Embroidered Heart

Right on time for Valentine's Day!  Just for you - here is a big hunk of love from me to you!

I don't get into the whole lovey-dovey thing for Valentine's Day - my husband and I do little things every day, all year long, for each other that go beyond a commercial holiday.  So that's not why I love Valentine's Day.  I love it because it's fun, whimsical, bright, and makes winter a little more pleasant!  I love me a good, simple, beautiful piece of decor, too.

Is anything better than something you made with your own hands?!  

I think not.  

Don't stress out about this one - you can do this.  Practice your stitches with some felt or something and then move on to a piece of linen like this.

This sweet little heart is basically several rows of different border stitches repeated.  

I used DMC floss #712 and a piece of tan, earthy linen.

This would also be so pretty with soft pinks, bright raspberries, rich purples or even some gray.  hmmmm....

For you newbies, I have a stitch guide HERE with most of the basic stitches.  I've included a couple in this post that aren't on the guide....yet.

To start you need:

Embroidery hoop

Floss (cream color is DMC 712)

Needle

Scissors

Fabric marker

Heart outline - on cardstock if possible

(Here's one from the internet I found. Just save it and open it in a document and stretch it to your desired size)

Trace your heart using a disappearing or washable fabric marker.  Make sure you trace BEFORE you stretch your fabric onto the hoop.

Attach the hoop gently - you don't need to get the fabric too tight.  With the stretching, the image will distort a little bit and that's totally okay.  As long as your lines are there, your image will turn out fine.  Just try to adjust it a little bit so that it looks as normal as possible with the heart outline as your guide.

Now you're ready to go!  Put in a good movie or some relaxing music, and stitch away!!

Start off with a knot - see the stitch guide above for the easy knot tutorial.  I LOVE it!

FOR MY SAMPLE:

Here's what I did:
{one strand of DMC floss has six tiny strands within--I used all six strands in all of my rows with the exception of the leaves around the stem.  I only used three strands out of the six.}

 1.) split stitch as my anchor row - the first one I did
2.) scallops around the split stitch
3.) Straight stitch or running stitch
4.) French knots
5.) stem stitch
6.) leaves around stem stitch with lazy daisy (scallop stitch but skinnier)
using only 3 strands of the floss instead of six
7.) back stitch
8.) split stitch right up against the back stitch
9.) French knots

FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR MARKER AND TRACE ALONG THE MIDDLE AS YOU START EACH NEW ROW.  You can easily freehand more hearts inside your original heart just to keep your rows straight and on-track.  I had to pick out an entire row because I was off just a little bit.  That wasn't fun.


Here are a couple of stitches not on my guide.  The only one missing is the stem stitch.  If I get some time later on, I can show you how to do that one. Otherwise, here is a great diagram of the stem stitch

{SPLIT STITCH} 

come up from the bottom, go down through the top 

Come right back up through the middle of the stitch.  Try to come right between the threads, too - it's easy to catch the threads unevenly.  Repeat over and over again and you'll get a nice, pretty row of stitches.

{SCALLOP STITCH}

Up from the bottom, down again, making a loop...pull gently until you get the size you want

Come up at the underside of the loop and go back down just above the outside of the loop, securing it down with just a tiny stitch.

{STRAIGHT STITCH} 

this is in my guide, but I called it a 'running' stitch.

Easy...needs no explanation.  Up from the bottom, and in and out of the fabric in even stitches.  Try to keep them the same size.

You can either frame this in something sweet and simple, or leave it on the hoop and fabric glue the hoop to your creation.  I think either option is pretty.

Enjoy!!!  

Don't forget that I want to see your creations!!!  Email me and let me know if you need some help or have questions!

Love to all of you!!

Mason Jar Branch Vases

Why do you want some of these vases?

This is why.  

{photos by my girl, Amber Halversen. She's amazing.  And my babies are cute, too! {gasp!}}

 And this, too.

This, too.

Remember when I posted these a while back when we did Kristine's baby shower?!  I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of how Kadie and I made ours.  Kadie saw the idea on Pinterest {love this place!} and we made our own versions of what we saw.  If you're having a gathering of any kind, these couldn't possibly be easier to make - and they sure do make a huge impact!

Here's how we did ours:

Go out and find--

*Big sticks

*Mason Jars

*Zip Ties - got mine at Home Depot

*Raffia or Twine

Zip the jars onto the sticks nice & tight.  I used some needle nose pliers to help me - but be careful! 

Tie 'em up with raffia, twine, or that thick, satiny ribbon would be pretty, too.

And that's it.  Fill 'em with flowers or whatever makes you feel joyful.

**BE CAREFUL when you stick them into the ground.  You can snap a stick.  Moistening the ground before you stick them in can help - otherwise make sure you dig a small, deep hole for each one and secure them by packing the dirt around the bases really tight.

Simple Cake/Candy/Party Stand

I'm just re-posting this tutorial from the guest spot I did at the Crafting Chicks so that I have it on my blog for archival purposes.  Thanks again, Kadie, for the wonderful idea - yer amazing!!

THE MOST ADORABLE CANDY*CAKE*PARTY STAND EVER!

...and it takes 2 seconds to make...wahoo!

Isn't it ADORABLE?!  

 I found a cup for $1.99, a plate for $1.99, and some "Quick Grip" for $4.99. 

Remove those tacky stickers....

Apply a bunch of glue to the bottom of the glass...

Center it on the plate, and press down.  I was able to find a seriously awesome weight to press down on my glass.  Use anything heavy.

After a couple of hours, my stand was all ready for me to fill 'er up.  EASY, right?!

NOW here's where you get creative and have some fun.  You can make a variety of stands - you just have to get creative!  If you have a birthday party, random event, special holiday, mix and match your options.  When yard sale season comes up, keep a look-out and stock up on random dishes and glass stand items.  You'd be surprised at the great stuff you'll find for CHEAP!  

**ALSO, some ladies commented about using Velcro instead of glue so you can mix & match whenever you want.  Great idea, girls! I'll have to try that idea out sometime.

Some cute glass filler ideas are:  marbles, gum balls, hard candy that won't spoil over time, colored beads, or whatever your theme might be.  Party stores and dollar stores are full of small items that would be a lot of fun.

Fill glass containers with something fun...

 I'm in LOVE with this polka-dot plate from Target!!! 

This is a ceramic ice cream dish I found on clearance

And look at this cute little heart-shaped candy dish!  I found it at Target a few years ago on clearance and it looks great on this candlestick holder!  (Can you tell I live at Target?)

Add a cute plate in the mix...

You've now got a double-decker!  

You can even get creative with non-dish items like this cute nest-basket I found at the Pottery Barn outlet.  LOVE it!!!

This plate is an old, vintage tin plate on top of a candlestick I got at a yard sale.  I LOVE this one!!

Same vintage plate on top of a Mason jar filled with cherries.  Makes a great summer serving platter.

The possibilites are endless!!!  Go have some FUN with that glue!!!

Birdie Ornaments

Okay, Ladies - it's October and I didn't really get into Halloween junk this year, although my kids probably wish I had, but I decided to jump right into Christmas stuff.  I think I'm done with my Peppermint Tree {gasp} and don't be sad, but it had to happen eventually.  You knew that, right?!  Besides, the candies were all popping out of my garland and I'm bored of peppermint - I'm ready for multi-color!!!  {Plus, I need ornaments that a baby can pull off, suck on, and NOT destroy before I have time to rip it from her solid, slobbery grasp.}

So here are my newest friends!  Little Birdies!!!  Although I don't think I'm going to do my tree in "birds", these were fun to make and play with.   AND...you can tie these onto presents, hang them on gift bags, and give them away with your baked goodies!  How cute and fun, right?! 

  

Here's how to make yourself some bird friends:

 You need:

DMC Floss (it has strands you can pull apart)

Small embroidery hoop 

Scissors

Felt

Pinking shears

Embroidery needle

Washable marking pen or something you can mark with

A template from your imagination traced onto cardstock

(it's not hard to trace a little bird shape, then draw a wing in the middle & cut it out)

Step 1:  Trace wing shapes, then stitch using my stitch guide , this amazing guide here, or do your own thing.  Be creative!  If I get some time, for those of you interested, I'll post another stitch guide and include some of the newer things I've learned like the flowers, leaves, and other border stitches.

Don't worry about your embroidery hoop going over the top of the other stitched wings - I didn't have any problems, just don't get it too tight and try to be careful.

Set your wings aside and cut out your main body using your pinking shears for that pointy edge look.  Trace your bird shape onto ONE piece of felt.  Pin that one piece to your backing, and it can be the same color if you want - I used two different colors.  Cut out your bird shape around the edges of your tracing pen.

Everything is all lined up perfectly!  Cut out your wings, leaving just enough space for you to stitch them down onto the top piece of your bird.

(see photos below) After your wing is stitched onto your top piece, cut out a beak and a ribbon hanger.  Don't forget to give your bird an eye ball, too!  Put in a French knot where you'd like it to go and remember: the more times you wrap your floss around your needle, the bigger your eye is going to be.

  Glue beak and ribbon onto the back side of  your bird.

Now stitch the bird closed.  Start wherever you'd like, I started at the bottom.  With your knot on the INSIDE of the bird, whip stitch in-between your crimps from the scissors.

...so easy - great way to teach kids how to stitch - let them make one of their own!!

 Now stuff that bird.  To get fluffies way up into the tail portion, you might want to start stuffing a little up in there before you get to this point - but it doesn't matter.  Just fatten him up a little or a lot, using your scissors or a skewer to push the stuffing up inside the bird without tearing through your stitching.  {For heaven's sake!}

Now finish off with a square knot - and that's it!  How easy is that?!

...not lovin' this one - it doesn't scream "Christmas" at me - but she's still cute nevertheless. {she IS a she, right, I mean - look at her....}   Maybe if you had a girlie, pastel-type decor scheme - then this lady would be perfect!  Anybody want her?!  Email me and I'll send her to you.  Nevermind - she's going to Tanya!  Enjoy!