Valentine's Canvas with Paint & Photo [Kids DIY]

I love home decor that can be easily swapped out for the different seasons/holidays without much thought.  If you saw my post about making a silhouette design from your child's art, you have an idea of the 5x7 wall hanging I have on each side of our door frame between rooms.  I've since decided to swap those out (the silhouette ones being the "most of the time" decor) during special holidays or events.

And since I have about zero Valentine's decor (I've never been much of a Valentine's girl but as I get older I'm starting to appreciate celebrating love in all forms including kids, friends- Galentine's Day etc.) I needed something made fast!  Seeing as my kids are my favorite artists, I opted to let them decorate for me.  So I gave them some 5x7 canvases and here's what we came up with...

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.  Purchasing from these links earns me a small commision to no extra charge to you. This helps me to bring you more new content to the blog.  Thank you so much for your support!]



Here's what you'll need:

- 5x7 canvas
- Acrylic Paint
- Dimensional pieces (such as lace, ribbon, fringe, felt or these cute heart shaped pony beads)
- Hot glue gun
- (optional) glitter!
- Wooden heart cutouts
- A photo of your child

How to Make it:

Let your kids (or you!) go nuts.  Paint your design on the canvas, however you'd like.  As soon as it dries, use the hot glue gun to attach the dimensional pieces.  If your kids are little, adult help is required during the hot gluing!

 Keep in mind that you'll be gluing the wood heart in the center so be sure not to place the "lumpy bumpies" in that space. I set the heart on the canvas (not attached) to help keep us from doing this.

After everything is set- grab the photo of your child and using the wood heart to trace, cut out their sweet faces in a heart shape.  Using the hot glue again, adhere the photo to the wood heart cutout.  Then glue the heart (with photo on it) to the center of the canvas.  Easy peasy. 

I know you totally didn't need directions on how to do that but I wrote them anyways.

Now hang them up and enjoy!  I am absolutely in love with all the textures on these.  It's something a little different than a regular painting.  Plus it has photos of the kids on it, so that's always a winner for this mama!

...and another peek of them hanging up.  Gah, I want to paint the room so badly. Anyone else think this is the worst color yellow ever? Makes our house look so drab.

My daughter feels a lot of pride for them and even herself took some photos of them while I was prepping for this post.  Or maybe she just really loves her brother. (tee-hee-hee)

Turn Your Kids Art into an Embroidery [DIY]

I'm so excited to share with you today one of my recent projects. The idea came to me out of the blue and although the craftsmanship needs a little work (I'm still learning) I am so pleased with how it turned out.  Better yet? Since the project was based on a drawing my son made, he was able to present this gift as his own but with materials that will likely last much longer than a piece of paper. #winwin

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to products you can use to make this project. Purchasing through these links earns me a small comission at no extra charge to you, which allows me to bring you more new content! Thank you for supporting my blog.]


I have been bitten by the embroidery bug... HARD. I was so excited to begin that I had all these great ideas for projects in my head without really slowing down to learn what to do first (oops). So please don't judge my stitches as they are not perfect and probably not done the "right" way.  They are however full of so much love and it turned out wonderful in the end.



Want to know how to turn your child's work of art into a long-lasting embroidery design?  It's super easy.  Here's how:



FIRST: Have your child draw a design.  I asked my son (4) to draw a photo for his mamaw (my mom). He opted to draw a photo of her with her name at the bottom. [and some other letters and his name because he got excited.]

NEXT: Gather the rest of your supplies.  You'll need a fabric to embroider on.  Muslin or Osnaburg are common ones but really anything with a fairly tight weave that you can still push a needle through works great. Do a litle research to see what's best for your project.

You'll also need DMC floss (embroidery thread), a needle, scissors, an embroidery hoop and a pencil.

TO TRACE the artwork, tape the paper up to a window with lots of sunshine (or anything else that light shines through).  Then tape your fabric on top.  Using your pencil, simply trace your design.

[What I learned: If possible, have your child draw in a dark color. The light blue/green was hard to see through the fabric.  Also- the more they scribble, the harder it's going to be to trace.  Just do the best you can and create an outline, leaving "holes" where there is empty space in the photo]

and once traced...

