Posts Tagged ‘design’

Traveling Placemat Tutorial

In Crafts, Travel, Tutorials on March 10, 2010 at 9:00 am

As you know, my darling husband Nathan is in the process of a master’s degree. And the truth is, he is quite an odd ball at his school. Not in a “hey-let’s-pick-on-that-dude” kind of way. But rather, he is a minority because he is married with not one, but two kids. Majority of his classmates, if married, do not have kids. So when we visit their homes, I am terrified that our children will terrorize their beautifully decorated expensive homes. It’s mostly in my head though, because all of them are really nice about having our children in their homes.

Anyway, to the point. When we dine with Nathan’s school friends, they usually don’t have kid-friendly dinnerware. That’s when I though we should probably bring our own. That’s when I thought a traveling placemat would work great. Not only could we take it to other people’s homes, but it could also be used at picnics and restaurants. Make a whole set for everyone in the family and go out for a nice family picnic once the weather warms up a bit.

The measurements for this placemat is specifically for The First Years Take And Toss toddler forks and spoons and a square plastic plate that I can’t remember where it came from and it doesn’t say on the plate either. Please make note of the dimensions in the tutorial. Depending on what size plate and utensils you would like to use, you will have to change the measurements accordingly. I’ll tell you how you can do that in the tutorial.

Supplies:

1/2 yard of one fabric
1/4 yard of second fabric
1/2 yard interfacing or transweb (the size of your placemat)
matching thread
plate
spoon and fork
napkin

1. Measure your plate and utensils. If you are using are using a round plate, you will need to figure out the diameter and radius of the plate. My plate was 8″ x 8″, a square. The fork and spoon were 5″ x 1″ width. If your measurements of plate and utensils are similar to mine, then you can use the measurements in bold. If yours are different, then you will need to figure out how to come up with your own measurements. Instructions below in italic.

2. Cut out your pieces, 1 piece each. Placemat top (where you have the pockets for plates and utensils) 13″ x 20″. Placemat bottom (where you have the tie) 13″ x 20″. Interfacing or transweb the same size 13″ x 20″. Plate pocket is 9 1/2″ x 9 1/2″. Spoon and fork pocket is 7” x 4″. Napkin pocket is 7″ x 4″. Tie is 3″ x 27″. All measurements include a 1/2″ seam.

Figuring out your own measurements. Get ready for some math. Length of plate + 5″ = length of placemat pieces. (Width of plate + 1″) + (half of plate + 1″)x2 = width of placemat. (Half of plate length x 2) + 1/2″ = length of plate pocket. Width of plate + 1 1/2″ = width of plate pocket. Length of utensil + 2″ = length of utensil pocket. (Width of utensil x 2) + 2″ = width of utensil pocket. The napkin pocket is the same measurements as the utensil pocket. Tie length is 3″. (Width of plate + 1″) + (half width of plate + 1″)x2 + 6″ = tie width. Let me know if any of this is confusing (probably all of it).

3. Iron all the pocket pieces and tie piece right sides together folded in half lengthwise (the width are touch each other). The measurements above are length x width.

4. Sew with 1/2″ seam the long side of the tie. Make sure the right sides are together. Make an angle at one end and cut the same angle on both ends by matching them up then cut.

5. Sew 3 sides of the pockets right sides together. Flip the pocket right side out through the open side. Do to all 3 pocket pieces. Tip: I like to cut off the corners so when you flip right side out, the seams fit flat at the corners.

6. Iron the sewn edges flat. The tuck in a 1/2″ seam at the open side and iron flat. Do to all 3 pockets and tie. You should have 2 open ends on the tie.

7. Top stitch the 2 open ends of the tie close. It should be at an angle and with the seam tucked inside the tie.

8. Place your plate and utensil on the placemat to mark where you want the pockets to go. Remember to start 1/2″ from the edges of the fabric for the seam allowance. For my particular measurements, I did the plate pocket 2″ from the bottom (not including the seam allowance) and equal distance from both right and left sides of the plate. The utensil and napkin pocket I did 1 1/4″ in from the left or right edge of placemat (not including seam allowance). Then 7″ from the top and 4″ from the bottom of the placemat (not including seam allowance).

9. Pin the pockets in place to the right side of placemat top piece. One side of the pocket is still open. Make sure the open side of the pocket is not the top of the pocket. Then top stitch the pockets along the right, bottom and left sides at 1/8″ away from the edge of pocket. Do to all 3 pockets.

10. The utensil pocket will need to be sewn down the middle, making 2 pockets from the one piece. Don’t do to the napkin pocket.

11. Following instructions from the interfacing or transweb, iron the interface or one side of the transweb to the wrong side of the placemat top piece.

12. On the placemat bottom piece, find the center of the piece on the right side. Match the middle of the tie piece to the center of the placemat on the right side of the fabric. Pin in place. Then mark where you will stop sewing with pins. To figure out where to stop sewing, it’s the width of plate + 1″. But make sure it’s even on both sides of the center mark. See picture below.

13. Get the 2 placemat pieces, one with pockets has interfacing or transweb on the wrong side and the other with the tie on it. Put the right sides together. But make sure that after you sew the edges and flip it right side out, the tops and bottoms of the placemat match on both sides. Sew 3 edges together with 1/2″ seam. Cut off corners.

14. Flip right side out. Check to make sure the placemat is correctly assembled. If you used transweb, take off the paper on the second side. Iron the placemat, mainly the edges. And fold 1/2″ seam inside the placemat and iron it in place.

15. Top stitch all 4 sides of the placemat, closing the open edge too.

16. Since I used interfacing, I sewed a line down where the folds of the placemat are between the pockets. Make sure you don’t sew the ties down on the back side. And done.

» Tell me… So what do you think? Is this something you could use too? It is also machine washable so if it gets dirty, toss it in the laundry. And if you don’t want to fold it up afterwards with dirty dishes in the placemat, I thought you could probably bring a gallon size Ziploc bag to toss dirty dishes in.

Tags

children, design, sewing

▶ 13 Comments

Birthday Fortunes In a Jar

In Life, Tutorials on February 8, 2010 at 9:00 am

First birthdays are special, even though Elle will never remember it. I took ample pictures then made her a fortune cookie jar full of birthday fortunes, or wishes, from her loved ones. The fortunes are to be kept unopened until a later moment in time, like her 16th birthday party. Similar to the concept of a time capsule. And fortune cookies because her birthday party was based on a Chinese theme.

