Day 2: Burlap Ruffle Wreath

On the second day of the Christmas craft series, I'm going to share how to make this fun Burlap Ruffle Wreath.

I was inspired when I saw Emily's wreath here, and decided to make my own version for Christmas this year. I added the fun holiday color to give it a big "pop." But you could keep things subtle and natural too.

So, here's what you need...

MATERIALS

Wreath form (I used straw, but a styrofoam would work too)

About 2 yards of burlap

Glue gun and glue sticks

Needle and Thread

Straight pins

Embellishments

Scissors

STEP 1: Cut a long strip of burlap about 2 1/2 inches wide, and cover your wreath form.

If you run out, just cut more. Hot glue the ends onto your wreath, but be careful. That glue soaks right through the burlap. I burned my fingers a few times on this project!

STEP 2: Cut your ruffle strips. I wasn't too exact with these. I made them about 5" by 70". You'll need two long pieces. Now, tie a knot in your burlap and thread one side, bunching it up as you go. This creates the ruffle. Bunch it up until it's the right size for your wreath form.

STEP 3: Pin the burlap to your wreath using the straight pins. Start glueing it down, but be sure to remove the thread as you go. It doesn't look cute left on top of your pretty ruffle!

See my litle helper in the picture! :)

STEP 4: Flip the wreath over and add another ruffle to the other side.

STEP 5: This is where the fun begins... and where I stopped taking pictures. Sorry!

I used wire-edge ribbon and bunched up one side for the red inner ruffle. To make the flowers, I used more wire ribbon and bunched one side up tightly. Then, I wrapped it around itself and secured to the wreath.

Finally, I added a wooden letter from Michael's and attached it with some co-ordinating ribbon.

I love the way this one turned out. It was a fun project that didn't cost a ton of money or take up too much time. I hope you try it out. If so, please share a pic!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for another fun and super easy craft project: Pinecone Photo Ornaments. 

Day 1: Christmas Tree Gift Tags/Ornament

On the first day of Christmas crafting, we're going to make our own Christmas Tree Gift Tags. This is a fun craft to do with your kiddos, but it also turns out very pretty. 

MATERIALS

Ivory Cardstock

Green Paint

Gold Paint

Brown Paint

Bronze Cardstock

Glue Stick

Ribbon for the Hangers

Gold Pen

Hole Punch

STEP 1. Cut your cardstock down to the size you want your tags. Don't make them too small, because you'll want your child's hand to fit. I cut the large 12"x12" cardstock into 6 pieces.

STEP 2. Have your child  make a few green handprints on each card. You want the finger parts to look like branches, so keep the top of the hand in place. (This concept was lost on my kid.) Let dry.

STEP 3. Cut small bronze stars out of the cardstock and glue onto the top of your tree (where the heel of the hand is).

STEP 4. Have your child add a thumbprint tree trunk and fingerpaint a few gold ornaments.

STEP 5. Once it's all dry, punch a hole in the top, add your ribbon and write a message. I wrote "Merry Christmas, 2011" on the front, and used the back of the tag for the To/From.

The gift tag is a fun way to personalize a package and makes an adorable ornament later. This was a fun, easy craft that I make with my 4-year-old while the twins napped. You could also change the colors to match your gift wrap or colors. I hope you try it out!

Merry Christmas!

Check back tomorrow for a Burlap Ruffle Wreath Tutorial.

12 Days of Christmas Crafts

Starting Saturday, December 10, I'm doing a series called "12 Days of Christmas Crafts." I hope you'll check it out. Each day I'll post a fun project and give instructions on how to do it. 

I have two wreath projects to share, several fun ornaments to make and a few other ideas up my sleeve. Most are very inexpensive and don't take a ton of special materials. 

I'm also running a sale, 20% off any existing items. So, if you've had your eye on a sign or chalkboard, now is the time to buy it. Sorry, this doesn't include any special orders. 

