Tutorials Archives - Page 35 of 53

Baby Week: Shirt Bib

November 10, 2010 By Michelle Barneck 133 Comments

Let me introduce myself.

My name is Rebecca and I blog over at Better Life Bags… the blog.

When I’m not crafting, I also run a small business creating custom diaper bags, hand bags, and accessories called Better Life Bags.

I donate 10% of every purchase to low income entrepreneurs in developing countries – which is why we are called “Better Life Bags… making lives better one purse at a time!”

The fun part is that YOU get to pick your own fabrics for the bag you want!
I hope you’ll come check things out.

Anyway…Today I have a great tutorial for you to try out.

When my son was born, I had the biggest distaste for baby bibs. I hated how “babyish” they looked, yet I knew how functional they were for drool, food, etc…

So, I came up with an alternative. Bibs made out of upcycled shirts! So much better.

You can make these with either:
adult graphic tees

Shirt bib examples: green with dandelion, blue with recycle symbol, brown with "smooth like butta"

or toddler button down shirts
{You can use an adult men’s shirt, you just won’t be able to fit the cute pocket on the bib.}

Shirt bib examples: green plaid, red plaid, and red, yellow and green plaid

Shirt Bib Instructions:

1. First, download the bib pattern here and here.

Pattern and cut steps:

2. Then, cut out the pieces.

3. Next, trace the pieces backwards onto separate sheets of paper.

4. Cut out the second pattern pieces except leave a small tab on the side of the bib piece and the bottom of the strap piece (shown below).

5. Then, tape together your bib pattern piece.

6. Cut your t-shirt down the side seams and lay it open on the table.

Do the same if you’re using a toddler shirt. I usually look for 3T or 4T at the thrift store.

7. Place your pattern piece over the graphic you want to capture.
{You will have to fudge with the strap pieces. It seems that neck holes on adult tees are too big, so the strap ends up a little thinner than the pattern piece. This is upcycling after all!}

With the toddler shirt, be sure cut around the collar.
Also, cut at least 3/4″ above and below any buttons so you don’t have to worry about sewing over them to finish the bib later.

8. Now, cut your bib out.
{Just do your best to shape the straps}

9. Next, use your shirt as the pattern piece to cut out the back of your bib.
Lay your bib upside down on top of the fabric you choose for the bib back, pin, and cut. I use the super soft minky chenille you can find at fabric stores. SO SOFT!

Sewing Steps:

10. Keeping the right sides together of your two pieces, sew with a 1/4″ seam allowance all the way around. Leave a small opening on the side of the bib to turn it inside out.

11. Turn your bib inside out and press out the seams.
Fold the opening in and pin it shut.

12. Next, sew around the entire bib with a 1/4″ seam allowance.
This is where you need to be careful of buttons getting in the way.

13. Cut a small strip of velcro and place it on the shirt side of one strap.

14. Then, sew around the edges of the velcro.

15. Place the other half of the velcro on top of the one you just sewed.

16. Overlap your straps and peel off the second piece of velcro (keeping it in place on the second strap of the bib). Sew this piece of velcro on like you did the first.

17. You’re shirt bib is done!

These make such great baby gifts!
Please use this tutorial for personal use only. Do not sell these bibs.

Come visit me to find lots of tutorials like…

Baby Week: Keepsake Frame & $25 GC Giveaway

November 9, 2010 By Michelle Barneck 42 Comments

I’m so excited to be here on A Little Tipsy today. Michelle has such a fun blog and I always find great ideas and inspiration whenever I stop by.

I am Crystal from Crystal’s Craft Spot. Its my little spot to share my current craft projects, tutorials, recipes, and ideas I want to use in the future. I host a craft challenge every Wednesday and Feature yourself Friday that I would love for you to join. I also have a fun preschool blog called Always something to Learn and a new etsy shop, A.O.kay designs.

I’ve noticed over the years that I quickly forget how little my girls use to be and I wanted a way to always remember when they were born. So I came up with this cute way to display their newborn pictures and all of their birth stats (what mother doesn’t love those two thing?)

Here’s what I came up with.

Here’s how I made it. I bought an 8×10 frame with a matte. (Matte optional but helpful.) My frame is from Walmart for $2.50

I painted the frame white

Then distressed it with sandpaper.

I picked out some scrapbook paper that matches their room. Use the matte as a template and trace around it on the back of your paper. (If you don’t have a matte you can measure and cut one out). Then cut it out.

Here’s your two pieces. Then glue your scrapbook paper on your matte.

I sanded the inside edges of my paper to make it look a little more smooth.

Now choose a picture (both of mine are from the day they came home). You can do this next part in any program you want. I used Microsoft word. I opened a new document and pasted my picture. I cropped and sized it to 5×7. Then insert a text box. Type in your information, change font, size, etc. Then remove fill in box and remove outline. Change color and move it to the spot you want it.

It will look like this

Print your photo on photo paper and cut it out.

Assemble your frame and you now have a beautiful keepsake of you sweet little one.

Here’s a close up of each

Olivia

Aubrey

Today I am also giving away a $25 gift certificate to A.O. kay Designs

Here’s a little peek at what you will find

I love custom orders (so if you need a different size, color, or design I’d love to help you) and I’m adding new things everyday so check back often.

To enter: Visit A.O. kay Designs and tell me your favorite item.

Extra entries:

Follow A little Tipsy
Follow Crystal’s Craft Spot

Giveaway closes Monday, November 15th.

