DIY: Matching Bracelets

One lazy afternoon + faux pearls + bored mom = mommy and amber’s matching bracelet!

I’ve been looking at my stack of faux pearls, which I accumulated since planning my wedding. Well, I didn’t use any of them in my wedding at all. I just love looking at them, different colors,... different sizes... they look like colored bubbles. Looking at them relaxes me.

Then I saw this Hello Kitty bracelet that was given to Amber by a Korean friend and thought, what if I have something like it to match hers?

But since I don't have the exact Hello Kitty materials, I eyed my faux pearl collection and tadah!!! Made matching bracelets for my little girl and myself. :)

Would look better if I used semi-precious beads. Hmmm, a trip to Villalobos St. in Quiapo might indulge my passing fancy for semi-precious beads! Have to plan a trip! Ciao!

Fun DIY: Ribbon Spools

Before

After

I made the ribbon spools using tissue paper cores and scrap cardboards.

How it was done? Sooo easy! 

1. Cut the tissue paper cores according to the width of your ribbon. 

Yup, I have started collecting tissue paper cores since early this year for no specific use then. I have tons of them now.

2. Trace a jar’s lid or any round material onto your cardboard and cut. Make sure that the flat circles are at least an inch bigger than the tissue paper core. These will serve as your ribbon stopper. Optional: cut a hole on the flat circles if you wish to put the spools on a rod for organizing.

3. Using any type of glue, attach the flat circles on both sides of the core. I used contact glue mostly, but white glue worked well too, you just have to wait longer for it to dry.

4. Now this is the fun part where you can ask your children to help. Roll your ribbons onto the spools!

Another step taken towards my goal to declutter and have my art materials organized. These are still to be sorted based on colors and sizes. I still need to stock up on plastic shoe boxes though to accommodate my supplies. I purchased these shoe boxes for only P33 each. :)

I am still looking forward to having that cabinet-type workspace!

Fun DIY: Mini Top Hat Headpieces

In lieu of a party hat, I made Amber and her party guests, mini-top hat headpieces.

I used craft foams (instead of fleece or felt), ribbons, satin flowers and tulle.

I got the pattern of the top hat here that I just reduced to make it smaller and even cuter, then attached it to a french clip.

Fun DIY: Tea Party Invitations

Using the inspirations I got from the net, I used old hotel flyers and brochures for Amber’s party invites. The hotel brochures have really, really good quality that I couldn’t have the heart to just throw them away so as much as possible, I recycle them. J

My personal touch here is putting pearls on the tags.

We only had 3 guests but I made a 4th invite as a souvenir for Amber.

Fun DIY: Amber’s Grooming Kit Decoupage

Upon enrollment, we were asked by Amber's teacher to prepare a grooming kit for her. The kit will contain basic grooming items such as: powder, baby cologne, soap, hand towel, big towel, extra clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste.

To add a personal touch, I decided to make a little decoupage project on Amber's grooming kit. Here are the materials I used:

Plastic container, Elmer's glue, paintbrush, scissors and Art Papers

For the decoupage glue, I added 2 parts of glue to 1 part water. The usual mixture I guess is 1:1 but I wanted my mixture to be thicker so it would dry quickly.

At first, I have collected flower cliparts from the internet and hoped to print them but our printer at home broke down on me so I thought of using art paper cut-outs instead.

Just stick the art paper, which I cut into flower shapes, to the container, apply decoupage glue all over it using a paintbrush, let it dry, then it's done! Easy-peasy!

Not bad,... I think. ^_^

DIY: Personalized Pillow Case

A project inspired by Maqui’s Monogram Pillowcase. But for this project, instead of doing a monogram, I sewed all the letters in Amber’s name! Pretty tough for someone’s first time to sew! ^_^

Like Maqui said, you can either make your own or use any store-bought pillowcases. I used Amber’s old pillowcase for this project.

I'm so happy that I finally found where to buy this felt cloth. Been looking for it for so long. I was in the ribbons section of SM City in Makati buying ribbons for Ynakee's candles when I, just testing my luck, asked the saleslady if they, by any chance, have felt cloths and lo and behold... there they were, rolled up in 1/4 yards, in different colors! I bought orange, red and purple, which is the one I used for this project.

So, I traced the letters on the wrong side of the felt cloth, cut and pinned them on the pillowcase.

The 'fun' begins after that! I wish I can pull the sewing off, fingers crossed! I originally planned to do an X-stitch around each letter (oh, di ba, ang tapang! backstitch nga, parang gusto ko na mag-back-out) but I find it too laborious when I tried doing it (hahaha! excuses!) plus I can't seemed to keep the letters in place while I sew around it. Stubborn letters! So backstitch it is! I also followed Maqui's advice to use a thread that is lighter or would contrast to the felt cloth.  

And tadaaaahhhh!!! 

I’m so happy with the outcome. Amber is as happy, too! She keeps on saying, “Wow, danda!”. She carries it all around the house.

The good part about this project is that you can do it while you're watching the TV! Twice the fun! ^_^

Fun DIY: Baptismal Candles

Hay, I so enjoy making personalized baptismal candles! These are for Ynakee who will be baptized on Sep-25.

I have to be more OC on my ribbons. Hindi sila pantay-pantay! Ang chaka!

Sorry baby Ynakee, Tita Lanie will not be there on your baptism but I will be celebrating with you in thoughts. ^_^

Incidentally, it’s her Ate Yvonne’s birthday celebration as well, which reminds me that I have to go out later and find her a gift. ^_^

DIY: Baptism Candles

I will still feature them! No amount of discouragement will stop me! At least the invisible person can't leave rude remarks here. Ha-hah! 

I excitedly blogged about it here. Mushado kasing excited with my newest craft that I already made kwento even if I didn’t have any designs in mind yet. Well, my friend already chose an inspiration but I had it made based on the materials that I have collected.

And now, after a day’s work. Tadaaaahhhh...

Ang cute nila no? Hahaha! I really can’t and didn’t wait for anyone to comment about it first. Ako na talaga ang nagsabing maganda. Pagbigyan na! ^_^

And please, don't think that I can't take negative comments. I'm a very reasonable person, trust me! I'd be happy to hear what you think about them. At least you have seen them first before saying something, right? Your comments will be taken constructively. Please do say something. ^_^

Fun DIY: Baptismal Candle (Upcoming Project)

I’m not supposed to blog about this yet... not until I have it done nor my friend gives me the permission to brag blog about it. But I’m so excited with this new DIY project, I can’t contain myself!

Piche and Don’s baby Zoie will be baptized on August 14 and I volunteered to do her baptismal candles! Yay! I just hope the candles will turn out the way they are expected of.

Will be scouting for the materials later. So excited!!!

Btw, my first attempt to do a baptismal candle was for the Hubby’s niece, Chloe. Here’s how it turned out...

Yeah, I know, plain and simple. We didn’t put enough thoughts on it because I did it only the night before the baptism. Korek, ngarag ang lola nyo jan!

I hope I can fix a better one this time for Zoie. ^_^

Their names rhyme no? Chloe... Zoie... how cute! ^_^

Fun DIY: Amber's Birthday Cake Decor.

Ladies and gentelmen, my DIY cake decor...

About the cake muna. Nope, it's not my own. Hindi keri ng powers ko ang baking no! It's by my college friend, Miggs' wife. Cake is uber yummy. It's a double layer chocolate moist cake with chocolate filling and marshmallow icing! I requested it to be just plain (because I'm going to decorate it myself) with a generous amount of chocolate filling, which I think is the reason why the top layer slid when we transported it home (our fault, we didn't lay it flat on the car seat). It came na pala with the star-shaped sprinkles which perfectly matched the decors. The filling was really thick! It was melted and dripping when we cut the cake. It made the cake sinfully yummy! Their carrot cake is also to die for, ang sarap talaga! In fact, I ordered a mini-carrot cake aside from this (mini lang kasi diet-dietan ang lola). Even my Nanay (who is not a cake person as she says) and SIL gave their 2 thumbs up! :-)

Because I rarely see designs that I like and that ordering a custom-made topper would be really really expensive, I decided to decorate the cake myself! It's fun and I get to practice my rusty artsy-artsy once in a while. Kaya lang, when I got the cake, I realized that I should've made the characters bigger. Kasi naman, I have printed and cut them already without seeing the cake yet. Ayan, ang liit tuloy. Parang hindi tuloy feel ni Minnie mag-party. Anyways, now that I know how a 9" cake actually looks like (not that I don't know yet, humahanap lang ng excuse), I won't commit this mistake again, pramis!

For those interested with the yummy cake, you may inquire with:
Gene Pearl Estrella of iTreats
Tel# 418.0500/ 218.8709