I moved down the "W" from his original drawing because he kept writing an "M" and then writing another and another until he got it the right way. (because Mamaw ends with a W) but I wanted to use his actual handwriting.  I also left out the extra letters and his name to keep the design crisp and focused on his original drawing.



NOW START EMBROIDERING! Start with an outline and fill in after that. I wasn't really sure how to space my stitches in something like this (since his original lines may have spanned her head to her feet!) but I think it turned out fairly well.

I kept the original drawing next to me so that when I came upon a "hole" I could figure out how the original lines went to keep it closest to the drawing.  It's a little bit off, but again- I'm pretty proud with how it turned out. I feel like the essense of the drawing is still definetly there.

My son gave it to my mom on Christmas and she loved it.  He is proud that his drawing is now framed and can last for years to come in a fun new way.  I'm excited to have actually finished a project and be on my way to learning something new. I couldn't have picked a better project to begin my journey with (this one and another for my cousin were my first, both done this Christmas).

I'd love to see a photo of the drawing you'd love to embroider.  I have a few more of my "favorites" that I'd like to maybe put on a tote bag or something for myself! This would make a GREAT gift for Valentine's/Galentine's Day or for upcoming Mother's Day! Feel free to share your dream project or your completed one on our facebook group or tag Cut, Craft, Create on Instagram in your DIY post!

Valentine's Hack + GIVEAWAY! {Freshly Picked + Chubby Bunny, Happy Home}

Today I want to take a break from the decorating series that we have been working on (Haven't been following along?  Catch up on tips from posts 1, 2,3 and 4!) to share a quick Valentine's tip for you.  If you're like me, you might want to do a little something for the kiddos in your life (be it your own, friend's kids or nieces and nephews) but you are JUST. SO. BUSY.

Seriously, is it possible that I spend an entire day making meals, cleaning up meals and going up and down the stairs (my son loves the stairs so we spend a lot of time there)?  I know that there is no way I'm going to get some adorable Valentine's craft made for all of my nieces and nephews.

... in steps Target's Dollar Bins.  Come on ladies- you know what I'm talking about here.  The mecca of adorable stuff priced at $1 (or sometimes just a dollar or two more).  This year it was my saving grace and I want to share with you how I put together really cute Valentines for $4 a kid.

{Paw Patrol?  Frozen?  For a DOLLAR? I seriously love this store.}

Step 1:  Check out your local Target store and see what goodies you can find.  If yours has these envelopes, get one for each child.  I can't get over how sweet they are and it makes such a neat presentation.  All of mine are getting mailed out so having something like this seems more fun that just having a bunch of random things shoved in a paper mailer (plus it keeps the items separate for each child if going to siblings!)

Step 2: Buy the stuff and GET OUT OF THE STORE before you spend 10 million dollars.  You know what I mean....

Step 3: Include a card (I made these in just a few minutes at home) and write a message for your little loved one.

Easy Peasy.  If you have magically found some free time and want to create a Valentine's gift, check out some of my other posts:

- Personalized Valentine's Shirt
- Heart Shaped Pincushion
- "Love Note" Cup Cozie
- Personalized Photo Map (my most popular post)

Want something even better?  How about a GIVEAWAY?
Buying is easier than making- sure, but winning is even better than buying!  Cut, Craft, Create has teamed up with Freshly Picked and Chubby Bunny, Happy Home to bring you some awesome goodies for your lovely little one!

Freshly Picked

Freshly Picked is this amazing little company that makes beautiful moccasins for your babe's feet.  (Okay, they actually have apparel, soft and hard sole shoes, women's shoes and "Bringing Home Baby Bundles") but they got started by making the soft sole moccs we all know and love.

You might have seen them on ABC's Shark Tank or have heard about them from one of their every-growing list of followers.  I've been obsessed with the company for several months now and I just can't get over how great these shoes are.

Here's why:
1. They are adorable.  Let's be fair, cute baby stuff is the best. Here are some of my favorites:

{Colors are as pictured L-R
Heirloom in Creme and Gold, Weathered Brown, Blush, 

Glacier, Born in the USA, Starry Night}

-Check out their website for more-

2. They stay ON BABE's FEET!  They are brilliant and have created a shoe that doesn't fall off.  My son even has trouble pulling them off his feet and he is Houdini when it comes to that.

{These sweet little moccs will always hold a special place in my heart.  Because of their soft sole they were the perfect "first shoe" for my bare-foot loving kid.  He took some of his first steps in these}

3. They last a long time.  Ask anyone who has owned a pair and they will tell you that these are some good quality shoes.  They are made with a thicker leather that supports rough play and day to day kid life.  Even when they start to look a little roughed up an easy "wipe clean" seems to magically restore them to new.  (I wasn't so sure about this after my son tore them all up over Thanksgiving but see for yourselves...)

{These are my son's FP moccs before and after.  I expected them to get cleaner but was surprised at how the "wrinkles" even cleared.  They are like new shoes again!}

This giveaway portion is for (1) pair of soft-soled moccasins in the design and size of your choice (a $60 value!) and is open to residents of the United States.


Chubby Bunny, Happy Home
CBHH is actually a small business that my mom and I started and own.  We create hand-crafted items for your home and baby.  We are big believers in supporting small business and in the quality of items created by hand.

{You could win one of these bandana bibs in the pattern of your choice!  Perfect for a teething baby to catch that drool, as a fashion statement or- in this case in the picture- as a bib for food!}

-See available patterns HERE-

We thought that your little one needed even more this Valentine's Day because... why not?  That's the fun of a giveaway!  We love sharing the items we make with little ones from all around.

{Machine washable, vinyl lined (for wet snacks such as grapes or apple slices!) and oh-so-cute this bag travels anywhere and stays closed with an easy to use velcro flap}

What?  One more item?  You lucky thing, you.

{Get this "I'm acute kid" design in any onesie sizes 0-3 month through 12 month or in children's T-shirt size of your choice.  Made with professional grade heat press, the design lasts wash after wash}

This portion of the giveaway is for (1) Reversable Bandana Bib in fabrics of your choice, (1) Vinyl-Lined Reusable Snack Bag and (1) "I'm acute kid" onesie or t-shirt in the size of your choice (a $25 value!) and is open to residents of the United States.

Enter to win the prize package of:
FP moccasins + CBHH bandana bib, reusable snack bag and onesie/t-shirt!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

[Disclosure: I have received product to revue and/or products are from my own company.  All opinions are my own and in no way were shaped from receiving the product.]

"Love Note" Cup Cozie

As you may or may not know, I am not one of those girls who loves Valentine's Day.  I'm also not one of those girls who hates it and sets out to make it an "anything but love" day.  I just sort of let it be another day.  I do, however love red and pink together and of course, hearts!  I also know that many other people go all out on this special day and want to inspire you to create something unique that shows your special someone how truly special they are.

Have you seen all the beautiful handmade cup cozies all over Pinterest?  Although my husband doesn't drink coffee or hot tea, I am a big fan of both and I bet that someone in your life is too!  Your special someone needs more than just any cup cozy... they need a "love note" cup cozy!

The envelope sits at the end of a hand stitched message: "Just thought you should know..."
It's hard to get it all in one picture, hope this helps:

With this cozy, you can tell your loved one how you feel- in a new way, each day!  I love the idea of saying encouraging words ("that you are so talented!") words of wisdom ("it gets better and you will get through this") or simply "I love you!"

It's easy to make here's how:

MATERIALS:
- Two (2) fabrics- one plain, one printed
- Thin batting
- Thread in matching color to sew & opposing color to stitch message
- Two (2) buttons
- Ribbon or (2) elastic hair ties


STEP ONE: Trace & cut the fabric. 
 
Using another cup cozy, trace the shape onto the fabric.  If you have a paper one, rip it apart so that it will lay flat.  If you have a reusable one like me (It came with a cup that I have), lay it as flat as possible, trace, line it up and then trace again.

 {Disappearing Ink pens work great, but if you don't have one with you, then a pencil works fine!}

Cut this piece out, giving yourself about 1/2 inch outside of the line to allow for the seam.

