Fru-Fru Flower Headband Tutorial, Tiny Hair Clippy Tutorial, and a Giveaway!

Hello Bloggy Friends!

I want to give you a photo tutorial to show you how to make an oh-so-fashionable boutique style little girls headband. They are all the rage right now, these fancy pants headbands with GIANT fru-fru flowers adorning them. I also want to show you how to add a little pizazz to those cute tiny little baby hair clippies out there. These are super inexpensive to make, so before you go out and buy one, try your hand at making one yourself!

What you will need-

Silk flowers. I picked mine up at the Dollar Tree. For, of course, a dollar!

Scrapbooking flowers.

Trusty Hot Glue Gun.

Sequins and jewels.

Tiny alligator hair clips.

Large alligator hair clips.

Pack of headbands.

Remove all the plastic from the flowers you will be using. It's easy, just pull it off!
Seperate all the layers of the flowers
There is more plastic hiding inside. Remove this also.
Bake a chicken ceaser pizza while crafting. Make sure to eat it later when you blog.

I used a silk flower petal for a base on my flowers. I have lots left over from Valentines day wreaths. (Petals, also from the $$ Store.)

Put a dollop of glue onto the petal, or whatever you use for a base.

Doesn't my glue gun look pretty with all the red fuzz all over it? Hah.

Glue down the first layer of the flower you are starting with. I decided to go with 2 white ones.

Add more glue. (Hello again Old Faithful!)

Layer your next flower selection. I went with 2 layers of pink.

Rescue suicidal flower that dove off of counter into dog's water dish.

(I promise I did not use this one in my finished product.)

I chose two smaller pink flowers for the center. Add another dab of glue-

I decided on a jewel for the center of this one

Stick on jewel!

I really wanted a clip like this for my flowers, but didn't find any when I was at the store awhile back...

This one belongs to this cute flower clippy that I got in Hawaii in '07.

I settled for this alligaror clip-

Flip your completed flower over, and apply a line of glue to it-

Set alligator clip onto glue

I added some glue to both ends of the clip to make it more secure

I then added more glue to the clip sides

I took the sides of the petal and wrapped them over the clip. Tried to get an "action" shot but I proceeded to hot glue my fingers in the process. Note to self, don't focus so much on camera when dealing with HOT glue...

Now all you have to do is clip it onto a headband! Below are a couple that are from the hair section at the grocery store. Believe it or not, they fit on a babys head! If it is too big, just take it in a little bit at the seam. Another thing I have done- is cut off the leg from a pair of baby tights, and sew the ends together into a circle, and viola! A headband!

You could also use a cute baby headband you already have! This one LaLa got from her Nana for her birthday. It's super cute alone too!

Clip it on! By the way, I wouldn't use grey with this flower, but I already used my white ones.

Removable, interchangeable!

Here are a couple other ones I have made-

Now onto the fancy baby hair clippies!

What you will use-

Put a tiny little dab of hot glue onto the end of the clip-

Stick on your choice of little flower- mine is a fabric scrapbooking one

Add more glue

I layered a pink paper flower to the center.

And, yet some more glue-

(Old Faithful is really getting a workout today...)

I then topped it off with a pink sequin!

For a simply elegant look, just glue a single jewel onto a clip

What a cute pair they make!

If LaLa wasn't napping, I would have her model for you! I put her hair up into a tiny ponytail that sticks straight up, and then clip one on below the hair tie.

By the way, the embellishments might come off, and if they do, just re-glue!

So there you have it, a set of pretty fancy little clippies, and a fru-fru flower ready for any headband!

And because I love all my bloggy readers. I am giving this set away! (Headband not included, 'cause I am out of those.) You will get the giant fru-fru flower minus headband, and the set of little clippies shown here. I haven't ever made any for my shop because I am a little nervous about the liability issues. So, if you enter, please know you are taking responsibility for your child's safety. Always check items to make sure they are secure, and don't leave your baby alone with them. Deal? =)

Leave me a comment to enter! And if you can jump up and down while licking your elbow, I will give you another entry! Hehe. Giveaway ends Sunday night. Open to US and Canada shipping addresses.

