Two Free Paper Wreath Tutorials...

Let's all talk about some wreaths.

Some hand make paper el cheapo ones. As in, I spent nada on these. Just used stuff I already had lying around. Super thrifty decor.

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There is about eleventy hundred thousand book page wreaths out in crafty blog land rightthisverysecond and I was feeling left out and had to join in on the fun. Of course, I did it MY way. With shortcuts. Of course.

1. Grab an old book. We're going to thrash it so don't choose something important!

2. Rip ALL the pages out from the binding. I ripped the pages out in about 50 page handfuls at a time.

3. Stack them and while holding them dab and lightly paint the edges with dark brown or black craft paint and let dry. *** OR, do what I did....which was run out to the garage, hold the stack of pages in my hand and give it a 7 second shot of espresso brown spray paint. Simple and quick drying...perfect except for the large spray paint splotch on my left hand. ***

4. Go out and purchase a foam round wreath base. *** OR, do what I did...which was to eat pizza. Grab that perfectly round (if slightly smelly) cardboard pizza liner and cut a large hole out of the center with your kitchen shears. Voila. You've got a wreath base...and you get pizza. Win-win situation. ***

5. Scrunch, roll and accordian fold the pages and glue them individually to your frame, making sure to hide all evidence of frame. *** OR, do what I did....staple them in large chunks and glue gun only when necessary. Saved a TON of time.***

6. Hang on wall. Take pics and blog about it.

Easy peasy. Perfect to do while watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Next up, rolled paper wreaths. Most of the rolled paper wreaths I've been seeing are made of vintage sheet music which is cool....except I didn't have any and didn't want to purchase any. Huh, I wonder WHAT kind of paper that I can use in large quantities that I have lying around??? Oh yes of course, my Christmas wrapping paper stash.

I mean c'mon, you all know I shop at Costco. I buy a hugenormous wrapping paper roll every Christmas and use about 1/1000th of the roll. Perfect!
1. Grab wrapping paper you like.
2. Eat more pizza. OR, if you want to be more classy, use a non-pizza sauce stained piece of cardboard to trace and cut out a circle frame for your wreath.
3. Cut a thousand or so (exaggeration. I don't want nasty emails from readers complaining that I misguided them in a craft tutorial and have caused them to suffer carpal tunnel syndrome) squares of wrapping paper. I did about 12x12 ish. And I used an old dull rotary cutter to slice though the paper quickly.

4. Heat up that glue gun and start rolling, keeping the printed side of the paper on the outside. Make cones that are smaller at one end and bigger at the end. Use a tiny dot of glue so your cone doesn't unroll when you let go. Position and glue to your frame.

5. Uh, keep doing that until it's done. It looks BETTER to be unperfect and have cones that are larger and some smaller...and the pattern varying a bit.

Done! This was my first one that I hung above my slider doorframe:

Then my sis-in-law came over and we got bit by the craft bugs and came up with:

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I completely LOVE the candy cane wrapping paper. Which means this wreath is my fave too. Hang a $1 silver glittery Merry Christmas ornament in the middle and you are DONE. Hang above fireplace, stand back and enjoy.

Now, get to paper wreath creating!

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 . Happy Shopping!

Joining these fab parties:

Keep Calm drink a Peppermint Mocha Printable...

Really now, how can I possibly make a Keep Calm free printable for Pumpkin Spice Latte and NOT do one for Peppermint Mocha? I know, that'd be sad for Peppermint Mocha. He'd feel all sad and left out.

So, I finally got my craft on and came up with:



My favorite part of this printable is the cutie patootie lil Sbux Peppermint Mocha cup. Isn't it sweet?




I also had to return to my spray paint shelf and revamp another thrift store 99 cent frame. Yup, I spent more moolah developing the print ( a whole big fat $2.99) than I spent on the frame. I may have mentioned this before but MELIKEY the INEXPENSIVE DECOR. I used Krylon's Cherry Red:



Love how it makes my taste buds jump and jive when I walk on by. Our local Sbux may be memorizing Lola's license plate and starting my order when I pull up to the order window.

All I can say is BRING IT ON.

OK, you want jumpy jivey tastebuds too?? Okee dokee, here you go!

Normal font:



FUN font:



White on Red (minus the cutie patootie itty bitty mocha cup):



Upload to Costco or whomever, get it printed out, frame in something cherry red and you'll be hitting up Sbux in NO time.

Merry Christmas!

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 . You still have time before Christmas to get some gift shopping in! I have multiples of every scarf ready made and am trying to ship out next day if possible. Happy Shopping!

Linking up:

Christmas Decorating Efficiency...

