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Quick, Easy, Cheap, Fun, and Beautiful Felt Bridesmaids Bouquets

This unique bouquet can be made in a few hours and will only cost you around $5 a bouquet. Since this is a non-traditional non-flower bouquet it can be kept for years to come. This will be a beautiful keepsake for your bridesmaids and can be made in any color to match your wedding colors.

What you will need:

• Felt – Joann Fabrics $3 a yard
  • For 1 bouquet you will need about ½ a yard.
• Lace Trim – Local Fabric Store $0.39
• Dowels – Michaels Craft Store $2 for 20
• Pins – Michaels Craft Store $2
  • I found great sewing pins with pearl heads.
• Gorilla Glue – Target $6
• 2 ½ ” Foam Ball – Local Fabric Store $0.39
• Trim – Local Fabric Store $1 a yard
• Hack Saw – Home Depot $4

Things around the house:

• Scissors
• Glue Gun

Optional:

• Sizzix Big Kick Die Cutter – Joann Fabrics $70
  • If you need to cut a ton of the same shape investing in a Big Kick Die Cutter is totally worth it but not necessary for this project.
• Sizzix Heart Die Cutter – Joann Fabrics $10

Step 1:

If you are using a Die Cutter cut out appropriate size squares and start die cutting hearts. If you are cutting out hearts by hand make a paper template about 3” at the widest part of the heart and start cutting. The amount of hearts you need will depend on the size foam ball you use. I used a 2 ½ ” foam ball and the bouquet came out to be approximately 6 ½ ” in diameter. But you will know how many hearts you will need once you start filling in the foam ball. Depending on how dense you want your bouquet you will probably need around 80-100 cut out hearts.

Step 2:

The dowels I got were 12” long so I took 3 of them and cut them in ½. Get out your hot glue gun and start gluing the 6” dowels together one by one. Once all the dowels are glued together run a line of glue along one of them and glue the edge of the lace onto the bundle. Wrap the lace around the dowels and glue the loose edges down. Now take your trim and glue it down on top of the edge of the glued lace. Now you have your handle!

Step 3:

Take your foam ball and push your dowel handle into the bottom of it until it feels secure. Then for added stability take out the handle and put some Gorilla Glue into the hole and put the handle back into the foam ball.

Step 4:

Take your pile of cut out hearts and take 4 out and arrange them like a 4 leaf clover. Glue each point of the heart to the next and fold the clover on top of itself and glue again. Fold the flower in half again and put a pin into the point of the flower. Put a little Gorilla Glue on the foam ball and pin the flower down. The nice thing about Gorilla Glue is that it expands when it dries. So it is the perfect glue for securing down your flowers into the foam ball.

Step 5:

Follow step 4 until you reach the handle at the base of your bouquet. Here I only folded my felt flowers in half once and pin/glued them down around the handle.

Step 6:

YOUR DONE! How easy was that! Now you have a beautiful bouquet for your bridesmaids for only around $5 each! These bouquets will give you all the look you want for your wedding for none of the cost!

DIY 3 Tier Cake Stand

Use your Cake Stand for Jewelry 

Make Your Own 3 Tier Cake Stand!

I LOVE vintage china and know it is the look I want for my wedding. A few weeks ago I went to the Cambridge Antique Market in Boston MA http://dsmeebee.blogspot.com/2011/08/cambridge-antique-market-hidden-gem.html and found a white 38 piece china tea set for only $25! I knew when I saw them they were perfect for making my very own 3 tier cake stands for the dessert buffet at my wedding. This tutorial will show you how to make a 3 tier cake stand with any antique dishes you can find.

What you will need:

• DSMeeBee Free Peony Stencil
  

  

  
  

• At least 3 plates of varying sizes or same size plates. $3
  • I used two different size plates and one sugar dish
• Tile and Glass Drill Bit – Home Depot $9 for a set of 4
• #8-32 x 36” Threaded Rod – Home Depot $2
• 1/2” Pex Pipe PVC – Home Depot $2
• Hack Saw – Home Depot $4
• Combo Pack of #8-32 nuts and 1/4” washers – Home Depot $5
• Drawer Pull – Home Depot $4
• Pipe Cutter – Home Depot $6
• Spray Paint that bond to plastic (whatever color you want)– Home Depot $6
• Acrylic Sealer Spray – Craft Store $7
• Glass Paint – Craft Store $6
• Contact Paper – Craft Store $2

Things you will need from home:

• Drill
• Tape
• Utility Knife
• Cutting Matte
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Thin Paint Brushes
• 2 Pairs of Pliers or 2 Small Wrenches

Step 1:

Measure the plates and or tea cups and use your pencil to mark the center point. After you have marked the center use your tile and glass drill bit to drill through your plate. I used the 1/4” bit which fit the #8-32 threaded rod perfectly. After the 3 pieces of china are drilled whip them down.

