Iron on Glitter

Is there anyone on this planet that doesn't like glitter?

Recently, I went searching for some iron on glitter.  I really only wanted a little piece to decorate Ava's birthday dress.  As is so often the case, I ended up buying 4m of the stuff!  The shop I found it at only sells by the metre and the postage to product cost ratio made absolutely no sense to buy any less.

I ended up buying 2 lengths of the glitter version: gold and purple and 2 lengths of the sparkle version: pink and purple.  It is 50cm wide, so this stuff is going to last a looooooong time!  There were so many other iron ons to choose from - flock, metallic, neon....  It was hard to limit myself to just a few.  But, sparkles is what I was after so sparkles is what I bought.

** Something worth mentioning: they say that their vinyl is intended to be fixed with a heat press, not a domestic iron.  I say that I have washed and scratched at the glitter version and it is staying stuck.  Do what you like with their guidance, at your own risk **

Ok...so this is how I did the '4'.

Print your template and tape it to the vinyl.  The glitter vinyl has a clear vinyl over the top of the glitter.  Keep that on until after ironing.  I used my rotary cutter to slice the straighter lines.  I think that my rotary blade is a little sharper after cutting this!

This is what the back side looked like after cutting with my rotary blade.  I then peeled the template off and cut the curvy corners and edges with my scissors.

Take your bits to your ironing board and position your neatly cut vinyl piece where you want it.  Crank your iron up to its maximum heat setting (assuming that you are ironing on to natural fabric).  Place a thin piece of plainly woven cotton fabric over the top - you want lots of heat to get through that fabric layer.  My 4 was perfectly sized to sit under my iron without needing to slide the iron around to cover all edges, so I placed my iron over my 4 and counted to 15.  My 15 count was probably quicker than 15 seconds.  For extra sticking security, I then slid my iron around the 4 for a few more seconds.

While your glitter vinyl is still hot, peel back the clear topping (please excuse that chipped purple finger nail!).

*Optional: run around the house with crazy excitement showing everyone your amazing glittery fabric*

For the sparkle vinyl, follow the same steps, except that it doesn't have a clear top layer, so no peeling is necessary.  Also, if your iron is like mine and has indents on its ironing surface - keep the iron moving when sticking your transfer down.  My iron has circle indents and I ended up with a strange ghost bubble on the heart transfer.  A little more ironing and most of it went away - but not all of it.

I like the glitter vinyl much more than the sparkle vinyl. The glittery one has a much softer handle on the fabric; the sparkly one is very 'vinyl' when it is ironed on.

The 4 dress was intended to be a birthday present - Ava turns 4 in 2 weeks time.  But, little miss eagle eyes saw me sewing and then stalked me to finish it so that she could wear it.  Seriously - she walked around pretty much naked for the last 20 mins of me sewing and ironing!!!  I guess now I have to come up with an alternative birthday dress plan!

Her heart dress is a dress that I made ages ago.  Now it has an obvious front to it, to help her put it on the right way around :)

Have you played around with any fancy iron on vinyls - metallic...flocked....others?  How did you find them?

************************************* Edited to add....actually the sparkly version also has a clear top to it.  We only noticed about 4 hours after Ava put her dress on this morning that there was a clear peel-able layer there!  So actually - the sparkly version isn't as stiff as I originally thought.  It still doesn't have as soft a handle as the glitter version, but it is much, much better than my original impression ************** 

Almost 10 days - Whoops!

I've been a bit slack here lately.  Probably because I have become a little bit Instagram obsessed...much to Flower Daddies disgust.  But, there is just so.much.to.see there!!!  Have you been on?  Who are your favourite people to follow?

Chloe has also been sick for almost 2 weeks.  Some kind of virus targeting little children - flu-like symptoms with an added bonus of crippling lethargy and exhaustion.  Poor little chicken.

Here are a few IG pics of what has been going on around here lately.

I made Ava 6 pairs of panties from this pattern.  She totally loves them...and her little buns look so cute in them!

We have been attempting to grow veggie seedlings from seed.  This picture shows radishes, spinach and beans.  We have also planted lettuce, tomato, courgette, cucumbers and mielies.  Unfortunately, the spinach seems to be pegging off...

I sent off my fabric swap panels - all 3 panels went west over the seas.

....and have received 1 panel in return so far.  Cute, right?

I made this pouch, which I will soon be selling as a pouch or cross-body bag or shoulder bag - your choice!

I finished this little ripple doll blanket.  Waaaaaay early, for Ava's 4th birthday next month.  I used leftover yarn from the human sized blanket...which is still very much an ongoing project!

I begged found time to print a few panels of white petals, which I am rather smitten with at the moment.  When the light is kind I will take a few photo's and get these panels listed in my shops.

And Today, we made these little rainbow crayons in a mini muffin tin.  Less than 144 crayons made 24 little rainbows of fun.  They are intended to be party favours at Ava's very first birthday party!

Have a fantastic Easter and long weekend.  Eat too much chocolate.  Get up late.  Wear pyjamas until lunch time and enjoy being surrounded by family...!

PS - you can find me on instagram at twolittleflowers :)

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Every man and his dog has had a go at making their own vanilla extract....so I figured that it was time I did too!  Besides, I hunted and hunted and hunted for the right bottles, the right vanilla and the right vodka - all at a relatively decent price.  Maybe you want that info too?

The pics are blurry, I am still having real trouble getting my not so new camera to agree with me.  Sorry; you will get over it I am sure.

I really thought that it would be a *cheap* project.  Not so much!  The ingredients were each quite expensive.  But, it is worth it - I now have a gazillion (21 really) ready made presents just sitting and waiting for unsuspecting recipients.

It is simple.  All you do is cut the bean in 2, then slit each half in half length ways so that all the little beans are exposed.  Keep one end of the pod halves attached.  Put your sliced and slit beans in bottles and cover the beans with vodka.  I used 2 pods per bottle.

I believe that it is also possible to make extract with other hard liquor - if you have a huge stash look into using it, the internet is your friend.  The beans need to be kept covered with the vodka, otherwise they will dry out.  They also say that the beans need to soak for something like 6 weeks before using the extract.  The longer they soak the better it gets.

We sloshed some vanilla into our weekend latte - it was yummy, except that we could taste the vodka (ick!).  I am waiting for some of the bottles to mature a little more, then I am going to move the beans around so that I have more beans in a bottle - to get a stronger vanilla extract.

About the stickers - there are so many free printables online for these.  I ended up downloading a ready made sticker page, then, never happy with things as they are, decided I needed to add to it.  So, my stickers have a recipe for Vanilla Biscuits on one side and instructions on the other.  If you would like a copy, drop me a note and I will e-mail you the sheet.

Now...you really want to know about my supplies, don't you?  Here we go then:

8oz/227ml sauce bottles - £17 for 39 bottles

Vanilla pods - £16.50 for 50 premium Madagascan pods

Humungous 1.5l bottles of vodka from Costco - can't remember how much they were, but they were a little bit cheaper than elsewhere.  Cheap, cheap vodka is just fine.

If you have made vanilla extract, let me know what worked for you.  I'd love to hear.

Kids Slipper Socks {Tutorial}

I don't know about other children, but my girls feet do not grow according to the shop stock seasons.  You have no idea what I mean?!  Ok...I saw slipper socks in the shops a few months ago - but, I figured that they both had slippers and were sorted for warm feet for a while still.  Well, Chloe has just outgrown her slippers and I figured that I would replace them with those socks with little non-slip pads on the soles [what I call slipper socks].  You think anyone is stocking them now?  No!

It is still pretty much mid-winter here.  Feet still need to be kept warm for at least another 2 months.  But, oh no, the shops already have their spring stock in.  Which means, amongst other things, no slipper socks.

Every time I see slipper socks in the shops, I think that I really should be buying a few pairs.  Kids feet grow so darn quickly, that I never do buy in advance because I just don't know what size they will need when they do need them!  Stupid excuse really, but I am sticking with it.

A few years ago in desperation I brought out my fabric paint and drew all over the soles of a pair of Ava's socks.  Then a little while later, I made some slippers and did much the same.  The little feet never slipped and both washed really, really well.  The socks in the picture above have been really well worn by my two little flowers.

Back to my desperation...

An almost 2 year old who needs warm feet - who needs to run every where - slipping and sliding on our wooden floor and banging into things and hurting herself over and over does not a make a happy toddler or Mummy.  So, I went and bought some new socks for her and cracked open my fabric paints and once again have been painting the soles.

This is how I go about turning a pair of regular cotton socks into anti-skid traction foot wear....

Gather your socks, fabric paint - I have used volume and gloss with success - pen and some card.

I like to insert a piece of card into the sock, to make it easier to apply the paint.  to do this I draw an oval that is the same length as the sock and a guestimate foot width.  

This time around my card was a little on the narrow side. It makes it easier to apply the paint if the sole is stretched a little bit.

Trace a 2nd card insert.

Then apply your paint.  I like to match my paint colour to the sock.  So these pink spots were given gloss red spots.  When doing spots, I find that it helps to squeeze a teensy bit of paint out and rub it into the sock and then give a bit more on top of it.  I imagine that the paint is then attached into the fibres and will stay put better.

After doing a pair, I gently ease the card out of the painted sock and insert it into the next pair.

When painting, think about how your recipient walks and make sure you get the toes and heel covered too.  My spotty socks really don't have enough heel and toe coverage...if she still slips in them, I will go back and add more paint.

The socks then need to be left to dry.

The volume paint that I used needed ironing once it was dry, so that it puffed right up.  So, just do what ever your chosen product tells you to do to finish up....

You noticed that the flower power socks were missing?!  Well, they have already been worn and are on their way to the washing machine.  I couldn't very well let on how dirty our floor was today, now could I?

Happy smiley faces all around!

Now, all I need to know is how the heck to keep socks on a 2 year old?!

Number Coins

Ava is really interested in numbers and letters right now.  She is getting pretty darn good at recognising letters too.  Numbers, not so much.  So, I made her these little wooden coins.

They were actually very easy to make.

I already had the coins and 5 colours of woodstain (suitable for being nibbled on / saliva proof).  So I simply brushed a few coats of the stain on with a soft brush.  I used an old dish towel as my working surface - I didn't fancy the wet coins sticking to paper or staining our nice table.

The stained coins were so pretty, I almost couldn't bring myself to write on them...

Anyhow, I let the coins dry for a few hours and then wrote on them with my white Posca marker.  The ink kept sinking into the coins, so I gave the writing a few coats - leaving each coat to dry for a little while first.  The white ink gradually built up.

There are 2 coins of each number.  On the 1 side I have written the number and on the other there are dots for her to count and figure out what the number says.  I should probably have done numbers 1-20, rather than 2 sets of 10...but how would I have fitted 20 dots on to the back!?

A Teensy Bit of Craftiness

Somehow, *things* seem to be really busy at home right now.  A lot of it being mischief making, with these two monkeys.  But mostly to do with the building work going on - really just paving...but a whole lot of it - Flower Daddy doing some of the work himself, at weekends too.  All in all, I am getting very little time to be crafty.  It is sending me a little bonkers.

But, yesterday, Ava had an afternoon snooze which kind of co-ordinated with Chloe's snooze.  Ava sleeping during the day means a  v-e-r-y  very late night...so not a great idea...especially with the crankiness that follows the next day.  Anyhow, it meant that I was able to sew a little.

So...did I sew something useful...or something for me to wear....or something for one of the girls to wear...?

Nope!

I sewed a dolls nappy!  Ava keeps using Chloe's 4+ nappies on her dolls.  It looks a bit ridiculous - nappy to armpit...  The nappy fabric is my new dandilion print in gold.  Which I rather love.  It was a scrap test piece.  {I based the nappy pattern on this one}

Oh...my camera also broke.  So, pics are a bit ick from my phone.

I will be requesting some *me time* this weekend of Flower Daddy.  I have new fabric that needs tending to - printing and sewing, pj's that need making and general sewing space tidy-upping!

If my request can not be fulfilled... I might just spontaneously combust.

DIY Fabric Tape

Right, you know that I am on the hunt for small but effective gift ideas for Christmas this year.  Well.  This is the easiest, peasiest gift that you will ever make and is pretty economical too.  If you are like me, you will end up making a bunch more for yourself too.  Not so economical then!

Right, all you need is some fabric, some double sided sticky tape and a pair of scissors.

I used this Stix 2 tape.  For no particular reason other than that is what the shop had in the width that I wanted.  I figure that a 25mm width will allow me/who ever I gift some to to either use it at full width, or to make it go further by snipping the width in half, or thirds, if they so fancy.  The fabric that I used was given to me by a lovely lady, together with heaps and heaps of other fabric (some not so nice - icky slippery black sparkly lining; some useful - shed-loads of plain blue cotton; some gorgeous - like this left over and very old curtain)

Are you paying attention, because these are your instructions....blink and you will miss them...

Peel your tape off of the roll, keeping the backing paper on.  Stick your tape on to the back of your fabric in a nice straight and smooth line (make sure your fabric is nice and smooth as you go).  Snip off the tape when your have stuck as much as you want to 

Cut the fabric along the sides of your tape.  I used scissors, but you could use a rotary cutter.

Roll up your tape and tie a ribbon or string around it to keep it neat.

Job done!  Great for scrap booking, beautifying parcels and packaging, sticking pictures to the wall (ok maybe not such a hot idea considering this tape is permanent - can see Flower Daddy hyperventilating already).  You get the idea - use it for beautifying whatever you fancy perking up.Go and make a heap more...!!!

House-y Drawing

Happy Birthday Flower Daddy!!  We are having a few friends over for our 'Annual Croquet' and a braai.  No mielie bread today, but there will be wors - yum-MMY!  And potato salad!  AND a chocolate fountain....excuse me....I need to go mop my drool off the floor....

We wrapped his present in a brown paper bag after I drew a simple little picture.

The car is a bit dodgy.  But, hey ho, the picture is just there to perk up the package...and hopefully make him smile.

I would have asked Ava to colour the picture in.  But, her idea of colouring in at the moment involves much dense use of a black koki.  Which means that any picture is completely obliterated.

Enjoy what is left of your weekend.