Flower Pins

I made these cute ribbon flower pins, using this great tutorial at Make It Do. . 

Who needs to spend $18 for flower pins from Anthropologie when you can make these cute ones with $2 worth of ribbon?

Valentine's Day Cards

(Made using this tutorial at Keepin' It Real.)

Ghost Treat-bag Tutorial

So, I read a lot of craft blogs, and they have lots of tutorials. I really enjoy tutorials; a lot of the things I make come from free online tutorials. I make a lot of stuff, but since most of it isn't my creation, I've never done a tutorial. But, I just came up with my own little craft, of my own design, so I thought I'd post a tutorial.

I wanted to make ghost treat bags for the girls I visit teach, but I couldn't find white lunch sacks anywhere. I know they used to have them; I've bought them before. But, I couldn't find any. I was set on my idea, though, so I made my own little white treat bags out of printer paper. Here's how to do it:

1.  (Which apparently I labeled as #3 in the picture, with step 3 labeled as #1.  Oops.)  Start with a sheet of printer or copy paper.

2.  Fold in half like a book.

3.  (incorrectly labeled as #1)  Tape together on the right side.

4.  Fold in the the right side about 1 inch. 
5.  Fold in the left side about one inch.
6.  Both long sides are folded in.

7.  Open the folds and fold one of the creases in the opposite direction to make the flat side of your bag (see 8).  Repeat on the other side until you have a rectangle (see 9).

10.  Flatten out again.
11. Tape bottom closed.
12.  Fold bottom in about 1 inch.  Unfold.  Refold one of the creases in the opposite direction as done in steps 8&9.
13.  Flatten out the bottom of your bag.  There will be a triangle on each side.

 

14.  Fold in both triangles.

15.  Tape triangles down.

16.  You should have a small rectangular bag.

17.  Flatten the top of your bag, with the sides tucked in.
18. Cut a rounded top.
19.  Open up the bag.
20.  Add googly eyes.

Fill with treats and enjoy the cuteness!

Jengerbread Creations

I've been very much in crafting mode for a while now, the last several months especially.  I never used to be so crafty.  At one point in my life, I thought crafting was just a waste of time that created junk.  I'd grown up with youth activities of making things like puffy fabric-covered binders and little wooden dolls and junk that cluttered my room.  Back then, they called it "country clutter" and I wanted none of it. 

With time came maturity, changes in crafting styles, and a realization that crafting wasn't necessarily about creating things with no purpose.  As I married and started a family, I began to craft as a way to get pretty things I liked but couldn't afford. 

After my last baby was born, I lost the baby weight and then some and was suddenly in a size I hadn't worn since high school.  I needed a whole new wardrobe.  As I shopped, I found pieces that I loved but were too expensive, so I decided to sew them instead.  And I discovered a whole new world of crafting; a world where I could create beautiful things that had not only form, but function. 

I now thoroughly enjoy creating.  I primarily sew, but I branch out into all sorts of other branches of the crafting family tree as well.  My regular family blog was starting to get overwhelmed with posts about projects.  So, after several months of thinking about starting my own craft blog, I'm finally doing it.  I'm going to start out by bringing over some posts from my personal family blog that have to do with crafting at first, and then create some new content after that.  I hope you enjoy reading Jengerbread Creations!

The Princess Dress

I made this Belle princess dress for the daughter of a friend.  Here's the finished product: 

I used McCall's 5494 as the basic pattern, and then added my own touches, like the collar and ribbon flower, to make it look a little more like Belle's dress.