D.I.Y. No Sew Banner Tutorial

June 17, 2013 by 2 Comments

I think banners are adorable. They really can add a festive quality to most events. I’ve always wanted to make some but my problem lies with my love hate relationship with my sewing machine.  I love the IDEA of sewing creative items but I HATE trying to do it.  My machine hates me something fierce so right now I have it out on display with my other diy/craft supplies so people think I can sew.  I’m the master manipulator.

Rejecting the sewing but wanting a banner for an event approaching this weekend I decided to try and make one.  After browsing Target and finding $1 tablecloths, my banner became a reality.  An affordable reality!

 

DIY No Sew Banner

 

How to make a No Sew Banner

Supplies needed:

Banner supplies

Cloth (your choice)

Hemp rope

Iron

Scissors

Stitch Witchery

Ruler

1. Draw your triangles on the cloth.

 The $1 tablecloths I picked up were ideal for this.

Tablecloths for no sew banner

Triangles for no sew banner

I made each triangle 8″ top and 11″ down.

2. Cut out each triangle.  

I used straight scissors but decorative scissors would probably be fine depending on the quality of the fabric.

Banner Tutorial Cutting

Don’t worry if they aren’t perfect. Remember you are hanging them. If anyone comments that they aren’t straight don’t invite them to another party OR just call it whimsical. Whimsical always works.

3. Decide the distance between each triangle.

Mine are 6″ apart…. So each triangle 8″ wide at the top and 6″ apart

Banner- 6 inches distance

Do you like my grown up ruler?

4. Line up with the Hemp rope and Stitch Witchery.

Stitch Witchery can be found at craft stores, Wal-Mart, or Amazon.

It’s awesome stuff.  Like super glue for fabric.

Hemp Rope is from Wal-Mart

Banner Tutorial Stitch Witchery and Hemp

My Stitch Witchery is similar to double sided tape. It sticks where placed and after I remove the plastic coating and fold the fabric over top, it stays in place.

Remember your spacing. The first few will be a pain but around the third or fourth it will be simple and you might be able to eyeball the  distance between each triangle.

5. Fold over top and iron. 

Banner Tutorial Iron

Two things!

I learned to put the hemp rope ON the stitch witchery and iron it as well. This will keep the triangle in place.

DON’T leave the iron on the tablecloth too long especially if  it’s cheap.

This is why….

Banner Tutorial Iron Burn

Apply the iron in swipes on the dry setting and go over it a few times. Approximately 4 times.

Apply pressure to the fold over with the iron.

Ultimately, just make sure it is stuck together.

6. Check it out

Banner Tutorial Ironed 1

Folded over and ironed all together. I trimmed the sides to match with the entire triangle.

7. Repeat.  

I did 12 triangles in a period of an hour and 15 minutes…with a few breaks.

No Sew Banner Tutorial

The best thing about this D.I.Y. Banner is that it is completely customizable to your taste.

I chose the $1 tablecloths because I don’t know if it will survive the party and I don’t want to worry about it being destroyed.

DIY No Sew Banner

The cost -

Stitch Witchery is approximately 3.50 (I already had it so it was free)

Hemp Rope at Wal-Mart – $9

Tablecloths – $2

Overall, not too pricey.

Give it a shot and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you have them!

Filed Under: Craft, DIY, summer Tagged With: , , ,

Clothespins – Fulfilling my life one day at a time

June 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There are a few household items that have always held an element of fascination to me.   Items that I know can be used in more ways than just the ordinary and if I can just figure out a their new purpose or dress it up differently my life would be infinitely more fulfilling…

Clothespins- Fulfilling my life one day at a time

how to make glitter clothespins

I have some strange obsession with clothespins.  I have always seen them as holding so much potential in such a little package.  In the past I have purchased package upon package and then store them until I could conjure up an idea to use them for other than laundry or food storage.

Finally, I gave into a simple idea I have had for years but never accomplished.  Glitter clothespins.   I don’t need glitter clothespins and I don’t have an amazing Pinterest project waiting on the sidelines for the finishing touches of sparkling clothespins so when making these I knew they had no true purpose.

