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Stir & Wrap

Posted by on February 3, 2012 Leave a Comment

Micro DIY Project – #1

I’m going to put a series of micro DIY projects for Valentine’s day. The idea is to be able to do these projects from start to finish in a short time. Each of these projects are simple, can be done by anybody, don’t need many tools and I guarantee 100% they would help you spread some love and make your home pretty.

 

 

I have a transparent plastic holder in which I keep coffee and tea stirrers. In this DIY I have wrapped it in yarn that matches the sofa in my living room. You can choose any yarn color you like to match your home decor.

 

 

Happy crafting!!

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Life is Beautiful – Valentine’s Day!

Posted by on January 27, 2012 1 Comment

 

Window Treatment on Valentine's Day

What is love?

So many authors have written thousands of word about it, so many unsuccessful attempts have been made to define it but still this most wonderful feeling in life eludes us from defining it. May be the mystery of love is what makes it so interesting. May be it isn’t supposed to be defined!

It’s strange that water, oxygen, food, shelter, money are not just enough in life. Everybody needs and wants to share love.

A combination of twenty-six alphabets are not enough to define the feeling which only a heart can feel. Valentine’s Day is meant to share, spread, show and celebrate love.

This year I want to share this love with the world by saying “Life is Beautiful”, it’s the most wonderful story in the universe. There can’t be anything more touching than a man’s true love story. A story without love is not worth telling! The artwork below sums of this feeling better than anything I have ever seen.

 

This artwork is from the creative genius and cartoonist Hugh McLeod.

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Snow Flake Frame

Posted by on January 11, 2012 4 Comments

Snow Flake Photo Frame to celebrate winters – DIY

 

I like photo frames specially those that are decorated & crafted with a personal touch. Since it’s winter season and though it hasn’t snowed as much this year in the US mid-west so far (I’m not complaining :-)) but without snow winter can’t be fun.

 

In this DIY I have converted an old photo frame by adding snow flakes around it. This is a very quick and simple technique and you can add anything not just snow flakes.

 

 

All we need is a fabric with snow flake print, glue, any old photo frame (of any size)  and of course scissors.

 

 

All you need to do is use the fabric to cut out snow flakes shapes from it.

 

 

Now you just have to glue the snow flakes around you frame neatly.

 

 

That’s it .. you Snow Flake decorated & hand crafted frame with a picture of your loved one is ready within 5 mins.

 

As always I’m eager to hear from you, about your projects and craft work. It would be great if you leave comments using the form below. Wish you all a happy winter with some snow not a whole lot!!

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DIY with XLO 2

Posted by on January 5, 2012 2 Comments

DIY with Christmas Leftover Ornaments (XLO) – Part 2

 

 

 

 

This DIY is a follow up to my previous blog post. This DIY is even simple and a lot more fun. All you need for this one are the following items –

  1. Christmas Ornament balls
  2. Black felt
  3. Black permanent marker
  4. Super glue

 

You can draw with permanent marker any face or cartoon character of your choice on the Ornament ball. Use felt to create hat and beard and then glue them to the ball. I created few of them and enjoyed each one. Every time you will create something new and different.

 

I would love to hear about your experiences. Please leave your comments about my blog and DIY projects and feel free to share yours. Go and have some fun.

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DIY with XLO I

Posted by on January 4, 2012 8 Comments

A fun DIY with Christmas leftover ornaments (XLO) and Disney stickers – Part 1

 

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2012

Posted by on December 30, 2011 Leave a Comment

Happy New Year 2012

 

Hello,

Happy New Year to all my friends! Let’s welcome New Year 2012 with enthusiasm and joy. Let’s welcome new colors of 2012 and make plans to add them to the painting of our life.

 

Happy New Year 2012 Banner (on Etsy)

 

Happy New Year !!

Tahira

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Xmas Ornament II

Posted by on December 24, 2011 1 Comment

Last minute Christmas Ornaments (DIY) – Part-II

Here I’m as promised in my last post posting few more fun, easy DIY for you to get some more last minute Christmas ornaments on the tree.

 

Step 1: First choose your Christmas ornament design.

  • Check my earlier post to find out how to choose your design or where to find one.
Step 2: List of items you would need for this DIY

Step1: Material List

 

  • Artificial Leather or Vinyl. (You can buy this from your local favorite craft store or from stores like Joann. This is one example of what I used.
  • You would also need Satin Ribbon
  • Super Glue (I use this)
  • Fabric markers or Fabric paints  (I used this)
  • Pencil
  • Flat paint brush
  •  Punch cutter (you can use this)

 

Step 3: Take white color Vinyl and draw your ornament design on it with fabric marker as show below in  2 or 3. Cut your design shape with scissor as in 4.