I have to go pick the hot glue off my fingers now,

Megan

Happy Birthday Little Girl! And {Music Monday}

Our music for today? Lenka. Lighthearted, fun sound, all around a good time! I have added the playlist to my side column this week so you can listen while you visit. If you click on her name you can vsit her website. I picked her CD up off of Itunes, I love it!

It's here. Today. It not possible! But it's here. My Baby Girl's Birthday! She's one year old, and it just doesn't seem possible. How did time fly by so fast? It's a celebration, but it's also emotional. She is no longer a little baby. Oh, she is a baby in a one-year-old sense, but a tiny infant no longer.

LaLa, you are precious, adorable, fun, funny...You make us laugh with your little chatters and your funny walk. You bring us to tears with your hugs. We love watching you grow, we love every moment with you. Happy Birthday Little Girl!!!

We had her party on Saturday, and it was great! I decorated my chandelier with curled ribbon, and it turned out so cute! I added curled ribbon to everything. I made some cupcake banners with glitter on top, and hung streamers everywhere. Our friends and family came and we were blessed by their presence! We had a great time. The house is still a mess, and we are having our little family party tonight. So the menu this time? Frozen Pizza. I know, totally gourmet! I might make some more (much simpler) cupcakes though.

I wore this cute little apron that I bought at the antique store for $4, and appliqued a cupcake onto it. I threw it over a skirt (which later became jeans due to all the little kids I had to step over, if you know what I mean...) and wore my cupcake T from Target. The skirt and apron had a 50's look, so of course I tossed on my LARGE pears. (Of course they are real , 'cause like, I have a million dollars.) And, to top it off, I was barefoot! I had NO shoes that went with it! Kindof silly I know, but it was all last minute.

LaLa now has a collection of babydolls, quite wonderful considering she always plays with her brothers hotwheels. It is time to teach her about girly toys! Tonight (SHHHHH, DON'T LET HER HEAR!!!) She gets a cute little baby tea set!

Oh, and she loved smooshing her purple frosting! I will show you more pictures tomorrow, I especially want to get photos of the cupcake banner. And more photos of HER of course! I'm off to clean the house, go to the store, and do all my crazy stuff to get ready for tonight!

Happy Birthday Baby Buns!

Mommy. (Aka Megan)

{Fabulous Finds} Friday!!

Here it is, what you have all been waiting for, the first edition of {Fabulous Finds} Friday! Maybe we will hook up some Mr. Linky love in the future. If I ever figure that out.

So lets begin! Again, these are things that A) I Want, B) I Need (or think I need), or C) I have and love! It's a plethora of things that spark my fancy, and just might spark yours!

First off, one that I am the most excited to share with you all. It is an Etsy Shop called 5 Dollar French Market. It is addicting, fabulous, and an incredible concept. Everything in their store is FIVE DOLLARS!!! You heard me. And their shipping is very reasonable also! I am all over this idea. With the economy, jobs, and market the way they are, we all want our pretties, but sometimes they are just to costly for us to splurge. The only problem here is you may not be able to pick!

Here is what they say about their shop "...where you can browse through our lovely selection of French inspired items. All of our items are "tres chic!" and perfect for your very own Paris Apartment! So, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine you are strolling through the marketplace in the South of France!"

They have various items, many perfect for adding a special touch to your crafting, others just lovely to display in your home.

Here are some examples-

And these are on their way to MY home!-

Next I will tell you about something you all may have already seen and heard of. If not, you are going to want to get your hands on some of these! They are a great concept, and pair famously with (shameless plug) my onesies.

Babylegs- created to keep your little baby's legs warm. On infants they cover the whole leg. They are great to pair with a cute onesie, they keep legs warm for diaper changes on-the-go, they work as arm warmers on bigger kids or adults. They are cute fashionable leg warmers on little girls. I put them over LaLa's tights for extra warmth, I put them under her pants to keep her little legs warm (those little ankles always manage to peep out!), I layer them under snow clothes on both my kids, and they are recommended for potty training, so you don't have to rush to get those pants off as you try to get those little buns on the toilet!