I don’t care.  I had pretty glitter and I wanted to use it….. Apparently I am four.

If you want to get in touch with your childish side these are incredibly easy to make.

HOW TO:

Simply coat each side with matte Mod Podge and then dip into fine/dust glitter.  I used JoAnns generic brand because Martha’s is overpriced.  After they have dried I sealed the clothes pins with a light layer of the Mod Podge in the spray can.  

Now I have four clothespins eagerly awaiting a purpose.  I am sure these would make great little add-ons to homemade gifts.

Now, the winner of the Post giveaway is:Leah M.  (check your email)!

Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Kid Crafts, summer Tagged With: , , , ,

Summer Bucket List

May 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I have never enjoyed Bucket lists.  I have typically found them to be fairly morbid or exceptionally vain. However, gradually over the time my opinion has changed and now I see them more as a challenge and organizational tool to help me keep on track.

This year my family and I, joining The Happy Family Movement, have created our very first Summer Bucket list and there is nothing morbid about it!

I present

The Becoming Homegrown Summer Bucket List

Bucket list for summer

I ran across their blog during one of my blog stalking evenings and I knew that we needed to participate.  I am one of those odd balls that typically does not enjoy summer time and I decided this year that needed to change. (I actually blame my mother for my summertime angst….She made me read all day every day during the summer and then gave me tests after every chapter)  My boys are now old enough to follow instructions and do not need me to hold their hands through everything.  We can all participate together!   So here we go…

On the recommendation of The Happy Family Blog, we made several of the “to-dos” fairly easy and not out of reach.  This can be seen with the Ice Cream Sundaes, bike riding, and water balloons.  I also included things that will take a little more time and planning, i.e. making a solar oven and creating a Jackson Pollock shower curtain for a fort.   As we accomplish the goals we will be adding new ones to conquer.

I am excited about the possibilities here….now let’s see how many of these are achieved!

Bucket List

Water day with friends

Glitter water balloons (more for me in a water balloon fight)

Jackson Pollock Shower curtain

Ice Cream Sundaes – with all the goodies

Go to the local water park

Birthday party!

Learn to sew – the basics – For mom

Bike riding

Play board games

Make a solar oven together

Plant seeds in painted cans

Filed Under: Bucket List, summer Tagged With: , ,

Box Fort

May 18, 2012 by 1 Comment

In my quest for activities for the boys combined with blog stalking I had an epiphany.

Instead of  just having the boys use sheets and pillows for forts why not boxes?

The grocery store produce department has tons of boxes and they will give them to you for free.

So I asked and I got over 30 boxes.

A good start

Fort with boxes

Do you remember that vinyl shower curtain from the dollar store?

Time to color

And now to let them construct…

Fort with shower curtain and boxes

A giant fort with boxes and the shower curtain for the roof.

After they are done with the boxes we store them in a spare room and when they are destroyed they can be recycled.

This afternoon of imagination cost us a dollar.

Perfect!

Filed Under: How to, Kid Crafts, summer Tagged With: , , , ,

Box of activities

May 15, 2012 by 2 Comments

I am not a crafty person by nature.  I cannot walk into a dollar store and see a treasure trove of supplies that can produce endless hours of fun for my children or potential home decor options.  That is why there are bloggers that ARE crafty and teach me how to think outside the box

I recently found All for the Boys on Pinterest and I was thrown into a world of ideas and it was through her site that I was inspired!  Our summer last year was painfully long and boring so I decided that this year was going to be different; crafty if you will. (I also don’t have a ton of cash laying around to enroll my kids in a million different summer programs  so this a helpful alternative)

I have started out small.  A simple box of supplies for a few ideas.

