Sorry Ladies, My Daddy is Taken SEI Iron-On Art

SEI Crafts has a huge selection of scrapbooking products, tie-dye, and iron-on art. 

With Father's Day fast approaching I thought the sentiment "sorry ladies, my DADDY is TAKEN!" would be perfect for a onesie.  I also made a matching infant headband with crocheted flowers.  To learn how to make the flowers visit my tutorial: 6 Petal Crochet Flower Tutorial.

This style iron-on is different from any that I have ever made.  Previous ones, I have used you iron and then slowly peeled away the label.  You are left with a film on the entire design. 

This iron-on the letters are perforated and you slowly peel and remove the letters from the label.  It takes a little to pull them from the label and the entire time I was worried that not all the letters would come off.  However, each letter along with the dots for the "i's" and the comma did peel off.  I would absolutely use this type of iron-on art, again.  The letters are raised, have texture, and look professionally done.

You can find this iron-on on Amazon.com (click the picture below for more details).

There are so many different possibilities with s.e.i iron-ons!

Easy to Crochet Infant Booties

This weekend, I was on the hunt for a crochet pattern to make infant booties.  I have several books with infant clothing patterns but each time I have tried to make booties, I have failed.  I decided that I was best try a really easy pattern and work my way up.

I found a pattern that looked easy at AllCrafts.

The pattern is geared for newborn to 3 months.  I increased the overall stitching and made the booties larger for a 6 month old.

I brought the yarn and a copy of the pattern to my son's baseball game. I was able to finish the booties in the 2hrs it took for the game.  After making these booties I feel like I have the confidence now to try some of the more complex baby bootie patterns.


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Baby Sweater Crochet Short-Sleeved

I have had so much fun crocheting!  It was not until just a couple of weeks ago that I learned how to read crochet patterns.  Luckily, the Internet is full of free resources for DIY'ers like me!  I had so much luck at crochet.about.com I would like to pay-it-forward by sharing some pattern links!  I started first by following a simple pattern for making a infant beanie hat.  After the hat, I decided to work on a simple short-sleeved baby crochet sweater.  I used, again, a free pattern from crochet.about.com.   I followed the sweater pattern and was thrilled that I was able to crochet the baby short-sleeved sweater in one try.  (One try! - completely over-the-top thrilled!!)

 

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Easy Party Favor Glue Dots Lines Centerpiece

Centerpiece or Home Decor Accent Piece

Design this super easy and inexpensive table centerpiece.  Create several centerpieces for large gatherings like weddings, baby showers, and anniversaries.  Using Glue Dots Lines®, glitter, and flowers color coordinate your centerpieces to fit your style and occasion.

Materials:

Recycled Glass Bottle

Glue Dots® Lines

Blue Glitter

Orange Flowers

Clear Liquid Filled Balls (Purchased at the Dollar Store)

Instructions:

1.     Begin with a recycled bottle.  I love the shape of this square recycled bottle.  At one point it was filled with hot chocolate mix.  When the mix was gone the bottle was just too cool to throw away.  I decided to transform the bottle into a pretty centerpiece.

2.     Wrap Glue Dots® Lines evenly spaced around the bottle.

3.     Sprinkle glitter onto the bottle on all sides so that it sticks to the Glue Dots® Lines.

4.     Brush away excess glitter on the bottle.  The glitter on the Glue Dots® Lines will stay adhered to the glue and leave a neat design.

5.     Fill the bottle with water or use clear liquid filled balls.  I found these balls at the Dollar Store.  I love how they look in bottles.   The balls come in a clear bottle with a white cap and the label says, “Decorative Accents”.

6.     Add a few little flowers to the bottle and your centerpiece is complete.

www.gluedots.com/glue

- I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® design team.

Baby Shower Centerpiece

Recently, I made several table centerpieces for my cousin's baby shower.  They came out so great I had to share.  To make the chocolate ribbon roses I used a tutorial I had designed years ago for Valentine's Day.  However, instead of using just one color ribbon I used two.

I made a total of twelve chocolate ribbon roses for each centerpiece.  I added the roses and greenery into mason jars. Helpful Hint: I used recycled mason jars.  We eat Classico Spaghetti Sauce that always comes in large mason jars.  I never throw them out I just rinse and save them.  

To finish the centerpiece I attached ribbon around the mason jar and added a sheer bow.  I made my sheer bows by using my Mini Bowdabra.  All the ribbon I used can be purchased at Bowdabra's Ribbon Crafts & Things Store.  I found the little pink bird clips at a Michael's Craft Store.  The bird's had little alligator clips that I just attached to the front of the bow.