Use the (now 1/2 inch larger all around) piece to trace the shape onto the second fabric.

Do the same with a piece of thin batting.  I recommend cutting that shorter (about where the original line was drawn) so that you don't have to worry about it bulking up when you sew the seams.


STEP TWO: Stitch your message.

Using a pencil (or disappearing ink pen), write out your message onto the solid fabric.  Next, hand stitch over the pencil with the contrasting color.  I said "Just thought you should know..."

STEP THREE: Make an envelope.  I had to play around with the fabric to get the right shape but if you make it look like this one, you should be fine.

Sew the sides and bottom down next.  Start with one side, then the other, finishing with the bottom.  I suggest tacking it down at the corner edge and sewing a stitch where it folds for a crisper line and a more "envelope" look!

To finish it up, I ran some stitching across the top (just for looks).  I also folded the top down (like a closed envelope) and ironed it so that the flap would stay down when it was finished (not pictured).

STEP FOUR: Attach the envelope.

Pin your lovely new envelope to your solid fabric immediately following your embroidered message.  With a sewing machine (it's much faster!) run a stitch across the sides and bottom to secure it onto the cozy piece.

{I used red thread to stitch it together & white thread to secure it, just for fun.  It looks lovely!}

STEP FIVE: Pin all your pieces together & sew!

Face your two main fabrics, right sides together.  That means the embroidered message and envelope will be facing the heart print on the other piece of fabric.  Next, lay the batting onto either side, creating a three fabric pile.

Pin it all together and sew THREE sides (both long sides and only one short side).  Don't forget to leave one short side open!

This will attach everything together.  It will probably have this "pillow" look if you batting is a little thicker like mine:

If you sew at 1/2 inch, your stitching should line up about exactly with your original pencil lines.  It's not important that they do, but it will make you feel like it is turning out to be the right size!

Once it is all sewn up, pull the fabric right side out through the short end that you left open.

Don't freak out if it looks really small.  Instead, go iron it flat.  Because of all the batting and being reversed, it doesn't look very wide, but I promise, it's the same as your pattern cozy once it lays flat!

STEP SIX: Attach the loops.

Using ribbon or thin hair bands, create two loops that will stick out of your open end.  I used ribbon because I thought it would look nicer, but I think hair bands would be better for fitting a variety of different sized cups.  If I do this again, I will use something elastic.

It might help to get some of your favorite cups to get an idea of how big your loops need to be.  If you make them too long, they wont hold tightly against your mug.  Wrap the cozy around the cup and see how far they need to go to "close" the gap.

Don't forget to fold in the edges of your fabric pieces for a nice finished look.  Pin it all together.

Sew it closed.  I made two lines of stitches for looks, but try to get yours as close to the edge as possible to make sure that it catches everything.  You can do as many lines as you want!

STEP SEVEN: Add buttons and enjoy!

Sew two buttons onto the other end of the cozy.  These will be used to wrap the loops around to secure the cozy onto the cup.

That's it!

Seven steps but super easy!  I love the hand stitched message and that adorable envelope.  If you want to add a snap or Velcro to close the envelope you can, but ironing it down will do the trick!

Plus... it can go on ALL your favorite mugs- with or without handles!

AND... it's reversible too!

This might be the best thing ever.  I love cup cozies and this one is extra sweet.  Don't forget to add your message with love!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

Valentine's Day String Globe {tutorial}

Well folks, we are halfway through January already; can you believe it?  Although I'm not as crazy about Valentine's Day as say, Christmas, Halloween or Independence Day... I always try to make a few crafts with love to celebrate the season and to inspire you to create as well!

I am crazy about those string/balloon globes that seem to be everywhere now.  I have been wanting to try them out for a while, so I added a little "love" and...

Love them?  Here's how to make them:

Materials:
- balloons
- string (I used thin jute twine)
- paper
- scissors or heart shaped punch
- Mod Podge

STEP 1: Blow up a few balloons to whatever size you want the finished globes to be.  Try to keep them "round" shaped instead of regular balloon shape.  Tie them closed and set aside.

