Two Tips Tuesday

 

TIP#1:  Making A Spring Door Hanging From Photo Mats

This was one of those projects that got into my head and I could not let it go until I did it.  I have this happen to me frequently about something I want to write or something I want to make.  It will plague me until I see it through.

I truly love how this turned out so if you are curious how I made it...read on.

I found these photo mat kits at the dollar tree and really thought they would make a great craft project. They are the ones used for signatures at weddings or birthday events.  The idea popped into my head after I started playing around with burlap and was itching to make tiny, sweet flowers for Spring.  I also wanted to use only materials I had on hand since I was not sure how this project would work.  I am a crafter who wings it from start to finish and learns along the way.

 So grab your scrap fabric, scissors, ribbons, buttons, glue gun, Modge Podge or Spray adhesive, needle, thread, embroidery floss. (Not all pictured)

I first cut out a square of burlap slightly larger then the opening to the photo mat.  Then I made my flowers from scrap fabric and ribbon.  I wanted them to be 3 dimensional so I added a button on the circle flower and frayed the fabric.  I turned the white ribbon into a layered flower and sewed a pearl in the center. The tulip is fabric sewn together and slighty stuffed with polyfil for dimension.

I wanted the stems of the flowers to also be 3 dimensional and give a sense of movement.  I used thin, green ribbon a twisted them until I was pleased with the look.  I pinned them into place.

I then only sewed a tiny stitch on the top and bottom so that the twisted part popped off the burlap. After securing the stems, I sewed the flowers in place.

To cover the mat, I used a dish towel used from another project.  I cropped it around the mat and then cut out 4 squares on each corner.

I traced the opening of the photo mat, then traced a 3 x 5 card in the center of that to create the opening in the towel.  If I could do it again, I would have traced a smaller square. And done this more meticulously.  I also drew a diagonal line in each corner.

I cut on that diagonal to create flaps in the opening that I could fold back.

Like this.

 I then used Modge Podge (spray adhesive would work well too), brushed it on the photo mat and smoothed the towel in place folding the sides on the back and gluing them as well.  I did the same for the flaps in the middle.  The same process is done with the second photo mat using burlap but I did not cut out an opening to create a backing for the door hanging. I used fabric glue for the burlap which needed a faster and stronger bonding glue. (You can use hot glue but I always burn myself on big projects)

 Here's the front.

I cut 5 strips of burlap to make loops and hot glued them to the burlap backing piece.

I glued the burlap square with the flowers sewn on the opening of the pink covered mat.  If I could do it over again, I would have mounted the flower square onto something sturdy like a piece of cardboard. Then I hot glued the two mats together.

 The edges are rather messy and the frame was kind of boring so I used some white cording I had to frame the flowers as well as the edge of the frame using hot glue to adhere it.

I was going to buy a dowel to put through the loops but I have been so busy with the house thing that a trip to the craft store was out.  Once again, I was forced to improvise so I used a white floral branch I had and glued pearls and crystal beads to it and to match the delicate look of the flowers.  It turned out so nice!

I glued the cording to the back with hot glue and then covered it with burlap and to make it look clean and neat.

There you have it!  A pretty Springtime Door hanging made with photo mats!

TIP #2:  No Slip Clips

I had been working on another tip for 2 days that has not been working out so I consider it such a blessing that I came across this tip via One Pretty Thing who featured Treasures for Tots with this quick tutorial on putting non-slip grip to a girl's hair clip to keep it from slipping.  Both my girls have fine hair and I thought this was genius! Apparently, this clever idea has floated around the blogosphere and I am the last mother of girls on earth to be clued in.  So in case any of you are like me, there's the scoop! (above picture is my version).

Happy Tuesday my sweet friends!