Step 3: How to draw and cut the design on Vinyl

 

Step 4:  The ornament is cut in the share of Christmas tree and is almost ready now, see 1 below).

Punch a whole at the top of the Christmas tree with punch cutter (2).

Use any fabric color to paint the ornament. Obviously since this is a Christmas tree I have painted it with green color (3, 4).

Step 4: Cut and Paint your Christmas ornament

 

Step 5:  Decorating the Christmas ornament is the most fun step of the DIY. Look in your craft box for any  sticker, beads,or scrap book stuff (1).

Stick these stickers/beads 0n your ornament with the help of super glue (2).

Finish all decorations (3).

Take 6′ of satin ribbon and tie it on top of the ornament through the whole which we made in Step 4.2.

Step 5: Decorating the Christmas Tree

 

Voila.. you Christmas ornament is ready to be hung on the tree. Go ahead and do that and share some pictures.

Step 6: Finished Christmas Ornament

 

Merry Christmas!

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Christmas Cookies

Posted by on December 21, 2011 1 Comment

Gingerbread Cookie Galore on Christmas

It’s the time of the year when baking gingerbread cookies, drinking egg nog, non-stop shopping, watching Christmas movies with family & friends and a lot more doesn’t seem enough to hold you over until the big day.

 

I don’t know about you but this year I’m on an insane loop of baking and decorating cookies (and eating them too :-)). In my dreams I see myself as a baker of exotic, out of this world gingerbread cookies. Though it’s just a dream but still very fulfilling and it is so beautiful that I don’t want to make it a reality. Not sure if that makes sense but that is what it is.

Gingerbread Cookie (Credit: normanack's photostream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/29278394@N00/)

Here are some of my favorite blogs that fuel my dream.

1) What is more adorable than a bunch of gingerbread men, especially those cute ones that are missing few appendages :-)? Ashleigh of “Bee in our Bonnet” blog has a wonderful post about how to make some of these “ABC Gingerbread Men“. You must check them out if you dream to be a baker or even if you really want to bake some.

ABC Gingerbread Men by Bee in our bonnet

 

2) How about decorating some cookies like a real crafter, using a cookie making kit? Wow that sounds like something I can do. Ashleigh at “Bee in our Bonnet” is a pro in this and has created a kit for people like us. It’s incredible you have to try it. Now I can also claim that I made gingerbread house cookie by hand (may be with a little help.. shhhhh… don’t tell that to anybody).

Gingerbread House by Bee in our Bonnet (guest blog on Eighteen25Blog)

 

3) The Sugarbelle (Callye) at “The sweet adventure of Sugarbelle” blog is one of the top divas of cookie decoration. Her work is inspiring in so many ways, far and beyond cookies. Beware she is out for some serious Worldwide Cookie Domination and she just might!

Her “Rustic Poinsettia Cookies” are out of this world.

 

Keep baking, decorating, sharing and enjoying your gingerbread cookies!!!

 

Merry Christmas!

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Winter snow banner for kids room decor (DIY)

Posted by on December 20, 2011 Leave a Comment


Last minute Christmas Ornaments 

 (DIY) – Part-I

We all know “Christmas” is around the corner and just ready to knock on our doors. I have been fascinated like many other craft junkies with the desire to never stop making Christmas ornaments. So this time I have a DIY to design your own Christmas ornament and give new look to your decoration or your tree. This is going to be a short, sweet and quick project for the whole family including the kids.

 

I wish this DIY Christmas ornaments may festoon your Christmas tree with joy and love.

 

Now let’s start cranking!!

 

#1: First choose your Christmas ornament design.

I know choosing is hard and even harder is the question of where to find these designs/patterns? Well I think I can help a little bit to get you started there. One of the easiest and most creative way is to draw a design/pattern by hand. Of course that ain’t easy and if you are like me then you would rather prefer a pre-made design or pattern . Who doesn’t love easy, premade, free stuff? I do!

 

There are numerous such resources on the internet. Check out few of the awesome resources listed below –

 

#2: Choose a Holiday/Christmas pattern fabric

You can buy this from your local favorite craft store or from stores like Joann. Below is one such pattern-
Simplicity Pattern 2723-Christmas Decorations-One Size.

 

#3: You would need a Pellon Iron-on-backing (Single Sided Fusible Ultra Firm Stabilizer) and you get it from your local craft store or from Joann.

 

#4: You would also need Satin ribbon.

 

#5: Lastly you would need a Scissor or Precision Knife. If you already have one then we all are set to start creating our DIY project.

