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November 15 ~ Celebrate
| Celebrate all year long with our fun & festive ideas to make any day or event extra-special… |  |
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Make It
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Crown Check out these great Felt Crowns from Jaime at Sew She Sews. They look easy & adorable! |
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Paper Mache Party Lights Tresa’s Paper Mache Party Lights from reese dixon will add a beautiful glow to your celebration! |
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Ruffles as Icing Kristin at Grace Violet shows you how to embellish a celebratory cupcake t-shirt with her Ruffles as Icing Tutorial. |
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Fabric Covered Party Hat Make cute & lasting Fabric Covered Party Hats with Char’s tutorial on Crap I’ve Made. You can coordinate the hats to your party decorations! |
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Foam Cake This Foam Cake from Lier at ikat bag is amazing! Visit Lier’s blog for the patterns and look at all of her cake variations… Amazing! The cake was one of five parts in a series on sewing with foam that Lier shared in the spring. Lier also adds that she thinks you may enjoy this foam dirt & unicorn flowers tutorial too. |
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My Special Day Chair Cover This My Special Day Chair Cover Tutorial from Kathryn at nannygoat is sure to make someone feel important. |
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Scalloped Fabric Garland Our Scalloped Fabric Garland from Jessie makes everything festive! |
You might also enjoy these related tutorials from the SMS archives: Whimsy, Drawstring Bags (for party favors!), Gifts for the Whimsical, Denyse Schmidt Mix-It-Up Cocktail Coasters (for cocktail parties!), Write It & Wrap It (for the gifts!), Holidays at Home, parts One, Two, Three & Four
Here are just a handful of fabrics we love for some of these projects. Click on the fabric images to visit the Sew,Mama,Sew! shop:
| Jennifer’s choice | Beth’s choice | Jessie’s choice | ||
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Buy It
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Mix It Up Party Flags from Ladybug Suebee’s Country Store Sue has a great selection of pretty party banners at Ladybug Suebee’s Country Store, like these Mix It Up Party Flags. Sue adds that she loves to do custom orders! |
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Little Birdie Cupcake Toppers from The Cupcake Girls The Cupcake Girls shop has everything from date books to holiday ornaments and pushpins. We think their Little Birdie Cupcake Toppers would add a special touch to your celebrations! |
Mix It
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Irish Cream Liqueur When it’s time for the adults to celebrate you can break out this Irish Cream Liqueur from Jessie at The Hungry Mouse (yep, she shows you how to make your own vanilla and your own liqueur!). |
Print It
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Cupcake Embroidery Patterns Adorn everything from tea towels to dress and skirt hems with these super sweet Cupcake Embroidery Patterns from Lolly at LollyChops. Download, print & enjoy! |
Win It
Twaiku contest! (Haiku on Twitter.) Post your original haiku on Twitter this week and include #HH3 (trying to save you a few characters.) The theme? Handmade Holidays, of course! Our 2 favorites win a $20 gift certificate to Sew,Mama,Sew!
Comment in today’s post for a chance to win one of these giveaways. The winners will be announced on Friday. Visit our prize list to see some of the other great giveaways this month.
Cloth-Paper, scissors
(Interweave Press, $7.99, Item #: SU0909)
From the Publisher:
Studios – Fall 2009 – Show off your ArtAttract customers & gain exposure through Open StudiosWhether your goal is to find a community of like-minded artists, sell your work, or just set a deadline to force yourself to create a lot of art (or even clean your studio), an Open Studios event can help you achieve it.The Fall 2009 issue features collaborative studio spaces, Open Studio events and how they can benefit your art, how to decorate your studio with rich fall colors plus tips and tricks for making your space hospitable!
By Linda and John Meyers
(STC CRAFT, $27.50, ISBN: 1-58479-808-4)
From the Publisher:
What some view as trash, Linda and John Meyers see as raw material. The wife-and-husband team—subscribers to the “reduce, reuse, recycle” ethos—have perfected a design strategy that will save you money, help the planet, and provide hours of DIY fun. The strategy? First, visit a yard sale, construction-site dumpster, or even your own attic. Select something that somebody (even you) thought had outlived its usefulness. Then, transform that castoff into a piece that’s interesting and usable.In this witty book, they apply their ingenious approach to seating (a chair made from pool noodles), lighting (a lamp from discarded pastry bags), storage (an umbrella stand from industrial steel pipe), tables (a wall-mounted table from a rusty basketball hoop), and all manner of decorative objects (Astroturf pillows, a pickle-jar terrarium). These super-clever authors show you that with a little ingenuity and elbow grease, everything old becomes new again.
