Family Tree Tutorial

It looks like it would be really complicated or that it would have taken me a week to do. But it really is simple. Try it out! Leave a link in my comments so I can check yours out!!!

Lay out a piece of fabric. I used two yards. Lay it right sides down. Then free hand a tree trunk. Don't roll your eyes it's easier than you think.

Here are the branches.

This is the page I drew what I wanted mine to look like so I had something to follow.

Next cut out two leaf shapes with cardboard.

I used nine different fabrics. I ended up using 3 or 4 large leaves and 5-6 small leaves of each fabric. I layed it out just to make sure I had cut enough.

Cut out your tree on the line that you drew. You will then use iron on adhesive. You can buy this for $1.99 a yard from Joanne's. Iron it on to the back of the tree. (You can do this befor you cut but you waste alot of it on the excess part, and I am a saver...)

Once you have irones on the adhesive to the back of the tree and all of the leaves head to your wall. Peel off the white backing and tape the tree trunk in place.

Turn your iron on to high heat, to make a really strong bond. Then lay a piece of freezer paper or some of the white layer you peeled off over the tree and wall and iron. If you don't you will leave iron scuffs on the wall. And trust me, they are a real pain to get off.

Add your leaves until it looks just how you like it.

I then added four little birdies to my trees. Just because I like them.

Now for the frames. Using galvanized steel from the heating and plumbing section at Lowe's and some tin snips, and round bead pliers you will create rolled frames and lots of cuts and blisters on your hands, depending how large your family is!!!

So to start out. For my parent's frames (the kids grandkids) I cut the frame 5 X 5 inches. You will need two of them. For my children I ended up doing them 3 X 5 inches. My husbands and My heart was 4 X 6. The uncles and aunts are 3 X 4 inches. And the cousins are 2 X 3 inches.

I then drew an x across the metal.

Punch a hole in the metal with either a craft punch, metal punch, or pole a hole using a hammer and a nail.

Using tin snips cut on the x.

Using your round bead pliers slowly roll up each triangle.

Roll it all the way until you have reached the ends of the x.

Here is a different view to show you the roll.

Do this to all four sides. (Yeah your fingers will hurt, and the edges are really sharp so be careful.)

Are you totally confused? Watch this video.

Now take the frames and if you have metal stamping tools, hand stamp the relation or name of the person in the photo onto the corner.

You can either do the relation of the person or the name. I did a little of both...

Take them to you tree and hang them up. They are really light so no need to worry about them falling off. They are just the right size so you can add all of your family to the tree. And the shine draws your attention right to them.

Hang up the pictures using velcro dots. That way you can exchange out the pictures easily and if your children want to pull the photo's off the wall to look at they can. (As for me, my children don't know they can, I don't want to rearrange my tree everytime I turn around, cause I'm anal about who goes where...there in families people!!!)

And there you have it. Your family tree!

If you ever decide to remove it. Do not just peel it off. Heat it slightly with the iron and then peel. Remove any extra adhesive with cleaner.

So You Think You're Crafty Jewelry

Were you able to guess which one was mine??? I hope you love it as much as I do. My husband's response was...Who where's flowers on their arm? He didn't need to say more! I turned it in anyways, because I thought it was fabulous! So I am glad a few of you LOVED it too and barely voted me through to the final week with Kalleen! By the way...I'm afraid she is going to royally kick my behind! Her crafts are AMAZING!!! I am honored to be in the top 2 and LOVE the project I am working on for it!!! This next week it's auditions...and then the next week will be the finals... I'll let you know when to head over there and VOTE for the best craft!!! Thanks again!!!

Upcycled. Recycled. Multi-Functional. Big. Bold. Beautiful. That's what it's all about. With Jewelry these days anything goes. I took an old belt and some fabric scraps and created a stunning bracelet.

The best part is that the flowers are detachable. You can exchange them in and out with many many others that I will show you how to create in the winning tutorial.

It doesn't stop there. Take the flower off of the bracelet and add it to your favorite ball chain to create an elegant necklace. Or take that flower and add it to a hair elastic to create pony tail jewelry. Or take the flower and add it to your favorite headband for a gorgeous hair jewelry piece.

