece you have. With an iron set to cotton, with steam, iron the fusible web and cotton together. Next peel off the paper backing and stick the sticky side down in the middle of a cork piece and iron that down, again with steam. This makes the cork a little more durable and gives some extra support to the case.
Using the spray adhesive generously cover one side of the felt. Lay this on the cork piece so that the cotton piece is now completely covered by felt. Repeat all the steps above for your other piece of cork.
The next part all needs to be done fairly quickly. Lay both cork pieces with felt side up. Cover the cork on three sides with wood glue, skipping the rounded part on top. Be careful not to get glue onto the felt. Carefully lay the two cork pieces on top of each other with the felt sides touching.
Moving quickly, place one craft side on either side of the cork and hold together with a binder clip. This will allow the glue to set correctly without you needing to hold it and it also keeps any marks from being left in the cork from the clips. Continue that process on all three glued sides; making sure everything stays lined up.
Let your case stay like this for at least an hour so the glue can dry. After the case has set for awhile, take all the clips and wood sticks off. Use that sand paper to smooth down all the edges and remove any dried glue that can be seen. Also sand down the front and back of the case. This will leave the cork feeling nice and smooth. At this point you get to design your case however you would like. I used Martha Stewart craft paint and some stencils to make my design. Then, as a extra little closer, I used a large rubber band that I found at Michaels... They were with the Smash books. Voila, you now have a new iPad case.
When you put your iPad in for the first time you will hear a little cracking on the edges, this is completely normal. It's from the glue, so no worries, your case will stay intact.
For those of you who don't have an iPad but want to make the case for something else, just measure your item and make a stencil that is larger than the size of the device. I recommend adding about an inch or so to get the final size for the stencil.
Until next time, stay crafty.. As always, if you make it send me a picture :)
So it's been a really busy week so far. Today I had at final at 8am...Seriously, eight in the morning!! It was in my Linguistics class and I actually feel like it went really well. Then I turned in my business writing paper. That's two finals down... Next one isn't until Friday. It's in Earth Science and shouldn't be too bad.
Tomorrow the hubby leaves for Playlist Live in Orlando. Check out his YouTube page, entrebizz, for updates on that and also his meeting with the LA Film School. I went to Target tonight to make him a little gift of everything he would forget unless I got it for him... Included: swim trunks, sunscreen, hair gel... Ya know, some of the essentials. Plus some candy, which he immediately ate.
Him leaving is gonna suck for a week. I have no clue what I am going to do the whole time. Though, this weekend I am going to stay at my parents house for a night and then going to see the Hunger Games with them. I am so excited! Read the books and then see the movie.
This weekend I am going to try to get a new tutorial up, cork board iPad case. It will be similar to the one I discussed in a previous post, but with my little touches:)
Until then, stay classy.
I have been really wanting to make our house more like a home and what better way than throw pillows? Buying them as-is from the store is fine, but I decided to take the more personal approach.
Materials:
Fabric- I used two 20"x20" napkins I got on sale at Target for $7, plus I have enough to make another pillow
Throw pillow or stuffing- I found a new Pottery Barn one at Goodwill for $6
Paint- I use the Martha Stewart Paint from Michael's Craft Store
Tintable Fabric Medium- again, Martha Stewart
Paint Brushes
Any stencils you want- mine are the Martha Stewart letters from Michael's
Needle, Thread, Scissors, Tape
Step One:
After washing your fabric, lay one piece flat. Get all your stencils ready. On a small plate or bowl mix two parts paint to one part fabric medium. The fabric medium makes any acrylic paint into fabric paint. I highly recommend the Martha Stewart brand because the paint works on everything.
On the piece of fabric start laying out your stencils. Mine is writing and the finished project will say "The Little's est 2012", but of course yours can be anything.
I did my letters in sets of three because I needed multiple letters multiple times. Plus, it made it easier to paint and line up. I taped my individual letters together so that they were also lined up better.
Step Two:
Let the paint dry. For my bird in the middle I used a stamp. Just paint the color on and carefully put it down. The paint bottle says to let it dry an hour, but I did mine shorter because after 30 minutes it felt dry to me.
Step Three:
Place the fabric so the wrong sides are facing out. Using the napkins made hand stitching this really easy. Just stay along the edge there and your fine. But of course, using a sewing machine is just fine.
Sew all the way around leaving most of one side not sewn up.
Once you have all but one side sewn, flip the case so they're can see the right side, or the part with your stenciling on it.
Step Four:
Insert the old pillow into the new case you've made. Fold the edges in on the part that isn't sewn closed yet. With it like that, loop stitch it closed. The should no longer be any open spaces left on the pillow.
Now, your pillow is all done :) Enjoy it! Mine goes perfectly with my new comforter that I got at Target today for $30.
So, I'm pretty much in love with my room. The lights behind the bed were easy, you just need some small Christmas lights, a sheer curtain, and then a curtain rod. Just put the lights up in strips that run the length of the bed. And the pillow looks great too :)
Here are some other pillows I stenciled. These pillows I found at Ross for $7. The stencil was at Michaels and I used the same paint.
So there you have it... An easy way to spice up and customize throw pillows. If you make some, send me the pictures :) until next time, enjoy the crafting. I am off to cook some dinner and do the laundry.
So not much exciting has been going on for us. Yesterday was super crappy and we lost a good friend, but oh well... People change and there is nothing you can do about that. It's just really sad to me to see this kind of thing happen. But, I don't want to talk about sad things so it's time for a....
This coming week is huge for us. There is just a crazy amount of stuff going on. Tonight the hubby and I are going to see 21 Jump Street. We will let you know how that one is. But either way, Channing Tatum is in it so I'll be happy.
Then tomorrow we are leaving to the beach to hang out with some friends and celebrate St Patricks Day :)
Monday starts finals week!!!! Ugh. So I have one final on Tuesday at 8am. Who does that? Ridiculous. Then I have to have a paper turned in that day by 2. It's almost done so I am not worried about that. Next final isn't until Friday. So I get the whole week to basically relax.
But, two other important things are getting ready to happen. Richard leaves on Wednesday for Playlist Live. If you don't know what that is, check their website. It's a YouTube convention in Florida so hopefully he will have a lot of fun. He also has a meeting with an LA Film School... All really exciting things for him.
So my coming week isnt as cool. Finals. But then, Friday is the most important thing since Harry Potter.... The Hunger Games! I cannot even tell you how excited I am. Oh man it is going to be amazing. I hope everyone goes to see it.
“I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun”.
-Katniss Everdeen
Once Richard gets home from Orlando and Los Angeles it's spring break time. We aren't quite sure what we are doing yet, but probably a little time at the beach. Anyone have some good suggestions?
Remember tomorrow is a new tutorial. :) so I'll chat with you all then.
It is the greatest thing ever. I do all my homework on it, use it for blogging, it's my kindle, it's my Internet browser, and I play games on it. I'm at the point where I don't know what I would do without it. So the point of this blog is my favorite apps as of right now.
First, Pinboard for Pinterest. It is everything a pinner will need. It has a browser so you can pin from the Internet without leaving the app. It also gives you a way to pin from safari. This app was so wonderful when I found it. It does have some bugs, but overall it works amazingly.
Second, Blogsy. When I started blogging I was looking for a good way to do it from my iPad because safari just wasn't cutting it. This app supports a lot of blog sites and lets you add pictures and customize your posts. Perfect. This is one of the only apps on my iPad that I have paid for and I'd say the price was worth it, I use it everyday.
Third, Words with Friends. Everyone plays it. Having it on the iPad just makes it that much better.
Fourth, Tiny Tower. It's like an iPad version of sim tower. It's addicting but I love it. And it's free.
Fifth is CloudOn. When I first got my iPad I was trying to find a good word processing software to eliminate my need for my laptop. Well, I found this little jewel. CloudOn uses a website called dropbox to let you create word documents (or PowerPoint or excel) and access them on any device using Dropbox. Basically, you get CloudOn for free, use Dropbox for free and then have MS word, ppt, and excl for free!!!! The only you can ever get charged right now is if yo want extra storage on Dropbox but I think they give you plenty for free. Basically, you must download this app for everything you have... Laptop, iPad, iPhone, everything.
