The Loft Knockoff Necklace

Necklaces like this sale for 40 dollars from the Loft!!

I love the Loft. We live near an outlet, and it has become my most favorite store. I love the way they are designing necklaces, belts, cardigans and all kinds of accessories with flowers! When I saw this  post on how to make one, I knew I had to try it!

First, You decide on the fabric you will want to use to make your roses. I loved the houndstooth fabric because I am such a black-and-white kinda girl (and it was already in my sewing stash). You need something sturdier to put the roses on like felt or a thin piece of cardboard. I cut the cardboard to the size that I wanted my rose to be.  I then cut 7 circles per rose. I hot glued the fabric to the back and front of the rose, then used the remaining five circles to create the rose. I then added a pearl in the middle of each rose.

 Look at this tutorial for more in-depth instructions.

I found this black chain at Walmart for 4.00---and had the rest of the supplies around the house.

I loved the way it turned out!

 My sister's birthday was also coming up, and I knew that she would love one. Pearls is more her thing so I came up with this one.

I used brown and white checked fabric and a strand of old pearls that I had....and it turned out so cute that I hard time giving it up!

She loved it!

Happy Birthday, Sis!

Can't wait to make more fabric roses to add to my cardigans and belts. Hope these stay instyle long enough for me to make them and wear them!ha

love this cardigan from ny&company.

Off to journal on our family blog and to write out my Goals for 2010. Hope you all have a great year in 2011!

Linking up with some of these great parties!

A Simple Wintery-Stick Dining Room Centerpiece and a few pretty Presents.

This was my Inspiration.  The title to her post caught my eye..."How to be festive when times are rough"--So I thought this must be a great project to try with a few pennies and some branches.

 

So I took my boys outside to play- and gathered a few branches in my backyard. I then took some White Krylon Spray Paint and sprayed my branches white. I even added some silver Krylon Spray Paint to the edges for a glittery-snowy effect.

I went to Dollar Tree and found some beautiful silver/white/gold ornaments for cheap! I also had some glass vases but I really wanted them white- so I spray painted those as well. Yall- this was as simple as it gets- and thrifty, too. And that's how I like it.

I also needed a small wreath to go over the mirror. I had an old one with plaid ribbon and red berries. Cute but not for this room. So I took it all off- Spray painted the wreath, berries and pine cones silver and I love it! I already had the white fuzzy-snowy garland, so I used that to hang the wreath. (I just put a push-pin through the ribbon and "Pinned" it to the wall behind the mirror.)

I love the silvery and gold branches I found at Michaels for 60% off! And the perfect height for this corner! The Vase was also glass but I spray painted (can you believe it?) black.

I love the way the White/Silver/Gold look in my grey dining room. I wanted to add a touch of gold because we haven't changed out the chandelier in the dining room yet. I'm starting to really like it in there, though. The chandelier might meet Krylon if I get brave enough.

 Today we had our mom2mom Christmas Party---a time to eat, fellowship and wrap presents for needy children. Its so excited to be able to help others in need! These children are very faithful to ride our church buses each week to hear about God's gift of salvation!

 Aren't the presents beautiful? One of our moms (who is an awesome decorator) gave us all tutorials on how to wrap pretty Christmas presents and how to make Christmas bows. We then all practiced on the gifts we had brought for the needy children!

I wish I could be there to see each child open up these beautiful presents! Today was one of those days that served as a big reminder to me around this crazy-busy- time of the year! IT is ALWAYS more BLESSED to GIVE than RECEIVE!

Linking up with Rhonda's Party and few other great Parties!

A Sweet Birthday Boy and a simple "How-to" for a Pumpkin Cake......

Today is my sweet Pierson Reese's FIRST birthday! What a joy he has been to our lives. He always wants to be hugged on - and thinks his brother is a Super-Hero! He has been a dream baby since Day One! You can read more about his Birthday Post here on our Family Blog.

Want another way to save money for your family? Try making their birthday cakes! Just like any mom would do- I love making birthday's special for my little ones. I try to put their personality into each one and I try to make unique things for their party decorations. I decided this year to make his cake and it was alot of fun. So since thanksgiving is this week, I thought someone might want to know how to make a "Pumpkin" Cake! (his theme was sweet Lil Pumpkin!)

Bringing a dessert for a Thanksgiving Feast? Try this!

I got the instructions here but I can give it to you in a nutshell.

Ingredients for cake:
2 cake boxes
Eggs
Oil
Water
(Just fix it like a regular ole' cake!)

Cook 2 cakes in this bunt pan and let them cool. (Pretty easy, huh?) Now, lets start making the icing! My High School Home Ec Teacher (aka as the best cake decorator in town!) gave me  her recipe. So here it is!!

Birthday/Wedding Cake Icing:
2 1b bag of Powder Sugar
1 1/2 Crisco (don't go generic)
1 tsp. Lemon Flavoring (she prefers Wilton's)
1 tsp. Almond Flavoring
1/2 cup boiling water (add until you get the best consistency)
*If it becomes to "creamy" when mixing- add a little more powdered sugar!

Here comes the stressful fun part! You will need to color your icing with food coloring. I just bought a box of Wilton's food coloring from walmart in the party section. Then, You will need a icing bag for decorating and a good star tip. (like above) Place the cake upside down on a cake plate and ice the top with your orange icing. Then Place the other cake right side up on top of the icing! The recipe called for a Ice cream cone to use as the stem, however, I didn't have one! So I used a Styrofoam cup! You simply place the cup in the "bunt pan whole." Don't worry if it looks crazy- you will cover it with icing.

Then, You simply star the whole cake. (yes, it took like forever.) I also added some green leaves, some "spriggly" vines and a scare crow sign with "Happy First Birthday Pierson"! There was no way I was gonna attempt to write his name with Icing!

You can get a starter tip set from Michaels! Use  your 40 percent off coupon!

If your child wants a certain character cake, they are so very easy. You just star them in and outline! We have a party store in town that lets you "rent" the pan for 3 dollars! (beats 25-30 dollars for a birthday cake!)

I made this Cake for Evan's 2nd Birthday.

I forgot to mention the enormous amount of clean up you will have in your kitchen.  But it's so worth it, right? Have a great Thanksgiving! Will be doing some fun Christmas crafts this week- check back for a neat idea on Children's Keepsake ornaments!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Pierson Reese. Linking up to some of these great parties.