More Handmade Holiday Ideas (& don’t miss our Handmade Holidays photo pool!)
14 ~ Shop
13 ~ Go
12 ~ Clean & Tidy
11 ~ Pamper
10 ~ Craft
9 ~ Play
8 ~ Deck the Halls
7 ~ Exercise
6 ~ Sit Back & Relax
5 ~ Read
4 ~ Go Green
3 ~ Sleep
2 ~ Adorn
1 ~ Wear
We respect the copyright of all crafters. All links and photos from blogs on our Handmade Holidays posts are used with permission.
I am definatly going to make some crowns for Christmas and need (want) those birdie cupcake toppers!
Too much good stuff here!! Cute cake, great garland, rad chair cover, cupcakes AND Irish Cream…Makes me want to have a perty!!(mmmmmm Irish Cream!)
ooh! this is easily my favourite day yet!!
I particularly LOVE the crown and the scallop garland…and then I saw the little birdie cupcake toppers! too cute
I was never good at embroidery, but I love the cupcake embroidery pattern! So adorable^^
I adore the fabric covered party hat and all the tutorials! Thank you sew mama sew!
Love that version of a felt crown. And the fabric covered party hat is so cute (I love that picture!).
I love the fabric garland and the felt crowns… what a great month of ideas! Thank you
The fabric covered party hat link isn’t linked!
Woohoo! homemade alcohol! I really like the recipes by The Hungry Mouse! Thanks 4 introducing her to me
oh crud. My sons birthday is tomorrow and all I did was get him a cake.
Oh that scalloped garland is just lovely….! And ruffles as icing….?! Inspired.
The foam cake and garland are my favourite!
Its my Birthday today … a perfect day for you to post ‘celebrate’!
the crown is so adorable!
Love the cake!
What cute cupcakes!
Upcycling is pretty cool, I hear…
Lovely items. Pity I don’t have time to make any of them for tomorrow!
I love the cupcake embroidery patterns, and I urge everyone to check out Ikat Bag, Lier’s work is always amazing.
I’ve never heard of Studios magazine! Since I’m currently building my own studio, I’m going to have to check that out *click*
Very cute party items; I especially like the garlands. Reusable for almost any occasion!
The boy with the party hat is so cute. Reminds me of my boys.
I’m checking out the Irish Cream recipe for sure. Thanks again Cynthia
I love the party lights! They’re perfect for our Christmas decorations this year, thank you for sharing!
The ruffled icing is just too cute! Thanks for sharing!
Oh these are so cute, and that Tossed and Found book looks cool!
Mmmmm – Irish cream and felt crowns! The perfect combination for grown-up parties
The special day chair is great! I can’t wait to make one and see the looks on my little boys faces when they get to use it. It doesn’t just have to be for birthday parties!
Loved he my special day chair cover, paired with Jessie’s fabric pick would be darling!
I love the fabric hats and those birdie cupcake toppers.
There are just too many things I want to make, and you guys keep adding to the list!
What a wonderful post! I have a granddaughter turning one in January and you can bet she’ll have a matching hat and onsie to wear.
The little cupcake toppers are so cute!
interesting idea to make irish cream. must try that one out.
love, love those birdie cupcake toppers.
I’ve been thinking about making felt crowns for the kids….
So cute, and Jessie’s Scalloped Garland is always a winner!
I wish I would have had those ideas while my son was growing up! I’m going to pass them on to some friends in the neighborhood with young ones. Although, I could make the “special day” chair cover to make my husband and son feel special on their “birthdays, or any day” and I’ve definitely decided I need garland hanging in my sewing room!
Wow! More fun items to make. Definitely making the Irish Creme for the holidays. All the items are adorable
I sure wish i had some of these cool party favors and decorations when I was a kid!!
I’ve never heard of studios magazine…looking for something to inspire me to organize my sewing space and that might do it.
Thanks for the cupcake embroidery patterns! So cute!
Ooh homemade Irish Cream. I’m always looking for non-cookie food items to give at the holidays, just may have to try that.
All the makings of a cool kid’s party! Love it.
lots of fun tutes!
That crown is just the cutest thing!! And the partylights are a brilliant idea!! (excuse the pun)
My daughter’s birthday is coming up, so I’ll be making her the crown, the cake, and the garland this week!
All wonderful ideas – I like the garlands – so wonderful to use over and over! The fabric chair cover is great too!
I love the chair cover–what a great way to make somebody feel special on their big day!
eek! The party hats link doesn’t work, but they’re so adorable!
The foam cake looks like so much!
That felt cake tutorial is fantastic
I love all these ideas. I have never thought of the special day chair cover. I’ve seen special plates, but I love this new idea. Great prizes today!
Thank’s for all the lovely ideas!!!
These are great. I love the ideas as I have both a niece and a nephew with January birthdays! I love the cupcake embroidery!
Looking at these made me think fondly of all that my parents did to mark my special days. Thank you!
The scalloped garland is really cute!
I love the felt crown and the My Special Day chair cover. And Studios Magazine looks like a fun and informative read.
Thanks to SewMamaSew.
Kathleen C.
Those cupcake toppers are so cute!
Oh, I love the cupcake embroidery patterns.
That scalloped party garland is so sweet! And I love those bird cupcake toppers.
I love the garlands and cupcake bird toppers! What fun stuff!
Oh my! The special day chair cover is my favorite!!!! I love it!
Very timely ideas. 7 birthdays between now and christmas!
love the cupcake toppers!
Tossed and Found book looks awesome!!! Thanks for the chance!!! Fun group of tutes!!!!
These will be cute additions to the Birthday Box gift I’m making a family member!
The chair cover and the foam cake are great!
I love the birthday party ideas. DD’s birthday is in April so I have plenty of time to work on making some cute decorations.
Love that scalloped bunting! Such a refreshing change from the usual.
Those birdie cupcake toppers are so cute, what a great idea!
I love those adorable party lights – seems they might brighten up a dark solstice. I’d also like a peek into the Tossed and Found book
Thanks for all these wonderful giveaways!
Those embroidery patterns are too cute.
first Vanilla now Irish Cream? I’m in heaven! LOVE the foam cake too!!
That “My Special Day” chair cover would be the perfect gift for elementary teachers to use on birthdays in their classroom. I’ll just need to figure out how to measure the chairs
I really want to make that scalloped garland – so beautiful!
I love the Special Day Chair Cover, super cute!!
The “Special Day” chair cover is a great idea. I’m going to make one of those. Thanks for the ideas!
The chair cover and the ruffled icing are sooo…cute. Thanks for the tutes.
They are all such great ideas! I especially love the ruffle as icing cupcake embellishment, the special day chair cover, and the birdie cupcake toppers!! I’m in the process of making my own party garland too.
Totally awesome!!
Oh my gosh….my grandaughter would love to have all of those great ideas….
So cute.
Those birdie cupcake toppers are adorable. Is it too early in the day to think the Irish Cream sounds delicious?
I love your fabric choices for this segment, festive!
Wow – I love the scallop bunting and have already made one using the tutorial . Those little birdie cupcake toppers are so cute – and Irish liqueur – yum!
More great tutorials again!!
more great stuff! try this for hat:
http://crapivemade.blogspot.com/2009/05/fabric-covered-party-hat.html
When’s the next party? I love this stuff!!!
Ruffles as icing is adorable!
I like the paper mache party lights – like the fancy ones in the stores! (FYI, the fabric covered party hat link doesn’t work…)
Birdie cupcake toppers!!
What great ideas! Love those bird cupcake toppers! How cute! I would love to win! What fabulous giveaways you are all having!!
Love the crown!
Ooh, so many great things today!
I love the fabric garland – great ideas, as always!
I just looove the crown!
Wow. Like this wasn’t an awesome site already, we can throw a little booze into the mix? What a weekend!
So many lovlies!
Oh, and I thought I was done making Christmas presents for my nieces…now I need to make those crowns, too – they’re adorable!
delightful.
What wonderful ways to make reusable decorations!
Ive really been loving these scalloped fabric garland…a few strands already made for presents this year!
I’m making that Irish cream TODAY!
that woman is amazing. Thanks for the link!
I am all ready to get started on the cake!
Everything is so cute! It makes me wish I had a birthday to celebrate soon!
Some great birthday ideas!
Adore the recipes from hungry mouse!! Thank you!!
Love the foam cake.
Great ideas again! Love the garland and can’t wait for an excuse to make one!
FUN celebration ideas, love it!
