Decoupage Letter Tutorial

I may have already said this, but it seems that everyone around me is having babies! We were the first of our friends to have kids, and now we are watching as they too start their families. For every baby shower I go too, I like to give personalized gifts.

Tomorrow I get to meet baby Raylan, and since his daddy is into the outdoors I decided to do a letter ‘R’ decoupaged in camouflage print with a wooden tree embellishment. It will be a great nursery decoration!

For this you will need:

• A wooden or chipboard letter (I got mine at Hob Lob!)
• Mod Podge
• Acrylic paint (optional)
• Paintbrush
• Pencil
• Sheet of scrapbook paper
• Embellishment (optional)
• Glue gun
• Chalk Ink

After you have gathered your supplies, paint the sides of your letter with acrylic paint. Since I was in a hurry, and didn’t mind the brown color of the letter, I didn’t paint mine. If you choose to paint the sides of your letter, wait until the paint is completely dry before proceeding to the next step. (about 10 minutes)

Turn your scrapbook paper right side down and place the letter on the paper facing right side down too.

Trace your letter with a pencil…

and then cut it out.

After you cut the letter out of the scrapbook paper, turn your wooden or chipboard letter so it is right side up. Apply a coat of mod podge on the surface.

Then line the paper up over the letter and rub it until the mod podge starts to dry and the paper adheres to the letter.

Apply another thin coat of mod podge over the paper to seal it. You may also want to apply extra around the edges if they aren’t fully adhered.

Now, take your chalk ink and dab it around the edges of the letter to create a distressed look.

For the final step, attach any embellishments. I used a hot glue gun to attach this pre-painted wooden tree.

Now my letter is perfect for any little outdoorsman’s room! I only had to buy the letter, paper, and embellishment since I had the rest of the supplies on hand. Since Hob Lob was having a sale – I got the three items for $2!

I’ll be giving this letter along with a matching diaper case I made… and some other goodies! If you want to see the tutorial on how to make a no-sew diaper case go HERE.

Now I am all ready to meet baby Raylan! I love giving gifts in bins that can be reused instead of thrown out. I fill up the bins and wrap them in about a half yard of tulle. It is way cheaper than wrapping paper and the bin is part of the gift!!!

Enjoy!

Thoughtful Thursday & Wine Cork Wreath Tutorial

 

I work at a resort and one of the room service girls was nice enough to give me a whole bag of wine corks, so that I could make something with them. I came home around 9pm from work with my wine corks in the mood to create something NOW! (Low night lighting is the reason for the under exposed pictures – my apologies!)

To make the wreath you will need:

• Wine corks (I used around 100 corks)
• Hot glue gun
• Wreath form
• Ribbon

I used the glue gun to secure a layer of corks around the wreath form. I attached them going every which way.

Then I put on a few more layers.

I put a dab of hot glue on the back side of the wreath and wrapped it around.

Made a hanger out of ribbon…

and Viola!

The wreath makes a perfect kitchen decoration, party decoration, or even a great gift for your wine loving friend!

{Link-Up Time}

Since I am currently writing two blogs. This one and Poofy Boutique, I decided to do a joint link up party so you can add your links on either blog! Please join in the fun.

I’d love to see what you have been doing!

• Please link directly to the post. You can link anything you created – a craft, recipe, party, menu, etc.

• Include the button from below or a link directly back so everyone else can join the link-up too!

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Camera Strap Cover Tutorial

All celebrations call for pictures – which means there is a camera – which means there is a hip lady/girl/momma in need of a camera strap cover! I’ve seen them everywhere and think they are so fun. {Okay – I admit - maybe I also wanted one so that my husband would stop stealing my camera! He’ll think twice before going out in public with it now.}

Let it be known that I am no pro with a sewing machine. I like straight lines, without zippers, and the less pieces the better! If this is easy enough for me, it is easy enough for anyone!

What you will need:

• Fabric
• Rotary cutter or scissors
• tape measure
• sewing machine
• thread
• iron
• sewing pins

Start out by taking your camera strap off of your camera.

Use your tape measure to measure the length. For the length measure from one ‘x’ stitch on your strap to the other. Then measure the width.

My length was 25.5 inches and my width was 1.5 inches. In order to account for seems you need to add 2 inches to the length. For the width times it by two and then add 2 inches. My end measurements were 27.5 x 5 inches.

Then cut your fabric to the correct size.

Take it over to the ironing board and fold both ends over half of an inch and iron. Then fold over another 1 inch to hide the raw edges and iron again.

Take it to the sewing machine and hem across both ends twice for double reinforcement.

Take it back over to the ironing board and fold the fabric together longwise with the right sides together and iron along the fold.

Place the camera strap over the folded fabric to see how far in you should put the next hem. Then mark it with a pencil. Be sure to mark it at the widest part and leave a little wiggle room.

With all of this back and forth you should be getting a work out. Sew – Iron – Sew – Iron. Take it back to the sewing machine and hem along the edge where you marked.

Now your ready to turn the cover right side out.

Put it on your camera strap… and TA DA!

Now your stylish a picture taking gal!

Enjoy!