DIY Feather Headdress

Hello lovelies!! I'm Shio, born and raised Native American gal, who loves being a momma to her 3 little sweeties, married to her love, crafter, blogger at SWeetnessaboos, homeschooler, & etsy shops owner; all while living in the beautiful Southwest!!

Today's tutorial is super easy and SUPER LOVELY!! I was so excited to share this tutorial because all things native inspired are huge in fashion & home decor right now!! And of course with it being fall weather now, it seemed to be the perfect kind of headwear/headband to craft!

What you'll need:

Step one// measure your head or your child's that you are making this for. cut the FOE (fold over elastic) the same size as your head. 

Step two// take the FOE and shape it into a circle making sure that the ends overlap each other about 1 inch, then hot glue it in place.

Step three// cut out two 1x5 inch pieces of felt

Step four// A. gather your 3 feather pieces (if they look like the bottom fluffy one have no fear, i will help you shape them to look like B.)

C. turn the feather upside down and snip the feather from one side at an angle

D. flip the feather over and do the same to the other side

Step five// arrange your feathers across the felt, then hot glue them down.

Step six// take your FOE headband piece and lay it across the felt & feathers, then hot glue it down.

Step seven// glue down 2nd piece of felt over FOE and feathers

Step eight// put a line of hot glue in the center, straight across the felt. then lay a strand of sequin ribbon over the glue. once glue is set (cool), trim off excess of sequins. if the sequins on the ends are not fully secure just add a tiny bit of hot glue to set. 

Step nine// if the back of your button looks like this, then get your pliers out and snip that excess piece away. (this will help so that the button lays flat when glued)

Step ten// add a good amount of hot glue to your button and glue it to the center of the felt & sequin ribbon

Now wait for your glue to set and admire your lovely new feather headdress headband! I told you this was easy, and best of all there was no sewing required!!! There are so many ways you can customize this to fit your needs, or likes by changing the colors or by adding sew on gems instead of a button!!

 I am so happy with how lovely this turned out!! If you make this you def have to share pics with me via instagram: @sweetnessaboos!

If you want to see more DIY's or keep up with me & my family, come visit me at Sweetnessaboos!!

Thanks so much for having me!! xoxo!! -Shio

a good cause + kid's art + fashion

" My brother and I started umano in 2011 in Athens, GA. We decided to go on the road this summer and we're very fortunate to have had a lot of success going city by city and door-to-door sharing our story. On the road we've sold more than we ever imaged, including our first order from a major retailer. In LA we met with the founder of TOMS and we are excited to collaborate with TOMS on a co-branded collection and a joint Giving Trip. Here's a video of our first meeting with TOMS All of this means we will be able to empower even more kids. To date, we have given just over 1500 backpacks full of school supplies to kids in need and our goal is to give 10,000 more in 2014."

  website here

FRAMED HAND PRINTS.

why hello. my name is Dawnelle. i am considered many things, mother and wife are at the top of the list. but you must not forget lover of sharpies, chief nose wiper, avid obsessor of texture and fabric, bohemian lover, interior designer, laundress, and the best book reader ever. i write over on Just Dawnelle about my sweet family and my life... what i think, feel, love, believe, do and obsess over. 

Is there anything more adorable than little baby hand prints? I really don't think there is. They are one of the most precious things and totally something you don't ever want to forget, am I right??

Today, I have a fun, easy, fast little project to help you capture those sweet little hand (or feet) prints! So if you are looking for a last minute Father's Day gift, or birthday present, or just a super easy project to do one afternoon, this would be perfect!

My favorite part about it? It is sentimental but can be coordinated with any decor at any time or even coordinated with the seasons if you so desire simply by changing the background! Brilliant right?? Plus I do love all the layers in the piece. It brings a certain level of interest to the project I think. So without further ado, I present to you, Customizable Framed Hand Prints!

SUPPLIES

Picture frame with a mat (complete with glass or plexiglass)

Patterned paper or photo

Paint

Paint brush

Masking Tape

Pen (Archival is best... especially for something you want to last awhile)

INSTRUCTIONS

Let's start with the hard part... the hand prints. I highly recommend applying the paint to your child's hand with a brush instead of dipping it in. You will get a lot less paint on the hand and therefore achieve a better hand print than the alternative.

The easiest way is to put a little dab of paint on a piece of paper or plate, apply the paint to your child's hand, then quickly push their hand DIRECTLY ON THE GLASS. That's the fun part really... the hand print is right on the glass. This is what allows you to change the back ground out whenever you would like.

Be careful as you push their hand though because the surface of the glass is a little slick and their little hands can slide, smudging up the print. If you do happen to smudge it up, you can always clean the glass and start over! (Sorry... no pictures of the actual printing process... I was lucky to get my two year old to work with me let alone get a photo of it!)

Now, while your hand prints are drying, cut down your paper (or photo) to fit the mat. I used an 8x10 mat with a 5x7 opening. To get the part of the pattern on the paper you want in the opening, put a small piece of masking tape on two sides, hover the mat over the paper until you have it where you want it, then push the mat down into place.

Once you have the paper in place, tape all sides down completely. You want to cover all the edges so there will be no bubbling or movement in the paper.

Using your archival pen, write a little message including your babies name and the date somewhere on your mat. I wrote my children's names, ages, and the date along the bottom edge of mat opening.

When your hand prints are dry, put the frame back together! Glass first, with the hand prints on the inside of the frame so nothing can happen to them (like being scratched or rubbed off), then the mat, and the back of the frame.

Ta-da! Simple as that... to change the background, quickly pull the frame apart and replace the paper! Easy as that!