I spent the greater part of the last three days trying to get my Christmas decor in from the garage and actually set up.

My Christmas Decorating Efficiency was greatly thwarted by a wreath dismantling imp and a giddy Christmas light strand stealer.

Lil Chick is fascinated with wreaths. I can just see the questions in her brain: "WHY in there a big circle on the wall? WHY are those little colored balls stuck to that big circle on the wall? WHY are there some sticks poking into that big circle on the wall?"

And WHAT is the best way to find out about something and how it works? Yes, she dismantled it.

Picture thousands of tiny Styrofoam red berries dotting my carpet and a little girl with a whale-spout ponytail chewing on the end of a curly willow branch.

Like I said, Christmas Decorating Efficiency...ah...Thwartation. Pretty sure that's a word.

As for the budding electrician, we are SUPER CERTAIN that there are light strands with half, a third or the first and last third of the light bulbs burnt out. OR short circuited. Whatever. What I now know is (thanks to the info from my brother-in-law, Wonderboy) I am not supposed to store them in the garage. Which is what I do. Which is why I have issues with my lights. Huh. Shocking. (Stunned silence.)

Our strands of Christmas lights have now been plugged into eight different double light sockets around the living room, connected together in every mathematically possible way and painstakingly examined bulb by bulb by my little wannabe electrician. And to think I was considering putting a Christmas tree in his bedroom!? OK, I may still just do it. Cause it's fun. And he's a kid. And kids should have fun.

I'll be sleeping with a industrial sized fire extinguisher on my nightstand, but hey, kids should have fun...

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 . You still have time before Christmas to get some gift shopping in! I have multiples of every scarf ready made and am trying to ship out next day if possible. Happy Shopping!

Cyber Monday Flash Sale...

I decided rather last minute I needed to do another sale. A better sale.

After all, it IS Cyber Monday. It'd just be wrong NOT to have a sale...and this new sale is an even bigger discount than the past few days.

Buy ANY TWO scarves in the Vintage Dutch Girl ETSY shop and get 20% off your order!

In the checkout, just enter the coupon code: BUY2GET20



And yes, I DO realize I've been stuffing scarves down your pretty little throats but hello!? 20% off is a mighty nice discount when shopping for easy peasy lemon squeezy Christmas gifts. Just think, a gift shipped directly to your recipient from me, packaged nicely and ready to open. Not too shabby.

Plus, lots of new colors in stock and ready to ship within a week:





Happy Shopping!

A

Etsy Shop Coupon Code...

Happy Thanksgiving! We spent a lovely day over at the in-laws, arriving home late but full. Our hearts AND stomachs. SO much to be thankful for.

I've been a leeetle busy the past few weeks. Busy shopping for fabrics, sewing them into pretty infinity scarves and posting them on the Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop. Turns out people like to wear cozy scarves in the wintertime. Who knew!?

Argyle Fleece Infinity Scarf:


As a thank-you to my dear readers who have supported and stuck with me, I am offering a four day weekend coupon code for 15% off ANYTHING in the Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop!

Paisley Flannel Infinity Scarf:


Click on over the Etsy shop and see what you can find. If you decide to purchase anything, be sure to add this coupon code for your extra 15% off!!! (Valid Nov 26th through 29th)

FOLLOWERLOVE15


Happy shopping my lovely readers!

A

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Just Some Blabbing...

I'm sitting here thinking, "huh, I really should write a blog post" but have a big ole blank for a subject. So I'll just blab a bit. It works for me.

- I have two kiddo birthday parties coming up in the next month. I will be a Mama to a 2 and a 4 yr old. That's weird.

- I have a coffee creamer addiction. Seven creamer bottles in my fridge at one time may be a few too many. However, I need to offer my guests options, right? That's what a gracious hostess should do.

- Queso and tortilla chips with a side of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies does not a weight loss diet make. This lady will be hitting the gym with renewed vigor.

- We're reading 'Crazy Love' by Francis Chan for our ladies bible study. It rocks your Christian world. In a good way.

- Parenting is hard.

- Um, PARENTING IS HARD.

- I'm blessed to be close to my family. That includes my in-laws. None of the negative connotations that the "in-law" term usually conjures. Family is a blessing. Trying to juggle four family thanksgiving meals and six family Christmas parties is truly a great problem to have. Blessed beyond measure.

- I'd rather sew than do housework. Shocker.

- My list of home upgrade projects is getting mighty long. Hardware and lumber stores are quickly rising to the top of the My Fave Stores list.

- Well, almost. You can never beat Costco.

- And TjMaxx. Because I AM a Maxxinista.

- Are you cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving? Might want to get that bird starting the defrost process!

- My frozen turkey floats. Didn't expect that one.

Be back soon to regularly scheduled programming...

A

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More Infinity Scarfyness...

I've been CA-RAZY busy whipping some delicious scarves together to get the Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop ready for the holiday season.

Oh, you wanna see some? OK, here you go:

A funky and fun Argyle Flannel infinity scarf:



A sassy Zebra flannel infinity scarf:



For those who don't like a colorful scarf or loud pattern, a SUPER Cozy ivory infinity scarf made of sweatshirt material. This scarf is C.O.Z. Y. I made one just for me!



A chic Brown and Tan Plaid Infinity scarf:



Ahhh, so much fun! Stay tuned, I've got at least six more coming in the very near future.

And because I love my readers so very stinkin much, you'll get a coupon code for a discount on Black Friday through Cyber Monday!

OK, the snow is really coming down here, I think I'll wrap my cozy sweatshirt scarf around my neck and grab a cup of white peppermint hot chocolate to stay warm!

A

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A Cascade of Ruffles and Baby Poo Walls..

I've loved my white waffle weave shower curtain for the good past five years or so that I've owned it.

Last week, all of a sudden, I was convinced it was horrid and boring and needed replacing...NOW. The truth is, I shrunk it in my dryer some months (probably a year) ago and it bugs me that my shower is wearing Capri's.

Not a great look.

Using what was lying around and finally acting on some creative thoughts that have been zinging around my brain the last year or so I came up with something new.

Something to replace my (as of two weeks ago) perfectly fine white waffle weave shower curtain.

A canvas cascade of ruffles shower curtain:



I left the edges unfinished. I'm digging the french rustic look:



Disclaimer: I'll probably change my mind faster than you can say "Your Capri-length white waffle weave shower curtain was fine".

One problem. One HUGE problem. Next to my rustic french ruffle shower curtain the bathroom walls and ceiling now look like they were smeared in two week old baby poo:



And although I'd say that there is no better room in the house than a mudroom bathroom to have the color of baby poo smeared on the walls, I'm getting the painting twitchies.

Some of my fave's:

Behr's Nurture:



Behr's Sage Tint:



RH's Atmosphere Blue. I like how it pairs with a lighter beige in this picture:



Opinions on paint colors anyone? Because the baby poo smeared walls NEED. TO. GO.

Stat.

A

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Linking up!

Ruffly Winter White Prettiness...

My newest creation for the Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop is a delicious ruffled winter white infinity scarf:



AKA: What I do instead of Laundry.

A

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RePurposing Bubbalu's Button-up Shirt For Lil Chick....

I LOVE little boy button-up collared shirts. I have Bubbalu in one almost every Sunday and a few days of the week too. It never fails to make me smile. They make him look like such a cute lil man!

I'm also digging the whole Women's boyfriend shirt thang:


Urban Outfitters


American Eagle


Nordy's

Being that I have a ton of these button-ups of Bubbalu's and this fun women's wear trend....you can pretty much guess what I did, right?

In order for Lil Chick to wear these hand me down shirts of her older brother, they needed some tweaking and embellishing. Some Sassifying, if you will.

First of all, I wanted them to fit her in a bit more feminine style. Most boy shirts are extremely boxy and unshapely. I could have taken in the sides but really didn't feel like measuring and all that jazz. Because I'm slightly lazy.

Enter elastic thread. LOVE THIS STUFF. Use elastic thread in replacement of your bobbin thread and you will have lovely gathered, flexible, fabric scrunching. It's delicious.

Mark off a centered rectangle section on the back of the shirt at the approximate waist area:



Replace your bobbin thread with elastic thread and start sewing.Making sure you bobbin will sew on the UNDERSIDE of the shirt, start on one corner of your marked rectangle and, backtacking first, sew a straight line the entire long side of the rectangle:



When you reach the end of your marked section you'll need to sew a hairpin turn and then sew across making a second line. CLEAR AS MUD?? OK, I'll draw you a picture to show you what I mean:

Start sewing at the red star, end at the green star. VOILA.

You'll end up with a gathered section that looks like this underneath:



That's ALL I DID. Threw it on Lil Chick and snapped some pics.

See how the gathered section adds a girly touch?



Of course I HAD to give her a flower pin:


(Yes, she DOES have two piggy tails, one is just hiding. I'm not trying a new hair fad on her)

This shirt looks great on her with jeans, or leggings and sparkly flats. Love that I can easily repurpose Bubbalu's old shirts into something fun and sassy for my little lady...without spending a cent.

I'm off to sassify some more button-down shirts...

A

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Linking up to these FAB crafty parties: