DIY Ruffle Flower - An Easy, No-Sew Project

Fact #1: I hate to waste anything.
Fact #2: I hate clutter.
Fact #3: I hate throwing away something that could be useful.

I know, these three things just don't jive. Add in the fact that we don't have a lot of extra closet or cabinet space to store extra unessential "stuff," and I'm constantly faced with the internal conflict of simplicity vs. wastefulness. That's one of the reasons I don't shop much anymore. (That and taking a 3-year-old and infant in the store with me, but I digress.)

So when I had some leftover ruffle trim from embellished curtains in Baby Girl's nursery, I was faced with three options:

1. Find a place to store it.
2. Throw it away.
3. Figure out how to use it.

Since the nursery had some boring basic pieces that needed a little "something," I chose option #3.  I was already thinking of making some sort of rosette or flower, and since the trim matched the curtains, it was perfect! And so, these ruffle flowers were born.

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience*

What You Need:

• Chiffon Ruffle Trim (I got a 3-yard spool for $1.99 at Hobby Lobby)
• Matching Felt
• Glue Gun
• Glue Sticks
• Safety Pin or Pin Back for each flower, optional

Directions:

Plug in your glue gun to heat. (I can't tell you how many times I've skipped this step and had to impatiently wait to start my project!)

Cut your ruffle trim to the desired length. (To give you an idea, an 18" length will yield two flowers roughly 2.5" in diameter.)

Using a sharp pair of sewing scissors, cut down the middle of the trim, between the two sets of stitches, to make two lengths of single-sided ruffles. (Each length will become one flower.)

Cut a 1.5 to 2-inch square of felt. This will be the base for your flower.

Roll an end of the ruffle trim, add a generous dot of glue to the center of the square, and affix the rolled end to the glue.

Wrap the trim around, adding a small dot of glue every half-inch or so.

As you continue to wrap, angle the trim out until it's flat against the felt square.

In the last few turns, add glue around the entire edge to make sure everything is secure.

I won't be quitting my day job to become a hand model. ;-)

Trim the excess felt and seal the felt to the flower using small amounts of glue
 

If desired, attach a safety pin using a small piece of felt or glue on a pin back.

And you're done!

These little pins are perfect to add a little pizzazz to so many things.

I also made some flowers similar to these with some leftover ribbon.

I used them to add a little extra color and feminine detail to Baby Girl's nursery, but they would be adorable attached to a headband, added to a necklace, or embellishing a shirt or dress.* The possibilities are endless!

Note: If you are adding a flower permanently to an article of clothing, I would recommend using fabric glue (liberally) in place of the glue gun and a sturdy washable fabric (instead of felt), so the garment will hold up in the wash.



Tell Me: What would you do with these ruffle flowers?

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Easy and Adjustable DIY Crib Skirt

Crib skirts are certainly not a necessity, but I wanted one in Baby Girl's nursery because it gives me an extra place for concealed storage  and makes the crib look more "finished." But since I was keeping myself to a pretty low budget, I was determined to make one as inexpensively as possible.

I must give credit where credit is due. I got the basic plan for this skirt from Variety By Vashti's "Easiest DIY Crib Skirt" tutorial. I loved almost everything about it!

1. It's economical. I considered saving myself the hassle and buying a skirt this time, but the more research I did, I realized that store-bought crib skirts can be quite expensive! Plus, I just didn't love any of them - most of them seemed really short.
2. It's custom. You can choose any fabric you want and make the skirt to fit your crib perfectly - length, width, and height.
3. It's not gathered. I made a gathered crib skirt for Kiddo's nursery and it used more fabric and required extra steps.
4. It's really and truly adjustable as you drop the level of the crib mattress. Kiddo's crib skirt was not. I just tucked the excess skirt under as we adjusted the mattress, but it would get caught in the wheels if I ever wanted to move the crib.
5. It's super-easy. Since my projects needed to be accomplished during naps or after Kiddo went to bed, I wanted to find something that I could bang out fairly quickly. 

However, I did find the need to make some modifications:

1. Fabric width. The tutorial called for fabric 56" wide, which is unfortunately hard to find, especially since I wanted to use an inexpensive quilter's cotton.
2. Number of Panels. The original tutorial called for 3 panels. Since the crib is against the wall, you really don't need that fourth panel, but I much prefer having a skirt on all four sides of the crib.
3. Sewing. The original tutorial called for stitch-witchery to make the project no-sew. While I'm sure it would have worked fine, I chose to use my sewing machine instead.
4. Ribbon trim. This was actually a trick to save fabric. By adding the 2" ribbon to the bottom of my skirt, it made it just the right length for when the mattress is on the highest setting.
5. Attaching the skirt. I chose to use binder clips instead of ribbon or scrap fabric.