And there you have it, super adorable, simple way to archive and display those precious little hands (and feet, of course!)

yummy recipe.

Hi guys, I'm Kelly. Lover of all things tactile, obsessive nail biter and believer that there can never be too many ruffles. Also, Mama to Quinn + twins, Avery & Rhys, creative director & blogger at Westover Manor. 
Where I share my style, show off my little ones and talk a bit about life and design.

This is about the easiest summer meal or side dish you can make!

I used it as a side with chicken and a fruit salad and called it a night.

The twins just loved this tasty summer meal and Quinn even snuck a few extra handfuls after being excused from the table.

 INGREDIENTS /

-Orzo Pasta

-Grape Tomatoes, halved

-Zucchini

-Sliced Olives

-Garlic Flavored Olive Oil

-Fresh Grated Parmesan cheese

-Salt to taste

 RECIPE /

Cook the pasta per package directions. Grill the zucchini in a pan with olive oil and salt. In the last two minutes add the tomatoes. (or leave them whole & uncooked like I did)

Drain & rinse the pasta in cool water to stop the cooking process and cool it off, then lightly coat it in garlic olive oil. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, olives & a good bit of parmesan cheese.

Toss it all together. Sprinkle the top with a bit of parmesan cheese to make it pretty and serve.

*I imagine this would also be tasty with some Italian dressing instead of just olive oil. 

Yum Yum!

Happy summer mealtime cooking!

just love //

kelly

 

mess & worry.

Hi! My name is Emily. My husband, Zac, and I started CoupleJones.com. We are so excited to visit A Little Artsy today! We have been married for almost 10 years and have 3 crazy little girls and a new puppy. We both love design and art - he is a designer and I am a stay at home mom and photographer. I write a little and photograph a lot.

  

 It's my "thing" to worry. It always has been. Since I was little, I worried about the silliest stuff. I was kind of one of those kids that was 8 going on 40. So when it comes to letting our girls be outside and be messy, I have to be honest and say that it's not something that comes naturally to me. Silly...I told you. I was always a very tidy kid. Zac is the opposite. He grew up outside and in the dirt. He is an artist and likes for the girls to be able to try things and get messy. And while that's not naturally my thing, he's convinced me and I'm doing my best to go with it. I may not always be the one that thinks of things, randomly, like opening a can of house paint and letting the girls have the freedom to paint a bird house with whatever brushes we can find, but I'm doing my best to be a good cheerleader when it happens. We are going to raise some country kids.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather rambling about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

 

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television, and more while watching life. I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment, realizing that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's" and more "I'm sorry's"

. . . but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute . . .

look at it and really see it . . . and never give it back.

— Erma Bombeck

Zuckerman.

why hello. my name is Dawnelle. i am considered many things, mother and wife are at the top of the list. but you must not forget lover of sharpies, chief nose wiper, avid obsessor of texture and fabric, bohemian lover, interior designer, laundress, and the best book reader ever. i write over on Just Dawnelle about my sweet family and my life... what i think, feel, love, believe, do and obsess over. 

The artist today is one of the most incredible modern day photographers I have seen. His work is absolutely stunning... breathtaking... modern... basically I love it! Andrew Zuckerman has a series of books, my two favorites, Creature and Bird, are not only incredible masterful pieces of artwork but a fabulous source of color inspiration. Seriously... they are so fun!!! I highly recommend checking them out!

wallpaper // bed // table // armchair // blanket // artwork

I chose the marked lovebirds from the Bird book because of the intense color, youthful feeling, and incredible detail (but it was so hard to choose!!) The modern feel of the stark white background in the images help to create a hip contemporary space. The simple black and white finishes and geometric patterns allow for the artwork to be the dominate feature in the space. Throw in a few accents of brilliant blue and turquoise to add in a sense of youthfulness and we've got a super fun little boy's room!

I actually put together two different boards for these photographs... the first one I liked but didn't love. I woke up this morning kind of obsessing over how much I was not loving it. So I put this one together and this one... this second one, with the few industrial and metal touches, I am completely in LOVE with.

stool // rug // light // blanket // sofa // table // pillow // artwork

Which one do you like better? Option one or option two? How do you feel about the industrial touches? Do you love it?

PS... Have you entered this week's giveaway for the most adorable pair of baby shoes???

so fun!

why hello. my name is Dawnelle. i am considered many things, mother and wife are at the top of the list. but you must not forget lover of sharpies, chief nose wiper, avid obsessor of texture and fabric, bohemian lover, interior designer, laundress, and the best book reader ever. i write over on Just Dawnelle about my sweet family and my life... what i think, feel, love, believe, do and obsess over. 

Summer is coming which means those fabulously HUGE rubber balls have returned to a Walmart near you... ringing up at a seriously incredible price, they are almost a must have for any little child out there (that doesn't live in a tiny one bedroom apartment... don't know if I would recommend bringing a ball the size of you child into a one bedroom place... just saying). So since every child needs one of these fantastical balls, what would be better than sending a child one IN THE MAIL!!!

It is true my friends, these glorious balls can be sent, with no trouble, through the USPS mail system! Oh can you imagine the face when that gigantic goodness shows up on the doorstep?

So what did I do? Sent some to my little nephews of course! Took some Sharpies (my FAVORITE!!) and wrote them a sweet little message...

Drew a big box for their names and addresses...

and off they went! Just like that...

A few days later those boys were in for quite a treat in the mail!

How fun would that be right? To not only get a package, which is one of the best things in the world, but a huge ball in the mail?! Do you know a small child that would just die if they got one of these in the mail? I'm itching to send a few...