Saturday, July 12, 2014

Brilliant Burlap Crafts!

Designer Crafts Connection members were challenged to be creative with Burlap!  We each received a variety of burlap product to us, so let the inspiration begin!

Burlap is being used for all kinds of decorations and embellishments.  It's definitely the "go to" fabric this year.  You only have to walk into your local craft store, or search "Burlap" on Pinterest to know how popular it has become.  Since it's summer and we like to sit on our patio for morning coffee and quiet evenings, my project is a table centerpiece complete with sprigs of Rosemary - very outdoorsy...


To make the centerpiece, I cut a 12" x 12" square from red burlap yardage.  I cut carefully between the threads to create straight edges then I pulled threads away from each side to create a 1/2" fringe.  Don't throw the threads away yet!  I placed a mason jar in the center of the square then pulled the fabric up around the jar and used a rubber band to hold the folds in place.  I also received a roll of burlap trim in my goodie box, so I wrapped it around the jar and secured the end with lo-temp glue. 


The next step is to make the mat from natural burlap.  The mat is 14" x 14" which is the width of the fabric.  I cut the burlap at each end being careful to cut between the threads then pulled threads away from the edges on all four sides to create a 1" fringe.  Next step was to carefully pull out 2-3 threads at the 4" and 8" mark on 2 adjacent sides to create 9 squares.  To make the red lines across the mat, I used 3 red threads pulled from the edges of the red burlap and a tapestry needle with a large eye to weave them up and down across the lines on the mat.  I basically replaced the natural threads I'd pulled out with red ones. If you didn't have colored burlap, you could substitute yarn for this technique.


Now when the grandchildren come over we can pull out some old buttons and play tic tac toe.....!  How fun is that.......


And here's one more that was literally "Made in Minutes" using an empty bottle of water.  A great way to re-cycle!  Cut the empty bottle so the height is the same as the width of the trim.  Wrap trim around and secure with red burlap threads pulled from yardage.  The mat can be any size then fringed to create the 1" border.  If you love EZPZ quick'n EZ this is definitely for you!



There are 15 more designers participating in the Burlap blog hop, so please visit their blogs for even more inspiration.  You can find them by hopping forward via the DCC logo in each designer's sidebar, or go directly to the next blog on the list below:

Julie McGuffee   juliemcguffee.blogspot.com    YOU ARE HERE!
Lisa Fulmer   lisalizalou.com
Madeline Arendt   madelinesthoughts.blogspot.com
Marilyn Gossett   marilyngossett.blogspot.com
Michelle FraeCummings   faeriedustdreams-michelle.blogspot.com
Sue Eldred   sueeldred.com
Susan Brown  sbartist.com
Angela Holt   www.angelaholtdesigns.com 
Carmen Flores Tanis  florestanisstudio.com
Cherish Flieder  somethingtocherish.com
Jennifer Priest  hydrangeahippo.com

I'm sure you'll be inspired to start crafting with Burlap, so we have a prize package for you valued at $100 that includes a great variety of natural and colored burlap yardage, ribbons, embellishments and totes.
Select the link then enter to win! 

For more information on Burlap products available and social media sites to follow, check out these links:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Y'all come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

 KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!
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Sunday, July 6, 2014

Party Decorations!

It's First Monday and the Designer Crafts Connection theme for July is Party Decorations!


Who doesn't love to party!!!!  Especially kids.  As as child of the 50's, in England, I remember birthday parties being lots of fun.  We had balloons and party hats and, of course, a cake, but didn't decorate to the extent we do now.  In fact, I don't really remember decorating a whole lot for my kids in the 70's and 80's.  Oh goodness, they were so deprived........ LOL     The grandkids on the other hand........ oh my, we've had birthday party themes since they were one year old!


My granddaughter turned 6 last month and the theme for her birthday party was "Frozen" - go figure, we live in Texas.  Would have loved to have rented a snow blower, but that was going a bit too far.  Inside decorations were awesome, my daughter created color coordinated snacks, but I got the easy part and my granddaughter helped.  We covered the top of small Smoothfoam snowflakes with DecoArt® Clear Craft Twinkles paint then sprinkled them with clear glitter - can't have too much sparkle.  We put them on the wall with a simple glue dot, stuck them on the front of silver candle sticks and placed them on the table as mats for "crystal" wine flutes filled with the color coordinated candy.


 I also used my Cricut Explore to cut lots of snowflakes from clear crystal glitter card stock and blue glitter card stock.  I glued them back to back onto thin strands of silver sparkly yarn hung from the light fixture over the table.  I use yarn a lot for things like this.  It doesn't kink, it's strong, comes in all kinds of colors and textures and, best of all, it's economical - try it next time you want to string a garland.

 

My grandson's First birthday party theme was all about monkeys.  We made a balloon wreath for the front door with a garland and monkey, cut from card stock, plus we printed bottle wraps, banners, cupcake toppers, garlands and more.  Love this little bunting on his smash cake - something else my kids never got to enjoy......... hadn't been invented then... LOL


 


We even had a monkey face mask craft for the older brothers and sisters to make. 



It's amazing what we do for our kids these days.........  do they expect it, or are we just putting our talents to good use?  The latter I think...   There are so many opportunities to be put our creativity to the test:  Birthdays, weddings, showers, holidays and just because we can....  even something simple like these glass bottles with a little burlap and jute can add a little pizazz to a dinner, or lunch table.


I found the bottles at the craft store, wrapped jute around the neck and tied the ends in a bow, then bundled 3 Gerber daisy stems into a 6" square of burlap and pushed them into the bottle.  They looked so pretty outside on the the patio table.  I had one for each place setting and let each of the ladies take one home.  I love the burlap accent - it's my "go to" embellishment this year for sure.  If you like it too, check back here on Sunday, July 13th for more Burlap inspiration during the Designer Crafts Connection Burlap blog hop!  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,
 Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!
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Thursday, July 3, 2014

Recycled Grill

The kids came over a few months ago.  It was a gorgeous Spring day, so we decided to grill.

 

Unfortunately the grill did not co-operate and we ended up grilling inside.  The gas grill was pretty old and apparently the burners had a developed a few leaks.  Time for a new grill, I thought and was secretly happy - now I could replace the old gas grill with a charcoal grill.  I like food cooked on a charcoal grill a whole lot better.  I looked at a few grills, but wondered if I couldn't use the grill we already had.   This is what I did:

FIRST THINGS FIRST 
 
REMOVE ANY AND ALL GAS CYLINDERS!  
DISCONNECT AND PUT THEM AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE FROM THE GRILL.

The next step was to remove the trays that covered the burners.  I basically removed anything that was removable.....  
 
 
 
I then placed an old oven tray/cookie sheet on top of the burners
 

 then covered the inside of the grill with heavy duty foil.
  

Following the directions on the bag, I placed the charcoal on the foil covered tray and lit them.

 MAKE SURE YOUR GRILL IS PLACED A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY FROM YOUR HOME. ALWAYS FOLLOW SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN GRILLING. 
  
Once the coals are hot, spread them in an even layer on the tray then put the grill tops back in place and start cooking!


Clean up is easy!  Once the coals have cooled, turned completely to ash and there are no embers still burning, or hot (I wait until the next day), fold the foil up over the ashes and dispose of them in the appropriate manner.



Can't wait to grill hot dogs and burgers tomorrow on my re-cycled grill!  
 
HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE FOURTH OF JULY !!!   Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!
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