Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Two Tier Plate Stand

This was so simple and fun to make. I was inspired by this post from Tatertots and Jello. I was incredibly impressed that this project cost her only $2! And what I loved best is she used a candlestick to make it.  Brilliant! So I tucked this idea away in the inspiration board section of my brain.  Then I was out shopping and came across these melamine plates.  I loved them because they were two different sizes and the smaller ones had the same graphic but only larger.  Each plate was $1.99. I knew this was the project to use them for! I am astounded at how fabulous they look after only these simple and easy steps...

You will need 2 sets of plates, white spray paint, and two candlesticks from the dollar tree.

Spray paint the candlesticks with 2-3 coats of spray paint and let dry.  Seal if desired.
Do not do this as close to your family van as I did.  Praise God it is white.

 This is what the candlestick looks like when finished.

I used hot glue but Jen at Tatertots and Jello used gorilla glue in her tutorial which I think is a great idea too.  I just did not have it and I of course waited until Monday afternoon to work on both tips for this Tuesday.

I made sure to coat the edge with hot glue and let the drips fall to the inside. I centered it on the bigger plate for the bottom tier and then centered the smaller plate for the top.

 That's it!

Tip #2: Turn a Pot Holder into an Eyeglasses Case

Sunday, I had an opportunity to walk to the library while the girls napped.  My intention was just to browse books and magazines and hang out.  I started reading some back issues of Country Living magazine (May 2009) and I came across this awesome tip in their Idea Notebook section.  

Turn a potholder into an eyeglasses case!  

How smart! And being a 4-eyes since the age of 6 that I am and unable to see the Big E on the chart without them, I was intrigued.  I need to take care of my glasses because without them I am LEGALLY BLIND!  Seriously.

So I made them two different styles using...

 

...these pot holders. 

STYLE ONE (the above picture) is just the kind you slide in with an opening at the top.

  

I started by turning the pot holder over to the back lying horizontally.

I first folded in the terry cloth, pocket portion towards the center.

Then I folded the printed side back towards the center.  I stitched the bottom closed and up the one side leaving the top open for the glasses to slide into. 

No, I do not use a sewing machine.  The last time we got together, we had words, said some things we did not mean, objects may have been thrown across the room. It was not pretty.  And that was before I threaded it.  

But this project is so easy with or without a sewing machine. (Just looks nicer with one of those mean old things).

STYLE TWO is more of a clutch style. This one was my little spin on the basic case.

 

Fold the print side up first.

Stitch up the side on the seam of both sides.  

I used brown thread because I ran out of the pretty tealish color. Grrrr.

 

When you are done sewing the sides, fold down the top and it should look like this.

 I took the pot holder loop off using a seam ripper.

I carefully cut it off as close as I could to the edge.

 To cover it up, I stitched brown felt on the inside edge over to the top. 

I then attached a fun green button for flair. :o)
I plan on attaching a Velcro closure but never got the chance because I had a class to get to.  Sorry for waiting until the last minute. 

The best part about this little clutch case is that you can use it for anything. Throw some make-up in there, coupons, whatever.  And shhhhh.  Who would know it was a pot holder?

Happy Tuesday Friends! 

Two Tips Tuesday

You all know I am crazy busy right now, right? And as much as I love doing Two Tips Tuesdays, I am not sure I have the time to do this every week.  Hubby and I do a class every Monday night and you know all the other house and kid stuff that is keeping me hoppin'!

Now I want to see if any of you would be interested in guest blogging for Two Tips Tuesday.  It would be a great opportunity to showcase your amazing skills and know how in...well...anything! It would also be a fabulous way for others to peek in on your blog and for all of you to get exposed to other blogs.

Interested?  Let me know!  It will be fun, fun, fun!

Now I am so incredibly excited to introduce you to Crafty Chic Mommy.  MY FIRST GUEST BLOGGER! The first time I stumbled upon her blog, I was hooked.   Not only does she have a ridiculous amount of craft genius brimming to overflowing but she makes being craft savvy look like the easiest thing in the world.  Plus, she is a brilliant google searcher outer. I am convinced this is a paid title for some genius out there.  I love how she shares crafty scoops from the webby world.

The wealth of information, sources if inspiration and just crafty flair all make for a fun blog to read.  Plus, reading her is like a warm hug from a forever friend.  She is so down to earth and sweet all at the same time.  So without further ado...Crafty Chic Mommy has an adorable craft with pictures of her scrumptious and even more adorable daughter.  Enjoy!

Hello Two Shades of Pink fans. You and I are very lucky to have come across this wonderful blog and I'm even luckier to be her first guest poster. I'm always touched when I read Jessica's posts, I feel like I know her personally and to tell you honestly if we lived close I would want to hang out with her. She has a beautiful soul, I can tell, and she sounds like a wonderful Mommy.....she is a wonderful mommy. Thanks for this opportunity Jessica. 

So a bit about me, then I'll quit rambling and get on with my project. So my blogging adventure starts with google...my favourite search engine. Whenever I needed craft inspiration I would search on google for other brilliant craft website and blogs. In my search I came across some very wonderful blogs both about motherhood and crafts. Then it hit me....I need a blog. So one rainy day in November 2009 I sat down with my fat free caramel latte and CRAFTY CHIC MOMMY was born. I often think to myself why didn't I do this years ago? Every week I find myself crafting away in the little happy corner of my house, then I take pictures to share with everyone else just like other blogs have done for me. I'm giving back to the bloggy world and it feels good.

So onto my post already... 

Tip #1: Apron Craft

Last week I made my daughter Ashtyn a wooden play kitchen. I figured every good cook also needs a good apron so I got down to work on Friday night making Ashtyn one...yes lame I know on a Friday night...welcome to motherhood....   

I used a placemat, ribbon and a sewing machine to create this little gem. It took me no longer than ten minutes to make only because I had to re thread my sewing machine.

 Here is whatcha do...

1.  Lay your placemat down with the wrong side facing up towards you.

 2. Fold both corners down, and pin them for sewing.

3. Sew along the sides leaving an inch or so for your ribbon to feed through. Do this on both sides.

 4. Then take one long piece of ribbon with a safety pin on one end and feed it through each little pocket you've sewn.

5. Tie off the ends of your string so they don't come back through the holes during use. You can also tie on a few big beads but keep in mind choking hazards

 6. There you have it.... a cute little apron made in minutes and the perfect size for your messy munchkin or your blooming chef.

Happy Craftin,

Crafty Chic Mommy

Is this not the cutest?  It looks so easy and I love the end result!  Now, you must, must go see this amaaaaazing kitchen she did with her own 2 talented hands and incredibly sweet heart.  

Tip #2: Felt and Fabric Rings

OK.  Well since we have a craft vibe going, and Crafty Chic Mommy did an amazing job,  I will just share with you my latest craft fun inspired from one of my favorite craft blogs, Happy Together.  She has a fabulous tutorial for making ribbon rings and I used the basics of that tutorial to make these...

These were so fun to make and fast too!.  Instead of ribbon, I used gray suiting fabric for the gray one using the selvedge edge (is that the right term?), brown felt and green scrap fabric with woven looking button, and the hem of a white cotton shirt that my youngest daughter outgrew. The middle of that one is a fabric covered button using a nifty little tutorial here for fabric covering a button with out using  a kit.  The best part?  The ring is actually a pony tail holder!!!

This is what they look like on....

 

  

I actually wear these all the time!  They are so fun and make me feel girly.  They would make great gifts, a fabulous brooch, or a great accessory on a necklace.  Or even fun dress up jewelry for a little girl.

Happy CRAFTY Tuesday friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1:  Secret Admirer Valentine Ideas

Secret Puzzle Message

 Here I used black and white photos of the girls when they were a bit younger on a thick piece of cardboard I saved from a discarded box.  I just used scrapbook paper and Modge Podge to seal the photos and then distressed the black paper to reveal the pink underneath.

 You can cut the pieces using another puzzle as a template or freehand. Use sharp scissors or a craft knife.  Other options are to write a love letter or sweet message over the front of the pictures or on the back.

