Handmade Gift Ideas from Lucky Star Lane

Decoupaged personalized hangers

 

I went back through my blog pictures to find handmade gift ideas so I thought I would share my finds with you.   I'm trying to think of some new ones for teachers so hopefully this will help me get inspired.  Enjoy! 

Handmade Accessories from Recycled fabrics

 Candy Cane Vase

 Recycled Sweater Mittens

 Blanket Stitch Appliqued T Shirts

 Fabric Yo-Yo Embellished Accessories

 Crayon Bags

 Personalized Containers

 Recycled Denim Pocket Journal

 Bottlecap Necklaces

 Giant Paper Clip Bookmarks

 Hair Accessories Made with Scrapbook Brads



Birthday Banners for Kid's Parties

Please forgive the HORRIBLE lighting in my basement studio.  My cousin (in-law, but who's counting) Jen has two adorable kids who are both having a birthday this fall!  James will be turning 4 in November and Olivia turns 2 today!  Happy Birthday Olivia!  Happy Birthday James! 

Jen and my cousin Ryan (her hubby) are two of my favorite people and given that they have lovely red-headed children, their family makes 4 of my favorite people!  Ryan and I lived together for a while before either of us were married, so I love the guy like a brother.  Then, he went and married Jen, who is just the sweetest!  Really, none of us could've picked a more perfect wife for him.  But, then they had kids with red hair!  I loved it on James, but only really appreciated it when my own little guy's hair started to get more red!  I don't get to see James or Olivia very much, as they live in a different state, but Jen always shares pictures with me, so I feel like I know them better.  When Jen asked me for ideas about non-commercial Toy Story type decorations, I was so excited.  (She'll totally back me up as I sent her about a million pages off Etsy!!)  I really wanted to make them something, so I was super excited when she asked me to make them each a banner!

They're having a Buzz Lightyear - Jesse themed party!  The James banner is made from paper, ribbon and tissue paper.  I got this awesome scrapbook paper that looks like sheet metal (my girlfriend Brigett's Cricut didn't love that paper, but it did a pretty great job of cutting everything out!) for the letters.  Then, on the rocket flames, I used several layers of tissue paper so it'll kind of flutter and look a bit more flame-y.  The Olivia banner is made from denim pockets, fabric, paper and bias tape.  I cut the cow print fabric in long strips, made them into bows and sewed them on the tape.  The pockets are just stitched together (and to the bias tape).  I glued the letters on.  The bandanas are stiched into the pockets.  I had some little cowgirl cutouts, but I couldn't figure out where to put them, so I left them off. 

I love taking commercial kid's party themes and making them a bit more homemade!  The colors and the textures are a good place to pull ideas from and it's just so much more fun to me than a bunch of pre-printed merchandise from China.  No offense China.  ;)

Hope you like them.  Jen liked the pictures (though she's so sweet, she'd never say she didn't like them) and I hope she loves them when she gets them in the mail!  Do you have a party you've thrown that mixed commercial and handmade?  I'd love to see them.  Throw me a link in the comments and I'll come visit you ;)  I know I'll love all your creativity!!

PS - To Ryan and Jen's baby on the way, I will still love you just as much with another hair color, I promise!

Using Scrapbook Brads to Make Hair Accessories

CONFESSION: Sometimes I see things on sale and buy them even though I have no particular use for them.  

I purchased a package of K & Co. Amy Butler scrapbooking brads when they were  50% off at JoAnn's.  My investment was $2.  (that's not so bad..right?)

I 've recently been visiting Brown Paper Packages a lot after getting hooked on the tutorials.  There is a great one for making easy satin poppy hair clips using brads and it was perfect for my great find.

I used one of my sale brads in the middle flower.   The other flower centers I made using vintage buttons, jewels, and tiny beads. 

These clips are made using scrap grosgrain ribbon and a leftover scrap of silk that I made into a spiral flower and glued to a bobby pin.

I'm so glad I put my sale find to good use!  Phew....that $2 find came in handy for my creative outlet.

Kids Sports Spirit Gear Fundraiser Ideas

Have you ever thought of using your creative talents to benefit a cause?  It can be very rewarding.   Here are a few ideas I came up with for a swim team to sell.

 

Do you have any good ideas that are pretty easy to make?

Handmade Gifts for a Bobby Birthday!

We went to a birthday party for my friend Nicole's oldest son Bobby.  He turned 7 and really likes science.  I've been trying to keep up my all-handmade gifts committment and though I don't always remember to take pictures, I have been pretty good about sticking to the commitment part.  For Bobby's love of science and learning, I thought he might like to do some screenprinting.  I got him two plain t-shirts.  I embellished one with this truck material I already had.  I left the other plain so he can design his own shirt.  I told Nicole they can come over sometime once he draws what he wants on his shirt and we'll screenprint it with the Yudu together.  I think he'll love it!

I just made a simple strip of the fabric in case he wants to screenprint his name across it or something else fun.  I made the bag of the same truck fabric as I don't like to use wrapping paper if I can avoid it.  It was also good practice for french seams.  Here's everything I included in the bag.

