DIY Keepsake Mother’s Day Gift

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Roeshel

The Michaels’ Makers’ April Challenge is all about Mother’s Day and this project will be for celebrating my daughter who’s now a mom too (Ali, don’t look! lol). I couldn’t resist scooping up this opportunity to get creative and practice a little DIY influence on the littlest one in our family by making up a DIY keepsake Mother’s Day gift.

Materials we used:

MAKE Market LED wood plaque kit – LOVE (Alphabet Soup Collection) available at Michaels’ Craft Store
2 colors of paint and 2 foam brushes (or sponges)
painter’s tape

What we spent: Under $15

Time we invested: Less than an hour (+ paint drying time)

What we did:

1. We protected our work surface and applied a thin coat of paint to his little hand then carefully pressed it to the wood plaque. We washed his hands immediately and let painted handprinted plaque dry.

2. Using painter’s tape, we secured the stencil to the plank sign, lining up the word “love” so we could see the drilled holes in the empty stencil space.

3. Next, with a foam brush we applied paint to the stencil (using a sponge technique using a little paint…don’t glop it on or it will seep under the stencil) to paint on the word “love”. We removed the stencil, filled in any spaces and let the paint dry.

4. Last, we pushed the string of LED lights through the drilled holes from the back side and added 2 AA batteries.

5. The kit comes with hanging hardware and foam/felt for protecting the wall. Attach according to packaged instructions.

Very simple. Very cute. And a special keepsake from baby to mom. Display on a shelf or add to a gallery wall. So sweet!

Those little LED lights provide a powerful glow in the dark!

Michaels has everything you need to craft the perfect handmade gift that will make Mom’s day! Grab your coupon, shop and get creative. Handmade gifts are my favorite for Mother’s Day!

If you don’t know where to begin, you can always take a look at some of the fun projects on Michaels.com or the other 49 Makers’ ideas on The Glue String for to see how they personalized their crafts starting at 10 a.m. EST April 1, 2016:

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DIY Baby Farmer Costume

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Roeshel

Michaels Makers October challenge is DIY Halloween costume.

So fun! Someone in our family is celebrating a first Halloween this year. But babies aren’t too interested in Halloween or costumes so I love that this costume really is super easy to throw together with an existing pair of overalls, and flannel or plaid shirt.

Grab a few props from Michaels and you have a perfect harvest/farm fresh themed photo opportunity for this time of year, a few decorative items to re-use and a comfortable baby ready for that Halloween party.

(some affiliate links shown below)
– shop from home!

bandana – tie on bib-style and/or cut a small piece for tucking to back pocket
straw hat
crate and veggies (artificial carrot bunch)
fall leaves
chalkboard garden stake
straw bale
not shown: silver bucket and alphabet stickers (create a milk pail for collecting trick or treat goodies)

Cute, right?

And easy too!

After the fact, you have items for an autumn harvest vignette or centerpiece. Duel purpose pieces rock!

Need more DIY Halloween decor and costume ideas? Check these out:

Michaels has great products and inspiration to help transform your yard, classroom or living room into a spooktacular space this year!
Whether you’re into spooky sights, playful pumpkins or giggling ghouls, the Michaels.com Halloween project page has tons of ideas for DIY Halloween costumes and décor.
Still haven’t decided what you’re going to be? Check out the other 49 DIY costumes from the Michaels Makers starting at 11 a.m. EST today and you might just find the perfect one for you, your kiddos or your beloved pet this Halloween– they’re to die for!

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Jazz up baby’s crib for under $10

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Roeshel

Need a splash of color in the nursery? Jazz up the crib with vinyl decals for less than $10!

Crib before:

Materials I used: Happy Crafters adhesive vinyl x 2 colors

Tools Needed: Scissors

The Oracle brand adhesive vinyl from Happy Crafters has a grid on the back side. Using scissors, simply cut strips of adhesive vinyl to size. No vinyl cutting machine required.

Remove backing and place onto crib like stickers. You choose the color or colors that coordinate with your space. Best part? They’re removable! Get a fresh new look temporarily without ruining the crib’s finish.

After:

Can’t go wrong with easy, affordable, temporary and cute crib decorating!

*Please note that you should make safety your first priority. If you find that your vinyl decals are peeling up, remove vinyl immediately. We do not have any issues, I’m only sharing a decorating project that works for us. Attempt this project at your own risk.

**This post is sponsored by Happy Crafters. Tutorial, experience and opinion is my own. I love the products and the prices are affordable. Check out all the supplies at Happy Crafters for great prices, products and inspiration for your next project.

