Sewing: Digital Floral Knit Pencil Skirt

I think it's interesting how creativity ebbs, flows and takes a new direction. I've noticed I go through heavy creating phases and then retreat into organizing and clean-up. And I also tend to get caught on a wave of some idea, such as crocheting hats, or sewing casual summer clothes, or the like and I just want to ride that wave to the exclusion of all other things! 

Well, if I had a lot more time right now I would sew sew sew for myself. I realized recently that my dress wardrobe hasn't had an update for sometime. So I scoured Etsy and eBay for patterns and stocked up on some fabrics too.... It's much easier to gather supplies than find the time to sew it seems!

I have projects lined up as soon as I can focus my attention on this "selfish" sewing. In the meantime I'm working on birthday celebrations and some fun series for Fall and hoping to finish some new girls' patterns. But I did make time for this instant gratification project: a knit pencil skirt.

I was inspired by the pencil skirt sewing series on Simple Simon & Co as well as Delia's beautiful Pleated Pencil Skirt Pattern (which I really need to try). For this knit version I used a purchased skirt I'd altered to fit as the base for the pattern and some digital floral knit fabric I've used before (for a Bateau Neck Top for Tess and a leather and floral Bateau Neck Top for myself). This was the last of the fabric. It's so great. It's a medium weight tight knit polyester I found on Etsy. I just love it! I haven't tried the skirt with the leather and floral top I've already made. It will either be great or way too much! But I think this skirt would be really fun with a black sweater and boots too. 

Craft: Frozen Snowflake Favor Bags (Tutorial)

I love putting a lot of effort into my girls' birthday parties, but I've learned to pick and choose what I DIY and what I buy. This birthday tea party inspired by Disney's Frozen movie came between some deadlines and I found myself in a crunch (seems to happen all too often now). So I decided to purchase some small gifts and beautiful blue organza gift bags and decorate the favor bags with a Frozen snowflake and an adhesive backed rhinestone to personalize the party favor.

There are of course a lot for official Frozen party decorations and favor packs out there, but I wanted to do something unique and use materials that aren't so disposable. I found these 4"x6" blue organza bags at Amazon. That's where I also purchased some small items to put in the favor bags: Frozen bottlecap necklaces, aqua and white swirl pops and Snowman charm bracelet DIY kits. Those bracelet kits would be a great party activity too.

To decorate the bag I created a somewhat Art Deco Frozen Snowflake design (.svg) file and used my Cricut Explore to cut it out of Cricut Vinyl in "Linen", which I had first spayed with Krylon Glitter Blast for a bit of a shimmer.

This was one of those late night (last minute) projects and I should have had some Cricut Vinyl Transfer Tape on hand to make the process easier. As it was I picked all the shapes off the vinyl backing and placed them on the bags by hand. Um, a bit time consuming. The bags looked fantastic however! But, the vinyl wasn't a good match for the organza. It didn't stick well. I was afraid to use an iron-on vinyl because I thought it would adhere the two layers of the bag together. In retrospect, cutting fabric backed with HeatN' Bond would be a better solution. 

Or another way to achieve this look would be to cut out a template from cardstock and then sptray paint or dab in a snowflake on the bags. I've shared this snowflake template jpg file in case you'd like to do this.

The important thing is that the bags were finished and placed by the side of each girl's plate when she arrived and they looked beautiful. Even if the snowflake peeled off quickly afterwards.

Craft: Frozen Birthday Party Invitation (Free Cricut file)

I was in an Art Deco frame of mind while planning our next birthday party so I decided to add a bit of the 1920s vibe to a Frozen birthday party. I don't relish the idea of a character party so having a creative angle on it really helped!

I took the Roaring 20s invitation I created for the Cricut Design Space Star competition and modified it to invite a bunch of princesses to a Frozen Tea Party.

I can't wait to share all the details of this event. It was so much fun. But in the meantime I've got free templates and a tutorial to share with you for the inviation.

Is there a Frozen party in your future? If so click, through for the tutorial.

(I've got a "Frozen Birthday" version of this inviation too if the tea party isn't your plan.)

Craft: DIY Frozen Elsa Wand (Tutorial)

I've done it. I've given in to the princess thing. And I'm going for it, Elsa wand and all! 

Similar to most girls their age, mine love Disney's Frozen movie. So we're having a Frozen themed birthday party for them. I purchased the McCall's winter princess sewing pattern so I could sew their costumes, but then I decided to concentrate my efforts on other things, so I purchased the Disguise Elsa costume for Tess and the Butterfly Craze Elsa costume for Scarlett (which I really love by the way because; it's a very pretty dress). Since Halloween is on it's way I figured these party costumes would work for trick-or-treating as well. So I ordered the Elsa wig to go with the dresses (it's a great wig, but on the smaller side so better for smaller heads).

They needed snowflake wands too of course. In fact, I thought every princess at the party needed a wand. I couldn't find the perfect (perfectly priced) solution to purchase so I decided some DIY was in order. I realized snowflake ornaments and dowels would be the perfect supplies for crafting an Elsa wand.

Add to that some ribbons and a bunch of good glue and they work beautifully!

Does your Frozen princess need a snowflake wand? I've got a simple tutorial for you after the jump.

Please note that this post includes some affiliate links. These are the products I use and endorse. If you purchase from the links I would receive a small commission to offset my costs. Thanks.

Craft: Roaring 20s Birthday Invitation (Cricut Explore tutorial and template)

My Cricut Design Space Star Team (#DesignStar12Love) ‬is at it again. This month Cricut has challenged us to come up with designs for a celebration and we decided to be a bit selfish and design a party we'd love: a Roaring 20s Birthday celebration.

I don't know about you but I've been seeing a lot of great Art Deco out there. From furniture to fashion to weddings. How great would it be to sew up a flapper dress and an throw yourself, or one of your best friends, a Roaring 20s party?!

Well, stay tuned, because Team 12 has a suite of great Art Deco design ideas to help you host 1920s style. I'll be linking up their posts below.

My contribution to the effort is an art deco inspired party invitation. I took advantage of the Cricut Explore to create layered geometric cutouts on an invitation and invitation sleeve. Because why just have an invitation in an envelope when you can have an invitation in a sleeve in an envelope? Sometimes more is more!

This invitation is designed to fit in a 5"x 7" envelope and includes a .svg file for the sleeve and a second .svg file for the invitation.  I printed a 4.25"x 6.25" insert card with all the party details using free fonts "Connie" and "Broadmoor."

Interested in making one of your own? Well, here we go:

ROARING 20S BIRTHDAY INVITATION

(Cricut Explore Tutorial)

You'll need:

• My 1920s invitation .svg file  (or you can link to my project file within Cricut Design Space)
• My 1920s invitation sleeve .svg file (or you can link to my project file within Cricut Design Space)
• Silver 12"x12" cardstock for the invitation sleeve
• A rectangle of gold foil or foiled cardstock measuring 4.25"x 6.25"
• Black 12"x12" cardstock for the invitation
• A Cricut Explore machine
• Cricut StandardGrip Adhesive cutting mat
• Ruler, bone folder or tool for scoring (I used the blunt edge of a pair of scissors), glue stick

Import the .svg files (or open the projects) within Cricut Design Space. The elements within the file are already grouped for you. You can simple press "Go" to get the Mat Preview.

Select the number you would like to print, place the cardstock on the cutting mat and go!

To assemble the invitation sleeve, use the cut-out guides to score lines for folding using a ruler and a bone folder or the blunt edge of the scissors. Score the division between the front and back (shown above), the bottom flap and the side flap of the invite sleeve.

Apply glue to the sleeve flaps, and fold and stick to assemble. I recommend having the side flap folded inside the sleeve while the bottom flap is folded up on the outside so it is easier to insert the invitation into the sleeve.

Score and fold in half the invitation. Print out an inner card measuring 4.25"x6.25" with the invitation details and insert it into the slots cut into the invitation.

Cut out a piece of gold foil, or gold cardstock, the same dimensions as the inner card and glue it to the inside of the invitation so the gold peeks through the cut out letters on the front of the invitation.

Insert the invitation into the sleeve, tuck it into a pretty envelope and invite your friends over for a Roaring 20s celebration.

And then check out the other great 1920s celebration projects from Team 12:

Small for Big: Glittering Birthday Crowns

Three Little Monkeys Studio: DIY Tuxedo Shirt

Little Retreats: DIY Glass and Bottle Embellishments
Gifting Sweet: Roaring 20s-Inspired Chalkboard Coasters
Legal Miss Sunshine: Roaring 20s Party Decor
Clever Pink Pirate: Roaring 20s Party Decor and Photo Props
The Celebration Shoppe: Easy Art Deco Labels
The Road to the Good Life: Art Deco Favor Bags, Menus and Placecards
Flamingo Toes: "Celebrate" Art Deco Dessert Topper

P.S. Are you following along with the Design Space Star competition? You can see all the projects on the Pinterest board.

P.S.S.  Cricut has just announced the second phase of the Cricut - I Made It! contest and this time they’re awarding one winner their own Make it Now™ project line to be sold in Cricut Design Space™. To enter the Cricut - I Made It! contest, all you need to do is enter a photo of an original project by September 30^th.  Visit cricut.com to enter.