The How-To Gal

14 Ways- Day Thirteen: Date Box

2012-02-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

The worst part about going on a date is figuring out what to do on that date. No? My husband always says he would take me out on more dates if he could think of fun things to do.

I had just the solution for that! A date box filled with date ideas...things I would like to do. And a few he would, too!

I wrote the date ideas on little hearts and then folded them into tiny envelopes. Here's how to do it:

Fold your paper in half and cut out a heart.

Make sure the heart is symmetrical and as wide as it is tall. The size doesn't matter too much, I just found that this type of heart was easier to fold.

Write your date ideas on the back of the heart.

Fold the rounded sides of the heart over, making the sides flat.

Flip the heart around so the pointy tip is on top. Fold the rounded heart part up.

Fold the tip down to form your little envelope! Isn't it cute???

Make a ton of little heart envelopes and stick them in your Date Box. Secure the envelope's flap if you wish.

Next time you can't think of what to do on your date, pull out an idea!

14 Ways- Day Twelve: Garage Door Love Note

2012-02-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome home banners on garages are nothing new...but when was the last time you expressed your love via a garage door?? Little E and I decided to try it today by making a giant heart and securing it to our garage door.

My hubby said driving home and seeing that heart made his day. Out of everything I've done since the first day of 14 Ways to Say "I Love You", this was his favorite. Who would've thunk??

Want to make one of your own?

Unroll a large piece of wrapping paper. Fold the paper in half and cut out a heart- just as you would have done in grade school. Trace the words on the paper to determine appropriate spacing.

Darken the words with permanent marker. It doesn't have to be perfect, from the street it will look great, no matter what :)

Attach the heart to your garage door. I used 3M mounting tape.

If your heart covers one of the garage door's seams, cut across the heart where the door will open.

Mine turned out a little ragged, but you get the idea. I even cut off a little extra on each side so the heart wouldn't get caught on the door's way up.

Voila! A simple, yet effective way to show your love.

14 Ways- Day Eleven: Dry Erase Board

2012-02-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

I posted this idea a few weeks ago, but my hubby still loves it! Make a dry erase board with a frame and scrapbook paper with my tutorial HERE.

Not only is it an easy way to say "I Love You," but it is interchangeable and much greener than leaving paper notes all over the house :)

14 Ways- Day Ten: Love from the Little Ones

2012-02-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

My little girl is only 2 1/2 so it is hard to find crafty things for us to do together. However, she LOVES helping mommy. Each day during the 14 Ways to Say "I Love You" series, she has had a blast watching me create things for daddy.

I began to wonder what I could make with her and turned to some of my favorite crafty blogs. Today I have some of my favorite kid-friendly Valentine's Day crafts for your browsing pleasure:

Valentine's Day Sign Card

Tutorial via Martha Stewart

Hand Print Hearts

Tutorial via The Peas in our Pod

Color Theory Valentines

Tutorial via Mer Mag

Conversation Love Rocks

Tutorial via Red Bird Crafts

Doodles for Valentines

Tutorial via Inchmark

14 Ways- Day Nine: Oatmeal Cookies

2012-02-08T11:11:00.001-07:00

They say the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. My husband is no different. If I want to butter him up, all I need do is make him a batch of oatmeal cookies. They have to be his mother's recipe and they have to be soft.

Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar- packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cloves
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup raisins

Cream shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Slowly combine dry mixture and wet ingredients. Add oatmeal and raisins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I've found the secret to soft cookies is to take the cookies out of the oven even if they don't look 100% done. Works every time.

I packaged the cookies in a fun paper mache heart with a ribbon and left them where I would be sure he'd find them...on his computer :) Needless to say, they are all gone this morning!

But I am loving this free Valentine's download at eighteen25 and wish I would have used it instead!

Head to eighteen25's blog to download one for your self!

14 Ways- Day Eight: Fabric Wood Carving Wall Art

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

What is more romantic than a young couple in love carving their initials into the trunk of a tree?

I've never had the pleasure, but wanted to mimic the age-old tradition with a whimsical carving of my own. I don't have a tree sufficient enough for "engraving" my love, but happened to have a piece of plywood in my garage and a piece of wood grain fabric. The combination resulted in a fabulous wall hanging. I think it would also be fun to skip the red heart and stitch in the initials of your entire family.

What You Need:

1/4 to 1/2 Yard Wood Grain Fabric (I got mine from BobbieLouFabric)
Backing Fabric
Needle and Thread
Staple Gun
Piece of Plywood
Sewing Machine

How-To: Wood Carving Wall Art

Cut a piece of wood grain fabric to the size of your wood panel.

I stained the side that would not be covered with fabric for a more finished look. Especially since I used cheap pressed wood!

Trace a heart shape on your fabric where you would like your "carving" to show through.

Cut a piece of backing fabric (I used cream flannel) larger than the heart you've traced on your wood grain fabric.

Hand stitch any embellishments you would like onto the backing fabric.

Position the embellished backing fabric to the back of your wood grain fabric, directly behind the traced heart, and pin into place.

Turn the fabric over and sew around the traced heart.

Pull the wood grain fabric away from the backing and cut the fabric away to expose the embellished backing.

Be sure not to cut too close to the sewn edge or the embellished backing.

Position the wrong side of the fabric to the front of the wood panel. Fold the left and right sides over first to ensure the wood grain is secured straight. Staple into place.

To make a crisp corner, I fold the fabric just as I would when gift wrapping.

I always say you can never use too many staples :)

When you've secured all sides of the wall hanging, attach a picture hanger if wanted.

Voila! A fabulous and one-of-a-kind way to tell your loved one you care!

14 Ways- Day Seven: Origami Heart Love Note

2012-02-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it, I was totally one of those girls who would fold heart-shaped love notes and give them to the cute boys in my class. I even received some back (and I still have them!). There are a ton of tutorials on how to make the fold, so I won't add to the number, simply link you to the best one I found.

You remember them now?? The fun part is, I have a huge stack of cute scrapbook paper - no lined paper for me anymore. My hubby will be getting this baby in his lunch with a special love note on the inside:

14 Ways- Day Six: Fingerprint Wall Art

2012-02-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last Valentine's I decided to do something a little different for my hubby than a typical card and, although a repeat for some of you, I thought it would be a perfect addition to our 14 Ways to Say "I Love You" Series.

What you need:

Ink Pad
Paper
Scanner or digital camera
Photo editing software

ManMadeDIY's Version:

Find the instructions here.

My Version:

I framed it in black and presented it to my hubby Valentine's morning. He loved it and we still have it hanging in our bedroom.

14 Ways- Day Five: Drinkin' Up Your Love

2012-02-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

My hubby is a big fan of bottled drinks. Wouldn't it be fun, I mused one day, if when he opened up his bottle during the day there was a special note from me?

So I did it! And guess what, it wasn't very hard to do.

What you need:
Scrapbook paper, Empty bottle, Contact paper, Scissors, Full bottle!

Trace your empty bottle's cap on a piece of scrapbook paper

Cut it out a little smaller than your tracing and make sure it fits in the cap. Trim if necessary.

Write a little note on the circle. Cut out a small piece of contact paper. I used contact paper to make the message waterproof and to securely stick to the lid.

Stick your circle message side up to the sticky side of the contact paper.

Trim the contact paper into a little larger of a circle and stick into the lid.

Won't your special someone be surprised when they open up their drink during the day?

14 Ways- Day Four: X & O Bouquet

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Tell your loved one how much you care with a fun X & O bouquet made from scrapbook paper and BBQ skewers.

If I really wanted to embarrass my husband I would have taken this to his office with balloons and had the front desk deliver it...but instead I made a little display on our piano for him to see when he gets home from work.

How-To Make a X & O Bouquet

What you need:

Scrapbook paper in Valentine's colors
Vase
Floral Foam
BBQ Skewers
Tulle
Glue Stick
Scissors
Circle Punch (optional)

Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to wrap around the inside of your vase and secure with tape on the inside.

Cut your floral foam into manageable pieces for your container.

Place foam inside your vase. Adjust the height of your foam according to your desired placement of your Xs and Os.

Cover foam with fabric- I chose tulle.

Cut out your Xs and Os according to the size and shape you prefer. I used my circle punch for the Os and traced a large letter X from my computer to use as a pattern. I ended up making big and small Xs.

Glue your shapes back-to-back on BBQ skewers.

Stick the completed skewers into your foam to create your bouquet.

If giving away, perhaps add candy skewers into the mix!

14 Ways- Day Three: Sticky Note Love Song

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Never underestimate the power of a sticky note with just the right message on it...in an unexpected place.

Day three of our 14 Ways to Say "I Love You" is a simple, yet profound idea: leave love notes for your loved one to find the entire day.

I decided to write lines from my favorite love songs on a stack of sticky notes (found the sticky notes at Target in the $1 section) and place them all over the house for my husband to find.

Let's go find a few of them:

Can't think of enough one-liners? Check out these lists of the most popular love songs.

Just joining us? Check out the last few days of the 14 Ways to Say "I Love You" series.

14 Ways- Day Two: A "Hearty" Breakfast

2012-01-31T09:00:00.001-07:00

Breakfast waiting for me in the morning is one of the ultimate symbols my hubby shows he cares. It just feels nice to sit down to a delicious meal that you didn't have to cook, doesn't it??

One of my husband's favorite morning meals is a heaping stack of buttermilk blueberry pancakes.

Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes

2 3/4 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Large Eggs
3 cups Buttermilk
4 Tbs Melted Butter
3 Tbs Sugar

Mix thoroughly until batter is smooth and lump-free.

The only problem with buttermilk pancakes is I almost NEVER have buttermilk on hand. Fortunately there is an easy solution to that- simply add 1tsp of vinegar to every one cup of milk your recipe calls for. I let it sit while I'm mixing the other ingredients together to let the vinegar enhance the milk.

