Fun Baby Bib Embellishment

Recently I've had a large need for baby gifts and cards, and I wanted each item to be unique, but I ran out of ideas after the 8th one. I decided I wanted to cut out a baby bib, but I didn't like any of the options on my Cricut cardtridges, so I made my own. The neat thing is that with the steps I took, I can make the size and color of the items match my project needs exactly.

Here is a picture of one of the bib I made for a paper bag album for a friend that gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Brecken Lee.

Supplies

• oval cut out in pattern paper or cardstock (however large you want the bib to be)
• circle punch (proportionate to the oval--used to make the "neck" hole
• ribbon for "ties"
• border punch
• crimper
• coordinating 1 1/2" wide x 11 or 12" long cardstock for "ruffle"

Instructions:

• Use your border punch to along the length edge of the paper

• Run the strip of cardstock through your crimper to make it pliable. You may also want to crumple the paper to make it "softer"

• Trace and cut or use punches (oval for the bib and circle for the neck) to make the bib the size you desire.

• Apply adhesive around the edge of the back paper that makes the main portion of the bib, leaving the neck free from adhesive
• Begin shaping the ruffle by placing the cardstock around the bib as desired.

• Once the ruffle is in place (I had to cut another small piece to finish with the look I liked), this is what you'll have.

• Now it's time to place the ribbon for tying.

• And here is the final result. It matches my project perfectly!
  
  

Let me know what you think and what you come up with!

Thrifty Thursday--Using Your Scraps

Today's thrifty tip is regarding how to make your paper go further. There are some pattern papers that I LOVE! But we all know that they can be fairly expensive, and when you use them it's rare to use the entire sheet. Well today's trick will tell you how to get even more from your paper scraps. I keep my scraps in plastic bins or Ziploc bags so when I'm making something that just needs a "little something" or I want to thin out the stacks, I grab those supplies and my square punches. Many of you have see the patchwork quilt patterns and that is today's project. I'll show you how I use every bit of my favorite, inspirational papers. The joy of this technique is that there is that it works just like a real quilt in that you don't have to have matching papers. The other nice thing is that it will work with any sized square. I tend to use 1" or 3/4" because I have so many scraps. :)

Step one: Punch out squares from your scrap paper. I don't really count, I just punch until I'm out of paper.

Step two: Decide what size you'd like to make you paper quilt and start gluing your squares down.

Step 3: assemble your project.

Here are two examples. In the first one, I chose to leave the quilt as my entire background. In the second sample, I used my top note die and shaped the quilt.

Let's see what you can make with your scraps!

Updates

Hello everyone.

I've been MIA for a few months and I've missed my blog time. We've had some exciting news on the home front. My twin sister has been on the heart transplant list for a number of years now, and at the end of July her condition got much worse. The transplant team at Mayo Clinic here in Minnesota moved her into "active" status on the list and they feel she will have a new heart by Thanksgiving! We are all excited about this new step in the journey with the exception of my sister. As you can imaging, there are a lots of emotions someone has to go through with this process.

I'm hopeful that everything will work out, and I'm also remembering that I have to take time for me as well. Our extended family has been wonderful in taking turns driving her to appointments at staying with her in the hospital when needed so that the burden doesn't fall completely on my shoulders. My wonderful husband is also being amazing. He hasn't been working since February, so he's taking the role I would normally have in attending appointments, etc., which has also been very helpful.

Through this whole adventure over the last few months, I've learned that God's timing is truly perfect, and He has a plan for everything. I was completely humbled and overwhelmed by the response to this situation from family and friends. God is good!

I hope to be back on track with my blogging now that sissy is more stable, but I know you'll all understand if you don't see from me at times. I will also make a commitment to try and blog a minimum of once a week. I will also keep you updated on my sister through the blog for those of you that are interested.

*hugs*