Dollar Tree Wreath

Look at what I did with a Dollar tree wreath and a few scraps!! (note: i did not use "auto" while taking any of these pics...I am practicing!!)

Step One: Pick your fabric. I chose a pink and a polka dot. I also gathered hot glue, coordinating buttons, and...actually I think that's all.

Then I made some fabric flowers. If you need help with that, see my "Jeans and a Sweater" post. That will give you a step by step. They are no-sew, just hot glue.

Step Two: Tear strips of fabric, the fabric you want to wrap your wreath. I chose pink.

Step Three: Hot glue the fabric to a part of the wreath. Then weave it in and out randomly. If you need to lengthen the strip, hot glue it to the end of the previous strip.

Step Four: Then I made a bow out of the strips of fabric, and a hanger. I hot glued the fabric flowers, the hanger, and the bow. VOILA! Dress up your door for $1 + time + a couple of misfires with a hot glue gun while trying to wrestle fabric out of the mouth of a baby pitbull!

Crafts I lost in the fire...and a little miracle too!!

So, on December 14, 2010 I was teaching my C hour class.  I was drawing the diagram of a plant cell on the SMART board with them, and holding a green "SMART" marker in my hand.  In through the door walked the assistant principal Barbara, and Patty the best secretary ever.

I looked at them and knew something was wrong when they told me I had a phone call and I had to take it in the office.  Something really bad, because the last time one of my co-workers got a phone call like that it was telling  her that her husband had had a freak heart-attack and died...

Shaking, and apparently still clutching the marker, I went and took the phone call.  It was a woman, and she said, "HOLD ON."  I had no idea who the woman was.  Then my husband's shaky, tear-filled voice tells me that there is a fire in our new home.  We had only lived there for 6 weeks.

Panicked, with no idea where he is or where he is calling from, I tell him I love him, I am on my way, and I hang up.  I set down the marker on Patty's desk and went back to my room to get my things.  Visibly shaken in front of my amazing seventh grade students, I take my coat and tell the ladies what has happened...Barbara tries to talk me into letting her drive me, but I know I need to go alone.

It was an hour of my life...that drive felt like forever.  Thank goodness Eddie, my wonderful stepfather, is a fire chief in Niagara Falls on the air base.  He used to work with the guys in Sandwich, where I had been living, and was calling the chief and relaying info back to me.

"The fire is mostly contained to the 'illegal' bedroom you guys were living in"

"You will be ok, fire is out...be careful...I love you"

I finally pull down my street and see the fire trucks, people wandering around, insurance adjusters ready with their notebooks, and my landlord looking unsympathetic and accusing.

I can't find my husband.  He ends up several houses down, with the cat, thank GOD!

This wonderful woman Chris is there, taking care of him.

The firemen were amazing!!

The police, not so much.

Cause of fire: laptop on bed.  My husband finished emailing me something I needed out of our laptop and set it down on the bed.  While he was in the shower, he heard smoke alarms.  He thought he left toast in the toaster oven, but didn't.  Instead he was met with huge reflections of flames through our bedroom door.

He grabbed the cat and ran.  It took four or five houses to find help.

He emailed me at 845, and the firemen arrived at 920.

That's all it took.  NEVER leave your laptop on and unattended.  Check for recalls.

Now for the crafty part.  I lost all of my stuff, except some buttons.  Here are some projects I lost that had been in my room:

I had made this for my secret santa person, there is a different snowman on each face of the square.

This is my mussel shell tree, which was for my mom.

This was my funky tree collection, for various friends for  gifts.

And there were these cute button wreaths, that I was keeping a secret so I didn't photograph.

Here are my "miracles"

My tie skirt, protected between two pairs of jeans, was unharmed!

Inside out (unbleached muslin out) in a bag, a fireman threw this quilt into the kitchen.  It was originally in the closet, where everything was destroyed.  Why was he prompted to toss this?  No idea.  It honestly didn't look like anything.  Although shrink-wrapped from the heat, it doesn't even smell at this point.  This would have been IRREPLACEABLE!!

SO, the lesson here is...things can be replaced.  Through the generosity of my friends and my students, I have a home and new "stuff."  Nobody was hurt, and I experienced miracles during my time of pain.

photography

Me and my doggy, by my husband Tony.

One of my other favorite hobbies is taking photos, with my Nikon D3100. I love to take interesting, weird pics, as well as pics of my kids, friends' kids, and the doggy. Since I am taking two classes this week and teaching all day, plus teaching night school...blogging will have to take a back burner...so I thought I would simply share some photos from the week:

here is a low-light photo of scrabble tiles and sawdust that I took after drilling them and making a mess

closeup of Eva, looking at the TV...

closeup of Christian...with spaghetti face....

Here is a nice pic of my dog, courtesy of my husband


Well, that's all for now...thought I would just share my love of photos, they are the memories that capture those special, still moments!

Here are more, since I've started "Say no to Auto" ;)

Springtime Candle Holders

I've been featured at:


MY first feature!! Thank you so much!!

Also, since due to "union" rules....or should the "rules" be in quotes? I can't sell these at the Volleyball Tournament. So if you want one...hit me up on whoopdwhoop.com!

I am preparing for the Kathleen M. "Kitty" Bedrosian Scholarship Volleyball Tournament.  I DO NOT play volleyball.  The closest thing to a sport I have done in my lifetime was spring track, where I flung the shotput, and winter cheerleading.

So, my friend Linda had a great idea.  She sells Tastefully Simple, the other Linda sells "Cake Bombs,"  and I sell stuff.  So we  are going to have a mini sale, and give a percentage of our proceeds to the scholarship fund!!

So here is my first product: Cutesy Spring Candleholders

Step One: Paint a small, or whatever size you want, terracotta pot with the acrylic of your choice. It will take at least two coats.

Step Two:  I did THREE different techniques, so I will show you the stenciling technique first.

Choose a stencil, and a brush.  SET UP a palette with the colors of paint you will need.  This makes life easier.

You can tape the stencil in place, but I like to live on the edge...and I tend to rip paint off when I tape.  So I held it.

Paint stencil accordingly.  After design has dried, apply some Mod Podge to the inside and outside for a nice, shiny finish.

Here are my three finished stenciled ones.  They have a votive candle inside, too bad you can't see them--the colors coordinate nicely!!

Step Three, Part B: Fabric Decoupage--- Find fabric and cut the desired shapes out.

Then, paint the entire outside of the pot with Mod Podge.

Then stick the fabric cutouts to the pot while the Mod Podge is still tacky.  If you don't like the pattern, you can pull them off and start over.

 Then, paint Mod Podge OVER the fabric.  Make sure it soaks through.  I would let it dry and apply a second coat.

Step Three, Part C: Paper Decoupage--Pretty much the same as fabric.  I just have a few tips:

 For thin paper, cut out using an exacto or craft knife.

 Paint the outside, stick it on, then paint over it.

If you use thicker paper, use scissors to cut out the design.  The craft knife will cause raggedy looking edges.

 Then I peeled part of the cardboard off of the backing, to make the hearts thinner and less likely to pop off.

Then I forgot to take an individual pic of the heart one...can you tell it's not my favorite??
If you squint at the below pic, you can see it all the way to the right.  Watch, it will probably be the first one to sell...that's how it always goes!

Voila! Super cute candle holders, just in time for Easter and Mother's Day!
I entered them in a linky party at: