Etsy Bound

A huge thank you to all who have e-mailed requesting more information about our headbands. The response from Leigh Anne's giveaway post has been overwhelming. I has been enough to convince me to finally break down and open up an etsy shop. I will have available items posted in the next day or so--just as soon as I can get them all listed. Stay tuned for my etsy address and a giveaway of my own.

Today on Studio 5

Two of my favorite things about winter are an unquenchable desire to craft & the plethora of yarn that pleasantly appears to make life cozy. Combining crafting and yarn with a burst of color makes the dreary winter months seem bearable.

The next Utah snow-day, pull out your yarn collection, gather your children around, and make one of these trendy and colorful bits of decorating genius.

Supplies Needed:

• Wreath Form
• Ribbon or Fabric Strips
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Embellishments

Instructions:

1. Begin by purchasing or re-using a wreath form. I have used both straw and Styrofoam in various sizes. Just keep in mind that the size of your pompoms will need to correspond with the size of your wreath.

2. Select a yarn color palette. Monochromatic wreaths are wonderful, but a multi-color wreath is SO much fun—just be careful not to choose too many colors. It can definitely start to look too busy. 3-5 colors are best. The amount of yarn will depend completely on the size of wreath, pom-pom fullness, and your preference.

3. Start making pom-poms! They can all be the same size OR you can vary. Making pom-poms can done in a number of ways—with your hand, a cardboard cutout, OR an actual pom-pom maker. Pom-pom makers are relatively inexpensive and make the process a DREAM. I am particularly fond of Clover Brand pom-pom makers—which come in a wide variety of sizes. Gather friends and family around for a pom-pom making party. Children would definitely LOVE helping with this project. These are three of my favorite pom-pom making tutorials.

Tutorial for making pom-poms with your hand:
belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/2006/03/post_1.html
http://oneloopshort.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-make-pom-poms.html

Tutorial for making pom-poms with cardboard circles:
http://www.craftideas.info/html/pom_poms_b.html

Tutorial for making pom-poms with a Clover brand pom-pom maker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGd0PUWY6m0

4. Prepare your wreath. You just need to cover the straw or Styrofoam. Felt, yarn, or fabric wrapped around the wreath make a great foundation and over unsightly mechanics. I think it's easiest to just cut long strips of fabric (about 3" wide) and tightly wrap them around the wreath using a hot glue gun to secure.

5. Once your wreath is wrapped and ready to go, take a pom-pom and tie it tightly around your wreath. Continue tying in rows, varying colors as you go.

6. Once your wreath is full and to your liking, trim the pom ties in the back.

7. Add accessories as you wish. I suggest charms, crocheted flowers, ribbon, sparkles, or holiday ornaments. The possibilities are endless. Just play with it and have fun. I secure the pom-poms with yarn rather than glue so I can switch up the colors periodically to suit the seasons.

If you make too many pom-poms or have so much fun making them that you can't stop, try adding them as a decoration on packages, top drink stirrers, winter hats, garlands, etc.

Crazy for Headbands

Somewhere between Thanksgiving and now, these little headbands have become the topic of many conversations. Visit Campus Craft & Floral to purchase one for yourself. They're a hot item, so don't wait!

Oh, and you might want to check out the Campus Craft blog a bit more often. Marisa is taking over the reigns and is mixing things up a bit. I think you'll really like it.

Keep it Simple

I don't know if my time spent in RS on Enrichment Committees did it OR a fascination with Martha at a young age, but I tend to go overboard. You know what I mean--I generally make things harder, more complicated, and certainly more time consuming than they need to be. I'm learning that sometimes simple is best. Simple food. Simple entertaining. Simple fun. Simple design. Probably the most used item in my house when company comes is this silly sent of Scrabble magnets I made several years ago. I bought an old Scrabble game at the D.I. and put magnets on them. TOTALLY inexpensive, quick, and SIMPLE. Try it--do something simple this week that makes your life a little more fun.

Fly Away

Still don't have your Valentine's Day cards completed? Try these little love bugs at Skip to my Lou.

A String of Love

Visit A Spoonful of Sugar for instructions to make a fun Valentine garland. CUTE!!!

Love Marks

The how to for this darling little bookmark can be found at Blissfully Domestic. Click here for the instructions to make your own.

Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve

Oh, and I fell in love with these little felt heart pins. Check them out HERE.

S is for Studio 5

For those interested, I'll be showing 5 ways to use traditional garlands in an untraditional way next Thursday, December 13th at 11:00am. This is one of my favorites--a monogram wreath made from a piece of garland. Loving the season.

My Autumn Oasis

Introducing my Autumn Oasis. My bedroom is still evolving and there are many things yet to be done. I still need to choose fabric for my window seat cushions and the ever-elusive "perfect window treatments" give me heartburn, but it's a place I love to be. It's warm and fun. It's flexible (thus, the current orange accents). It's non-traditional. It's peaceful. It's organized. It's home.

I've been noticing that my creative fervor has been dwindling of late and so I've been trying to let the bounty of fall inspire my spirit. Last weekend I pulled a boxed candle from the cupboard. The candle is a lovely grapefruit and the box had all sorts of potential. So, I took some paper scraps, felt flowers (by my friends at American Crafts), and black brads to create a little orange accent for my Autumn Oasis. It was a fun, inexpensive, and inspiring little project. Watch for this week's creation. . .I already have something in mind.

Color Inspiration

Today my cute friend, Sarah sent me a link to a new product line the company she works for is now selling. It is darling. She is darling. I am going to be darling, too, because I've decided to order a bunch of their stuff for my darling store. I L.o.V.e. my job. Visit the American Crafts Blog. . .you'll be so happy. Oh, Sarah--don't let any of the A.C. legal team know I posted this stolen picture. I won't be able to afford darlingness if I'm paying to defend myself.

Creativity is ALIVE

Lest you think I have given up on my creative endeavors, I'm posting a picture of my most recent album. Yep, that's me on the cover. Yep, I'm vain. Yep, I LOVE this book.

Since I didn't really do any scrapbooking for myself in 2006, I decided to create a custom 8x8 album to celebrate one my favorite years. I used some non-traditional colors and had this photo printed to fit the cover. The truth is that I started the book last December and haven't worked on it for nearly 6 months. But, after taking some time to focus on other more pressing matters, I spent a bit of quality crafting time working toward its completion. I still have a few bits and pieces to add, but the meat of it is done.

Yeah for creative outlets. Yeah for completed projects. Yeah for life.

Felting & Fabulous

Dear Mom,
I love this bag soooo much. I don't know if you remember that my big birthday is coming up soon. Do you think you could make all of my satchel dreams come true?
All my love--Michelle

Marty & Matthew Faceoff!

Watch out Martha, there's a new domestic diva in town. . .loving Matthew Mead! Check it out.