M & L McDaniel: December 2012

These are a few of my favorite things; pt 3

Christmas Stockings post!!!

This year we got 4 new stockings. Crocheted courtesy of me(and my very exhausted arms).

The puppies got these:

Here is the tutorial I used:

http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW2697_corr.pdf

Our stockings, (this would be the reference to DIY costing more than planned and taking up TIME) are made with blood sweat and tears. Learning how to cable and then having to out these huge things together was an undertaking, but well worth it.

I love the look of cable knit patterns and did NOT want to knit this. While I can knit, it is not my forte.

Here’s the tutorial I used:

http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW3209.pdf

Merry and Happy Everyone!

And Happy (early) 3 month anniversary to N and C!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is a picture from their GORGEOUS FL wedding. Their photog was amazing!

These are a few of my favorite things; pt 2

Part 2 of a few of my favorite things:

A small break from house decorations as I show off a very brave undertaking(if I do say so myself).

I love to get dressed up. PERIOD. I always have, since I was a little girl. So when Mac told me we were invited to a black tie event with his boss, I was pretty excited. My excitement was short-lived however, when I started researching what classic “black tie” means. Now yes, I went completely overboard with the thought I put into the event but a) that’s what I do and b) I’m a firm believer that you ALWAYS error on the side of caution when it comes to your significant other’s boss. I might have chanced a cocktail dress, but I realized that all of my dresses have been altered to be short cocktail length. So I started shopping. And quickly realized that my budget was not going to afford a floor length dress. So I got crazy, and made one. Sort of.

Here was my inspiration:

I took an existing cocktail dress I found at TJ Maxx for $8 dollars(!!!)

and took it apart.

I used a circle skirt tutorial I found online and customized it(this was the splurge part of the project cost wise). I used basic black lining and black chiffon and made 2 separate skirts to create a more free flowing and fuller skirt.

You can see where the hem was NOT even when I attached it to the bodice. For those of you who have sewing experience, let me just say that the crowning glory of this project was hemming the chiffon. Not only is chiffon the most difficult material to work with, a circle hem is nearly impossible to create without a rolled hem stitch(which I don’t like). After a bit of research, I used lace hem tape and managed to get the perfect hem.

Here is the finished product!

Paul Bunyan and his Blue Babe...

pt 3 is next.....

These are a few of my favorite things; pt 1

These are a few of my favorite things (I’ve made over the last few weeks).

Part 1: Fall decorations

I’ve tried to remain in the DIY area, which by the way, does NOT always cost less, and is almost ALWAYS time consuming. However, with some of these, I was able to re-purpose things I had laying around the house or stored up in my craft room.

This brings me to mason jars. I LOVE them! I have them in several sizes and they make great rustic glasses for a shower or the perfect vessel for a homemade layered recipe gift. Using different size jars(which you can get at Kroger), some twine and hot glue I was able to create some lanterns for our fireplace. I used electric candles from the wedding for illumination.

Here is the tutorial link:

http://burlapandblue.com/2012/04/19/hanging-mason-jars-a-tutorial/

To go along with my fall lanterns, I needed something to go on the front door. So in theme with “rustic,” I used pinecones and the same twine along with a metallic fall bow(which I got in the dollar bin at Michael’s). Something to be said about ribbon, always buy generously b/c bows(and most other projects) use up A LOT!

Here was the inspiration photo: