Boden Inspried Flowers and Tubes Bracelet, originally posted at Tatertots and Jello

Hey there everybody!  My name is Lei.  I come from a land called My Many Colored Days.   I'm a mom to 4 colorful children and I live a wildly colorful life... I love running, reading, writing, mothering, creating, photographing, baking, teaching, yoga and playing the violin/viola.  Not all at once though -  haha!  I am really excited to be here at Jen's place today sharing this fun tutorial with you.  Hope you have a ton of fun with it! My inspiration for this project came from a necklace I saw in the Boden USA catalog (photo below). Boden is a collection of clothing and accessories which I love... but is too pricey for me.  Since it was love at first sight with this necklace, I knew I needed to tried to try and recreate a likeness of it for myself  - but for much less money! 
My inspiration for this project came from a necklace I saw in the Boden USA catalog (photo below). Boden is a collection of clothing and accessories which I love... but is too pricey for me.  Since it was love at first sight with this necklace, I knew I needed to tried to try and recreate a likeness of it for myself  - but for much less money!

Here is how I switched it up and made it my own.  I went with a bracelet rather than a necklace, and mixed and matched the fabrics to make it a little funkier.  I loved the gray color scheme, so I stuck with that.  But I will definitely be trying this with some more colorful fabrics as well!  Heaven knows I love me some color.

Here's what I used:

snippets of ribbon and fabric - for the tubes, about 2 in. long, and varying widths

needle/thread

hot glue

ribbon and fabric for the flowers, 8-10 in. long

buttons

chain link bracelet to attach the tubes to

And here is what I did.  First, I formed the tubes.  I rolled about 2 in. of both fabric and ribbon for mine.  

*Note: the fabric was easier to work with and the tubes came out a little cleaner.*  To secure the tubes I used hot glue.  (Fabric glue takes too long to dry.)  I suspect that Boden stitched their's (you can sort of see a stitch in the center of their tubes).  But because I wanted a true tube I chose to hot glue mine.  If you go this route, do not hot glue right on the edge of your ribbon, leave a bit of a tail - like this:

And here's why :  as you continue to roll the tube closed the glue will ooze outward giving you a more secure seal.  If you don't leave a tail, the hot glue will leave a sloppy, goopy looking seal.

(Geez, is everyone's hot glue gun as grody as mine is?  It is definitely not in picture form!  Lol.)

After I formed my tubes and decided which pattern I wanted them in, I formed the flowers.  Again, I used both ribbon and fabric for a more eclectic look.  I love the finished edge of ribbon for flowers and corsages.  But a ragged, shabby edge is fun too!  If you don't know how to make these flowers, here is a quick review.  

Stitch along one side of the ribbon or flower, like so:

As you go, cinch the ribbon/fabric to form pleats or ruffles:

When your flower has reached the fullness you would like, stitch it closed to form a circle.  And voila, a flower.  Once the flowers were formed, I hot glued a button to the center of each of them (I made 3).  

The final step is to assemble the bracelet.  Again there are a few ways you could do this.  I happened to have a very plain and simple chain link bracelet that I never wear.  So I threaded my tubes together (staggering them a bit for fun) and attached the string of tubes to the bracelet... a few stitches every couple of links reinforced with a dab of more hot glue.  You could just thread them together and attach some kind of closure or make a ribbon tie like our original.  Since it's kind of a chunky bracelet, I didn't make the ribbon closure (even though I love it!).  I just thought it might be too much. 

Here is a photo of the back of my bracelet so you can get an idea of what I did:

You could also thread the flowers between the tubes.  I mounted mine on top of the tubes with, you guessed it, hot glue. :D

And here is the finished product!

Aren't those tubes cool lookin'?  I love them!  Many a fun project could be made using tubes... ;)

Thanks so much Jen for letting me share.  I love getting ideas from others as well!  So please stop by My Many Colored Days sometime and say hi so I can come see your fun projects as well!

Buttons, buttons!

I love buttons.  And I've had this cuff since junior high/high school.  It was passed down to me by a newly married youth leader at church who had the coolest clothes and accessories, and betrothed a lot of them to me.  I've worn it a few times over the years but always thought it needed a little something.  Since I just did a bracelet post at Tatertots place (which, in case you missed, I will be reposting) I was on a roll already, and got this idea.

No need for a tutorial, I don't think.  All I did was hot glue buttons on the cuff.  Easy enough!  I love mother of pearl and the m.o.p. buttons look so lovely on this piece.

The ring was a plain sterling silver band I bought years ago to wear as my wedding ring while on a symphony tour in Central Europe.  It has gotten little use since then so I covered it with ribbon and another button and now I have a matching set!

We've all got unused jewelry.  Can you think of something fun to spruce up your unused pieces?

Check me out!

I am over at the fabulous Jen's blog today, Tatertots and Jello, with a new tutorial. Exciting huh?  Especially since I lurve Jen's style.  It's fun, whimsical, unique...

Here are just a few of her fabulous creations:

She's definitely my kinda gal!  So go have a looksie and say hi to my new creative inspiration!!!

You've come a long way, baby!

I know I got my creative instincts from my mother.  She could do just about anything and would try just about anything.  Always the room mom, the creator of the best parties, the seamstress of many a fabulous Halloween costume, the endless crafter.  Because I grew up watching her make things with her hands, I have seen the most popular (and horrid) crafting trends of the past.  Puffy painted tshirts. Rhinestone studded keds.  And our home went through many a decorating craze.  Coca-Cola memorabilia.  Oh yeah.  Remember that?  Watermelons.... watermelon napkin holders, watermelon towels, watermelon doorstops.   Cherubs... in the bathroom, in the living room, on the window sills.  Was there some secret rule of the crafters that your home had to literally be erupting with the latest thing?  Seriously, this is why I hate the word "craft".  I cannot help but think of the tacky things my eyes have seen over the years, in the name of "crafting". 

So when I came across this the other day while persuing through my mother's old recipes, I had a real good laugh and moment of nostalgia:

Can't you tell she thought this was the most amazingly unique idea ever when she jotted it down?  Amazing enough to make a cute little squiggley mark underneath it.  And to add an exclamation point on to the end! 

Yeah.  Good times.  I'm sure the joke will be on me in 25 years when my daughters find my stash of scrapbook paper.

Good Friday, Show your children how the Savior spent the last week of his life

This is a tradition I started with my kids last year.  It revolves strongly around my faith as a member of the LDS church, but the message is translatable in any faith.  Some materials are LDS materials for which I've included links should you want to use them yourself.

A lot of these ideas were derived from my friend Catherine at Blue Stocking Mama. Some of them will be familiar to many of you (like the 12 symbolic eggs portion), but there are many other unique ideas included as well!  So read on!

Fill 12 plastic eggs with these items, and label them in order from 1 to 12:

1.) small plastic donkey

2.) piece of bread/sacrament cup

3.) piece of soap

4.) drops of blood shaped from playdough (or just a small piece of cloth stained with red marker)

5.) 3 dimes

6.) thorn

7.) nail

8.) cross made from toothpicks or popsicle sticks

9.) piece of white cloth

10.) spices (allspice or cloves tied inside a little piece of cloth)

11.) stone

12.) leave empty

Find a map of Jerusalem. Here's a link with a decent picture map included:

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&a mp;locale=0&sourceId=0dae9c84f5d6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

Have an Easter egg hunt... either hide all the eggs at once or do it one at atime, allowing your children to take turns hiding it for their siblings. (This way breaks up the sitting and listening part for especially young children. )

Open egg #1 - Read summary on back of GAK (Gospel Art Kit) 223 (Triumphal Entry). The Gospel Art Pictures are available for print if you are interested.  Just click on the number and it will take you to a page where you can print the image from, and see the brief summary printed on the back of it.  Make ahead or let kids themselves make palm leaves. (Using green construction paper, fold in half. Draw a semi circle from the folded center outward. Cut out. Cut "fringe" along curved edge. Unfold and glue a popsicle stick for the stem.) Give each kid a palm leaf and let them practice saying "Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Find Bethany, Bethpage and the Mount of Olives on the map and place stickers on each. Explain that the journey for Jesus to Jerusalem was 2 "furlongs" or miles.

Open egg #2 - Read summary on back of GAK 225 (The Last Supper) and explain that our Easter feast will be symbolic of the Last Supper, but the sacrament we take every Sunday was put in place at this very moment in time.

Pass out raisins, french bread and juice - kids may also dress up in robes if they'd like.

Open egg #3 - Read summary on back of GAK 226 (Jesus Washing the Apostles' Feet).

Open egg #4 - read summary on back of GAK 227 (Jesus Praying in Gethsemane). Find Gethsemane on the map and place sticker.

Open egg #5 - Read summary on back of GAK 228 (The Betrayal of jesus).

Open egg #6 - talk about friendship and loyalty; How is Jesus loyal to us? How can we be loyal to him? How can we be loyal to those we love? Have kids try on "Jesus sandals". (they're just paper cutouts) And sing "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus".

Open egg #7 and #8 together - Read summary on back of GAK 230 (The Crucifixion). Let the kids smell/taste vinegar. Find Golgotha on the map and place sticker.

Open egg #9 and #10 together - Read summary on back of GAK 231 (Burial of Jesus).

Open egg #11 and #12 together - Read summary on back of GAK 232 (Jesus' Tomb).

Make "Resurrection Rolls" (recipe courtesy of All Recipes):

1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

8 large marshmallows
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

2.Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles.
3.In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
4.Dip a marshmallow into melted butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Place marshmallow into the center of a dough triangle. Carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow. Pinch the seams together tightly to seal in marshmallow as it melts. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.
5.Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Sit and eat the rolls while watching "He Is Risen" ("Animated Stories from the New Testament")

Sing "Did Jesus Really Live Again" (I use these GAK pictures to go along with the words: 233, 234, 239)

Then talk about Easter the way we celebrate it. Have another Easter egg hunt, this time with candy inside the eggs. Sit down and discuss the origin (using pictures, i.e. clip art or coloring pages which are easy to print off the internet) of modern-day Easter symbols:

Eggs - represent life (in all living creatures, life begins with an egg)

Grass - the Garden of Gethsemane

Easter Bunny - derived from bunnies, lambs and other animals which symbolize new life during the Spring season

Lilies - the first flower to bloom after Christ died

Candy - the sweet and pure love of our Savior

Baskets - traditionally wooden, remind us of the cross upon which Christ was hung

New hat/shoes (clothes) - Explain that when I was a little girl, I always got a pretty, new, Sunday hat (one of which I kept, and will show my kids). The hat represents the humity we feel as we bow our heads in remembrance of our Savior. And new shoes, another tradition, represent the washing of the Apostles' feet by the Savior.

Don't have a great way to end it, I'm just hoping they make it this far! Lol! It will take a good while to get through it all, but I anticipate them really enjoying it.  I think it would be nice to wrap up by saying that we should be mindful of all these things as we apend time with our loved ones on Easter Sunday, and express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the gift of eternal life by keeping a prayer in our heart.

Thanks again to Catherine for getting the creative juices really flowing! She's one smart mom!

Hope some of you can use a few of these ideas as well! I just think it is so important to take some of the focus off the secular nature of this sacred holiday.