These centerpieces not only worked great for a baby shower but I think would look great at an Anniversary Party, Wedding Reception, Sweet 16 Party, or other formal gatherings.

Craft Designer - Sarah Forhan
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Flower Tissue Paper Napkin Rings

I love the Tissue Paper Flowers that I designed using tissue paper and my Bowdabra.  I love them so much, I decided to make the same style flowers only smaller for napkin rings. 

The napkin rings along with the tissue paper centerpiece really complete the table.  Both projects are very inexpensive to make and would be wonderful for weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, or even for Easter dinner!  Now, that I have started making these flowers I can stop.  They are very simple, fun, and easy to make and cost very little to make.  Inexpensive and beautiful my favorite combination when it comes to craft projects.

Materials Need to Make One Napkin Ring:
Bowdabra
Bowdabra Bow Wire
1 Sheet of Standard Sized Tissue Paper
2 Silver Floral Leaves
1 Strand of 5/8" Satin Ribbon
1 Stand of 3/8" Satin Ribbon

Instructions:

To begin, I placed my Bowdabra Wand into the towers of my Bowdabra to widen the opening.  I found if I didn't widen the opening the tissue paper tore.  Then fold a 24" piece of Bowdabra Bow Wire in half and place into the Bowdabra.

 

Next, fold a standard sized tissue paper in half lengthwise and then in half again.

Once tissue paper is folded, fold it width-wise twice, and then cut along the folds.

Now, slowly start to feed the tissue paper into the opening of your Bowdabra.

Start to fold the paper in an accordion shape down into the Bowdabra.  Place all the tissue paper into the Bowdabra.

Once tissue paper is completely in the Bowdabra, thread the Bowdabra Bow Wire through the loop that you made when you folded it in half.  Pull the wire tightly.  Take the tissue paper out of the Bowdabra and tie it in the center.

Next, using sharp scissors cut along the folds that were formed when you placed the tissue paper into the Bowdabra.  Turn the paper over and cut the folds on the other side.

 

Slowly, begin to separate the pieces of tissue paper move some to the left and others to the right. However, move all the tissue paper towards the top leaving the bottom flat for tying onto the napkin.

Once all the tissue paper has been separated tie silver leaves onto the back of the flower using the Bowdabra Bow Wire.

When tissue paper flower is complete attach coordinating ribbon around a cloth napkin.  Then using the leftover Bowdabra Bow Wire attach the flower to the ribbon.  Spiral the remaining Bowdabra Bow Wire for fun ringlets.  Make several napkin rings and the centerpiece to decorate your table for a special occasion or just because.  Who really needs a reason to make their table look pretty?

Follow on Twitter @sarah_forhan
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Sarah Forhan - Craft Designer

Baby Shower Gifts

Looking for free sewing patterns to make baby shower gifts?  I found a wonderful site called New Conceptions Sewing Patterns.  They have three free easy sewing patterns to follow for making footies, bibs, and burping cloths.  All things a new mother would need!

These baby items can be very expensive in the store but you can make them for the third of the cost you would buy them for.  They also make great keepsakes!

Diaper Wreath

Looking for a fun gift for an expectant mother or snazzy baby shower decoration?

Visit my tutorial at Crafts Unleashed on: How to Make a Diaper Wreath.

For a cool party favor visit my version of: How to Make Washcloth Boo Boo Bunnies

Wash Cloth Bunnies or Boo Boo Bunnies

Wash Cloth Bunnies or Boo Boo Bunnies, as they are often called, are perfect for so many occasions. This easy craft made using a wash cloth, buttons, and 1/8” wide ribbon can be made for baby showers or even used as an Easter decoration or Easter Gift.

To make the Wash Cloth Bunnies:

• Roll one corner tightly into the center of the washcloth. Then roll the opposite corner to the center.
• Holding tightly, fold the wash cloth in half and tie a piece of ribbon tightly around the wash cloth 1/3 up from the bottom, securing with a knot. This forms the bottom of the bunny.
• To form the head of the bunny; tie the ribbon 2/3’s up from the bottom. As you are tying turn the ears at an angle to form them.
• Optional: Sew buttons for the eyes and a smaller button in the center of the face for the nose.
• Add a tissue to the back of the bunny for the tail.
• When child has a boo boo give then the tissue to wipe their eyes and then place an ice cube in the bunny's belly to make the boo boo all better.

For a baby shower use pastel colors for table decorations or add to a gift basket for the expectant mother.

For Easter place around your home or put them in Easter Baskets for young children.

Click here for more Easter projects.