So there you have it you lovely readers of mine. Go forth and download all these awesome apps :)
Oh, check out Richards YouTube channel and follow it. It's our life in video form.
They call for cooking, snuggling with the puppy and a little crafting (and homework if you've got it). So today, I made us some crockpot lasagna and Texas toast. The lasagna turned out perfect, it's the recipe from my Pinterest faves. The Texas toast, well let's just say I burned the first batch I made.
For my little crafting I made a headband from some leftover pieces from the rug I made this weekend.
Super cute right? All you need to do is cut three strips of shirt and pull them tight so they start to curl. Then start braiding... Braid until its a little smaller than your head and sew the ends together securely. It should stretch so you can fit it around your head. Voila, you now have a super cute, custom headband. I think I am going to make it in a couple more colors :)
Coco has been super cuddly today which is awesome. She laid with me while I did my Linguistics extra credit. Our professor said since our class as a whole did bad on the last test she was giving us all extra credit. It's really sad, but really nice of her. I didn't fail the test but it was definitely not my best work and I kind of have an excuse since I missed a whole week for the honeymoon. Other than that, it's dead week and next week is finals... Then SPRING BREAK!!! Let's just hope it stops raining here or I really do get to go somewhere warm and sunny for break.
Oh, so some awesome news. Richard sent his resume (that I wrote) to Makers Studio, which is a YouTube studio. They are hiring some interns so he thought he'd give it a try. Well, they emailed him back this morning and they have been talking a bit I guess. So hopefully that will take off for him!
I think that is all the exciting news from the Little household on this rainy Monday. Hope everyone had a great weekend and is looking forward to an awesome week.
Remember the days of friendship bracelets? Everyone was making them and right now they are coming back in style. Those things are everywhere! Why not join the craze and bring the look into your home? Just make a pretty, simple rug and you're in.
Above is the finished product, below are the steps to get there.
1) Pick your colors. I went to Goodwill and found some plain cotton t-shirts. They ranged from $3-$5 so I'd say they were fairly cheap or you could even use some of your own old ones. I used 5 colors but you can really use as many as you want.
2) Begin cutting the strips. I cut my strips a little over an inch and a half. Lay the shirt flat and cut the strips staying parallel to the bottom hem.
3) Next I used a cardboard piece to tape my strips to. You'll need two of each color to start. You'll follow an ABCDE EDCBA pattern.
4) Next comes the weaving part. If you remember how to make the bracelets this will be really really easy. If you don't this will be easy, just gotta get the hang of it.
First, start by using your outermost strip (mines red) to cross the one next to it so they look like a 4 (or a backwards 4 if you are on the right side).
Next loop the red strip around the black and over itself.
Finally, pull that tight so it is all the way to the top. I recommend not pulling it too tight so that your rug has a little give to it. Continue doing the wrapping until you get to the yellow strip in the middle, then repeat the process on the other side. Once you have both the reds woven into the middle you need to use the right piece to make the 4 around the left piece like you had been doing before; see the picture below. Continue this process until you have gotten your section as long as you want it. If one color strip becomes to short to use just sew another one on to it.
5) Trim the ends so they are just barely poking out of the end. Then, sew the ends up so that it can't fall out. Don't worry about how this looks because we will hide it later.
Now you have one section complete! Repeat making sections until you have the rug the size you want. I did three but I think I will add more later.
6) When you have all your sections completed just sew them together. I laid them down with the side I wanted showing facing the ground. The sewing doesn't have to be great since this side will be facing the ground.
7) Cut some strips about 8 inches long. Use those to tie some fringe on the sewn edges to cover it all up. If you want to help keep your rug from slipping around, use some hot glue on the back :)
See, wasn't that easy? Now you have an awesome, original rug.
Check back next weekend for my next tutorial, making some super sweet original throw pillows.
