{Tutorial} Pom Pom Spider!

Just in Time for Halloween…

You Will Need:

Black Yarn
PomPom Maker (or Make Your Own from Cardboard)
4 Black Chenille Stems/Pipe Cleaners
Assorted Googly Eyes
Hot Glue

Instructions:

1.  Make a large pom pom with either your pompom maker or cardboard ring.  Set aside.


2.  Take two pipe cleaners and join them in the form of an X by twisting around each other.

3.  Add two more pipe cleaners in the same fashion.



4.  Separate stems so you have four “legs” on either side.



5.  Now, it’s time to add your spider body to its legs!  Add hot glue to the center of your chenille stems, then firmly place your pompom to the glue.

 

6.  Now, shape your legs.  I gave my legs a rounded top and flexed foot, to help the spider stand.

7.  Add googly eyes…and hello Spidey! 

Oh, and Bridey… my 4 year old was excited about her Halloween costume and insisted on “helping” mama with this project (hence the not-so-great photos).  *sigh* I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and get to enjoy making some spiders with your little helpers!

Linking up here:


 








The Idea Room

S.B.O.D.

Otherwise known as... the 

Stomach Bug of Death,

which I have been plagued with since Wednesday evening.

I tried earnestly to get the tutorial posted for the Pom Pom Spider, but aforementioned SBOD had different plans for me, plans that involved lots of losing my stomach contents (sorry - TMI), passing out on my bathroom floor, and not being able to get out of bed for over 24 hours.

Yeah.  Holy Sickness.

I'm now upright, and treading softly into solid foods... gatorade and Saltines are the current menu.  Mmmmm.

Hope to have the tutorial ready for you soon!

Halloween Spider Wreath!

Today I was able to finish up the wreath I'd been working on in between coats of paint in my office.  It ended up quite a bit different than it began (does that ever happen to you?), but I'm pretty happy with the final version...

The wreath form is a natural straw form that I found at Hobby Lobby - I loved the natural straw and thought it would be a perfect background for my Halloween wreath idea.  Unfortunately, the straw did not get along so well with my sensitive skin.  My arms were so red and itchy that I moved on to plan B (okay, I didn't really have a plan B, but I made one pretty quick!)  I wrapped the form with some aqua grosgrain ribbon (cause I didn't have orange or black or purple or any of the Halloween colors, k?) - my skin was ever so thankful for the change, the color didn't matter.

I then added the spider web, constructed from some shimmery black yarn, straight pins, and memories of web-making from grade school.  (I think we did ours with nails on a block of wood back then - do you remember doing those?)  The "BOO" letters were found in the wood crafts department at Hobby Lobby and then lovingly adorned with some orange glitter left over from the Glitter Acorns.  The cute little Spidey will be a tutorial for ya later this week!

I used some scrap fabric for the little rolled flowers... and my new wreath was complete!

I love how it matches my door...

I'm slowly getting the entire front entry ready for fall.  The Halloween lights are on the ivy planters, the grapevine pumpkins have been rescued from the attic, and I've added some fall mums just waiting to bloom (I'm hoping they can survive the final hot days of the season).  I'll show more pics once it's really ready.

Oh, and about that office... it.  is.  done!

Well, the painting that is.  Now I have the task of figuring out which sleeper sofa and craft table I will be adding to the space.  I'm already loving how much lighter and brighter the room is since getting rid of the poop brown walls.

But back to that wreath, right?

Linking up here:

"
Scattergirls

{Friday Faves} Nail Polish

I have been somewhat obsessed with fingernail polish images on Pinterest lately; perhaps because my painter's hands are looking a little worse for the wear?  Here are some of my favorite colors for fingertips...

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest

This lavender would be the perfect complement to a dark grey sweater...

Source: google.com via Robin on Pinterest

You can't go wrong with Essie Ballet Slippers.

Source: product-girl.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Nor with Essie Chinchilly, my current nail polish crush.

Source: slightlyaddicting.tumblr.com via Jodi on Pinterest

Newsprint nails are so cool - like a grown up version of Silly Putty!

Source: youtube.com via Bibliophile on Pinterest

This one's just for fun... candy corn nails!

Have a fantastic Friday - see you in the manicure chair!

{Tutorial} Glittered Acorns

I gave you a little sneak peek of this quick, fun craft with the Acorn Tree Tutorial... glittered acorns!  Why not add a little bling to the beauty that is the acorn?

You Will Need:

Acorns

Mod Podge

Glitter

Paper Plate (or large piece of newspaper) for glittering

1.  Paint the cap of your acorn with mod podge, then sprinkle with glitter (sorry I don't have a pic of that step but I think you can figure it out, right?).

2.  Set aside to dry.

3.  Repeat.

That's it.  Easy peasy baby!  This is a fun craft to do with your kids - my four year old was my little helper.  I will warn you though... be prepared to be wearing glitter for a while:

"Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies.  It just doesn't go away." ~ Anonymous

Have a great week!!

The Number One Reason to Hire a Painter

After spending the past weeks tackling the task of repainting my office (and I'm still not finished!)... I have discovered the number one reason to hire a painter rather than doing the job yourself:

Cutting In!



photo source: TLC Home

In the complete paint overhaul of this room, I've primed, taped, painted the interior window edges and ceiling... and last night, I cut in around the edges of the room... and the doors... and around the large plantation shutter.  Let me tell you - although necessary, this is not the fun part of painting.  It's not the whole "look, I'm smiling as I roll on a pretty new color" part of painting.  It's the grunt work, people.

Today though, Mr Home.Made. will be doing that fun rolling on part while I'm away at work and I can't wait to walk in the door to take a peek.  It will be fabulous and refreshing and rewarding...

And then it will be time to tape and repaint all of the trim.

Got a number of a painter you'd like to share for my next paint project?!



{Tutorial} Acorn Tree

I live in a neighborhood full of oak trees.  Even in the midst of the 2011 drought, these trees are still producing tons of acorns - good for the deer and good for us crafty folk ;).  My girls have been excellent acorn hunters for their mama on our evening walks - picking up only the ones still wearing their hats, just the way I like 'em!  I've got a couple of acorn tutorials in the works, but here's the first... an acorn tree to grace your fall table or mantle.

You will need:

Acorns.  Lots of acorns.

Styrofoam cone form (You may want to spray paint it brown if you don't like the white showing through)

Hot glue

Mod Podge

Patience (hee)

Instructions:

1.  Beginning at the top of the styrofoam form, glue acorns in place, tilting them at about a forty-five degree angle. 

2.  Continue adding acorns, fitting them together like a puzzle (stem portion fits in between the ends of the previous two acorns).  See?

3.  Add acorns until the entire form is covered (be prepared to send your children for more acorns in case you run out... not that I'd know anything about that.  Ahem.)  I used a combination of fallen acorns (brown)  and some picked from the tree (green) so I would have some variation in color.

4.  To form the top of your "tree", glue acorns in an upright position at the top of the cone. 

5.  Then add one in the middle... your little acorn star, so to speak.

6.  Now it's time to bring out the beauty of the acorns' colors with a little Mod Podge.  Apply Mod Podge to each acorn, being sure to coat the acorn and cap portion.

You acorn tree will now look like this (deep breath, it's gonna look better!):

At this point, you can add glitter if you'd like for a little sparkle or affix some moss in between acorns.

7.  When your Mod Podge has cured, you're left with this beauty:

This is a fun way to dress up your fall table or mantle - and since it's not holiday specific, it can be used the entire fall season!  Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Oh, and yes, those little sparkly guys at the bottom are a sneak peek of a fun kid's craft tutorial to come!

Linking up here:

 "