Something to Read: Subway Art

My new borrowed family Christmas gift giving policy is: "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read..."

If this saying came from your blog or you know where it came from, please tell me. I want to give credit and thank this person for helping me keep it very simple at Christmas. Anyway, on with the show.

Hubbers is getting this Subway Art as his "Something to read." I made it for his new office. (Hope we finish the office before Subway Art goes to the curb!)

There are a ton of Tutorials out there for this. Here is what I did...

Materials:
Canvas (mine was 1/2 off at Michael's but you can use an old piece from a yard sale or thrift store)
Acrylic paint for background (I purchased a 250 ML tube of black and did not even use 1/4 of it)
Mod Podge
Scrapbook Paper or Card stock (Higher quality paper= easier project)
Letter Cutting Machine such as a Cricut (Optional and very handy---You can also print your words on your computer. Just reverse the color so the letters print white)

Gather those Materials

Paint that canvas

I only used one coat and it looks fine, but you may find you need more depending on the quality of your paint or the condition of your canvas... or if you are that way.

Cut out those letters

I have seed a variety of sizes, fonts and color schemes. You will notice mine are all the same font. This is not because my husband really likes the George font from Cricut. It is because I was not willing to buy a new Cricut cartridge for this experimental gift. It turns out I rather like it! Lay those Puppies out.

Arrange the words. Make em fit, see what you love. VS (Not Victoria's Secret..Vital Step):

Take a picture so you don't forget where they were.

Glue baby, glue!
Go nuts with the Mod Podge. Brush it on the back of each letter. Stick those letters down. Go back and cover the whole canvas in a coat of Mod Podge.

At this point FEEL FREE TO FREAK OUT. I DID. It will look awful. It will dry clear and it won't be shiny anymore. See... Mine is almost dry.

The mod podge is still visible in this picture especially near the bottom. Be assured it will disappear when it is completely dry...

I did let it dry for two full days simply because I did not want to tun the risk of having anything stick to the wrapping paper. Overnight would likely do the trick!

Of course The project is done and wrapped and I never took a THE END picture.

Maybe when the office is finished and it is hanging on its new wall home...

Dear Dad,

I am sure you know, we have been missing you a lot around here lately...

Your garden was the best I have ever seen it. The corn was delicious, the potatoes were huge, and the pumpkins were perfect... it wasn't the same without you.

We spent a lot of time as a family, with "grease cutters" being the drink of choice... it wasn't the same without you. (By the way, I can actually drink a grease cutter with out cringing now... I wouldn't say I love it!)

Fishing at the cabin was "piss poor"... it wasn't the same without you.

Kate got married, now that was a party... it wasn't the same without you.

Jesse and Mike took a bear hunting journey to Liberty Farms... it wasn't the same without you. (I am not sure if they knew what to do without you there to take the lead)

I am sure you know, Grandma went to heaven right after she turned 99. I bet she was surprised but happy to see you waiting there!

We miss you!

PS You are going to be a grandpa again... oh and a great grandpa! No, silly I am not expecting, but Lindsay and Ryan are and so are Tony and Miss Kate!

I love you!

Miss Becca

Our Advent Calendar

Our Advent Calendar is made from a Red Dogwood branch and some old book pages. Each book page was rolled into a cone shape and decorated with a winter animal shape.







Each day we look inside the cone to find a prayer for the day or a family activity to prepare for Christmas.



Some of our favorites are:



~Sing Christmas songs by the tree

~Cocoa and a prayer

~Read the story of the birth of Jesus

~Make "firecrackers" to open on Christmas Eve (These contain special notes written by each family member)

~ Go for a drive and look at Christmas lights

~Go out of your way to do good deeds today

~Make a gift for your sibling

~Go to the pet store to hold the puppies

~Buy food for the food shelf

~Make a Birthday Banner for Jesus




This is the first year we have done such an involved Advent Calendar. I must say I am in love with the idea and I do plan to make it a tradition.



Having the kids help make it really gave them ownership.



I will admit that some of the tasks did not get completed. The timing was a little off. Next year, I will have to rig it so the more involved activities land on slow days here at the house!



I hope Advent helped prepare your heart and home for the coming of Jesus... Merry Christmas!

Fit to Be Tied Towel

Wow, I love this towel! It was so simple and makes so much sense... Tate said, "Oooh it looks like an angel." It sure does my little man...



It took less than 15 minutes to make and will prevent those little ones from pulling down the kitchen towel every time you turn around!

Find out how to make this beauty by visiting Trey and Lucy! The lovely Tanya will show you how to make this and everything you never knew you wanted to make... :)

As for me, I am off to make more of these monsters so that I have an army of beautiful towels to look at. I might try a button hole or Velcro...

Embellish Me, Please: Pretty Towel Tutorial for You!

I mentioned in the quicky gift of bread post that my intentions were to make some pretty little towels to keep on hand for emergency gift giving situations.

Well, I got a jump start today when my sweet baby was taking nap. (OK he is six, so not a baby, but he is my baby and he is sicker than sick. BOO. :( ) By jump start, I mean two towels. See...

As you can see, I thought I was going to be making a gross of towels...

I used the towels on the right and fabric from my stash you could use scraps. (Kiley recently became interested in fabric and sewing, so my scrap drawer is looking pretty sad...)

Cut strips of fabric that are as long as the width (plus an inch or two) of your towel and about 3 inches wide.


Fold the edge over and press. Sew.

Pin your fabric to your towel. I use a ruler to keep it even.

Sew the fabric strip to your towel. Make sure your edges are folded over the side of the towel and and tucked under...

The second towel is just ric rac sewn to a towel with a basic fabric flower pinned on.

I decided these two cuties would look great with the fun clothespin magnets I made.

Enjoy!

Quicky Gift Idea

Last week I was in a pinch and needed a quicky gift for project Advent Angel (Secret Santa) at work. I grabbed a loaf of crusty bread and a new dish towel and ta da!

(The tag says, "Have a loafly day." I'm cooky like that...)

Over break, I may cut the other dish towels down and embelish them to keep on hand for this very purpose. What an easy little gesture... The embelishments will kick it up a notch.

This old hat

I think it was a month ago that I posted pics of the first hat I made. It was a Where the Wild Things Are hat. Kind of cute, but very thin and a weak effort. I gave it another shot that same night and came up with this cutie.

This time I sewed two layers of fabric and added a ruffle, some trim, and a button. Oh what fun!
One problem. The pattern from I Am Momma Hear Me Roar was for a kid. I am an adult, so I modified it to fit an adult head and ended up with a hat that is too big. I guess I can give it another shot...
Note: in this lovely self portrait I am wearing my lovely blue bathrobe. It is my SSE (signature sewing ensemble...) PRETTY! (That is pretty as in not pretty...)

For the tutorial please visit the super awesome I am Momma Hear Me Roar post.