Faerie costumes are so cute LOOK LOOK

In my travels through ESTY.Com I found the cutest little girl stuff. Check this out.

My daughter would have just loved to have something to dress up in, just like these. The web site on ESTY.COM is www.fairynanaland.com/blog. Check out her fabulous items. Just in time for any tea party or some wonderful memories of very good days.

Thank you Fairy Nana. She says "sent with a pinch of Faerie Dust" with each order.

Check her out.

Great fall Wreaths

Well, it is time to start making your new wreath for the fall. To start I will assume that you have brought a grapevine wreath, it is very similar to the one I have hanging on my door.

You will need to decide on color, that would be a determining factor, if the wreath you have is the same color as your door. Ok, the base color will blend with your door.
Since this is fall the colors you add to your wreath will add color to your door. The filler should be orange , dark reds, some green/brown. Come to think of it, just like fall and all the items you see in the store.

Divide your wreath into 4 quarters in your mind. What is the top going to be? Y

ou had better put a hanger on it right now. I am thinking of a zip tie? Did you buy some? Ok, on the top just below the tool of the twigs there will be a good strong branch , put the zip tie through the woody thing pull the un-zip tie end through the little square end pulling it into a loop. This loop must be big enough to hang on your hanger you have on your door, and it must be loose enough to hang freely on your door. Go try it out.

ok, do you want some glitter on the darn thing prior to adding your filler? Then spray it, with your glitter spray, and it you want more of a sparkle add so spray glue to your wreath, and put some glitter on the glue. I hope your took down the wreath from the door? I have a small amount of glitter on my door from last year. I am such a magpie, glitter on my door.

making holiday wreaths

Well, I had to think about this process of making a wreath. After checking out my old wreath I like the shiny stuff and will need to change a few items. It is very hard for me to tell you what to do, it comes down to you would need to use trial and error or good sense on your wreath. You are the one that needs to live with it over time.

So start with the bottom half of the wreath, since that is the starting point I like to accent. Layer the green leafy items first by sticking the filler that would be the foundation. I found some ivy, (solid green and some white/green variety) at the $ tree store. I was looking for fall leaves but didn't find them at the cheaper stores. You will need some leaves so look for JoAnn's coupons or Micheals but most of these types of necessaries are on sale at this time.








Any who, layer in some green stuff around the bottom of the wreath, I would recommend placing them into the grapevine sticks to hold them in place. I added some ferns that I cut off of some of my craft closet stock. Cutting them from the master stock, with side cutters.

Add some fall leaves into this mix. Step back to give it the eyeball? Does it look messy or are you happy with this starting step? Anyone can add a pile of filler, but does it look like something you can live with?

Ok, now, add a few pumpkins or long neck squash…something with a different color.
I found some glitter pumpkins from the $tree store, that will fit into this mix very well.
You can also spray glitter paint on the items prior to putting them into you wreath.

You can add some more filler or picks into the center of the wreath for that fall interest.
Did you buy some ribbon for a large bow on the top of the wreath. $tree had some ribbon just enough to make one bow.

Once again step back and check out what you have added. Rearrange some of the items to see if you like it better. Don't add anything that says Halloween like a scary cat or ghost, because once Halloween is over, then what…you will need to cut it out of your wreath, since that holiday is over. The idea is to get two holidays out of this project.

If you are happy with what you have, take it apart and get out your zip ties and glue gun. Start building it back but using a glue gun or a zip tie. What ever fits the situation of keeps your items in place on the wreath when it is hanging on your door.

Does your wreath need to hide some of the sticks or scarecrow/pumpkins in the middle of the wreath? You could put in some moss or dried straw in some of the holes that you may see after it is all done. You can now spray the entire wreath with gold glitter. You could hang the whole darn thing up on the door to see if it strikes you as a finished product.

I used the gold spray on the wreath when it was hanging on the door, it sparkles real nice I mean the door, I guess the spray flies everywhere.

So be careful with your spray.

twiggy fall wreath

Well, it is time to start making your new wreath for the fall. To start I will assume that you have brought a grapevine wreath, it is very similar to the one I have hanging on my door.

You will need to decide on color, that would be a determining factor, If the wreath you have is the same color as your door. Ok, the base color will blend with your door.

Since this is fall the colors you add to your wreath will add color to your door. The filler should be orange , dark reds, some green/brown. Come to think of it, just like fall and all the items you see in the store.

Divide your wreath into 4 quarters in your mind. What is the top going to be? you had better put a hanger on it right now. I am thinking of a zip tie? Did you buy some? Remember the hanger will be on the back of the wreath, there is a front and a back to these types of wreath.

Ok, on the top just below the twigs there will be a good strong branch, put the zip tie through the woody thing pull the un-zip tie end through the little square end pulling it into a loop. This loop must be big enough to hang on your hanger you have on your door, and it must be loose enough to hang freely on your door. Go try it out.

ok, do you want some glitter on the darn thing prior to adding your filler? Then spray it, with your glitter spray, and it you want more of a sparkle add so spray glue to your wreath, and put some glitter on the glue. I hope your took down the wreath from the door? I have a small amount of glitter on my door from last year. I am such a magpie, glitter on my door.

Halloween is coming up fast

Well, there is a lot of stuff out there for Halloween, but being a magpie, I didn't see shiny stuff to use to update my wreath. I went to Micheal's and Home Goods, if you aren't into making stuff, it seems like you can get a very nice holiday wreath at Home Goods, they were running between $29.99 to $39.99. I go for the "I made it" look, and I like to have that look for a good price. I try to make a new wreath every few years. What I have done in the past is buy all my filler at the end of the season for 70% off.


Then after Christmas I have lots of filler for new Christmas wreaths or decorative arrangement to sit on the porch or in the entrance hall, so my house says look at me at 70% off. Gee, I love doing crafts at 70%.

I'm still looking for some shiny stuff.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the cute 50% off small bird cage decor that ran $12.00 so that makes it $6.00, it was crying out with ideas to put something inside...like orange and black "shiny" glass balls(christmas ornaments, that came in black & orange, you could put lots of glitter on them). I went down one isle and there was the same bird cage with a ton of glitter on it for $19.99 not a sale tag in sight. Remember the spray glitter I asked you to get? You can spray the cage and drop some more dry glitter on it prior to the spray stuff dry. You just saved $14.00 plus the tax? Always think out of the box.

shiny wreath is 4 me

Ok here it is, and I must say I am like a magpie, I seem to like all things shiny, and collect it all.

It is getting late and if I am to prove to you that I have what it takes to impress you or bedazzle you with a new look on your door, I had better get going or all the good stuff will be taken. It seems like all the shiny items are the first to go.

I need to go to home goods to look for a pizza stone, I found some gluten free pizza dough at the store today in the refrigerated section. So since I will be there under the pretents of looking for a pizza stone, I am on the
hunt for shiny stuff.

Are you going to beat me to all the stuff out there?

Holiday Wreaths are here is yours?

Ok, it is almost time to hang your wreath for the holidays. I feel you can hang a fall wreath anytime after Labor Day. As soon as the sun is facing my front door today, I will take a pic of my old wreath, so you can see a starting point of a older wreath and what we can do to update the darn thing.

This wreath is a grapevine made basket, that I put in the half basket part some floral foam (that makes the filler easier to stick into the middle and sides. I like shiny stuff and my door, that is why I said to buy spray glitter.

Waiting for the sunny to be in the west. See you later



Do you see the small table in this picture. I brought it in March at Walmart for $5.00 regularly $7.50, well that is not such a good buy, but I brought several of them to give a presents or house warming gifts. I like them so much I
kept them myself.

Did you see the Black eye Susan's behind the chair and table? Those can be yours if you see black eyed susans around town, or if a friend has them in their yard. See previous article. So any hooooo check out those Labor Day end of the season sales. Think out of the box.

Pumpkins 4 u they look good :)

Well, I forgot to tell you how to make your pumpkins. Did you find your venting? Measure your venting, cut with scissors around the plastic roll and use a side cutter to cut the wire inclosed in the plastic.

Using the 4inch tie wraps or zip ties you already brought. Wrap the ends together and grab a awl to make a hole between the two base wires so you can run a zip tie between the two connecting wires.

Holy moly, you have a pumpkin, and it is ready to spray paint it. Be sure to check out your paint color and type of paint. I brought an enamel paint and it took a long time to dry and it is hot here in So Cal. So if I was painting them in late October, I not sure it would dry, even if I left them in the garage, with a temp of over 90 degrees. So to make this story short, buy the cheaper paint, and check the color to make sure it is a true pumpkin orange.

Ok now is the fun part, you can add all your fillers, to the center of your pumpkins. You might consider using zip ties to add all your fun ideas on filler to hold them together for the center of the pumpkins.

Have fun

green wreath is toast

After a night of great thought nothing came to me, so it is going to the Assistance league Thrift shop.
The lovely ladies there have a fund raiser in October or November. They sell lots of boutique items.

I just know one of the lovely ladies will come up with a great idea for this one.

Good luck ladies, and keep up the good work with all those children and their teeth.

Wreath bust.. pumpkins are going OK

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Holiday boutique items for your kids school

Oh my ....it is getting late in the summer and I just love the fall and all the decor you can make to have your home look so beautiful. I am going to Jo Ann's today to get some more fall floral items, I got a coupon flyer in the Sunday's paper along my mailer, it says the fall stuff is on sale. Oh boy do I like sales even if it is only 40% off.
Speaking of 40% and JoAnn's or Micheals's

don't forget your gold glitter spray. It is a must to have for your fall items. As one of my working BFF said it adds just the right sparkle. Thank you Linda

I found in my craft closet a pumpkin made out of drier hose and painted orange with some fall leaves sticking out of the top of it.

I have given several of these pumpkins as fun give aways to my employees, so lets make some of these in the next few days. this clever idea was from a wonder BFF Colette, she made many of these pumpkins and made some money for your kids school. (remember that your school is always needing money, and they ask you to bring home made craft stuff to the school boutique...THIS IS the show stopper)

I am off to check to see if the old hardware stores sell this plastic type of venting. It is not safe as a dryer connection but really great as pumpkin makings. If you don't want to go to the trouble of spray painting and waiting to have the paint dry and all that I will be selling some on my Esty.com web site.

I am back from Jo Ann's, they had a really cute display of a Halloween wreath. I am going to make it today and post pictures on Wednesday.....I have some pictures of the bear bones of the wreath. Go check it out.

start looking for Holiday Wreath filler

Ok it is time to start looking for what I like to call fillers for making your holiday wreath. If you have an old wreath that needs a new look or redo, that will work toooooo. I found some really cute stuff at the dollar tree store, they already have those small items that make your wreath on the door sparkle. Did I say what a filler is? That is the stuff that makes your wreath or fireplace deco look so good. Filler is also known as pickers at Jo Ann's or Micheals. Please note in the picture that I have just found a few of the items I need. I also added some of the things I have in my craft closet and a umbrella stand that is in my living room in a corner of the room. (I would never show you a picture of that mess, but some how it works in this corner.)

I find really good buys in say "curly willow" and will store it there. Curly willow is a natural branch that curls in really cute angles, it can be cut to fit into your item.) As you know curly willow is very expensive but you only use a small amount, of the branch, when added to an arrangement it will make that item spectacular.

I have added in the picture some ting-ting (who thought of that name?) in a bronze color, it's the long twirly stuff. Make sure to check out the import stores for silver or Gold ting-ting or something like that sparkles. While your thinking of it buy some gold glitter spray, and be thinking of shiney ribbons in a large width, it will make or break your wreath.

Lets make curly ribbons with jaw clips

...

I have attached some pic's of hair clips in progress. Please note that you can see step one is to gather up some curly ribbons. I have gathered a hank of ribbons, I counted approximately about 12 to 14 strands of ribbons. I made the hank of ribbon about 6 to 8 inches long. (this is not a measurement of ribbon that is stretched tight, it is just simply ever so slightly) Now is the question you are going to ask yourself?

Do you want the curly's to look like Marie Antoinette with long slinky ribbons hanging down to your neck? You laugh at this one, thinking what a nut I am, but I have made several of these types, and then you have to cut the darn thing down to size.

Check out my pictures in the isherlcrfts4u.ESTY.com pic's. Do you see the Red $ Green clip? Does it looks longer? Always save your left overs, they will come in handy at a later date. I think of my daughter and her love of long hair as a small child, she loved long ribbons in her hair, she thought of them as having long ringlets. Wow what a mental slap to the head for me the thinks you remember. Any who, moving on....


Now that you have your hanks of ribbons wrap your small gauge wire (about 28 gauge) around the ribbon several times and make it tight, pull it tight so the ribbon doesn't fall out of the wiring.

Wire the ribbon wad to the top of the jaw clip, see it in the picture? Wrap the wire around the top of the clip, wrap it tight. (I like to use needle nose plier to pull the wire very tight.) NOW run the wire across the inside of the clip to the other side of the clip. You repeat the process on this side. Make sure the ribbon is on top of the clip. You don't want the wire to stick your finger or the receiver of your gift so check to make sure the wire ends are not sticking out, if need be cut the left over wire. Use you needle nose plier to pinch the wire down. All you need to do is repeat the process on the other side of the clip. Your good to go!!!!!


Ok, if you want to do big girl or little girl barrettes, you just make a hank of 6 to 8 short ribbons (remember those little snip-its of ribbon here is the place to use them) By short I mean 4 to 6 inches long or if you want those Marie Antoinette curls then go for it. Wrap your wire around the barrettes base remember to remove the small silver bar in the back of the barrette, so you can wrap your wire easier. Wire the wire several times tight. Add your ribbon, then repeat the process, till the barrette is filled up. You need to add back the silver back bar, so the barrette will stay tight in your little girl's hair.

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Curly ribbon add ons for ladies, girls and babies

Well... I have a picture of the items you will need to make some simply cute hair items. Please note that you will need to buy a few things. If you want to have jaws clips with curly ribbons hanging off of them, you will absolutely need to check you clip drawer and look closely to the clips you already own. One always want to use things you already have in your procession, but this is a must to be successful in making jaw clips.

There must be a hole on the top of each side of the clip. You will need to put a wire through it to tie on your hanks of curly ribbons. Note the two jaws clips, see the holes on top of the clip? Ok go and check out your stash of clips, no holes? I like to go to the dollar stores and buy them there, what the heck let face-it, I like to save money on my crafts..it's part of the fun.

Ok when your out buying your assorted clips, get some large metal clips that are what I call big girl clips and a package of small hair clips too(they're pictured in the above pic, you have seen them everywhere). You can always use them to give to all those little girls, you know. Those little cuties that are always begging for new stuff for their hair. I guess we never out grow the need for new hair stuff. You can put them on gift bags or wrapped packages... use it like ribbon, especially if you work with their mother and it's her birthday. It's a value added gift, it will be better that a fancy lunch to her. There.... is nothing better that a mom walking in the door with something special for her little darling!

Please NOTE......With this project you will need to have narrow gauge wire, like the wire you brought last time you went to Home Depot.

golden ribbon add ons

Here is a picture of the gold ribbon flower that I deemed not the right size for my brown flips, the ribbon was 2 1/2 inches wide. So I put a bit of bling in the center of the darn thing, to jazz it up. I just love bling, I turned the thing over and hot glued a left over green stem from some old silk plant material along with a hair clipper. Do you see it in the pic? Now I can put it in my hair, I am truly a fake hair person. I have entire drawer of store bought hair, so adding a curly ribbon hair clip is a natural to me. But just in case you are not into that look or maybe it is an old lady thing, like me, to add extra stuff to my hair? Not sure what to call it. You can add it to a winter hat or a straw hat or bag.

Photos of ribbon flower and pink flip flops

here is a picture of the purple ribbon in the first turn of making a flower, if you look with your sharp eyes or reading glasses you can just barely see the 2 wires. The start of the flower has the wire turned under.


Check out the finished pink flip flop!

more flip flops pictures

here's a pic of the pink flip finished (i haven't learned enough to get it on the orginal blog) sorry it don't know that much about posting pic's on this web site. I couldn't get my cute pink flips with a fab purple flower. I had taken pictures of my pink flips and purple ribbon flower in the starting process. I know just writing about crafts is not very effective without photos. Must start reading up on posting pic.

Thank you for your good thoughts and if the creek don't rise and hell doesn't freeze over, I will recover from this sett back.

Sherrill

cute Flip Floppers

Well, after much to do about pictures for this project I have gotten them all taken and we are ready to go. Did you get some cute flips?



What kind did you find? Remember you can buy stuff on sale to keep for gifts. I like the ones with a slight rise in the heel. It makes me feel a bit dressy, wearable in all occasions. They will carry you a bit farther, say like out to

dinner, or a show or out on the Casino floor. But come to think about it... any thing you wear on a Casino floor is ok with the management especially if you loose your money on the slots. But that is another thought altogether.

Ok on with the flips. Cut your ribbon to about a yard or so, I measure ribbon by running the ribbon from my nose to the end of my arm, to my figure tips. As my best friend says she has a short arm so she adds more ribbon to that measurement.

Next check the ribbon to determine what side is the front. The ribbon I choose doesn't require to any further inspection, this fabulous purple ribbon is 1 1/2 wide, however, I did buy some gold ribbon that was 2 1/2" wide, this width didn't make a good flower for these shoes, so I turned it into a flower for your hair or to fit it on a hat. I like the 1 1/2" wide.

Hold the ribbon facing you, making a mental note of, what would you like to be the top and the bottom of the flower. On the top edge, hold the wire on both ends of the ribbon, start to gather the ribbon towards the center, (NOTE don't let the wire slip past the end of the ribbon, it is impossible to regather the ribbon).




Now roll the ribbon from one end to the other placing the wire down in the center of the flower, you will need the wire later, DON'T CUT IT OFF AT THIS POINT. The ribbon should start to look like a flower.

You can now thread your wire through a needle and run the wire through the flower and draw the wire up tight so the gathering is held in place. I like to put an "X" in the bottom of the flower. (hide the ends of the ribbon within the flower, you can tuck the outer end of the ribbon under the flower and you have a flower for your flip.

Since your flip at the toe junction is made out of fabric you can thread your needle again... wire your flower to the toe junction or you can hot glue it to the toe. I found some pink heart glams and hot glued them to the center of the flower, and put some cute hearts on the size of the flips. Oh of course I cut off the remaining wire from the bottom of the flower.

I did another flip that I found at Ross's but once again the gold flower wasn't the size I like so I put together some curly ribbon wired together with our wire we got from Home Depot. The recipe the curly flips is take about 6 hanks of 2 1/2 inches of curly stuff wrap in the middle your wire, then repeat the process again so you have 2 groups of ribbons I wrapped the two groups together..then hot glued it to the toe center junction. I really liked that look. What do you think?