The intention was to set up a table where guests would write birthday fortunes to Elle as they entered the party. Great idea, but it didn’t go as planned. Majority of the guests arrive an hour before party time, while we were still in the process of setting up decorations and cooking the meal. Oh well. Plan B. I had everyone email me their fortunes to Elle, including all of Nathan’s family who lives everywhere but here.

Supplies:

cardstock paper
glue
something circular as a template (3″ diameter)
scissors
rubber band (optional)
jar

1. Gather your paper. Use something circular and at least 3″ in diameter (depending on how big you want your cookies to turn out) to trace circles on the back of your paper. I used a coaster.

2. Cut out the circles and the fortunes. I printed the fortunes then cut them into strips.

3. Make a crease at the center of your circle about 1 1/2″ with the wrong side out (the paper patterns are on the inside touching each other when you fold to make the crease. Don’t fold the entire circle in half, just make a crease at the center.

4. With the crease pointing at you vertically, put glue at the edge of the circle going only about 1/3 of the circle. Make sure your crease is at the center point of where your gluing.

5. Place your fortune paper, folded, in the middle of the circle.

6. Fold circle in half touching the no-glue side to the side with glue. But don’t press down at the fold. Use laundry pins to hold the sides down.

7. This is where the crease comes in handy. Puff up your paper by pushing down on the crease and it should bend in the middle at the crease line. And it will open the holes at the two corners (see second picture below). Continuing to bend the crease until the paper takes shape of a fortune cookie.

8. If your cookie doesn’t hold it shape, put a little bit of glue at the middle of the crease line then use a rubber band to hold the cookie at the bend together. Allow for the glue to dry then remove rubber band.

9. Put it all in a jar then you can label or decorate the jar.

Linked A Soft Place.

Tags

children, design, gifts, ideas

▶ 9 Comments

Simply Said… Emily & Anne from Bloom

In Crafts, Holidays, Simply Said on February 4, 2010 at 9:00 am

Today, I want you to meet Emily and Anne of Bloom. They are two amazing mothers who write a blog covering every aspect of motherhood – budgeting, simple living, healthy eating and numerous ideas for entertaining kids. Over the course of time, I had the privilege to become blogging friends with these two ladies. I hope to meet them one day. Both Emily and Anne simply said…

Pop-up Valentines with your toddler or pre-schooler (by Emily)

It’s almost time for heart day! My little Henry and I have had so much fun making pop-up Valentine’s Greetings for our lovies this year. We found the simple step-by-step tutorial on Robert Sabuda’s website. A pop-up V-day greeting fit for a Queen (or a grandma)!

Supplies

Template from Robert Sabuda

Let little hands help with the tracing.

Fold along the dotted lines, glue to a blank card and... ta-da!

Have fun making lots of variations. Then we glued a matching heart on the front of each card. And smiled as we imagined our dear ones opening up their greetings to find a cheerful Valentine’s surprise!

Watercolor Valentines with your school-age children (by Anne)

To help my niece, Katie, with her valentines for school, I revamped an idea from my 2nd-grade-teacher days. I gave Katie a sheet of watercolor paper (regular white paper will do nearly as well) and a set of watercolors. After a quick lesson on warm vs. cool colors, I gave Katie three guidelines for her painting…

This is abstract art, so just let your brush flow. We’re not painting an object.
You must cover the entire page and leave no white showing.
Stick to the warm colors.

Katie enjoyed playing with the different hues and saturation levels with her reds, pinks, yellows and oranges then came up with this. As a side note, every mother should invest in a vinyl ‘project’ tablecloth!

Once the painting dried, we began making the cards. There are two ways to use the watercolor designs. For the first version, we used a cookie cutter to trace a heart. Cut out the heart and glued on the first card. Cardstock or construction paper will also work fine, use what you have.

For the second version, we used a cookie cutter to trace a heart shape on a red paper then cut it out making a window. Next we glued a piece of the painting to the backside of the window covering the opening. I love the way this one looks, but it is considerably more time-consuming.

The results: 1) A child who understands the difference between warm and cool colors, and has experience with blending watercolors. 2) A set of valentines that look far more darling than anything you could find in a box!

Thank you so much, Tiffany! We loved being part of your amazing site for a day!
xo,
Em and Anne

Tags

children, design, guests

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BTB Tips: Custom Framing

In Arts, Back to Basics on February 1, 2010 at 9:00 am

My years of working as a custom framer I have one advice to give for picking out frames and mats for whatever it is you are framing. Make sure you design the frame and matting to fit the image/picture you are framing. Don’t pick out styles or colors to match where you want to put the picture.

Surprisingly, that is one of the biggest mistakes people make. They know where it is going to go in their house, so they pick out that bright blue mat to match the wall coloring. Ooops. What happens when you repaint the wall? Or when you want to put the frame somewhere else in the house?

Tags

decorating, design, tips

▶ 3 Comments

Special Delivery Paper Mailbox Tutorial and Pattern

In Crafts, Tutorials on January 28, 2010 at 9:01 am

Special delivery! Who doesn’t like it when the mail carrier comes by? I especially like it when they bring me packages. I designed these little mailboxes for Kaye and Elle for Valentine’s Day. I call them Special Delivery Paper Mailboxes. I thought it would be cute to exchange family Valentines in them. At 3, Kaye in intrigued by the concept of mail. Anytime we get a package, she thinks it’s a grandma envelope from Grandma in Washington.

I created these paper mailboxes from my own pattern which I put in PDF format for you. While putting these together, I have found that transparent tape will be your best friend. And after I made both mailboxes and taken the photos, Nathan notified me that the flags should be pointing the other direction. Oh well. Learn from my mistakes.

Supplies:

special delivery paper mailbox PDF pattern
a brad
12″ x 12″ cardstock scrapbook paper
scraps of coordinating color paper for flag and tab
scissors
pencil
transparent tape
glue
removable Glue Dots
small hole punch

1. Print the paper mailbox PDF pattern. Follow the instructions on the patterns to piece together the mailbox base. Then cut out the rest of the pattern pieces. You should have 4 pieces in the end — mailbox base, mailbox cover, flag and tab.