It's amazing what you can create with items you have around the house. And with my interchangeable bracelet creation and scrap flower the possibilities are endless. At least 4 jewelry pieces in one!

Baby Night Night Boutique Giveaway

A fabulous friend of mine is hosting a giveaway from her shop.

She has wonderful items for children. Head on over there and check it out!!!

Baby Night Night Boutique

It ends April 1st!

A Little tour...

of our playhouse. So you can see all the features...hey, I'm proud of it! What can I say?

Felt Playhouse

All I have to say is OH MY GOODNESS. This is the largest project I have ever undertaken. It is also the most rewarding. However, my back, mainly my shoulders are so sore from maneuvering that fabric around the sewing machine, and my house is a disaster. But the kids are having sooo much fun with it already and the garden inserts, the mail, and the laundry isn't even done! So stay tuned for those in the near future. But here is the main part.

I don't even know how much felt I used. Lots. But I also have LOTS left over. I would say 7 yards of the main color, 2 for the roof, and then 1 brown, 1 green, and 1/4 yard of the rest would do. But that is just a guess!!! So to start out I cut one piece for the roof. I cut it 2 inches larger than both sides. Then I cut 2 pieces for the long sides of the house. I cut it 1 inch taller and 2 inches wider. Then I cut 2 pieces for the short sides of the house. I cut it 1 inch taller and 2 inches wider. I then sewed one of the long sides to the top. DO NOT do this. It was so hard to maneuver. I don't know why I did it so early. But trust me don't. Leave them in pieces until all the sewing is done.

So in the front I wanted 2 windows. I cut out the holes where I wanted them, cut out white trim, and then I used clear vinyl for the bottom window, and I used 2 layers of iron on vinyl ironed together for the top window. I did this because I could just imagine my younger son trying to see out the top and pulling down on the window to try to boost himself up...and i couldn't bare the thought of the destruction, so the iron on vinyl let's light in, but you can't really see through it. So after I cut the window holes out I sewed on the white felt just around the outside.

I then added a planter box. I cut a rectangle and then sewed the corners together and attached it to the main felt piece. I then sewed four lines down it, so when the flowers are put in the don't just flop forward.

Here is a detailed look at the corners.

Back to the actual window now. So after sewing the white felt trim on around the outside, I slipped in the vinyl in between the layers. And then I sewed around the inside of the windows.

Then I cut out my door shape and pinned it on.

I decided I wanted the door design on my door so I pinned where I was going to sew.

Then I sewed on the lines. If you want a welcome font to the front door add it now, I waited until the end and it was hard to sew it on. And for the doorknob. I cut out a circle, I traced a bowl.

Then I basted around the edge.

And then gathered it up.

And stuffed it.

And hand sewed it to the door. PS. i HATE hand sewing. Like despise. IT.

And it was oh so perfect.

I then cut up the sides of the doors. I did this on both sides up until my door started to curve. This was if the boys need more light inside it can be flipped all the way up on to the roof.

Now for the first side. I pinned green felt to the side and free handed a tree.

Here is what it looks like so far.

I then cut out the tree and pinned it on. Then I pinned on the brown for the trunk and did the same thing.

I then got a crazy idea. And I am glad I did. It's my favorite part. You will need two empty spools the same size, and one ribbon that fits on the spools.

In the trunk of the tree I cut an oval. I lined the inside with a larger black oval.

I then cut out a birdhouse. In the inside cut a half a circle and add it to each circle.

Then take another half a circle and layer it the other way, overlapping the first piece.

Then make a post for the mailbox.

Then I cut a slit through the main side piece, where the mail will go through.

Cover it with a mailbox shape, and cut a slit through that as well. Have the little guy test it out with his littlest pet shop hamster. Works great!

Then I cut a small rectangle and folded down a third and pinned it. Then I sewed across the very edge I pinned.

I then attached it to the mailbox front.

If you want lettering on your mailbox, now would be the time, I waited and it was really hard. I then cut a green rectangle for the newspaper. Sew it on leaving it a little looped out so the paper can slide in and out easily.

Back to the handle. This is how I sewed it on.

If you fold it down you can see the line we sewed earlier. So the single layer part is sewn to the lid, the double layer is the part that sticks out to pull the mailbox open.

This is a close up of the tree house. You can slip birds in and out of the little pockets.

I then created four cut outs, the pattern will be posted tomorrow, And then put them on iron on vinyl, so the backs would slide easily against the felt tree trunk.

See here you have it.

The boys think it's so silly someone carved their initials into the tree. Little do they know, or have they stopped long enough to realize it's their mom and dad's. You are going to now sew them onto the ribbon. So the first one about 15 inches down from the end of the ribbon. Have it sewn to the right like this. Then sew the next one the same way about 6 inches below. You then need to lay the ribbon flat down about 36 inches. Take the ribbon at that point and bring it up next to this part of the ribbon, making sure it is not twisted anywhere. In between these two that are already sewn on sew on your third item but coming off toward the left. Then sew the last one 6 inches above that.

On the bottom of the tree trunk you will take one of your empty spools and hot glue it to the main fabric piece. Then hot glue it to the trunk of the tree. Do this so it is in the middle of the trunk and lines up with the oval hole you cut in it.

Then fold down the top of the tree and hot glue on the second spool. It needs to be directly above the other one at the bottom.

Then you will take this ribbon piece and loop it around the two spools. Do this by looping it at the bottom, laying the sewed on pieces facing front, below the hole, and then bring the extra ribbon up over the top spool. Cut the ribbon and then hot glue it together.

Without bunching up the main piece of felt you want the ribbon to be tight. So it will work properly. So fold and hot glue it until it is snug.

Then hot glue the top spool to the tree piece. You can know sew around all the pieces. Add velcro to the tree and add your apples and leaves.

There you have it. The side. The apples and leaves come off. (see patterns to the left under felt playhouse...) The leaves are crinkly. You can stick mail through the slot (tutorial coming soon), and newspaper in the holder (tutorial coming soon) You can take birds in and out of the tree house (pattern coming tomorrow), and you can use the pully in the tree cut out to make 4 different animals or items appear in the hole!

Here is the finished front and side.

Now for the laundry basket. Cut out a shape like this.

Fold the cut out square edges together and sew.

Turn it inside out, fold down the top 1 inch and sew across it.

Cut out brown poles and loop string around them. Place the basket in front of it. Sew along the edges of the basket. Cut out a dog house shape, add a name, add an upside down u for a door and cut along the door so it makes a flap to the inside.

Now for the back. Of course after staying at a friends for Thanksgiving, where the boys got to collect chicken eggs everymorning, we had to have our own chicken coop. (pattern coming tomorrow) I made a ladder so to say with brown. Then sewed on the chickens, and put them in nests. As for the brown on the side. Ignore it. It comes down in a second.

Here is a close up of my chickens.

Take layers of brown and sew them along the bottom edge of a white piece of felt that is 2 inches wider on each side and 2 inches higher on the top and 8 inches longer on the bottom. Then sew lines going up them, where vegetables (tutorial coming soon) can slide into the pockets. Vary them from one layer to the next. Then fold over the sides one inch and the top down one inch and sew it to look like it's a garden box. Add lettering to the bottom, fold up the flap and sew it across. I left the top open so the boys can add the vegetable markers (tutorial coming soon).

Oh, and it's okay...your kitchen might start looking a little like this...

Sew the garden box onto the opposite side of the chicken coop. In between them pin up white felt and draw the shape of a cow from behind.

I then decorated it. The main important parts are a tail they can swish and braid, and then the stuffed udder that they can milk of course.

Back to the front door. I lined the edges of the blue with 2 inches of more blue felt.

On the inch that sticks out I sewed the hard side of velcro. The felt then sticks right to it to close the door easily, and without much cordination on my sons parts. to sew it together. I turned all the pieces inside out and pinned them together.

Then Sew, good luck with the maneuvering. Hopefully you won't be a sore as me...and turn right sides. Enjoy!!! Ours isn't finished yet, (the insert tutorials coming soon) and the boys are already loving it!!!

If you make a felt playhouse please leave me a link in the comments, I would LOVE to see it. And Thanks Jill, for the inspiration for my felt playhouse!!! She has no idea who I am, but I saw hers, loved it, and knwe my boys needed one of their own, and my nieces ended up with one for Christmas as well. You can see the tutorials for their play house and the flowers, the frame, ect. to the left.