Here is LaLa around 5 months old in her very first pair-

What seems to be a new fashion craze are Scrabble Tile Pendant necklaces. I really love these, and I think they would be really simple to make, so maybe a tutorial is in the makings. But for now, I snagged a few from two great shops, because I wasn't up to hunting down all the supplies and making my own. Although, I am thinking they would make wonderful easy gifts, simple to personalize for whoever you are giving them to.

From Its All About the Print I got this-

And I Got Squares traded me this-

Finally, I found TWO blogs that spin my fan-

Cupcakes Take the Cake is the first one. Although be warned, browsing this will leave you drooling for a cupcake, and all your New Years Resolutions might just go right out the window! I came upon it searching for cupcake ideas on the web for LaLa's birthday.

The other one I found was Joy The Baker. She is young, funny, makes you want to eat chocolate, and you will wish she were your best friend or next door neighbor. Looking at the goodies she bakes up will make you laugh, and then make you cry, you will want to eat them so badly. I read her tips on making Cream Cheese Frosting for LaLa's cupcakes, her post on THIS Dark Chocolate Sorbet has inspired me to make it for LaLa's party also. I faint.

Enjoy discovering these Fabulous Finds for yourselves! (In no way do I get anything for telling you about these finds. In fact, none of them even know I am sharing about them on my blog! They are things that are too good to be kept secret!)

Feeling Fantastic,

Megan

Cupcakes and Ruffles!

I haven't had much time to blog lately, what with both kids fighting a nasty cold, keeping up with the house, planning and preparing for the party on Saturday, and a little crafting on the side.

There are ponderings of opening a new Etsy store soon with little things I have made that are for Us, the adults. =) We love to shop for our babies, but we also love to shop for ourselves and our homes! They will be affordable little decor items, I am thinking mainly tag banners. Wathcathink?

Here are photos of the outfit I made for LaLa to wear at her party! I put ruffles on the bum of some pants from Target...I didn't have time to make her a new pair, and found these in the laundry, hot off the clearance rack! The ruffles are chiffon...yum! I am going to be making onesies in the future for my store with chiffon rufflebums, as the weather warms up. Finally I made her a little hair clippy that is, of course, a cupcake!

So take a peak at Cinderella's ruffles and enjoy! And thank you for all your kind and loving comments on my last post!!! Also, don't forget to tune in for Fabulous Finds Friday! It's gonna be fantastic!

Where I tell you how much I appreciate you, and make you drool over my Cupcakes.

I wish I were more poignant, brilliantly amusing, witty, and profound. I imagine myself saying something so fabulous I leave you all stunned with my amazingness. But really, all I am, is me.

I am slightly random, and more than a little sporadic. I tend to be unorganized. I love glitter, and am sure it has burrowed itself deep into my carpet by now. I love Paris. I love Italy. I love shabby chic. I cook in spurts. I would love to write a novel. I can picture myself singing on stage belting out "I believe in you and me" by Whittney Huston, but that will never happen. I can bury myself in Christian Fiction and not come up for air for a week. I love music. I love taking photos. I wish I were a professional. I have my fingers in too many pies, there are so many things I love to do, and want to do, and never get to because I am a wife and mom, and that is full time in itself!

But what I love about blogland, is that you all love, even admire, me and all my quirks. And I adore all of you. I love reading all your blogs, delving into your lives, seeing your ideas, and knowing YOU. Here in blogland, we can express ourselves, our "MEness" and not be afraid of what one another will say. The kindness and support is wonderful. Blogging is life changing. It seems odd to say that. But it's true.

I sat with my husband the other night, musing out loud about how I love this, and he said- "It's like the olden days when women would get together and share recipes and ideas, and talk about their lives and homes." This is so true. We gather round our computers, and jump into one anothers lives. Life is so busy, and I think that we have fewer chances in real life to do what we do here. It is an innate part of being a woman to be able to communicate with one another like this, and share with and support one another.