2. Trace the mailbox base and mailbox cover pattern onto a 12″ x 12″ cardstock paper. Then race the flag and tab patterns onto the coordinating color papers. Make sure you cut the tabs as shown in the second picture below.

3. Cut out your pieces. Cut the solid lines and fold the dotted lines.

4. Use hole punch to cut out the holes at the indicated circles on the flag and mailbox cover.

5. Fold the tab according to the folds indicated on the pattern.

6. Use a brad to attach the flag to the mailbox cover. Secure the back of the brad with a piece of clear tape. Make sure you don’t make my mistake of pointing the flag in the wrong direction as shown in the picture. It is supposed to go the other way.

7. Apply glue to the tabs on the mailbox base. Then attach mailbox cover to the base by matching the tabs. The short sides of the mailbox cover attach to the long tabs in the middle section of the base. The trick is to use clear tape to help keep the glued parts together, especially at the curves.

8. Apply glue to the full half of the tab, not the half with a second fold. And attach it to the top center of the open flap of the mailbox.

9. Using Glue Dot’s instructions on the box, apply a removable Glue Dot to the top center of the mailbox. Make sure it’s the point where the tab on the open flap touches.

Let me know if any part of the instructions are not clear. Happy mailing!

Tags

children, design

▶ 28 Comments

Gift Tags

In Crafts, The Gift Box on January 18, 2010 at 9:00 am

My shop, The Gift Box, is a place where your purchases come with gift boxes or wrappings. I also designed and created these gift tags to go with the boxes. I designed a few different patterns. Reused paper bags. Tied raffia. Simple and easy.

Tags

design, gifts, store

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My Kids Art On Canvas Giveaway

In Giveaway on January 13, 2010 at 9:01 am

*** This giveaway is closed. Thanks for entering. ***

This is a fun way for your children to display their artwork. Can never find enough ways to do so, huh? My Kaye loves to draw stuff and her masterpieces are everywhere in the house. She is so proud of her art. And if some of your children’s art have sentimental value, My Kids Art On Canvas is a cleaver solution to display their work in a sophisticated way. My Kids Art On Canvas take artwork and transfer it onto canvas. I am thinking this would be great for my own artwork.

It is a three simple step process to have your children’s artwork transferred onto canvas through My Kids Art On Canvas. Scan or mail in artwork. Upload and create an order online. Then enter billing and shipping information. Once they receive your order, it takes about five business days to process it. Simple. Done.

My Kids Art On Canvas is sponsoring this giveaway with $50 gift certificates to 2 winners. This giveaway is open to international readers. Giveaway closes Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 10 p.m. EST. The winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 22.

To enter, do ANY of the following. For multiple entries, do more than one and make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

Leave a comment below and tell me what you would have transferred onto canvas if you win.
Go to MyKidsArtOnCanvas.com, look around and in a separate comment tell me what you like about it.
Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post in a separate comment.
‘Share’ this giveaway by doing one of the ‘Share’ options below (Twitter, Facebook, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon or email).
Subscribe to Simply Modern Mom by RSS, email or Twitter. All ready subscribing? Just tell me in a separate comment.

Tags

children, design, websites

▶ 114 Comments

Original Artwork Bird Tree Canvases

In Arts on January 11, 2010 at 9:00 am

I can’t help it. I am kind of proud of this one. This was my very first canvas artwork. I have always wanted to do one. Just didn’t know what to do. Now that I finally did it, I love it. And thank you for all your kind words regarding my first original canvas painting. If you know me, you would know that I’m not the painting, drawing artistic type. So this was quite the accomplishment for me.

This is how the Bird tree canvases came about. Yes, uppercase B because we are the Birds. During the process of making over our bedroom, I couldn’t find a canvas print that I liked and large enough to fill the huge empty wall. I am extremely selective about the artwork in our home. Part of it is my love for art. Part of it is my many years of framing art professionally and seeing exquisite as well as horrendous artwork.

Many of you know of my love for trees. So I thought, a few days before the big bedroom reveal, that I could attempt to paint a huge tree. I sketched and sketched and came up with a design of a large tree. But when I went to purchase the canvas, I couldn’t find the size I wanted. I ended up purchasing two medium size ones. Hm… back to the sketchbook for a second design that uses both canvases.

With some inspiration and suggestions from Nathan, I decided it would be two separate trees. But when put together could look like perhaps it is one tree. I sketched the trees onto canvases then painted it. I used magazine pages for the leaves to add color and uniqueness. I had plenty of magazines to scrap.

Now this is my favorite part of the canvases. The two blue birds and the birdhouse. They have personal meanings to them. The birds: Our last name, Bird. Since this goes in our room, there are only two birds. In other words, no kids allowed. Just a little reminder for us to make each other first in our lives. The birdhouse: Our home. Then I Mod Podge the whole thing a few times and sprayed it with a sealant.

Some of you have asked if I would be willing to reproduce this Bird tree canvases and sell it. I am flattered that some of you like it enough where you would want to have it in your house, too. Wow. First, since the leaves came from magazine pages, I can’t make exact replicas of the canvases. Second, it would be quite costly due to the size of the canvases (24″ x 36″) and the amount of time it takes to create it. Then there’s the shipping cost for something this big. Taking these two points into consideration, if you are still interested in purchasing this then email me at tiffany{at}simplymodernmom{dot}com.

Thanks for all your positive feedbacks. I read all your emails and comments. I love hearing from you.

P.S. My watermark logo isn’t really on the painting. It’s on the photos.

Tags

decorating, design, favorites, reuse

▶ 35 Comments

Bedroom Makeover Q&A

In Home on January 7, 2010 at 9:00 am

Thank you, thank you. Thanks so much for all your comments, suggestions and questions regarding my master bedroom makeover. I was overjoyed by the responses. Many of you gave great suggestions and I will be working on those next. Many of you also asked wonderful questions that I wanted to answer…

Why are the empty wall frames so high above the bed?

Two reasons actually. One, Nathan and I both like to sit up in our bed leaning up against the wall for support. We do this mostly as we read in bed. Having the frames lower would mean it would be in the way of our heads or backs when we lean against the wall. Two, Nathan pointed out that eventually, when we do get a headboard for the bed, the frames should be high enough where we can keep them there. You can call it laziness.

How much did you end up spending making over the room?

