TT&J Giveaway from

There's a giveaway going on! Heidi over at HoneyBear Lane has some drop-dead gorgeous quilts! You can enter to win one of them. This is my pick, called Diamonds:

Fall Wreath

You know that fall wreath I mentioned awhile back? The one that I just couldn't wait to start? The one that was tempting me every minute of every day to make? Yeah...apparently I have some awesome self-control because 10 days AFTER Halloween, and several snowfalls later, I finally decided to do it.

And you know what?

I still loved making it.

I started out with two 50 count packages of wood clothespins (I only ended up using about 75 or so), four various scrapbook papers in fall designs, Modge Podge, an embroidery hoop, cardboard (I ended up using a pizza box) ribbon and brown paint.

The first step was painting the hoop brown. You only need the inside circle (without the tightner). I just painted on top of my pizza box to lessen the mess.

I started out painting the clothespins brown. This is not a necessary step since the part of the clothespin shown will be covered in paper. But I like knowing that my whole clothespin is pretty. So I painted every part except the top surface. Obviously, you don't need to be neat in your painting technique...

While they dried, I started cutting out strips of paper. I just took one of the unpainted clothespins, measured it and and cut the width of them to the end of the scrapbook paper. I ended up getting three clothespins per strip of paper.

After the pins are completely dry, add some Modge Podge to the unpainted part of the pin. Then add the strip of scrapbook paper and apply another coat of Modge Podge. Set aside to dry.

After you think you've developed a severe case of arthritis...this is what you have...only halfway:
Now, take the pizza box, or whatever cardboard you're using, and trace around the outside of your embroidery hoop. Then trace another circle about two to three inches outside of that one. You should have something like this:

One small circle from the hoop and a larger circle (from a serving bowl if you're like me).

Cut that sucker out and you'll have this. It's up to you if you want to paint it. I took the lazy way out. When it's cut out, make sure your hoop fits snugly inside the cardboard ring. I had to do a bit of trimming. When I thought it fit nicely, I went back and hot glued it in, so it would be secure.

Now, pick your pattern and start clipping the clothespins on! If you feel the need, hot glue them on.

I didn't feel the need.

I apologize for that awfule glare. I really, really do.

After all the clips were in place I added some orange glitter glue to sparkle it up a bit. Yes, sparkle can be a verb.

I found some 3 inch wire ribbon at Michael's a few days after Halloween for a buck. Maybe procastinating is a good thing afterall. :)

ChelseaAnn

Earring Holder

Some of you might identify with this obsession I have....I am an earring-aholic. I LOVE earrings! I could be wearing 10 lbs of accessories but without earrings, I just feel naked.

It's sad to say, but I already have one large earring tree FILLED to the brim with earrings. Infact, it's spilling over into my other jewelry organizers. So I figured it's about time I got another one to control the chaos.

There are a million of these tutorials in blogworld but I take pictures of almost every craft I do, so I might as well share!

I went to the DI and picked up a frame for a buck fifty. For some reason the measurements are off, it's not quite 8.5x11. But I love it. It's special. It fits right in. Unfortunately, I did not take a before picture of this "special" frame. But picture a boring wood, not quite normal measurements, frame.

I put a few coats of black paint, let that dry and then spray painted it with some metallic silver. Then I took some sandpaper and gently sanded it, some places harder than others, so that the black and come through.

Then I cut a piece of lace in 10'x12'. And since my glue gun is permanantly attached to my right hand, I just pulled the lace relatively tight and glued it down on the back.

I thought I was done....nope. I put together a few silk flowers and attached them to the upper-left hand corner with some extra black lace. Then I took some 1/2 inch white ribbon and made a few small loops.


Ta-da! Er...nope, not quite done. The bottom-right corner needed a little something. So I took some small black oval beads and glued them in the little ridge.

Okay, now I'm done. I think.

ChelseaAnn

P.S. I'm linking up to the Weekend Wrap Up at Tatertots and Jello!