4x4 "No-Melt" Snowman!!!

I was asked to do a guest post last year for Missy over at So You Think You're Crafty. She was in between competition seasons and needed a few pre-holiday filler posts. It was so much fun! And my first real introduction to her great blog.
I have been asked several times since then about this little guy and realized I never re-posted the tutorial here on Craft Goodies. Well the timing couldn't be better to do so, so let me introduce you to my 4x4 No-Melt Snowman!

Tell me that doesn't make you smile?

Even better he was super quick and easy to put together.

You'll need just a few things to roll out one of these guys:

4x4 post cut into 5 pieces

bottom piece measures 11.5 inches long

middle piece is 9 inches long

shoulder piece is 6.5 inches long

head is 3.5 inches long

and hat is 4.5 inches long

small piece of 1x6 inch pine

cut to 5.5 x 5.5 inches (should be a nice little square)

wood glue

paint and brushes

white, black, and orange

sandpaper

2 twigs for the arms

fun snowman-y accessories

fabric scarf, ribbon, buttons, holly, snowflakes, etc

Tools needed:

Miter Saw to cut the 4x4

*you can get the post cut to size at Home Depot or Lowe's if you don't have access to a saw

Drill and Drill bit

*drill bit should be just wider than your twigs

Start by painting the blocks. All body pieces white, the hat and square base pieces black.

Once they are dry, rough them up with your sandpaper.

Remove any dust. Using the wood glue to hold everything together, start making your snowman. Glue the hat pieces together, being sure to center the block piece onto the square piece and set aside to dry.

(I found it was easier to create the face if I left the hat off until the very end.)

Glue the body and head pieces together, centering each block onto the larger on below it then set aside to dry.

Once the body is dry, you're going to drill the holes for the arms. One on each end of the "shoulder" block drilled on an angle so the arms don't stick straight out!

From there you're ready to make your snowman yours.

I set the twig arms in place with a hot glue gun, and then painted the rosy cheeks. The nose came next, it's a small wood rectangle cut from a paint stick, and last I drew on the eyes with a sharpie.

Once I had my face done I glued the hat into place and finished dressing my snowman.

I used a scrap of fabric for the scarf and matching ribbon for the hat band. Some fun wood stars painted black down the front instead of buttons and then some other fun odds and ends to give him a little more personality.

Get creative and enjoy making your wintry friend! Or go crazy and make a bunch, we all need a friend or two, right?
 

Enjoy your holiday season and happy crafting.

 

Holiday Updates!!!

Holy Moly! What a crazy month it's been! I have been wanting to get back on here and life just hasn't been letting me. But today I say -Life, deal with it! I am slowly getting back to "in control" of my life and its chaos and am finding time to sit back and do a few things for me. Selfish, I know but it really has been a long time since I have done something that I wanted to. And now, I want to share...   Backstory...about a year before I moved to Texas, my friend and I started a craft group. We meet once a month to get crafty and just reconnect. Super fun! Loved it. It evolved while I was gone but was still going when I moved back and these great ladies let me back into the fold--happy me! So it's my month to come up with the project and sure as rain, I couldn't make a decision. Instead of one project I made four. (In reality, I think it was the wanting to do for me that came shining through...)   I did narrow it down but still wanted to share them all so here you go, my "holiday updates"...

 

This is the project we will be doing. I have to admit the idea wasn't mine. I saw a version of it on a guest post done at Wood Connection and fell in love with it! It was super simple and looks so super cute on my front porch. The best part is my girls. I overheard them the other day directing traffic--Halli you go see Santa, Reegan you can play the Reindeer Games, and I'll be at the Candy place! So funny, I love it!

 

 

I wanted a fun centerpiece for my table that could last the season not just Christmas so this little sleigh was born. It's a box with the front and back pieces being the sleigh cutout. I debated setting a potted poinsettia inside but as I have a knack for killing them, I opted for fake instead.

 

I love this!

I made some for a bazaar several years ago and kicked myself for not keeping one.  It's okay though, cause I have one now. It's made from pine 1x4's and a 1x6 rounded on the ends, a 1x2 across the front for braces, and 2 1x3's cut on an angle for the treads. Again, I thought about adding a live wreath but fake won out in the end.

 

And last, I needed a new door decoration. I love the shape of vintage glass ornaments so opted for that. I cut it from 1/2 inch MDF and then made it pretty with paint, vinyl snowflakes, a little bit of greenery, and of course glitter!

It coordinates with the wreath on the sled so my front porch is looking pretty darn festive. I smile every time I come home--I love this time of year! Wish my porch could be this happy all the time.

 

I have a few more "updates" I want to share and of course the ornament exchange pictures will go up here in a day or so, so be looking for them. They are, like always, amazing.

 

Hope all is going well and your holiday season is off to a great start,

happy crafting!

Last Day--Don't Miss the CG Ornament Exchange!!!

Time's almost up!  Today is the last day to jump in on this year's ornament exchange! If you need the details, just scroll down to the previous post. I've got a great list of awesome ladies but there is always room for more, so drop me an email if you'd like to play. Exchange names will go out to participants on Wednesday. Happy Crafting!!! 

CG Ornament Exchange...it's BACK!!!

CG Ornament Exchange is HERE!!!

As I have been trying to get my life unpacked and put back together one thing kept running through my mind..."You have to be back up and blogging by November to do the ornament exchange!" 

This has become such a fun part of my holiday season, it really would not be the same without it, so here we go friends...

I am beyond thrilled to announce sign ups for this year's

Craft Goodies Christmas Ornament Exchange

are now OPEN...

 

Want to play along? Here's what you need to know:

Sign ups are open from today 11/06 through Monday 11/19.

To officially "sign-up" send me an email with your mailing address and full name as well as the number of ornaments {1-10} that you want to exchange.

 

Ornaments can be hand made or store bought, which ever fits your style and schedule. You will receive the same number of ornaments back that you send out. Please also include a card or note with your ornament to introduce yourself and pass along a little holiday cheer.
{It's kind of fun to include a small treat with your ornament but not necessary.}

 

You will receive an email by 11/21 with the names and addresses that you send your ornaments to--one ornament per name.
The names will all be different so making the same ornament is totally okay!

MAIL DEADLINE IS MONDAY, 12/3!!!
How you ship the ornaments is up to you, but please don't miss the deadline so that they arrive in time to hang them on the tree.

And last, I'd LOVE it if you'd email me a picture of your ornaments before you send them out. Last year I received so many notes back saying how cute the ornaments were and I had no idea what they looked like! So I'm just putting it out there...I WANT TO SEE ALL THE ORNAMENTS! And, I'm pretty sure everyone else does too...that way I can also share an exchange post high lighting all your awesome-ness.

***check my archives from Nov 2010 or  Nov 2011 for ideas from the past
Ornament-A-Day series***

That's it! Super simple and tons of fun! I'd love to have you join me. You can email me at { wmgar@comcast.net } to get on the list.

Happy Crafting.

 

LDS Wall Art 50 % 0ff Special Offer!!!

It's been so long, I almost forgot how to do this! But, I have a really neat little something to share with you. Something worth putting aside the house re-vamping and jumping back into blogging for. To be honest, this post won't appeal to all of you but to those that are willing to read a little further, I hope you find something worth holding onto in it.  

Image from LDS Wall Art

  To all my LDS friends out there, how many of you have a picture of a temple in your home? To be honest, up until about two years ago it didn't seem all that important to me. I love the temple, I love what it symbolizes and the peace it brings but I failed to realize the connection that even just a picture could bring into my home. Until my very wise and loving bishop said to me and my husband that every home, every room that holds someone you love should contain a picture of the temple to remind us all that there is where we want to be.   It worked and I am proud to say that each of the main rooms and bedrooms in my home all have pictures of a temple in them. And too, it is amazing what just having a picture can do for the atmosphere of my home. It's become sort of a mini-mission for me. I am determined to share my bishop's knowledge with my family, my friends, my ward members, any one willing to listen. So it made perfect sense to me when I was contacted by a friend from LDS Wall Art to share what they have to offer with my friends here on my blog.   What they have are beautiful, museum quality canvas prints of many of the LDS temples. They are described as follows:  "Temples are beautifully designed with watercolor aesthetics. They are printed on premium museum quality canvas and can be customized with up to two lines of personalized text. Customizations are not required but can complement the image by highlighting family names and/or the marriage/sealing date(s). Text positioning, font, and size are as shown in the product image . The Fine Art Custom Temple series was professionally photographed and edited by the artist in an effort to elegantly represent the beauty of each temple. The modern colors and textures resemble water color fine art which politely enhances any room. All customizations are done by the original artist to guarantee high quality and a pleasing aesthetic."  

Image from LDS Wall Art

  And I can tell you they are beautiful. I received a 12 x 18 inch enhanced print to look over and see if I thought it worthy of sharing with you here. I chose the Logan temple, as that's where my family was sealed when I was little. I love it. So much so, that I framed it and am planning on giving to my dad. The colors are subtle, very warm and comforting to look at. I truly believe he will enjoy it as much as I do and am thrilled to be able to share it with him.   So here's the part that I get to share with you. From now until the end of the year--that's December 31st, the good folks at LDS Wall Art are giving my readers 50% off the temple of your choice in the complete Fine Art Temple collection.   You get a premium museum quality canvas, available in two different sizes, that can be personalized for you and your family. What an amazing gift for an anniversary, sealing, Christmas, or even just because. So go check it out. You can find them at www.LDSWallArt.com and once you've found the temple you want be sure to use this code for your 50% off...   TEMPLEWMCG50   If you're not quite ready to order yet, don't miss out. Jump on over to their facebook page and "like" them for up to date promos, announcements, and general info.   Buy one from this great company or not, I would encourage you to have a picture of the temple in your home. Talk about the temple with your kids, let them know what a beautiful and special place it is so that they too will want to be there. Let the spirit of the temple fill your home and enjoy the peace that comes from it's presence.   Have a wonderful day, it's good to be back... Happy Crafting to you all!  

  Seriously! It's been a month already, where did it go? So, the house is coming along, slowly--there was and is so much to do. Our renter's didn't take very good care of it so it's been A LOT of work. I keep telling myself that with all the repairs and changes we've had to make it's like getting a brand new house that I'm totally familiar with! It will be fun to share it all...once it's finally done!   But until then...it's a Wood You Like to Craft? week!  The theme this month is GROWTH CHARTS and I'm up and sharing today...

Jump on over and say hi! It's always a fun week over there...

Happy crafting.

So amid the chaos of trying to unpack and remodel the house so that it's livable life still goes on in other places...that other place today is Wood You Like to Craft?

The theme this month is "Organization"--perfect for my current state of living. I'm sharing how to make this personalized crate. So many uses and so super cheap! Go check it out...

Happy Crafting.



Upholstered Foyer Bench...SYTYC Winning Project...Part 2!!!

I have to tell you of all the projects I made over these past few months, I really am in LOVE with this one! It could be the slight love affair I'm having with anything gray at the moment, but really, there is just something super fantastic about this bench that makes me smile.

So let's spread the happy and make a few more!

I started with the frame-basic 2x4's for the sides and center support and MDF cut to size for the top.

As far as measurements go, I can tell you my bench is 12 inches wide by 4 ft long. But the great thing about this is it can be how ever big or small you need. And even better, if you need to have wood cut, the boys at Home Depot or Lowe's can cut it all to size for you!

Also, I used a nail gun to put it all together, but screws work too if you're more of a drill kinda girl!

While you're at the hardware store getting your wood, pick up a few of these...4 to be exact:

These are straight top plates. You'll find them next to the table/chair legs, which you'll also need to grab 4 of--size and shape of your choosing.

Because I wanted my bench just a bit taller than the legs Lowe's had I added a chunk of 2x4 to each corner. But if your legs work for your bench go ahead and add the plates to each corner and then screw the legs into place.

Paint your bench next.

Once it's dry add the foam to the top, cut and shape it to fit your bench.

 (I had to do a bit of piecing here and there because I was re-using a piece of bigger foam)

Repeat the same process with your fabric.

I laid mine out over the foam and then trimmed it so that it hung past the bottom of the foam by at least an extra inch in each direction.

I started on the long sides.

Turn the fabric under so that it lines up with the bottom of the MDF piece of wood and then staple it into place with a staple gun.

Repeat on the opposite side, beign sure to pull the fabric tight before you fold and staple.

Then move to the short ends.

I folded the fabric like I was wrapping a present, again just be sure to pull the fabric tight before you staple it into place.

For the ruffle, I measured all the way around my bench and then doubled it. I cut strips of fabric that were 7 inches wide and sewed enough of them together to get the length I needed. I also added a rolled hem to the bottom.

I started by folding about an inch of fabric back and stapling that into place at the top of the 2x4 frame. From there I worked in pleats all the way around the bench. 

Last I added the upholstery tacks to the gap between the two boards/fabrics using a hammer when needed.

If tacks aren't your thing a fun ribbon or trim would look really good too. You could even omit the ruffle and just do trim...so many possibilities!

From there, sit back on your cozy little bench while your toes flirt with the ruffles on your new rug and welcome your guests with a smile.

Happy Crafting.

Ruffled Rug Tutorial...SYTYC Winning Project part 1!!!

I'm still shocked!

 Super thrilled and excited, but really shocked--I WON! I'm usally really great at second place, seems to be a trend for me, but not this time. I'm not quite sure how to handle it...

I guess I'll start with telling you how I made this little combo, starting with the rug.

This really was easy, just took a little bit of time.

I had a bunch of canvas drop cloth left over from my camp chairs so decided to use that as the base for the rug.

I knew the size of rug I wanted (4x5 finished) so I cut the canvas to just over double that

(4 ft 1 inch x 10 ft 1 in). Folded it in half, sewed the two side seams, flipped it right side out, tucked under 1/2 an inch and sewed it shut.

Using a sharpie and a yard stick I marked out the lines for my ruffles. I cut my ruffle fabric (jersey knit so I didn't have to hem it!) into 4 inch wide strips so my lines are 2.5 inches apart, allowing for lots of overlap.

I marked the rectangles all the way into the center until there wasn't enough room for another one and then just ran a single vertical line down the center.

From there I just started sewing! I am super great at "short cuts" so I didn't pre-ruffle my ruffles. I just tuck and gather as I go using my lines as a guide so things stay straight. But if you are a rule follower, go ahead and ruffle way, pin along the lines, and then sew.

I used approximately 4 yds of fabric, and cut my strips so that they were 4 yds long x 4 inches wide.

I sewed each line individually-finishing one square and then starting the next one with a seperate piece of fabric. Once I got to the center (that single vertical line) I ruffled the fabric down the center of the strip instead of the edge, using the line as my guide. That way, everything was filled in and looked finished.

Last, I went back through with a needle and thread and tacked down the ruffles at the corners and a few spots along each line of ruffle of keep the ruffles in place.

And then she's done! So cute and ruffle-y!

And just fantastic.

Thank you again, so much, for these past 10 weeks. I have loved every project and have added so many projects to my "to-make" list. The ladies I shared this season with are so very talented and inspiring.

Thank you and happy crafting to you all!