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DIY {club foot} Brace Cover

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Roeshel

Sweet grand baby boy was born with club feet and after months of casting then surgery, he graduated to special shoes and a bar.

Before…

And sometimes that bar conks him on the head. Ouch. So I made up a little cushion/cover and wanted to share here for others who may be searching to cover their baby’s Ponseti bar.

Materials I used:

pipe insulation
fabric
Velcro one wrap

What I did:

I cut a piece of pipe insulation to fit the brace between the shoes (6 inches).

Next, I cut a piece of scrap fabric 8×9 inches. (It’s a snug fit so I’d suggest doing 8×11 inches instead…a little extra to tuck in.)

Then just ironed/sewed the borders.

I cut two pieces of the Velcro to fit around the pipe insulation snuggly.

Assembly: Insert the brace into the pipe insulation. Wrap the fabric around the pipe insulation, tucking the ends into the open side. Secure with the Velcro.

Optional: If you’re more of a sewing expert than me, you could do snaps or sew on velcro.

Now, the brace has a bit of cushioning. If there was only a way to cushion those hard soled shoes.

Ps. Yes, his shoes are on backwards. Doctors orders, part of the treatment. Isn’t he the cutest?

Easy DIY Personalized Easter Basket Liner

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Roeshel

Happy Spring! With a new grand-baby in the family, I can’t help but get all giddy about making up an Easter basket this year. As you know, I love to personalize gifts and with just a t-shirt and a DIY iron-on vinyl, this liner is super easy to make!

What I used:

Happy Crafters Happy Face iron-on vinyl
child’s extra large t-shirt (choose a size that fits your basket best)

What you’ll need: sewing machine, scissors, straight edge, computer/vinyl cutter, iron.

What I did:

Lay inside out t-shirt flat and using a straight edge, draw a line beneath the t-shirt arms. This is the sewing guide…simply a straight line.

Sew along the line.

Then cut straight across above the sewn line (right below the armpits of the t-shirt).

Flip right side out.

Place the seam inside of the basket and fold the edges of the t-shirt over the basket to create a liner. Measure how much room you have horizontally and vertically to get an idea of your iron on design’s size. I kept mine under 2″ high by 7″ wide.

Using the Silhouette Design Studio software, I created a graphic with name and a cute little bunny shape.

You’ll need to mirror the text and image by right clicking and selecting “flip horizontally”.

Double check the size. (One sheet of iron-on vinyl is going to make a LOT of decals!)

Load vinyl into the machine shiny side down. The shiny side is actually the transparent cover. Vinyl is the matte side (facing up).

Send the design to ‘cut’. Adjust setting for heat transfer material and “cut”.

When cutting is complete, remove vinyl from machine. Trim to a manageable size.

Weed away the excess vinyl. The decal will show a backwards design on the transparency.

Smooth out the t-shirt liner with the open end facing you. Place the iron on decal towards the bottom, centered.

Cover with a cotton cloth (or the scrap t-shirt material) and iron according to instructions that came with the iron on vinyl.

Carefully remove the transparency film.

Line the Easter basket and fill. Easy, right? Cute too!

It’s actually a pretty easy DIY project for any time of the year, any basket or to personalize a gift basket for any occasion.

More Easter DIY ideas…

*This post is sponsored by Happy Crafters. Tutorial, experience and opinion is my own. I love the products and the prices are affordable. Check out all the supplies at Happy Crafters for great prices, products and inspiration for your next project.

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Happy Valentine’s Day baby photo and club feet update

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Roeshel

Happy Valentine’s Day! One thing this new grandma can’t get enough of is this cute little love bug and a chance to whip out the camera for some photography practice. I’m not a professional photographer but I do enjoy pretending to be one. As a home/DIY blogger, I’m used to taking photos of before/after spaces and tutorial steps. A moving model is a lot more challenging but a lot of fun! I call this one “Cupid’s Aaro” and of course he’s covered in grandma kisses.

DIY cast covers: The casts had gotten a little worn and dirty looking. He does have some cute leg warmers but for this photo, I just snipped off the toes of festive dollar store socks (adult sized) and tucked in the raw edge. Perfect fit.

Update: He is now two months old and doing well! He loves to ‘talk’ and is always smiling. Thanks for the prayers! The plaster casts from his surgery were finally removed after three weeks earlier this week. He wasn’t phased one bit by the extra heavy weight from top of thighs to little tiny toes but he was temporarily horribly traumatized by the saw. Measurements were taken and he’s now wearing temporary shoes and bar until his custom ones arrive. He’ll wear them for 23 hours a day.

His feet are a little peel-y from being in casts for months so my daughter is applying a V6/lavender essential oil blend with success. And he’s able to finally bend his knees for the first time since he was born, lots of kicking and fascination with feet during that one hour a day without shoes.

And…I just want you to know that you are loved. Your comments, your support, your encouragement, your kindness, every time we interact, I’m smiling. I hope your Valentine’s Day is filled with lots of love, kisses and good health.

Striped DIY “Love You More” Sign

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Roeshel

I like to incorporate a little Valentine’s vibe into my decor this time of year but I prefer to have decorative accents that can withstand longer time frame. Creating a “love” themed vignette works year round and this striped scrap wood sign is the perfect focal point.

Materials I used:

scrap wood for canvas
paint
FrogTape® Multi-Surface
vinyl decals

What I did:

Sand edges and clean scrap wood canvas.

Paint base color and let dry. I did two coats.

Use FrogTape to create stripes. I started with a center stripe and worked my way out. Just eyeball it. Use a small piece of FrogTape for spacing.

Burnish the edges of the FrogTape using a thumbnail or credit card.

Paint stripes. I did two coats.

While second coat of paint is still wet, remove FrogTape. Let paint dry.

I added DIY vinyl decals. Other options include a print/rub technique (print out wording, rub pencil on the back of the paper then place paper on wood sign and trace lettering) and paint or marker or stickers…get creative!

Now I have a “love” themed vignette perfect for Valentine’s day and a wood canvas sign that I can display all year round (cute for the nursery too)!

Disclaimer: I received compensation to complete this project for using FrogTape® products. All opinions, projects and ideas are based on my own experience.

Personalized Baby Gift Set

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Roeshel

I love being creative when it comes to baby gifts and personalizing a baby layette set with iron-on vinyl decals is just so easy to do!

Supplies:

Happy Crafters iron-on vinyl
plain baby onesies, hats, t-shirts, bibs, etc.

What I did:

Using my Silhouette studio designer edition software, I created a few fun decals.

For iron-ons, text (and some images) will need to be mirrored/flipped horizontally. Simply right click and choose “flip horizontally”.

Load the vinyl into the machine shiny side down (the shiny side is the transparency side).

Adjust settings for cutting heat transfer material and send to cut. Unload vinyl from the machine. (Note: I do not use a cutting mat as shown below.)

Cut off the excess vinyl/material and weed (remove) the unwanted part of the the vinyl leaving just the decals.

Set iron according to heat instructions provided with vinyl iron on.

Place iron on decal, shiny side facing you (iron on isn’t sticky but the clear transparency is…sticker side down to help hold iron on in place).

Cover with a cotton diaper cloth, burp cloth or towel and heat iron on according to instructions.

Carefully peel away transparency (if iron on pulls up too, re-place and iron some more).

Create an entire personalized baby layette gift set…

*This post is sponsored by Happy Crafters. Tutorial, experience and opinion is my own. Check out all the supplies at Happy Crafters for inspiration for your next project.

Meet My New Perfect Grandson

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Roeshel

Hey friends! I hope you don’t mind a little proud grandma bragging every now and then because I can’t resist the temptation. It’s going to happen. He’s just so perfect! Babies are such a blessing! I had no idea being a grandma would be the best.thing.ever! I’d like to officially introduce you to Aaro:

(birth announcement inspiration source)

Mom and baby are doing well. My little girl is all grown up. ::insert group hug:: Babies are so precious, aren’t they?! I’m hoping he gets to spend a lot of quality time with grandma. Aaro was born with a birth defect known as bilateral congenital talipes equinovarus. That sounds scarier than it is. It’s the official medical term for club foot in both feet. A lot of doctor visits, lots of casting, special shoes, a brace/bar, maybe a surgery but something very treatable/fixable. Ali (mommy) and I may be creating a little blog to document the treatment process in an effort to help other families facing the same journey along with his progress.

In the meantime, I see lots of baby-related DIY (i.e. spoiling) in my near future…if I can put him down. 😉

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Roeshel

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I just wanted to share what I’m most thankful for this Thanksgiving …family. #miracles

I’m officially a grandma! Baby A was born November 25th and ohmygosh is he ever sweet! He and mama are doing well and being released from the hospital today. My heart is filled with joy! They’ll be staying with us for a few weeks (guest room/nursery). It feels more like Christmas morning!

May your Thanksgiving be filled with family, fun, lots of food, laughter, love and many blessings! Thank you all for your prayers, support and encouragement. I’m so thankful for your friendship! xo Gratitude

Small Apartment Nursery Nook Reveal

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Roeshel

I’ve enjoyed creating two nursery spaces the last couple of months. The first one was the guest room/nursery space in my own home (see links below).

Today is my daughter’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Ali! Creating a space for baby is one of her birthday gifts. Fun!

This one is a temporary space (functioning as a nursery until spring of next year). I call this sweet little room the nursery nook since it’s located in a small one bedroom apartment. Until I rescue photos from my old laptop, this is the only before picture I could find of the space:

This part of the bedroom was made into a ‘dressing room’ type closet space a few years ago since storage is limited (I promise I’ll dig out the small apartment before and after pictures in the near future) but now part of the one bedroom is a cute little nursery nook for a soon to arrive little boy.

As you can see, it’s not super baby themed since it’s a temporary/rental space. We’re saving a fun boy-themed nursery design for next summer.

Source List:

Sauder dresser
Crib – Ikea
accessories, accent rugs and wall art – HomeGoods
curtain – Target
DIY arrow accent wall

Metallic gold arrow accent wall tutorial

See my guest room/nursery space for more nursery inspiration:

Guest Room + Nursery Makeover Reveal

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Roeshel

You guys! There is a new little grand child arriving in just a couple of weeks! #EXCITING! So of course, this first time grandma needs to convert the guest room to allow space for baby sleep overs. The before is pretty enough…

It needed a good freshening up. And I’m sure that I’ll still be playing ‘doll house’ in this room, moving things around, adding a little something here and there but for now…it’s guest AND baby ready!

I started with a mood/design board to get a feel of how things would look, things I liked and things I already currently had on hand.

And here it is…

and just in case you haven’t seen enough, here’s more…

and more because I just love this room…

There’s still a bit of a to-do list:

A new (used) dresser…of course I plan on giving it a DIY makeover (just have to find one first).
Light fixture: I’d love to swap the existing for something gold.
DIY wall art for above the headboard.
Replacement casters for the portable crib.
I’m thinking that the weathered green oar would be adorable mounted horizontally with some coat hooks.
Of course you know me, there will probably be TONS of baby related DIY coming in the future too.

There are fairy lights strung between the curtains above the crib. The arrow near the rocker has a battery operated lights and a switch. There are fairy lights hanging around the top of the bed frame. So plenty of soft “night light” after sunset.

Do you spy the Young Living Aria Ultrasonic diffuser? Definitely a splurge but oh my goodness…this diffuser combines the latest in ultrasonic technology with a variety of useful features. The included remote lets you choose from a selection of soothing, built-in sounds or enjoy the multicolored LED lights. With the built-in speakers, you can plug in your own personal music player and enjoy the music of your choice. Diffuse some peace-inducing calming essential oils and it’s like a spa. I’m moving into the guest room!

Sources:

Wallpaint color: Blue is a mix of paints (sorry), “white” is actually Valspar Sandstone Gray. Tutorial coming soon!
We already owned the bed.
Light fixture…installed 7 years or so ago so I don’t remember where we got it. It was originally black but I used some Rub-n-Buff to give it a patina’d look.
DIY A to Z book ends
Painted storage box
Framed felted deer head wall art tutorial
sheer curtains
DIY banner
Molded plastic Eames-inspired rocker
Vintage photographic print canvas set of 9
Safavieh Carla Rug (Joss & Main but sold out. I do have to say that the rug shown did not arrive in good/brand new condition however Joss & Main/Wayfair customer service was excellent. I paid for a beautiful rug (this was not a review/free item) and so a few days later, a new replacement rug arrived. I haven’t had the chance to empty the room, roll the original back up and unroll/install or see the condition of the replacement but fingers crossed that it’s “new and stain-free”~ I’m optimistic and pleased with the service I received despite my original disappointment.
Carousel Designs mini crib sheets (birch forest, grey raindrops, patchwork plaid). Birch forest shown.
Pinch pleated comforter from Target in gray
Megan Romo ‘Fair V’ Canvas Art

So what do you think? Quite a mismatched collection of styles, right? You know I love “eclectic” best. Now all we need is the baby. 😉

*This post is sponsored by Happy Crafters. Tutorial, experience and opinion is my own. Check out all the supplies at Happy Crafters for inspiration for your next project.