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Baby Week: Bird Nursery

November 8, 2010 By Michelle Barneck 7 Comments

Hi! I’m Michelle from Through Michelle’s Lense, welcome to baby week!

I am excited to share my bird nursery with you, but first let me introduce myself. I’m a lucky wife, mommy of an 8 month old with the cutest smile, photographer, couponer and crafter.

Unfortunately, I got laid off twice while I was pregnant. Yes, twice. Needless to say, we didn’t have a lot of money for her bird nursery, so I thought I better get my craft on! I sure am glad I did, I feel like it personalized the nursery and gave it more character, especially since we rent and can’t paint the walls. I was able to make most of the nursery decor myself, thanks to the good ol’ DI. I love crafts and sewing projects that are easy, and that’s exactly what everything I did was. If I can do it, you can too! I’m going to let you in on my 2 secret weapons:

Hot glue & mod podge.

Everything I made for the nursery uses at least one of those things.

I told Michelle my story, and showed her my bird nursery pictures, and she asked me to show you too, I hope you crafting mommas can be inspired a little bit. No matter what your nursery theme is, you can tweak these crafts easily.

Bird Baby Blocks
Secret Weapon: Mod Podge

I made some baby blocks with a little sandpaper, scrapbook paper, wood stain & mod podge. I am currently using them as book ends.

Topiaries
Secret Weapon: Hot Glue

I made some topiaries out of supplies from the DI, the dollar store, and two sticks in my back yard. They also make a cute place to store my baby’s hair bows, since she doesn’t have any hair still.

Bird Plate Wall Hanging
Secret Weapon: Hot Glue

Remember those wooden bowls from the 80’s? I found plates just like them from the DI and thought I would challenge myself to use them somehow in the nursery. I love how unique they are. You could do this with anything for your back and any theme! I hot glued some extra birds I made for another project (see below) and some jute to the back and there you have it. My baby has always loved to look up at them while I change her diaper.

Name Plaque
Secret Weapon: Mod Podge & Hot Glue

This project ended up being my favorite! The wooden backs that I wanted to use from the craft store would have cost me $50, so I took a few days of searching the DI’s wood stock, and ended up spending less than $5 on the wood backs! I like it better this way too, because they are all different shapes and sizes. I did have to buy the wooden letters and tulle from WalMart, but I used the same paper from the wooden blocks to tie it all together.
All I did was sand and paint the wooden backs, mod podged the paper, hot glued the letters on, then hot glued some tulle, and it’s still hanging!

Bird Mobile
Secret Weapon: Hot Glue
Now, this ain’t your mama’s bird mobile. 🙂

First
I found a basic bird template online, then cut out my fabric from my stash of extra fabric. I sewed the wrong sides of fabric together and stuffed a little bit of quilt batting in to give the birds a little dimension. I sewed the wings the same way, then used some fabric glue to adhere the wings on.

I found 3 embroidery hoops, all different sizes, and I hot glued them to form kind of a bird cage, making sure the top holes aren’t blocked. I used some old embroidery thread that my mom had, and strung a needle through the top of the bird and up through the hole in the embroidery hoops. I simply just tied a knot at the length I wanted it to hang, then hung them from ceiling hooks (you can buy a pack of them for a few dollars at Target).

And there you have it! Have fun crafting and adding character your home!

Thanks so much, Michelle, for letting me share these fun, easy and cheap crafts! Congratulations, again on your sweet little bundle of joy!

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I just love her adorable bird nursery! Our new addition’s nursery is already decorated because he inherited it from my 3 year old, but I may just have to add one of those cute name plaques. I’m also thinking a cool airplane mobile would be a fun addition. Thanks for the cute ideas Michelle!

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Baby Shower Cupcake Gift

October 21, 2010 By Michelle Barneck 9 Comments

A giant cupcake is sure to please, especially when it is filled with baby essentials! This is a fun baby shower gift idea for those who like to skip the gift bag and be a little more creative with their gift.

I had a baby shower for my good friend, Amanda, who is having her second baby (due on the same day as me), but first girl. I wanted to give her something she needed so luckily I found she had a registry and what did I find on it but two packs of white onesies. Most boring baby shower gift in the history of man I know, but I knew she would do something adorable with them. I knew with such an exciting gift I needed to spice up the wrapping. She also had some receiving blankets on her list and I knew I had a couple I had spiced up with some ribbon, so what to do with 10 white onesies and two blankets but make a cupcake.

1. Fold your receiving blanket until it is the height of the onesies and roll securing with tape or a rubber band. Lucky for me, all the onesies were already rolled, so I just added some tape to secure. Line onesies around the blanket until you have a nice cupcake base. Secure with rubber bands.

2. Fold all the blanket edges in forming a square and place a whole bunch of plastic grocery bags in the center. Fold two of the corners in and then fold them over the bags so it looks like the pic below.

3. Then, take the two points and twist in to the center creating the puckery top. Tuck the pointy ends through the middle of the cupcake base and pulling them through the bottom, securing it on the top. This will take some practice. I had to keep altering it until it looked right.

4. Take a piece of 12×12 scrapbook paper and cut it in half. Fold the paper like a fan with about 1/2 inch slats or smaller if you are really patient. Tape the edges of the two paper halves together to form a paper cylinder. Slip the paper over the cupcake base pulling out the top so it is larger than the bottom.