Pinspiration : Easter

A few days before Easter, here is my inspiration found on Pinterest...

I must admit that as a chocolate addict and as a mother of 2 rabbits, Easter is a holiday I greatly appreciate !

1st idea : make Easter garlands by recovering paint swatches...

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2nd idea : prepare a bunny decoration

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3rd idea : Colored eggs

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4th idea : Some accessories !

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And because the days are getting longer and spring is here...

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... a little gift :

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And you ? What do you do for Easter ???

DIY : Flag Garland

I'm still in the process of decorating the nursery of our future baby.

Because the walls have to stay white, we had to find other ways to color the room...
A few days ago, I showed you my paper globes (tuto here). Today, I wanted to decorate the long white wall with a flag garland.

How to make it ?

1) Choose assorted papers
My curtains are white with blue, green and orange polka dots. So I tried to find these colors in the papers I have selected.
As for the paper globes, I use cardstock because their thickness is perfect for this project.

2) Prepare the pattern
I chose to draw 17cm (6,7'') triangles , extended on the top by a small border of 1cm (0,4'') wide.

3) Cut out as many flags as desired
Because my wall is very large, I made 22 flags.

4) Use a string, thread or tape to connect the flags together
Several options are available. I noticed that many tutorials advise the sewing machine. As I didn't like this idea, because I think the thread is too fragile to really hold the flags together, I chose to use white string.

5) Make 2 holes in each flag at 1,5cm from the edge (the dotted line on the pattern above) with a needle or compass.

6) Put the string through the holes to let the thread visible on the front of the flag.

7) Continue with the other flags... or choose to integrate a little item between each flag.
I chose buttons.

8) Stretch the string for a better result.

DIY : Original Place Cards

A few days before Easter, and before the wedding season starts, here is a little tutorial to help you create original place cards !

These place cards aren't simply put on the table or on the guests plate, but directly attached to their glass stem.

The image above is the model I used for my wedding.
("Il était une fois..." means "Once upon a time...")


The "professional" method with printing :

1) I used Paint Shop Pro (it's the same with Photoshop) to apply my text in the roundness of the heart.
2) I customized each heart with the name of each guest.
3) Finally I printed it on glossy gold paper.
4) I cut each heart on its contours and on the center circle. To make it, I create a small slot that connects the circle with the "V" of the heart.
5) So, I can slide the place card on the stem of each glass.

Hand-crafted method :
This method has the advantage of not requiring any software or printer ! So, it is good to use for small parties.

1) Cut out the pattern of the chosen shape in a sheet of cardstock. Don't forget to draw a central circle to insert the place card on the stem of the glass (like the previous method).
2) Use the pattern to trace the outline of the shape on the chosen paper according to the decorative theme.
3) Cut each place card following its outlines (and its central circle).
4) Write, with a marker or a glitter pen, the name of each guest.
5) Place each place card on the stem of the glass of each guest.

Bonus :
If you wish to create a star but you don't know how to draw one perfectly, here's a little explanation I found in Pinterest (I must confess I haven't tested it yet).

Source: origami-resource-center.com via Julie on Pinterest

For Easter, you could create shapes of chicks, rabbit heads, ...

Polymer Clay : Funny Jewelry !

I succumbed, like many of you, to creating jewelry with polymer clay, a few months ago.

For novices, this is like the modelig clay of our children. We can find it in all colors, even glitter, metallic, transparent, or luminescent (that light up at night).

Mister Fimo is very smart, because he knows that we like to have a lot of coordinating accessories ! It worked when we were young with our Barbies : I had the kitchen, the car and even the husband !!!
It still works today, with a little cocktail dress, we must necessarily buy the shoes, the handbag and matching jewelry... even make up !
So, Mr. Fimo thought of us and sells a whole bunch of accessories : spatulas, molds, graters, kits (with different colors), ... In short, everything we need to be polymer clay artists !

You just have to bring your imagination to create and fire your objects.

For this first post on my polymer clay jewelry, here are 2 very simple rings (but very pretty). I've called these 2 : "Remember the 80's". 

They come in all colors. Here in blue and pink.
If you have any special requests, feel free to ask !

DIY : Wee-Wee Proof Cones

A new tutorial/DIY for today : how to make your own "wee-wee proof cones" for baby boys !

As a future mum of a little boy, all my friends have cautioned me : "prepare a lot of towels because you're going to be attacked during each diaper change"...
Me ? Be attacked ? By my baby, my wonder of the world ? No way !!!
And yet...
Even if I can't be sure about it for my baby (because he isn't yet born), I noticed that this statement was exact with the baby boys of my friends. The little guys seem to love to pee when their penis is in the open air : on the person who changes them, or even on themselves !

As usual, I used my friend Google to find solutions.
So I typed "how to protect myself from pee-attacks", or "how to avoid getting peed on by my baby", ... but without any success !

Fortunately, thanks to the US blogs I read, I discovered a magical object : the wee-wee proof !

This is actually a small cone with felt or terry-towelling to place on the penis of the baby during the change. The thick fabric will absorb the urine and you will just have to wash the cone rather than the walls, the floor, the baby and... YOU !

But, I can't find it in France ! So, I decide to make it by myself for my future baby and for my friends !



How to make it ?

1) Prepare the materials :
- a sewing machine
- terry-towelling
- cotton fabric
- scissors
- a piece of cardstock
- a fabric pencil
- pins

About the terry-towelling, I had a good quality towel... but pierced ! So, instead of throwing it away, I've used it for my project.

2) Using a model, draw a circle on the cardstock to make a pattern.
Personally, I used a bowl (upside down) to get the desired format.

3) Use the pattern to cut out circles in the fabric and in the terry towelling.
Then cut each fabric circle in 2 semi-circles.

4) Place 1 semi-circle of terry-towelling and 1 semi-circle of cotton fabric right sides together, using pins. Then, sew just on the round edge.

5) Return the project to put the fabrics wrong sides together, and hide the seam.

Fold the project in half along the rounded to obtain a quarter circle (using pins). The cotton fabric must be inside.

6) Sew the straight edge (the only edge not folded or sewn).

Return for the last time the project to hide the seam and get a cone (terry-towelling inside and cotton fabric outside).

The cones are ready to be used !!!



And for those who still don't understand the use of this object, Mr. Duck has agreed to be our model today.