This clip is named after my sister because this was her most favorite clip I made her before she left. In fact she wore it to her farewell. And it's quickly become my favorite too. It's bold and it's large. It makes a big statement. And that's what I love.
First you will need to make yourself a Lace And Zipper Flower. Just don't add the hair clip to the back. And then come back here for the rest.
Then you are going to need some stain ribbon. Using hot glue start to twist the ribbon and roll it in a circle.
Go around and around until you have a circle that is 2.5 inches wide.
Then glue on a circle piece of felt underneath.
Or you can start with the circle piece of felt.
Take the end of the satin ribbon and pinch it.
Then glue it to the center of the felt circle.
Then twist the ribbon.
Start gluing it down. And make a snail by going around and around and around.
As Nemo says, "Just keep going...just keep going."
Until you have finished.
Ansd then slighlty tuck the end of the ribbon underneath and glue it to the felt with hot glue.
Then you need to do the same thing only with lace this time. Use lace trim that isn't gathered on one side.
You want this one to be the same size about 2.5 inches.
And then flip it over and glue the edge of the lace down.
Then hot glue a pearl into the center of the lace flower.
Then pile them up ontop of each other, slightly overlapping each flower.
Once you get it just how you like hot glue them in place. The back will look like this.
Then hot glue a hair clip onto the back.
And you have yourself a statement piece. The Valerie Clip.
Isn't it just stunning?
Clip it in your hair! And no one is going to miss it. Trust me. It looks so cute in a messy curly updo. My plain jane pony tail doesn't do it any justice!
It really doesn't. The colors are so much fun!
If your bold and brave you can even where it on a headband.
Sometimes it's fun to get a little wild and wear something you don't normally. I didn't think I would like it up front on a head band. But I do! It's beautiful! Let me know if you give it a try!!! And I certainly hope you aren't tired of all of these hair goodies lately!
I hope you aren't tired of hair accessories yet! This one is another super easy one. Grab yourself some iron on art. Yes, I've used them before. And one elastic hair band.
Start sewing your iron on piece onto your headband. Sew right through the elastic.
Do it underneath each of the main pieces on the iron on.
And there you have it.
If you flip to the back you can see where I stitched. Look closely by both of my fingers.
I ended up doing three spots on this particular iron on.
It looks like you've spent hours on the details. But you haven't! Just don't let anyone in on the secret!
Slip it in your hair!
And admire all the details of the flowers.
And this picture is terrible. Yeah it is. But I just wanted to give you an above the head shot.
I also did this with another iron on. I like the color of this one with my hair more than the black. It seemed to get lost in my dark locks. And this photo is proof of how I finally cleared up my acne on my chin. No makeup for four days. I mean it. NONE. It better not come back after I put some on again today!
It just gives that blah hair do that extra something without going over the top.
And please, notice the chin. Minus the acne scars. Clear as can be. But I can't stop wearing makeup forever. I don't know what's scarier. Me with no makeup or a chin full of zits.
And if you have an extra large noggin like me, and elastic headband don't stay in place they slip back and back until they are hanging around your pony tail, come back soon and I'll show you how to fix them so they fit!
Ahhh! I am so sorry to drop in with a little nonsense... But I just realized that my gmail account had randomly stopped forwarding in January to my hotmail account that I check daily... okay multiple times a day. So for all those of you sending me emails and I rudely didn't respond. Please forgive me. I am so sorry. I am so glad my mother in law pointed this out to me. I will be catching up on those emails this week and will get right back with you! Thanks again, you all are the greatest! Really I mean it...
And... how many of you are in the Salt Lake area and would like to get together for a craft night? Or maybe a play date with our kids at a park to meet up and get to know each other?
Please let me know in the comments below and we will get something rolling! Now that it's finally, dare I say, getting warm!
Just a warning. This is not your Grandma's hair clip! But actually, I'm loving all the vintage rage still going on and the loveliness of lace and doilies still floating around. When my sister found this color of lace she had to snatch it up and I am so glad she did! It's fabulous. A musty blue. Not too old but definitely not new. If you want to pick yourself up some head on over to your craft store. Don't look by the lace. Head on over to the trims. Meaning the bias tapes. It comes in a package and it's lace that is made to be used as trim, like on a blanket or such.
Take your lace and fold it in half width wise. Sew a baste stitch down the folded edge and gather it up nice and tight. Tie off the ends so it won't un-gather.
Then grab a piece of felt. Cut it in a circle about 3 inches around or a little less. Start from the center and hot glue the lace around and around until it's done.
