Painted pumpkins!

Last year I spray painted a few of the REAL little pumpkins I bought.  They were a blast to decorate with and it was such an EASY project!

 All you need is Pumpkins & spray paint!  Be sure to give them two good coats and let them dry fully.  Then decorate with them!!!  So fun and SUPER EASY!!!!!!  Happy FALL!!!

Btw, I LOVE how it added so much to my mantel!  So much fun!

I linked up here:

Lily Pad Toss Game Tutorial (Part 2)

So for those of you who missed part one of this game, you can find it here.  We completed our four little frogs and now all they need is some ADORABLE Lily pads right!?  So I found this adorable & free peony template.  I saved it and then printed it out on card stock and cut these little flowers out of felt! 

 I tried searching online for a lily pad template that I could use and I just couldn't come across the right shape and size that I wanted.  So I pulled out an old trick from K-4 Kindergarten and folded a piece of printer paper in half and cut out an egg/ovel-ish type shape and made my own lily pad.  Anyone remember making hearts that way so that both sides of your heart were even!?  :)  (Sorry I am not talented enough to actually share my template with you because I have NO IDEA how to do that.)  I then traced and cut the lily pads out of felt as well. 

I ended up making 5 lily pads and numbered them 1-5 using PUFF PAINT!!!  I hot glued the flowers onto the lily pads and then puff painted the center of the flowers, as well as the eyes on the frogs!.  (I LOVE that stuff  & by the way...be sure to make these the day before allowing time to dry before you wrap up that sweet little gift!)

 I then printed out that adorable frog poem that came with the Purl frog pattern as well as the directions for the game that I found on Mama Urchin and put them on some card stock so they could refer back to them as they needed!

I wrapped everything up in a cute little tin that they could keep or carry their game around in and topped it with a bow!  Happy Birthday Addison and Abigail!  I really hope you girls enjoy this super fun game!  Love you!!!

I am sooo sad that I forgot to take my camera along to the party...I wanted to get an action shot of the girls playing the game.  They loved it and my 3 year old loved it too!  I think I'm going to have to make him a set so he can play with brother when he gets a little older!  Hope you make these...they were really fun! 

12 NEW THINGS!

I was over at one of my favorite blogs and saw that Sara Mae was doing a 12 new things in 12 months challenge!  I am ALWAYS up for a challenge and was REALLY excited about trying/learning 12(ish) new things that I have NEVER done before!  Since Morgan is due to arrive in November I won't be starting my "12 new things" until December!  (A little behind...since they started in AUGUST...but better late then NEVER!!!)  But I am REALLY excited about my 12 and I put a LOT of thought into what I might accomplish with the Lords help!  Here they are...

December: Make homemade Cinnamon Ornaments with the boys & hang them on the tree!

January: Learn how to run by following this couch to 5K training schedule found here. (I have NEVER been a runner...but figure now is a good time to start & it wouldn' t hurt with getting some of that baby weight off!  Hehehe)

February: Learn how to make a digital photo book online through this company!

March: Actually RUN this 5K...the date is set!!!!  (I have never ran anything more than 2 miles and that was a WHILE ago!)  :)

April: Learn how to sew my daughter a piece of clothing...this is what I had in mind!

May: Learn to makeTiffany's Homemade Fresh Tortillas with all the works for Cinco De Mayo!!!

June:  Learn to make my own laundry detergent using Mrs. Duggar's recipe!

July: Learn how to make these ADORABLE Distressed picture canvasses of the kids for my BARE bedroom walls.  (Placement may be subject to change depending on how well they turn out!  ;o)

August: Implement a morning devotion for the kids...I liked this Read & Share DVD Bible!

September: Taking a cooking class with my Hubby or a friend at Sur La Table or Hipcooks and learn some new techniques!

October: Go to a College football game with my Husband!  (Not really learning a skill here...but we have never been & we LOVE date night & football!!!)

November: Learn to sew my birthday girl a black apple doll!

I would love to hear if you took up on this challenge...let me know by leaving a comment and a link to your 12 new things!  I will be updating each month on how terrible or how well my challenge turned out for the month!  How FUN!!!  :)

Lily Pad Toss Game Tutorial (Part 1)

 

***WARNING:  I am pretty much self taught and I learn as I go!  This blog is a place that I can share my fun and creativity...even if it isn't quite perfect!  This tutorial will NOT be perfect and I would LOVE any outside impute to make my sewing experience easier!  THANK YOU!!!  :)

I found this ADORABLE FREE Purl Frog (frog bean bag) pattern here http://www.purlbee.com/purl-frog/ by the Purl Bee and I was inspired to make some adorable little frogs!!!!  THEN I came across Mama Urchin who put together the lily pad toss game with the purl frogs here!   http://mamaurchin.com/2007/07/09/lilypad-toss/

But for who & for what shall I make these little cuties!?!?!  Well, it just so happened that 2 of my sweet young friends who are also sisters were turning 8 & 10 and having a joint birthday party!  PERFECT!!!!!!  So this is my take on the frogs & the game!  Hope you have someone sweet to make this for...it was SEW much FUN!!!  :)

First, I started out by printing the purl frog pattern from here http://www.purlbee.com/storage/purl%20frog%20pattern.pdf on card stock and then cutting it out.  Be sure to find two coordinating fabrics for each frog and cut a frog pattern out of each one!  These were what I had on hand from other projects!  Fat quarters would work great for this project too!  Pin the card stock pattern to your fabric and then cut out the frog using your fabric scissors.

Then pin WRONG SIDES facing each other (I know in this picture the fabric is pinned right sides together, but how I truly made these they need to be wrong sides together...so already looking like the finished project.)



Then sew around the frog using a 1/4 inch seam but leave an opening between the frogs legs to fill with beans!  (In this picture I tried sewing without pinning and I HIGHLY recommend that you pin before you sew...much easier!)

I then took my pinking shears and pinked the entire frog except for the opening where the beans would be added.  (The purl frog tutorial recommended that you pin and sew the frog right sides together and then turn him inside out before you fill him with beans.  I was trying to cheat/save time and came up with this version.  I honestly didn't want to take the time turning the frogs and I didn't mind the pinking look! Feel free to do as you like here!)

Then I filled my frog with dried split peas using a funnel!  Feel free to use lentils or any other favorite small dried bean!  Then be sure to hand sew the opening closed...good and tight!  You don't want any beans getting out during your game!  (Sorry I don't have a picture of the hand sewing...truth is, I DON'T know how!!!  :(  I tried cheating and sewing it on the machine...but that did NOT work.  So, I went on youtube and found a very helpful video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i20WGQRlnIA&feature=channel I think this slip stitch is perfect for this project!)

Here are my finished four little friends!!!  Now they just need some Lily pads...don't you think!?!?  :) 

Stay tuned for part 2 of the Lily Pad Toss Game!

**Updated: You can find part 2 of this tutorial here!