Valentines Heart Door Hanger

It is one of my goals this year to have something festive on my front door for every occasion and/or season. Our front door is beautiful, and red, and arched, and has stained glass, and is just the perfect door for celebrating all occasions! I love my door, and I love to dress it up!

For February, I wanted to do something Valentines-y, but I wanted to make it myself and not spend much. I saw an idea for a "rag wreath" where you tie strips of cloth onto a wire wreath to decorate it. I chose to do this same idea with a heart shape for our door. I did not take pictures along the way (shame on me!) so I only have a picture of the finished product. But it was simple enough, and I know you can do it!

I took a wire hanger and shaped it into a heart. It did take some work to get it how I wanted! I had some flannel scraps left over from a girls baby blanket and quilt I made a couple years ago. I have boys, so I didn't use the scraps on anything, and the colors were perfect for this project. I like that it wasn't just pink or red, but there is some green and blue in there, too. 

I cut the flannel scraps into about 1.5 inches by 5 inches strips. It did take quite a few pieces, but I was able to complete the whole thing with just scraps, so I would say not even half a yard of total fabric. Then you just start tying them on the wire! I just tied them once, in a simple "first part of tying your shoes" knot (I don't know the technical term). 

Hint: you can rip the fabric strips, instead of cutting, to give them a more frayed look, and to save time on cutting. You just cut a 1.5 inch wide slit at the top of your fabric and then rip it all the way down the length of the fabric. Then you just have to cut every 5 inches down the strip to get your smaller pieces! And it makes the finished product less manicured!

Here's a father away pic of our house. Doesn't that door just make you want to come visit?! I love it!

Christmas Wreaths on the Cheap

This year was our first Christmas in our new home... our first single family home to ever live in, let alone own! Since being married for 7 years, my husband and I, and eventually our two sons, have moved 5 times. We live within the city, and of course city living is a bit more expensive than the suburbs, even without getting extra space. On top of that we live on a modest income. We are not in need, but not in excess either. So buying a home was never really on the radar... it was more of a pipe dream for sure! Especially since we wanted to live in the city, and know that it costs more. So we've rented for the last 7 years. And with renting there is always something you don't like about the space (or lack of space). Thus, we moved almost every year. This was also a result of adding members to our family.

Last year we were blessed enough to be able to buy my husband's Aunt's home, located in an up and coming (and old and charming!) neighborhood just miles from downtown. The home was also my husband's grandparent's home before they passed away, and the house his mother lived in for the latter part of her childhood. It really is special that we now get to raise our boys here, with so much family history all around. One day I will post all about the house, and the renovations and transformation it went through. I really have to get my photos together for that post!

But anyways... today I will post about our first Christmas in our house. As I was saying, we never lived in a single family home, so I didn't have any decorations for outside! I knew what I wanted to do to decorate, but quickly realized that I could easily spend a fortune on beautiful wreaths and pre-lit garland! I set out to find a way to get what I wanted for cheap.

I found these plain wreaths at Wal Mart for $3 each. I got three of them for three of our front windows, and one larger $4 wreath for our door. They are the wiry kind where you can fluff up the sprigs and adjust how you want.

A trip to a local park allowed me to pick up all the pine cones I desired for my project, and I saved about $10... store bought pine cones... so silly.

I bought Epsom Salt in "mint eucalyptus", I think, for the fake snow and sparkle on my pine cones. It smelled really good while coming in the door all season. All I had to do was put some mod podge (or any liquid glue) on the pine cones, roll the cones in the salt, and let dry before hot gluing onto the wreath. I already had the glue, and the salt was about $4, but I was able to do all the wreaths, and have some left for baths.

Here is the finished wreath, before I made bows and hung them. I really apologize for my very busy, very tacky table cloth! I am going to start taking better pictures now that I know I'll be posting more of my projects!

I also took some cheap plain garland and bought lights for them, and made my own "pre-lit" garland for a fraction of the cost (not pictured). The garland had the same wiry sprigs so I used those to secure the lights, and packed them up all still together, as if they were always meant to be together. 

Belated Halloween Glove Monsters!

Last Halloween season BigBro and I made glove monsters! It was so fun, and this was his first experience with sewing. I bought some cheap gloves at Michael's in fun colors. First, I sewed the thumb shut by turning the gloves inside out and sewing along the thumb opening, and part of the wrist opening, leaving enough space to stuff the monsters. BigBro stuffed the gloves and sewed up the little opening. I helped him close them up real tight after he did a few stitches. I gave him a pretty chunky plastic needle, and he used embroidery floss to sew the gloves up, so it was safe enough for a 4 year old.

We then hot glued all the eyes (buttons) and mouths (cut felt) and other decorations on the monsters. He told me what he wanted and where, and I did all of the gluing. I might have burned my fingers while gluing some of the small pieces, but I think my reactions to that were a good deterrent for BigBro ever touching got glue!

These turned out super cute. We still have them, with the exception of one or two that Birdie Bird Dog thought were pretty tasty!

The idea for this craft originated HERE

Belated Halloween Post: Cheap DIY Batman and Robin costumes!

Last year my oldest wanted to be Batman for Halloween. I like to go with themes, so we had little brother be Robin. Our themes may not go as well next year when LilBro can actually speak for himself!

Growing up my mom always made my Halloween costumes. It was probably more out of necessity and lack of funds, but mom is also creative and likes to make things herself. The costumes were not grand sewing projects or anything (mom doesn't sew!), but as a little girl I thought they were the best and most unique costumes, unlike anyone else's from the store, and I still love that she did that for me!

This has translated into my adulthood in that I now make all of our family's costumes, and refuse to spend the money on the cheap (quality) store bought ones. Now, these aren't fancy, by any means! Anyone can do it, even if you can't sew! They are fun, inexpensive, and pieced together with a little imagination, but the boys love it and use the costumes year around! I love seeing their faces light up when the costume is finished and ready to wear.

I know that someday they may insist on the store bought costume, because all of their friends get to buy theirs. And I will probably give in at that point. But for now I will relish being able to make their Halloween dreams come true while they make believe to be someone else for a night, in something I created for them :)

Back to Batman and Robin... For Batman, I found a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants at the thrift store ($1.50 each), added blue felt cuffs, and "boots" at the bottom. Then I cut out a Batman emblem and utility belt with yellow and black felt, and sewed it all on. I just kinda cut and sewed as I went, because that's kind of how I work, but if you want a plan then you can lay it all out and pin it together then sew it all at once. Then I just sewed a blue felt cape on the back and it was done! I did sew, but you could also iron all of this on if you prefer. I knew they would wear it after to play in, so I wanted to make it where it won't come apart as easily. The felt was probably about $5 on sale at JoAnn's Fabrics. I never buy fabric for full price, because they always have sales! I found the Batman mask on Amazon, for like $10. It was my splurge, because I wanted BigBro to have a great mask!

For Robin, I found green pants and a black shirt, again at the thrift store, for about the same price as Batman's suit. I added a red felt "sweater vest" shape to the front of the shirt (not the back). Then I made the same kind of utility belt and emblem and buttons as with Batman, with yellow and black. and added black "boots" to the bottom, and a black cape on the back. Robin had more colors, so I had to buy red and more black for felt for his outfit. It was probably still around $5 for his felt, too. Bet you never knew Robin needs a paci and Giraffe blankie with him to fight crime!

Batman is doing a little dance here... ready for some candy! 

Batman and Robin on the porch... I will cherish this picture and moment always :)