Grits and Giggles

Clutch Love

2012-02-29T13:35:00.002-05:00

I have one clutch. That's it...just one. And it's not even a real clutch. It's a bag that came with my hair straightener that LOOKS like a clutch, and I treat it like one. It's lime green and crocodile print/skin.

I've decided it's time that I have another clutch to carry "just in case". I'm working on one right now that's in pieces in my sewing room...but if all goes well with it, I'll have a new clutch, AND a pattern for you!

Until then....here are a few clutches I've found on Pinterest that I love...

Love Love Love the big bow!!

Source: etsy.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

I Love all things Amy Butler, and this bag is no exeption.

Source: amybutlerdesign.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

The beadwork on this one is so sweet.

Source: etsy.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

Soooo romantic!!

Source: Uploaded by user via Jenilyn on Pinterest

Classic leather. Plain but pretty.

Source: vineetkaur.tumblr.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

I can't wait to finish up my clutch and show it to you. It's fun putting it together!

Orange Gingham

2012-02-28T18:55:00.002-05:00

Hubby made another request for a dress for Grayson last week....and I was happy to oblige. He showed me this sweet little peasant dress on the internet in orange gingham, and I was super excited to make it! I made her this Purple Gingham Dress last week.

I love making dresses on Sunday afternoons when he's at work and letting Gray have them on when he comes home. It's like a fun "Surprise!!" I sent him a picture of this one and he thought it was store bought...which of course, made my day.

The fit is perfect with plenty of room for running and playing. I always seem to get dresses with sleeves too tight on her under the arms, so this time I made SURE that it was roomy, and it worked.

I was also going to put elastic in the arms and make them "puffy" sleeves, but I liked the wide sleeves when I was done sewing, and I think she does too.

It's getting harder to take good pictures of her because now its a game for her to run from me.

But every now and then I get that sweet face.

Alumni Weekend

2012-02-26T22:39:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful time with my Alpha Omega sisters this weekend for our Alumni gathering. It was so nice to see everyone, and to be back "home" at Winthrop again.

I took a little walking tour around campus to take some pictures of my favorite spots.

I have so many good and unique memories from my 4 years here.

This sign has new meaning now.

It's just as beautiful as when I left it.

We had a great Alumni Dinner Friday night. Some older sisters were able to make it and we talked about old times and traditions.

Saturday was full of activities starting with the Alumni Brunch hosted by the current sisters.

We connected with our "family trees" and took LOTS of pictures. I'm not sure that we should have been sitting on that wall, but it was symbolic...so it had to be done.

It was gorgeous outside so we snuck out for some picture time...most of them were very silly, but we got a few usable ones.

All of the Sisters and Alumni at the brunch with our GIANT letters.

The letters bring out the craziness is some people (ME)

It's always nice to go back and see familiar places and faces.

Weekend Away!!

2012-02-24T18:00:00.001-05:00

This will be the first time I've spent two whole days away from my baby girl. I will miss her (and Hubby) but I'm super excited to be going back to Rock Hill for my Alpha Omega Alumni Weekend!!

In college I was in a Christian sorority called Alpha Omega. My best friends came from this group and we are all still soooo close, even though geography has torn us in all different directions!

This weekend we will meet new sisters, hang out with old ones, eat and worship together, and have CRAFT time!! It's going to be a wonderful weekend hanging out with my girls again.

Here's little trip down memory lane for me...and YOU! I literally have thousands of pictures from my 4 years at Winthrop with AO, but here are a few of my favorites....

The welcome back picnic at Winthrop with my bestie Morgan.

Sisterhood retreat 2007

The WHOLE group at our sister initiations

The "Great Flour Fight of 2006"....this was the best fight/activity ever.

If you've never tried it, put some flour in pantyhose and beat the crap out of each other.

It's therapeutic...I promise.

(And this is one of the only pictures in existence where I'm wearing shorts.)

Again with the Bestie.

Birthday Bash, 2008

Me and the girl on the right, Kristen, share the same birthday!!

Relay for Life. Always near to my heart.

My blessed roommate. This could have been an amazing picture.

But this is why I love her.

This is my favorite picture of me and Hubby from before we were married.

Formal 2007

I slept in this box overnight, outside for a Home-Sweet-Homeless fundraiser. I wish it had not been in February, and I wish my box hadn't collapsed on me.

Winthrop Homecoming!!

Monday nights at Chick-Fil-A. There will never be anything like it.

More Winthrop Homecoming

Another year of Relay for Life. This was always my favorite event.

I can't wait to see these girls again and spend the weekend with them!! It's been too long and I'm afraid two days won't be enough time to catch up.

Purple Gingham

2012-02-23T21:19:00.001-05:00

After a request from Hubby, I've made Gray a sweet little purple gingham dress.

We saw one just like it in a store in Clemson, but it was $35! Yikes! I KNEW I could make one the same shape and style...and here it is!

Now all it needs is a little tiger paw embroidered on the front and it will be done. Total cost of fabric with leftovers...$2.99.

It's perfect to wear right now because it fits with a shirt underneath.

This gingham fabric has got to be some of the softest I have ever felt. Its wonderfully light and airy too.

The biggest problem with winter sewing....no outdoor pictures! Gray "test drove" it for me though...while driving her little car. I think she approves.

This little dress is definitely a keeper.

What I love Wednesday

2012-02-22T23:06:00.001-05:00

It's that time of the week again, where I get to feature what YOU have been up to!

This week I came across some projects that make a beautiful use of fabric!!!

Are you tired of seeing Burlap projects??? Me Neither!! I love this wreath by Made in a Day.

Burlap Wreath

I love how sweet and simple this quilt looks, but is simply stunning. The colors are soft and beautiful.

JAQS Quilt

Burlap and Rosettes!! I love how this frame is dressed up with burlap flowers. She even has the printable in the frame for FREE on her website.

Frame by Laughter and Grace

I totally thought that these were adorable little pillows...but guess what... They're No SEW! That makes them even sweeter!

Quilted Pipe Letters

These two pillows make my heart smile. I love the bunting, and the Yo-Yo flowers are too cute.

Pillows by Craptastic

Thank ya'll for sharing your craftiness with us!

Grab a featured button!!

*Happy Crafting*

Diaper Sewing

2012-02-21T07:06:00.000-05:00

I wanted to try a new nighttime diaper solution for Gray. I have always loved the adorable prints of fitted diapers, but I knew Hubby wouldn't go for a two step system with having to put on a cover. Our Pockets still work great during the day, but I wanted something different at night.

Instead of paying $20+ dollars a piece for fitted diapers...I decided to try my hand at making one.

I am VERY pleased with the result!! It's made from an old t-shirt and lined with fleece, with a layer of microfiber and terry sewn in-between the layers for absorbancy.

Super soft, stay-dry fleece on the inside...

And the best part.... Dale Jr. across the front! I tried desperately to get it across the back so it was more visible, but I couldn't cut the shirt that way.

I know...it's a little ~~redneck~~ country of me, but its such a soft and stretchy shirt!

We've got piles of old shirts that we'll never wear again that would be perfect for a whole stash of fitteds. And since they're already at our house...it's free!

It fits her little butt like a glove and looks Oh So Cute!

I get too excited about something my baby poops in.

Coming Soon....

2012-02-16T04:44:00.003-05:00

I am super excited to announce that coming soon.....

I will have the Carolina Breeze Bag PATTERN for sale!

I love making these bags, and have made several for myself and others. It's such an easy bag to sew with an unlimited number of fabrics/colors to choose from, so I want people to be able to make their own!!

The pattern is still a work in progress. I have MY pattern, but it's wrinkled and written on, so I'm working on making it pretty! There will be options for the short, or long strap as well as a bow or no bow, and pockets on the inside.

Here are three that I've made for myself...

The burlap is my favorite because it weighs NOTHING! It is totally weightless and I love how beachy it feels. This bag inspired the name "Carolina Breeze"

The Clemson version is a close second in my favorites list. It is also made of burlap and lined with cotton.

I love the bow on the front. It gives it a fun, feminine touch.

This Lemonade version, I made out of cotton Duck with a cotton lining. It's a little heftier than the other two and I didn't put a bow on it. It hasn't had as much carrying time, but I'm about to put it into the rotation to show it some love.

I'm hoping to have the pattern ready in a few weeks so you can start spring sewing!!

There might even be a GIVEAWAY for one of my fabulous readers!

***I will be needing Pattern Testers to try it out and tell me if there are any kinks/problems with the pieces or instructions. If you love to sew and would be interested in being a tester for me, e-mail me or leave me a comment on this post! A link to your own blog would help so I can see what you've sewn before. This pattern will be for a confident-beginner sewist. ***

Thanks for all of the comments and e-mails about testing the pattern! I have plenty of willing volunteers for now and will send out the pattern as soon as it's done!

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T14:57:00.004-05:00

I LOVE...

Hugging my baby when she wakes up in the morning

Kisses from Hubby

Smelling the top of Gray's head

Twirling her little curls around my finger

Saturday night "Mexican Dates" with the whole family

Hearing Mama, Mama, MAMA!

My cup of "Hubby-Made" coffee before I go to work

Laughing my head off at a good night at work

Gray smacking my arm wanting to know the next character in her book

Tickling her until she laughs and screams

Kissing away "uh-oh's"

The Cheesecake Factory

Family walks around the neighborhood

Taking pictures

Singing too loudly at work

The big waves and kisses from the tiny person behind the door as I leave for work

Coming home to a shiny, clean, Hubby-cleaned house

Old worn-out jeans

Rainbow flip flops

Skittles

Feeding Gray Skittles and watching her tongue turn all the colors of the rainbow

Snuggling with my kitty in bed while he purrrrs

Gray's Anatomy

Clemson Football

Friends

I Love...

Love

Valentines Treats

2012-02-13T16:12:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I made some Valentine's Oreos for our Tea Party!

Vanessa at See Vanessa Craft (Formerly The Crafty Nest) shared her tutorial on how to make Valentine's Oreo Pops, and I HAD to try them.

You can find her tutorial on how to make them HERE.

They started as Oreos on a stick....

And became Valentine's deliciousness.

Ready for gifting.

I wrapped them individually as favors for my guests at the teaparty.

I still have some Oreos and candy melts left over...so I may make a Valentine's batch for work this week! Everyone's on a diet, but I'm sure one sweet Oreo pop won't hurt it too bad.

Time For Tea

2012-02-12T23:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our Annual Valentines Lady's Tea at our church. It's always a wonderful event filled with beautiful tables, great food, and good company. This year we had an amazing speaker, a woman who has made a career out of selling antique teacups and saucers, as gifts for women to pass along to others. She had a good message and was fun to listen to!

After lots of preparation, our table was complete and ready for tea!!

(Excuse the wall padding in the background...the room is a gym most of the time!)

The Napkin Rings made their appearance and looked vintage-y sweet.

The Cloth Napkins were a labor of love to make, but made the table just a little more elegant.

I LOVE the way they look with the plates, and they'll last a lifetime!

There were some Printables that were framed to decorate the table.

The green tablecloth was from our wedding! We had them made to go with our reception theme, and have gotten some good use out of them since. Sometimes it's good to ~~hoard~~ collect and save supplies.

I had to try out my new lense for fun with our vase of tulips! I am in LOVE with this lense. It's the Canon 50mm 1.8.

Gray had a playdate with her Papa, but we had 3 of our 4 generations there celebrating! Mama, Granny, and Me with my hostess apron on.

No family resemblance.....at all.

Everyone's table was uniquely beautiful and wonderfully decorated.

Here are a few of the other tables...

Pure Loveliness.

Cloth Napkins

2012-02-09T16:23:00.002-05:00

With our Tea Party coming up, I am working to get everything ready to have a picture-perfect table...and that includes some cloth napkins! I've already put together some Vintage-y goodness napkin rings too. You can find that tutorial HERE.

My fine china was given to me by my Grandma many years ago. It's soft white with pink flowers and green vines. Elegant and very girly. Since I'm kicking up decorating a notch this year, I wanted to have napkins as pretty as the china.

The napkins are large, dinner sized at 18" square. One side is a lime green and white dot, and the reverse is a sweet pink paisley.

They compliment the china nicely without being too matchy.

They were very easy to make, but a little time consuming. No pictures, but here's how you put them together:

You'll need 2 yards of each fabric color (makes 8 napkins)

Cut 8, 18" squares of each color.

Place two squares right sides together and sew around the edges, leaving a small hole for turning.

Clip the corners and extra seam allowance, then turn right side out. Push out the corners and iron flat.

Topstitch around the edges to seal the hole and finish the napkins.

See....Easy Peasy.

Now I have to find a pretty way to fold the napkins and place them in their napkin rings for display on the table. I'm off to Pinterest!!!

Tutorial Updates

2012-02-08T14:48:00.001-05:00

I have updated the Tutorials Tab and added these latest DIYs so they are easier to find!!

Thanks to ya'll for making the Skinny Jeans tutorial sooooo popular! In just a month it is Grits & Giggles most viewed page of all time! YIKES!

I hope you've been able to do some great refashioning of tired and worn out jeans this winter.

Here are the tutorials that have been added to the page:

Make Your Own Skinny Jeans

Tips for Drying Flowers

Orange Peel Sugar Scrub

Vintage-y Napkin Rings

*Happy Crafting*

Where did the time go???

2012-02-07T13:48:00.006-05:00

My sweet baby girl is 18 months old today.

No matter how many times you hear "they grow up so fast", you will never understand until you see it happen to your own baby.

There is no other feeling like holding her for the first time.

She was so cuddly and sweet and tiny.

And now she wants to be a big girl.

With a little attitude.

But still Oh. So. Precious.

I still smell the top of her head and breathe her in, every chance I get (usually when she's asleep!)

She melts my heart every day

and I live to see her smile.

{Tutorial} Vintage-y Napkin Rings

2012-02-06T20:36:00.000-05:00

While preparing for our Tea Party coming up....I decided our table needed a few more accessories! My Fine China is a wonderful pink and green vintage pattern, given to me by my Grandma. It sits Oh So Pretty displayed in my china hutch for me to look at when I walk by. The Tea Party we have every year is a wonderful ~~excuse~~ reason to get it out and actually USE it. Lets face it...how often do we actually use fine china??

So to match my china, I'm working on making some pretty cloth napkins (coming soon), and I wanted to wrap them in some vintage-esque goodness witout having to actually FIND some vintage napkin rings. These would be perfect for any occasion or could be made to match any china.

Let's get started:

Materials:

1 package wood/plastic napkin rings (I used unfinished wood, found at Hobby Lobby)

1 roll 2" wide lace

1 roll 1" wide ribbon, any color

Glue Gun

Measure around the outside of your napkin rings and add 1/4". Cut strips of your lace and ribbon to this length. Cut as many strips as you have rings.

Tip: use pinking sheers to cut the ribbon to keep it from fraying

Place a small strip of hot glue along the width of the napkin ring and attach one end of your lace. Make sure it overhangs on both sides evenly.

Wrap the lace around the ring, and secure the other end with a strip of hot glue.

Do the same with your piece of ribbon, centering it on your napkin ring.

Now you have sweet and vintage-y napkin rings to adorn your table setting!!

I like the look of the natural wood, but you can certainly paint your napkin rings before covering them if you prefer white or another color!

I can't wait to show you pictures of everything together at the Tea Party!

My Birthday Gift....

2012-02-05T16:47:00.000-05:00

I am very excited about my new toy/birthday gift!!

I am the super-happy new owner of a Canon Rebel T3i!! I have been wanting to break into the world of DSLR for while now and I finally made the jump.

I have read the manual front to back and have been reading like crazy to try to better understand what I'm doing to try to take a good picture.

I played with my new toy doing some manual focusing in the car driving down the road.

Focusing on Jesus.....

Not focusing on Jesus....

This led to a very in-depth discussion on how we should ALWAYS focus on Jesus. Feel free to use those pictures in your Sunday School lessons next week.

I also learned a valuable lesson on checking your settings. When practicing in Manual mode...I have to remember to change my settings when moving outside from indoors. Otherwise my pictures turn out like this...

As crazy as it looks...I actually like this one. I love her red shoes in the leaves, even if the color is completely blown out.

But to have a picture of my sweet baby girl, in focus, while she's still smiling....

Makes the camera worth every penny.

Valentine's Day Printables

2012-02-04T21:53:00.000-05:00

Here are some Valentine's Day

printables for you to enjoy!

Print them on cardstock for an easy card for a special someone! Just right click and "save as" to save them for printing.

Winner

2012-02-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

The winner of the My Memories Suite giveaway is

B. Green!!

*You should have an e-mail from me. Please respond withing 48 hours or I'll have to pick a new winner*

Thanks to everyone who entered.

You can buy the My Memories Suite at a discounted price using this promo code:

STMMMS89953

Save $10 off the software and get a $10 coupon to the store!!

26

2012-02-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday To Me

I'm officially 26 years old today...

But I'm in denial.

I still tell people I'm 22.

And will continue to do so, until someone actually questions me.

{Tutorial} Orange Peel Sugar Scrub

2012-01-30T20:40:00.003-05:00

Here is a recipe for a deliciously sweet sugar scrub!

With winter in full swing, my skin gets dry and flaky. I'm horrible about not using lotion, because I'm usually grabbing Gray out of the tub too, getting her dressed, and chasing her around. Lotion, is not exactly on my mind.

So I turn to scrubs to keep my skin soft, flake free, and in this case smelling delicious!

Materials:

Glass container for storage

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4Tbs Almond Oil

1Tbs Olive Oil

Zest of 1 Orange

Start by zesting your orange. Make sure you use a microplane or something similar because you want very tiny pieces. Watch Those Fingers!!

Zest likes to hide on the back of the grater, so make sure you scrape all of that goodness off.

Add your sugar and zest to your glass container. Mix it well, muddling it some to help release the oils of the orange

Add your oils a little at a time, stirring them in with the sugar mixture.

Finish the container off with a label if it's a gift, or a decorative bow and enjoy!

Kiss your winter skin ~GoodBye~

*Just a tip- I try not to use a scrub more than twice a week. Your skin needs time to recover after a good exfoliation*

Stay Up To Date!!

2012-01-29T20:47:00.000-05:00

{Have you entered the GIVEAWAY yet??}

With Google Friend Connect taking down it's service soon, it's important to be able to find the blogs you LOVE! I remember most of their names, but sometimes they have different "Names" than their actual web address.

There are lots of ways to follows Grits and Giggles!

Two new ways to follow...

Google+

RSS Feed

You can find our social media buttons on the left sidebar for Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

You can also subscribe by e-mail to get new posts in your inbox!

I love my readers and don't want to lose anyone.

{Giveaway} And Printables!! (Closed)

2012-01-27T18:28:00.001-05:00

Who's ready for a giveaway??

I was recently sent a copy of the My Memories Suite to review and just let me say...I'm in love!

Not only was I able to create some adorable scrapbook pages (which I'm going to frame), but I was able to create some wonderful printables for a Garden Tea Party I have coming up soon.

The scrapbooking software was very user friendly. I was immediately able to start adding text, pictures and embellishments without having to read any crazy instructions of how-tos.

The selection for backgrounds is also wonderful with great solids, funky patterns, and rich textures. (They offer Burlap!!!)

Here is a little preview of the projects I've made with the scrapbooking software so far:

These are two scrapbook pages I made with photos from our recent Beach Trip. The burlap background is so earthy and really makes the pictures pop!

One of my favorite embellishments is the "stitching" option. I love a good zig-zag stitch.

Here are the two printables I made for the Garden Party next week. I'm going to frame these for the table.

Feel free to right click, save to your computer and use these printables below for spring time!!!

Are you ready for the giveaway???

My Memories is giving away a software suite to one of my lucky readers!! I know you are going to love using it to create wonderful cards, printables, photo layouts, etc.

Here is how you enter:

Go to My Memories and check out their digital scrapbook packs, come back and tell me which one is your favorite!

For extra entries (leave one comment for each):

Be a GFC follower of Grits and Giggles (I Love new friends)

Follow Grits and Giggles on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest (see those cute social media buttons up there??)

Like My Memories on Facebook

Follow My Memories on Twitter

The lucky winner will be announced next Friday night, February 3rd at 8:00pm.

So get those comments in!!

If you can't stand the wait, you can purchase the My Memories software suite at a discounted price through Grits & Giggles.

Use this coupon code:

STMMMS89953

to get $10 off the cost of the scrapbook software, PLUS an addition $10 coupon to the My Memories.com store! A $20 value!!

Tell all of your crafty and scrapbook-loving friends!! I know ya'll are all going to love this!

Drying Flowers-Simple Tips

2012-01-26T18:25:00.001-05:00

I have finished drying the flowers from my Papa's funeral a few weeks ago. I always keep flowers from funerals and weddings that are important to me as a reminder of the person/event. All of the little bouquets are safe and pretty in my china hutch.

I wanted to share with you how I dry my flowers to keep a pretty bouquet shape and keep vibrant color in the petals.

You'll want to select flowers that will dry well. Not all do. Hydrangeas, daisies, and orchids (in my experience) are very fragile and don't keep their color or shape well, but can be dried just the same.

Arrange your flowers into a bouquet and tie the stems together with string. I used jute.

Here is the key to keeping the color and shape....

Dry them in the refrigerator...upside down!!

Find a shelf to tie your string around, and clear some space so the flowers aren't pressed against anything. If they are pressed against a door or wall of the fridge, rotate the flowers every few days to keep them from flattening.

A small bouquet takes about 5 weeks to dry in the fridge. It may seem like a long time, but it soooo worth it. Just look at the colors of the dried flowers below!

Almost 4 years later, the cake topper from mine and Hubby's wedding is still a beautiful and vibrant orange color. It looks gorgeous displayed in our home and is a sweet reminder of our special day.

My bouquet was full of orchids and hydrangeas (remember those don't dry well), so it didn't dry as pretty as the other arrangements, but look a the color of the roses. They kept their beautiful varigated color.

I hope you can use these tips in drying your own flowers to remember a special occasion, or just a gorgeous bloom from your garden.

With Valentine's Day coming up it would be a great way to preserve a beautiful bouquet to enjoy for a LONG time.

What I Love Wednesday

2012-01-25T07:46:00.001-05:00

It's that time again!!

I love Wednesdays because I get to feature what YOU have been working on. I love discovering amazing projects that inspire me and make me say WOW.

I've been thinking about making some pillows, and when I saw these at Positively Splendid I was in love. I have a serious love for green and blue. She even has a tutorial!!

"Bee" Happy Pillow

I love these sweet little pillows from Lovely Etc. They would be wonderful on a front porch swing.

Happy Pillows

This winter hat from See Kate Sew is a perfect way to refashion a too-small or tired sweater. She has a pattern and tutorial for you!

Snow Day Hat

The brilliant colors of this circus party over at Vixen Made caught my eye. I love the attention to detail!

Circus Party

One of my favorite crafty ladies, Vanessa at The Crafty Nest has created these Valentine's Day Oreo Pops. They would be soooo delicious and pretty for any occasion!

Oreo Pops

Thanks for sharing your craftiness with us!

Here's your featured button Crafty Friends!

My New Dress

2012-01-23T18:02:00.005-05:00

I have FINALLY done some sewing for me. I haven't really made much for Gray or myself lately since I made these dresses last summer...

Sweet August Dress- With Tutorial!

Anthropologie Knock Off

The Game Day Dress

Judith March Knock-Off

After finding dress after dress on Pinterest that I absolutely love, I decided I needed a shift dress in my wardrobe. I love the conservative and funky style of most of the dresses, but the pricetag was NOT what I was looking for. Most of these I pinned cost at least $150!

Here are a few that I pinned and fell in love with.

Source: us.asos.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

Source: anntaylor.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

Source: us.asos.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

I love the shapes of all of them, but this last one was my favorite. I love the longer hem length and the overall shape.

Source: shop.nordstrom.com via Jenilyn on Pinterest

I went to the fabric store and found a super-cute and funky navy and cream polka dot. Only problem....it's polyester. YUCK! But for me to have a super-smooth-drapey dress....It had to be silky polyester. I love it on the bolt and once it's done...but trying to do a rolled hem and finish the edges without a serger is a total nightmare.

That being said....here is my new shift dress!!

Complete with tights and boots.

From the back

It's fitted, but not too tight, so no zipper, and still plenty of room for movement.

It has a very high neckline.

For a conservative, but fun Mommy

See how happy it makes me!!

I could kick myself for not making a paper pattern. I just lay down fabric, measure and cut. Now I want to make more and have to start from scratch!! Oh well...the fun is in the challenge.

Now I want a RED one.

Open Again

2012-01-22T14:09:00.001-05:00

The Etsy Shop is open again!!

There are some old favorites as well as some new goodies, and many more coming soon!!

Check out the new zippered pouches in three totally fun colors...

Orange and Teal Pouch

Pink and Brown Patchwork

Pink and Green Pouch

How about some crocheted goodness???

Chunky Crocheted Cowl

Then we have some old favorites...

Reversible Cloth Headbands

And our original, signature item for the babies....

Teething Pearls

I have many, many ( far too many) almost finished projects sitting in the craft room. They will hit the store when I'm finally done with them.

There's some funky chevron fabric sitting in my sewing room....just dying to be made into a clutch.

We're Baaaaack!!

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

We are finally back from our winter beach trip. It was NOT crowded at all...in fact....a lot of places were closed for the winter! But it was nice to shop and eat...and shop, and eat.

We had a little hiccup in the trip when our condo was burglarized and some of our personal things were taken. Not how we wanted to end our trip. Thankfully we weren't there when it happened and the things they took can be replaced.

We were pretty down about it, until I came home and started looking at our pictures from the week. I realized that we had a wonderful time with each other and nothing can take that away.

Here's a little peek into our week...

We're too cheap to go to the Aquarium....so we went to Bass Pro Shops instead for Gray to see the fish.

We thought she was loving driving her car....

But clearly we were wrong.

Hubby about to do some serious seafood eating.

It was cold on the beach, but it was a beautiful day for letting Gray run and play in the sand.

Is there anything in the world cuter than baby feet??? No, there isn't.

This little girl LOVES the water.

AND the sand.

Yay for family pictures! So glad Granny could go with us.

I can't resist that face. This was taken right before she smeared that container of butter In. Her. Hair.

Shopping must always include a snack bag.

Taking a peek out to the ocean.

Oh how I love this girl.

One word about this picture....Timing! I think this one is pretty cool.

Granny posed with her bird-friend.

I was a great week but it's so nice to be home. Maybe next time we'll actually TAKE a bathing suit and be able to wear it.

A Little Vacation

2012-01-15T18:49:00.001-05:00

It's time to take a little vacation

She needs me....

And I need this...

The sandy shores of the beach.

It might be cold...but the view and the sound of the waves will still be wonderful.

Hubby, Granny, Grayson and I will be back all too soon.

Sew Can She

2012-01-13T12:14:00.000-05:00

Today the lovely Caroline from Sew Can She is sharing our Applique Tutorial with her readers.

She has started a website sharing a collection of sewing tutorials to make them easier to find for everyone! We are delighted to be part of her collection.

I'm pretty sure Gray can't wear that shirt anymore (TEAR)

Check out the other tutorials on their site and tell them Grits and Giggles sent you!

You can even sign up for their newsletter to get tutorials sent right to your inbox!!

What I Love Wednesday

2012-01-11T00:18:00.001-05:00

It's time for another addition of What I Love Wednesday....where I get to feature what YOU have been up to this week! I haven't been quite as inspired as I should be to totally organize my house, or at least a room in my house, or a closet, or something. I have found some great organization projects that could be a bit of help on my get-it-together mission. I love the use of over-the-desk shelving for this office redo. And I really love the white and green!

Office Redo at Social Salutations

I have a box at home specifically for cards...with no actual cards in it. Now I can see how nice it would be to have all of my cards organized and in one place.

Greeting Card Organization at Echoes of Laughter Hubby doesn't wear ties...but if he did this would be a great way to display them! This way, guys can see their accessories in one place to help them put an outfit together.

Closet Organizer at Lookie What I Did

With all of my looking at organization, I found these two little pretties....

Let's just say I freaked out a little when I read that these boots were covered in Duct Tape! I love Duct Tape and the new patterns are amazing. I never would have guessed that these boots used to be black.

Boot Re-Do at Crafting in the Rain These ruffly-goodness pillows are made from a table runner! How cool is that?? A little hot glue and stuffing and the table runner became two very expensive looking and fluffy pillows.

No Sew Pillows from Scattered Thoughts
Thanks for the inspiration Crafty Friends! Make sure you grab a featured button!

Make Your Own Skinny Jeans {Tutorial}

2012-01-07T21:13:00.003-05:00

It's happened. I've finally done it. I bought SKINNY Jeans!!! I'm a little behind on the trend, but I'm pretty sure I'm. In. Love. Especially when they're paired with my oh so comfy boots.

I was cleaning out my closet and found this poor, shapeless pair of jeans. They still fit, but have a very wide bootleg and aren't very flattering, even with my favorite pair of boots.

I usually donate my unwanted clothes...but with my new love of skinny jeans, and a perfectly functional piece of denim, I decided to do a little refashioning.

I wanted to show you how to save yourself $30, $40, $50+ dollars and refashion an unloved pair of jeans in your closet too!

And might I add....it takes under 30 minutes!

Let's get started...

Materials:

1 pair of unloved bootcut or straight leg jeans

1 pair of skinny jeans you already own (or a tape measurer)

Sewing things

You can see all of the extra fabric of the bootcut jeans compared to the skinny jeans on top. All of the bulk has to go.

Turn your jeans inside out and flatten to make the side seams even.

Place your skinny jeans on top of your inside out jeans. Make sure you line up the seat and the outer seams. You'll want to sew the inseam where your jeans aren't topstitched.

(If you don't have a pair of skinny jeans already, this is where you get out your measuring tape. You can measure around your leg and different points to gauge how wide the legs need to be for a comfortable fit and sew accordingly.)

Pin your jeans along the inseam, next to your skinny jean template. Sew along your line of pins, removing them as you go to achieve your new leg shape.

Try on your jeans to make sure they are fitting correctly and are as skinny as you would like (I ended up making mine a little tighter), then use scissors or a rotary cutter to remove the extra fabric from the legs.

Use a serger or a wide zig-zag stitch to keep your raw edges from fraying.

Slip them on and enjoy your new skinny jeans!!

Now I can look down and see my favorite flats.

Or tuck them neatly into my favorite boots with NO bunching!

Super stylish...and super comfortable.

I love a good, quick refashion. Enjoy!

New Pretties

2012-01-06T08:14:00.000-05:00

I have put the SHOP on a little vacation for a couple of weeks so that I can make some new pretties to go in it! I finally bought myself some new fabric, and it was soooo hard to cut into, but I'm loving what has come out of it already.

Oooooh I just love my orange and teals!! Joel Dewberry must have been inside my head when he came up with those prints...or not...I love them anyways.

With my fun fabrics, I have been putting together some new zippered bags. They could be a clutch perhaps...or a make-up bag...or an organizer for a really big purse!

I think this orange and teal one would make a sweet little summertime clutch.

The pink and green one reminds me of the hundreds of Clinique bags I've collected over the years!

The crocheting bug has bitten again, and I'm loving making some BIG CHUNKY COWLS!

I'll be putting a few of those in the shop too.

I wore my new one out on New Year's Eve and it kept me nice and warm, and fashionable!

All of these (except my creamy cowl) are going to be in the shop soon when it reopens...but if you love one, let me know and I'll put it on hold for you! How delicious would that red cowl be with a black dress on Valentine's Day?? Just sayin.

Christmas Fudge (In 3 Minutes!)

2012-01-04T21:28:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is V. and Co. . She makes the most beautiful things and has some of the funniest family stories to read. Recently she posted a recipe for Mint Fudge, made with 3 ingredients in 3 minutes...and I had to try it.

Doesn't it look yummy???

I made mine a little different....adding pecans (my favorite!) and subtracting the mint pieces. See her site for the full tutorial...

I mixed my semi-sweet chocolate chips with a can of sweetened condensed milk and microwaved until smooth.

Chopped up some fresh pecans, right off of my Granny's tree! Yummmmm.

Stirred in the pecans and sprinkled a few on top.

I cut up the fudge and placed them on my favorite Christmas platter and took them to a few Christmas parties.

What didn't get eaten at the parties got GONE at work! We just love to eat at work...it makes 3rd shift just a little bit "sweeter".

Thanks to Vanessa for sharing this quick and easy recipe!! Next time I'm trying the mint, becuase it looks oh so delicious!

Christmas Memories

2012-01-03T22:39:00.000-05:00

Happy 2012 Everyone!!

I hope the start to your new year has been fabulous. I have taken a little break from the computer and crafting this week to spend some time with my little family (and work, and sleep)....

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas memories from the past few weeks.

Grayson's friend Jackson showed her how to drive his SUPER cool tractor.

(She's got a little more growing to do before she is successful at it)

They exchanged gifts...and fought over toys....

Gray has gotten pretty good at unwrapping boxes.

At our annual "Friends-mas" party, Gray got a little help digging into the chocolate fountain. This is a 1-year old's dream come true!

Next year's Christmas card anyone??? I love this little family picture.

Everyone at the "Friends-mas" party. What a wonderful night that was. It's great not to loose touch with high school and college friends. (I've been friends with two of these girls since we were 8!! Holy Cow!)

Is she up to something??? I think she might be.

She loves her uncle. These two have a very special relationship....if only she knew!

Uncle Adam gifted us with this monstrous piece of awesomeness. This is Newman P. Wiggles. And he's taking over our living room at home.

Gray and her Daddy. Oh how I love these two....

There will be more crafting/recipes/decorating in the following weeks. The holidays are a good time to relax, take a step back and set some goals for the coming year. I have some goals set and am ready to hit the ground running!

{Crafty Year in Review} Part 2

2011-12-30T10:19:00.002-05:00

It's time for Part 2 of our Year in Review. See yesterday's post for projects #10-#6!

We're counting down the crafty posts most viewed by YOU this year at Grits & Giggles. Let's get back to business at number 5!

Christmas Tree Tee

Oh, how I love this little shirt. Like most kids holiday shirts, Gray only got to wear it a couple of times before Christmas, but it was cute when she did! I hate the idea of paying lots of money (I'm pretty cheap) on a shirt or dress that she can wear once...so I used some scrap fabric and a plain white tee to make her this little number.

Anthropologie Knock-Off

This is another one of my absolute favorites...my Seersucker Anthropologie Knock-Off. This is The. Most. Comfortable. dress on the planet. The sheering in the back with the ties on top make it super easy to wear and the seersucker means it is weightless. I made another one for the tutorial, but this is still my favorite.

Game Day Dress

I was on a real dress kick this summer. I made this dress as part of a sew-along at KojoDesigns. I wore it to several events this year including a football game and a wedding rehearsal...talk about multi-functional! AND...it's super comfortable too.

Halloween Wreath Tutorial

What can I say...I love this wreath. The bows, tulle, ornaments...it all makes me happy and it really dressed up our door during October!

And the Number One, most viewed project this year was......

(Drumroll Please.....)

Scrapbook Coasters

The Scrapbook Coasters Tutorial!!!!

This post alone received more than TWICE the number of hits of any other post on the entire blog. That's HUGE for one little project!

I think I have pinterest to thank for this one. SOOOOO many of you and others have pinned this to your DIY boards.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for visiting with me each day, reading, commenting and most of all, crafting!

I'll see you Next Year

{Crafty Year in Review} Part 1

2011-12-29T16:03:00.001-05:00

This has been such a WONDERFUL year! There has been so much crafting, sewing, cooking, glitter, fabric, hot glue, and ribbon that I've barely been able to keep up with it all. Luckally for me...YOU have been helping me keep up!

I started this little blog back in April, wanting to keep an online diary of life with a husband, little girl and a few crafts along the way. Little did I know that I would have ALL of you amazing readers coming every day to join me in my Mommy and Crafting journey.

Today and tomorrow I will be doing a little countdown of the 10 most popular posts at Grits & Giggles this year. Most of these are tutorials that YOU, the readers have given me great feedback on, and even shared the things you've made using them with me! I love to see what you do, so send me a link so I can share what you've been doing too.

Let's get started!!

#10

Painted Pumpkin Trio

This was one of my favorite projects this year because it incorporated three things I adore...dots, argyle, and monograms! Fall is my favorite season, so I got to enjoys these sweet pumpkins for several months on my front porch.

No Sew Stadium Blanket

Gooooo Tigers! I made this blanket at Hubby's request, because he needed a Clemson blanket that was "Man-sized"...meaning...long enough to cover him from head to toe. As much as I love sewing, I love making these kinds of blankets because they can be made anywhere and are quick to finish with beautiful results!

The Polo Skirt

This skirt was made for the "Summer of NO Pants" series at Hideous, Dreadful, Stinky. I challenged myself to make 4 skirts, and it looks like ya'll loved this as much as I did! Thsi was one of my first tutorials too. I've learned a lot since then, but it's still easy to follow I think.

Robin's Egg Bib Necklace

I love this necklace...but I've never worn it. I made it to go with a certain dress to an event this summer...then I changed my mind on the dress. I'm sure I'll come up with something. Until then, it just sits looking pretty on my jewelry box.

Boys Shirt Refashion

This shirt-to-dress refashion was inspired by the tutorial at MADE. I saw this shirt at Goodwill and knew it would make an adorable little dress.

Come back tomorrow for project #5 down to the #1 most-viewed Grits & Giggles project of the year!!

Party Time

2011-12-29T03:11:00.000-05:00

I Love, Love, Love visiting and contributing to Linky Parties each and every week. It's a great way to see what others have been making, get SERIOUSLY inspired, and show of YOUR work for others to see! I have a few that I visit each and every week, but I love stumbling upon new ones.

I've always had a few under my Favorite Links tab, but they aren't well organized. Here is my new compiled list of craft link parties that I visit and participate in.

If you have one and I have left it out...let me know! I will add it to the list so I can visit, and my readers can find it as well.

Monday

C.R.A.F.T.- Making Monday Marvelous

Craftomaniac- Craftomaniac Monday

Canoe Ridge Creations- Sew Modern Monday

Sew Chatty- Made with Love Mondays

Rebecca Cooper- The Simple Things

Sew Can Do- Kids Can Craft

Keeping It Simple

Making the World Cuter

Sumos Sweet Stuff- Market Yourself Monday

Life Made Lovely

Tuesday

Domestically Speaking- Power of Paint Party

Funky Polka Dot Giraffe- Too Cute Tuesday

Sugar Bee Crafts- Take a Look Tuesday

Tip Junkie- Tip Me Tuesday

Todays Creative Blog- Get Your Craft On

Wednesday

Sew Woodsy- Whats Up Wednesday

Sew Much Ado- We Did It Wednesday

Fabric Bows and More- Will See It Wednesday

Blue Cricket Designs- Show and Tell

Someday Crafts-Whatever Goes Wednesday

Gingersnap Crafts- Wow Me Wednesday

Thursday

Yesterday on Tuesday- A Crafty Soiree

Somewhat Simple- Strutt Your Stuff

Fireflies and Jellybeans- Show of Your Stuff

House of Hepworths- Hooking Up with HoH

Beyond the Picket Fence

What Allie's Making Now

Friday

Kojo Designs- Friday Fun Finds

Fingerprints on the Fridge- Feature Yourself Friday

Naptime Crafters- Friday Favs

Tatertots and Jello- Weekend Wrap Up Party

Whipperberry- Friday Flair

Finding Fabulous

Saturday/Sunday

Six Sisters's Stuff- Strut Your Stuff Saturday

Ladybird Ln.- Weekend Showoff Party

Thirty Handmade Days- Pity Party

Enjoy visiting these sites for their weekly parties and dial up your creativity! If you're on Pinterest....these are just as addicting. Think of all of the pinning you could do!!!

A New Quilt

2011-12-26T21:32:00.001-05:00

The quilting bug has bitten again..... and I've finished my second quilt!

Some of you may remember my First Quilt that I made for Grayson for her birthday.

This new quilt too, is special. It was made for a college sister of mine, for her new baby. She will be having a little girl in just a few weeks! Her nursery will be blues, greens, and yellows (very much like Grayson's) so I wanted her to have something warm and soft to match her nursery.

The fabric for this quilt was from a jelly roll that I fell in love with at Hobby Lobby. I'm a sucker for blues and greens, so I bought it with no project in mind, and then HAD to use it for this quilt. I love how it turned out!

I threw in some white strips to lighten it up a bit.

The patterns have a few flowers and butterflies, but it doesn't scream GIRL. She will share a room with her brother (Grayson's age) for a while, so it won't be too girly for him too.

The backing is a solid teal cotton, and the binding is the same. I didn't want anything to compete with the pretty patterns on the top.

I'm not a quilting purist, so I machine quilted everything. The construction was simple, just sewing the jelly roll strips together for a clean line look. I straight-line quilted it, one line on either side of each seam.

This quilt would look PERFECT in Gray's room, but I am thrilled that it will be living with my friend and her new bundle of joy. I hope it keeps her toasty warm for a long time!

I have a plan for some mini-quilts coming up, but more on that later. It is going to be a very special project for me.

Christmas Time....

2011-12-24T09:25:00.002-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS....

Everywhere you go.....

Especially at my house. Having a 16 month old has made decorating sooo much more interesting. The tree is only decorated from 3 feet up...the Nativity scene needs a security fence...you get the picture.

Gray has been spending time under the tree reading her favorite book.

Oh if she was always that precious....

The tree is decked out with ribbons, bows and funky ornaments.

Note to self...the tree needs more stuff! I love a good, full tree.

The mantle is decorated with stockings, candles, and lights.

A chubby snowman welcomes us at the front door....

Some gifts are wrapped up and under the tree....

Waiting for curious little hands to rip them open on Christmas Morning!

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Family, food, and good times make for the best holidays, and we certainly aren't lacking in ANY of those around our house!

Remembering

2011-12-22T23:04:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that this time last year...my little girl was only 4 months old. Still a squishy infant with nothing to say and nothing to do, except be cuddled and loved on. While she's still cuddled and loved on MOST of the day...now she has an agenda! She's learning new words and discovering new things as she runs around the house.

I was looking through last years Christmas pictures and couldn't believe how much difference a year makes.

Here is a little trip down memory lane...

Christmas 2010

Now she's 16 months and such a BIG girl! She's turning into her own little person more and more every day.

Christmas 2011

Photos by Captured Memories Photography

I'm looking forward to taking LOTS of pictures this weekend of Gray and our family. Unfortunately I have to work on Christmas Night (Hospitals don't tend to observe holidays...people still get sick), so I'm going to soak up as much as I can while I'm at home!

What I Love Wednesday- Flattery Addition

2011-12-21T00:08:00.001-05:00

For this edition of What I Love Wednesday, I want to show of some of the crafty things that YOU have been doing that have been inspired in some way by something you saw at Grits & Giggles.

It is soooo flattering to see a craft that someone else made using YOUR tutorials Linked Up to parties for others to see. That's why we blog and share ideas....to help out each other's creative itch and make our homes and lives a little more crafty and beautiful!

Here are three projects that three very talented ladies put together, as well as the Grits & Giggles version. I found these through friend's blogs and through link parties....

I was blown away by the cuteness of this wreath made for....a GUY! (Doesn't that "S" look like stitched leather???) I was thrilled to see that she had used our Funky Christmas Wreath tutorial. See Kimberly's post over at Simply Living.

Here is our Funky Christmas Wreath Tutorial

My BFF and "Lil Sis" from college, Morgan, who blogs over at Monogram Addict, made this adorable Halloween wreath. I love her "Trick or Treat" sign! Why didn't I think of Candy Corn? Such a cute touch.

Here is our Spooky Halloween Wreath Tutorial

My college friend Kristen made a beautiful SC map out of scrapbook paper over at B.A. In Housewifery

The scrapbook map was Inspired by The I {Heart} South Carolina Patchwork

Thanks for Reading, and Sharing your craftiness with others!

Here's your featured button Crafty Friends!

Updates

2011-12-20T13:12:00.002-05:00

I have been Busy, Busy, Busy updating things around the good 'ol blog. I have added TONS of DIY's to the TUTORIALS page. I didn't realize how behind I had gotten! You can now find all of the Christmas tutorials there, including the

Christmas Carol Art

Christmas Tree Tee

And

Funky Christmas Wreath, as well as many others.

I'm also busy in my sewing room (Or disaster room, as Hubby calls it) working on some new things for the SHOP. Once the New Year rolls around all too soon, I'll be adding some colorful and fun new items.

Natural Goodness Ornaments {Tutorial}

2011-12-18T17:41:00.002-05:00

Here is my original post over at The Crafty Nest for Vanessa's 12 Days of Christmas. There were some seriously cute decor/gift ideas so if you missed it, go check it out!

Hey Ya'll! I'm Jenilyn and write all about my adventures in Mommyhood and crafting over at Grits & Giggles. I'm a southern girl who loves to cook, craft, and love on my Husband and 16 month old baby girl.

I love to collect ornaments. I have TONS of ornaments at home from special occassions, vacations, or unique finds at shops. We have a very ecclectic Christmas. Each ornaments has a story or an inspiration.

On a recent trip to Tennessee, I saw some adorable "natural" Christmas ornaments in a mountain shop, and I knew I had to have them on my tree this year. I want to share with you how to make your own "Natural Goodness" ornaments for your tree, or for your home! Throw them in a basket for a fun earthy decoration year-round. Materials

Plain Christmas Ornaments
Jute
3-4 sticks (1/2"-1" in diameter)
Saw or Drimmel Tool
Hot glue

Directions

Step 1: Begin with the Jute ornament. Take the end of your jute and tie a knot (leave it on the spool, don't cut it!)

Step 2: Place some hot glue on the bottom center of your ornament and glue the knot down

Step 3: Begin wrapping your jute around the ornament, gluing a little as you go

Step 4: Continue wrapping, pressing each round of jute into the previous one to get good coverage on the ornament.

Step 5: When you get to the top of the ornament, cut off the and of your jute, tie a knot and glue it down.

To make the "Woodsy" ornament, begin by carefully cutting your sticks. Cut discs 1/4" to 1/2" thick using a saw or drimmel tool.You will need around 50 disks to cover your ornament. Don't worry if they're a little misshapen, or have rough edges, that's what makes them beautiful!

Begin gluing your disks around your ornament. Try to fill in gaps and holes with smaller or broken pieces.

Step 9: Continue gluing until your ornament is covered with woodsy goodness.

Tie a ribbon or jute tie on the top of each ornament, hang and enjoy!

Or place them in a basket and enjoy year round. Just remove the "ornament hanger" and cover with wood or jute.

Brought to you by:

WINNER

2011-12-16T23:06:00.000-05:00

I am overwhelmed with the number of entries for the Reversible Headband Giveaway!! Thanks again to Sew, Mama, Sew for hosting a great giveaway day!

I am happy to announce the winner of the giveaway is

Kim of TatjanaGrace.

Kim, a special headband will be headed your way soon. Please respond to my e-mail so I can get your headband to you!

For those who didn't win, but still love the headbands (What's not to love???) You can still get yours from the SHOP in time for Christmas! All orders received by Monday evening in the US will be at your door by Christmas. Don't forget to use coupon code "BlogLove" to get 15% off of your order!

Thanks again to everyone who entered the giveaway. I hope you'll all come back to visit at Grits & Giggles. Stay a while and check out all of the fun DIY's and Tutorials, as well as some Mommy fun too.

Christmas Carol Art {Tutorial}

2011-12-15T19:24:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago Natalie from Johnny in a Dress invited me to post for her Christmas tutorials round up. Here is my original post from Johnny in a Dress. I have really enjoyed these hanging in my kitchen this season!!

I am so excited to be here at Johnny in a Dress today to share with you how to make my

{Distressed Christmas Carol Art}

I'm Jenilyn, author of Grits & Giggles, my DIY and creative outlet. I am a Laboratory Scientist by trade, but my real love is being a wife and mommy!

Let's get started!

Materials:

8"x10" canvas (as many as you want, I used 2)

Fabric paint

Printed Christmas Carol Lyrics (more on this later)

Ribbon

Gel Medium (found at craft stores in the paint section)

First, paint your canvases a background color with fabric paint. They can be any color that you want to fit your Christmas/holiday decor, but make sure it's not too dark. You want black print to show up on it.

Using a pencil, lightly stencil or freehand a design on the canvas. This will be a guideline for painting.

Using fabric paint, fill in your design. Remember that you'll have print over it, so don't go too over the top with a beautiful and ornate image, because some of the image will be covered.

I did a ball wreath and a simple Christmas Tree.

Now you need your Christmas Carols.

Here are some notes:

You must print them Backwards. You will be transfering them face down, so they must be reversed on paper to be right on the canvas.

Use a printer or copier with TONER. You must use toner to get a transfer. Ink will not work.

Use the cheapest paper possible to print your text. No cardstock or photo paper, just the cheap white stuff is perfect.

Here are the two carols I used:

Jingle Bells

Deck the Halls

Feel free to use these or create your own!

Here is where we use our Gel Medium

Once all of your paint is dry, brush a generous, but thin layer of gel onto your canvas.

Lightly spritz one of your carol papers with water and lay it writing side down onto the gel. Use a credit card or your fingers to get out any air bubbles. Let these dry overnight.

Once they're dry, spritz the paper with water until it's a little see through.

Now comes the fun part....start rolling the paper off! Use your finger or a sponge to lightly pull and roll the paper off of the canvas. You'll see the print stays on the canvas! The harder you rub, the more likely you are to remove some of the print, so be careful. I like mine "distressed" so I always rub into a few letters.

It can take several steps to remove all of the paper. Just keep rewetting and rolling until you have most of it removed. It takes me 5-6 times.

Once your canvases have dried, apply a thin coat of the gel medium to seal everything in and give it a shiny finish.

I made two canvases, so I wanted to connect them for hanging. Use hot glue to attach ribbon to the back of your canvases to connect them.

Then apply a loop of ribbon for hanging to the top of your canvas.

Hang, and ENJOY!

Thanks again to Natalie for having me over today! I've enjoyed sharing some Christmas crafting joy with Ya'll. Come on over to Grits & Giggles to check out other DIY ideas in our Tutorials section. There's lots of great ideas for Simple Christmas Gifts, Sewing Clothing, and Party Decor.

*Merry Christmas Ya'll*

New Etsy Additions

2011-12-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

It's about time I added some more color to the SHOP.

The Bella Citrus Reversible Headbands have been so popular in the shop, that it was time to add a new color scheme!

Introducing....Bella Grape!

Find them HERE in the Shop.

Retro combinations of Purples, Greens, and Oranges make this collection of headbands funky and beautiful.

And the best part....they are one $5.00!!! A 2-in-1 headband for $5.00!

There are 5 wonderful patterns to choose from, all unique and fabulous.

You can pick your own two patterns, or they can be a surprise!

Love the headbands, but don't love purple....then check out the Bella Citrus color collection for vibrant blues, oranges and greens!

Don't forget to use coupon code "BlogLove" to get 15% off of your order. There are still a few days to get orders in to be at your door in time for Christmas! These would be a perfect stocking stuffer!!

*Happy Shopping*

What I Love Wednesday!!!

2011-12-13T23:16:00.000-05:00

It's time for another day of showing off what YOU have been working on! I needed some Christmas inspiration, mostly for next year since the house is already decorated...but it's never too early to look! This ornament hanger from A Diamond in the Stuff is sooo adorable!

Window Ornament Hanger

This wreath steals my wreath-loving heart! Ya'll MUST check out the snowy pictures over at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs.

Holiday Wreath

How pretty are these natural ornaments from The Letter 4??

Dried Fruit Ornaments I am a huge fan of State-themed goodies....so these State ornaments by Pickup Some Creativity made me Oh so happy!

Love Where You Live Ornaments As always, you can find beautiful and simple gift ideas from Delia at Delia Creates. I love all of her ear warmers!!

Ear Warmers Here's your featured button Crafty Friends!!

If you haven't entered the GIVEAWAY, make sure you do it! I'll pick a winner on the 16th at 8:00. Also go to Sew, Mama, Sew for ALL of the Giveaway Day participants. There are Hundreds of Giveaways!!!

GiVeAwAy -Closed-

2011-12-12T16:16:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again Crafty Friends!! It's time for Giveaway Day at Sew, Mama, Sew.

If you've never heard of Giveaway Day you MUST check it out! There are TONS of bloggers and shop owners giving away great stuff such as accessories, baby items, fabric bundles, and patterns. Go enter some giveaways!!!

This time around Grits & Giggles will be giving away one of our adorable, adult sized Reversible Fabric Headbands!!

{Colors will vary from photo}

Here's how you enter:

Leave me a comment on this post telling me your absolute favorite color and/or pattern. Yep...that's it! I may just use this information to make your headband special for YOU. So if you love pink and polka dots....or yellow and stripes....tell me!

Additional entries: Leave a comment for each if you are

a) A Grits & Giggles follower on GFC

b) A follower on Facebook

c) A follower on Pinterest

Current and NEW followers count!

I will draw the winner via Random.org on December 16th at 8:00pm South Carolina time! Make sure you leave your e-mail address, or have it linked to your profile so you can be contacted if you win.

Don't forget to check out what else is in the Grits & Giggles Shop, and use the coupon code "BlogLove" to get 15% off of your order! There's still time to get in orders for Christmas!

Christmas Coasters

2011-12-11T22:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's the tiniest little Christmas decorations that make a home feel completely ready for the holidays. With a 1 year old in the house, I've had to keep my "eye level" decorations to a minimun to keep them out of curious little hands. I did, however want something cute for my coffee and end tables in the living room....

*Christmas Coasters*

I love making these coasters....it's super cheap and easy! I used my own method for putting them together.

You can find the tutorial HERE or under my tutorials section!

How cute do they look with a cheerful snowman mug on top??? There's no easier way to add a little touch of a holiday to your table.

I may have created a little monster with these. A set for every holiday??? Every month of the year perhaps???

Guest Posting

2011-12-09T06:35:00.004-05:00

Hey Crafty Friends! Today I'm over at The Crafty Nest guest posting for their 12 Days of Christmas!

I'm sharing how to make these Oh-So-Easy and beautiful "Natural Goodness" ornaments for your tree or your home!

Click Here for the tutorial...

Hop on over there and check it out.

Happy Crafting!

Guest Posting

2011-12-08T11:00:00.002-05:00

Come join me over at Johnny in a Dress today! I'm showing everyone how to make

{Distressed Christmas Carol Art}

It's a super fun way to liven up your doors, mantles, or shelves this Christmas Season. See you there!!

Featured At:

Christmas Gifts!!

2011-12-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

There's still time to place orders for Christmas Gifts from

Grits and Giggles on Etsy.

And..... there's a coupon!! Use coupon code "BlogLove" at checkout to receive 15% off of your entire order!

Perhaps you need stocking stuffers....

Reversible Headbands are perfect for all girls and women. Bright colors make these fun and fashionable.

How about some Fabric Rosette Earrings

There's still time for me to make you a customized Carolina Breeze Bag

And of course....for that Mommy or Mommy-To-Be in your life.... Teething Pearls!!!

These are our signature item and are loved by all of the Mommies who use them! They are a natural way for your baby to push their teeth through without tearing up your good necklaces! Fun and fashionable colors make these the perfect accessory for Mommies with teething little ones.

Support Mommy-Made this Christmas!!

*Happy Shopping*

Cupcakes {Tutorial}

2011-12-01T07:30:00.001-05:00

A few days before Thanksgiving, my Deddy (yes...with an "e"), asked me if I could make some Pinapple Upside-Down cupcakes that he had seen on a TV show. I said "SURE" and asked for the recipe so I could whip them up for our family get-together. Of course....he didn't have a recipe. I figured I would make them like tiny versions of the popular cake! And ya'll....they turned out adorable and oh so delicious!

So I'm sharing my recipe and how I put them together.....

Ingredients:

1 box of yellow cake mix (it's smart...not cheating)

Eggs, water, and oil that your cake mix requires for baking

1 large (16oz) can of crushed pineapple

Small jar of cherries (the kind for desserts or sundaes)

Brown sugar

Makes 24 cupcakes

I started by spraying my cupcake pans really good with cooking spray. You won't use paper liners and we DON'T want these to stick.

Place a small spoonful of brown sugar in the bottom of each cup, then place a halved cherry in the center.

Open and strain your pinapple but Save The Juice, and put it aside. I used the pinapple juice instead of the water my cake mix called for to give the cupcakes a richer flavor. Mix up your cake according to the directions.

Place about 1 TBSP of crushed pineapple in each cup in your baking sheet, covering the cherry and the brown sugar. Mash it down a little to cover the bottom of the cup.

Pour in your batter until each cup is about 2/3 full. You want your cupcakes to bake flat and not dome up over the cups.

Bake according to the box and until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately run a knife around the outside of each cupcake to loosen it from the baking sheet.

I placed a flat baking sheet over my cupcake pan and flipped it over to remove my cupcakes. They should come out looking like tiny, adorable Pinapple Upside-Down Cakes!

Happy Baking!!

Funky Christmas Wreath {Tutorial}

2011-11-29T14:50:00.003-05:00

Here is the original tutorial from my guest post over at Sugar Bee Crafts. Some of you have shown me pictures of the wreaths YOU have made, and they look awesome! I would love for you to upload them to the Flickr Group.

.:*Fun and Funky Christmas Wreath*:.

I am so excited to be here at Sugarbee Crafts to share my wreath with you today!

There is nothing that says "Christmas Holidays" better than a festive wreath on the front door, waiting to welcome in family and friends! Today I'm going to show you how to put together a fun and funky Christmas wreath to brighten up the entryway to your home.

I'm Jenilyn, the author of Grits & Giggles. I love to write about my adventures in Mommyhood and Crafting.

Let's get started!

Materials:
1 Grapevine Wreath
2 or more colors of wide wired ribbon
Spools of tulle
Wood Letter (if wanted)
Paint (for wood letter)
Embellishments (Ornaments, flowers, floral picks)
glue gun
floral wire

Start by painting your wood letter. This could be a monogram, or a word if you want to use multiple letters like in THIS wreath. Set this aside to dry as you work on the rest of your wreath.

To make a large bow for the top of the wreath, take 10" of your wired ribbon and lay it in your hand (DON'T cut it!) Fold more ribbon over and lay it back across the bottom layer. Do this several times until you have a "stack" of ribbon. I did 6 passes. If you have a pattern on one side of your ribbon, twist the middle each time to keep the patttern on top.

Pinch your ribbon stack in the middle and tie it with floral wire to keep it together.

Fluff up each of the outer loops, pulling them outward to create a full bow.

Make smaller bows in the same way, using your coordinating ribbons.

Make some ribbon "flares" by overlapping two pieces of ribbon in an X shape, and tie them off with floral ribbon.

Make some tulle poofs by very loosely wrapping tulle around your hand.

Twist floral wire around the center, then fluff for a perfect tulle poof!

Finish painting your wood letter with dots, or stripes, or anything else that feels festive to you!

Now it's time to assemble! Start by placing your large bow on your wreath using the wire you tied it off with. It doesn't have to be at the center of the top...use your imagination.

Start adding your ribbon and tulle embellishments. Since you're attaching them with wire, you can always move them if you dont' like how it looks.

Fill in gaps and holes with more ribbons until it looks nice and full.

Now it's time for the *SpArKLe*!! Get out your ornaments, candy canes, glitter, or whatever else you want to use.

Lay your embellishments on your wreath to see how you would like them arranged. Fill in any thin spots on your wreath. Play around with it! Have some glittery flares coming out the side, add more ribbons, add candy canes, anything to make it POP!

Use hot glue to secure everything.

Add a glob of hot glue to the back of your letters, and place a piece of floral wire in the glue. This will help you attach your letter to the wreath.

Now hang your wreath on your door and admire your craftiness!

Thanks again to Sugarbee Crafts for having me over today. It's been fun! I would love for you to stop by and follow along with Grits and Giggles. Make sure you check out the tutorials page for lots of great ideas for Fall Decor, Sewing for Kids, Party Decor, Sewing for Mommy, and Gift Ideas.

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

Featured at:

Christmas Tee {Tutorial}

2011-11-27T23:05:00.000-05:00

It's the most WoNdErFuL Time of the Year! I love the Christmas season for sooo many reasons: Jesus's Birthday, time with family, twinkly lights, pretty paper, parades.....

To get Gray in the spirit with me, she needed something festive to wear! I'm going to show you how to make this simple, but adorable Christmas Tree Tee for your little one. Seriously, this took me about 30 minutes so it's a perfect naptime project!

Materials:

Plain t-shirt

green knit (scraps, or from an old t-shirt)

red ribbon

"sewing things"

Start by cutting your green strips. I cut 7 total, 1" wide and the following lengths: 10", 9", 8", 7" 6", 5", 4". If you need a smaller tree, take out two larger strips, if you need a larger tree, add a couple to the bottom. Mine was for a size 18 month shirt.

Also cut a 5" piece of red ribbon

Now we need to make Ruffles! Set your sewing machine to its longest stitch length and sew straight down the middle of each strip. Make sure you DON'T backstitch.

Grab the bobbin thread (the bottom one) on each strip and pull to ruffle your fabric strip. Pull until you get a nice, even ruffle. The 10" strip should end up to be about 7" in length once it's ruffled.

Pull and adjust each of your ruffles until you like the shape of your tree.

Pin each ruffle on and sew down the middle onto your shirt.

Keep sewing on ruffles until your tree is done. Make sure you backstitch at the beginning and end of each strip so they stay in place.

Stitch the middle of your red ribbon to the shirt. Tie it into a bow and hand tack the bow and tails in place so it doesn't come untied.

Put the tee on your little one and spread the holiday cheer!

Don't forget to check back next week when I'll be guest posting at two AmAzInG blogs, Johnny in a Dress, and The Crafty Nest. I've got a couple more suprises for you this week too!!! Lots of Christmas cheer is coming your way!

Big Shout Out

2011-11-26T11:28:00.001-05:00

I wanna give a HUGE shout-out to our Volleyball Team!! We WON our league championship this week!

(Photo courtesy of my Dad's Blackberry. Sorry for the fuzz)

Now...this win is extra-super-duper exciting because we lost Every. Single. Game. of the season. We just got together at church and played for fun, decided to join a league, and found out really quick that we were a little underprepared.

There were a lot of close matches, but we never could pull out a win. The night of the Championship, we rallied to beat the teams in the bracket. It was a such a great day for our team, and it was even better to be a church family accomplishing fun and exciting things.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T01:17:00.006-05:00

{Today I am Thankful For}

All of the blessings God has given me

My loving, hard working husband

My sweet little girl and her always-smiling face

My family, who has always been there for me.

Friends who are there no matter what

A job that I love and love to do

My church family

Health and Happiness

.:I hope you and your families have a wonderful, safe, and happy Thanksgiving:.

*Don't do too much shopping Friday*

What I Love Wednesday

2011-11-23T02:00:00.000-05:00

It's time for another What I Love Wednesday, where I get to show off what YOU have been up to this week! I'm loving all of the fall and Thanksgiving themed crafts and foods I've seen floating around. Natalie at Johnny In A Dress has put together a great tutorial on how to make these Darling turkey applique shirts.

Turkey Shirt Tutorial Edible turkeys from The Seven Year Cottage

Edible Turkeys

Sweet Thanksgiving Treats from Simple Girl

Candy Cornucopia I'm always looking for cute bows for Gray, and this one is TOO cute!

Turkey Bow at Shirley's Craft Blog

What's Thanksgiving without food??? This Cranberry-Pumpkin Cake makes my mouth water just LOOKING at it.

Cranberry-Pumpkin Cake by Singing With Birds Here's your featured button Crafty Friends!

I hope you've all enjoyed the Thanksgiving goodness. Stop by these crafty blogs to check out their tutorials, as well as all of the other wonderful things they have to offer!

Coming Soon....

2011-11-22T22:55:00.000-05:00

Hello Crafty Friends! I know it seems like I've been very absent from crafting lately...but it's exactly the opposite! I'm guest posting this season on THREE amazing websites and have been getting things together and lined up for them.

I hope you all got a chance to see the Christmas Wreath Tutorial over at Sugar Bee Crafts.

On December 8th, you can find me with Natalie over at Johnny In A Dress showing you how to make some adorable Christmas Carol Art. It's still in the works, but will be done very soon.

On December 9th, I'll be with Vanessa over at The Crafty Nest showing you how to make some natural, earthy goodness for your tree this year. Here's a little sneak peak....

We'll be putting the tree up on Thursday (Our Thanksgiving tradition). Too bad I can only decorate from about 3 feet and up. Gray is a climber and would terrorize the lower ornaments if I had them hanging in her reach! At least the top half of the tree will be pretty.

No More Home Games

2011-11-20T20:16:00.000-05:00

We've got no more home games in Death Valley this year. My Tigers did us all very proud, with a perfect record at home. They've had a few issues here lately, and the record has gone to 9-2, but that's still a great season!

We've got Carolina coming up next week which is always a BIG game...then the ACC championship! I'm glad we made it in early, because that takes a lot of pressure of the rest of the season. We'll hope for a win at the championship then see where we go "bowling."

Gray has spent the whole season shouting "Go Go Go" everytime she sees something football related. I think she's saying her Tigers are #1!

She wasn't excited for our family picture

With Nana!

We missed Adam, but he was sick, so it was best he wasn't there!

Aunt Kaileigh loves chasing Gray around.

Too. Much. Excitement.

Going to the Championship!! (We're not field rushers...but I like to watch.)

Giving her thumbs-up of approval for the Tigers...even in her sleep!

Bless her heart. Kissing the angel.

I can't resist that face.

We'll be sitting in front of the TV all weekend to see how the games play out. Good luck to everybody's team (except Carolina....sorry)! I'll pull for ya'll when you aren't playing my Tigers!!

Guest Posting

2011-11-18T12:58:00.003-05:00

Today I'm over at Sugar Bee Crafts with a tutorial on how to make this

.:*Fun and Funky Christmas Wreath*:.

They have a HUGE lineup of crafty bloggers with tutorials for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Wintertime. Hop on over there and check them all out!

What I Love Wednesdays

2011-11-16T00:30:00.003-05:00

It's time for another What I Love Wednesday! Each week I feature and show off what YOU have been up to. This week I want to show off some lovely sewing projects..... Ya'll know I love a good Knock Off dress from Anthropologie.

Here's one from my favorite sister blogging team!! Kojo Designs. I like this better than the original!

Gorgeous Anthropolie Knock-Off by Kristna J. How much do I love these fabric coasters?? Gray throws our ceramic ones so this would be a great non-breakable idea!

Fabric Coasters by The Little Giggler I'm pretty sure Gray needs one of these Button Shirts!

Button Shirt by My Own Road

These "His and Hers" outfits are just too cute!

By The Creative Vault

Grab your featured button Crafty Friends!

I'm keeping my eyes open this week for some Christmas goodies. It's never too early to craft for a holiday...as long as you don't put the decor out! Thanksgiving MUST come first! Have a great week Crafty Friends!

The Big 400

2011-11-15T16:41:00.000-05:00

400 Followers!!

Ya'll are seriously awesome! I never thought when I started this little blog a few months ago that it would be any more than a crafty/mommy diary for me. I LOVE sharing Crafts, DIY, Recipes and Mommy things with all of you, and I especially love all of the sweet comments you leave each day. I read each and every one and respond when I can!

Thank You So Much!!

Christmas Gifts

2011-11-10T00:35:00.001-05:00

Hello Crafty Friends! As much as I don't want to think about it, Christmas will be here before we know it! Have you done any holiday shopping???

The Grits and Giggles Shop is stocked for Christmas with perfect gifts for yourself or a mommy on your list. Use the Coupon Code "Bloglove" to receive 15% off of your order from now until Christmas!

Do you know of a Mommy with a teething baby?? Teething Pearls are a lifesaver! They are a fun accessory for mommies to wear for baby to chomp and chew, instead of our good jewelry!

Shrimp Teething Pearls

Tootie Fruity Teething Pearls

Gray and I love ours and have several pairs around the house, in the car, and in the diaper bag!

Not a Mommy, or don't know of a mommy with a little one???

How about a bag for you?

The Carolina Breeze bag was supposed to be my summer bag, but I just can't put it away. It's soooo lightweight! They are totally customizable in burlap or duck cloth with any color accent and lining.

There's lots more in the shop too, including accessories for Women and little girls. Hop on over there and check it out! Have you seen something on the blog that you love that isn't in the shop? I would love to do a custom order for you! Just shoot me a custom request on Etsy!

Happy Shopping!

What I Love Wednesday

2011-11-09T23:54:00.000-05:00

It's another addition of What I Love Wednesday!

I love featuring other crafty bloggers and showing off their fun, unique, and inspiring work!

This week I'm showing off some picks that I am loving for decorating Fall themed, or Thanksgiving tables, doors and rooms. I need to change up my decor....so these crafty ladies have got me thinking....

Candles are a must for my fall table:

Burlap Candles from Adventures of DIY Mom

Corn Candle Holders from Crissy's Crafts

Ya'll know I'm a sucker for a good wreath, so here's some very festive and pretty ones!

Here is a fun yarn and felt wreath from The Homes I Have Made

Here is a fun Burlap (Ya'll know I love burlap) rag wreath from A Fish Who Likes Flowers

And for a little inspiration:

I love this Wall Art by Thrive. She even has free Printables!

Here's your featured button crafty friends!

Stay tuned for more crafty goodness! If you have a project you would like featured, let me know about it! I would love to show YOU off!

Grits and Giggles

Clutch Love

Orange Gingham

Alumni Weekend

Weekend Away!!

Purple Gingham

What I love Wednesday

Diaper Sewing

Coming Soon....

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentines Treats

Time For Tea

Cloth Napkins

Tutorial Updates

Where did the time go???

{Tutorial} Vintage-y Napkin Rings

My Birthday Gift....

Valentine's Day Printables

Winner

26

{Tutorial} Orange Peel Sugar Scrub

Stay Up To Date!!

{Giveaway} And Printables!! (Closed)

Drying Flowers-Simple Tips

What I Love Wednesday

My New Dress

Open Again

We're Baaaaack!!

A Little Vacation

Sew Can She

What I Love Wednesday

Make Your Own Skinny Jeans {Tutorial}

New Pretties

Christmas Fudge (In 3 Minutes!)

Christmas Memories

{Crafty Year in Review} Part 2

{Crafty Year in Review} Part 1

Party Time

A New Quilt

Christmas Time....

Remembering

What I Love Wednesday- Flattery Addition

*Updates*

Natural Goodness Ornaments {Tutorial}

WINNER

Christmas Carol Art {Tutorial}

New Etsy Additions

What I Love Wednesday!!!

***GiVeAwAy*** -Closed-

Christmas Coasters

Guest Posting

Guest Posting

Christmas Gifts!!

Cupcakes {Tutorial}

Funky Christmas Wreath {Tutorial}

Christmas Tee {Tutorial}

Big Shout Out

Happy Thanksgiving!

What I Love Wednesday

Coming Soon....

No More Home Games

Guest Posting

What I Love Wednesdays

The Big 400

Christmas Gifts

What I Love Wednesday

Updates

GiVeAwAy -Closed-