I hope you're enjoying the holiday season. I'm almost done decorating. I hope to post a few pics of my house soon.

Before & After - Bedside Tables

Last month, I completed one of my biggest furniture re-dos to date: two gorgeous, curvy bedside tables. When my friend, Monica, first showed me the pic, I knew they would turn out awesome. They were heavy, solid tables with ornate curved fronts and sides. Monica didn't like the finish, the tops had scratches and water stains, and she was looking for a pop of color in her all-brown bedroom.

Here's the before:

And here's the inspiration photo of what Monica wanted the tables to look like:

Monica provided the light blue paint in flat. For the bases, I gave them a light sanding, primed and painted two coats with a brush. But then I ran into problems... Instead of a soft, light distressing, I ended up with peeling paint. 

It was a major headache, but I stripped the bases and drawers completely before starting over. I'm not sure why the primer didn't hold. My only guess is maybe the surface was oily. I've heard about "difficult" pieces. These fit that description. 

Once everything was stripped, I started over. After a soft distressing with a sanding sponge, I used two coats of dark wax. The wax gave the tables a beautiful shine and picked up all the brush strokes. I can't over-emphasize how much better it looks with wax. 

For the tops, I used two coats of dark walnut stain and dark wax. I wish I had better pics of the finished product, but those suckers are heavy, and there are a lot of steps between the little house and where I stage photos. 

Notice the hardware? It's what I used for my whitewashing tutorial here.

So here are the tables again. Monica, if you're reading this, I'd love a pic of them in the room! And if you ever decide to sell them, let me know. They really are gorgeous.

If you're interested in having me refinish a piece of furniture for you, please send me an email at aliciaslittlehouse{at}gmail{dot}com. I typically charge $25/hour plus materials.

Thanks for stopping by!

Two Christmas Wreaths and Custom Signs

I just completed two wreaths for Christmas! I know, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. But if you're like me, you just can't wait to pull out those Christmas decorations. A month or so ago, I taught you how to make a Felt Flower Wreath.

I adapted it for Christmas, and here it is:

CHRISTMAS FELT FLOWER WREATH  $45 

I used two colors of red and ivory felt to make the flowers. Bright red berries and sparkly red ribbon add to the bright look. I finished it off with a green H. This one is for my friend, Rachel.

If you'd like for me to make one for you, please email me at aliciaslittlehouse{at}gmail{dot}com.

I was curious when I made the fall wreath about how it would hold up. Well, it seems to be doing great! Here's an un-touched-up picture of it on my door today. I do have a porch, so it's not in direct sunlight. 

Here's the second wreath. It's a burlap ruffle wreath with a little holiday bling. There are three ribbon flowers with a red ruffle on the inside rim. The polk-a-dot ribbon ties the colors together. I'll post a tutorial soon if you're interested in making your own. 

BURLAP RUFFLE WREATH $50

Here's a close-up of the flowers. They are made by scrunching up wire ribbon on one side and creating a spiral.

I also finished a few custom signs. If you would like to order one in time for Christmas, please let me know soon. This sign is a Christmas gift for a friend's dad. It's gray with cream letters. It's pretty small. These start around $30.

I think this one is so cute. It's blue-green with platinum accents on "priceless."

The next two are for a friend's kids' rooms. She prayed these verses over her kids while pregnant. I want to find verses for my kiddos now. I matched the colors to their bedding. 

If you'd like more information on any of these items, please email me at aliciaslittlehouse{at}gmail{dot}com.

Available Items

I've had several questions about what I have currently for sale. I'm still trying to figure this whole blog thing out, but here's a quick snapshot of a few items...

CHALKBOARDS

These typically range in price from $25 to $30. I can do custom colors if you're interested. Here's what I have available now.

Green Chalkboard in Frame $35

This chalkboard is green and grey with distressing so that some of the original bronze shows through. It's pretty big. I can provide the dimensions if needed. It's finished with a rich coat of wax.

