Friday Project: DIY Paint-Chip Easter Banner

Here is a quick tutorial on a simple banner I made for Easter.  And the best news, it cost roughly $0 to make!

Supplies:
Assorted paint chips
Stencil
Black Marker
Hole Punch
Ribbon

Step 1: Make a pattern for the flags on your banner.  I used graph paper and a rounded top to do this.  Then trace the pattern onto the paint chips and cut out. If you do "He is risen" with flags in between each letter like I did, you will need 13 flags.

Step 2: Using a stencil of your choice, trace and color in the letters onto the flags.  I used a stencil from Martha Steward and traced the letters with black marker (I tried it first with acrylic paint, but the letters turned out blurry due to the texture of the paint chips.
Step 3: Hole punch two holes at the top of each flag.

Step 4: String the banner together with ribbon.
Step 5: Apply tape to the back of each flag to keep it in place.

Step 6: Display! Don't worry, this is just up temporarily.  I know we still have to get through holy week!

In Christ, 

Nancy

Easter Cross Stitch

Pretty much anyone that stumbled into our house could tell instantly that we are Catholic.  From the icons of Mary, to the crucifixes, to the other icons of Mary...it is pretty obvious.  Although that is where our lives and hearts are centered, we do enjoy the less-religious parts of holidays.  You know, Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny.

I have a large collection of bunnies, thanks to my Grandma.  Most of these are ceramic, and each one as lots of character.  My grandma gave them to me one by one for every one of my birthdays and Christmases as a kid.  I used to have these bunnies displayed year-round, but now they just get out around Easter.  And, this year I decided to stitch up a few more bunnies to expand my collection.

Cross stitch is a very simple pass-time and mostly just demands time.  I found the pattern for the bunny for free from Martha Stewart here.  I had originally planned on stitching just the brown bunny, but since I stitched it too close to the edge (classic Nancy), I decided to add two colorful bunny friends.  And, I think it turned so sort of cute!

 Here are a few of the bunnies that made the cut to be displayed this year.  Some of my favorites, which are heavily on the "unique" side, were vetoed by my husband, and sent back down the basement.

Thanks for stopping by!  I have many more ideas for Easter that I will be posting soon!

Nancy

DIY Resurrection Applique Hoop

I gave up Pinterest for Lent...but every Sunday evening I allow myself to peek at it.  (I have a serious addiction).  This Sunday I stumbled upon this adorable little project at Sew Mama Sew.

I am really into felt right now, and the projects just screams Spring to me...but what is Spring without Easter?  So, I took this idea and made it symbolize the mystery of the Resurrection: From Death to New Life.  The project was very easy to complete, and I love that it turned out so colorful.

Supplies needed:
-scrap felt
-scrap piece of fabric for the background.
-Embroidery Hoop (your choose in size, and look for these second-hand!)
-Thread of various colors
-Needle
-Fabric Glue

Step 1: Stretch your background material in the embrodiery hoop
Step 2: Cut out a cross shape that nearly reaches from top to bottom on your embroidery hoop.  Pin the cross shape to the the fabric and stitch it on with a simple running stitch.

 Step 3: Pull out your stash of colorful felt.  Cut circles in two general sizes.  I like the look of free-hand circles, but feel free to use a coin or other circular object as a guide if you'd like yours to be more uniform.

Step 4: Start stitching on those circles, grouped largely at the bottom, with a few above for flowers with stem.  Once again, use a running stitch.  Also, I thread that often didn't match the felt.  Do what you think looks best.

Step 5: Add the smaller circles inside the larger circles, this time stitching with a whip stitch.
Step 6: Add the stems to the flowers up above with green thread and a back stitch.
Step 7: Cut out leaf shapes from green felt.  Stitch these on with a back stitch.  I used 4 back stitches at the base of each leaf, leaving the top unstitched.

Step 8: Remove the fabric from the hoop and iron on inner-facing.  I added this step to make sure my stitches were held in place and to give the thin background fabric and little more thickness.

Step 9: Trim the excess fabric and glue with fabric glue.

 

And done!  This really does not take much time.

I know I may be getting ahead of myself, since it isn't even holy week yet, but I wanted to have my Easter decorations done so that after the Easter vigil we can come hope and start celebrating!

I hope you are all having a blessed Lent.  Please come back often.  I have lots of Easter and holy week projects I have been working on, and many are ready to be posted soon!

In Christ,

Nancy

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Small Things: Photo Contest

The photo contest theme on Paper Mama this week is "Green", and although it is getting warm here, our grass is still mostly brown.  I've been taking lots of pictures outside...but not much green.  So, green, hum...  I had decided not to enter this week and was sorting through pictures I took a few weeks ago when I fond this picture.  It was taken while visiting the farm a few weeks ago.  My dad is in full-swing with calving, and this little calf was both cute and friendly.  The little calves amaze me every year--less than a week old and already running, jumping and playing.  My little boy is 10 months, and he still isn't crawling!

That's my dad's handwriting on the tag.  The calf's mother's name is Jazz.  Funny how the tag looks so big in the little guys ear.  In a few years it will look much smaller.

Check out the rest of the photo contest.

Nancy

Words From St. Jeanne Jugan

Source

St. Jeanne Jugan lived in France from 1792-1879.  In her simple way she founded an order that would be be known as The Little Sisters of the Poor.  They begged for everything they had, and had a special ministry to reach out to poor elderly women.  As a young woman she often took in old women who were destitute, even allowed them to sleep in her bed.  She was canonized by Pope Benedict in 2009 and her life is an amazing example for all.  But, I was especially touched by a quote I read from her.

St. Jeanne was well loved by the novices in her order, and very often she would give them pieces of wisdom.  She once said, "When your patience and strength run out and you feel alone and helpless, Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel.  Say to him, 'Jesus, you know exactly what is going on.  You are all I have, and you know all things.  Come to my help.' And then go, and don't worry about how you are going to manage.  That you have told God is enough.  He has a good memory."

First of all, doesn't she seem like a fun person?!?  Also, it is a simple and beautiful reminder of how simple our relationship with the Lord is.  Just get to the chapel, tell him about it, and relax.  It also is a calling to adoration!  I need to make a better effort to get there and I pledge to you all that I will find a way to get there this week.

I hope you find wisdom in the words of St. Jeanne, and that you will join me in adoration this week!

Nancy

Source

Friday Project: DIY Peanut Butter and Nutella

As I mentioned yesterday, we recently celebrated my husband's birthday.  I love my husband very much, and as we get further and further into this marriage, I feel like I am getting to know him pretty well.  And something I know for certain: he is a huge foodie, and he loves peanut butter, jelly, jam, nutella....pretty much anything that can be spread on toast.

So, for his birthday this year I whipped up some delicious homemade peanut butter and nutella.  Although it looked like my kitchen had been hit by a bomb after I was done, the process was relatively easy and fun.

I am not including a tutorial because I simply used other's recipes I found online.

The peanut butter I made was no ordinary peanut butter; I made "Hell's Kitchen" peanut butter, mimicked after the peanut butter they sell at Hell's Kitchen, the restaurant.  This peanut butter is chunky and sweetened with honey and brown sugar!  Yum!

 

I also made Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (commonly known as Nutella).  This also turned out delicious, but if you make this, don't be disappointed.  It is not exactly like the real nutella.  It is not as creamy, but both my husband and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

These gifts are part of my continuing effort to give gifts that are thoughtful and simple.  And this is something I am striving for in my life everyday: to be thoughtful and simple.

God Bless,
Nancy

St Joseph, better late than never!

My husband and son snuggling last night.  

I know that St. Joseph's feast day has come and gone, but I have spent the morning reflecting on this saint, and how, as a wife, he is especially important.

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, so of course this prompted me to reflect on how lucky I am.  As I was writing out his card I really reflected on how he protects us and sacrifices so much for us.  I fell in love with my husband a couple years ago, but even then I could not have foreseen the man of God he would grow into.

Then today in mass we happened to sit on the right side of the church, and there was St. Joseph.  St. Joseph, who models for us obedience to the Lord's will, devotion to one's spouse despite their imperfections (I am a sinner, and Mary was already pregnant) and unquestioning belief in Christ.

I find it so amazing that St. Joseph, who, tradition tells us, died before Christ began his public ministry, believed that this child was truly the son of God.  His devotion to Mary and Jesus testifies to this belief.  Faith can be difficult even when we have the whole story: the miracles, the sacrifice, the resurrection, but St. Joseph knew only this small child before him, and yet he believed.

In mass this morning I was also reminded of a comment St. Therese made in her autobiography, that St. Joseph is the defender of virgins, just as he had defended and protected the Virgin Mary.

Contemplating St. Joseph led me back to thinking about my husband.  How he protects our family and cherishes his son, how he defends my virtue and how he puts his faith and obedience in the Lord's hands.

Hopefully I can keep these thoughts in  mind and strive to become a better wife.

DIY Birthday-girl banner

Happy Birthday Therese!  We all miss you very much!

Here is a simple DIY project for a little girl's birthday.  It is cute, and wallet-friendly!

Supplies:
Felt (large pieces and scraps)
Buttons
Needle and embroidery thread
Thick ribbon

Step 1: Cut out triangle pieces, one for each letter of the birthday-girl's name.  Make sure to leave extra room on the top for later sewing together.  The tops will be trimmed later.

Step 2: Using a whip stitch, sew on the letters of the birthday-girl's name.  I free-handed my letters because I didn't mind it looking hand-made, but you can also print our letters in a desired font and use that as a pattern when cutting out the letters.  I also added simple button flowers.  (my birthday girl is named after St. Therese, the little flower).  For this I simply folded a piece of green felt in half, cut out a leaf shape with the bottom on the fold.  Then I sewed the button onto the fold so it looks like bloom in the middle of two leaves.

Step 3: When all the letters are completed, pin the letters to a ribbon so that just the triangle part is showing.

Step 4: Using the sewing machine, sew a straight line across the top of the banner.  When done trim the excess felt on the back top of the triangles.

Step 5: Hang the banner and celebrate a wonderful little girl!

Thanks for stopping by!
In Christ,
Nancy

Small Things

God has created some amazing things.

I entered this photo in a photo challenge at Papermama.com.  Check it out!

Friday Project: Braided T-Shirt Rag Rug

Among other things, I decided to give up buying craft supplies this lent.  I also gave up thrift shopping (it has been hard!).  Although I have not been perfect in my resolutions, I have been pleased to see the true creativity inside of me when forced to use stuff just lying around the house for my projects.  That is why I wasn't unhappy when one of my husband's former roommates brought over a couple of tubs filled with my husband's old clothes, most of which were t-shirts.  After my husband decided he didn't want any of it, I moved the tubs directly down to my craft room and got started on this project.

As a child I remember my grandmother's house filled with beautiful braided rugs.  I like this style of rug because of how the colors weave in and out of each other.  Since I was making my rug out of t-shirts, mine wasn't going to be as "vintage" feeling as hers, but that is fine since mine is destined for a child's playroom.  

Making a braided rag rug is very simple, but pretty time consuming.  Also, at the end of it you will likely have some nice looking calluses on your fingers.  Here's how to.

Supplies:

LOTS of colorful old t-shirts

Sharp scissors (or a rotary cutter is better)

Needle and Thread (the type you put in a sewing machine)

Step 1: Cut the t-shirts into 2 inch strips (or loops which you cut).  I did not use the top part of the t-shirt because I had plenty of t-shirts.  The strips aren't very long, but that's okay because strips too long will make braiding difficult.  Also, don't go narrower than 2 inches.  You will need the bulk to keep the rug from bubbling when you stitch it (I learned that the hard way!)

Step 2: Start braiding...and keep braiding!  Since this is a rag rug I simply tied on a new strip when one got to the end, making sure to vary where the knots were so there wasn't a huge bump in the completed rug.

Step 3: When you have quite a length of braided t-shirt, start stitching it together.  Working from the back and do a simple whip stitch between the two pieces of braid.  I chose to do an oval shape by folding over the first section of braided t-shirt and stitching it together, and then wrapping around and stitching after that.

Step 4: And...keep stitching and stitching!  Make sure to work on a flat surface to ensure that the rug lays flat.  When you reach the end simply sew down the end of the braid.

And done!

Who knew that my husband's ratty old t-shirts could look so nice!  This is going to be a wonder addition to our playroom.

Thanks for stopping by.  I pray that your lenten resolutions are fruitful.

If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!