Vintage Hollywood Feather Headband

There is nothing more sweet than a headband on my little girl. This feather one beats all the headbands I have made in a heartbeat and it was so easy to make that I just had to share it with you!

This "Vintage Hollywood" inspired headband is perfect for your next photo session, wedding, or party celebration!

Supplies:

Touch of Nature Feathers (it comes already glued and one piece in a pack)
Button (from Dress It Up Fancy Grab Bag)
1/4" White Elastic
Sewing Needle and White Thread
White or Ivory Fabric or Felt Scrap (the size of the feather piece)
Hot Glue Gun

Directions:

1. Using the elastic, measure the head of who you are making the headband for. Make sure it is not too tight. Cut the elastic to size.

2. Decide where you want the feather to lay on the headband. I choose the top of the feather to start at the midpoint of my daughter's head and run down one side - which gives it that "vintage" look.

 3. Cut a piece of fabric or felt the size of the back of the feather. Use hot glue to sandwich the headband in between the back of the feather and the wrong side of the fabric.

4. Hot glue the button to the top of the feather where it meets the elastic.

5. With your needle and thread, sew the ends of the elastic closed.

 * Join us at your local Craft Warehouse July 10th-27th, 2014 for our annual Huge Tent Sale! 50-75% off close outs, clearance, overstock, and best deals!

Wrap Rubber Band Bracelet

Today's Loom Band Wednesday project featured is a lot of fun! It is using a simple stitch on your loom along with craft wire! We recommend Memory Wire. Memory Wire is a beading wire that remembers and holds its shape! This will be perfect when your bracelet is done, as it will always hold this perfect wrap style!

You can find the entire instructions for this project in our top selling rubber band bracelet book called Loom Magic Xtreme! by John McCann, Becky Thomas, and Monica Sweeney (available in all Craft Warehouse stores). 

Pages 90-93 describe the easy project. You will need one loom, 50 loom bands, a pair of pliers or wire cutters, Memory Wire (the length of about two looms), and one hook to complete the wrap bracelet.

This simple stitch is repeated over and over. Make the rainbow style we have or create your own pattern!

Lawn Fawn S'more Party Favors

Get in the mood for summer S'mores with this darling new set of stamps by Lawn Fawn! When I saw this set, I freaked out. Really. I think it is my favorite set of all time. It has the cutest sentiments that can be mixed around for a variety of cards and tags. I created S'more favors (really, aren't they cute?) using Tim Holtz Distress Markers to color the stamps in!

Supplies:

Lawn Fawn Love You S'more Stamp Set
Kraft Tags with Twine
Archival Black Ink by Ranger
Watercolor Paper
Tim Holtz Distress Markers - Rusty Hindge (gram cracker) and Vintage Photo (chocolate)
Foam Popup Dots
Treat Bags
Gram Crackers
Chocolate
Marshmallows 

Directions:

1. Stamp s'more image and smile on to watercolor paper. Color in with Distress Markers. Cut out.

2. Stamp sentiment on to Kraft Tag. Place s'more on the tag using a pop up dot. Place string on the finished tag.

3. Fill treat bag with two gram crackers, a square of chocolate, and a marshmallow. Tie the bag closed with the string.

4. Try to give them away before they are consumed.

DIY Flower Arrangements and Gold Glitter Vases

I love flower arrangements. Fresh flowers during the summer is something I wish I could have all the time! They can be really expensive to buy at the store so I make my own as often as I can!

Another thing I also love is glitter. I just don't love it all over my hands, face, and home. So when I heard about Krylon's Glitter Blast I had to try it. It is glitter in a spray can. The can is filled with adhesive and glitter - all you have to do is point and spray! I like that!

For this handmade vase, I just grabbed a mason jar and got to work! Scroll down to find out how to make your own vase and then how to create your own flower arrangement for less!

Supplies:

Mason Jar
Krylon Gold Spray Paint
Krylon Gold Glitter Blast
American Crafts Twine
Flowers

Vase Directions:

1. Spray the outside of the jar with gold spray paint. Do a couple of coats for a good application.

2. When dry, spray the outside of the jar with gold Glitter Blast. Make sure the jar is completely covered. Let dry.

3. Tie a piece of twine around the lip of the jar.


One of my favorite DIY projects is creating my own flower arrangements! I got several bouquets of flowers from my local Trader Joe's for only $20!  Here is how you can create your own flower arrangements using your own handmade vases!

Flower Arrangement Directions:

1. Open up all the bouquets and remove the flowers from the rubber bands and packaging.

2. If your flowers come with flower food, disperse the food out evenly to all your vases. Fill your vases up half way with water.

3. Sort your flowers on the counter so you can see what you have.

      1 - Foliage
      2 - Place smaller groupings of flowers together (like smaller Daisies, Asters, etc).
      3 - Large flowers will be used last, so place them on their own.

4. Using the foliage (branches of leaves) first, cut to desired length (for a mason jar I cut between 9"-10"). Putting one branch into the jar at a time criss-cross the stems into the vase. You are going to be creating a homemade frog this way. You should have about four or more pieces crossed into the vase.

5. Use smaller flower stems next (labeled 2 in the picture above) and make sure all the leaves are removed before adding them to the vase. Cut to the same length as before. Add one stem at a time twisting the stem into the jar so that it will slide into your homemade frog. Place the stems evenly around the vase.

6. For stems that have a lot of flowers attached (like a bunch of Daisies), remove them from the main stem so that you get more bang for your buck! Tuck these into your arrangement by twisting the stem again into the homemade frog.

7. Lastly, pick a favorite large flower (labeled 3 in the picture above) and cut to the same length as your other flowers. Find the front of your vase and twist the stem into the vase at the focal point of your arrangement. Make sure if you are using any Roses that all the leaves are removed before adding them to the vase.

*Note: For mason jar arrangements 1 large flower is enough. For large arrangements, you can add several large flowers to draw attention to the front of the arrangement. Have fun with it! This is a great way to make beautiful floral displays around your home for less!

4th of July Rubber Band Bracelet

Happy 4th of July! There is nothing better than spending the 4th with family and friends! Today I had the best time with my niece teaching her a new rubber band bracelet! Cousins sat and made their own on their own looms - the whole time getting along! I love that! Here is a great holiday bracelet that you and your family can make this weekend while celebrating! Hey, or make one now to wear to the celebration! 

 

For this bracelet, I am using the "Chain Mail" instructions (page 17) from Rubber Band Loom Crafts book available at Craft Warehouse stores. It is also known as the Dragon Scale Rubber Band Bracelet.

My pattern is as follows:

1. Begin pegs 1-4 with white bands creating figure 8's.

2. Twist a red band into a figure 8 on pins 2 and 3.

3. Begin looping and any time you need to place a new band on 2-3 pegs alternate red and blue! 

Happy 4th of July and happy looping!

4th of July Celebration by Design Team Member Elizabeth Wiederspohn

Everyone loves a good celebration and I can’t think of a better day to celebrate than the 4^th of July.  I love our country, our freedoms, and our troops that protect them both.  Independence Day is my second favorite holiday (right behind Christmas.) so I am honored to create for Craft Warehouse on such a special day.  

God Bless America Banner
 

Supplies Used:

Pebbles Americana 48 Piece Paper Pad

Pebbles Americana Dimensional Stickers

Pebbles Americana Phrase and Accent Stickers

Pebbles Americana Printed Cardstock Shapes

Doodlebug Sprinkles Blue Jean, Ladybug, & Lily White

Doodlebug Washi Tape Air Mail

Hazel & Ruby The Makery Shine and Sparkle

American Crafts Thickers Maple White

Paper Accents Glassine Bags

Die Cutter

Sewing Machine

Scoring Board

 
Flag Banners

1.     Cut 72 2.5” stars using your favorite punch, Silhouette die cutter or your Sizzix die cutting machine.  36 should be out of red pattern paper and 36 white pattern paper.  If your paper is single sided, you may want to cut enough stars to double side each star.

2.     Sew twelve red stars together into a banner making sure to make one continuous string and immediately hang your star banner to avoid tangling.  

3.     Continue to sew strings of stars together making a total of three white strings of 12 stars and three red strings of 12 stars and hanging them alternating colors.

4.     Cut a square 7.5” and glue a 4.5” star or rosette in the center.  Using Thickers write “God Bless America” over the top and bottom of the star Punch three holes across the top and tie in front of the left corner of stars. 

Rosettes

1.     Cut 14 3x12” strips of cardstock making sure you have two of each color.  Next, using a scoring board, score the strips in 1” increments and fold the strips back and forth alternating directions of the folds. 

