tuesday's true confession: my love of the fun house mirror

When I was younger, we lived near an amusement park called Adventureland. 

I loved going to Adventureland . . . going on rides, playing games, eating cotton candy.  But one of my favorite things was the fun house. 

There was something fascinating about standing in front of each of those mirrors. 

One made me look about 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. 

One made me look like I had a shrunken head and a ginormous body.  (My husband recently told me that ginormous is not actually a word.  I said, "How can it not be a word . . . I've been saying it forever?"  He claimed that just because I say it doesn't make it an actual word.  I'm pretty sure he's wrong about that.)   

One made me look about seven feet tall and as thin as a pencil. 

And there was one that made me look like me, but just a bit better version of me . . . you know a few inches taller and a few inches thinner.  The me I secretly (well, not so secretly now) wished that I was.  I stood in the front of that particular mirror much longer than the others.  I loved that fun house mirror!

Today I'm confessing that I feel like my blog is a little like that last mirror.

I'm just a bit sweeter, wittier, more creative on my blog than I am in real life.  My blog makes me "look" like me . . . just a bit better version of me.

Every time someone writes me an e-mail saying something like . . .
   
    "You are so sweet."
    "What an amazing idea! You are so creative!"
    "You always seem to make me laugh."

. . . I think, "Yep, the fun house mirror at work again," and I feel a bit guilty that some of you actually believe I'm that better version of me you "see" on this blog.

But I think the real confession is that I kind of like the me I am on this blog, and I kind of enjoy being a bit sweeter, wittier, and more creative than the me I am in real life.  So maybe . . . just maybe . . . this blog has actually inspired me to be that person in real life. 

How about you?  What has your blog inspired you to do or be in real life?

Confess on!

pretend and play dolly diapers

Here's a little recap of what we've covered so far in the pretend and play set.

doll bassinet carrier

diaper bag

diaper wipes

And little wipes need little diapers, so in an effort to complete the pair . . .

Pretend and Play Diapers

Here's what you need:
-fleece
-narrow elastic
-pinking shears, sewing machine, etc.

These diapers fit our sweet little 11 to 13 inch dolls.  Adjust measurements for your dollies. 

Here's what you do:
1) Cut a 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch square with pinking shears (again, don't forget to adjust diaper size for doll size).

2) Fold bottom of square up to almost to top of square leaving about 1/4 inch from top edge.  At this point, I also cut a bit of a dip in the front of the diaper.

3)  Cut a triangle off each of the bottom corners that measures about two inches on the diagonal.

4) Using a long stitch on your sewing machine, sew a straight line at the top of the backside of the diaper.  Do not back stitch on either end.

5) Pull one of the threads to make a slight gather in the diaper back.  Tie ends off on both sides.

6) Place elastic over the gathered thread and sew onto diaper.

7)  Sew on small strips of hook and loop as as the diaper tabs, and put on doll or tuck away in pretend and play diaper bag.

Craft on!

four reasons i love blogging

We all have reasons that we love blogging.  A creative outlet, a networking opportunity, a way to promote an etsy shop or business, alone time . . . these are just a few of the reasons some of you have told me that you love blogging.

Here are the top four reasons I love blogging:

1)  Fun Opportunities - Remember my obsession with soda cans? 

It all began when the Iron Crafter challenge was kicked off back in June over at Fireflies and Jellybeans.  Iron Crafter has been going strong now for four rounds, and the fifth round is about to begin on Monday with this round's secret ingredient . . . cardboard boxes. 

And guess who the guest judge is for this round . . . go on . . . guess . . . okay, I can't hold out any longer . . . IT'S ME!  When Fawnda asked me, I almost fainted . . . that's how excited I was.  After my role as guest judge sunk in a bit, the nerves set in too.  How will I choose?  Anyway . . . you have from September 20 to 24 to link up your cardboard projects.  Don't miss out on the fun! 

2)  New Friends - I've mentioned this a few times this week, but the biggest surprise of blogging has been the relationships that have developed.  For example, Sandi over at A Legacy of Stitches, was one of my first readers.  I think she began reading back in late February or early March when I had about 20 readers.  But she didn't just read . . . she e-mailed me and we ended up getting to know each other a bit.  This week she sent me a wonderful little treat . . . of the felt kind.

   
Aren't those colors beautiful?  I'm so excited!  My mind is spinning with ideas for these beauties.  She has a quilting blog that I could drool over for hours, and I don't even know the first thing about quilting.  Go check it out by clicking of the red blog name above!

3)  Inspiration - I'm inspired daily by so many out there in blogland.  I love being inspired!  I also love inspiring others.  So, that's why I get so excited when people send me pics of the projects they've done after being inspired by a project that I posted here on twelve crafts.  Check out these cute pillow buddies that Megan made her sweet girls.  I think you will agree they look amazing!

4)  I get to give stuff away - And I love to give people stuff.  For example, today Camille, from Mother*Lode, and I get to give Kim (lucky #13) a set of puzzle blocks.  Apparently, the random number generator at RANDOM(dot)ORG does not think that the number 13 is bad luck.  ;)  Congrats Kim on winning the very first Stuff Your Stockings giveaway!  I'll be in touch soon.

Don't forget to scroll down to the next post (or click here if you are reading this through a reader or e-mail subscription) to enter to win a beautiful bracelet or learn from a great tutorial how to make one yourself.

Why do you love blogging . . . or at least like it enough to do it?

Craft on!

stuff your stockings saturday: anthro-inspired bracelet

I'm so excited to welcome Beverly from Flamingo Toes for our second Stuff Your Stockings Saturday.  She brings with her an amazing tutorial and a chance to make it or win it!  Check out the giveaway at the very end of the post!


Hi everyone, it's Beverly from Flamingo Toes!

I'm so thrilled to be here at Twelve Crafts for Stuff Your Stockings!

Elizabeth has really inspired me this year to make more of my gifts. There's something pretty wonderful about wearing or displaying something you've made, isn't there? It gives you that extra little "oomph"! I think handmade gifts are just the same - they're so much more personal and special.

Over at Flamingo Toes, I love to sew and embroider, make things for my home, and of course, I really love a great jewelry knockoff. In fact, I just did a week of Anthro Necklace Knockoffs. It was a lot of fun and they'd make great stocking stuffers too!

To keep with that theme, I thought it would be fun to do another Anthro knockoff - this time the super cute Willy Nilly Bracelet.

How much do you love that name???

Here's my version:

And here's the inspiration:

This is a great design because you can raid your stash to make up the different layers - pretty much anything goes. See? Willy Nilly. ;)

It's also a super easy bracelet to do.

You'll need:

• Assortments of beads. Enough for 3 strands of 3 different beads and 1 strand of whatever you have and want to throw in there.
• Scrap of fabric for tie
• Stretchy bead cord - I used .7 mm
• 8 crimp beads
• Needle nose pliers

Start by measuring your wrist. Add 1/2" to this measurement.

Then add three inches to that - and cut 4 strands of stretchy cord this length.
(So my wrist is 6 1/2" - I cut 4 10" strands.)

Thread the first style of bead onto one of the cords.

Continue threading your beads until the strand measures 7" (or the width of your wrist + 1/2").

Thread a crimp bead onto each end.

Tie a knot in the cording.

Feed each end of the cord back through a crimp bead.

Using the pliers (Grab hubby's if you don't have any. Manly tools work too.) squeeze the crimp beads so that they are tight around the cording.

Cut the loose ends of the cords off.

Repeat this two other times with two more different types of beads.

For the last strand, gather an assortment of beads. Make one small loop of beads just like the strands you've done, with only 4 or five beads.

Thread them on randomly, or willy nilly (I know. Enough already.) and finish the cording as before.

Cut a scrap section of fabric for your tie. Treat the ends with fray check so it doesn't fray away over time.

Layer the four strands together so the crimped ends are in line.

Knot the fabric around the crimped sections, tying all four strands together.

And you're done!

The possibilities with this bracelet are pretty much endless.  You could do different color combinations or bead styles, or you could do 2 or 3 small strands for the little girls on your gift lists!

If you'd like this bracelet for your very own, we're giving it away to a lucky Twelve Crafts reader!  I'll even adjust it to your wrist size.  So you can keep it for yourself (it will be our secret) or you can get started on your holiday giving with an Anthro Knockoff!  (How cool would that be? The Anthro version is $58!!)

Thanks so much Elizabeth for including me in the stocking stuffer fun! I hope you all enjoyed the tutorial. :)

Thanks Bev!  She has a ton of great jewelry tutorials and other crafty project and ideas that would make great stocking stuffers.  Here are a two of my favorites:

Ribbon and Bead Bookmarks

Lace and Pearl Bracelet

Or better yet . . . go check out her tutorial page to find your own favs.

Now, here's how you can win it:

*Leave one comment for each entry.*

1)  Be or become a follower of twelve crafts.

2)  Be or become a follower of Flamingo Toes.

3)  Link up an idea/stocking stuffer to the stocking stuffer idea page.

4)  Help promote Stuff Your Stockings Saturday by posting the button (code on sidebar) on your blog or on the stocking stuffer idea that you linked up.

5)  Leave a comment committing to make at least one homemade stocking stuffer this coming Christmas.  (Obviously, I won't be stopping by your house to make sure you followed through . . . unless you send me your address and travel money ;) . . . so this is an honor-system commitment.)

Giveaway will be open for entries until Friday, September 24, 2010 @ 11:59 PM (CST).

Craft on!