Spring Fling Garland Tutorial

This is my first tutorial, so hang with me here!!! I love this garland and I love the fact that you can use scraps and things you already have around the house in order to make it!!! I am open for feedback, so either leave a comment or email me at jamie.burton@comcast.net. I have a couple more tutorials in the works, and am going to make it a goal to do one every couple months throughout the year! So check back!

*Materials:*
-scrap fabric (can be old clothes, scraps left over from projects, really anything)
-rope, ribbon, hemp string ( I used 6/32" cord filler because it's what I had on hand)
-needle and thread
-good fabric scissors

*Here are the easy steps!!*

Flower Style #1

1. Cut fabric into circles. I cut 2 inch circles (by hand, no template) but any size will work. The bigger the circle you start with, the bigger your flower sphere will be! You can either combine different fabrics when you stack them, use all one pattern or solid color, it all will look cute! I used 20-30 circles to make one flower.



4. Thread 3 or 4 more triangles onto your string as pictured above. At this point, I stopped adding the triangles in a row. Instead, I pushed the needle through the thickness of all the fabric so that I might add triangles to the other sides of the flower. Keep adding petals in various places until you have a spherical shape. *this step is kind of hard to explain, so email me if you are confused! It will probably make more sense as you do it.

Here is a picture of the 'flower number 1' coming together.

Flower Style #2

5. I used THIS tutorial to create the pom pom flowers except I substituted strips of torn fabric (1/4 inch wide). You can also cut the strips, but tearing will always ensure a straight line and will give you a more 'fuzzy' look, which I like. But if you want less 'fuzz' you can surely cut the strips.
Snip the fabric with scissors about every 1/4 inch, and then then tear into strips. The more strips you use, the bigger your flower pom will be. (for the one pictured above I used about 11 strips that were about 12-18 inches in length)


6. Continue making flowers of both kinds with lots of wonderful fabrics until you have enough for the length of garland you wish to make.

7. Time to sew them onto your rope! ( I used what I had on hand, which turned out to be 6/32" filler cord, but you can use a thicker rope, ribbon, hemp, or whatever tickles your fancy)
I threaded the flower onto the needle close to the center, this way it won't flop around once it's sewn onto the rope.
Simply stitch your flowers in place and fluff the petals! Mine are spaced about 5-6 inches apart.

8. Continue stitching on the flowers until you are satisfied with the length of your garland!
9. DONE... Isn't it wonderful and beautiful, and doesn't it make you long for spring????

"But God will fix it"

Last night we were talking about the earthquake in Haiti. We talked about how the earth cracked open, buildings fell, people were lost and broken. In the middle of our conversation, Grace said with all the confidence in the world... "But Mom, God will fix it." And she is right... The faith of a little child, so sweet.
And, here is Harper, she takes in every little thing Grace says... which is, for the most part, good.

Weary vs. Rest

I have felt very weary for a couple weeks now. Not sure exactly why, but I just can't get it together. I have little patience with the kids, when they don't follow their 'schedule' I am thrown for a loop, and by the end of the day, I feel like I am going to lose my mind. I have been getting up early most days, around 5:00-6:00 so that I can have a little more time to myself.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that this is unheard of. I LOVE sleep, I need sleep and I am not so nice when I don't get it. But I need some time alone, with God and with myself. So, maybe the lack of sleep is causing me to go emotionally wacky some days...but the lack of time by myself does the same! What is a girl to do??? Seriously, I am in a catch 22 right now. Currently I am adopting the less sleep, more time to feel like a real person mentality....

Today I am resting. The Burton's graciously asked yesterday if the girls could spend the night last night and hang out with them today. Now, I don't think they knew how much I needed this right now, but, Oh, how the timing was perfect! I still got up early, so as not to waste the precious few hours alone I had, but I am praying for true rest today. I am hoping to stock up on some materials for my sewing projects, get some sewing done, get some items ready and tagged for the store, and enjoy a mid day massage. Ahhh, doesn't that sound heavenly?

I am also praying that I will learn how to rest in the midst of day to day life. In the midst of the crying and screaming that H seems to be doing for hours in the middle of the day, in the midst of the emotional meltdowns G is having... I want to learn how to breathe deeply and just roll with it.

When I pick them up this afternoon, I want to feel relaxed, rested and ready to give them what they need. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest."

**this picture is one that we took for a project that one of Amy's close friends was doing for her... just happen to be the same verse I mentioned above... Please take note that we are ALL wearing long johns....Ha!

Harpers First!

I think this was the first handful of cake she grabbed to shove into her mouth. It was awesome.

All my pictures uploaded backwards... So, we'll just go with it. Above is Harper towards the end of the night. After shoveling fist fulls of cake into her mouth, she was definitely drunk on sugar. Here she is trying to rally, and she did...
Thanks to Pops, Harper had a real fireworks show at her party. Here are the brave waiting in the bitter cold to watch from outside. Everyone else, including the birthday girl was watching through the window. It was fantastic. Big, real fireworks... none of these pansy sparklers!!!
Harper's birthday banner.
This is one of the only smiles I captured, although she was mighty happy once she became the center of attention... I really need to look at mom's pictures as well as the ones Linda took to see if I can find some cute, smiley pictures of Harps.
First thing in the morning... (10:00am for us) getting ready to venture out in the snow (all 5 flakes of it) to Harper's first birthday breakfast!
I've just realized that I haven't posted about Christmas yet, so hopefully that will be soon... or maybe not, who knows...

Anyways, on her first birthday she has 8 teeth. 4 on top and 4 on bottom... (which all reared their ugly heads in a matter of about 5 weeks, MISERY)

*She has several words she uses regularly: good job, mama, dada, papa, all done, ball, yes, no, bye bye... (there may be several more, but it's early in the morning, people) And she can repeat almost anything you say, if she is in the mood.

* She is crawling, cruising and standing all the time. I think she will be walking in about a month... or maybe less.

*She is into everything, yesterday I set her down for one second to grab a cup out of the cabinet and hear the sound of splashing water... turn around and she is gone. She is in the bathroom playing in the toilet, which I am ashamed to say, had not been flushed.... luckily no poop though...

*She is sleeping better at night, and (knock on wood) for her nap also.

*I don't know how much she weighs yet, but at 11 mos she weighed just under 20 pounds.

*Climbing the stairs is her fav activity, and she would prefer to come down head first. It's more fun that way, right???

*Favorite foods: veggie burgers, yogurt, bread, and apparently sugar from her mad cake devouring skills (hmm, is she my child or what???)

*She has just started calling herself "Barper" and tends to answer simple yes or no questions appropriately

*We just got a video monitor for her room and 2 more baby gates because, like I said before, she is into EVERYTHING. I didn't realize what an easy young toddler Grace was until now. (physically speaking)

*She is a daredevil, and is more social than Grace was at this age.

*I think her favorite activity of the day is going in to wake Grace in the morning. She shivers with excitement as we approach her door. It is adorable.

She is hilarious and just so sweet. She has been such a blessing to us. I can't believe that this year has gone so fast. SLOW DOWN, life!