The party was at a local aquatic center.  It was so much fun!  Holden really enjoyed the water and the sand.  It was a great day for it!

Happy Birthday Bobby!  We had a great time at your party and we think you're a great kid!  I'm so glad we get to be friends with you and your family!

Fabric Yo Yo's Part 2

I wanted to have a few more yo-yo projects completed but I'm already onto something new. I may come back to this because I had a couple of home decor ideas. ...pillows, lampshade, rug border..the possibilities are endless.




Since I am ready for spring, I embellished a few brightly colored accessories with yo-yo's. Flip Flops, a glass beaded necklace, and a fabric wrapped bangle get some pizazz with small fabric yo- yo accents. These accessories will now stand out in a crowd.



I attached these to metal clips so I can take them off for a different look.

OK Spring, I'm ready for you any time now!

Erin

Fabric Yo-Yo Projects Part 1

Fabric yo-yo's are so easy to make and use just a small scrap of fabric. In a nutshell, you cut out a fabric circle twice the size of the yo-yo you want, fold over the edge about 1/4 inch and do a running stitch all around the edge of the circle and then pull it tightly and flatten the circle.

Here I've added them to a foam wreath I wrapped in fabric. I used some of my vintage buttons in the centers.

You can find plastic bracelets and foam wreath forms at the dollar store to embellish.

I also found this coupon wallet at the dollar store. I don't like the button so I added a fabric yo-yo with a vintage button sewn on using a strong glue.




This is one of my plastic bracelets I wrapped in fabric and added a small yo-yo, button and pearl.

This is the set I made. I had a couple ring findings in my jewelry making stuff, so I made a yo-yo and sewed a pearl on it to glue on (I used Amazing Goop). This makes a cute gift for $2 and supplies I had in my craft stash!

A Child's Apron

This. is. not. my. son!  My son REFUSED to wear this apron I made for him.  This is my friend Brigett's well-behaved little boy, Adam.  Brigett, Adam and his little sister, Amanda came over today to craft and have a little playdate.  It was one of those times when you are excited, thinking your child will love to have a little friend to play with.  It turned into one of those times when you are certain your child has been replaced with a naughty stunt double!  Holden didn't want to share any of his toys, stole the toys Adam brought with him and even pushed Amanda, a BABY one time.  Of course after they left, he was napping like an angel within an hour and woke up just as sweet as could be.  Thank goodness the doppleganger saw fit to leave us in peace for the afternoon!

As for the apron, I made it this weekend, using the tutorial I found at Fireflies and Jellybeans who got the idea from Our Daily Chocolate via Dollar Store Crafts...Aah, the tangled web that is the internet!  :)  Anyway, I made it and tried to put it on Holden.  He wanted nothing to do with it.  He cried if I even tried to put it on him.  I even tried to bribe him with a brownie...no go!  Let me just tell you that at that second, I thought he might have been switched at the hospital.  Just kidding - but those were definitely his dad's genes, because I would do nearly anything for a brownie!  

I didn't make the individual crayon pockets.  I used the pattern in the placemat to make a few different sized pockets.  I also used Holden's torso measurements to decide how deep to make the pockets.  I have several more placemats that are going to become aprons this next week.  Some will be gifts and some will probably make it to the Etsy shop...

-Heather

PS-I'm linking to A Soft Place to Land's DIY Day!  Check out the HUNDREDS of cool projects linked up there :)






 

Edit: I'm linking this to Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog too :)  Check it out too.  Their are SO many amazing, crafty people out there!  You are sure to be inspired!

Post Edit: New Linky Parties are always fun, so I'm linking at My Frugal Family now too!  Check it out...This is her third week, but there are LOTS of cool projects already linked up!





PS-Brigett is amazingly sweet, so I KNEW she would comment that Holden wasn't that bad. Isn't it nice when you have such wonderful friends?!? She is really the best!

Easy Applique Tee Shirts

I wanted to create some fabric cutouts using my sister's electronic cutting machine she let me borrow (Cricut Expression) I wasn't sure how to do it, but I started by cutting out a piece of 12"x12" pre-washed fabric and applying Heat N Bond to the back using my iron and following the directions on the package. Be careful not to get any of the adhesive on your ironing board cover, or the next person to iron will get adhesive on their new dress shirt for work (sorry husband). I followed the instructions on the electronic cutter and chose a heart and a flower to start with.

I got this sweet little onesie at Target for $1.24. I washed and dried it.

Next I ironed on the fabric cutout after peeling off the paper from the back. (Follow Heat N Bond instructions)

I blanket stitched around the edge of the applique using polyester embroidery thread. You could use whatever stitch you like. You could also stitch around it with your sewing machine.

This is how it turned out.

If you don't have a cutting machine, you could trace shapes or draw them and then cut them out.

This is the flower. I ironed it on but haven't decided what to do with the stitching.

This was the outer piece of the heart. Not sure how I'm going to stitch this one either.

I linked this post at The Shabby Chic Cottage
and: