Rag Doll Tutorial

  Ok Ladies, I finally put together a tutorial! I have had so many of you ask me to do one, but between our family pictures and vacation last week I just didn't have time to post. Well here it is the Rag Doll Tutorial.

  Here is my pattern, it is very simple.

From Fall Family Pics

  How I came up with it was, I folded a 12x12 scrap book paper in half making it 6x12. Then I traced out my doll shape. A oval head with fat hands and feet. :)

From Fall Family Pics

  I love doing patterns like this because then I know both sides are exactly the same! After unfolding my doll came out to be 11in.x 7in. Which is a great size for little ones to handle :)

From Fall Family Pics

  Next I folded my skin colored fabric in half and traced my doll pattern.

From Fall Family Pics

  I like to save time by cutting both sides out together. I left about a 1/2 inch seam allowance, I did a zig zag stitch right over my traced line. I left a 2 1/2 in. to 3 in gap at the top of the head to turn it inside out, like a pillow.

From Fall Family Pics

  Once it is inside out you can start stuffing! I like to stuff the feet and arms first then continue from there.

From Fall Family Pics

  Once you are happy with how full and plush the doll is you just sew the top shut.

From Fall Family Pics

  Trim the excess and your little guy or girl is ready for hair!!!

From Fall Family Pics

  Here is my favorite part, customizing it to look just like your little cutie! I used felt for the hair since it doesn't fray! I also stitched hair strands in a dark color to add a little more interest. Sew the hair like a hat with a seam running down the sides of the head. turn inside out and hot glue it to the top of the head. I also like to put a few stitches it, just so I know it isn't going anywhere.

   To make this hair style I started with cutting out the shape of the hair sewing around the top and side edges.  Next I turned it inside out and cut out the face opening and bangs. I wish I would of took pictures of this process, but I was doing a different hair style for each doll, so I didn't make any patterns.

From Fall Family Pics

  Here is the other sister's doll, I LOVE making the clothing! It is so fun to create these little outfits with matching accessories :)

From Fall Family Pics

   It is all about details and the amount of time you are willing to spend on these dolls. I even added a little A to the backside of Abigail's doll. Just little things like that make them even more special!

From Fall Family Pics

  Here is a whole group of dolls I made for a friend! :D

From Fall Family Pics

   I hope you enjoy using this pattern and remember to HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!



Thanks for stopping by,

    Jeni

Creating a Family Look

From Fall Family Pics

 Well I am back with some awesome pictures to share! The fence was a success!!! Amy our photographer LOVED it so much she wants to buy it! ha ha ;) The hardest part was pulling together a family look that didn't look too matchy matchy. I first found material that had all the colors from our living room in it (because that is where the pictures will be hung). I made Abby a skirt from it, and made a cute flower pin for her little brown sweater. If you would like I could do a tutorial on that, just let me know ;) Next I found Greg and Cole's shirts from Target, and I already had the brown jacket from Cato's... It was finally coming together. I hung all the outfits on the fence, just to see if it was going to pull out the blues and reds. It looked great so we were good to go!

   I thinking having a GREAT photographer is definitely the KEY to amazing pictures! Amy from Murphy's Memories Photography was awesome with our kids!

From Fall Family Pics

  When I wanted to cry and pull my hair out because they were not cooperating, she was calm, cool, and collected. (Just what they needed) Because of that she was able to get 62 amazing proofs! I couldn't believe she got that many from what to me seemed like utter chaos. ha ha

 Ok lets look at some pics!

From Fall Family Pics

I think the red ric rac I put at the bottom hem was the perfect touch! Don't you just LOVE the adorable Flower pin I made out of scraps!!!

From Fall Family Pics

Abby and Mommy

From Fall Family Pics

Look at my FENCE, I just LOVE how it turned out!!! My kids are pretty cute too! ;)

From Fall Family Pics

Cole and Abby

From Fall Family Pics

My sweet little girl :)

From Fall Family Pics

My handsome little man

From Fall Family Pics

Hey everyone is looking and smiling!!! I am so happy I got this shot!

From Fall Family Pics

She took a bunch of them hugging and playing together. I love love LOVE it!

From Fall Family Pics

So what do you think, will you be painting a fence panel for your next family session? ;)

From Fall Family Pics

We were just happy it was over :P

   I cant wait to plan out my collage wall!!! I am pulling inspiration from Shelley over at House of Smiths (she is amazing and I got so many ideas from her family photo tips)  I will post updates when I get it started!


Thanks for stopping by,

Jeni Ream

On the Fence

  It is that time of year already? Fall Family Pictures :D  Well we have been super busy here getting things together for our family photo shoot. I am so excited, we are going to do it House of Smiths style! I just needed to find the perfect background. Sadly we don't have any cool painted brick like in their family photos, but I figured out a way to get that same POP in our photos.

Introducing the Becoming Martha style... (ha ha)

From September 26, 2011

  I got this 6ft x 8ft fence panel at Lowe's for $20 and finished all the coats of paint this afternoon. I am really loving all the colors. I wanted it to look like it was 100 years old, and the paint was fading and weathered. Here is some pictures I took of the kids just to see if the colors on the fence were going to be noticable.

From September 26, 2011

From September 26, 2011

From September 26, 2011

   Our photographer is coming over Thursday afternoon for our family photo shoot!!! I will be back with tons of pictures and tell you all about it! Hope you guys are having an amazing week!


Thanks for stopping by,

Jeni

The Paper Project

 Wow! has it really been two weeks since I last posted?! Well, I have a ton of projects to share with you this week! To start with... I wanted to add color to Cole's bedroom and make it look less grown up. Thankfully, my Cricut and eight dollars in scrapbook paper :) came to my rescue!!! It took about 30 minutes for the Cricut to cut out all the letters and numbers, and about an hour for me to hang them. I used a 300 ct. box of small glue dots to hang them.
 
Here are the results:


From September 8, 2011

  The room is fun and happy with all the colors of the alphabet and numbers.

From September 8, 2011

Sorry for the terrible pictures! I only have my cell phone right now to take pictures... A little girl I know, with big brown eyes, thought it would be fun to play with Mommy's camera. It has never been the same since. Sometimes it will work, and then it will die right away. 

From September 8, 2011

I am still in love with his board and batten! It looks just as great as the day I finished it, and since it is a semi-gloss finish it washes up nicely!

From September 8, 2011

  Here is the verse I chose to honor his daddy, and I think it is perfect for his room! Again, sorry for the grainy yuckiness! It really looks great in person and it added that perfect touch with the busyness of the adjacent wall. If it is hard to read, the verse says,
   " For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Romans 13:4

From September 26, 2011

From September 26, 2011

I love the way the planes make shadows on his walls. :)

From September 8, 2011

I think it really brings out the color of the stripes in the boarder around his pictures.

From September 8, 2011

From September 8, 2011

 It is a work in progress, but so far I am very happy with my progress! Is anyone else obsessed with scrapbook paper like me? Haha, Well, that's it until tomorrow! I have a great Knock Off to share with you :)

Thanks for stopping by,

  Jeni

Modern Vintage

     I think Abby's nursery is a perfect blend of modern and vintage. Tomorrow I am getting a vintage dresser for her room from a friend! I was going to paint it white, but I think I might just paint it Aqua!!! :) I really want to start adding touches of light aqua in with the pink and black.

From September 8, 2011

Next, I want to find a twin bed or maybe make a awesome upholstered headboard like this one...

From September 8, 2011

   or this one...

From September 8, 2011

   I would LOVE to find a cute little round table and chair set for her room too. Okay, well, enough of that for now. I have a project to share with you now :). Here is Abby's Silhouette wall!

From September 8, 2011

   I found all these frames at good will for $1- $2 each. Then, just using my cricut and scrapbook paper, I made these cuties. The little girl and boy I found on google and printed them out, cut, and traced them onto the back of black scrapbook paper. Then I just cut them out and glued them onto the patterned scrapbook paper! Easy Peasy.

From September 8, 2011

  I think they really do look like Abby and Cole! What do you think?

From September 8, 2011

From September 8, 2011

From September 8, 2011

 
I really LOVE the little white frames, but I want to find a real lock and key to go in them.

From September 8, 2011

  I saw the Child of God art on Etsy for $20, but I knew I could copy it for cheaper. I did 5 pink scrapbook papers at 49 cents each and the black velvet backside of the frame, which plays off the black velvet matting on the high heel picture. I think I will tie a black velvet ribbon in a bow around the key, when I find one. ;) For now I am calling this wall, DONE!

From September 8, 2011

From September 8, 2011

Thanks for stopping by,

Jeni

A Little Lace for a Lil Lady

     * OK, so can I start out by saying WOW!!!! WE reached 50,000 page views in 3 1/2 months!!!! I am so happy I could just BURST, really! What a huge blessing it is to be able to share with you my projects. The love and encouragement I receive through this blog is unmeasurable!!! I LOVE each and everyone of my *223 followers*! Thank You.



   I am sure you guys are like... another BABY GIFT POST!!! haha I told you we had a ton of pregnant ladies in my church. :) Well This gift is for a sweet friend of mine Ying and her husband Lue, who is Greg's new golfing buddy. Pray for me GOLF is an expensive sport! LOL Their sweet little girl Lilyanna Yang is due next month, and her shower was this past week. I wanted to get away from all the pink with this gift, so here is a purple and lace themed gift set.

  I started off by making this cute headband. When the other mothers saw it, I knew I would be making a few more of these beauties for their cuties! I think Abby's would look super cute in one too... ummm I am just adding to my already long list of projects. :)

From Purple and Lace

  Next I made a tutu with the same frayed flower and covered button, but I added lace around the edge as a finishing touch. Can I just say LACE is awesome!!! It added so much character to this tiny little tutu! Want to make your own... just follow my tutorial here.  I use ribbon for newborns, so they can be tied loosely around the baby's tummy. I sized mine by matching it up to one of Abby's old newborn skirts.

From Purple and Lace

From Purple and Lace

  Here is my new favorite pair of ballet flats! Look at the lace.... I can just hear the awwww from over here ;) If you are new to this baby shoe madness my tutorial is here!

From Purple and Lace

From Purple and Lace

 Personalized burp cloths are my favorite gift to make! Because they are so EASY! You can get a pack of 12 for $6! I like to give sets of three, two solid and one personalized.  Cut out a rectangle 1/4 inch larger than the center of the burp cloth. Press sides under, pin, and stitch on to burp cloth. Easy Peasy!

From Purple and Lace

  I had a ton of material left over so I made up a little Rag Doll too. Abby was convinced it was for her! So you know what I am doing this week... Making a larger Rag Doll with interchangeable clothing for her. Cole wanted a monster, so I am making him a Brobee Doll from Yo Gabba Gabba. :D

From Purple and Lace

  Here it is boxed and ready to go! :D

From Purple and Lace

   Did you see my $6 Pottery Barn Kids Art was featured on Tip Junkie and Knock Off Decor! It has been an AMAZING WEEK!!!



Thanks for stopping by,

Jeni Ream