Another day of great ideas. Thanks for the inspiration.
I can not wait to try some of these tutorials with my children. We are going to have a lot of fun with these!
Thanks so much!
Love the cupcake ruffles and embroidery patterns. I see cupcakes in my daughter’s future!:)
Such cute stuff today!
love the crown & the scallop garland!
What fun ideas!
Nice. I have a show coming up and I think I’ll make some garland to snazz up my table. Thanks!
Irish cream and making vanilla–now that’s celebrating!
The link to the fabric party hat should be this:
http://crapivemade.blogspot.com/2009/05/fabric-covered-party-hat.html
Hope that helps!
I love it all–so cute! But I can’t see Char’s tutorial.
More for the list! Thanks for inspiration and links.
Every kid needs that chair cover. So cute!
I hope I have time to finish all of these cool projects!!!
These are such great ideas, as they are a gift to use again and again.
Love the garland …going to do some to dress up our campsite this summer!! Thanks for sharing.
love them all!
The Tossed and Found book looks great. The Studio ideas, too!
I love those cupcake toppers, I can think of a million other uses for them!
Wow! I LOVE the cupcake toppers! AND the crown! Thanks!
super cute!!!!!
love it!
Fun! I love all the ideas on today’s post!
Even my big kids would love all the attentions these items would bring on their special day.
So many great ideas today! Thanks!
I’m really glad this was posted today. My daughters 1st bday is on Thanksgiving. I was thinking of making her a crown, but now I can also make a #1 shirt. Thank You!!
What great ideas!
Foam cake is a great idea! Especially for those of us whose eating plans does not include cake. Great way to have a cake and not eat it to!!
fabulous!!!
I am really enjoying the food items this year.
I’m definitely a trash-picker. My home is full of thrifty finds and curb treasures.
The chair cover looks like a fantastic project to make with so many birthdays in our house to celebrate!
Love the little birdie cupcake toppers, adorable.
Love the chair cover!
I love those paper Mache lights! That makes it look so very festive!
The book you are giving away looks very interesting! I love recycling trash.
I absolutely love the link to the other foam sewing projects. I would like to make the foam dirt and flowers for my classroom.
Love the scalloped fabric garland and the cupcake embroidery patterns. I can think of some great uses for both of them!
I love the garland and the cupcake downloads. Very very cute!
So, The only way I’ll be able to make the party lights, crown and chair covering is if I wait to make the Irish Cream until after I’ve finished!
the great tutorials just keep coming, hurray! I celebrate handmade holidays!
Very cute. I want to make them all!
That fabric hat & onsie are super cute, I am planing on making it for my little girl.
Thanks for the drawstring bag ideas–just what I was looking for!
Love the flags!
Great ideas to make a birthday extra special.
Oh, I need to make the crown soon!
Love the birdie cupcake toppers and the scalloped bunting, so cute.
What a sweet crown!
Lorrie
I love the birthday crown idea!
Love the garland and crown.
I am itchin’ to make some felt food! The cake looks some fun!!!
Love the cupcake embroidery patterns. I think I’m going to make dessert-themed tea towels for a friend.
Thanks again for the delightful inspiration! We’re planning a 5th birthday to take place in a week and some of these ideas just HAVE to be included, there’s no way around it!
My little girl’s birthday is coming up so I’m going to make some crowns for her and her friends. She’ll love it. Thanks for all the great ideas.
So many fun ways to Celebrate! Will definitely be making some of these things!
Too many fun ideas!!!
I love the banners… I keep wanting to make them to have on hand for parties, get-togethers… potlucks even!!!
So exciting!
Love the crown idea – where was this 3 months ago when I needed it. I guess now I have to try to make this for my kids. Love the ideas, keep them coming.
More great ideas, I can’t wait to try them!
Love those cupcake embroidery patterns!
so cute!!! I really like the chair cover thats such a cute idea!
Love the party hat! Great idea. Thanks!
My to do list is getting longer
love the cupcake downloads! and the giveaway.
aurore
love the cupcake toper!!!
my sister needs the chair cover. excellent idea.
I am enjoying all of these fun ideas. Oh, how I wish for more time to craft!
More great idea. I love the holiday lists!
Oh, how fun! I love of all today’s ideas! And don’t those cupcakes look scrumtious?!
I love the cupcakes toppers, they are so cute and easy to make!
Cute crown!