Step 2: (Optional)

My plates were white with gold trim so I wanted to add interest to the base plate by painting it. Print out the DSMeeBee Free Peony Stencil and cut out the size you wish to paint on your plate. I roughly cut out the largest stencil and taped it onto my contact paper. Once I taped the stencil on the contact paper I used my utility knife to cut out the white portions of the peony stencil. After the stencil was cut out I pealed the back of the contact paper off and applied it to the plate I wanted to paint. Then I used a very thin layer of glass paint to fill in the stencil. I let the paint dry and pealed the contact paper stencil off. I hand painted over the thin layer of paint that was already on the plate and outlined the peony stencil with gold to match the gold trim on the plates.

Add a hand painted touch!

Step 3:

Using your ruler measure approximately 16” on your threaded rod and cut it with your hack saw. Once your threaded rod is cut to the desired length take your PVC pipe and cut 2 pieces measuring 4” each and 1 piece measuring 8”. You can cut the PVC many ways but I used a pipe cutter which gave me a nice straight cut without using any power tools.

Step 4:

Using a plastic bonding spray paint spray your PVC the desired color you want and let it dry.

Step 5:

Take your base plate and thread your threaded rod through the hole you already drilled. On the bottom of the plate place a washer and nut. On top of the plate also place a washer and nut and using your 2 pairs of pliers or 2 wrenches or combo of each to tighten both nuts against each other to keep your plate in place. Taking another nut screw it down to approximately 8” from the base plate. Then take your painted 8” PVC pipe and cover the threaded rod making sure the top of the nut sits level with the top of the PVC pipe. Then take your washer and cover the top of the PVC pipe with it. This is where your next plate will site so it has to be nice and tight.

Step 6:

Take your second plate and put it on top of your PVC pipe, nut, and washer sandwich. Then put your next washer on top of your second plate and secure it down with another nut. Use your wrench or pliers to tighten the nut down until the whole assembly feels really tight. Then again screw down a nut on the threaded rod to approximately 4” from the top. Take one of the 4” painted PVC pipes and cover the assembly. Following Step 5 make sure the top of the nut is level with the top of the pipe. Place a washer on top of the pipe and put the third plate or tea cup on top of that assembly. Using your pliers or wrench tighten the third plate or tea cup with a washer and nut. On top of that again place your final piece of PVC and tighten it down with the drawer pull. Make sure the drawer pull you buy fits the threaded rod you are using.

Using a tea cup as part of your cake stand can be an awesome addition. The tea cup can be used to hold silverware, loose tea, cookies, jewelry, or anything you want. These unique cake stands can be used used for wedding dessert buffets, bridal showers, tea with the ladies, and a jewelry stand.

Put desserts or teas on your cake stand. 

Simple-ish Bird Cage Veil

When I say simple-ish I mean this should be simple but for me getting the netting just right took longer than expected. 

Things you will need:

• Small piece of felt or a stable piece of fabric - $ 0.50
• Feathers - $2.00 from Michaels
• Fabric Rose Clip - $1.00 from Forever 21
• Or you could make one- but come on a buck for a cute flower beats making one any day!
• French or Russian Netting 9 inch at $4.00 per yard from www.etsy.com
• I had a really hard time finding this type of netting in my local Boston fabric stores so my next best bet was etsy. You won’t need a whole yard but it might be good to have extra if you mess up. 

Total: $7.50 (WHAT! You can’t go wrong with that price!)


Things from home:

• Scissors 
• Needle and Thread 
• Mirror
• Glue Gun

Step 1: Cut the Netting
When you cut the netting use the factory edge as the edge that will sweep along your face. This edge should be what will be seen and the other sloppier edges will be tucked under to be less noticeable. Also be aware when you cut that the netting will look unfinished where ever you cut it with scissors. 

Step 2: Cut the Felt
I cut my felt into a leaf shape with the length at about 4" long. This will be the base that you glue your feathers onto and sew the netting to as well. 

Step 3: Glue on the Feathers
Take the leaf shaped felt and start hot gluing feathers on to it. Fan them out the way you want them to look and leave the tip completely open so you can have an area to sew the netting to. 

Step 4: Fit / Shape / Sew the Netting

Take the non factory side of the netting and fold the netting as shown in the photos below. Then sew the folded netting to the felt base. This is the tricky part. I found sitting in front of a mirror and actually shape the netting on my head the way I wanted it to look. By bunching the netting at the felt and stitching it will help you get the look you desire . Keep repeating this method till you get the shape you desire.  

Step 5: Clip the Veil into Place
I got a store bought rose from Forever 21 which already was attached to a hair clip. So this step took me about 5 seconds to do. I simply took the veil placed in my hair where I wanted it to be and clipped it in with my rose hair clip. If you can’t find a clip or want to make once handmade I will also put up some handmade fabric flower tutorials. 