2.     Bunch the folded strip together and cut the end at different angles much like you would a paper snowflake.  Make sure that you cut the matching cardstock strip in the same pattern to make sure the pennant is the same all the way around then staple the ends of each pair of strip together creating a circle

3.     Gather and push down the center of each pennant.  Glue a punched circle to the back using a hot glue gun or a strong adhesive like E-6000 to keep the rosette from folding in on itself.  Let dry then flip over and glue a star to the front.

4.     Punch a hole in the top and tie to banner.

Pennants

1.     Cut 4 4x6” rectangles and 4 3.5x6” rectangles. Stack all rectangles together centering the smaller rectangles and cut the bottom shape of your pennant to make sure all pennants are the same shape.  I cut mine with a traditional triangle pennant style but don't be afraid to get creative. 

2.     Assemble the pennants by sewing or gluing paper pennants across the top placing a glassine bag on the bottom, the 4x6” rectangle in the middle and the 3.5x6” rectangle on top making sure to raise the final layer high enough to show the second layer of cardstock at the  bottom of your pennant. 

3.     Even off the top of your pennant by cutting off 1/8- 1/4” with your cutting board. 

4.     Embellish pennants using stickers, embellishments, sequins, and sprinkles.  Create dimension using double sided foam tape and layering different embellishments.  Punch holes in each corner and tie onto the banner. 

Land That I Love Layout 

This sheet is one of my favorites from the Pebbles Americana Collection.  I love the signage and different American icons.  It just made me want to scrapbook more.  I put together this layout using the three dimensional embellishments, stickers and cardstock embellishments from the Pebbles Americana line, Doodlebug washi tape and Sprinkles, American Crafts Thickers, and Hazel & Ruby sequins.  I also stitched in gold thread around the boarders of my cardstock.  Never used gold thread in your machine before?  I have a tip for you.  Gold thread does not behave well in your bobbin.  Instead, load your bobbin with white or cream colored thread and it will behave wonderfully. 

Thank You for Your Service Card & Operation Write Home

There is no better way to celebrate Independence Day than to honor the troops that keep us free.  I made a card to honor a Veteran I know with some of the remaining papers, embossing folder, embellishments and Lawn Fawn stamps.  Don't have a Veteran close by?  Check out this website http://operationwritehome.org  The Operation Write Home organization allows you to send a card to troops serving our country to let them know how much we appreciate their service.  They also have another service made available to our troops.  Troops are in need of cards to write home to their families on.  You can send your homemade cards to Operation Write Home and they will package them up and send them to our troops so they can send cards and letters home.  There are a couple of guidelines and requirements to what supplies can be used on a card so check out their web page before you get started.  I can't think of a better way to use my hobby.  

Craft Warehouse Design Team Member Elizabeth Wiederspohn

Welcome back Elizabeth Wiederspohn to the blog! Whenever Elizabeth is here she inspires. I have had the pleasure of scrapbooking and spending time watching Elizabeth create and she amazes me. She is always making something for her family and it is always with such a beautiful love. She is a teacher which always shines out when she is here because she helps us all understand her process simply!  

 My name is Elizabeth Wiederspohn from Sunnyside, WA.  I am a Christ follower, wife, mother, friend, teacher of over 350 students a year(who will all graduate high school), and scrapbooker.  I have a wonderful husband and two great kids.  I love spending time with them.  I love my job and spend 180 days a year teaching extremely talented students how to take great photos, use typography, and use graphic design to create the best yearbook ever.  Besides Yearbook I teach Photography and Senior Capstone.  What's better than that!  In my spare time I like to create things for my home and scrapbook.

I scrapbooked my first page in 1997 in the basement of a friends house.  We were stamping cards and I decided to give scrapbooking a try.  I often have random thoughts like this.  It is OK.  It makes me more creative.  The page had one photo on it and I used the same flower stamp over and over.  Let’s just say I have improved a little.

I would describe my style as clean, deliberate, and simple. I spend a lot of time thinking and collecting ideas for my next page. I also love to group items and use contrasting colors. My photos are the focus and I love clean lines and a good collection of embellishments.

Currently my favorite paper lines are from October Afternoon, My Minds Eye, Pink Paislee, and Amy Tangerine.  I love the beautiful bold colors of these lines and the high quality of the paper.

If there is one thing I have learned over the past years it is that not every layout or project has to be perfect and there is no such thing as a mistake.  Mistakes are just chances to be more creative.

Follow Elizabeth on her blog to see more of her work! Make sure to come back to see what Elizabeth has created for this 4th of July celebration!