1 tsp vinegar to 1 cup milk = Buttermilk!

This recipe makes a ton of batter. I made 10 pancakes and saved the rest of the batter for waffles another day.

Cut your pancakes into hearts with a heart cookie cutter for a little extra touch.

A little syrup and voila, a beautiful "hearty" breakfast for the one you love.

Just for fun, this is the breakfast my hubby made for me last Valentine's Day! So cute.

14 Ways- Day One: Circle Punch Love Note

2012-01-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was truly inspired by the words Elder Richard G. Scott spoke at the last LDS General Conference. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a loving, caring and serving relationship with your spouse and loved ones. In his talk he gave several examples of how he and his wife showed love one to another over their several years of marriage. My favorite example was when he used a hole punch, punched 100 holes and wrote his wife a message on the back of the tiny circles. This story inspired me for the first of our 14 Ways to Say "I Love You" series!

How-To Make a Circle Punch Love Note

What you need:

Circle/hole punch (or patience to hand-cut hundreds of circles)
Scrapbook Paper
Lined Paper
Marker
Gift Box

Start with your lined piece of paper and write a simple love note. Skip lines.

After you are finished writing the note, number each letter and punctuation mark. I found it was much easier to write the note before doing anything else. Remember, the longer the note, the more circles you'll need to punch!

Punch out as many circles as you have letters.

Number each circle.

Flip over and write the corresponding letter or punctuation mark.

Give the letters a good mixing (Don't want to make it too easy!) and place into a container or gift box of your choice.

Finished product!

Now give the note to your spouse or loved one. We think the idea is pretty self explanatory- no instructions needed. Pretty sure they'll get a kick at putting the note together!

14 Ways to Say "I Love You"

2012-01-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

We're starting a new series here on The How-To Gal beginning January 30th and ending on February 12th - an idea a day on how to tell your sweetheart you love them. I'm starting a few days before February in case you want to join me.

Some of the ideas will be cheesy, some will be crafty and some will be simple. All will be from the heart. Most of the ideas I share will be directed at my hubby, so if you know him in real life...shhhhhh...don't tell!

I hope you'll join me on the 30th for the first segment of 14 Ways to Say, "I Love You"

Friday Faves: Things I'm Loving Right Now

2012-01-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

I am in love with a few items lately and thought I'd spread the love to all of you! P.S. These are all 100% my opinions...no one put me up to this.

Fabric.com
I went a little crazy tonight at Fabric.com Nesting mode has definitely set in and I just want to make, decorate, and buy everything "boy" in sight. If these purchases come to fruition in the projects I'm envisioning, I'll be sure to share :)

Fabric.com's prices are leagues better than anything I have found locally and their selection is amazing. Best of all, shipping is free when you spend $35...which, my friends, is very easy to do!

Fabri-Tac
I'll admit, I was a little skeptical at first when my friend introduced this stuff to me. I am a true-blue fan of Tacky Glue and was not quick to trust a new kind of glue. Boy did I convert fast.

This stuff lives up to all of the claims on the bottle. So far I have used it to make a repair on a thrift store find (crib bumper), create felt bows and enhance a little backpack for little E. Its quick dry time is amazing.

Circle Punch
I broke down and bought myself a 2-inch circle punch and I am in love. Remember when I cut all those circles out for little E's 1st birthday party? No more. Now I can happily punch them out in the comfort of my home without hand cramps. Next up, perhaps a circle mobile?

1 / 2

RetailMeNot
This is my go-to site for online coupon codes.

There have only been a few times it has let me down - most of the time saving me at least 20% on my online orders. Most recently, it saved me $10 on Fabric.com!

The Very Busy Spider- DIY Bow Holder

2012-01-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

I love Eric Carle. If I could afford to purchase every single one of his books today, I totally would. For Christmas, my parents gave little E, The Very Busy Spider and she asks to read it on a daily basis.

Spider's webs truly fascinate me- so beautiful and delicate, yet sturdy. Wouldn't it be lovely, I thought one day, to have a bow holder with the same design?

So, I took an old wood frame my parents gave me that had no glass or back and started weaving my own web of turquoise yarn.

I went from side to side, stapled, then to the top, stapled, down, stapled, etc.

I continued this pattern until I had a fantastic web-like design.

It isn't symmetrical like a real spider's web, but that's okay with me.

Looks like our spider was able to catch all of those bows floating around our house!

An Easy Way to Say "I Love You"

2011-12-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to tell my family more often how much I love them. I personally love little love notes. Probably because my dad is pro at leaving love notes for you just when you need one. When I was growing up I would find notes in my lunch, a sticky note on my mirror or a scribbled note packed in my suitcase when I was headed on a school trip. To this day, when I go home to visit, I will find notes to my mom from my dad stuck all over the house.

I am not as good at remembering to leave notes, so the other day when I found this fantastic paper at my local scrapbook store... a plan formed:

I grabbed a few $1 frames

Cut my paper to match the size of the frame's insert

Bought sticky velcro circles and some dry erase markers

Stuck the fuzzy velcro circle to my pen

And the stuck the scratchy velcro circle to the back of my frame

It made the perfect hiding spot for my marker!

Now I have a little area I can write love notes to my honey bun. He sees it as soon as he comes up to our room and because it is in our room, I am reminded to change the note daily :)

I made one for little E, too.

Voila! A simple and convenient way to tell the ones I love how much I care!

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dogs Tails

2011-12-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

My life for the past 2 years and 9 months has been totally focused on pinks, flowers, princesses and other girly notions. Have you noticed?

And other baby girl DIY projects.

My idea board for baby E's room pre-baby E

Hanging Pom Poms, Rocking Chair & Footrest, Rocking Elephant Revamp, Five Petal Flower, Paper Pinwheels and Dresser

A few weeks ago, my ultrasound tech shifted my thinking in a WHOLE new direction. One I am very unfamiliar with:

Let's hope I can wrap my head around having a boy before he gets here.

DIY Christmas Guide: Friends and Neighbors

2011-12-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

Special friends and good neighbors are hard to come by, so if you have them, be sure to let them know you care this year with a handmade gift. We've already had several friends stop by with gifts for my little family and it made me realize how VERY behind I am!! Hopefully this guide will get you (and me) motivated to finish up preparing for Christmas.

The How-To Gal's 2011 DIY Christmas Gift Guide:

Neighbors and Friends

1 Custom Cutting Board / 2 Sewn Candy Packages / 3 Origami Christmas Wreath

4 Build-a-Snowman Kit / 5 Christmas Photobooth Props / 6 S'Mores Kit

7 Homemade Marshmallows / 8 Felt Log Trivet / 9 Felt Ornament

Check out my past DIY gift guide for neighbors and friends HERE.

Finished Quiet Book!

2011-12-01T16:07:00.001-07:00

After months and months of attempting and procrastinating, I'm finally finished with little E's quiet book. I only finished six total pages, but I decided six pages were better than having an uncompleted project staring at me every time I approached my craft table.

The Cover

The book is held together with grommets and book binder rings. With the grommet design I can always add more pages later! I bought a package of Dritz 1/4" eyelets, an eylet tool and book binder rings from Wal-Mart for approx $5. I purchased one yard of a soft cream utility fabric for $5 and the rest of the fabric, felt and other supplies, I had on hand.

Total Cost= $11 (ish)

Three Peas in a Pod

The peas each come out and reattach via velcro.

Flower Garden

Each flower's center is a magnet that the little lady bug (and soon to be bumblebee) can land on. There is also a magnet sewn into the grass for the insects to land on.

Zip-a-dee-do-da

I found all of these zippers at Savers for $0.25, score! Took them home and sewed them into place on the page. Hand-stiched "Zip-a-dee-do-da."

Trace the Letters

I went to local scrapbook store that lets you die cut fabric and cut the letters out in a six color rotating pattern. Or if you have a Silhouette or Cricut, lucky you, simply cut the letters out at home. I then affixed wonder-under (Pellon) to each letter and with a ruler, ironed in place. Hand-stitched "trace the letters."

Hanging Laundry Letters

I cut the numbers out with a die cut machine. Then I affixed the numbers to squares of felt with pellon. I pinned the numbers into place and sewed them into place on the page with my sewing machine. Under the numbers I hand-stitched buttons to correspond with each number. To add to the "laundry" feel, I used Fabri-Tac to glue a piece of lace across the top of the numbers.

I finished off the book with a pocket page that can hold the magnet ladybug, notepaper and a pen for more quiet fun! I do have a few other pages in the works, like this "feed the fish" page. Hopefully it won't take me another year to complete six more pages...

The book was going to be wrapped and given to my little girl for her birthday (in July) and then when I didn't finish in July, for Christmas, but she has seen every page and loves it...so I'm giving it to her early -or late depending on how you look at it!!!

Emily Henderson's Holiday Gift Guide

2011-11-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

I {heart} Emily Henderson and have ever since she appeared (and WON!) last season's Design Star. So, it is no surprise that I was smitten by her recently published holiday gift guide:

Sure some of it is kinda spendy, but aren't spendy things fun to look at? Enjoy the eye candy and let me know which of her picks are your favorite!

DIY Christmas Gift Guide: MOM/GRANDMA/SISTER/AUNT

2011-11-21T09:24:00.002-07:00

I've probably mentioned this before, but one of my most cherished Christmas gifts is a fuzzy pink crocheted scarf my grandmother gave me my first year of college. When I opened that box and found lengths and lengths of my grandma's handiwork, I knew she had truly thought me when choosing a gift. Every time I brace myself against the cold wind, the warmth of that fuzzy pink scarf reminds me of my grandma's love. Why not share those memories with all of the women in your life??

The How-To Gal's 2011 DIY Christmas Gift Guide For Women:

MOM/GRANDMA/SISTER/AUNT

1 Cut-Out Canvas / 2 Crocheted Rope Basket / 3 One-Hour Bag

4 Oven Mitts / 5 Felt Bag / 6 Slippers / 7 Bunting Cosmetic Bag

For more Christmas DIY ideas for women, visit these previous gift guides:
Grandmothers
Sisters
Mothers

Make It Pop!

2011-11-19T13:38:00.002-07:00

Sometimes mommy needs a break. A long one. I'm not ashamed to say that I have broken out the ole' iPad and downloaded a new app just to keep little E entertained while I clean/cook/craft/clean. It is hard to find apps that are both education and entertaining for E, that don't drive my crazy.

Make It Pop is one of our new favorite apps. It was actually developed by a good friend of ours (and past neighbor) and I had to share it with all of you!

It has super cute graphics and a simple, yet entertaining premise. Little E can play it for hours.

Popcorn: Pop the kernels and count along as the pieces bounce and fill up the screen. When they’re all popped, count backwards as you eat them up.

Bubbles: As Tucker blows bubbles, they form shapes in the sky! Pop the bubbles and watch the shapes magically reform.

Balloons: Each colorful floating balloon contains one letter of the alphabet. Pop the balloons and hear each letter announced.

Fireworks: Pick a rocket and trace a path into the night sky. When the rocket pops, you’ll see and hear a colorful explosion.

Bubble Gum: Roxie loves to blow bubbles of all sizes with her bright pink gum. Can you guess which size she’ll create next? Watch out for bees! Note: this game is a free bonus for users who share Make it Pop with friends.

You can find Make It Pop by Tryangle Labs in the "What's Hot" section of Apple's App store or directly by clicking HERE. I hope you and your little one enjoy it as much as little E and I do. You can't beat $1.99 for an hour worth of "alone time" :)

DIY Christmas Gift Guide: KIDS

2011-11-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

I know Thanksgiving hasn't even graced us with its presence yet and I'm already posting about Christmas. I hope you'll forgive me. When I attempt to make handmade gifts for Christmas, I have to start at LEAST a month early to finish everything. This year is no different; I've already started on my ever-growing list.

As in years past, I've gathered up my favorite tutorials and have compiled them into different DIY Christmas Gift Guide for the special people in your life. We're going to start off with those little people you love.

The How-To Gal's 2011 DIY Christmas Gift Guide for Kids

1 Snuggly Owl Pillow / 2 Toddler Backpack / 3 Monster Mittens / 4 Rag Dolls
5 Tiered Skirt / 6 Memory Game / 7 Crocheted Crown / 8 Felt Baby Shoes

For more Christmas DIY ideas for kids, visit my 2009 guide HERE.

How-To Get Free Shipping for Christmas Gifts

2011-11-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite deal websites, Freebies2Deals, posted an explanation today of how she gets free shipping on all of her Christmas gifts. If you are like me and can't stand battling the crowds, online shopping is a definite must. Free shipping makes it even better. Check out the entire post HERE.

New Blog Crush: I Spy DIY

2011-11-03T14:12:00.000-06:00

If you haven't stumbled upon I Spy DIY yet, today you must pop over and take a gander. Jenni Radosevich not only posts amazing DIY ideas to her blog, she is a regular columnist at InStyle. She sees popular trends in jewelry, clothes and other accessories and shows US how to recreate them for less.

Some of my favorite posts:

Leather Ring Bracelet

Chain and Rhinestone Bracelet

Gold Clutch

Straw and Shoestring Necklace

Zipper Shirt

Now, which should I try first??

Date Night Idea: Creativity Art Studio with a FREE Studio Fee Coupon!

2011-10-28T12:04:00.000-06:00

Although the hubby and I try to go on a date every week, we find ourselves stuck in the same routine - dinner and a movie - week after week. Sometimes it's all we can agree on, sometimes we just don't know what else to do. Anyone ever feel the same way?

Well, if you live in Utah County or surrounding areas, I have the BEST new date night idea: Creativity Art Studio. They're located near the University Mall Cinemark in Orem in between Five Guys Burgers and Fries and a new Mexican restaurant.

I spent about two hours there last week, painting this vase:

The vase was made right there on Creativity's pottery wheel. Isn't it gorgeous?

The best part about the Art Studio is that not only are you having a good time, you are making something you will cherish. Wouldn't it also be a great way to create unique Christmas gifts for your friends and family??

Next time I want to paint one of these babies. So beautiful.

I may not be the best painter, but I had a fantastic time pretending I was :) My idea was to create an ombre effect on the vase.

P.S. Notice the belly bump? Yup, I'm about 16 weeks pregnant with baby number 2.

I've been feeling so sick I haven't done really anything creative for weeks. This experience allowed me to create something beautiful without worrying about cleaning up my mess!

Voila! My finished vase after Creativity fired it in their kiln. Pretty awesome for a first timer, right? I love it.

I was so impressed with my experience at Creativity, I wanted to share it with all of you. The folks at Creativity have generously given us a coupon for a FREE studio fee (a $7 value) on your next visit. Simply print this coupon or show it to them on your phone. All you pay for is the ceramic piece you choose to paint.

Creativity's studio fee covers all the paint, brushes, other supplies and the final glaze of your piece.

They also offer art lessons, pottery classes and MORE!

Thank you Creativity Art Studio!

Visit their Facebook Page for more info and directions.

To Do List: Things I am LOVING

2011-10-24T08:30:00.005-06:00

IKEA Table Chic-a-fied

Tutorial via Matsutake

Curly Faux Fur Vest

Tutorial via Joyfolie

Sunflower Hat

Tutorial via Delia Creates

If I hadn't already bought my little E a Calvin and Hobbes- themed costume (She is Hobbes, hubby is Calvin) she would totally have been a sunflower this year!

Hoodie Refashioned

Tutorial via See Kate Sew

Fabulous Peacock Print

Purchase HERE

Perhaps a DIY version in my near future???

Techie Tip: How-To Make a QR Code for Your Website

2011-10-14T15:32:00.002-06:00

QR Codes are all the rage these days. You see them on advertisements, business cards and even t-shirts. But how do you make one? Easy! Follow these five simple steps to generate a QR code for your website or blog.

Step One: Go to either Bit.ly or Goo.gl. These websites are both link shorteners, but they have an additional service not many people know about.

Step Two: Enter in your URL and click the Shorten button

Step Three: Once the link is shortened, Bit.ly and Goo.gl will kick out a link that you can copy and paste.

Step Four: Paste the new, shortened link in your address bar, adding a .qr to the end of the link.

Step Five: Go to the page by clicking enter.

You will come to a page with your website's newly generated QR code! By right-clicking on the code you can save it as an image and use the code on anything you want!

Here's the QR code for The How-To Gal

Go forth and personalize your marketing material with your very own QR code.

If you're wondering what the heck a QR code is, click HERE to read Wikipedia's explanation. I <3 Wikipedia by the way :)

BHG "Guest-Ready for Less" Winner

2011-10-10T10:26:00.000-06:00

I would like to thank Better Homes and Gardens for such a wonderful opportunity to giveaway such a stellar prize to The How-To Gal readers. Their products really do show that you can beautify any room on a budget. Add a few pieces of furniture that you've refinished yourself and you have my idea of the PERFECT room :)

Without further ado, the winner of the $100 Wal-Mart gift card is:

Kim from Living Domestically

Kim, please email me by noon tomorrow, October 11th (the.how.to.gal@gmail.com) to claim your prize! Congratulations!!

To Do List: Halloween Decor

2011-10-06T10:33:00.003-06:00

I love Halloween, but I'm not one to have interchangeable decor for each holiday. I just don't have the storage space! Despite my lack of room, however, I still like to get into the season with little touches here and there. My favorites this year:

Googly Eye Heels

LOVE these! Great for a costume or to compliment any of your October outfits.

Tutorial via Glitter 'N Glue

Upholstery Tacked Pumpkin

Usually around the second weekend in October I drag my husband to the local pumpkin patch to pick some out to carve and then by Halloween they are rotten. This would be such a great solution for month-long decor without the mess!

Tutorial via Better Homes and Gardens

Felt Bat Pillow

Tutorial via Ameroonie Designs

Henna Pumpkins

No-mess pumpkin decorating idea using puff pant. I wonder if this would work with cloves as well.

Tutorial via Think Crafts

Hanging Bats

These cute bats are made from thick black paper using a tutorial from Martha Stewart's website. How easy and chic!

Tutorial via Martha Stewart

Lace-Inspired Pumpkin

Another no-mess pumpkin idea. You could even try this technique on a foam pumpkin and use year after year!

Tutorial via Better Homes and Gardens

P.S. If you haven't entered the Better Homes and Gardens "Guest-Ready For Less" $100 Wal-Mart Giftcard Giveaway! Click here to ENTER NOW!

CLOSED: Better Homes and Gardens "Guest Ready for Less" $100 Wal-Mart Giveaway!

2011-10-03T09:33:00.001-06:00

This time of year is one of my favorites. I love it when the chill Fall air breezes through my home, the trees begin to change and pumpkins are everywhere. After a long, hot summer, Fall always seems refreshing to me. It is also a time when I feel antsy to switch up my home decor. This year, Better Homes and Gardens contacted me to do a "Guest-Ready for Less" makeover on my guest bedroom. However, because I don't have a guest bedroom, my gracious friend and neighbor, Candice, offered her guest room for a facelift.

Candice told me that this room was cobbled together quickly to host guests a few months ago and she really hasn't had the time to do anything else to it.

The Better Homes and Gardens line at Wal-Mart came to the rescue with a complete bed-in-a-bag: sheets, two pillow cases, bed skirt, comforter, two shams and four decorative pillows for $80.

When the items arrived we were SO impressed with the quality and gorgeous colors- way better than we expected for such an awesome price.

The BHG line at Wal-Mart also has home decor items for most rooms. The three wall hangings were also purchased from their collection. We added a few books from Candice's book shelves, a plant that wasn't on display and two bedside lamps she already had. What an amazing transformation for under $100!

Candice is so happy with her new room and that makes ME happy!

Do you have a guest bedroom that could seriously use a little love? Better Homes and Gardens is giving away a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart to one lucky How-To Gal reader!!

Here's how you enter:

Leave a comment telling me how you would spruce up a room in your house with the gift card.
Extra entry if you visit the BHG Live Better Facebook page, Like them and leave a comment saying The How-To Gal sent you!

I will choose the winner one week from today, October 10th. Good Luck!

3M Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-15T12:44:00.000-06:00

There were only FOUR entries into the 3M CoupleSpeak Giveaway (sad!) so I did things the old fashioned way.

Put all the names in a bowl and drew out the winner:

Congratulations Mississippi Mama! Email me your contact information (the.how.to.gal@gmail.com) so 3M can send over your prize package!!

3M Frameworks Couple Speak GIVEAWAY CLOSED

2011-09-07T18:56:00.008-06:00

Last weekend I convinced my husband to install the built-in garage shelves I've been wanting for TWO years. The only reason he finally conceded to the job had a little to do with nudging from his cousin and a LOT to do with help from our next door neighbor (whom I bribed with snickerdoodles and homemade salsa). The project is done and I couldn't be happier. Best of all, my marriage is still intact after another DIY project.

The shelves go all around the top of the garage and over the door into the house.

We used the same concept I showed you in our built-in desk to create these shelves. The only difference are the support beams.

Remember the CoupleSpeak contest going on at 3M Frameworks' Facebook Page? Every week they give away $250 for an entertaining CoupleSpeak translation. And if you submit a CoupleSpeak video you could win $5000!!

I guess you could say our garage shelves Couple Speak included a third person and went a little something like this:

Me: It would be so nice to have overhead storage space in the garage! (I wonder how many years I'll have to say this before he gets it)

Hubby: I think you've organized things pretty well already. (I'm never helping with this project)

Cousin: I would totally help one weekend if you needed me! (I can see this is a point of contention...I should volunteer to help)

Hubby: Okay, let's do it next Saturday! (Maybe with help I can finish in one day and she'll stop nagging me)

Luckily for me, 3M sent one of their sample packs to try out and it couldn't have come at a better time. All of the products helped in making our garage shelf project go much smoother. I loved all of the 3M products (hello, Scotch Blue Tape is the BEST), but my favorite was the eye wear.

My hubby graciously posed to show off the glasses. Most protective eye wear is bulky and uncomfortable, but the 3M glasses fit comfortably on my face and my husband's, just like a pair of sunglasses.

I am so excited that today 3M has offered to give away a sample pack to ONE lucky How-To Gal reader!

The Sample Pack Includes:

2 3M LeadCheck Swabs
1 Roll of Scotch Blue
3 Stages of Sanding (green, maroon, gold sandpaper)
1 gloves, respirator, eye wear

The Rules:

In order to be eligible for the giveaway you must:

1) Participate in the translation sweepstakes being hosted on the 3M Framework Facebook Page (you will have to Like the page as well in order to participate).

2) Post a comment on this post saying that you participated.

3) The comment must include your translation. I want to read all of them!!!

The best part about this giveaway is that not only are you entering to win the sample product pack, but you could win $250 for your translation!! The winner of the sample pack will be chosen a week from today, Wednesday, September 14th.

Think your friends would be interested? Be sure to Share on Twitter or Share on Facebook!

My Royal Footstool

2011-09-05T09:00:00.001-06:00

While out garage sale hunting a couple weeks ago, I scored this little footstool and a pile of clothes for $5.

It had a beautifully hand hooked top, but just wasn't my style.

So I removed the legs and the took the stool's covering off.

Then I used the original top and sandwiched it between several layers of regular quilt batting.

Covered the sandwich with leftover fabric from this project and stapled it into place.

Took a quick trip outside and sprayed the legs black. When dry, I took them inside and reassemble the footstool.

And put my feet up, finally.

Quiet Book Sneak Peek

2011-09-01T13:40:00.001-06:00

I have had so much fun creating quiet book pages for my little E. But I'll be totally honest...I had NO idea it would take me this long. I have about six pages done and still want four more. Here's a quick sneak peek:

Completed project coming soon :)

Tie T-Shirt Revamp

2011-08-26T10:28:00.001-06:00

What a great solution for all of those fabulous ties I bought my husband that he doesn't like (but I do)!

Find the complete tutorial over at McKell's Closet

Tippy Toes

2011-08-19T16:35:00.002-06:00

I can't believe how fast my little one is growing. Next on my list to do is potty training {insert silent scream here}...so I've decided to make the bathroom a little bit more child-friendly. Little E is very independent and the more things I can allow her to do herself, the easier potty training will be (I hope!).

My first project was this little step stool:

I found it at a yard sale for $1. Took it home, removed the top portion and painted the bottom with some of my Glidden True Turquoise paint. Then I sanded down the top and stained it a walnut brown.

For the letters I painted some contact paper with the same True Turquoise paint, printed letters off my computer and cut them out of the contact paper. I stuck the letters on and covered it all with two coats of polyurethane.

I love the results.

So does little E.

How-To: Custom Wainscoting

2011-08-18T22:12:00.000-06:00

Better Homes and Gardens blows my mind sometimes. Their latest idea is custom wainscoting made from PVC latticework panels nailed to the wall and surrounded by chair rail. GENIUS! I'm not a fan of the chandelier in this picture, but the pop of green as the base to the stunning turquoise makes me swoon.

More quick and easy decor ideas here.

Message Board to Jewelry Display

2011-08-16T13:59:00.000-06:00

I have seen a ton of different jewelry displays out there in bloggy land, so I hope you'll forgive me for adding another one to the mix.

When I first started this blog I posted a framed jewelry tutorial to help organize my beautiful baubles. Well, time has passed, my tastes have changed and my collection of baubles has tripled. I needed something bigger with more places to store things. On a recent trip to Savers, I found this message board for $3 and decided it was the answer to my jewelry needs.

I took it home, sprayed the board with a generous coat of primer and then spray painted the board one of my favorite colors, Bahama Sea.

When the paint was dry, I cut a piece of wrapping paper to the size of the message part of the board and mod podged it into place.

After three coats of mod podge were dry, I marked on the board where I would like my knobs to go. Once I was happy with the positioning, I took out my drill, made my holes and installed the hardware.

Helpful Hint: Use hardware you already have from other projects. The knobs used here are from an old desk I redid and other miscellaneous pieces.

Not only can this ginormous message board hold all of my necklaces, but there are places to store broaches, pins, bracelets, hats and headbands as well!

P.S. Please also forgive the awful lighting...the board hangs in my dungeon of a closet.

My To-Do List:

2011-08-08T10:57:00.001-06:00

One Hour Skirt

Video Tutorial by Brett Bara

Scrapwood Lamp

Tutorial Via Not JUST a Housewife

Tote Bag

Tutorial by Craft Buds

Cloud Mobile

Except I would make mine out of felt. Paper tutorial found at Minieco.

Bean Art

Tutorial found at Just Between Friends

I have so many projects on my hypothetical to-do list, I think I'll make this post a weekly tradition. It keeps me organized and I get to share some amazing projects with all of you! What do you think?

Dear Hayley:

2011-08-05T11:19:00.000-06:00

You've won the Brumby's Accessories giveaway!

Hayley, you didn't leave an email with your comment, so please email me at the.how.to.gal@gmail.com so we can get your earrings shipped to you.

If you didn't win, you can take advantage of the 25% discount on all purchases at Brumby's Etsy Shop until the end of today with coupon code: howtogal25off at checkout!

Sad Shelves to Sassy Shoe Display

2011-08-03T10:03:00.001-06:00

I have a lot of shoes. Too many probably. And because they are the most attractive part of my closet I feel justified in taking up all of the shelves to display them :) My hubby did need one spot for his shoes though so I started looking around for some fun storage shelves. Fate smiled down on me on a recent trip to Savers. I found this baby for $5:

I took it home, disposed of the disgusting paper covering the top shelf, spray painted it a chocolate brown and then mod podged wrapping paper to the shelves.

It now serves as a stylish shoe stand in my closet:

But I'll be honest, most of the time, I find all of the shoes scattered around the closet and my little one hiding on top :)

I hope you have already entered to win THREE pairs of gorgeous earrings from Brumby's Accessories!! There are only two more days to enter! Click HERE to read more!

3M Frameworks Couple Speak Contest

2011-08-01T10:00:00.006-06:00

DIY projects have a love-hate relationship with the residents of our home. I love them, my husband hates them. I would guess that this situation is true for many of you.

The folks at 3M have harnessed this battle of the sexes mentality into a competition they've labeled "Couple Speak." Simply by capturing the hilarious balance of how you and your partner communicate you could win $5,000. No, I'm not kidding. 3M is actually giving away $5,000 to TWO video entries.

To Enter the Video Contest:

Keep it Short (no longer than 2 minutes)
No 3M products in the video (if you were using 3M products you wouldn't be in this mess!)
Make it Funny
Keep it Clean!

3M has a ton of video examples on their 3M Frameworks Facebook Page and on their YouTube site. Below is my favorite:

Seriously, this reminds me SO much of me and my hubby it is scary!

3M is also giving away $250 every week for a Couple Speak translation contest on their Facebook Page. All you have to do is:

Go to the 3M Frameworks Facebook page
Click on the Couple Speak link on the left hand side
Scroll to where it says "Win $250 weekly"
Enter your translation.

Some of my favorites:
He Says:

Yeah, this project will be so easy; I know what I am doing

He Means:
I better Google what the heck I'm doing

She Says:

Are you sure that’s going to work?

She Means:

That’s not going to work

3M Frameworks is the genius behind the Couple Speak campaign. Their products like LeadCheck, TEKK Protection, Abrasives, ScotchBlue Tape and Tough Duct Tape are the kind of products that PREVENT CoupleSpeak situations!! My favorite product, for sure, is the ScotchBlue Tape. If you want crisp paint lines, you need ScotchBlue. In a couple weeks, 3M Frameworks will be giving all of these products away to a How-To Gal reader!

The 3M Couple Speak campaign makes it easy to share your DIY stories for a chance to win $5,000 or share a hilarious translation for a chance to win $250. Share on Twitter or Share on Facebook. I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Knock, Knock. Who's There?

2011-07-29T10:00:00.002-06:00

A new front door!

Our front door receives a TON of western sun from about 1:00pm until the sun goes down. It would be an understatement to say that the sun has destroyed the door's finish. By the time I realized something needed to be done, the top panel of the door had been stripped down to the bare wood. The only thing to do was to completely sand down the door, restain it and coat it with as many coats of polyurethane as I could stand. So that is exactly what I did. I followed the same steps I used on our dining room table and in one and a half days I had a new door.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I'm really happy with the result. Even after all of the refinishing I've done, it still amazes me how beautiful a dark stain and several coats of poly can make a piece of wood.

Don't forget to enter the Brumby's Accessories giveaway by Friday, August 5th!!

Brumby's Accessories Giveaway! CLOSED

2011-07-28T11:30:00.007-06:00

After THREE years of wanting to rock a pixie cut I finally took the plunge and chopped all of my hair off. And as you know, when you do something drastic like cutting all of your hair off, you need to have some fabulous accessories to enhance your new look. Lucky for me, the night after my drastic hair cut, I met Elle of Brumby's Accessories at a Pampered Chef Party and purchased three pairs of her awesome earrings: these (in black), these and these. My family can attest that I have been wearing them ever since!

Today, I get to share my love of Brumby's Accessories with you! Elle is giving away THREE pairs of her best selling earrings to one lucky How-To Gal reader.

If you win, you will receive:

Antique Mum Earrings

Pick your favorite color: Lime Green, Yellow, Magenta, Teal, Gray and Ivory

White Chandelier Earrings

They are approx 3.5" long. The earwires are hypoallergenic stainless steel. Perfect for sensitive ears.

Light Blue Nautical Stripes Button Earrings

They measure in at a 3/4" (15mm) diameter and come with nickel-free posts.

There are three ways to enter!

You must:
Follow. Become a How-To Gal follower and leave a comment. If you're already a follower, comment telling me which of Brumby's jewelery you like the most
Like. Brumby's Accessories on Facebook, and leave a separate comment telling me you did.

For an extra entry:
Heart. For an extra entry, add one of Brumby's Etsy Shop items to your favorites and leave a separate comment telling me you did.

I’ll pick a winner on Friday, August 5th.

Even better, Brumby's is offering all How-To Gal readers a 25% discount on all purchases until August 5th with coupon code: howtogal25off at checkout!

When you enter, please be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!

Gretchen Inspired, T-Shirt Revamp

2011-07-25T08:48:00.003-06:00

The past season of Project Runway was one of my most favorite so far and even though I loved Mondo, I truly thought Gretchen had the best line. Mainly because her jewelery was to die for:

So, I decided to try and duplicate Gretchen's jewelery design on a t-shirt. It doesn't look exactly the same, but I love the end result.

I took a shiny cream organza from my scrap pile, ironed fusible webbing to the back of it and cut out my shapes. Then I ironed the shapes to a plain black t-shirt.

Super funky. Love it!

P.S. Have you noticed yet that I am in LOVE with fusible webbing? I've used it a lot lately: Lace Embellished Shirt and Free Bag Transformation and Patched Elbows

P.P.S Are you as excited as I am for Season 9 of Project Runway???

Inspired by the Past

2011-07-20T09:10:00.000-06:00

I am loving the series over at Dear Photograph. The premise is to take a picture from your past and bring it into the future. Wouldn't this be a great wall art idea?

Some of my favorites:

How-To Layer Bedding

2011-07-17T21:22:00.001-06:00

Every morning as I pull the covers up and carefully place the pillows on my bed, my husband sarcastically asks if one more pillow could possibly fit. It got me thinking about the "norm" for bedding arrangements. How many pillows should you put on? How coordinated does everything need to be? After browsing around my favorite design websites, I've come to the conclusion that it really comes down to personal preference. However, HGTV just did a piece with several examples of gorgeous bedrooms and how to duplicate the look. Check out the series HERE.

Some sample images from the series:

Love how the graphic pillow adds a touch of whimsy while not taking away from the room's personality.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for gray and yellow!

Marseilles Shabby Apple Dress

2011-06-27T09:00:00.003-06:00

It's my birthday this week, yup, the big 2-5. I will be celebrating it at Girls Camp surrounded by dirt (or mud), bugs and hormonal girls... :) So imagine my excitement when Shabby Apple contacted me to review one of their vintage dresses. I chose the Marseilles, faux-wrap dress from Shabby Apple's selection of women's dresses at www.shabbyapple.com.

I may not look as awesome as the model (love her pixie cut!), but I'll tell you, I felt awesome while wearing the dress at church yesterday. The bottom half of the dress has added fabric in pleats resulting in a full skirt that moves beautifully. I did need to wear a slip to prevent static, but that may just be me. The vintage dress' fabric is a blue and white pinstripe with a stripe of hot pink to add flavor.

I tied the wraps in the back of the dress and next time I think I'll tie the wraps around my waist like the model in the above picture. I love the dress, it fits well and would be appropriate for many different occasions. Next on my agenda is to convince my hubby that a pixie hair cut will look good on me!!

If you want a fantastic Shabby Apple dress of your own, I recommend "liking" their Facebook page. They offer special promotions and discounts for their fans. If you just can't wait, Shabby Apple has offer How-To Gal readers a 10% discount. When you checkout, use the code: "thehowtogal10off"

Thank You Shabby Apple!

Romper to Flowy Top

2011-06-22T09:00:00.002-06:00

I don't claim to be super fashion savvy, but I do know that these little short romper things going around do not look cute on anybody. Am I right?

At my last Target shopping spree, I happened upon one of these rompers and fell in love with the pattern. Why oh why did they have to be sewn into shorts, I wondered? They were on clearance for $5, so I took them home, snipped down the "shorts" seam so the bottom now opened up like a shirt would. Then I cut the hanging "shorts" pieces to match the swoop of the front and back. The bottom is so flowy, there was no need to turn under the cut pieces.

I'm really happy with how it turned out. Paired with a skinny jean and flats, I'm ready for date night with the hubby.

Painted Tapestry

2011-06-20T11:00:00.001-06:00

When we first moved into our home we had an entertainment room with a projector. I loved the HUGE screen but hated the cords hanging from the ceiling. I decided the best thing to do would be to hang tapestries from the ceiling to conceal the cords. I asked for my lovely reader's opinion on choosing a pattern and I FINALLY finished the project. Coincidentally, my techie hubby decided he needed a big screen TV instead and the projector was sold before I could finish the project.

Perhaps I have no cords to conceal but I do have beautiful, painted tapestries.

Want to paint some for your own home?

What You Need:

Utility Fabric- Why did I choose utility fabric? One, it's cheap. Two, it's stiff and doesn't wrinkle easily.
Wooden Dowels
Knobs- I used the old knobs from my grandfather's desk.
Spray Paint
Wood Glue
Sewing Machine
Sheet of Plastic
Scissors
Hand Saw

How-To Paint Fabric Tapestries

First, create your pattern template. I used this quatrefoil image from Tatertots and Jello, printed out four pieces of paper with the image and traced the pattern onto a piece of plastic (purchased at a local craft store). I cut out the center pieces, leaving the design's edges as my template.

I cut my white utility fabric to the width and length I wanted, weighted down the edges of the fabric laid the template on the fabric and spray painted sections at a time.

I folded the top of the fabric over an inch and sew along the bottom edge.

You will now have a pocket to slide the dowel into.

I cut the dowels two inches longer than the width of the tapestry with a hand saw and then sanded down the cut edge.

Then I painted all of the dowels and knobs a shiny black.

Attached the knobs to the dowels with wood glue.

Voila! An inexpensive and chic wall treatment perfect for hiding hanging cords or spicing up a boring room.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-06-14T11:03:00.001-06:00

Blogs are a lot like homes, don't you think? They get messy, unorganized and need a facelift every once in awhile. I was feeling that way about The How-To Gal blog. I've cleaned up the place and made it easier (I think) to navigate.

You'll notice along the top of the blog I have categorized my posts into specific categories. I haven't linked all of the past projects yet, so check back often for more links.

In the meantime, you'll be able to hop to similar projects via the LinkedWithin bar below each post:

Also, be sure to connect with me via Pinterest, Twitter or my RSS feed!

Looking for something specific? Search the blog with a keyword to narrow things down.

I really like the new look and feel of the blog and I hope you do, too!

Utah Valley Half Marathon

2011-06-12T15:08:00.001-06:00

I ran my first half marathon yesterday. The race route took me through 13.1 miles of pure beauty down the Provo Canyon and into Provo, Utah. If you will recall, I set the goal to run a half marathon LAST year...but it didn't happen. This year I was bound and determined to do it.

How did I train for the race? I followed Hal Higdon's race training guide word for word. If you ever plan on training to run a marathon or half marathon, I highly recommend using this guide.

If I can do it, you can do it!

Faux Leather Bow Belt

2011-06-10T09:13:00.000-06:00

Summertime calls for flowy, graphic dresses. To make your easy breezy outfit look polished, add a unique belt.

Elegant Musings has a fantastic tutorial on how to create your own vintage-inspired bow belt from faux leather. Isn't it gorgeous?? Visit the tutorial HERE.

Chalkboard Contact Paper, Who Knew?

2011-06-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am so out of the loop. Who knew about chalkboard contact paper and didn't tell me?

There are so many cute chalkboard projects out there made possible by chalkboard paint, I guess it was only a matter of time before other products started popping up.

The possibilities are endless with this stuff. Some of my favorites:

Speech bubble image via Oh Happy Day

Lace Embellished T-Shirt

2011-06-08T09:00:00.003-06:00

I have a rule that if I haven't used something for a year I get rid of it. During this year's Spring cleaning, I pulled this sad, sad navy blue shirt from the hanger. As I tossed it into the discard pile, I suddenly envisioned it as something more.

How-To Embellish a T-Shirt with Lace

What You Need:

T-shirt
Lace
Pellon
Iron
Scissors

Let's Get Started!

The before shot of my sad, droopy shirt.

Step One: Fuse a length of Pellon to match your lace. My lace wasn't uniform on both sides so I cut down the scalloped edge of the extra lace and fused it to the non-scalloped edge to mirror the opposite side with the same Pellon.

Step Two: Measure the lace to run down the full length of your shirt.

Step Three: Iron the pellon-backed lace down the front of the shirt.

Step Four: Cut the lace at the top and fold over the collar. Turn the shirt inside out and iron those pieces down as well.

Now you can either cut the top of your lace and iron it to the inside of your shirt like I have in this picture, or simply cut around the top of the lace to match the shape beneath your collar. If I was to do it again, I would match the lace to the shape of the collar.

Voila! Paired with a nice skinny jean and nude pumps, this blouse is now worthy of a night out.

Techie Tuesday: Wingscapes Time Lapse Cameras

2011-06-07T09:00:00.001-06:00

With the sun shining (finally) here in Utah, my garden has really taken off! Carrots, lettuce and Peas, oh my! To document its stellar growth, I am using a Wingscape Timelapse PlantCam to record in one hour increments. When my garden is ready to harvest, I will be able to watch the seedlings become full-grown plants in a few minutes. I can't wait!

Wingscapes actually has several time lapse cameras. My favorite is the ProjectCam- perfect for the DIY-er. With the ProjectCam you can document a remodel from start to finish. The camera plugs right into your computer, making it easy to upload the finished video to your blog! What a fantastic way to show off your handiwork.

Doesn't my garden look great?!? In a few months I'll have fresh corn, peas, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, squash, onions, cilantro and strawberries on my table!

*Although not a paid review, Windscapes did send me a Time Lapse Camera to test out.

Free Bag Transformation

2011-06-03T09:00:00.001-06:00

Who doesn't have one of those free bags with some sort of logo gracing the front? With a few simple pieces of fabric, you can take a generic bag and transform it into something you will actually use!

How-To Transform a Free, Logo-ed Bag

What You'll Need:

A Bag
Scrap Fabric
Pellon
Scissors
Iron
Sewing Machine
Contrasting Thread

Let's Get Started!

Step One: Cut out your fabric pattern. I chose to do a leaf formation reminiscent of my toilet paper roll wall art.

Step Two: Attach leaves to Pellon. Be sure to cut your piece of Pellon as close to the size of the fabric as possible or your iron will suffer the consequences (and you'll have to clean up a sticky mess!)

Once the leaves are fused with the Pellon, they will be one piece.

Step Three: Iron the leaves onto the bag.
Step Four: Sew around the edges of the leaves with a contrasting thread.

Voila!

True Turquoise

2011-06-01T13:27:00.000-06:00

My free quart of Glidden paint came in the mail today. True Turquoise. I'm not going to lie, I did a happy dance as soon as I realized the little box sitting on my porch was this delicious color of paint!

Delicious Lemon Cheesecake Bars

2011-05-31T19:40:00.001-06:00

There is something refreshing about a lemon dessert and this citrus treat is sure to keep your guest coming back for more.

I found a great recipe for Lemon Cheesecake Bars on Gina's Skinny Recipes, altered it a bit and LOVED the results so much, I had to share with you. I've included Gina's original recipe with my changes in italics. Warning: My alterations make this dessert a lot less "skinny" than Gina's.

Ingredients:

12 reduced fat vanilla wafers- Because I didn't put the batter in muffin cups, preferring to make them into bars, I used a graham cracker crust.
1/2 cup of crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp of melted butter
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt- I used Fage fat-free, plain Greek yogurt.
2 large egg whites- I threw in the whole egg...sans the shell, of course.
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice- Use the juice from the lemon you just zested...yummy!
1 tbsp all purpose flour
24 blackberries- Instead of blackberries, I sliced strawberries to garnish the top with a touch of whipped cream.

Directions: (My changes in italics. To view the original recipe visit Gina's Skinny Recipes)

Heat oven to 350°.

Combine graham crackers, melted butter and powdered sugar. When mixed, press the mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 pan.

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer. Gradually beat in fat free yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and flour. Do not over beat. Pour filling on top of the graham cracker crust in your 8x8 pan.

Bake 25 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool to room temperature. Chill a few hours in the refrigerator.

Garnish with strawberries and whipped cream before serving.

A Quick Fix

2011-05-29T23:40:00.001-06:00

My little E loves magnets, LOVES them. I stumbled upon this pepto-bismol-pink magnetic board at a yard sale for $0.50 and couldn't pass it up. Since E is almost two I am thinking about switching up the colors in her room and don't want to repaint the board until I settle on the colors.

I decided a quick-fix was the best option. Five minutes and some awesome floral wrapping paper totally transformed little E's new favorite toy.

She couldn't be happier and that makes ME happy! Quick-fixes to the rescue!

Shut The Front Door

2011-05-17T21:09:00.000-06:00

I can't stop looking at this image from Better Home & Garden's latest DIY headboard line-up. Yes, those are doors behind that bed, closet doors. Doesn't the height, the clean lines and the soothing color palette just make you want to relax all day long? BH&G gives a full tutorial HERE.

Girls Camp Craft Ideas

2011-04-29T13:41:00.000-06:00

Last year I had the pleasure to volunteer at a week-long girl's camp that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosts each year. I was in charge of crafts and surprise, surprise I was given that task again this year! I am actually thrilled because there is nothing I like better than getting people excited about crafting. Last year we made felt rolled flowers, accordion scrapbooks and spiky origami balls. The girls had a blast, so I'm on the hunt to find even better projects this year.

On my hunt, I've stumbled upon these ideas:

Blanket Stitched Pillows

via Crafty Nest

Just imagine how many different designs the girls will come up with! I am thinking of bringing a few cardboard templates cut into shapes like stars, hearts, circles but I will also take cardboard pieces they can make into their own templates.

Personalize-able Canvas Notebooks

via Oriental Trading

Decorate the canvas cover with Pellon backed fabric. Back several different lengths of fabric in Pellon before camp and then the girls can cut whatever they want out of the fabric to decorate the front of the notebooks. Bring an iron to steam them into place at camp.

Duct Tape Wallet

via Crafty Nest

I always wanted one of these as a kid! With the fantastic selection of colored and patterned duct table I think the girls would have a crazy good time creating their own, personalized wallet.

No-Sew Tutus

via GOphotography.com

Last year several of the camps made these tutus and all of our girls wanted one. Banking on the simplicity of creation,this craft could be added into any spare hour you may have between certifications.

Mod Podged Trivets or Coasters

via Curbly

Whether you use paper, fabric or napkins, these mod podged coasters are always a hit. I find my tiles at yard sales. Lots of people have extras leftover from home projects...I once scored over 50 for $2.

I'm still narrowing these down...I only have a few days with a couple of designated crafty hours after all! Which are your favorites??

More Quiet Book Ideas

2011-04-17T19:15:00.000-06:00

I'm still working on a quiet book for my little one and as I work on pages, I find more and more creative ideas I want to insert!

Love these New York Cityscape and My Name Is pages by Homemade by Jill:

Peek-a-book numbers at A Back to Basics Lifestyle:

So many possibilities with Crafty Chic's Puzzle page:

The Craft Patch's funny face book is so hilarious, I may steal this page during church!!

And probably my most favorite page, this fish bowl, also by Handmade by Jill:

With inspiration like this...maybe I'll actually finish my own quiet book someday soon! :)

Upcycle Feature: Cereal Box Coaster and Trivet

2011-04-14T09:22:00.000-06:00

I am loving this tutorial over at Green Hut showing you how to make these fantastic coasters and trivets out of cereal boxes!

Free to Fabulous

2011-04-12T08:51:00.000-06:00

I wish I had a before picture of this fabulous little chest. One day when picking up a Craigslist find, the woman said she was trying to get rid of everything in the house, already had a yard sale and everything left was up for grabs. One of those items was the aforementioned chest. I couldn't believe nobody had snatched it up before. Of course it was covered with a swirly mixture of forest green and black paint, but the lines, people, the lines!

So I took it home, sanded all of that disgusting paint off and painted it my signature chocolate brown color (seen here, here, here and here).

Then I covered some wrapping paper I had on had with some clear contact paper to make it more sturdy and mod podged it onto the front door and top drawer.

I also painted the old drawer pulls I had kept from my Vintage Desk Transformation the same chocolate brown, screwed holes through the door and drawer and attached the pulls.

Not bad for a free to fabulous transformation if I do say so myself!!

Patched Elbows

2011-04-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

Hello, my name is Anna Rose and I have a problem. My elbows are so sharp and pointy that they go through most all of my favorite sweaters and jackets. Case in point, this boyfriend cardigan:

Luckily for me, patched elbows are all the rage right now. So I drew inspiration from images like this one:

Found the perfect fabric in my stash and created an oval pattern.

Cut out a piece of my Pellon 805 Wonder-Under transfer web (you can buy this stuff by the yard at most fabric stores. I love it and use it for a ton of projects.)

Follow the directions that come with the pellon: iron on adhesive to fabric.

Peel the back off carefully.

Then I put a piece of fabric behind the hole in my cardigan so the patch could have something to adhear to besides the other side of the arm.

Then I placed the patch over the hole. Note: you will want to try your cardigan on and mark where you want the patch to go.

Per the instructions, I placed a damp towel over the patch and pressed it with a hot, dry iron for 15 seconds. Again, refer to your pellon's instructions.

Voila! A patched elbow for my favorite cardigan.

A Spring Wreath

2011-04-06T12:49:00.000-06:00

Nothing says Spring to me more than the fresh hues of cream, green and purple. This color combination inspired my wedding colors and more recently inspired a beautiful Spring wreath for my front door. I had been thinking for awhile that I wanted a soft, romantic wreath to welcome Spring to my home but didn't want to spend any mulah. You see, I'm totally on a "use what you have" kick instead of instantly running to the craft store to pick up supplies.

The process began with me rummaging through my fabric scrap bin. I found an old purple sweater and shirt with lace details and started from there. I added cream felt, lace and organza and green silk to the mix. Then I started making fabric flowers from my felt flowers tutorial and more fabric flower tutorials I found online. I made about 30 flowers, the result of which is this beauty:

Keeping with using what I had, I'll tell you a secret behind this wreath. The wreath form is actually one of those tiny forms you can buy at the dollar store. I had purchased it a year ago to make an Americana wreath, not realizing how tiny it was. When I compared it to my large front door, I knew I had to make it bigger somehow.

I first wrapped the entire wreath form with dark green yarn. Then to make it bigger, I remembered the extra BBQ skewers I used for my Welby Sunburst Clock tutorial and put them to use again.

I stuck the skewers all around the form giving it a sunburst look. I then wrapped those skewers two at a time with yarn to give the base some stability.

Finally I attached a ring of fabric to the yarn-wrapped skewers to create a solid base and glued all of my flowers in place with tacky glue. This image is what the wreath looks like from the back after I had glued all of the flowers on.

I love it. It is the perfect mixture of elegance and romance that my front door needed to usher in Spring.

Happy Spring Everyone!

Classy Lamp from Unexpected Materials

2011-04-02T11:19:00.000-06:00

What do you get when you cross two liter bottles of Coke, some silver duct tape and a standard stick lamp? Answer:

Isn't this lamp fabulous? Katie at Matsutake shows you how to take 14, two liter bottles of Coke, duct tape, a boring lamp from Target and tun it into this gorgeous lamp. Check it out HERE.

How-To Add Pockets

2011-03-27T10:02:00.001-06:00

Doesn't it seem that the cutest jackets never have pockets? I have a super cute military-like jacket that has faux pockets...why didn't they just add them?? Well, lucky for us, Natalina has a fantastic tutorial over at Instructables showing how-to add pockets to any jacket. Check it out HERE.

New Shabby Apple Winner!

2011-03-19T20:36:00.000-06:00

I hate it when I have a giveaway and the original winner never contacts me (or never responds to messages I send them)!!! Second time it has happened. That is why it is so important to include your email in every comment when you enter contests. So sorry :( Jen, I had to pick a new winner!

But, a big congratulations to Rebecca!

Rebecca, check your inbox for an email from me!

Chevron Headboard

2011-03-18T15:29:00.001-06:00

About a year and a half ago I was inspired by two copper lamps found at a yard sale to create a copper headboard. I loved it for a long time. It just added a touch of elegance (IMO) to our room. However, a paper headboard and a toddler do not mix and over the past four months it was totally demolished by my sneaky little girl. I decided to say au revoir to this creation:

And try something else.

Now, the tricky part is that this piece of plywood is literally screwed into our wall. Taking it off the wall and hauling it down our stairs to revamp it wasn't in the cards. So I improvised.

I slid paper behind the board all around the sides, taped them to the wall, put a drop cloth under the board and carefully painted the board Better Home and Garden's Classic Cream.

I then channeled my favorite pattern (Chevron) again onto the board and used my own tutorial on how to create a Chevron pattern.

Then I taped and painted the stripes with the same chocolate brown paint I've used on several of my favorite projects. *see below for links to all of those projects!

Voila! I love the stark contrast it adds to the room and how much lighter it makes the room. Next on my bedroom makeover list: new comforter...

P.S. Aren't those quilted chevron pillows to die for? Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them at Ross for $6 each!

*Projects painted with chocolate brown paint
Rocking Chair
Baby's Dresser
Copper Vase
Outside Planter/Changing Table

And the winner is.....

2011-03-16T09:00:00.002-06:00

Thank you to all who entered The How-To Gal's Shabby Apple dress giveaway! I was blown away by all of the entries...125!!!

I'm happy to announce that the winner is:

Jen from Hazelnut Eyes!

Jen's favorite Shabby Apple dress is Cider (me, too Jen!) and she will receive said dress shipped right to her door courtesy of the lovely people at Shabby Apple.

Jen, please send an email to the.how.to.gal@gmail.com for shipping details and such in the next 48 hours! Thank you!

Thank you again to all who participated and be sure to keep your eyes out for Shabby Apple's launch of their new line "Roman Holiday" at the end of this week (sneak peek picture on Facebook...I can't wait!)

Remember, you can still use howtogal10off for 10% off any purchase.

P.S. I have actually been crafty/creative the past few days (a rarity since I went back to work) and will have pics and tutorials soon! Hint: The craftiness includes this post, a solution to my horribly sharp elbows and a transformation. Stay tuned :)

One more day!

2011-03-14T19:39:00.000-06:00

Fellow Shabby Apple dress lovers, there is only one more day to enter The How-To Gal's Shabby Apple Dress giveaway for one of these fabulous dresses:

I will be picking the winner at 9:00am MST, Wednesday, March 16th!

Note: You MUST comment on THIS (click here) POST in order for your entry to be counted.

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!

2011-03-09T10:30:00.002-07:00

Style and fashion are a few of my other passions besides DIY home decor and crafts. So imagine my elation when Shabby Apple contacted me to host a giveaway for one of their popular women's dresses. What I love most about Shabby Apple is the way they create fashion-forward products with hints of my favorite vintage dresses in the details.

I picked my favorite three and the winner will receive either Happy Talk, Cider or Marseilles absolutely free!

*How-To Enter to Win One of Shabby Apple's Fabulous Women's Dresses:

Follow. Become a How-To Gal follower and leave a comment. If you're already a follower, comment telling me which dress you would like the most!
Like. Shabby Apple on Facebook, and leave a separate comment telling me you did.
Tweet. Oh look! @thehowtogal is hosting a @ShabbyApple dress giveaway http://bit.ly/gX4yej and leave another comment here telling me you tweeted this.

*U.S. residents only.

ALSO, be sure to include your email address if your Blogger account is not attached to an email account. If you don't know what that means, leave an email address in your comment. Thank you! Several entries have already been posted by people with no included email...

I’ll pick a winner a week from today on Wednesday, March 16th.

Even better, Shabby Apple is offering all How-To Gal readers a 10% discount on all purchases with coupon code: howtogal10off at checkout!

The Perfect Quiet Book

2011-02-28T11:04:00.001-07:00

My little one is reaching the age when I want her to sit quietly during church. I've been searching high and low for the perfect quiet book pattern and came across a free, downloadable pattern from Kate Ryskamp. Kate has created a fun and colorful quiet book packed with learning adventures. I love that she includes both a shoe to tie and hair to braid. I can't wait to start making one!

Quiet Book

If/When I finally finish mine I'll post pics!

How-To Style Boost Your Bedroom

2011-02-17T13:39:00.001-07:00

I had to share HGTV's latest post of how to add a touch of style with a simple DIY project or a splash of intrigue. Some of my favorites:

Add stenciled details to your walls

Create a get-away-feel with sheer curtains around your bed

Go crazy with modern elements

Me? I'm thinking about redoing the color scheme in our master bedroom and will definitely be using some of these ideas. Do you think my husband would totally flip if I stenciled a pattern (so much cheaper than wallpaper) on every wall???

Techie Tuesday: Pinterest

2011-02-15T09:00:00.019-07:00

Pinterest is my new obsession. Imagine a website that allows you to gather all of your inspirational images in once place, categorize them and share those ideas with others. Pinterest is that website. You can upload your own images from favorite websites or blogs, your computer or browse through the thousands of images available from other posters.

I love how easy it is to compile my favorite images of things I want to do, inspiration or home decorating ideas.

I've linked the above image to some of my pins, but beware, it can be a total time suck...

Happy Pinning!

My Valentine Surprise

2011-02-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

This Valentine's I decided to do something a little different for my hubby than a typical card. When browsing for ideas, I stumbled upon Man Made DIY which I'm surprised I haven't stumbled on before. They inspired me with this:

Gave me the instructions here. And I ended up with this:

I framed it in black and presented it to my hubby this morning. He loves it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Boxy to Foxy: Tailor a T-shirt

2011-02-13T20:21:00.002-07:00

I have been wanting to tailor a few of my boxy t-shirts for awhile now and my Google searches have proved to be unsuccessful. So you can imagine my elation when I saw this video on Craftzine's Blog! I knew I had to share it with you!!

Thank you Becky Stern!

I {heart} Hearts!

2011-01-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

I love Valentine's Day. Not the day particularly, but definitely preparing for it. Hearts in pink, white and red catch my eye, beckoning me to craft my heart out! Some of my favorites:

Yarn Love

via Family Chic

Lovey-Dovey Cookies
via How Does She?

Crocheted Hearts Pattern

via Planet June

Origami Paper Hearts
via Zakka Life

3D Heart Garland

via How About Orange

DIY Christmas Gift Guide Recap

2010-11-12T20:37:00.004-07:00

For those followers who have been with me since the beginning, you may remember my DIY Christmas Gift Guide from last year. For those of you who have just recently joined me. Here's a recap of some fabulous DIY Christmas gifts!

