D+R Designs

Ha ha, just kidding! But Dan and I did make this cute shirt for Lily:

Dan designed and sketched the elephant, I traced and sewed. Lily will love it!

I've Been Crafting...How Bout You?!

1. I bought these cute napkin holders at Pier 1 in the clearance section, knowing I would be able to turn them into something much more worth their weight in beads.

I used pliers to peel off their backs,

and hot glue to make cute hair clips!

2. I upgraded this DI tapestry into something a little more grown-up.
Before:

After:

3. I whipped up* this cute little skirt for Lily. It is totally soft and feminine (two things I am NOT) but that's why I like it so much!


4. A trip to the University Mall and a quick peek in Crazy 8, left me head-over-heels for their ice cream collection.
Inspiration:

My take on things:

(I of course realized afterward that it looks more like an ice cream cone filled with flowers, but as long as Lily's happy, I am too!)
5. Baby dress turned toddler skirt + flower.

Hope you're busily crafting too!

*Don't forget I'm saying "I whipped it up" just to sound cool. In all actuality, it probably took me hours.

Totally Nerdy

Those of you who know me well know that I LOVE Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. Weird? Probably. But I just made a notebook perfect for my little fetish.

Crafting our Butts Off

We spent a few hours up at Sundance making zipper flower headbands for all the girls! It was so fun and is so super easy. Thank you, Martha Stewart! Find her tutorial here.

My New Best Friend!

I was walking past a store in the mall that had recently closed...the employees were boxing everything up and the shelves were empty. I saw this lovely mannequin and asked a girl if, by chance, they were selling it. And guess what she told me...that I could just have it! Talk about soul mates!


I am so excited to be able to size and pin on my very own mannequin! Jealous? I know.

Making Candles: A First

Okay, this was my first time. And I didn't follow any instructions, so....I won't be offended at all if you don't follow mine. :)
1. Materials needed:

2. Melt wax on stovetop.

3. Pour into your containers. In retrospect, I wouldn't add the wick until the candle is almost solid.

4. WIPE AS YOU GO!! Yes, I made messes everywhere, but the sooner you wipe up wax the better...we all know it's impossible to get off when it's hard.
5. I Mod Podge'd some paper on the outsides.

6. The final result!

Hand-made Gifts!

As I mentioned earlier, we gave handmade Christmas presents this year. As students we're always low on money, and that means we have to get creative! (By WE, I actually mean ME...no offense, Dan)
Here's what I made:
1. Lavender Relax Packs
I have enjoyed mine so much I had to share. This is basically a fabric satchel filled with uncooked rice, lavender beads and essential oils. I keep it in the freezer and use it for sore muscles, headaches, or simply to relax. Aaaaaah, just talking about it makes me want to relax right now!

2. For the kiddos in my life, I made monogrammed shirts - meaning I bought cheap WalMart shirts and added a little flair. I wish I got pictures of everyone's, but this "J" for Julia is the only one I could find!

3. DI Table turned F*A*B

I wish I had a picture of this table when I bought it, but it was a sight for sore eyes. But with the help of some dowel rods for support, a fresh coat of paint and some glorious Mod Podge and scrapbook paper, this is the finished project:


We put it in Lily's room for her new Dora house...and she loves it!

2. Fabric - Before & After

Home Fabrics is a store I ADORE...It is definitely worth checking out if you live near Orem. I know there's also an SLC store.
Anyways, thanks to their awesomely cheap fabric, I got to re-do my family room for about $20!
In this photo, the left throw pillow is the old and the right pillow is the NEW! The lively colors really brighten up the room!


And pillow covers are SO easy to make - about 5 minutes each! Check out this tutorial.
Next I wanted to update our "wall art." Here is before:

And here is after:

I really love the fabric in these frames, but they seem a little drab like something is missing. What can I add?! I would love your advice!

1. Upcycled Mirror

I've had this hideously drab mirror up in my kitchen for who knows how long. But cute mirrors are always pricey, and when you won't spend more than $20 on anything, they're pretty much impossible to find.
So instead, I bought some adorable scrapbook paper and a bottle of Mod Podge and went to work.


This project took longer than I thought because of all the folds & drying time...but it was worth it!
Lily also kept busy with watercolors and this awesome foamy-ball stuff from her pal Allie. A little craftess in the making!

Quickie Crafts: 3 of 3

It's Cute Scrappy Headband Day! Seriously, I made this in minutes with fabric scraps, buttons and my secret ingredient...hot glue.

Quickie Crafts: 2 of 3

I know everyone has a pair of these stretchy gloves laying around...so grab some ribbon and a hot glue gun, and in seconds you've upgraded them to an adorable pair!

Quickie Crafts: 1 of 3

I thought that this week might be a great time to make some quick, fun and cute crafts. So I'll present one idea for the next few days. Enjoy!
Today's craft: Upgrading your kiddo's pants.
I wander around Baby Gap in awe at their adorable clothes...but there is literally no way I could afford them. Instead I go, get inspired, come home, and get to work. Here are some easy additions I made to some of Lily's pants using ribbon, fabric glue, and hand stitches.

Latelies

I love making Garbage Glamorous...yesterday I turned this Halloween shirt into one she can wear all year long!

For Christmas, Dan and I have a $20 limit for each other's gifts (Yikes! I need all the creativity I can get!) But we also wanted to write each other official love notes listing the things we love about each other. This way, we'll never forget! :)

We also wanted to each write a love note to Lily to keep so she can read it as she gets older.

From Blah -> Muah Candles!

These make really cute (and super cheap) gifts - I got this pair of Pier 1 candles at D.I. for $2! So if you have a few dollars and about 20 minutes, you can make this fun and easy gift for anyone, anytime!
1. Go to DI. Get lost for 45 minutes. Check out the awesome women's clothing section. Find treasure near the pillowcases and tablecloths. And don't forget to glance through the shoes. And OH YES...pick up some ugly duckling candles.

2. Find some cute paper (scrapbook paper, magazine cut-outs, etc) and cut it to the height of your candles.

3. Dear God: Thank you for Mod Podge. Without it, we would all be lost. We would be but stray sheep wandering from thy crafty flock.

4. Smooth out any air bubbles and add as much Holy Mod Podge as you need!

5. Give those suckers a glossy finish with some clear varnish.

6. Display.

7. Act completely shocked when people compliment you on your candles.
Stranger: "Rach, did you make those?"
Rach: "What, these old things?! Why...yes I did."
Stranger: "They must have taken you forever!"
Rach: "Oh, please. They were nothing. When you're talking about my raw, unique talent, these candles are a joke."
Stranger: (Thinking) "Oh. What a bitch."

DIY: $1 Ornaments

I bought a roll of 15 gold and silver ornaments for $1 at the Dollar Store, and turned them into paper mache-type cute ones! Follow these steps and you can make your own!
1. Find cute (and colorful!) pages from a magazine.

2. Crumple into balls to give the paper some texture.

3. Cover one ornament at a time with Mod Podge. Rip the selected paper into strips and use more Mod Podge as you go.

4. After all ornaments are covered, give them one more good layer of the glorious Mod Podge.

5. I ended with a coat of clear varnish to give them a glossy finish.

6. Find some perfect ribbon for bows...

7. And Viola! Cute Christmas ornaments to use as you choose. I'll be handing mine out with some of our Christmas cards.

Happy Holidays!