DIY Nursery Wall Decor

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Roeshel

I’ve been giving our guest room a bit of a makeover to include a little nursery space for my very first grand child who is scheduled to arrive next month. I can’t wait! You guys, a sweet baby boy will be here soon! I’m so excited, I can’t stand it!

Materials: I found this old oval wall art at the thrift store for 3.99.

I had the wrapping paper and felted deer head (used in our stairwell/landing makeover originally. I looked and it’s no longer for sale…sorry but I did see awesome paper mache deer heads at Michaels that would work well too…plus you can paint/decoupage to coordinate with your room.). So this is a thrifty treasure for me…just $3.99 for the dusty framed print + shopping the house since I had the spray paint on hand already too.

What I did: Gave everything a good cleaning and removed the backing from the frame (set aside).

I spray painted the frame gold and let it dry.

I traced the oval backing onto chevron wrapping paper. I did glue the wrapping paper over the print on the front. However, it’s not required if you’d like to preserve the print.

Then just reattached the backing to the frame.

I hung it on the wall and hammered a nail in the center to hang the felted deer head and added a DIY banner…just card stock, Project Life cards (scrapbook section at Michaels) and twine. I added a string of mini LED fairy lights too.

See my guest room nursery space for more nursery ideas:

*This post is sponsored by Happy Crafters. Tutorial, experience and opinion is my own. Check out all the supplies at Happy Crafters for inspiration for your next project.

And yes…it’s crazy here. From Halloween to baby shower to some Christmas decorating, a guest room/nursery makeover, an entire home before/after in progress (family members), always Young Living recipes, events and sharing my story, and another small apartment nursery nook. There’s a LOT going on and DIYShowOff is ALL over the place! You may want to subscribe to get reminders to check back often! 😉

Have a great week!

Small Shared Room Nursery Inspiration

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Roeshel

It’s unusual to see me thinking along the lines of nurseries since we have an empty nest and no, noooooo!, I’m not expecting! However, I do have a special announcement to make:

I will be a grandma later this year!

::excited hugs and happy tears all around::

and…it’s a grandson!

What?! You guys! Ready or not, it’s onto life’s next chapter for me. Gosh! Am I old enough? (Wait, don’t answer that!) Despite a few years of loving grand-kitties, a grand-doggy and even a grand-piggy, I feel so un-prepared! The proof is in my knitting…

first knitting attempt: epic fail!

Not to mention…I’m clueless when it comes to boys. My experience is limited to girls!

It’s finally just starting to sink in…me, a grandma?!

Yep! And despite my destructive knitting skills, I’m going to be one awesome grandmother! We will be the best grandparents. I just know it! My baby. Having a baby. ::please pass the tissues::

———

Okay, on to the topic of DIYs and nurseries…

For now, at least until next spring, Ali will be staying in her dinky apartment (which I still have yet to fully reveal…perhaps we’ll do that soon too), so we’ll be brainstorming some small space ideas for the new little one’s temporary nursery nook in the tiny one bedroom apartment for at least six months of tight space living.

Here is a collection of small nursery nooks for inspiration:

Small doesn’t have to mean skimping on style. {via Apartment Therapy}

It does mean getting creative! {via Adventures of a British Housewife in New York}

and making the best use of little space. {via Mandy Busby Creative}

even if it’s a tight squeeze… {via Apartment Therapy}

{via A Bit of Sunshine}

Love this fun space! Great colors, fun patterns! {via Apartment Therapy}

{via Bleubird Blog}

Nobody puts baby in a corner unless it’s a cute nursery corner.

{via Apartment Therapy}

Stay tuned: Tips for creating a small nursery space in a one bedroom apartment. Space may be tiny but love is BIG!

How about TWO nurseries? Why yes, I think so! Grandma needs to create a nursery space in one of our guest rooms for overnight stays, right? So lots of baby love, baby related DIY and decorating and preparing for a precious little one coming right up! I can’t wait!!!

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Category Archives: Baby

DIY Keepsake Mother’s Day Gift

Materials we used:

What we did:

DIY Baby Farmer Costume

Jazz up baby’s crib for under $10

DIY {club foot} Brace Cover

Easy DIY Personalized Easter Basket Liner

Happy Valentine’s Day baby photo and club feet update

Striped DIY “Love You More” Sign

Personalized Baby Gift Set

Meet My New Perfect Grandson

Happy Thanksgiving

Small Apartment Nursery Nook Reveal

Guest Room + Nursery Makeover Reveal

DIY Nursery Wall Decor

Small Shared Room Nursery Inspiration