Secret Cookie Message

I plan on baking some wonderful heart shaped, sugar cookies for my sweetie. (Like above but  with a fun message)  After icing them, I will write out a message on each of the cookies.  Once they set, all the cookies will be put in a pretty container for my fabulous husband to  figure out my love message to him. Just like a puzzle but you GET TO EAT IT!

Tip #2:  Flowers for a Stranger

You know, I thought of this idea but I have to confess that I am nervous to implement it.  I think it is such a nice idea and it would make someone's day.  I thought about buying one or two bouquet's of flowers and have Cati and Ella hand out flowers to people in the check out line at the grocery store, at the library, or neighbors. 

I have to admit I am not always comfortable putting myself out there but I believe nothing would communicate the love of Christ like a gesture such as this. 


Would anyone be willing to do something like this with me?  Just to bless someone for no reason?  I think I would be encouraged if some of you did it with me.  


And seriously, who could refuse a flower given from two cutie, patootie little girls?


Happy Tuesday!


Oh and PS:  I think this week I am going to renege on my promise to post every day with the loooove theme thingy. I overextended myself. So since I am accountable to no one regarding this blog I seriously questioned the undue pressure.  Now I will post when the mood strikes.  Why?  Because I am feeling stressed about it and that is just silly.  I am going to stop over-committing myself to things I have no time to do and just blog when I am inspired...not because I gave myself a schedule.  Amen and amen.

The End on my little self pep talk.

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Word Gems

So easy a KID can do it!

Obviously, the options you have with this easy craft are absolutely endless but I love when crafts turn into learning tools too.


My BFF's oldest son is learning his letters, letter sounds and beginning to read.  This exciting new time of learning inspired this fun little craft. I used clear, craft, gem stones purchased from the dollar tree and bonded paper right from the computer with my chosen font.  

That simple!  

You can make them in to magnets for the fridge. ( I am all about magnets at the moment). Other ideas:

• Cut out photos of distant relatives so your kids learn their names and faces
• Back them with fabric (my next endeavor)
  
• Make them into a fun travel matching game

Oh, there are so many more but sweet slumber is beckoning...but what would you do?

 Here I used words to make fun sentences.

Tip #2: Get Your Kiddos (or you) Crafty & Organized

I have been in craft mode lately...hence the crafty tips.  And this one seemed particularly useful because I tend to make anything crafty become my personal chaos.  Whether it is the crafts designated for the kids or the stuff for me, it can end up all over the house.  Our dinners are sometimes relegated to floor picnics due to a craft extravaganza on every square inch of the dining room table.  Sadly, I have no craft room.


So I tried to come up with ways to make it easier for the girls to have crafty fun.  Here are two ideas and I used what I had in the house to do it.  Hopefully, inspiration can strike you when  considering all you have.

This is one of those utensil holder thingys I got at a party store.  Great craft caddy when not in use. I filled it with all the kid craft essentials...construction paper, scissors, pom pom balls, crayons, markers, glue sticks, foam sheets, and contact paper.

This was my ABSOLUTE favorite idea!  I took a set of 6 cups bought at IKEA, glued them to a lazy susan used for spices and looky there...a nifty art caddy to keep on the kid's art table!

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: A Very Decorative & Different Guest Book


I saw this idea is Real Simple magazine a few years ago (July 2006 Issue) and put it away in my little inspiration notebook of fun ideas. I tried to find this on their website and could not or I would link back to it.

Anyway, this is a glass container filled with river rocks. The original idea from the magazine is to have each person sign their name with a paint pen and put the rocks back in. This way you can keep your guest book on display. Last summer, my friend Jenny and I did the decorating for a baby shower. Our friend was having her third baby and this was a shower to celebrate HER. The theme was more for Mommy than baby. I remembered this fun idea but we put a different spin on it by having each guest put an attribute of the guest of honor on each rock. After the shower, she took it home to display and remember all her friends who love her.

This is what it looked like when you walked into the house. Wasn't it lovely?

Tip #2: Making Bar Soap Kinda Fancy...Shred it. Yes, Really.


I am giggling. Right now.

Just completely tickled over this random and possibly questionable tip. But I have to do it because I so love this and I am nothing if not a bit quirky.

