D.I.Y

So a couple months ago I posted pictures on facebook,of a few projects I have done the past year. I got an overwhelming response to them.People wanting me to make some for them, others wanting to know how to do it themselves. So since I don't have enough time to make these things for people right now I will just show you how to D.I.Y! So here it goes, my very first tutorial! Hopefully this makes sense to more than just myself, but if not feel free to ask questions.

   I chose the "flower balls" as my first tutorial because they are the easiest. Which is also something you have to understand. If it's not something I can do with my glue gun during nap time, I don't do it. So all my projects are way easy.

Flower Balls

(not the best name, but I can't come up with anything else.)

When I made the flower balls for Grace's room I used medium/small Styrofoam balls, and silk flowers. Since I forgot to to take pictures while I was doing that project, I had to make more. This time I wanted to be cheaper, since it was just for this tutorial. So you can either do it the way I show here for swap out a few materials.

These are the materials I used for this project.

1. Newspaper balled up with packing tape securing it.(Instead of styrofoam balls)

2.About 75-100 cute cupcake liners (instead of silk flowers)

3. Skewer (if you want to do this project you need it, but if doing the hanging flower balls you don't)

4.Hot glue gun and lots of glue sticks!

5.A cute bucket (again, only for this project)

6. Paint, and paint brush for stem (only for this project)

7. Ribbon of your choice for the hanging flower balls.

Crunch the cupcake liner up so it looks like this, and I found it worked better if I bent the end. It made it easier to glue it on the newspaper ball. If you are doing the project with the silk flowers, please don't crunch them (ha ha)

Just put a dab of glue on the ball, or on the flower/liner whatever tickles your fancy and secure it on the ball. Keep doing this over and over, making sure the flowers/liners are nice a cozy together. With the hanging project I bought two different colours of flowers and made a pattern on the ball (eg- a line of pink, a line of green, mixed with white...)

Keep going, and going. It feels like you will never be done, but it's very worth it in the end. So cute. Make sure you leave a space to put either a skewer in the bottom or if you are doing the hanging project loop a piece of ribbon and hot glue gun that on the bottom (which will become the top).

This is about when I put the skewer in, to make sure I could work around it and make sure there was no spaces.

Finish up the bottom and then put some beans or newspaper or whatever you want in the bucket to hold the ball and place the ball with the skewer in the bucket. If you are doing the hanging balls though, don't worry about this step, you should be ready to hang your finished product! I also forgot to mention that if you are doing the hanging ones it looks best in groups of 3. I did 1 bigger one and 2 smaller ones.

Ta-da! You now have a cute topiary or some way cute hanging flower balls! Enjoy!

For My Birthday Girl

My dear sweet little Gracie,

   It hardly seems fair that this year has gone by so fast! I feel as though I blinked and you grew up and turned into this beautiful, smart, stubborn little girl. Not that you weren't always those things, but even more so now.

   It seems like it was just yesterday that I woke up with contractions and after 9 months of waiting I couldn't wait another minute to finally see your little face, and hold your little hand. You had your own time line though and made me wait 11 more hours! That was fine though, because after those long 11 hours I did finally get to hold you in my arms. I got to see your beautiful face and hold your little hand. I loved you from the time I found out you were coming and even more so when I finally got to meet you. I still don't understand how your Dad and I could possibly create someone so beautiful!

   
   You are such a great joy and blessing in my life. I thought I knew what love was before I met you, but I obviously didn't because when you came into my life I felt love so strong that I have never felt before. I want you to always remember how much I love you, because no matter how old you get you will always be my baby girl.

   You have always been ahead of your self in growing up. You are just so smart you can't seem to help it. Doing things months before you should be able to. Learning and growing at alarming rates. You have made it pretty darn easy to be your Mom. If only we could have got the sleeping thing down before you were 6 months old! 

   I have enjoyed every second of this year. Watching you discover new things, and the excitement in your eyes in doing so. I wouldn't have a missed a minute of it for the world. Watching you learn how to smile, start babbling, eat solids for the first time, first tooth, learning to crawl, first word, and now learning to walk. You have done and learned so many things and it is amazing to me how you went from this helpless little baby to a little person who can walk, feed herself, and say some words.

     I'm not sure I will ever get used to you getting older and learning all these new things. One that is for sure though; that I will enjoy and cherish watching and helping you along the way.  You have a big huge fan club. So many people that love you and will always be here for you, no matter what. You Daddy and I love you more than you can ever know. Your Grandparents, your aunts and uncles and friends. 

   Thank you for joining this family and giving your Dad and I the greatest blessing in life, of being your parents. We have enjoyed the past year so much. We love waking up every morning and seeing your beautiful face. Hearing you giggle, and tell us your sweet stories every day. You make us laugh so much and give the greatest hugs and kisses we have ever had. I can't wait to get to know you even more over the years and watch you grow. I just have one request, could you please stop growing so fast? Just slow down a little. Please? For me? 
Happy birthday to my beautiful, sweet, funny 1 year old.