Gray and Gold Chalkboard on Cabinet Door $25

This is a smaller chalkboard, maybe 16" square. It's painted dark gray with light blue and gold accents. Border is sealed with wax.

 Green Chalkboard on Cabinet Door $25

This is the same size as the gray but painted a pretty green with cream details. Border sealed with wax.

Custom Merry Christmas Sign $70

This sign is large, maybe 40" x 18". I'll provide exact measurements if needed. It's cream with a dark green border. The letters are hand-painted in a rich red with black accents. Finished with a rubbed stain and hand-waxed. 

Porch Sign $25

This fun sign could be a great gift. It's green with navy lettering. Hand sealed with wax. 

If you're interested in purchasing any of these items or ordering a custom piece. Please send me an email at aliciaslittlehouse {at} gmail {dot} com. You can also find The Little House on facebook.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tutorial: Fabric-Covered Binder

 

I do not claim to be an organizational guru. Rate me on a scale from 1 to 10, and my organizing skills are about a 5. But I do know a good idea when I see one. I also like things to look pretty. And the piles of coupons that were cluttering my house before I did this project were not pretty.

A couple of years ago, my sister created a fabric-covered cookbook for my mom. It was amazing, because everything my sister does is perfection. I loved it so much that I made one too. The only problem: it cost about $25-30 to make. Maybe I'm a cheapo (well, ok, I am a cheapo) but when I recently wanted to make a binder to store coupons, that was too much.  

And, yes, I made this binder for my coupons. I just started couponing... that's a whole different post!

Back to the tutorial...

Materials:

2-inch binder

Large piece of fabric cut to 19"x51"

Small piece of contrasting fabric for pocket approx. 11"x7" (optional)

Tacky glue (this kind dries clear, definitely a must)

Scissors

Scrapbooking paper (12"x12")

Page protectors

Divider stickers (optional)

Center the binder on the fabric, top to bottom, and left to right. Line up the left side of the fabric with the binder rings. You want the fabric to slide under the rings as far as it can. Under the fabric, put a line of glue in the binder fold. Slide it back in.

 On the other side, pull the fabric tight over the rings, and mark where it meets up with the fabric on the other side. Trim it to size.

Cut three slits about an inch long at the binder rings along the edge. You want the fabric to go under the clip, so you don't see any of the binder. Do a test run, and then glue it down.

Once you have the binder covered, trim your excess fabric. First, remove the fabric on the inside. Use the binder as a guide, and cut along the edge. Then, create slits at the folds and trim that to 1/2". You should have what is pictured above. Now the fun part starts...

 Fold the small flaps up and glue, then repeat.

Put a line of glue along the binder edges and secure the inside fabric.

Make a small fold along the flap edge and glue down. Put more glue along that inside edge and fold down the corners like you're wrapping a gift. Put more glue along those inside edges and fold the whole thing up.

Do this on all the sides, and you're done.

If you want to add a pocket, fold the bottom edge 1/2" and glue. Then repeat on the sides. Add a line of glue around the edge and stick it on. As long as you don't put a ton of stuff in it, it holds!

To make dividers, take large 12"x12" scrapbooking paper and fold it in thirds.  I added a file label, but you could also use paper or write directly on your dividers.

Cover the back of the page in a glue stick, making sure you cover the corners and edges. Glue it all together. Trim the dividers about 1/8" so they're the same size as your binder.

Line the divider up with the rings and punch holes. (Or use a 3-hole punch if you have one.)

I used page protectors for all the coupons. The dividers are labeled: Circulars, Loose Coupons, Restaurant Deals and Store Coupons.

I'm sure there are ways to improve upon my techniques, but the best part about this project is its simplicity. And it's pretty inexpensive, maybe $12 total?

I hope you try it out. If you do, please post a comment here or on my facebook page!

I would be happy to make one for those of you who are less crafty. Just send me a message if you're interested!