Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts

Making Button Bracelets: Featuring Danielle of EatBreatheBlog

Danielle from EatBreatheBlog is sharing a super fun craft today. Perfect for a hot summer day to break out of the boredom!

Crafting Button Bracelets

Button bracelets are a quick and easy craft. Even if someone isn't the crafty type with tons of supplies, they will certainly have a stash of buttons around the house. Some people even make a hobby out of collecting vintage buttons. Now it’s time to gather up those buttons and put them to good use while making a fun accessory. New buttons may be used too, and fabric and craft stores have some really interesting ones to choose from. They’re inexpensive, but with the right coupons, you can practically get a whole bag for free! Furthermore, the design and color composition ideas are endless.

For this project you will need only a few things:
1/4" or 3/8" thick white elastic
An assortment of buttons
Needle and colored thread

Pick a mix of colors and sizes of buttons that is pleasing. Mixing new and vintage buttons gives a funky look. Smaller buttons in pastel colors give a daintier, more feminine look. Use a repeating pattern or all one-of-a-kinds. Stacking smaller buttons on top of larger buttons gives you a layered look for added interest and texture. Pick a thread that matches or complements the color of buttons chosen. Use a pop of color or clear nylon thread that can blend in.

Wrap the elastic loosely around the wrist and place it where a bracelet would sit comfortably, making sure it is not too tight or too loose. Cut to size with 3/4" for overlap and mark the elastic right past the overlap point. Fold the elastic in half and mark this halfway point, too.

Lay the elastic flat on a table to use as a guide for placing the buttons. Take the buttons and figure out the desired layout and how many buttons will be needed. Make sure not to place the buttons past the end mark made on the elastic. The design looks best if the buttons overlap each other a bit, so remember this when laying them out. Reference the pictures for help in placement. After the layout is done, the elastic can be sewn together by hand securely to form the bracelet.
Starting in the middle of the elastic, sew on the buttons one at a time. Knot the thread after each button is attached to keep it secure. To make the knots, thread the needle up under the stitches, pull the string through and thread the needle through the loop that is made and pull tight. Do this a couple of times to secure the buttons. Make sure to have the buttons overlap each other so the elastic does not show through. Keep sewing on the buttons until the bracelet is covered. Adjust the layout if needed to get proper coverage of the elastic. Try the bracelet on for size and admire the handiwork!

Button bracelets are fun to make and the design possibilities are endless. These also make great gifts and items for craft sales. Grab those buttons and make one today!

Thanks for sharing this fun project Danielle! Don't forget to check out her blog, EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

One Dollar Wednesday... felt flower tutorial

I LOVE felt and I LOVE flowers. It was inevitable that these two loves of mine would cross paths one day. I have seen so many cute felt flowers around town, and knew that I could throw something together.

I started with my pattern pieces. In this case a drinking cup, and a medicine cup. I used a blue crayola for tracing.



Here are all my circles traced onto the felt. I have five large, four medium, and 4 small.



I cut my circles out.



Then I cut them all in half, with the exception of one large and one small.




I started layering on my large circle, using my glue gun to affix my layers.



Another layer...



and another...working from large to small.



When I finished with my layers, I put a dollop of glue in the center and finished the layers off with the small circle.



For my clip, I cut one more circle and a little strip of felt.



I glued the strip of felt around the end of my clip, then glued the clip to the bottom of my flower. I finished it off with the small circle.



I added a pretty pink vintage button, and it was good to go!

One Dollar Wednesday... Flea Market Fancy

I picked up this cute sweater at the thrift store on dollar day. Cute right? I especially loved the green polka dot ribbon addition. I decided to "fancy" it up a bit.



I cut some strips of fabric, and proceeded to roll some roses.



I glued them all together, but thought they needed just a little something more.




Pinned them to my cardi...



and I was ready to go!

Master Bedroom ideas

It's Friday, and I have lots of things that need to be worked on for my Friday Freebie posts. I have had sick kiddos,though, and it seems to make crafting impossible! Instead, we've been snuggled in my bed watching lots of Max & Ruby episodes. Spending an extended period of time in the boudoir got me thinking that I need to mix things up a bit in there. I like our bed linens, have a sufficient number of pillows, and I like our bedroom furniture; but I'm having issues with my accessories and decor. I'm just not sure how to decorate the wall behind our bed.

I could go with a classic look~ three pictures in a row...




I love food, so anything involving plates catches my eye...





There's always room for one more frame...



A monogram would be simple and sweet...



Mirrors are pretty and add extra light to a room.



Using natural elements is an option...



And book cases would be great for storing all of our books...




You see the difficulty one can have when deciding how to decorate that darn wall.

Around the Town Tuesday...featuring The Basket Loft

My babies and I happened upon a DARLING store just this week. It's The Basket Loft, and this little place is filled to the brim with ADORABLE Christmas decor. I was able to snap a couple pictures, but they don't do justice to this fun little store.

Upon entering, my baby that isn't restrained in a stroller, headed straight for this bright collection of sock monkeys. They were so cute.

(This was the only thing that this baby was allowed to touch~~many breakables about.)


I absolutely LOVE Jim Shore, and there were plenty of his beautiful pieces to gaze at.


A good sized collection of FUN watches for kids. These aren't digital, and only $9.99 a piece. What a great "Learning Gift" this would make for my kiddos.


Simply beautiful Christmas place settings...


and lots of ideas for my entryway!




I've seen these charming measuring spoons at a few different places. What a way to make cooking a bit more enjoyable.


I'd love to get organized enough, that I switched out my bed linens during the holidays. If I had this pretty set, I'm afraid I'd leave it all year.


And last but not least, we spied this little fellow. Isn't he the cutest thing?!?



Be sure to visit:

The Basket Loft
1400 Foothill Drive
Salt Lake City, UT

One Dollar Wednesday...Sock it to me!

For One Dollar Wednesday I had so many ideas running through my head, but when I found this pair of socks, at Target Dollar Spot, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.


First I cut one of those socks into sections.


Then I cut one end to make a longer strip.


I set my sewing machine to a "basting" stitch, and sewed down one side.


After I stitched, I pulled one thread to "gather" the fabric strip.


I knotted the four ends of thread together, and repeated the above steps two more times.


I closed my "circles" with a little dot of hot glue.


Then I cut "petals" in each of my circles.


I used the cuff of the sock to cover my alligator clip.


I layered all my circles together, added a green vintage button, and it was good to go.