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience*

You Will Need:

• 2.5 yards fabric, 44 inches wide
• 4 yards ribbon, 2" wide
• Measuring tape
• Rotary cutter and self-healing mat or sharp sewing scissors
• Iron
• Binder clips
• Safety pins (optional)

Instructions:

Taking Measurements: 

The beauty of this tutorial is that you can customize it to the exact dimensions of your crib. Measure the crib and determine how wide each panel should be. Be sure to add 1-1.5" to the crib dimensions so you can hem the fabric. I found the best way to figure it all out was to draw diagrams. The last thing I wanted to do was come home with my fabric and realize I had made a mistake!

Making The Cuts

Iron your fabric to remove any folds. A smooth surface really makes a difference when you cut your material!

Cut the fabric to the appropriate lengths. Using a rotary cutter is the best way to guarantee you will have straight edges and make the most of your fabric, (A big shout-out to my friend, Ruth, who was kind enough to lend me hers!), but sharp sewing scissors can work if necessary.  I was able to cut 2.5 yards of fabric into four panels, with only a 10-inch strip of fabric left over.

Sewing 

Hem the side edges of each panel. Whether you are using the sewing machine or stitch-witchery, you will want to use an iron to get a nice, crisp fold. For the 51-inch panels, I hemmed a half-inch and for the 29-inch panels I hemmed 3/4 inch.

Since my panels were only 22 inches long (before hemming the bottom) and the crib is 22.5 inches at its highest setting, I needed to find a way to add length. This is where my 2" wide ribbon came in. I sewed the ribbon to the cut edge of each panel, adding just enough length to allow the skirt to skim the ground. As a bonus, I didn't have to hem the bottom!

Attaching The Skirt

Rather than add ribbon to my skirt, I chose to use simple binder clips to attach my skirt to the crib frame. I already had some clips, but ended up buying a few more because there wasn't enough for all four panels. I also safety-pinned the panels together at the corners to make it extra-secure.

Unfortunately, when I put the mattress back into the crib, my (brand new, never used) crib sheet snagged and ripped on the crib frame (BOO!). Thank goodness for iron-on patches!

So if you have an older-style wire frame like I do, you may want to lay something between the frame and the mattress. I used some receiving blankets that we brought home from the hospital when Kiddo was born.

No, we didn't steal them. In my defense, the nurses told us we could take them - promise!

Et voila! A finished crib skirt!

I was very pleased with how quickly and easily this project came together. My only concern was that the skirt was a bit bland and boring. It "needed" something, and I figured out just the thing! Come back Friday to learn how to make these cute little flowers. They are super-easy, no-sew, and guaranteed to dress up just about anything!

I link up at these fabulous link parties.

Simple Stenciled Pillow

Is it just me, or are decorative pillows outrageously expensive? I simply cannot justify shelling out big bucks for something I can fairly easily make myself. I mean, it's just sewing some straight lines, right? If a sixth grader can make a pillow in Home Ec, surely I can throw together a pillow or two for a nursery project.

When I started making plans for baby girl's nursery, I picked very simple and basic pieces, like this quilt set for the guest bed. What a perfect blank slate for my color scheme, right? It just needs a few pops of color, and that's what throw pillows are made for!

I knew I wanted to add a pop of coral and gold, so I set to work finding inspiration. After perusing pinterest, I fell in love with the idea of a "message pillow." Coral fabric and gold lettering would be perfect! Two pillows caught my eye.

The "Love" pillow, at $39.95, was WAAAY out of my price range, and the letters were white instead of gold. Then I found this "hello" pillow tutorial from Shabby Creek Cottage. I loved the gold lettering! One problem: I don't have a Silhouette or a Cricut. So what's a girl to do? I considered asking around to see if any of my local friends owned one, but then I would probably have to buy a roll of vinyl for just one project. I also looked into purchasing a vinyl cut-out on Etsy. Meh. I had a hard time finding a place that took custom orders. But then, I had a brilliant idea: Stencils!

Thankfully (or dangerously), Hobby Lobby is only about 10 minutes from my house, so I went over there one day to pick up the perfect one. My original plan was to use the word "Faith" (the middle name we chose for baby girl), but when I saw this adorable stencil, I couldn't leave without it!

The phrase actually has special significance for me. I gave Guess How Much I Love You?, the children's book that made this line famous, to Hubby for Valentine's Day when we were engaged. (What can I say? I'm an elementary school teacher by trade.) I have to go find it now... It's probably in a bin of books I've been saving for when Kiddo no longer tears pages. :)

Anyway, back to stenciled pillows...


You could make this project even easier by starting with a pre-made pillow cover (Hobby Lobby sells a great selection of solid colored covers for $5-10), but since I had a very specific color in mind, and I wanted a lumbar style pillow, I sewed one myself (and saved myself some moolah in the process).

Tips For Stenciling: 

For this project, I took a trip down memory lane to Arts & Crafts at camp when I first learned to stencil. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to stencil. In order for your design to have clean, crisp edges, there are two things you definitely want to avoid:

1. Applying too much paint at one time.
2. Swiping the brush from side to side.

So instead, you want to dip the brush in the paint, pat the excess paint off on some newspaper or paper towel, and then dab the paint onto your stencil at a right angle. I think it's also a good idea, especially with fabric, to carefully remove the stencil while the paint is still wet so nothing sticks.

I'll admit that I was nervous that the design would be blurry, but I followed these guidelines and I was really pleased with the results!

DIY Stenciled Pillow Tutorial

Materials:

• stencil
• acrylic paint (I have never used fabric medium. For better or worse, once it dries, acrylic paint does not wash out of fabric.)
• stencil brush
• tape
• cardboard
• fabric for the pillow
• iron
• Fiber fill
• Thread

 

Directions:

 *Note: You can skip steps 1 and 8 by purchasing a ready-made pillow cover and pillow form*

1. Cut pillow fabric to the desired shape and size. Sew on three sides, like a pillowcase.
2. Turn the pillow right-side-out and iron smooth.
3. Cover your work surface (I use a vinyl tablecloth for crafting.)
4. Slip a piece of cardboard inside the pillow so the paint doesn't bleed through to the other side.
5. Position the stencil on the pillow and secure in place with tape. (You can purchase special stencil tape, but I just used painter's tape and it worked well.)

6. Dab the stencil brush (it's important to use a brush specifically for stencils) into the paint, and then pat off excess paint onto a paper towel or newspaper.

7. Holding the brush vertically, gently tap the paint onto the stencil. This will give you the crisp edges you're looking for. Do not brush from side to side or the paint will bleed and the edges will not be clear.

8. Repeat until the entire stencil is covered. I used two coats of paint to achieve this look, and I probably could have done a little more, especially on the moon.
9. While the paint is still wet, carefully peel the stencil off the fabric. Wash the stencil and allow the painted pillow to dry completely.

10. Stuff the pillow with fiber fill and sew shut.

And viola!

I'm really pleased with the way the coral pink complements the navy quilt. I have two matching DIY pillows in the works, and then the bed will be complete!

A Simple And Inexpensive DIY

The stencil was $2.99, the brush was $1.99, the paint was $1.17, and the fabric was $0.75 for half a yard at Walmart (a perfect match to the coral pink in my inspiration fabric). Since I already had fiber fill and thread, I didn't need to purchase them.

Grand total for this project? $7.31 with tax!


Seriously, people - the total cost to make this was less than a quarter of the original $39.95 pillow I found for inspiration. Plus I had the satisfaction of making it myself, with a message that's special to me. Win-win-win!

Now, I'll admit that the pillow isn't perfectly square, but that's part of what gives it charm and makes it a special handmade piece. :-) I know that every time I go in that nursery for a diaper change or midnight feeding, it will bring a smile to my face.


So next time you balk at the price of a cute throw pillow, see if you can make it yourself. You might even love it more than the original!

Have you ever attempted a DIY and fallen in love with the result? I'd love to hear about it!

Simple Fall Leaf Suncatchers

  

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Every fall I think of my college roommate, Anne. Growing up in the desert of central California, she had never before experienced the seasonal changes that much of the country takes for granted. I had the privilege of seeing her encounter the chill in the air and rich colors of the leaves for the first time, and it gave me new appreciation for one of my favorite seasons.

One of my fondest memories from our freshman year was surprising Anne that first fall. While walking back from studying at a local coffee shop, a friend and I gathered the most vibrant leaves we could find. Anne was delighted to find a beautiful display of fall colors on her desk when she returned from class that day.

Unfortunately, after a day all those beautiful leaves curled up and their bold colors faded. If only I had thought to preserve them somehow!

These days, whenever we're out in the yard, Kiddo has to gather a collection of leaves to make a picture (just like an episode of Daniel Tiger). While most of the time we just glue the leaves on a piece of paper, I also wanted to find a way to preserve the beauty of autumn for more than a day or two so they don't end up looking like this:

Back when I was in elementary school, we used to seal leaves between two sheets of waxed paper using an iron, but I like this idea even better. One of my co-leaders found it when looking for a craft for our Pioneer Girls group, and I was excited to try it at home. This craft was simple enough for Kiddo even last year at age two.  The leaves actually stayed where we put them (unlike with waxed paper), and there was no hot iron to deal with. It's a perfect simple fall project!

Here's What You Will Need:

• Clear Contact Paper (I usually get mine at the Dollar Tree with the shelf liners)
• Fresh Fall Leaves (they need to be fresh and lay as flat as possible)
• Hole Punch
• String (for hanging on the window)

To Make The Suncatcher:

1. Cut a piece of contact paper to the desired size.
2. Fold the paper in half, and then pull back the paper liner (sticky side facing up) to where the crease is.
3. Arrange leaves onto the contact paper, preferably all facing one direction. We chose to face them down toward the sticky part. (The leaves will stick, but if you're gentle, you should be able to re-position if necessary.)
4. Remove the rest of the paper liner and carefully fold on top of the leaves, smoothing it out as you go to seal the leaves in. (This is a good part for an adult to do first and then let kiddos smooth afterwards or you will get lots of little creases and bubbles.)
5. Trim the edges as desired, punch a hole in the top, and hang with a piece of string. (I love the festive look of baker's twine.)
6. Hang the suncatcher in a window and enjoy the fall colors!

Now, don't think Kiddo was the only one who had fun with this project. Mommy had to make one too! I got creative and decided to make a "wreath" for our front door.

We used the last of our contact paper to make these suncatchers, and almost every day since Kiddo has asked me when we can buy more. He was so proud of his "leaf pitch-ter" and can't wait to make another one!

This is my kind of kids' art project. Simple and inexpensive, with minimal prep or clean-up. Plus, the suncatchers look so pretty that we leave ours hanging in the play room for months!

What fall fun have you been having lately? 

 I link up at these fabulous link parties.

Our $12 DIY "Hillbilly Cider Press"

 

There are few things that scream "Fall!" to me like apple cider. I love the stuff! But is it just me, or is cider expensive? I've seen it as low as $4 a gallon on sale in stores, but at farm markets (where I prefer to buy it), it's as high as $6-8!

Enter my Hubby's frugal mind. When we really love something and it's on the more expensive side, he likes to find a way to do it ourselves. Off to YouTube he went to find a simple homemade press. And sure enough, he found one here:

Glycerin Soaps: So Easy A Toddler Can (Help) Make It

 

Today I'm sharing a really fun and easy way for small kids to help make a simple, useful gift for family, friends, or teachers.

As a former teacher myself, I can tell you that one person can only have so many knick-knacks. Useful and consumable gifts like are truly best, and these glycerin soaps definitely fall into that category. So when I won a Glycerin Soap Kit* from New Leaf Wellness, I knew exactly what we were going to do with it.

Anthro-inspired Plate Stand - For $2!

Oh my goodness, I'm so excited about this post!
Have you ever had a crafty "a-ha" moment? Mine happened on Saturday, when Kiddo and I took a spin through the Dollar Tree to find some inexpensive picture frames for an upcoming project. Right next to the frames were some display easels. Immediately, I remembered the cute crossed spoons plate stands I saw at Anthropologie during our girls' trip to New York City last summer.

Photo Ornaments from Gift Tags

 

Every year, I make a photo ornament of Kiddo for his grandparents and other family members. (And of course, we also keep one for our own tree.) Some of my absolute favorite ornaments growing up were the photo ornaments I made in preschool. I loved looking back to see how much I had grown from year to year. I'm excited to share that experience with my little guy as he gets older.

Easy Kid-Made Gifts: Silhouette Ornaments

This crafty gift idea is a great keepsake to hang on the tree. It is best for children with good scissor skills. My 8-10 year old Pioneer Girls didn't have too much trouble, but I think the older and more detail-oriented the person, the better the silhouettes will turn out.

Easy Kid-Made Gifts: Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

Last week, I shared one of the Kid-Made Gifts my Pioneer Girls (ages 8-10) made at a recent meeting. I originally intended to share all of them all at once, but that would have been a really long post! It made more sense to share them one at a time.
I started with my Kool Aid Play Dough Mix last week, and it became my most popular post by far. It was even featured at Money Saving Mom! This week I'll be sharing a few more gift ideas that kids can make for family and friends.

Peppermint Candy Cane Scrub:

 

We made this Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub from The Idea Room at our MOPs meeting, and I knew it would be perfect for my Pioneer Girls. 

Kool Aid Playdough Mix with FREE Printable!

*Welcome, Money Saving Mom readers! I'm honored that Crystal sent you my way. 

I'm going to be posting a few more crafty (and kid-friendly) stocking stuffer gifts a little later in the week, so feel free to come back and check them out!

I'm really excited to share this creative and thrifty gift idea for the kiddos in your life!
The best part is that kids as young as 2 or 3 can make this gift for their friends and family members for less than a dollar each.