 

Here are some of the Christmas ornament designs.

Christmas Ornament Designs

 

In the following image you can see all of my 5 items – Christmas Ornament Designs, Holiday themed fabric, Iron on backing, Scissor and Satin ribbon.

List of items for Christmas Ornament Design DIY

 

Step1: Apply Iron-on backing on the back side of the Holiday themed fabric to strengthen it.

Apply Iron-on backing

 

Check procedure of using pellon iron on backing  from the picture given below.

Instructions for how to use Pellon Iron-on backing?

 

Step2: Trace your designs on the Pellon iron-on backing i.e. on the back side of Holiday themed fabric. See ‘1’ below.
Now cut the fabric along the trace line with your scissor or precision fabric knife as shown in ‘2’ below.

 

You’re done cutting the design. Your ornaments are almost ready and will look like as shown in the image below.

Christmas Ornaments

 

Step3: Now we just need to thread the Satin ribbon through needle, then poke lightly with the fabric knife somewhere near the top of the ornament to make a small cut. Pass the satin ribbon through the cut and repeat the same for all other christmas ornaments.

 

You can hang the Christmas Ornaments garland around the Christmas tree or above your front door or porch or on any wall in your home.

 

You can also stick single ornaments any where in your home or even hang them on the Christmas tree.

 

The same above steps can be repeated for any ornament design. You can create single ornaments or a garland (kind of banner bunting) of Christmas ornaments.

Christmas Ornaments Garland

 

For your kids room the ornaments can be made with baby Christmas fabric designs & patterns.

 

For this DIY imagination is the limit to what you can create, depending on what theme you want to choose. I have few more DIY projects to share  that are related to this idea only and will be back soon to do that.

Happy Crafting till next time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Filed Under: Accessory, Christmas, Craft, DIY, Holidays | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Gift Tags

Posted by on December 7, 2011 1 Comment

Thank You Gift Tags & Necklace

 

Hello dear friends I have a fun DIY to share. Holidays are all about celebrating life and thanking the people that matter in your life. There are different ways to express thanks, thank you notes, tags and thank you necklace is just one of them.

In this DIY (Do It Yourself) project I’m going to show how to create a beautiful flower tag with any message that your heart desire.

 

 

Step1) Material List for DIY thank you tag

  1. Artificial Leather or Vinyl.
  2. Satin ribbon
  3. Rotary cutter or Scissors
  4. Super Glue
  5. Compass
  6. Yarn Needle
  7. Fabric markers or Fabric paints
  8. Design print
  9. Pencil
  10. Pellon Iron on backing
  11. Fabric print & design of your choice
  12. Double zero Paint brush
  13. “Thank You” Block or Stamp

Step2) Take your designer fabric strip, make sure the size is 4″ x 18″ 

 

Step3) Cut fabric strip straight with the rotary cutter.

 

Step4) Take needle and yarn for the running stitch [for me this was a difficult step because I couldn’t decide which yarn to use, which is obvious since my yarn box is a mess, I’m sure your’s is not :-)]

 

Step5) Connect corners of the fabric strip together with running stitch to make circle . Fold the strip and run stitches for gathers.

 

Step6) Pull thread from both the corners to pull gather in the middle and now you can see the flower shape. Tighten the knot then cut the extra thread. 

 

Step7) Use Iron to press down the flower this will help to give flower a better shape .

 

Step8a) Now we will need a piece of sponge foam. Spread some fabric color of your choice smoothly on the foam. Tap on the color few times to smoothen the colored surface.

 

Step8b) Tap the “thank you” block/stamp on the sponge few times. Make sure your stamp is evenly dabbed in color.

Step9) Don’t forget to put your fabric or vinyl on hard surface before stamping

Step10) #1 Draw a circle around your “thank you” stamp, with the help of compass.

Step10) #2 Use super glue and stick the cut out in the centre of your flower.

 

 

 Step11) Tuck satin ribbon to the back side of the flower .


Step12) Show that you care and add personal touch to any gift with this “Thank You” tag. I used mine on a wine bottle as a gift.

 

I also used this flower gift tag with a necklace as shown below.

 

You can tuck the necklace to the flower tag with thread, needle and Jump ring.

A “thank you”  tag is a fun and loving way to show your love, support, encouragement or gratitude for anybody whom is important in your life. So don’t wait, go ahead and create some fun tags.

Did you like this DIY? If you did please put few words or leave a comment. Even if you didn’t like this project, that’s cool too, still leave some suggestions.

Happy Holidays!