STEP 2: Cut small hearts from the paper.  I chose to cut them out by hand (fold small pieces of paper in half and then cut the "half heart" shape and unfold!) but feel free to use a heart shaped punch if you have one.

Do this with multiple colors and sizes if you desire.  The amount of hearts varies on how full you want them to be on your final globe.  It is entirely up to you as it looks good either way.  I have between 5-10 hearts on each one of mine.

STEP 3: Wrap the string around the balloon to get an idea of how much you will need.  I ended up cutting a HUGE amount of string and then, because it kept getting tangled, ended up shortening it on the balloon.

I also wrapped it around my hand, thinking that this would prevent the string from getting tangled.  I. was. wrong.  It might still work if you can pull from around the loop instead of straight up but once it is covered in Mod Podge, it gets more difficult to untangle. 

STEP 4: Pour some Mod Podge into a shallow bowl and place the cut string inside of it, allowing the Mod Podge to cover all parts of the string.

This is about the time I realized that this craft was not going to be as fun as I had expected.  Given, I hate having anything goopy or sticky on my hands (I use a napkin to hold doughnuts and can't put hand sanitizer or lotion on my hands without washing it off... really) so I should have known better.

STEP 5: Set the balloons on a plastic bag or other surface where the balloons will be able to sit overnight when finished.  Next, slowly pull the string out of the bowl and wrap it around the balloon.  Try to tuck the ends of the string when you get to the end.

Looking back, I have a big piece of advice so listen up!  Try not to slop around the Mod Podge all over the balloon.  I thought that it would not make a difference but it made the finish product much more difficult to produce.  The more you keep on the string alone, the better.

Do you also see the Ernie (my dog) hair on the balloon?  Sneaky little guy got a few of those in while I was crafting.  Don't worry, they come right off when the balloon is popped!

Also try to keep your strings spaced out.  I ended up with a group of strings in one spot and although it doesn't hurt it, it looks a little sloppy.  That's probably because I had no clue what I was doing!

STEP 6: While the Mod Podge is still wet, place the paper hearts onto the string, pressing lightly.  If you need to add more Mod Podge to the back of the heart to make it stick, go right ahead.  Once finished, let it dry overnight.

I also found that the bottom of the balloon will still be wet the next morning.  Feel free to turn it over and let that last bit dry for a few hours or until it appears dry.

STEP 7:  Once dry, hold the balloon and pop it with a pin.  This could go very well or very badly (I did both) so pay attention:

{I asked my husband to pop the first one while I held it... I expected a loud POP!}

The WRONG way: When I popped the first one, I had not considered all the Mod Podge that was covering the balloon (here is why I said to try and avoid it!) It stuck to the sides and as the balloon deflated, it took the string with it:

...Yep, that's not good.  I managed to bend it back into a round (ish) shape but it would have been much easier if it had just worked the first time.

It also left large areas of Mod Podge in between the strings:

Not quite the look I was going for.  Learn from my mistakes please!

The RIGHT way:  If you have already covered your balloon in Mod Podge (mistake #1) there is still a way to prevent the above situation.  I give full credit to my amazing husband for suggesting that I try this on the next balloon.  Gently place your finger under the strings to release them from the balloon before popping it.  Be careful not to pop the balloon with your fingernail!  This also helps to break up the large sections of Mod Podge that would have filled the space between strings.

It's not perfect but it is much better.  Again, not making a mess of the Mod Podge in the first place should prevent this problem all together.

This time when I popped the balloon...

... it kept it's shape! Halleluiah!

Simply pull the balloon out from the top or wherever you are able.

{That's it!}

Add a string to the top if you want to hang it (sorry for the terrible picture- these are eventually going to hang in my office at work since I obviously have no good hanging spot for them in the house) or let them sit on a table or in a basket if small enough.

{Ignore the glare from the television... I just couldn't ask my husband to stop watching so that I could take a picture! He's been working hard all day.}

I like how they look lying down as well. Maybe I will make some mini ones for a table setting!

I still have some work ahead of me (especially on the first one) to remove all that left over Mod Podge. I repeat... learn from my mistakes!

I hope you have enjoyed this lovely addition to the string+balloons globe craft and have a very happy Valentine's Day!

 Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann