Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Friday, June 15, 2012

Pinspiration : Father's Day


Sunday, it's Father's Day, it might be time for me to think of the present for my husband...
http://walyou.com/creative-fathers-day-cards/


Because I'm sure you'd love to know, for my Mother's Day, I got a peonies bouquet (I loooove these flowers) and a letter written by my two months old boy (yes, yes !).



To avoid being a bad wife, in addition to an unfit mother, I used Pinterest.
And, here's what I found :

1)
Make a footprint in salt dough
The recipe :
- 1 cup salt
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup warm water

Mix it all. If the dough is too sandy, add a little water. You can also add food coloring or spices (saffron, ...) to colour your dough.
Finally, let it dry during a few hours, then bake it at 200°F during 2 to 3 hours (depending on the thickness of your object), when it's hard, it's done :)

If I choose to do this one, and especially if Baby lets me do it, I'll post my tutorial soon.


2)
Make an "artist" frame
Source: millybee.com via Julie on Pinterest

Well, with this one, it can't be a surprise, unless you regularly ask your husband to put his handprint on a sheet of paper... I've tried, he found it suspicious !

Nothing more simple :
- cardstock
- dark paint (black or colored) : Dad daub his hand with it and put the flat of his hand on the cardstock
- clear paint (white or colored) : try to do the same but with the hand of your baby... hoping it doesn't move too much, otherwise you must start all over again !

For painting, you can create a "Home Made" paint :


If I choose to do this one, and especially if Baby lets me do it, I'll post my tutorial soon.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Pinspiration : Monthly Pictures of Baby


Our little angel is 3 weeks old, so we are fast approaching his first month of life.

I realize he has already changed so much !!! I don't want to miss anything ! We take pictures of him every day, but I want something different.
So, I'd like to begin the ritual of the monthly photo : every second day of each month (because Gabriel was born on the 2nd April), I'll take a photo to make a collage as found on these blogs.


1)

This one doesn't seem too hard to make : you just need a white sheet ! You don't have to buy specific clothes because it's just a portrait !
I also need funny letters... I'll try to make it with felt !


2)
 
Source: chiccheapnursery.com via Julie on Pinterest

This one requires a little more accessories : customized onesies like these...

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

However, the bottom is too gaudy and the baby isn't highlighted ! So, I'll stay with the white background !


3)

This one seems easy to make too : we just need to find a seat where baby can be comfortably put without falling (it's better for the first few months).


4)
Source: blogs.babble.com via Julie on Pinterest

I love this one but unfortunately I haven't a slate wall ! What a shame !!


5)

And finally, an idea of baby diary !!!

I think I'll try the first one ! You'll see it in a next post !

Friday, March 30, 2012

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...




2nd idea : prepare a bunny decoration

Source: luulla.com via Julie on Pinterest


Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Julie on Pinterest


3rd idea : Colored eggs

Source: familycircle.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: b-moviestar.com via Julie on Pinterest



4th idea : Some accessories !

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: finleyandoliver.com via Julie on Pinterest



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


... a little gift :

Source: everythingetsy.com via Julie on Pinterest


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

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

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.




Monday, March 26, 2012

DIY : Original Place Cards

A few days before Easter, and before the wedding season startshere 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).


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

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

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.