Those bird cupcake picks are absolutely adorable.
I think I’m going to try those paper mache light covers!
The cupcake toppers are so incredibly cute! I love the idea of a chair cover for birthday’s too.
That cake is just amazing! It’s bookmarked – can’t wait to try it out. Thank you!!
Such cute ideas for adding a little extra “special” to a special day. And a new liqueur recipe to boot.
Awesome!
Oh I MUST make a crown for my little one’s birthday! Thank you!
The birthday crown, the cupcake shirt and the cupcake embroidery PDF are all incredible! Great post!
So cute! And that Irish cream looks yummy!
The crown is DARLING and the stretchy band is genious!
I love the Special day chair cover! What an adorable idea!
I so love those birdie cupcake toppers!!! So glad I found your neat blog!
A lot of fun ways to celebrate! Love the cupcake embroidery patterns—thanks so much Lollychops!
Absolutely love the cupcake toppers
Love the special day chair cover! My daughters 1st bday is coming up and I’d love to try this out!
i loooove the cake from lier! she is genios!
Love felt food so the foamy cake is just my thing. Parhaps I should make myself a food collection?
Beautiful embroidery patterns!! Thank you!!!
love the cupcake embroidery
Great ideas to make someone feel so special on their birthday!
I love the cupcake embroidery and the liqueur recipe. Thanks for all the inspiration!
The chair cover could be adapted for so many special events…love it!
all kinds of fun stuff, we have a first birthday that was “post-poned” do to illness, so some of these projects are perfect for that belated birthday party.
Those princess crowns are too cute! I want one for myself!
I love the birthday ideas!!! The crown is so cute!
Yum! Can’t wait to embroider those cupcakes!
The cupcake toppers are so cute!
So many cute ideas for a birthday party…Love the book prizes!
Those cupcake embroidery patterns are so sweet!
Love those bird cupcake toppers!
I love the cupcake embroidery design from Lollychops. How did I miss that posting? And the bird cupcake toppers— oh my so cute!
Wow! I can’t wait to get started. Where should I start? Maybe the foam cake… hmmm.
OooOOooOO pretty!
Lovely! My son’s birthday is next month. So many lovely things to make!
I LOVE the embroidery patterns! They’ll be perfect with a couple of patterns I’m in the middle of working on. Thanks so much for the great printables!
These are all fun ideas!
the foam cake is super cute!
Party lights. Woot! Woot!
That cupcake shirt is unbelievable. Perfect for a little girl (or a big girl with a little girl’s heart).
I can’t wait to try the embroidery pattern and the cupcake frosting.
ooh thanks for the cupcake embroidery pattern link!
those are adorable!
So fun! i love all of the ideas!
Love the party lights! I think I would make them all white and then paint little hearts or stars on them, and put the whole thing on my christmas tree
foam cake is good idea
Love those cupcakes!
I am so ready to party!!!
Those crown would be adorable for New Years! I have got to get on making that Irish Cream as well, yum!
These are adorable; thanks!
Love Lolly’s cupcakes!
I want those birdie cupcake toppers!
Those crowns are a great idea for birthdays. Both my niece and nephew ar ehaving their birthday in december. Makes a nice gift.
I like the felt cake- so cute.
I will be making some crowns and the special day chair cover! Thanks!!
Great gift ideas!
I love the chair cover and the garland!
I want that cupcake shirt…too cute! I love all this.
I read about Irish Cream Liqueur and it’s so sad that I cannot just reach out for it and try. It must be delicious.
Love the foam dirt idea from Lier at ikat bag, I’m definitely going to try something similar for my boys…what a great way to ‘grow’ their imaginations
Methinks some cupcake embroidery is in my future…
I simply can not wait to get started on a fabric garland for my art room – too sweet!
The baby with the fabric-covered party hat and the “1″ onesie is so sweet – I wish I would have seen that before my little guy turned 1!
I love the banners….and the cupcake embroidery…and..well, everything!
That Irish Cream looks so so yummy! looks like the perfect recipe for my irish coffee loving mother!
Love the fabric covered party hat–ok, mostly I love the picture of the baby wearing it!
Cupcake tee tutorial is adorable! Must have for the next b-day celebration!
I’m so making my kiddo a crown. She’s going to love it. Especially with her dancing princess game. (where she puts on a scarf and dances around as a princess)
Oh, that cake is just tooo cute! I might just have to make one of these for an upcoming birthday!