Char @ Crap I've Made

U of U Scripture Case

January 27, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 91 Comments

Remember how Keller turned 8 last week?

When you’re a Mormon, that’s kind of a big one. He’ll be getting baptized next weekend. He requested a sports jacket for the occasion (which made me pee my pants a little). He also got a new set of scriptures.

I made him this to haul them around in ~~and hit his brother with~~:

I didn’t tutorialize for a couple of reasons:

1) I wasn’t sure if there were enough of you that would care to make it worth my while (since I know that many/most of you are not Mormons).

and

2) I had no idea what I was doing. Open-mouthed smile

So, now that it turned out quite nicely, I need to know if there’s enough interest to warrant a tutorial. Leave a comment if you want one and I’ll see what I can do.

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Filed Under: fabric, sewing

Giveaway: Peachy Chic Boutique

January 25, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 173 Comments

Let me introduce you to Peachy Chic Boutique.

They sell DIY jewelry kits as well as ready to wear jewelry.

Do you love owls? How about this?

Feeling Valentiney?

And my personal favorite:

How cute is that necklace?!?!

So, what’s in it for you?

Peachy Chic Boutique is giving one lucky reader a DIY watch kit with a watch face AND a DIY dangle kit with a chain ($35 value)!

TO ENTER:

Click on over to Peachy Chic Boutique and have a look around. Come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST saying what your favorite item is!

To make up for my suckyness this week, I’ll leave the giveaway open until bedtime Sunday night. I’d say that means you’re good until at least 9pm MST. Winking smile

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Filed Under: giveaway

My CWTS partner: Lindy @ Cottage Hill

January 23, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 81 Comments

So, projects for Round 1 (Dollar/Thrift store) of CWTS are due tonight. Voting opens in the morning. I’ll be sure to link you over when it’s time. And, I’m saying it…

My partner’s project is awesome!!!

Too bad I can’t give you any hints, ey?

Let me just show you a little of what she’s capable of, and maybe you’ll be able to figure it out.

First up, her CWTS audition project:

And how about this insanely awesome clock?

And she plants stuff in books, too!

I love this pillow SO much!

And how about this quilt she’s been working on for 17 years? Winking smile

So, go introduce yourself to Lindy @ Cottage Hill!

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Filed Under: CWTS

Eight is GREAT!

January 21, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 20 Comments

(Picture courtesy of the fabulous Lei of My Many Colored Days)

My sweet, sweet Keller turns 8 today. I dare you to not like him.

It’s impossible.

(His first Halloween. What kind of mother makes their 9 month old wear something like that???)

He oozes happy. And kindness.

I want to be more like him.

Except for the part where he sets his alarm early so he can watch the highlights of last night’s Jazz game before school. And the part where he wears 2 hoodies instead of a coat.

Happy birthday, little buddy!

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Filed Under: kids

A happy accident

January 20, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 44 Comments

So, today was not a great day. I meant to post and introduce you to my new partner for CWTS, but some things got in the way. And by “some things”, I mean “a (still wrapped) root beer float ice cream bar and an Asian pear”. And by “way”, I mean “toilet”.

Wheee!

So anyway…

When I was making my Valentine’s Day Bunting (thanks for the love, btw), I picked up some fabric paint. This fabric paint, to be exact.

See how right in the middle of the label it says “Red Velveteen”?

You might think that’s just the name of the color (like I did), but you’d be wrong. And, there’s nothing on the label either that would tip you off to the magic you are about to unleash. The Tulip website is the only place that even hints at the awesome.

The paint goes on normally, but when you hold your iron a few inches above it and hit it with a burst of steam?

Faux velvety magic.

Can you see how it puffs up just a little higher than the fabric?

I’ve already been back to the store for more colors. I’ve got big plans for the black.

See you tomorrow. Hopefully it’s a better day?

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Filed Under: fabric, fabric paint

Valentine’s Day Bunting

January 19, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 67 Comments

The color palette was once again inspired by the same Target table runner that I used to make my Valentine’s canvas.

I traced a heart template (that’s mine, but feel free to make your own) on some fusible web (Wonder Under, Heat n Bond, whatever you like) 16 times. That’s enough for each letter plus a spacer heart between BE and MINE. I fused it to the back of the pink houndstooth fabric following the manufacturers directions and then cut out all 16 hearts.

To put the lettering on the hearts, I cut freezer paper with my Silhouette (the font is Madfont). Remember if you cut freezer paper with your Silhouette that you’ll need to put the shiny side up and reverse your text. I also have to use the green mat, but your mats may still be more sticky than mine are.

Then I turned Macy loose with some Tulip Fabric Paint and a sponge brush.

You could also use iron on lettering or cut freezer paper by hand or even paint the letters on…whatever works for you!

Next, I fused each heart (again with the manufacturers directions) to a 7” square piece of backing fabric. I ripped mine, because I’m lazy. And then I stitched the hearts in place.

Macy put a matching 7” square on top and sewed 3 edges (leaving the tops open) using 1/4” seams.

Then we clipped the corners…

and turned right side out and pressed.

Once all 16 squares were finished, I laid them out in order to make sure everything looked good. Then I grabbed some extra wide double fold bias tape. Decide how long of a “tail” you’ll want for hanging and mark with a pin.

Start sewing (I zig zagged) at the end and go until you get to your pin.

Stick in one of your squares and keep on sewing.

And when you get to the end, stick in another square, and so on and so on and so on.

After the last square, keep sewing for an amount equal to the “tail” you left at the beginning.

And then hang it!

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Filed Under: fabric, fabric paint, freezer paper, home decor, mantel, sewing, Silhouette, Valentine's

Valentine’s Day Canvas Art

January 18, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 87 Comments

So, if you follow along on Facebook, you may remember me saying that I was pretty sure I hated something I was working on last week. This is it.

I started with a 16 X 20 canvas (2 for $7.99) and some chipboard letters ($1.77 each).

I gave the canvas a coat of the same aqua paint I used to paint my piano (Watery from Sherwin Williams) and then laid out the letters.

I made some pencil marks (which were impossible to photograph)so that I could get them back in the same place.

I painted my letters using this table runner from Target as the inspiration for my color palette.

Then, I just hot glued them to the canvas.

It’s grown on me…A LOT. And, it’s way cuter with the bunting, which I’ll post about shortly. (Tomorrow, I swear. The post is done and scheduled already!)

Do you decorate for Valentine’s? Do you use the traditional red and pink or do you branch out a bit?

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Filed Under: home decor, mantel, paint, Valentine's

Etch some glass, without the commitment

January 17, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 16 Comments

I’ve had a couple of glass beverage jars ever since Macy’s cupcake party one and a half years ago. I’ve toyed around with the idea of etching something on them like 100 times. I considered a monogram (let’s face it….C is the most boring monogram EVER), but I couldn’t commit! And what if I screwed up?!?!? Etching cream scares me. It’d be a shame to ruin a perfectly good beverage jar, right?

Silhouette sent me some of their new frosted glass premium vinyl to try. And I LOVE it. It’s the perfect way to fancy up your glassware without any sort of commitment.

See?

(That kinda looks like a urine sample.)

Also?

And, I couldn’t get a good shot of this one, but I think it’s my favorite:

Silhouette is offering 2 promotions for January:

25% off all premium vinyl

and/or

A Silhouette SD, 2 rolls of premium vinyl, 1 roll of transfer tape, a home décor CD for $225 (a $395 value!!!)

Use code “CRAP” to take advantage of either of these offers now through the 22nd!

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Filed Under: Silhouette, vinyl

Mix & Match Quilts with the AccuQuilt GO! Blog Tour

January 17, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 13 Comments

You all remember the AccuQuilt GO! Cutter, right? I’m not really a quilter, but I want to be. So, when I was given the opportunity to participate in a bloggy tour for this new book showing all kinds of quilts you can make with your GO! Cutter, I jumped at the chance.

I’ve been asked to review the very first (hint: easiest) project in the book (probably because they know I’m not a quilter but I play one on the internet).

The quilt is called Stepping Stones.

All the quilts in the book use the Mix & Match die set.

The Stepping Stones quilt only has 2 different blocks…I think even I could handle that. The directions are clear and simple. The illustrations and pictures are plentiful. And, there’s even a graphic at the beginning of each quilt to show you exactly which dies you’ll use. Seriously…there’s pretty much no way you can screw this up!

To purchase the book (hard copy or PDF because you need it NOW), go here.

To follow along on the blog tour and see the next project, visit Sherri over at A Quilting Life.

I feel like I need to go make something…

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Filed Under: AccuQuilt, book

Shoe Storage Solution

January 13, 2011 By Char @ Crap I've Made 22 Comments

Our previous “storage” consisted of a galvanized metal bin and people throwing their shoes in that general direction and leaving marks all over the wall. And me tripping over the shoes that missed (and cursing) at least twice a day. Strange that I thought we needed a change, right?

We made a trip to IKEA this weekend. And by “we” I mean that everyone rode there in the van and then Macy and Keller and I ran in to get the goods…less chaos that way.

I picked up 2 of these:

And my entryway now looks like this:

(Man I need a new rug. That one I spent $3 on at Target is sad.)

The original doorstop is under the cabinets, so we got one that mounts on the door hinge and adjusted it so that the door stops just short of the cabinets. It’s similar to this and was under $2 at Lowe’s.

We also have jumbo baseboards (6” or something) so the cabinets didn’t quite clear them. We mounted a 1 X 4 on the wall and screwed the cabinets to that to make up for the difference.

I posted a picture on the Facebook page when I got them installed Tuesday night and had a few requests for pictures of the inside. So, here you go.

2 pairs of men’s size 12 shoes in that one.