Create Custom Earrings

 Hello Readers. I love to be crafty and sometimes I get ideas from unusual places. I got the idea for these D.I.Y. earrings while I was eating a cupcake. (Mmmmm!) It was a good cupcake but it was also really pretty. There were plastic flowers on top. 

 One of a kind earrings. 

Here is a look at the lovely cupcakes. They were delicious and so pretty.    

 

These flowers stood up a bit because they were actually plastic rings. They were probably meant for children. I took the flower rings out of the cupcakes (Ate the cupcakes.) and washed the rings. 

 I had 4 flower rings and they matched so I could make 2 sets of earrings for myself.  

The plastic rig pieces would be in the way but I can cut them off easily and get them out of the way so I can wear them.

I used these pliers with a cutter in the center to remove the ring part of the flower. They are plastic so I was able to cut through the plastic very easily.  

I want to attach the flowers to earring posts like these. I can glue the flower to the earring post and have some new earrings. These are easy to use and buy online. 

 You can also go thrifting for some earrings you can use that have a flat sort of shape.

 

Like these earrings that I found recently at a thrift shop near me.  

 I carefully popped the black center out of the earrings so I could glue my flowers to the center of these earrings. I used a box cutter but be careful using a sharp blade like this. I like to live on the edge but please don't cut yourself. 

 

 Whether you use earring posts or flat earrings that you McGyver like me, the next steps of gluing the earrings together with a hot glue gun will be the same. 

 

 I put a tiny spot of glue on the flower towards the top and pressed the post onto the glue. I wanted the glue and earring post at the top so that the earring would hang down off my ear. The hot glue dries quickly so I let it sit and cool for a couple minutes and it was completely done. 

You might not have cupcake flowers but you can use other items. You can use buttons to make your new fun earrings too. You can choose simple circles or something more fun. 

  There are so many fun button designs at the sewing shops, and you might have some buttons in your sewing stash too. You can use whatever you like. Follow the process of gluing the new earrings together. 

My earrings were done and ready to wear. The original earrings on the back of the flowers won't show when I wear the new earrings so use unmatched earrings on the back if you want. 

 I used the earring fasteners that came with the earrings. They were just as easy to put on and wear as any other earrings but they are so unique and fun. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.  

 

 

 

 

A Spring Pillow With Buttons

 Hello Readers. Spring is here. The sunshine, the blossoming trees, the flowers... I wanted to make a springtime pillow with bright fun colors to celebrate spring. I don't know how to embroider by hand so I decided to simplify and use my sewing machine and some colorful buttons.

 

Make an easy colorful spring pillow. 

 

I already had this chair from IKEA. I have had it for years and years. The little pillow is from IKEA too. It has a little cover or pillow case. We are going to use that to do our sewing. (Similar pillow cover here.)

 

I took the cover off the pillow. The cover is what I will be sewing my spring flowers on. It will fit in my sewing machine easily. Using a sewing machine will make this a quick project. It is perfect for a beginning sewist or someone just learning how to use a sewing machine because the stitching does NOT need to be perfect at all.
 

I did my sewing at the bottom of the pillow near the zipper closure of the pillow. The zipper made it easy to get one side of the pillow cover under the sewing machine foot.

I sewed straight lines along the bottom of the pillow. That will be the "ground or grass" that out flowers will be growing out of. Then I started sewing shorter lines perpendicular to that "grass" to make my flower stems.

I started with one shade of green to make my grass, flower stems, and leaves. Then I went over those lines of stitching with another shade of green.

When I was done using all the shades of green thread I had on hand, I had 4 different shades of green all sewn on top of each other. I wanted the different shades of green to give it some depth and variation. 

My next step was to sew on the buttons by hand. I used the colors that caught my eye. Any colors that you like are fine. I used the largest buttons I had so they would really pop. Use any buttons you like. (Similar here.) I threaded the needle and stitched through the holes in the button and tied a knot in the inside of the pillow cover.

I used embroidery floss to sew my buttons on my pillow cover. You could also use thread. I sewed the buttons to the pillow and it only took a few minutes. 

My pillow was so fun to make. It was "no stress-just fun sewing". Grab a pillow cover and you can make this fun project. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

The Purple Lounge Set

 Hello Readers. I always love a comfy casual outfit. I found this purple matched set at a church sale. Both pieces cost me about 25 cents. I couldn't try anything on but at that price I couldn't pass them up. 

Before and after. 

I brought them home (Washed them! Always wash your second hand finds immediately.)  and I liked the loose fit but the pants were not going to work at this length. I thought I looked like a purple Popsicle and decided shorts would be better. And I realized I needed to replace the buttons. 

 

I removed the buttons with my seam ripper.
 

The wooden buttons were rough around the outer edge. They were so rough that I could not get the buttons through the button holes and couldn't get the shirt buttoned. I picked some new buttons from my stash. 

I sewed the new buttons on the shirt. 

I cut the shorts to the length that I wanted. 

I used my serger on the cut edges. 

I turned the edge under and stitched it down with my sewing machine to make a new hem. 

This set was as comfy as pajamas but acceptable in to wear in public. 

 

I went to see "Inside Out 2". It was fabulous but the theater was freezing so I wore a sweater. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 

***Year End Update***- This 2 piece outfit was great for summer. I wore this a lot.
 

The Conversation Heart Blouse

 Hello Readers. And Happy Valentine's Day! I wanted to make something for the holiday but I wanted to try something subtle, that wasn't over the top. (Some people think less is more and this project is for them.) I had this very simple red button-up shirt and red seemed like a great choice for the holiday. How could I decorate it for Valentine's Day? I decided to change out the buttons for a simple but fun way to brighten up the shirt and celebrate the day.

Change out the buttons for a fun look. 

 

This shirt was a little plain and a little boring. OK, it was very boring. Red is a fun color but this isn't fun ...yet.
 

The plain red shirt had plain red buttons but look at the little heart buttons. They were cute and colorful. 

I thought the buttons looked a lot like these conversation heart candies. I love how these candies look. (They are nothing compared to my true love, chocolate. I just love the nostalgia.)

I cut the stitches and removed the old buttons. 

I replaced the red buttons with the different colored hearts. I matched the thread color with the color of the heart button. 

I replaced all the buttons, even the cuffs. 

Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. And I hope you get all the chocolate you want today.

Denim Shorts; A Summer Necessity

 Hello Readers. Every summer I need one thing in my wardrobe, denim shorts. It is a must. Since the time of Covid my shorts have gotten too small every year so I have to make a new pair. So, welcome to "Denim Shorts 2023 Edition".

It's an annual tradition!

Capri length jeans are not flattering on me. They tend to cut off my legs in a bad way. These will be perfect to cut off into summer shorts.

I like to try them on inside out and make a mark where I want to cut the length. 

I used a seam ripper to get the frayed look. I picked at the edge of the shorts and then washed the to get really good fraying.

Do you have a problem with the waist being too loose? I did but I found an easy solution. 

I found these metal jean buttons on Amazon a while back. (Not an ad. They don't know me.) They have a cap that you can take on and off the back like an earring. You can put them in jeans, or anything else. They stay on really well.

I attached the button a little further over and put the cap on. 

When I button the waist it is a couple inches smaller. No sewing needed!

Here is to a fun summer full of relaxation. (Just kidding. I'm a mom of an 8 yr old boy. We don't sit still.) Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update- I wore these all summer. They were perfect for casual mom life.