Step 6: Look Chic and Smart! 
If you make this veil right no one will know it cost less than $10! You can say you got it at a fancy bridal store and keep the price to yourself or brag about how savvy your are….like I did! 

Brother SE 400 Review

Brother SE 400 – Sewing and Embroidery Machine 


Honestly what can I say about this machine that doesn’t make it sound AWESOME! It sews it embroiders it basically makes the projects for you….ok I’m exaggerating on that last part. When I saw this machine I told my husband I NEEDED IT…not I wanted it NEEDED IT! 
I heard a few bad reviews about it saying the tension was not good for sewing and that it was complicated to operate. I have had no problems with the tension so far and I have had my machine for 5 months and have used it at least once a week since then. The Brother SE 400 is a complex machine. It does a ton of stuff but if you watch the How To DVD and or read the booklets that come with the machine then I found it pretty easy to use….but I use computers every day. The machine pretty much tells you on the screen if there is something wrong and tells you want you can do to make it right. I found it pretty intuitive and simple to use after watching the DVD. Also remember your learning how to operate a new machine….of course it will take a little time. 


Things I LOVE about his machine!

• Automatic Threading
• OMG this is the greatest thing EVER….I just thread the machines just as any other but at the end you press a lever and BAMB your needle is threaded!
• Auto Warnings
• The machine will actually tell you when your bobbin is low so you can stop sewing and re-thread the bobbin. 
• Embroidery!
• Changing from sewing to embroidery takes me less than 5 minutes! 
• The Machine comes with 5 different fonts that you can control by thread density, size, rotation, thread color, and I’m sure there is more. 
• The machine also comes with 70 embroidery patters….I don’t really care for most of them but the cool thing about it is that you can buy extra pattern cards for more variety. The coolest part which I have not yet bought is the embroidery software where you can make your own embroidery patterns. I looked it up and it cost around $200. I think it would be worth it if you were really planning on using custom patterns. There is also a USB port where you can hook up a computer and find free patterns or buy patterns online. 

Things I wish were different:

• When you change from sewing to embroidery you have to change the foot you use. Changing the foot is super easy but tightening it is a bit difficult. I have small hands and it is hard for me to use the tools supplied to tighten the screw that holds the foot. 
• The hoop size that comes with the machine is not that large so if you want a larger one you have to buy it. 
• I’ll try to think of something else I don’t like….but honestly it is really an overall great machine. 

COST!


This machine costs $365 and can be found on Walmart.com or Amazon.com. YES this machine does cost a good amount but if you’re interested in embroidery and are not using this machine for professional use it is a great investment. Professional embroidery machines start at around $1,000.00 and they don’t sew. For me as an intermediate sewer the Brother SE 400 was a great investment and so far I have loved using its cool features and making unique embroidered gifts! 

Bridal Eye Mask - Every Bride Needs Her Beauty Rest!

The night before the big wedding the bride must have her beauty rest! This is a quick fun tutorial that will be a cute gift for any bride.

Things you will need:

• Satin $5 a yard
• Felt $1 per sheet
• 13” of elastic $0.50
  • I used a lace ribbon elastic.
• DSMeeBee Eye Mask Template
• Fabric Flower Ribbon $2 a yard
  • I found mine at my local fabric store.

Thing from home:

• Scissors
• Needle and Thread 
• Thin Marker
• Sewing Machine

Optional:

• Brother SE 400 (Sewing and Embroidery Machine) $365
  • Best machine EVER!!! It's expensive but totally worth it!

Step 1:

If you don't have a Brother SE 400 you can start at step 2. Put the felt and the satin in the embroidery bed and place it into the embroidery arm of the Brother machine. Choose what you would like to write on the front of the mask and program it into your Brother SE 400. 

Step 2:

Using the DSMeeBee eye mask template and cut out two piece of satin and one piece of felt and cut the elastic ribbon to a 13” length strip. 

 Step 3:

Place the piece of satin which will be the top facing up on top of the felt if it is not already sewn together. Place the piece of satin that will be the backside of the mask facing satin side down on top of the top piece of satin. Pin the three piece of fabric together making sure you pin the elastic in-between the two piece of satin. So when you turn the mask inside-out the elastic will be sewn into each side of the mask. 

 Step 4:

Sew the edges of the mask on the line you drew from the eye mask template. Leaving a hole large enough to turn the mask inside-out. 

 Step 5:

Turn the mask inside-out and pin the remaining hole together. I used a zig zag stitch for the outside edge of the eye mask. Hand stitch the fabric flower onto one corner of the mask.

Step 6:

Sleep well! Get some beauty rest and look your most beautiful and refreshed for your big day!

Review of the Brother SE 400 to come!