A Fabric Gift Bouquet - Namma's 70th Birthday

I'm so happy to share a little DIY tutorial for the sweet craft project we did for Sandy's mother ("Namma").  She turned 70 on our spectacular dude ranch trip, and was the reason for the gathering. Lucky us! This project is similar to Gammy's Banner in that the presentation to Namma began with "Namma Is  . . ." and the kids fill in the blank with a special word representing Namma.  Instead of a banner, however, the kids write and illustrate their word for Namma on the back of a handmade bloom.

Namma has eight grandkids. They all made it to the ranch, which is quite rare seeing as the families are scattered across the country.  The grandkiddos love their Namma, who is warm and giving.  She gets down on the floor with them and engages them at their level.  She is a wonderful artist and is always ready to lend a hand on a crafty project or to anything, really, that needs doing. She even once spent a whole day embroidering note cards with me for a last minute magazine deadline! Instead of making work when she visits, she magically crosses more off my long term to-do list in three days than I accomplish in months.  I love Namma, too!

In the gift presentation, the receiver starts with a vase like this:Each child then presents a flower with a special word for the recipient.  In Allie's case, below, "Love."

Namma collected each flower in the vase, one by one, as the grandkiddos presented her with their flower.  Then, she traveled home with a little something special from each of them–they who live so far away.  Think about making one of these for your next big event, a birthday, a graduation, or just because.

A Fabric Bouquet DIY

Materials

paperboard (soda box, cereal box)

fabric (approximately 2 x 18" strips)

green felt

wire (16 gauge - you could use a wire hanger from your closet)

wire cutter

electrical tape

vase

beads/marbles

craft glue

For each flower desired, cut the following:

     : A strip of fabric approximately 18" x 2"

     : 2 circles of paperboard approximately 1.5" in diameter.  I used the electrical tape roll as a template.

     : A piece of wire approximately 7 to 9" in length

1. Pinch the beginning of one end of the fabric and rotate fabric clockwise.  Spiral the fabric tightly around itself. Pinch the loose end of the fabric as you go along so that the right side of the fabric generally stays facing out.  Using craft glue, secure the tail end of the fabric by gluing it to the flower. 

2. Glue the entire flower to one of the paperboard discs.  Hold in place until glue sets a bit.  If the flower has been rolled tighter than the disc, continue with more fabric, trim and glue in place. Or, you can trim the disc.

3. Bend approximately 1" of the of the wire over, such that the very top of the wire is doubled up.  Attach the doubled portion of the wire to the paperboard disc and flower with electrical tape.

4. Glue the second paperboard circle on top of the wire and electrical tape, such that they are sandwiched between the two pieces of cardboard and are not visible.

5. Trim the paperboard discs, if necessary, such that you cannot see the paperboard from the front of the flower. Draw your special word and your name on the back of the cardboard.  This may be easier to do before you glue it, but then you risk cutting some of the message off if it needs trimming.

6. Cut a leaf shape out of the felt. Leave an extra tab at the end of the leaf to have room to wrap it around the wire.  Glue it in place. 

7.  I like to add a little more glue and then squeeze and secure the leaf the other direction to add dimension.  The kids were doing these, so I *tried* not to get too particular. 

There, they should be finished.  I recommend providing ample time for them to dry.  With the kiddos doing most of it, it seemed there was a lot of glue to set.  I love how they turned out.  The kids loved making them, and I think Namma loved them. 

Special thanks to my niece, Isabella, for being a great model!  Wish you lived in Boulder so you could be my assistant more often.

 Happy 70th Namma! Doesn't she look fabulous!?  Hope I'm looking half so good come 70!

It snowed here today, A LOT. Brrr~!  Hope you're all staying warm and cozy.

xo Anne Weil

Listen To The Interview - Martha Stewart Living Radio

I have been working VERY (read, *too*) hard to get the Martha Stewart Living Radio - Flax & Twine interview up on the blog!  (The interview is embedded in this blog post on two different players down below.)  I was so excited to be on the Living Today show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio last week to talk about DIY Costumes. Little did I know how that would be the easy part. Do you remember my post on floundering?  Man, every new thing in this world has its own steep learning curve. To post something like this interview requires a lot!  Figuring out how to record it, edit it, move the tracks, fade the tracks, export to the right file format in garage band was one thing.  Then comes the how do I get it on my blog?  Where do I host the file? How do I host the file? I went through trying to do it on YouTube and then gave up because the inserted photos came out wonky - gah! hours wasted.  I won't continue to bore you with the process, lets just say that, with perseverance, I got 'er done!

The interview itself was a lot of fun and just flew by.  It's always interesting see the process behind something like that.  The producers call you pretty much the second you're due to go on. You don't have the opportunity to introduce yourself or talk to the host except during the interview itself.  I was a little nervous to hear what I said because I don't think I registered any of it while I was doing it.  When I played it back, I was pleasantly surprised and I hope you will be too!

Here is one option that is working on SOME computers.




Or, try this one:



Of course, I'll take this costume discussion as an opportunity to remind you that you can learn how to make all these great costume pieces shown in this blog post in The Costume Box, my costume course over at Craftsy. If you want to read a review of the course, read this post by The Mother Huddle or this one by Modern Parents Messy Kids.

Its a super fun class and you'll learn so many great techniques! AND, its not too late for Halloween, you can whip up these costumes super quickly.  If you want to purchase any of the pieces, come have a look in my etsy shop.

This wand was one of my favorite pieces.

I'm never one to limit my dress-up to Holidays either.  These costumes make great every day costume wear. 

 I love Allie's little feet in this photo!

We have a big 9th birthday coming up for Charlie this weekend.  As I mentioned in my owl post, we are having a Hogwart's party.  We will be going all out with a sorting ceremony, divination class, potions class and of course, a real quidditch game (minus the flying).  Although, there WILL be fourteen 9 year-olds hyped up on sugar - so I may be wrong about the flying part.  Hope you all had a marvelous weekend.

Local Boulder Knitting Classes

How fabulous is this pouf?!  I can't wait to make one, and do it with YOU!  I'm so excited to be teaching knitting classes locally this fall at a great little consignment shop/creative lab in Boulder, CO called Common Threads.  It is the coolest place filled with lots of minimally worn treasures AND they have a warm little spot to create and make.  They have a schedule chock full of  marvelous classes, including spectacular sewing classes for kids.  This knit foot stool is called Puff Daddy and if you just can't come make it with me, you can find it on Pickles, which always has the best knitting patterns.  You need a knowledge of only basic knitting stitches and I'll teach you the rest!  This class runs Tuesdays, November 1st - 15th, 6pm to 7pm.
Common Threads also has cozy couches up front in the store where, on Wednesdays, we'll be sitting together at lunch time to knit this awesome mobius cowl designed by Karen Catlin We can make it the length you see below, or double the length so you can wrap it twice. That class runs Wednesdays, November 2nd to 16th, 12pm to 1pm.  Come join me!  I'd love to nibble and knit with you!

For those of you that can't join me locally, you can always join me in the Sophisticate Cardigan KAL which is just getting started.   Allie is very excited to be getting another sweater out of it.  This time in Kelly Green Spud & Chloe Sweater Yarn. Love. I'd love to see you non-locals on Ravelry at any time!

Lost Valley Ranch

Sun streams through the trees, warming your cheeks and glinting off the snow flakes floating in the air. You hear the soft snort and feel the girth of the horse blow up and release beneath your legs.  Your horse picks it up to a trot and you bounce along to the rhythm.  Do you remember the first time you rode a horse?  The look of joy in my children's faces as they sat on these beautiful animals this past weekend is now seared in my memory. 

I mean, the joy of it!

Honestly, I remember loving horseback riding from the first.  Didn't you? My parents sent me to a dude ranch as my first sleep away camp.  Why they thought this was a good idea, given that I had never ridden a horse before, I'll never know, but I loved it all.  I thought my horse, Dot, and I would be connected forever.  Such strong emotions and animal attachment from the get-go.  

Think about how big horses seem to those little people.  The big eyes, the velvety nose, the hot snorts,  the warm neck, the mane and tail, and don't forget the ucky teeth.  

My kids were enraptured and frankly, I was again too.   I forgot how much I loved it, the views, the movement, the feeling of freedom as you lope down a country road.  It has been a while since I stayed at a real dude ranch.  Sure a "trail" ride here or there, but not a full working ranch.  What a great weekend to celebrate my mother-in-law's 70th (gift tutorial for her coming up soon)!  We got hit with a mild snow while we were there.  Even living in Colorado, where the ranch was located, it was impossible not to bask in how "western" it all felt.  Rustic and rough in all the right places.

The ranch was fit out with those special spots and views that make a place snuggle down in your brain as one to be remembered– a kids' barn with a peek-a-boo window, a leaning wagon wheel, an abandoned cart, a working water pump, and a hidden room with a wall-board that opens up to let you pet the massive moose head in the dining hall.

Lost Valley Ranch made everything seem special.  Located smack in the middle of the remains of Colorado's largest wildfire (140,000 acres), the ranch's valley remained remarkably untouched.  The expansive views dappled with aspens, pines and recovering forests were awe-inspiring

and eerie at the same time.

The kids were with their cousins which allowed lots of relaxing time for the adults as the kiddos frolicked, adventured and generally did things they maybe shouldn't be doing and lots they should.

It was a great weekend, and the kind that won't be easily forgotten.  

Happy trotting. Peace out.

Upcycled Fabric + Paper Owls

This has been quite the week for me.  Its so funny how things come in spurts, but I'll tell you, I'm not knocking it. I am happy to tell you that this sweet owl-y DIY project is featured over at Design*Sponge today.  When Charlie told me he wanted a Harry Potter Birthday party, I have to admit I got pretty excited!  Let's have Potions Class and mix some crazy stuff!  Let's play Quidditch on bikes!  Let's hide the tri-wizard cup in my office and make the kids solve riddles to find it!  Let's make a whole slew of Hedwigs to deliver the invites!  This is the result:

The owls came out so well, I wanted to keep a flock of them for myself. I have to tell you, I'm not a huge fan of bright orange and black Halloween decorations and these suited my aesthetic just right–so charming.   I love how they look hanging in my window.  I loathed to send them out as invitations, but they've received rave reviews from the recipients, apparently hours of fun for the kiddos.

These are quite easy to make and use just fabric scraps, paperboard (my favorite) and some decorative items.  The great fabric shown here came from discarded fabric sample books our local window covering store tossed.  What a score!  The buttons, sequins and fasteners, I had all on hand.

 Pop on over to Design Sponge and give it a whirl.  They're fun!  And, didn't you always just love those fasteners?  I don't know why but they always give me a little thrill when I use them.  Must have been binding books when I was young?  Do you have memories of those?

Happy Halloween!