From the back view it looks like this:
Now hot glue on a clip. I like to put a rectangle piece of felt in between it and then hot glue it down. It helps the clip from just slipping out.
Grab an antique button and hot glue it down into the center of the lace.
And there you have it! No need to purchase one for $25.00! You can make it for less than $5.00!
I'm sad I'll be giving this one away! I think I'm going to have to go snag up another lace trim set in this color for me!
And do you know why else I love these?
You can clip them to your dull shirt or jacket for that extra umph! Let me know if you give it a try!
Do you know what I think? Being a mom sucks. Being alive in general sucks. It's the hardest thing I've ever done. Today has been rough. Okay who am I kidding this last two years have been rough. I'm ready to crawl into a hole with a fork and poke my eyeballs out and cover my head until I disappear into the floor. Too graphic? It's the truth.
That's my struggle. And now you know it. Take it or leave it. It's no longer a secret. Please don't judge me by it. And no, don't worry. I'm not suicidal. And yes, I am aware of this struggle and I try so hard each day.
I don't have the patience to deal with a child with special needs. I don't. I try. But I don't. I barely have the patience to deal with three boys that behave perfectly. By the end of the night my head is pounding from all the noise, my blood is boiling from all the tension, and I look at my sons and just want to shake them. It's the truth. But I don't. I wouldn't ever. Instead I try to love them. I try to get my oldest to talk, but he doesn't. He never does. He's in his own world in there. I wish I knew what he was thinking. It would be alot easier. I wish I could read his thoughts. I wish he could vocalize his feelings. I am tired of not having a clue what is going on in school. I am tired of no homework being brought home when it's assigned. It gets exhausting. I need to realize that it doesn't matter. It's about him and his pace. It's about getting through. He's trying his hardest. I think. I really think he is. But that's frustrating enough in itself. Because it doesn't seem to be enough. And it's hard, because he isn't this boy. He was never like this before. And then one day he is.
And then I get overwhelmed because he's only in second grade. And I've got a dozen more years to go. And that doesn't even count with the other two kids. And then I start thinking that I really do want to have another baby. But at the same time. I really don't. At. All. And then I feel completely inadequate. And I begin to shut down. And that is where I sit tonight. Defeated. Defeated by life. Defeated by being a mother. And feeling like a failure.
I think being a mother is the most unrespected, underestimated, underappreciated job that exists. And I have it in me to be successful. To be something. To accomplish something. And I feel I'm nothing. But I really do deep down in side know that isn't true. That what I'm doing really is the greatest job and I really will be the most appreciated. That for all the screaming, whinning, no homework being brought home, dramatic event from a little scratch, being called an a-hole, mounds and mounds of dirty laundry, pee on the toilet seats, there is also little benefits. The smile. The reading at night. The snuggle from my baby and his sweet "I lub you more momma". The secret smile from my oldest. The moments when they are getting along. When they admit they like dinner. Or thank me for washing their socks.
And it's those. Those things that get me through the hard days, the hard weeks, the hard months, and the hard years. (Oh and being medicated, who am I kidding) Because it is worth it. It is. And I really do know that. It's like my internal struggle. Yes you are, no you aren't yes you are... It goes on every day, every hour, every minute, every second... and it doesn't ever stop.
I've been given many preisthood blessings in my life, one very important one in particular where I was told...that I MUST focus on my children. That I MUST spend QUALITY time with them and show them that I love them. This is my struggle and my temptation here in life. I know I've been given these belssing because I need them. Because I need to be reminded of the joy my kids truly bring me. That once I set the worldly things, and once I set the negative things behind. There is nothing but peace, and joy. Nothing but the true love of Christ shinning through them. Because that too has been told to me in my blessings. And the older my boys get the less of that I see so I need to keep reminding myself of that. And of those things. And I need to act upon those things. But it's hard. And I struggle.
Someone sent me this a while back and it sums up my feelings exactly.
“How do you think of your children? On any given day, would you say your children are a blessing or a burden? Here is a challenge to you... How are you?... How is the baby?... How are your kids?... We all hear these questions every day. Do you know a mom who always answers something like this: “Well, I haven’t killed my 2-year-old yet, so I guess that’s good.” Or, “I’m just exhausted,” or, “Things are absolutely crazy – I am so stressed out!” Maybe that frazzles, haggard, bewildered mommy is someone you know. Maybe it’s you. I know I’ve been there. Here is my question to you... are we bearing our blessings as burdens? Those babies that we dreamt of and prayed for, that we had so much fun choosing names for, that we counted the days to meet... are they burdens to us now? Those homes that we were ecstatic to move into... are they burdens now? That husband that we couldn’t live without, that we picked out the wedding dress for, that we cried and ached and waited by the phone for... is he a burden now? That job you needed, you wanted and prayer for, that provides food and clothing for your family... is it a burden now? Sometimes it seems to me like its a mantle we as moms must carry. We must be tired, we must be stressed out; we must be harried and frazzled, we must be lucky just to make it through the day. Are we bearing our blessings as burdens? Are we tired? Absolutely. As moms, we know about the 2 a.m. feedings, the nightmares, the wet beds, the midnight curfews. Do things get a little stressful between PTA meetings, dance class, the T-ball games, and dinner on the table at 6? Sure they do. Are husbands always a joy when they get home from work? No way. Is scrubbing the potty, doing the laundry, and cleaning the high chair tray the greatest thrill we’ve ever known? Of course not. So how do we look past the burdens and see the blessings of our families and our homes? Do you know any women who would give anything to have a baby to nurse at 2 a.m.?Anyone who would love to have those clothes we are sick of washing, or that house we just can’t keep clean? Do you know any women whose husbands aren’t coming home? I challenge you to joy, to smile, to persevere. I challenge you to bear your burdens as blessings and watch as they multiply. And the next time someone asks you how you are, throw off that identity of stressed out, frazzled mommy, find your smile and answer, “I am blessed!”
I feel that frazzeled mom that hasn't got ready in days is me. And I know I look at my life and my kids not as a burden but as a struggle. But my struggle isn't going to define me. It isn't going to break me. Because I am strong. And I can do it. I want to ask any of you mom's out there who are on the verge of pulling their hair out to drop your hands, release your fists and relax. And to remember our lives are the most sought after life in this World. If Satan could get a hold of us and just break down one mother, he affects generations. He doesn't care if he tears down a business woman and causes a company to fail, he doesn't care if he causes injury to a construction worker and causes the project to fold. He cares about destroying a mother and causing her family to crumble, her home to become chaotic. That is what he wants. We need to remember that our life is the most valuable in the sight of our God. And if that's true than he knows we can do it. He wouldn't entrust us with such a great duty if he knew we would fail and couldn't do it. He wouldn't give us a calling to make us miserable. He wouldn't. So let's remember how great we are, and how great we can be! And let's remember that the children we are taking care of are even greater than that.
Can you do it...With me? It's all about the little every day steps forward... and as I mentioned I struggle... but I haven't given up. I keep trying. And that's all we need to do... is try.
Grab an old t-shirt and cut off the hem. You want it to be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide.
Turn your tension the highest it goes.
And your stitch length the longest it goes.
Then take your hem and sew along the raw edge.
As you sew your fabric should gather.
Sew until you have completely gone around the hem line.
Start wrapping it around in a circle.
As you wrap it gather the hem line even more by pulling the ends of the thread. Make sure the raw edge of the hem all comes up through the center of the circle. This creates the center of the flower.
The raw edges give the center a little extra fluff.
From the backside you will have a bunch of chaos. It's okay.
Here's another way to do it. This one is using the sleeve hem line so there isn't as much fabric. Slowly gather the center in like you did above.
Just slowly keep pulling the stitching.
Until you can't pull it and the center is altogether in the middle. Tie your strings together and then cut them off. This is what will hold the flower together so tie them securely.
Here is the knot that I tied. It will be hidden underneath the center fluff.
And you have another t-shirt hem flower.
Now you will choose which back you would like for your flower. If you use velcro on your headbands then sew a piece of velcro on to a circle of felt that fits the back of the flower.
And then hot glue it on to the back of the flower.
And you're done!
Or if you prefer a clip. Hot glue a clip on the back with a felt circle.
And you're done!
You've got another t-shirt hem flower for your hair!
You won't ever throw another shirt away without snipping the hem line and the sleeve hems off!
They are just gorgeous. Simple. Fun. and Easy.
Pretty soon you'll have a garden of them!
My favorite one by far is I made with a striped t-shirt that had a raw double edge on the bottom.
It made for an extra full flower, with extra added detail with the stripes.
And the sides. They are to die for. All rippled. And stuff.
Perfect for a little girls last minute birthday present!
Clip it by your pony tail...cause you all know that's pretty much the only style I ever sport since being a mom... my poor husband... maybe once he's back living with me I'll feel more motivated to get ready...
It just adds the pop to your dull style.
Or clip it to your headband for some upfront action!
Either way, you'll love the simplicity and the texture of this beauty!!!