Knobs on the wall — $32 for 4 (used a gift card we redeemed with our credit card points)
Wall paint — $32 for 2 gallons (used a gift card we redeemed with our credit card points)
Corner shelves — $20 for 2
Decorations from HomeGoods — $200 gift card from The Inspired Room and I think I went over by $17
Thrift store frames — $15 for 4
White spray paint — $15 for 3 cans (used coupons)
Drapery fabric — $20 for 6 yards (on sale + coupon)
Drapery rod set — $13 (on sale + coupon)
Blank canvases — $30 for 2 (on sale 40% off)

Total out of pocket expenses: $130

Everything else we had in the house.

What brand of paint did I use to paint the room?

I love Ralph Lauren paints. And Polaris comes from their Thoroughbred Collection. RL has the best colors. All the colors in my home comes from RL. However, I have yet to use actual RL paint on my walls. It’s a bit too pricy for our budget at this time. So I get Home Depot to match the RL colors. One day though, I will be using the actual RL paints. Some day.

Where can I find the tree canvases on your wall?

I am glad so many of you share the same obsession I have with trees. In fact, the other day Nathan and I watched (500) Days of Summer for the first time and in the scene where they were at a wedding reception at night I noticed the gorgeous tree. I said aloud, “I love that tree!” By then, the scene had passed and Nathan said, “There was a tree?” He had to go back to that scene to see what I was talking about. Trees. Love them.

Anyway, the tree canvases is an original artwork by myself. I have a whole post dedicated to the tree canvases I made coming next Monday.

Why are the shelves placed so high?

Two reasons. One, I like to use the high spaces in the room. I think it makes the room look taller. Two, Nathan is relatively tall, 6′2″ to be exact. He comes from a family of giants. The shortest member of his family is his mother at 5′6″. One of his youngest brothers, a twin, is 6′6″. So when we put thing at eye level on the wall, it’s a bit higher for Nathan. Which is fine with me (at 5′6″ myself) in some instances because I have a fear of running into things and hitting my face if it is exactly at my eye level. Maybe I’m a klutz?

Why don’t you put artwork or something in those empty frames?

I am plain and simple. You probably all ready knew this about me seeing the design of Simply Modern Mom. But may I add the word elegance in there? I like to describe my taste as simple and elegant. I enjoy lots of white spaces, open spaces and empty spaces. It’s another way I feel relaxed. I think we all need to bring back the white space. Simplicity is good in a world of busyness.

Although, some of you have given me some great suggestions about what I can put in the frames if I ever decide to do so. Probably some natural elements coming straight out of my backyard.

Why don’t you have more colors in the room?

It was intended to have Polaris as the color in the room. Then white everywhere else. That’s our how we define tranquil and relaxation. The bed spread, guitar, a couple of the bowls and tree canvases provide a few other colors in the room.

Please keep asking questions. I love answering them. Maybe I should do Q&As more often. What do you think?

Tags

decorating, design, questions, tips

▶ 1 Comment

Initialed Felt Hair Clips Tutorial

In Crafts, Tutorials on December 28, 2009 at 9:00 am

Giving my girls the initialed felt hair clips and some of the other patterns went well Christmas morning. Kaye loved having a hair clip with “K” on it just for her. The best thing about it was I made it in one sitting within minutes. I used scraps laying around in my craft closet.

Supplies:

hair clips
fleece or felt (I actually used fleece in this tutorial)
paper or cardstock
pencil
scissors
glue gun
embroidery floss
large eye needle

1. I reused some of my old hair clips that were functional, just worn. So I cleaned them first.

2. Draw patters you want on paper or cardstock. Make sure the hair clip will fit in your pattern. For the circle, I found a vitamin cap that was large enough and traced it. I freehand the rest.

3. Get your felt or fleece. Fold it over so you can cut out 2 of the pattern at the same time.

4. Take one of the felt/fleece, fold in half and measure the clip in the center. Cut 4 tiny slits. This will hold the clip in place. See step 7.

5. Take the top circle and embroider the initial.

6. Hand stitch around the circle to enclose the front and back pieces.

7. Slip your clip into the slits previously cut in step 4.

8. Use glue gun to glue to clip to the felt/fleece where it touches. Remember don’t get glue in the center piece of the clip.

Tags

children, design, fashion, sewing

▶ 6 Comments

Twisted Paper Snowflake Tutorial

In Crafts, Holidays, Tutorials on December 23, 2009 at 9:01 am

I am being featured on Bloom today! Emily of Bloom invited me to guest post on their site and I was more than excited to do so. I even came up with a forth snowflake design for the special occasion. If you haven’t been over to Bloom before, you will have to visit. Anne and Emily of Bloom are full great articles about family and motherhood.

Back to the snowflake. I got a bit crazy with this one… probably because I have been cooped up in my house for the last few days. But did you noticed that this time I used double sided cardstock paper? Yes, I upgraded my snowflakes. This is the last one I promise. I’m sure you’re quite sick of them now. Just in case you are not, here is a picture and links to the other three previous snowflakes. The piping paper snowflake, the twirly paper snowflake and the cookie cutter paper snowflake. This twisted paper snowflake (nicknamed crazy octopus) is a combination of both the piping and twirly snowflake.

Supplies:

cardstock paper
8 markers, pens or pencils
4 pipe cleaners/chenille
paper cutter, scissors
ribbon, string or thread
needle
hole punch or other embellishments for the center
glue
low adhesive tape

1. Cut 9 strips of cardstock 3/4″ x 6″.

2. Place glue at one end of the first strip. Then make a ring, only to one strip of cardstock.

3. Fold one end of the remainder 8 strips at 3/4″.

4. Tape one of the strip diagonally to the markers, then wrap it around and tape the second end. Do to all 8 strips. Allow the paper to settle for at least an hour. The longer the better.

5. While waiting for the twists to settle. Take your pipe cleaners and mark at the edge of the ring where the holes need to be. There will be 8 holes all evenly spaced.

6. Unwrap the twisted strips then apply glue to the end where you had previously folded at 3/4″.

7. Glue the strips of twisted paper onto the ring according to the markings previously made with the pipe cleaners. Make sure they are all equally spaced.

8. Use a small hole punch or scrapbooking hole punch with hammer tools to punch holes in the middle of each glued ends on the ring.

9. Pull the pipe cleaners through the holes across from each other. Then wrap the curls around the pipe cleaners.

10. Trim off excess pipe cleaner ends.

11. Use needle to attach ribbon or thread to the snowflake to hang. Optional, apply embellishments to center of the snowflake.

Tags

christmas, decorating, design

▶ 4 Comments

Kaye’s Sketchbook Caddy

In Crafts, Holidays on December 21, 2009 at 9:01 am

I have been lucky in the sense that Kaye’s Christmas wishlist to Santa has been pretty simple the last two years. Last year, she wanted a candy cane. That’s it. I got her the biggest candy cane I could find. This year, the list got longer. A horn (the musical instrument kind, not the rhino kind), paper, pencils and a book. Easy enough, except the horn.

And because I can’t just wrap a ream of paper and a couple pencils and toss it under the tree, I came up with a sketchbook caddy for Kaye. You see, we’ve been having a little problem with Kaye and her drawings. She sees me with my sketchbook and is motivated to draw, too. I love that she is creative like me. However, the problem has been she takes the crayons, pens and markers then draws on our hearth, dressers, bookshelves and my office desk. Not ideal for the resale value of our house if we ever move. I’ve been trying to drill in her that we only draw on paper. Nothing else. Hopefully this will take care of the problem.

I drafted the caddy idea in a day, then finished it the next day. And I had all the supplies at home, just needed the sketchpad and markers. What do you think? And anyone out there with an idea of how to get blue crayons out of a slab of marble?

Tags

children, christmas, design, gifts, sewing

▶ 23 Comments

Gingerbread Houses ‘09

In Food, Holidays on December 16, 2009 at 9:01 am

Our family holiday tradition, building gingerbread houses. It’s a contest although none of us actually declare a winner. We all trash talk each other houses and declare ourselves the winner. Enjoy our parade of homes gingerbread style. I built the one pictured above and the back of the house is pictured below. It has a pond in the front of the house and French back doors. That Twizzler sticking out of the ground was supposed to be a fountain. Didn’t work out the way I expected it to, so now I call it a small tree.

Tags

christmas, decorating, design, families, friends

▶ 2 Comments

Blanket Stitch Christmas Stockings

In Crafts, Holidays on December 15, 2009 at 9:01 am

I can’t take credit for this one. My amazingly talented and fun spirited friend, Marcie, came up with the patterns and designs for my stockings. This is actually a set of six stockings… gingerbread men and a candy cane are the other two designs. See all six designs below. They were so simple and cheap to make -felt, fleece, floss, buttons and scrap fabric. It’s a simple blanket stitch all the way around. I was able to finish all six in one day.

Tags

christmas, decorating, design, friends, ideas, sewing

▶ 17 Comments

Liliash Giveaway

In Events, Giveaway on December 11, 2009 at 9:00 am

**This giveaway is closed. Winner will be announced Dec. 25.**

The Winter Days Giveaways is only halfway through, but this is our last sponsor. You will have until next Friday to enter for giveaways announced this week. See the list of all the giveaways at the bar on the right. Then I will be announcing the winners of each giveaway beginning Monday. So come back to see if you won and see what else is happening at Simply Modern Mom.

Lindsay of Liliash is my last sponsor. Her site is organic and full of elegance. Lindsay does amazing work there at Liliash. She quilts, sews, bakes, cooks and puts up photo tutorials of the cutest clothing for children, like this Sweet Pea Coat. She is one who can make something out of nothing. She worked as a pastry chef before she became a full-time stay-at-home mom. And Liliash is a place for her to display her creative outlets. Where I go for inspirations and ideas. If you love her stuff as much as I do, you can purchase some at her store.

Lindsay is giving away ONE handmade tote, the m-m handbag pictured below. Each one of her totes are unique and created with eco friendly twill, beautiful designer fabrics and a subtle touch of vintage charm. The patchwork designs are sweet and simple, but the bag itself is constructed to withstand the heaviest of loads. This giveaway is only for U.S. residents.

To enter, do ANY of the following. For multiple entries, do more than one and make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

Leave a comment below and tell me your favorite Christmas food.
Go to Liliash and tell me what you like about Lindsay’s blog.
Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post in a separate comment.
‘Share’ this giveaway by doing one of the ‘Share’ options below (Twitter, Facebook, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, or Email).
Subscribe to Simply Modern Mom by RSS, email or Twitter. All ready subscribing? Just tell me in a separate comment.

This giveaway will close Friday, Dec. 18 at 10 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 25. To see a list of other giveaways going on now for the Winter Days Giveaways, click on the image below or see the list at the top right bar.

And don’t forget about your surprise. Each entry you do for any of these sponsored giveaways during The Winter Days Giveaways will automatically enter you to win a set of my fake mustaches on a stick! So the more entries you do, the better chance you have of winning the sponsor’s prize as well as a set of fake mustaches. Enter away and good luck!

Tags

design, shopping, websites

▶ 260 Comments

Friday’s 5 at 5: Memory Gifts Using Photos

In Friday's 5 at 5, Photography on December 11, 2009 at 5:00 am

I am constantly looking for ways to make gift giving more personal. Those are my favorite gifts to give. As we are in the season of giving, here are five ideas for using your photos…

Favorite things. This Christmas, I made photo books of my kids favorite things. It was a medium size flipbook. One for Elle and one for Kaye. It’s fun to be able to capture their favorite things at this age. I also used letter blocks to spell out their favorite things, an idea I received from Liz’s blog.
Favorite memories. This year, I hand bound personal books for our parents for Mother’s and Father’s Day. I had each of our siblings write a couple favorite memories with our parents. Then dug through old photographs for pictures to go along with the stories. We all laughed and cried taking a trip down memory lane.
While you were gone. My brother and some of Nathan’s siblings travel all around the world. We send them photo books of our children growing up while they were gone. Catch them up on some of the things they missed.
Messages. Have family members or friends hold a sign with a message of ‘I love you’ or ‘thank you’ or ‘we miss you’ in a photograph. Put it on a card or make it into a poster.
Cover an event. At a special event, take ample pictures and make a little scrapbook for them. Don’t forget to include your thoughts and feelings of the event. This is great for weddings, birthdays, graduations and performances.

Tags

christmas, design, gifts, ideas, lists

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Twirly Paper Snowflake Tutorial

In Crafts, Holidays, Tutorials on December 7, 2009 at 8:59 am

Last of the 3 part snowflake tutorial series. Hope you have been having fun making the other two snowflakes, cookie cutter paper snowflake and piping paper snowflake. Then a surprise forth snowflake, the twisted paper snowflake.

Measurements and sizes are according to the snowflakes I made for this tutorial. You can adjust to make a snowflake bigger, smaller or fuller.

Supplies:

cardstock paper (must use a thick type paper like cardstock)
paper cutter, scissors
pens, pencils or markers
stapler
ribbon, string or thread
low adhesive tape
hole punch or other embellishments for the center
glue

1. Cut your paper into 1/2″ x 6″ strips. Cut 6 strips.

2. Tape one end of the strip diagonally to a pen, pencil or marker. Twist the rest of the strip around the marker, then tape the second end. Do to all 6 strips. Let it sit for about an hour or so.

3. Unravel the paper from the marker.

4. Take two of the curled paper and join them together in the center, they are across from each other. Then take two more curled paper and space it evenly between the previous two strips.

5. Staple that first portion in the center.

6. Take the last two strips and space it evenly on the open part of the snowflake. Staple it again. You may want to staple a few more times to keep the strips secured.

7. Hole punch a different colored paper and glue the punched circles to the center, covering the staples. Or add other types of embellishments.

8. String it with ribbon or strings using glue or tape on the back.

Tags

christmas, decorating, design

▶ 23 Comments

Hope for Women Giveaway

In Events, Giveaway on December 3, 2009 at 9:00 am

**This giveaway is closed. Winner will be announced Dec. 17.**

I featured Hope for Women on SMM back in August when I first discovered the Tagua bracelets. Oh, how lovely. And the more I learned about Hope for Women, the more I am amazed by what they do for women around the world.

Here’s an excerpt from their site:

Hope For Women brings premium quality, Fair Trade products created by women artisans to the mainstream marketplace. We are a socially responsible organization committed to providing sustainable employment for economically disadvantaged women worldwide. We offer products exclusively made by women so they can take control of their lives and their futures. Hope For Women is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation. Every woman is paid a fair, livable wage under safe and healthy working conditions. We aim to have the highest environmental standards in all aspects of our business, and incorporate our “green” ethic into our products, packaging, and every decision we make.

And check out their home products. I think the vase above would look great in our guest room.

Hope for Women’s giveaway will have TWO winners. The first winner will receive ONE Tagua bracelet. The second winner will receive ONE set of 4 greeting cards from the India Collection. The Tagua jewelry is made from nuts found within the seed pods of the Ivory Nut Palm, a native species of the Colombian rainforest. And the greeting cards are made of handmade “tree-free” paper faced with real pressed wild flowers and native plantings from the foothills of the Himalayas. This giveaway is only for U.S. residents.

Each bracelet is made by economically disadvantaged women artisans and their families. You can feel proud wearing this bracelet knowing it is changing and improving lives. Money collected from the bracelets also help provide incentive to protect and maintain the rainforest.

To enter, do ANY of the following. For multiple entries, do more than one and make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

Leave a comment below and tell me a service someone has done for you this holiday season or what you plan on doing for someone.
Go to Hope for Women and tell me your favorite product.
Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post in a separate comment.
‘Share’ this giveaway by doing one of the ‘Share’ options below (Twitter, Facebook, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, or Email).
Subscribe to Simply Modern Mom by RSS, email or Twitter. All ready subscribing? Just tell me in a separate comment.

This giveaway will close Thursday, Dec. 10 at 10 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 17. To see a list of other giveaways going on now for the Winter Days Giveaways, click on the image below or see the list at the top right bar.

Tags

design, fashion, websites

▶ 95 Comments

Love.Obsess.Inspire. Giveaway

In Events, Giveaway on December 1, 2009 at 9:00 am

**This giveaway is now closed. Winner will be announced Dec. 15.**

My first time on Lexi’s site, Love.Obsess.Inspire., I was taken by the contents of her posts. It is definitely a place I go to for inspiration. I mean she is a graphic designer, so everything looks great over there. Her blog is a compilation of all the things she loves, things she obsesses over and things that inspire her. My favorite thing about her site? The printable goodies, by far.

Lexi is giving ONE winner a set of 25 holiday cards designed by her, pictured above. The cards are 5″ x 5″ with matching envelopes and seals. This giveaway includes all my international readers. Lexi is willing to ship out-of-country if you win.

To enter, do ANY of the following. For multiple entries, do more than one and make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

Leave a comment below and tell me what kind of Christmas cards do you send out (personalized, custom, store bought, newsletters, etc.).
Go to Love.Obsess.Inspire. and tell me your favorite thing about Lexi’s blog.
Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post in a separate comment.
‘Share’ this giveaway by doing one of the ‘Share’ options below (Twitter, Facebook, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, or Email).
Subscribe to Simply Modern Mom by RSS, email or Twitter. All ready subscribing? Just tell me in a separate comment.

This giveaway will close Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 10 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 15. To see a list of other giveaways going on now for the Winter Days Giveaways, click on the image below or see the list at the top right bar.

Tags

design, ideas, websites

▶ 112 Comments

Piping Paper Snowflake Tutorial

In Crafts, Holidays, Tutorials on November 30, 2009 at 8:59 am

Continuing with the 3 part snowflake tutorial, this is #2. Here is the cookie cutter paper snowflake, the twirly snowflake and then a surprise forth snowflake, the twisted paper snowflake. See all three in the picture below. And if you make this, please link up in the comments so I can check it out!

Measurements and sizes are according to the snowflakes I made for this tutorial. You can adjust to make a snowflake bigger, smaller or fuller.

Supplies:

cardstock paper
pipe cleaners/chenille
paper cutter
ribbon, string or thread
needle
hole punch or other embellishments for the center
glue

1. Cut cardstock paper into 3/4″ x 6″ strips. Cut 7 strips.

2. Glue the strips into circles.

3. Use the hole punch to punch holes into the circled strips. I used a scrapbook hole punch and hammer for smaller holes. Gently bent the circle in half then punched a hole through both sides so it comes out even. Do only to 6 circles.

4. To do the holes for the center circle, lay the chenille over the circle like the picture below and mark with a pencil where all 6 holes will go.

5. Then repeat step 3, but do it three times ending up with 6 holes.

6. Pull chenille through the holes, aligning the circled strips in place. Trim off excess chenille.

7. Glue the outer circled strips at their touching points.

8. String it with ribbon or strings using a needle.

Tags

christmas, decorating, design

▶ 15 Comments

Cookie Cutter Paper Snowflake Tutorial

In Crafts, Holidays, Tutorials on November 24, 2009 at 12:38 am

It is winter, meaning snowflake season. I designed three simple paper snowflakes you can use as decorations, tree ornaments or just something to get you in the mood for snow. I am not a snow person myself, however, I do like decorative snowflakes. I made these snowflakes with single colored cardstock. Next time, I’m planning on using designed double sided cardstock.

I am doing each snowflake tutorial separately to prevent extra long posts. Here’s the piping paper snowflake tutorial, the twirly snowflake and then a surprise forth snowflake, the twisted paper snowflake. If you make some snowflakes, please leave a link or email me so I can see these snowflakes in action.

Measurements and sizes are according to the snowflakes I made for this tutorial. You can adjust to make snowflake bigger, smaller or fuller.

Supplies:

cardstock paper
paper cutter
ribbon, string or thread
needle
hole punch or other embellishments for the center
glue

1. Cut cardstock paper into 3/4″ x 6″ strips. Cut 7 strips.

2. Fold one end of the strips at 1/4″. Do to all the strips.

3. Keeping the 1/4″ folded, fold the strip in half.

4. Open the half and fold in the two ends, with the 1/4″ still folded, into the center.

5. Apply glue to the 1/4″ portion of the strip and glue the other end to it. It should be diamond shaped.

6. On the outside of the diamond, apply glue to the center point and to the left point of the strip. Then attach a second diamond strip to that. Continue until all diamonds are glued together at the center and the touching points.

7. Hole punch a different colored paper and glue the punched circles to the center. Or add other types of embellishments.

8. String it with ribbon or strings using a needle.

Tags

christmas, decorating, design

▶ 26 Comments

Christmas Cards & Newsletters

In Holidays on November 23, 2009 at 9:00 am

Yes, it it not even Thanksgiving yet, but if you are planning on sending out Christmas cards or newsletters this year, you might want to think about this. Christmas cards do require some preparation.

Make a list. Begin by making a list of friends and family you will be sending cards to this year. Email people for updates of their addresses. To save time next year, you may want to keep this list somewhere safe or type it on a spreadsheet. You need to know how many cards to purchase or order. Narrow your list by taking off those you see all the time. You may also want to think about those you can email a holiday greeting to and save on paper and stamps.
Order soon. Dec. 21 is the last day for you to send first-class mail and have it delivered anywhere in the U.S. by Christmas Eve. If you are ordering cards, photo cards, or personalized stamps, you will want to order them soon. Most orders take 3-5 business days to process then another 5-10 business days to arrive at your house. You will also need time to write a note, insert newsletter, address and stamp.
Check the deals. It is that time of year where everything goes on sale and deals are everywhere. Check sites such a Retail Me Not for printable coupons or online codes.
Size matters. Consider the size of the envelope. The maximum letter size for it to be $0.44 is 6 1/8″ x 11 1/2″. If you are unsure, you can check USPS rates here.
Forgo lines. Don’t wait in the long lines at the post office. Order postage online or ask your mail carrier for an order envelope (see pictures below). You place your order on the envelope, insert a check, and the mail carrier deliver it to your mailbox the next day or two. No shipping or handling charges.
Simplify newsletters. You don’t have to do it all in one sitting. Break it up, think ahead, write notes of things you would like to mention.
Be creative. Have everyone write their own portion. Better yet, draw names and write a tidbit about that person in the family. One year we did a newsletter emphasizing numbers (number of trips we had taken, number of movies we watched, number of visitors in our home). Last year we used the alphabets to talk about our year.
Family photos. Hiring a professional requires you to schedule early. This is one of their busy seasons. Alternatives may include asking a friend or neighbor to do some candid shots with your camera. Using a tripod and the camera’s timer.

Tags

christmas, design, ideas, lists, tips

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Shoe Accessories by Dekkori

In Products on November 20, 2009 at 9:00 am

{image by Dekkori}

Shoe lovers beware. This is the latest in shoes that I have fallen in love with, Dekkori. Take your pumps or other shoes and add Dekkori’s footwear styling pieces and you got a whole new look. The ones above are my favorites from the fall/winter ‘09 line. The ones below are the newest from their holiday ‘09 line. And if you have seen Fergie lately, you have probably seen her wear it. Thank you Stephanie Kim, founder of Dekkori, for taking the shoe to a new level of fashion.

{image by Dekkori}

Tags

design, fashion, shopping

▶ 3 Comments

Keep Improving

In Random on November 16, 2009 at 9:01 am

I just keep making little changes here and there to improve the site. You might have noticed some of the changed over the last month or so. But let me point out some main ones to you.

My logo has changed from a gray box into a red round seal.
My button has changed to the image above. You can add my button to your site by copying and pasting the code in the right column on my home page.
I added a MADE page to my menu above. It is a pictured list of things made by Simply Modern Mom.
I jumped on the bandwagon of ‘You Might Also Like’ showing past articles you may enjoy reading.
I moved all of my Follow SMM info to the column on the right. Don’t forget to add SMM to your RSS reader.
I registered for a license with Creative Commons allowing you to reuse things on SMM as long as you give me credit and link back to my site. Go here for details.
Finally, a new watermark for my photos. You’ll see it soon.

Although these may be little changes, I hope it makes your visit to SMM an enjoyable one where you will want to keep coming back. And please comment or contact me with feedbacks, suggestions, or ideas for SMM. I just have to say, I absolutely adore my readers!

Tags

announcement, design, websites

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Future Fashion Designer

In Inspirations on November 5, 2009 at 10:00 am

This is my Kaye. She is 3. She is all girl… to the max. Even worst than her mother. Pink is her color. Polka dots are plastered everywhere. Disney princesses are her best friends. She raids mom’s closet for heels and pumps. She can cry on demand. She walks better in high heels than flip flops. She wants to wear mom’s makeup, but mean dad won’t let her. She loves candles and anything that smells pretty. And when people tell her she is cute, she replies, “Babies are cute. I am beautiful.” No idea where she got that.