First off, I don't have a lot of bar soap lying around. I am the girl that stocks up on the Bath and Body Works pump soaps and use them throughout the year. I just love anything that smells good and those soaps got it going on.

But my Dad, God bless him, is not a fan of antibacterial soap so I try to have on hand some natural soaps for when he comes around to visit. And really, nothing is wrong with a good old bar of soap. But if I leave it on the sink it gets messy, if I have it in a soap dish, I gotta clean it, blah, blah, blah. So I have these wonderful soaps...
Love 'em because they smell so good. I also love that they cost .99 at Publix. Honeysuckle is my fave. Well, the other day I got this crazy idea to peel it with a peeler. I just wanted to see if I could. When hubby came home that day, he comes out of our room and says,

" Far be it from me to question you in your craftiness but why is a vegetable peeler in our bathroom?"

Good question, hubster. The alarming part is when he does not even bat an eye when I told him what I was doing. He is way too used to my enormous level of weird. I just thought it might look fancy like chocolate shavings on a dessert.

But alas...no.

Yet it smelled so goooooooooooooooooooood! Then I thought, "No. Not a peeler. Lets grate it like cheese!" I am brilliant! So I did.

Two things I love about this discovery (a discovery that only I find fabulous). One, is if it is in the right dish or bowl, it looks lovely and unique. The other is that not only does it smell heavenly, but when you wash your hands it dissolves quickly. Fragrant, simple, and useful.

This is my only worry... will some guest think it's a bathroom snack chip and eat it? Do you post a sign that says, "Not for consumption?" I am thinking that will ruin the aesthetic.

Happy Tuesday My Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Blankets to Bolster Pillow

Is it just me or do you end up with at least 20 blankets when you have a baby? This is what happened to us from the time we were foster parents until Ella. And they are all wonderful...each and every one. But if I could use all of them at once I think I would suffocate my child in the Florida heat (though not this past frigid week..bbbbrrrrrr).

Or I could lay her on top of them with a teeny, weeny pea underneath to see if she is a princess. Since she will not likely eat it. And she is a princess.

Soooooo...to get to my point. My posting way as usual. I figured out a way to utilize these blankets in my decor instead of just up-keeping them in a neat little pile on a shelf in her room.

This is one of her blankets that I just love. It is a stroller blanket from the Pottery Barn Kids "Penelope" line. Seriously, when going into Ella's room, it kind of looks like PBK EXPLODED in there but I love every inch of it. And of course I do. It's all birds. YIPPEE! I used another blanket, folded it in thirds and then rolled it up sleeping bag style.

I took the rolled up blanket, placed it on the back side of the birdie blanket, and rolled it up again, tying both ends with ribbon. It ended up so sweet because of the pink underside showing on the ends as well as the finished trim.

This is actually the Penelope toddler quilt which Ella does not use yet. She likes lighter, smaller blankets when there is a chill. This time, I flipped it over to the polka dot side, put the rolled blanket on it and folded it in thirds ON TOP of the other rolled blanket. I continued to roll it up sleeping bag style so that ends were folded in instead of out. I folded the other end in towards the middle because I did not want it to be too thick. I wrapped ribbon around the center to hold it together an put a second, thinner ribbon around it.

Here it is on the glider rocker. Kinda fun, right? There are so many creative things you can do and sadly, I did not have enough cute, matching ribbon to try come up with different ones. What would you do?

Tip #2: Fabric Wrapped Glass Candle Holders (Re-use!)

What a simple project! First, I just threw...well, I placed them gently... these tiny little glass candles in the freezer so I could pop out the little bit of wax left in the bottom. After cleaning and drying them, I found some jelly roll, coordinating fabric to wrap around the glass using fabric adhesive. Popped in some tea lights and that was it. I have used tea lights in the pic which I find so tacky of me but oh well. I kept in line with my re-use vibe, right? A fun reuse and so pretty! You could use them as tiny bud vases too. Yesterday, The Long Thread posted something similar to this but did a "sleeve" for the glass jar. That way, you can probably wash it easier and change it out. I just did not feel like sewing these and figured I would just use tea lights. And I promise I am not a copy cat! I had this post scheduled since last week! Here is the link to check out her pretty ribbon sleeve.