Five Uses for Red, White, and Blue Bandanas : Good Living Magazine Project 3

I have begun to have a quiet obsession with bandanas lately.  It all started when I began brainstorming ideas for the summer issue of Good Living Magazine.  And my mind would not stop thinking about all you could do with a bandana.  There are other ideas I want to try but here are the ones I loved best!

A little bit patriotic and a little bit country 4th of July! :) 

And at $1 per bandana...the creative ideas are endless!

These bandanas used as napkins are as simple as you can get.
I love that they are the perfect size.

They look so cute with the little mason jar sippy cups.

How about wrapping some favors for your 4th of July celebration?

 

I think this is my favorite one.   

Wrap up a VERY American apple pie and tie with a bandana. 

Slip your pie server through the knot and attach a cute chalkboard label with twine.  You can even carry this like a caddy from the tied knot.

Dress up your favorite flip flops! 
And yes I have seriously had these for 8 years from Old Navy.
I buy new ones all the time but I LOVE these.

The kid version is just cut strips of bandana tied around the thong part of the flip flop.  The flower is made with double folded circles from this tutorial and I sewed a strip of the bandana underneath so it can be tied to your flip flops and removed later.

Or use the flower as a fun pin!

Do you have some LOVE for the BANDANA now?

I know I do!

Hugs My Sweet Friends!

DIY 4th of July Sparkler Cupcake Picks : Good Living Magazine Project 2

If I could marry a craft, it would be this one.  For real.  I love these little cupcake picks so much.  I mean, who doesn't love sparklers?  As a young girl, I remember how excited (and slightly terrified) I was holding the real ones on the 4th.  I would be stare at it and then get braver, spinning them in circles and delighting in such a fun celebration. Making these brought back sweet summer memories for me and I think this might be a fun one worth repeating.

All you need: 

Silver Crochet Thread (by Red Heart Fashion purchased at Wal Mart), 4 inch skewers, scissors, and hot glue.

This is like making a pom pom...wrap around three fingers 40-50 times.

Gently slide the loops off and place them on top and in the middle of a length of the thread.

Tie it securely with a double knot twist it to be back and do it again.

Cut the loops on either end.

It will look like this.  Without the loops I missed before taking this shot. Oops.

After a little dab of hot glue on the blunt end, slide the skewer inside the knot and hold until set. 

Fluff it out.

Look at this adorable cupcake pick?  I love that it has just the right sparkle to make it look real!

I made six of these and they took me about 10-15 minutes.

They totally make me happy!  What do you think? 

Thanks for peeking in on Day 2 of my...

More Fun Stuff Again tomorrow!

Linking to:
Show and Tell Saturdays at Be Different, Act Normal
Tatertots and Jello

Mason Jar "Sippy Cups" Good Living Magazine Project 1

I have seen these cutie mason jars for quite awhile and I absolutely love the idea of drilling a hole in the flat lid and using them as sippy cups.  Love, Love, Love It!

But my ever frugal self does not see me storing these jars if that is their only purpose.  I have 3 gajillion things I could do with them so I decided to make a set of TEMPORARY ones.  So instead of drilling a hole, I just used paper inserts and removed the flat lid.  Interchangeable and festive too!

Here is what you need to make these:

8 oz Ball mason jars (12)

patriotic scrapbook paper 

(card stock would work best but paper is fine)

straws

craft knife

pencil and scissors

Trace your lid onto the wrong side of scrapbook paper...

...and cut your circles out.
(I would make extra just in case or seal them in clear contact paper in case of drips)

Place the circle inside the screw-on lid with the printed side facing down.

Tighten the screw-on lid until the scrapbook paper becomes taut.

Do this with all 12.  

Don't they look fabulous?

With your craft knife, make a tiny  "X" in the center or side of your cup.  

I chose to do it on the side.

Don't make it too big or you could create a hole larger then your straw.

Pop in some festive straws and you have some pretty, patriotic party cups!

I will have fun ideas every day this week until Friday!  
Can't wait! 

Linking to: 
Tatertots & Jello
Show and Tell Saturdays at Be Different Act Normal

Chiffon Corsage: Good Living Magazine Project 3

Nope.  I  did not publish the wrong post by mistake and I do realize Mother's Day is almost 2 months away.
It IS a tad early to be featuring this but the magazine issue comes out this month and the next issue will not be until Summer.  So it needed to be on the blog for the tutorial and well...that's that. :)

We have all seen this flower craze ebb and flow but what I love about these flowers corsages is they are so delicate, feminine, and completely appropriate on a day like Easter and especially Mother's Day.  Who wouldn't love a handmade gift like this to treasure for always and not just for one day?

 I love these so much!  They have a modern feel without feeling too overdone.
Another bonus?

They are incredibly light on your wrist!

 This yummy grey and brown combo is just so pretty!

Here is how you make one...

 

 I will try to re-post this one closer to Mother's Day.  

Hugs and smiles to each of you dear friends!  

All of you bless my socks off!

linking to:

 

Good Living Magazine: Paper & Button Flowers Project 2

These adorable flowers evolved from an entirely different idea and I am so glad they did.  I seem to do that constantly.  And every time I look at these, I feel happy.

So I do a happy dance. 

I know that buttons and paper flowers are not a new concept.  But I like the simplicity of this project that can appeal to all ages.  PLUS...I wanted something classy smooshed with super, duper, wuper EASY!