Anyway, yesterday she noticed she was out of skirts. We were in a rush to get out the door and over to the library story time. I usually let Kaye pick out her clothes. It is a battle I’d rather not fight, especially with her who has a 3-year-old opinion about everything she fashions. But since we were in a hurry, she was forced to pick out pants so we could get out the door. Uh, as I was backing out of the driveway, I realized I missed library story time by a day. Yeah, I’m doing too many things all at once and sometimes I just space. We went anyway because I needed to return books that day.

When we got back from the library and a few other places she decided she needed to change. She went up stairs to her room, flipped through the clothes in her drawers and came out looking like this. It didn’t surprise me that she was in a different outfit because she changes her clothes several times a day. But she was wearing a skirt I didn’t recognize. Then it caught my eyes… the sleeves dangling from the sides. Aaahhh… she’s wearing a 3/4 sleeve white shirt upside down as a skirt. And since it was a bit drafty to be wearing skirts bare legged, she put on her leg warmers.

Yeah, I can see fashion design in her future. If the sleeves weren’t dangling down, it would be a cute bubble skirt. Hum… that’s an idea. I’ll have to draft that in my notebook. In the picture, she’s a bit embarrassed when I discovered she was wearing a shirt as a skirt. But she kept it on the whole rest of the day.

P.S. Please excuse the work-in-progress in the background. And my craft glues on the floor. That was Elle’s work.

Tags

children, design, fashion, ideas, reuse

▶ 3 Comments

Almond Joy

In Products on November 5, 2009 at 9:00 am

Look what came in the mail for me. At first I was giddy that I was getting almond in the mail. I have to admit. I was disappointed when I opened the tin and it was empty. But the cute little note and the fun tin design made me happy again. Now I just need some almonds to fill the tin. It fits the perfect serving size of 23 almonds in that beautiful tin. Great for tossing a little snack in my purse. Next to all of my kids’ snacks.

Tags

design, favorites

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Adorn That Door With Wreaths

In Crafts, Home, Inspirations on November 4, 2009 at 9:00 am

To tell you the truth, I own only two wreaths. Some of my neighbors have one for every season and they keep the off season ones hanging in the garage. I see them when I walk by and wonder if I should be ramping up my door decors. I am picky about my wreaths because I’m not into the fake flowers and plastic fruits glued to wreath shaped foam. If you can’t tell, I’m the simple and classy kind of gal. The wreath above is my fall wreath. I purchased it last year.

This wreath I made two winters ago. It’s was the first wreath I owned. I had been on the hunt for a Christmas wreath and couldn’t find one I loved within my price range. That’s right, did you know that wreaths could be outrageously prices? Some of the ones I liked were around $80. I decided to attempt designing and making my very own. Nathan laughed because I ended up spending more than I wanted to on it, but still nowhere near $80.

Here are some other wreaths that I like and would like to try one day. Click on photos for more information about each of the wreaths.

Dried flowers and vines.
Photo embellished.
Green gourds and leaves.
Pearl.
Shimmering rectangular leaves.
Quick and simple tape to the wall.

{image by BHG}

Tags

decorating, design, ideas

▶ 5 Comments

Stella McCartney’s GapKids

In Inspirations on November 3, 2009 at 9:28 am

{images by GapKids}

Stella McCartney is the new designer at GapKids. Fabulous stuff, especially if you like the unisex classic rockstar look.

Tags

children, design, fashion, shopping

▶ 1 Comment

Mobile Friendly

In Random on November 3, 2009 at 9:00 am

That’s right. Simply Modern Mom is now easy to navigate on your smartphone or iPod Touch. It is one of the many perks of being married to a tech savvy guy. I have noticed a number of you accessing SMM using your phone. I thought I would make it easier for you to read SMM anywhere your computer or phone may be.

How to access this new feature? Simple.

Navigate to www.simplymodernmom.com (or www.smmom.com for short) on your mobile device or iPod Touch and that is it. The site automatically shows you a customized version (faster and easier to navigate) right on your mobile device. If you’re not a big fan of the new layout, you can change it back to the old version by switching the on/off toggle at the bottom of the screen.

What if you want to put SMM right on your iPhone/iPod Touch home screen? Four steps.

Navigate to www.simplymodernmom.com (or www.smmom.com for short) on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
Click the + button on the bottom of the screen.
Touch the “Add to Home Screen” button.
Check out the sweet icon and click save. Done.

: SMM site in Safari on the iPhone

: Add to Home Screen menu

: Create screen for Home Bookmark on the iPhone/iPod Touch

: Simply Modern Mom is just a tap away wherever you are.

If you have any problems with the mobile layout please email me at simplymodernmom{at}gmail{dot}com.

Tags

announcement, design, gadgets

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Creative Pumpkins

In Holidays on October 22, 2009 at 9:00 am

halloweek

Pumpkins is in style again, at least for the next few months. Don’t just carve, try some of these. Some link round up of creative things to do with your pumpkin this year. Click on photos for more info and tutorials.

Pumpkin posies vase.
Pumpkin candles.
Bat-o-lanterns.
Mod pumpkin.
Gilded pumpkins.
Mr. Pumpkin Head.

{image by BHG}

{image by Parents Magazine}

{image by Family Fun}

{image by Parents Magazine}

{image by Country Living}

{image by HGTV}

Tags

decorating, design, halloween, ideas

▶ 3 Comments

Mommy Cards

In Arts on August 24, 2009 at 9:00 am

Mommy cards… business cards… blogging cards… info cards. Whatever you want to call it. I’ve been working on designing my own. It took three days working on it a few minutes here a few minutes there with Kaye or Elle on my lap. After three versions, I finalized with this one. What do you think?

It’s simple with a small touch of design. It matches the colors of my site. And it has my logo on the back. Leaving some room for me to write a note or jot down my phone number for someone. I’m excited to hand these out to friends, family, fellow bloggers, and just about anyone I meet. I also plan on attaching them to gifts or products I sell. I printed a few on cardstock on our home printer. Maybe I’ll get around to taking it to a print shop sometime this week to have some printed professionally.

Tags

design

▶ 2 Comments

Logo

In Arts on July 6, 2009 at 9:00 am

fullLogo

This was the first time I designed my own logo. Coming with minimal design and drawing background, it only took me a day to come up with this idea and put it into Illustrator. What do you think?

I read the article, 2009 Logo Trends, that helped me come up with ideas and inspirations.