Dress'in Up Your Flower Pots

Want to add a little spice to your flower pots?

Simply add the letter of your last name...

or your house number...

or just a simple decal of your choice!

The combination adds a personal touch to your flower pots.  Once again I used my handy, dandy Cricut machine to cut the vinyl and simply applied it to the pots!  It was quick and easy!

Necktie Treat Bag for Father's Day

There are so many fun ideas out there in the crafting world that have to do with

Father's Day and neckties.

Classic combo, right? :)

I got to thinkin'. . .

Here is my spin on the famous duo. . .

The Necktie Treat Bag! Wahoo!

Just fill these little cuties with your Dad's, Hubster's or Father-in-laws favorite treats and he'll be one happy Daddy!

If you use leftover/scrap fabric like I did from my couch pillows, plus already have plenty of spools of ribbon like I do, then doesn't that make this project pretty much free???

{minus the candy you shove in it of course}

Yes.  Yes I think does!  haha!  ...something to think about anyway. . .  :)

Okay, so this is how I did it:

First, draw and cut out a necktie template on card stock.

*Note:  when you're drawing your template, keep in mind that you'll be stuffing it with candy so you'll want your tie to be big enough and especially wide enough to shove candy down into.* 

Then, trace your template onto your fabric and cut out your necktie pieces. You'll need two necktie pieces for each bag you make.

Next, for the handle of the bag, cut a long strip of material {mine was a 18.5"x3" strip}, fold it in half long ways, sew down the open seam, turn it right side out and iron it flat. Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Next, decide the design/pattern of your tie and cut your ribbon to size. Then, pin and sew your ribbon in place.

After your ribbons are sewn in place, pin and sew your handle into place.

If you want to add anything to the back of your bag now is the time to do it. {My daughter wanted to help so she cut out a fabulous heart for me to sew on the back just so they would know it was made with love, so cute!} I also sewed a line across the top of the back piece just so it would match with the front piece. Then, pin front and back pieces together.

Now, sew the side seams of your necktie closed, trim the excess ribbon and wa-la!

Simple as that and you've got yourself one nifty necktie treat bag!

So fun, right?

Now, it's not meant to go around your Dad's neck {unless your Dad's head is the size of a two year olds head, then he could put it around his neck :) } but, my littlest fella sure had fun diggin' the candy out while sporting the new necktie!  :) 

These were so fun and simple to make and I know that my Father, the Father of my children and my Father-in-law are going to LOVE them!!

So, go grab some srap material, some ribbon and get to sewin'!  :)

~ Holly ~

Re-purposed John Deere Kiddy Tractor

Years ago my Dad got this little kiddy John Deere tractor with the purchase of his John Deere riding lawn mower.  It was for my nephew who was 2 at the time.  Well, it has been through a lot in the last 5 years--a couple bumps and bruises, a little fading from the sun, and the paper stickers were peeling away.  I have an 18 month old girl who needed a little toy to ride this summer, so my parents said "here take this" and that is what I did!  I brought it home, broke out the Cricut and went to town creating a new look for it.  I knew there wasn't much I could do about the fading issue and the bumps and bruises, but the added stickers spruced her right up!

 The poor stickers--you hardly can tell what they were supposed to be.

I love my little Cricut machine for projects like this--it's the BEST!

I started with the grill and lights.  I measured where the old grill sticker was cut a piece of black vinyl for it.  Then I made 6 small strips for the grill out of gray vinyl and 2 white squares for the lights out of white vinyl and attached them all together.

I used my nifty rounded corner punch to round the edges on the grill, lights and some of the words.

Due to the fading issue where ever the stickers where underneath them was the original color. So, I had to add a back to the words JOHN DEERE which turned out great! I also cut out new yellow rings to go around the wheels and white circles with black rings and little red markers for the new gauges.  How cute are they?

Next, I attached it all and decided that since this was for a girl it need something pink added to it.  So, I found word GIRL on my "Celebrations" cartridge w/ some cute daisies and added them for the final touch! 

I'm thrilled with how it turned out and so is my little girl!  It's her top choice of trikes to ride now!

Homemade Silverware Wind Chime

Homemade Silverware Wind Chime

6 pieces of silverware (at least 1-butter knife & 1-Fork)

drill w/ small drill bit

fishing line

beads

pliers

scissors

You start out by getting six pieces of silverware.  I found mine at the DI--they sell them 10 for $1.  You need at least 1-butter knife and 1-fork for the center and the rest I would recommend using spoons and forks.  The fork is for the top center and the butter knife is for the bottom center.  The spoons and forks on the outer sides hit against the butter knife to make the chiming sound.  

Once you have all your silverware purchase next you need to drill the holes.  You need to drill a small hole in the top of each piece of silverware to hang from and one more in the center fork just below the prongs to hang the butter knife from.  (I was lucky to have a drill press and a great dad to do the drilling for me, but a hand held drill will work.)

Once your holes are drilled use pliers to bend the prongs on the fork.  You will need to bend each prong opposite of the other one.

Then take the end of the prong and bend it into a loop.  This is where you will hang the outer pieces.  When done with that bend each prong on a 45 degree angle.

Gather your beads, fishing line, drilled silverware and some scissors.  Cut you fishing line to desired length, tie it to the butter knife, string with beads and tie the top of fishing line to center of fork.  Repeat with remaining 4 spoons or forks and hang from prongs.   String last drill hole (top of the fork) with desired length for hanging and make a loop at the top to hang the wind chime from.  And there you have you Homemade Silverware Wind Chime!

More CUTE & EASY Baby Gifts

 I used a cut-out from my cri-cut to get the pattern for the flower and used a button for the center.

I got the pattern for this applique here and it was so easy to make!

They are so CUTE and so EASY!

Hamburger Pie

Hamburger Pie

Crust:               2 cups flour

                        1 TBLS sugar

                        1 tsp cream tartar

                        1 tsp baking soda

                        1/3 cup margarine

                        ½ cup milk

                        ¼ cup mayonnaise

                        ½ cup grated cheese

Blend the first 4 ingredients w/ margarine.  Add milk and mayo and blend until soft dough forms.  Divide into half--shape into balls.  Roll-out 1 ball into a 9” circle or square and spread on a cookie sheet.  Spread w/ cheese & filling.  Roll-out other crust and cover and seal.  Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes. 

Filling:             1-lb.  ground beef

                        ½ cup chopped onion

                        1 tsp salt

                        1 egg

                        ¼ cup ketchup

                        ¼ cup relish

                        1 TBLS mustard

Brown the ground beef, drain and wash.  Add onion and salt.  Simmer w/ rest of ingredients.  

See above ingredients.

Roll dough out with flour

First layer of crust topped with meat mixture and then grated cheese

Cover and seal edges

*What you roll out never is perfect, so you will have to piece areas that are not covered.

Eat and Enjoy!

*I prefer smothering the top with ketchup and adding a little hot sauce for a kick!