Contents:

Clothes pins (1.88 for 100 at Wal-mart)

Paintbrushes (had on hand)

Masking Tape (1.00 at the dollar store)

Shower curtain rings (1.00 at the dollar store)

Glue stick (came in a pack of the 3 – 1.00 at the dollar store)

Balloons (1.00 at the dollar store)

Vinyl Shower curtain (1.00 at the dollar store)

Playing cards (came in a pack of 2 at the dollar store; 1.00)

Puzzle (1.00 at the dollar store- I bought 2)

Plastic container  (.96 cents at Wal-mart)

So for approximately 12 dollars I have the beginnings of a box activities for the boys.  If you have scanned the list you may ask what is the point of the shower curtain and rings.  Over at All for the Boys she hosts Fort Friday. I figured, since the the curtain and rings cost a whopping 2 dollars I will allow the boys to color on the curtain and we will figure out a way to hang it for a fort.  I am also having my husband pick up produce boxes at the grocery store for the boys to build a fort.  I am going to post the results on Friday!

I don’t expect this box to stay this small.  It will (hopefully) grow over time. As I have been writing this post my four year old has already raided it….

This box thing just may work.

Filed Under: boys, Crafts, Ideas, Kid Crafts, summer Tagged With: , , ,

Sunscreen; A hot topic

May 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Tanning is a controversial topic.  I am not sure if it really needs to be but everyone seems to have a very passionate opinion about it.   The media glorifies it and then suddenly back pedals when a celebrity has over tanned or over misted.  Either way I am fairly neutral about the topic unless you are as brown as the New Jersey tanning mom or orange as the Jersey Shore crew.

Sunburn during the summerAlthough I am neutral on the entire concept of tanning, I am concerned with burning or not being prepared for prolonged sun exposure.  Burning your skin in efforts to be tan or just not being prepared is worrisome to me.  Skin cancer is a very real thing and it is something that I have to watch for on a daily basis.  I have already had two malignant melanoma moles removed before the age of 25.

I am not anti-sun nor am I anti-tan. I like being tan.  I am one of the lucky individuals that rarely burn and almost always tans. It is a blessing and curse.  I have to keep an eye on my skin and as I get older I have become more aware of keeping it healthy and safe. (I also don’t want to wrinkle prematurely but that doesn’t sound as wholesome as being healthy and safe)  I am very aware of my children’s skin and I have noticed that they have inherited my superhuman tanning ability. So when the opportunity to become a Coppertone Water Mom arose, I signed up.  The summer is upon us and swimming, gardening, outside crafts, water days, and other outside activities are high on the priority list.  I want my kiddos to be prepared and ‘covered’ and I want the same for you.

If you are interested I have been given many coupons for $1 off any Coppertone Product. Let’s face it, sunscreen ain’t cheap and this will make it a bit more affordable.  The first 10 people to email me will receive a coupon and a sample bottle that is great for your purse.  Email me at:   morgan@becominghomegrown  Be sure to include your name and address.

Stay safe and let’s all try not to look like the Tanorexic mom from New Jersey.

 

**As a member of the Coppertone Water Moms group, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit.  No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.**

 

Filed Under: Reviews, summer Tagged With: , , , , , ,

When is summer over?!

June 28, 2011 by 4 Comments

I hate the summer.

Its hot

Its always sunny

I live in the land of heat

There is no grass that grows here naturally

Its mutant grass

Summer stinks when you are on a budget

No beach

No Mickey Mouse

No heading out of town to escape the norm

Lazy, crazy, hazy dayz of summer is not my idea of a good time

You can’t really cook anything in the house because it will get too warm inside

We are trapped inside so our skin does melt off in 120 degree heat

I have green envy….

Not envy for money

Envy for trees

Envy for water

Maybe it isn’t green Envy. It’s East Coast envy.

We could do crafts

Alot of crafts

But too many crafts is bad for your health

I shouldn’t be complaining

It could be worse

I could be living a life without Air Conditioning.

And without the internet.

That would be a true nightmare.

I will deal. 

It’s June 28

Only 94 days until October

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Complaining, Hot, summer Tagged With:
Seo PackagesBlog Comment ServicesGov Backlinks