We also get to jump past those nervous first meetings, the fear of being judged for how we look, or the struggle to find those in the crowd who are open and honest rather than judgemental or seemingly stuck up. Because on our blogs we pour out our hearts and lives and expose who we are. I can find a new blog and feel like I instantly "know" someone new.

You all fuel my creativity. I am energized by your tips on home decorating, crafting, sewing, writing, cleaning, and loving. Thank you!

Yesterday (Monday) I got started on cooking for LaLa's 1st Birthday party! We are celebrating on Valentines day, although her real birthday is a few days later. I decided to bake and freeze her cupcakes in advance, so I don't totally mess up the house the day before the party. I am quite thrilled with myself for planning so far in advance. I'm feeling a little guilty for my son's party last November, we just went to McDonalds. And not only that, but the playland was closed! Doy. I don't think it really matters to him though. He had a blast.

So I baked and frosted the cupcakes today, and I plan on decorating them a little further tomorrow. I tried a cupcake and it was GOOD! And R.I.C.H. Man oh man. Those kiddies are going to be scraping frosting off for sure, because I wanted them to look decedent, and I succeeded. And so, without further ado-

Here is the baking process...

And here is the (currently) finished product!

Don't you wish YOU were gonna be there? You are invited...let me know when your flight gets in. ;)

There goes my diet this week.

-Megan-

(Be sure to check out Music Monday below, and let me know what you think about my idea, I'm feeling a little insecure about it today...it could just be hormones though.)

{Music Monday}

This Christmas, my sweet husband got me an IPod. I love it. It is my new best friend. I am, and have always been, a music junkie. BI (Before Ipod), I had lots of CD's. I then began downloading music onto my computer and burning it all onto CD's. Now I have my IPod, and this tiny little credit card sized thing holds all the music my little heart can handle. The joy of technology.

I digress.

I think I have listened to just about every type of music there is. Pop. Rock. Punk. Hardcore. Soft Rock. Country. Classical. Techno. Contemporary Christian. Worship. Emo. The list goes on I'm sure.

And so my Bloggy friends, I would like to dedicate Mondays to sharing the music with you.

Don't be scared, I can almost guarantee there will be no Hardcore or Punk in the mix. That stuff and I don't get along so well anymore. My poor head just can't take it. And besides, that phase was in High School and Jr High. And to quote a friend of mine "Weren't we all Punk in Jr High?".

I also will share a few guidelines I will follow. None of it will contain profanity or crude content. Because as my niece used to say "I can't like that". I want you to feel safe in listening to what I post or recommend. Also, if you want to share music with us in the comments to these posts, please follow the same guidelines. Lets keep it clean, ok?

Now, I have commitment issues. It seems like I start a project like this and then have trouble following through. Hopefully that will not be the case this time, as I have music coming out of my ears. (Haha. Dumb joke. Drum roll please.)

So stay tuned for more Music Mondays!

This week I am featuring an eclectic play list. It consists of songs that I downloaded for a Valentine's CD for my Hunny last year, plus a few more recent songs.


Everytime I Close My Eyes- Babyface (Going old school here...stuck it in for a good old early 90's flashback.)


Can’t Take My Eyes Off You- Lady Antebellum (I just love the sound of this song, the lady's voice is wonderful, and I love the harmony in the chorus. A delightful love song!)

Got It Right This Time- Kieth Urban (This is a joyful love song, and it makes me smile!)


Love Story- Taylor Swift (I love this new song, it really sparks the imagination)

Tailor Made- Colbie Caillat (I just love her! I listen to her CD like crazy. A sweet song)


Love You ‘Till the End- The Pogues (A little different. Fun. From the P.S. I Love You soundtrack. I don't really know how I feel about that movie. But I enjoy the soundtrack. It is definately unique, so beware!)