Sisters

1. Butterfly Project 2. Ruffle Shirt 3. Lace Collar
4. Vintage Earrings 5. Chain mail necklace 6. PVC Bracelet

7. Jewelry Organizer 8. Bottle Cap magnet 9. Mod Podged Shoes
10. iPod Cover 11. Poppy Boutonniere 12. Laptop Cozy

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Little People You Love

1. Wild Things Tote 2. Child's Tutu 3. Textured Words Book

4. Family Coloring Book 5. Baby Leg Warmers 6. Baby Bonnet

7. Book Clock 8. Little Boy Tie 9. Butterfly Mobile

10. Kitty Crayons 11. Ruffle Collar 12. No-Sew Flutter Cape

13. Tooth Pillow 14. Play Oven Mits 15. Grover Puppet
16. Men's Shirt to Cute Skirt 17. Placemat bib 18. Argyle Onesie

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grandma

1. Bed Warmer 2. Cinnamon Candle 3. Slippers

4. Ruffle Scarf 5. Tea Towel Apron 6. Paper Wrapped Vases

7. Accordion Scrapbook 8. Ruffle Cardigan 9. Button Pillow

10. Multi-Photo Frame 11. Photo Strip Garland 12. Ruffle Pillow

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIY Gift Wrapping

1. Magazine Bow 2. Felt Envelope 3. Pom Pom Packages

4. Twistie Tie Gift Toppers 5. Paint Chip Gift Tags 6. Names on Gifts

7. Brooch Gift Toppers 8. Gift Jar Variations 9. Paper Bow

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Men in Your Life

1. Embroidered Tie 2. Star Wars Shoes 3. Car Trash Holder

4. Customized Mouse Pad 5. Button Cuff Links 6. T-Shirt Scarf

7. Refashioned Ties 8. Hoodie Transformation 9. Crocheted Hat

10. Papercut Portraits 11. Chocolate Bark and Candied Pecans

12. Cycling Cap

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mothers

1. Painted floor canvas 2. Wrist pin cushion 3. Coasters

4. Head Towel Wrap 5. Knot Trivet 6. No-Knit Scarf

7. Black & White Bracelet 8. Puffy Paint Vases 9. Petal Clutch

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friends/Neighbors

1. Honey Walnut and Fruit Topping 2. Personalized Dog Leash

3. Etched Glass 4. Molasses Popcorn

5. Hot Coco Mix 6. White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

7. Flower Magnets 8. Homemade Onion and Pepper Relish

9. Oreo Suckers

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teenagers

1. Credit Card Bracelet 2. Cassette Tape Coin Purse 3. Capelet

4. Crocheted Cat Hat 5. Soda Bottle Purse 6. Feather Headband

7. DDR Purse 8. Personalized Umbrella 9. Ruffle Turtleneck

Have More DIY Christmas Gift Ideas?
Link Up!

How-To Perfectly Pack a Suitcase

2010-11-04T22:08:00.003-06:00

If your family is anything like mine, this holiday season will require several different trips to far-off destinations 8 to 10 hours away. My family lives in Wyoming and my husband's family lives in California and each year we alternate holiday. One year we'll visit my parents for Thanksgiving and the hubby's for Christmas, switching the next year. We love seeing family, but sometimes those two months seem like all we do is live out of a suitcase.

You'd think with all that suitcase living I would have the most organized suitcase on the planet...but I still haven't managed to perfect the packing process. Lucky for me (and you!) I live and die by Martha Stewart's advice and found the perfect packing guide in her 1994 June/July issue.

How-To Perfectly Pack a Suitcase
(with help from Martha)

Shoes- Layer your shoes on the bottom of your bag. Stuff the toes with socks, nylons or other small items you need to bring. This will help them retain your shape and will fill in the extra space. Martha even has specific bags for each of her shoes...
Jeans- Next stack jeans or other slacks, (except if nice, dressy pants- see step 5) that don't need to be ironed, on top of the shoes.
Sweaters, Blouses or T-shirts- Martha puts all of her sweaters in gallon freezer bags to prevent wrinkles. I, however, don't spend nearly as much as she does on her clothes (most likely) so I am not that careful with them. I just make sure they are nicely folded on top of my jeans, and I've never had a wrinkle problem.
Extra Items- Items like underwear, undershirts, belts etc that don't need to look nice can be rolled up and placed in the corners of the suitcase.
Delicates- Once everything else is in your bag, layer delicates on top. Save left over dry cleaning bags or visit your dry cleaners and purchase a few plastic bags. Put delicate items like party dresses, blazers, nice slacks, etc in these bags. Lay on top of the rest of your items and tuck the edges in. This will help the clothes keep their shape.
Toiletries- Purchase tiny bottles of shampoo, soap, etc so if flying they won't need to be in your suitcase and instead can be carried onto the plane. If driving, double bag items that may leak (this is also a good idea if flying as well). Martha suggests to NEVER pack toiletries with clothes, no matter what. One spill can do horrible damage.

Make this holiday season a little bit easier by making YOUR life a little easier.
Happy Packing!

The Results are in

2010-11-01T21:31:00.005-06:00

The votes are in for my Crazy About Patterns post! Drum roll please.......

Watch for the upcoming tutorial.
It will include this trellis (she calls it quatrefoill) stencil courtesy of Tatertots and Jello.

Thank you to everyone who voted!

My Favorite Pumpkin How-Tos

2010-10-20T15:09:00.008-06:00

Pumpkins always make me happy that it's Fall. Though, the pumpkin desserts may help with that as well!

This year, however, my view of pumpkins has branched out beyond EATING them and I wanted to share some of the how-tos that I've bookmarked and added to my to-do list:

Pumpkin treat bowl via Martha

Okay, I had to throw in at least ONE edible idea in there...

Pumpkin Bisque via My Blonde Ambitions

Crocheted pumpkin via julie-k

Deathstar Pumpkin via Fantasy Pumpkins

Pumpkin drink chiller via Martha

Happy Fall Everyone!

Crazy for Patterns

2010-10-12T15:19:00.007-06:00

Hey, guys, remember me? I'm back from the dead, well at least for a couple days. I am cooking up a FABULOUS project and need your help. Problem is I can't make up my mind...so I'm enlisting your help. To keep it a surprise, all I can tell you is that I will be using a geometric pattern to spice up a dull room in my home.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Scallops

image via Moxie Fab World

2. Trellis

image via David's Bridal

3. Interlocking Squares

image via Apartment Therapy

4. Chevron

image via Design Sponge

1/2 Off Sale at The How-To Gal's Etsy Shop!

2010-10-05T20:57:00.000-06:00

Guy and Gals I have been SOOO busy with my new job (as you probably already knew from my lack of posts) that I haven't been able to do anything with my Etsy shop and everything in it. SO, from now until it's all gone, EVERYTHING is 1/2 off!! These would be a great gift idea and Christmas is coming fast!

Each flower rosette or fabric flower will come to you on as a pin, hair clip or headband. You choose!! Simply include a message with your order telling which style you would like.

Thanks everyone!

Organize Spools of Thread

2010-09-04T11:02:00.003-06:00

I scored about 35 spools of thread at a yard sale a few weeks ago for $1- yep, I couldn't believe it myself. Now my dilemma is what to do with all of them. Here's an idea from Tastykaeru:

I love it. Made completely from driftwood, this display is efficient and gorgeous.

How do you store your spools of thread?

Funky Smells No More- Part 2

2010-08-23T08:30:00.002-06:00

Stinky shoes? No problem. The Howcast video doesn't seem to be embedding correctly, so here is the jist: If you have shoes emanating an odor, put half of a dryer sheet in each shoe over night. By morning they will be odor free!

Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night

2010-08-21T22:20:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about how to write this post. What words to say, how to express myself appropriately and here's what I've come up with.

I got a full-time job. Yup. An 8-5, Monday through Friday, gig as a content writer for TopTenREVIEWS. You may remember some of my previous posts about other reviews I've written for them. I start Tuesday. A couple weeks ago they called me out-of-the-blue and offered me a full-time position. I couldn't believe it myself, but I said yes. We'll see if I've been a SAHM too long for it to truly stick, but I'm excited for the change in my life path.

What this means for The How-To Gal? Most likely less posts and less projects for me. I've been trying to post once a day for the last little while, and now I won't have all day everyday to scheme and dream of different projects to amuse and delight. And while I feel sad about this, I also feel somewhat relieved. The crafty-blogging world is an intense one. Many creative women all vying for the best project day after day. Party after blogging party, giveaway after giveaway...it's tiring!

So, if you have liked the projects I've posted in the past and my quick wit, be sure to add me to your reading list. I won't be posting everyday, but I will still be dropping in once and awhile.

Thank you for the fun times everyone!

Anna Rose
The How-To Gal

Pretty Petal T-Shirt

2010-08-19T17:50:00.000-06:00

I love blouses with girly accents. Especially those that make a plain old t-shirt look light and airy. I wanted one, but couldn't find a shirt that seemed reasonably priced and fit my taste. So, I figured out how to thread the bobbin for my brand new sewing machine I got for my birthday and made myself one.

Here's how I did it.

How-To Make a Pretty Petal T-Shirt

Step One: I purchased two shirts, a clearance t-shirt at Down East for $5 and a cream, silk shirt at the thrift store for $.99. I cut the silky shirt into petal shapes-two different sizes, large and small.

Step Two: Then I glued the petals onto the shirt in layers to layout the design. I did this to keep the petals straight and it was easier than pinning the crap out of them. When I washed the shirt after sewing the petals on, the glue washed right out.

Step Three: Stitched across each layer of petals

Voila! A beautiful addition to any outfit. Dress it up with heels or down with a pair of cute sandals.

Here's how I wore it. Pretty petal shirt with pleated skirt and the awesome heels I got from CSNstores.com.