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DIY – Clown Turkey

Posted by on November 15, 2011 Leave a Comment

In the spirit of the holidays and the movie “Muppets”  (to be released on Nov 23rd) and the characters in it who are just adorable, I have  created a fun “do it yourself” handicraft project which I hope can bring smiles. In this DIY project we will create a funny, clown Turkey banner to welcome thanksgiving and I can bet it would make you just as happy.

Let’s have some fun.

Step1: Here is the Material List for DIY Funny Clown Turkey

Image1: Material List for DIY Funny Clown Turkey

1. Artificial Leather or Vinyl
2. Satin ribbon
3. Rotary cutter or Scissors
4. Super Glue
5. Hand Puches
6. Fabric Markers or Permanent Acrylic Paint
7. Math Compass Math
8. Design print
9. Paint Brush
10. Precision Knife
11. Ultra ShapeXPress (Die cut any shape you want) (you can get it from Fiskars or Joann or at your favorite local retail/online store)

Step2: Now with the help of a math compass we are doing to draw a semi-circle of 4″ radius on the back side of the Vinyl. (I loved using the compass after a long-long time, I can’t even remember when I used it last). I used a yellow color leather fabric/vinyl.

Image2: Draw semi-circle using math compass

Step3: Cut a semi circle with the help of Ultra ShapeXpress. This is an amazing tool and can help Die cut any shape you want.

Image3: Cut a semi-circle using Ultra ShapeXpress

Step4: You can darken the outline of the circle with a marker and it would make it easy to cut the precise shape on the Vinyl.

Image4: Cut a semi-circle using Ultra ShapeXpress

Step5: This is the most interesting part of cutting the Vinyl. In this step we cut one more circle for the clown turkey’s face (I used 1.5″ diameter circle).

Image5: Cut a small circle which will be the Clown Turkey's face

Step6: Draw Turkey’s wings with a pencil and then mark the outline with a washable fabric marker.

Image6: Draw Clown Turkey's wings with washable marker

Step7: Cut the Vinyl with scissors along the outline of the Turkey wings. Once cut this is how it should look.

Image7: Cut the Clown Turkey wings

Step8: Turn over the Turkey’s face and put super glue on its back side as shown below and then glue it on top of the wings.

Image8: Cut out Clown Turkey's face and paste it on the wings

Step9: Fill Clown Turkey’s wings with your favorite color, using Fabric markers or Permanent Acrylic Paint.

Image9: Fill Clown Turkey wings with your favorite color

Step10: This is how I filled up the Clown Turkey wings. Do you like it so far?

Image10: Fill Clown Turkey wings with fun colors

Step11: Now we have to trace the most important part of the Turkey – the nose – a.k.a. Pygostyle.

Image11: Trace Turkey's nose a.k.a. Pope's nose

Step12: Now we have to glue the Turkey nose on the little circle (the turkey face) with super glue and paint it with suitable colors. Obviously I painted the clown Turkey nose with Red and  Green.

Image12: Painting the Turkey long nose.. it took a looooong time!

Step13: We are almost done with the clown Turkey flag and this is how it looks like.

Image13: Final Project

Step14: We need to make small cuts with a knife in two of the wings in Turkey flag to allow several Turkey flags to be hung together as a banner.

Image14: Make small cuts in the Turkey wing

Step15: Put matching ribbon throw the slits to hold the flags together in a banner

Image15: Put the satin ribbon through the small cuts in the Turkey wings

Make 4 to 6 Clown Turkey flags. You can fill each flag with different colors for the wings and nose.

Image16: The wonderful, funny, clown Turkey is in the town

Isn’t that one funny, clown Turkey banner?

I would love to hear from you about how did your Turkey banner turned out? You can share that with comments and links to your work.

I’m planning to travel a little bit around Thanksgiving, but I’ll be working all along.

So I’ll be posting more DIYs soon.

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DIY – Autumn Banner!

Posted by on November 7, 2011 Leave a Comment

Do it yourself – Classic Autumn Leaves & Flower Banner

Most of the Banners and Buntings I have created so far have been mostly for festivals, gifs, home decor and other occasions. This time around I’ve tried to create a unique, designer, floral banner that is made with high quality fabric and has rich autumn leave patterns. Each banner pennant itself is shaped like a flower. This banner is to celebrate, welcome and cherish the time of the year that I love the most i.e. Autumn. I enjoyed creating this banner a lot and hope you do to0!

Step1: So the first step as always is to make sure you have all the material you need for to create this banner. Prepare all the material so that you don’t have to worry about anything when you are in the middle of doing things –

Image1: Classic Autumn Leaves Floral Banner

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