You can listen to it HERE. I tried to download it right onto this post, but couldn't figure it out. So click and enjoy! Also, please join in and leave your Valnetines music suggestions in the comments. I am trying to figure out Mr. Linky, so you can link up if you want to, but for now, guide us your direction in the comments.

Groovin to the tunes,

Megan

P.S. Stick around and join me on Fridays for Fabulous Finds Friday where I will tell you about my latest greatest fabulous finds, the things that I want, need, or have and love!

{DIY} Delightful Floral Gifts!

It doesn't get any easier (or cheaper!!) than this!!

Instead of giving your next bouquet of flowers in the plastic sac you got from the store, and instead of buying one of the more expensive vases they offer you at the same said store or florist, why not give something more original, charming, and inexpensive??

It's easy-peasy, low cost, and might even compete with those lovely flowers you bought

Decorate your own vase! Let me break it down for you-

Vase- $1 at dollar store (a dollar!! one dinero!! a buck! 99 cents plus a penny!!) I snagged this with gleeful joy and evil laughter at such a steal. I spotted their FLAT-ness, and knew they would be perfect

Scrapbooking paper- In your craft stash. You can also use wallpaper, wrapping paper, magazine pages, have your kids color on computer paper, endless possibilities!

Scrapbooking elements- Again, in your stash. There are also lots of little goodies at the dollar store. Think outside the box of what you could use/combine/spruce up. Or you can spend a little more cash and shop the craft store. I warn you though, do that and this will no longer be an inexpensive project! Unless you have superhuman strength and can resist all things pretty and crafty. And that would be pretty crafty of you. (Drum roll please).

Glue- Use something a little stronger than a glue stick. After my first vase, I pulled out the hot glue gun, as I didn't have to wait for that to dry.

Ribbon- Go simple, or go wild, thin or fat, whatever floats your boat!

Glitter- this needs no explanation from me.

Embellishments- that tickle your fancy; sequins, gems, beads, etc.

Ready, set, GO!

Cut a strip of paper to wrap around the vase. Glue it in place. If you are not using hot glue, then (as my not only HANDSOME but BRILLIANT husband suggested to me) stick a rubber band around it to hold it until it dries. I pulled out my hairband, because no rubber band would come when I called to them. (Disobedient buggers.)

Embellish the front of your vase.

I use some chipboard elements on one of these, which I sanded (it didn't originally match) an then rubbed on an ink pad. I glued paper behind the chipboard frame, and then added the baby letters. Add some glitter, ribbon, and glintz, and this one is just waiting for a certain friend to go into labor. (She is due in 2 days. Eviction notice has been served to the little bean.)

On another, I cut out 3 hearts and grouped them, and then framed on with a little plastic scrapbook element. Added glitter (duh) and some other fun elements, and tied ribbon around the neck of the vase.

On the white one I used wallpaper for the background. I cannot take credit for the brilliance of the wallpaper. My mom found a GIANT roll at the hardware store for 50CENTS. Yes, you heard me right people. FIFTY CENTS.

We have numerous other craft ideas up our sleeves for this spectacular find, and you will all get a chance to see some more soon. I then took a little free hand Eiffel tower cut out, made from the same wallpaper, and rubbed it on a black stamp pad. Added some spray-adhesive (I'm such a pro now) and some glitter, and glued it onto the vase.

Tied some ribbon on (the velvet and pearl ribbon is ALSO from the dollar store. I know. Gasp. I faint.), stuck some little silk flowers under the ribbon, and viola! I whipped this one up for this post so you could see one with a different look. Think wedding, shabby chic, etc.

And there you have it! I am going to make some with a more general "friend" theme to have on hand for those last minutes flower-gifts. By the way, I stuck silk flowers in from the dollar store in these for the photos. I believe I have read that it is faux paus to have silk flowers as a decoration, but these look pretty stinkin cute to me. And if you add glitter to the petals? Beautiful. What about sticking some silk flowers in with some real ones? I think that would be really different and fun.

If you make some, show me, I would love to see!

I need to get me some flowers now...

Megan

I {Heart} Faces- Childrens eyes

Find more adorable faces, or enter your own at -

So, for the children category, here is LaLa. It's all about the eyes this week on I Heart Faces.

Sorry to all of you who already commented on the post below and saw this! I had to edit them and do 2 posts to follow the I Heart Faces guidelines!

But this is new!! Check it out, my dog made it into the collage on I Heart Faces, click here to see! It is not any brilliance on my part, just random luck if you read the post about their collages, but hey, I'm all giddy anyways!!!

Figuring it out,

Megan

I {Heart} Faces

It's been going around. The I Heart Faces blog, that is. I decided to try my hand at 2 different entries. Go check them out, click the button below to visit them!

First, for the pets category. Here is out Top Dog, in the snow. I love this photo. He is hard to capture on film (er, memory card) when in the snow, it makes him all crazy-happy. But here it is, poetry in photo. At least I think so. I might be a little biased.


I {Heart} My Families Faces,

Megan

With Love, From Me, To You! {A Valentines Giveaway}

AND THE WINNER IS.....

Here are your random numbers:8
Timestamp: 2009-02-05 00:54:53 UTC

Comment #8- Congratulations Anna Sophia over at Our Daily Chocolate!
Thank you everyone for entering and your kind comments! You all always make my heart smile.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Come one, come all, and win the glitteriest of them all! (That is SO not a word.)

Here it is, from me to you, a Valentines Giveaway, in a pinkish hue!

Just leave me a comment to enter to win, and let the contest begin!

Contest ends February 4th. =)

On a different note, can you all please give me some easy-peasy oh-so-healthy casserole and crock pot recipes? Preferably low fat and low carb? I need some new ideas...Thank you! =)

All out of Rhymes,

Megan

The Whatcha-ma-cut and My Joy.

I can hear the Hallelujah Chorus now.

Oh the joy in my heart today, when I discovered a whole new world in paper crafting. This might make me sound like a novice, which I am not, but I had never heard of a certain fabulous invention before. And now...

It rocks my world!

What you ask?? I know you are in suspense.

Let me start at the beginning. I went to Ben Franklin to get some more spray adhesive because I had run out. It is my new favorite glue as you all know so well by now. Anyways, I saw this GREAT idea for cup cake invitations! They were a cupcake that you pulled out of a little sleeve. I thought they were perfect for Lala's invites. So I pulled out my cell phone and snapped a few pictures of them, all the while pondering how I would re-create these little masterpieces. Cut this. Fold that. Might take a little time, but I could do it. As I checked out at the register, the nice girl commented on how cute the paper was that I picked. I told her all about the little cupcake cards and what I wanted to make them for. And then she said "We have a DIE CUT for that." A whatcha-ma-cut? I wondered out loud.

The glory was then revealed. They had a die-cut machine that you can use for FREE and cut out hundreds of various shapes with. You just buy your scrapbook paper, and head back there, and use it. For FREE. I located this wondrous invention, and stood in awe as a sales lady showed me the ropes. I know many of you must have already heard of and used this mystical machine, but for me, a whole new world was opened.

I cut out many cupcakes and envelopes, and was thrilled!

Warning: Do not let your 3 year old help you crank the little crank. My poor boy tried to help me and got his thumb caught as the crank turned. Thankfully, many tears and one free balloon later, he had recovered. But it sure scared me! I felt like a horrible mother.

I am already plotting what I can cut out next. Paper flower shapes for sure, to layer on top of each other. I need to go see all the shapes and all their ideas. I am so excited!! Aladdin's "A Whole New World" is playing in my head.

It's fabulous.

Plotting away,

Megan

{P.S.- I really feel like I could do a lot more to these, but for the sake of time, I had to stop where they were at. I need to give them out at church tonight. Oh well!}

{P.P.S.- I know I announced an up-coming Valentines paper craft giveaway. It is in process. Life just kept on happening this weekend, and I was not able to do it as promised. Tomorrow is a craft day with some friends, and I will post about it then!}