Sara's Interior Design

Carseat Cover Tutorial

2012-01-20T14:09:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that I didn't publish one post all last year! It was not that I wasn't creating, but that I was too swamped to take time post anything. I have some old projects that I never added, this is one of them. It's a cover that goes over your car seat to keep your baby warm (and sleeping) as you tote her around. This one is a patchwork cover, but I have used solid fabric too. My squares are 7 inches. I did 5 squares for the width and 7 for the length. start by sewing the squares into rows, then sew the rows together. I have minkee, and flannel fabrics but cotton works great too.

Some of my squares are not perfectly lined up, but it doesn't really show unless you are looking closely at it!

I measured extra solid fabric to wrap around the front, this is an easy way to hem the cover and it looks cute to see the other fabric along the edge.

Next I made the straps. They can be rounded or square about 5-6 inches in length and 3-4 inches wide. Sew the 2 right sides together leaving room to fold it right-side out and then go over it again on the right side.

I think it's cute to make the straps with 2 kinds of fabric.

If you have a snap setter, you can add snaps to the straps, otherwise you can put on buttons or Velcro.

Sew the straps between 6-8 inches apart depending on your carrier (test it before you sew if possible!)

To embellish the straps you can add a large button or a flower etc.

I used embroidery floss...

...and sewed it on by hand.

All done!

When I gave this to my friend, I rolled it up and tied it with a matching ribbon.

I tied scraps of the fabric to the gift bag.

Baby Accesory Bonaza

2010-12-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more ideas for some baby gifts. (see tutorial for making these in a January 2010 post.

Frame your favorite quote

2010-11-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

Here is another quick and easy gift idea. Make a transparency of your favorite quote (at any copy shop). Add some decorative paper as a background, and put it in a 8x10 frame. You can use a frame you already have to save money, if you don't like the color, just spray paint it (this frame was originally brown, I added a little black paint to distress it a little).

Beaded Bookmark

2010-10-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an inexpensive gift idea, you can make a beaded book mark. All you need is some beads and some string (also optional is a tube of fray blocker, which makes the edges of your string stiffer and easier to work with for beading.) Last Summer I made almost 100 of these bookmarks for girl's camp, once I got the hang of it, I could make a bookmark in just a few minutes.

Usually I put 3-4 four beads on each end and tie a few small knots to keep them in place. You need to make the string long enough to go into whichever size book you want to use it for plus space for the beads and knotting. Have fun:)

Decorating for Fall

2010-09-22T19:58:00.001-07:00

Decorating for Fall is one of my favorite things, probably because I LOVE Fall colors so much. Here are a few of my ideas......

Use what you already have and add a Fall Flair by making a sign or saying our of scrap book paper or other inexpensive supplies you may already have.

Add a few Fall items to an existing center piece to make it look more festive.

Spruce up your bathrooms by changing the hand towels to a Fall color and adding a pumpkin or gourd.

Add some Fall color to a wreath that you already have by attaching dried artichokes, some Fall leaves or anything you can find that looks festive.

Use, pumpkins (real or artificial), gourds, cornstalks, Fall flowers d hay bales to decorate your front porch.

Little Girl Fun

2010-09-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Every Summer we have my niece stay with us which gives us some cousin bonding with one of our favorite cousins and helps my four boys to learn what it's like to live with a girl. This time around (can you tell how behind I am with my posts?), we had so much fun making little girl hair accessories and I embellished/monogramed this fun blanket that I had bought for her. I can hardly believe that soon I will be making fun girly things for my own little girl (due in early January)!!!!!

Summer Wedding

2010-08-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine called me to tell me that her daughter was getting married, (the first to marry of her 11 children!) I told her I would love to help her in any way I could, but didn't hear back from her. Then the week of the wedding she called and asked for help setting things up. I told her I was willing to offer decorating help if needed, so with just a few days this is what I came up with...
I was pretty nervous when she gave me the colors, mostly because I don't usually use bright colors and I wondered if I was capable of doing anything outside of my comfort zone. Although I was less than confident with the colors, I ended up having so much fun with it!

We went to a thrift store and bought a whole bunch of inexpensive frames which I spray-painted white, you would never know what they had been!

I had a bunch of deep gift boxes which I dressed up and put on the display table with the initials of the Bride and groom.

My friend found this little basket at the thrift store and thought it would be nice for holding gift cards. I sprayed it as well and it turned out nicely (wicker can be stubborn to paint sometimes).
Adding a ribbon and a small flower made it look like it belonged.

By far the biggest make over of all was to this Mexican tapestry-type picture which I bought only because the frame was just the right size....
To make this sign with the names of the Bride and Groom. This is the fourth one I've made (to see the others check out my older posts under weddings.)

They had done a lot of cute things with Thule and Gerber daisies.

After helping with that wedding ( a real switch from what I have been used to ) I feel like it really is possible to create things that are not your own style as long as you have a clear idea of what you need to do:)

Spice up your kitchen with designer dish towels!

2010-05-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

All you need is: some scraps of fabric,
coordinating ribbon and a couple of dishtowels.

If you are giving them as a gift, you can add a special
touch by creating a card that matches your project.

Windows:Venice and Padova Part 2

2010-04-29T14:22:00.001-07:00

Doors: Venice and Padova part one

2010-04-23T12:38:00.001-07:00

I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Venice. I wanted to capture every part of it so that I could remember it again and again as I viewed my photos. Of the hundreds of photos I took on our trip to Italy, most of them were of the amazing architecture. I decided to post them by category, beginning with doors. Some of these photos were taken literally as I was walking so they are not as staged as I would like them to be.

Passport Purse

2010-04-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a trip to Venice! It was so amazing. I am planning to post photos soon, but I wanted to post this little purse I designed to carry all of my documents while traveling, it was the best thing ever to have on a foreign trip to keep safe & handy (and stylish) all your most important things.

I am very low-level at crochet, this was actually my first real project. It's very doable. I made the two sides first then crocheted a row to hold them together finishing it off with the handle (a double row).

Easy Bow Ties!

2010-03-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

I have four little boys so I'm always looking for cute matchy things they can wear at church. This year for Easter I decided to make bow ties for all of them. I didn't want to put too much effort into making them since they may end up being worn only once, so I made a really easy version.

Start with 2 coordinating fabrics- Cut a piece of fabric about 6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches tall. Cut the solid fabric about 1/2 inch larger (or the same size if you dont' want it to show as much). Fold the fabric in half inside out, sew a straight line, then unfold and press it so that the seem is hidden in the back. Repeat this process with the solid color.

Turn the fabric inside out again and sew the two sides leaving a small space to turn back right side out. Repeat this process for coordinating fabric. The two rectangle are now about 5 inches by 2 inches. Next set the patterned fabric over the solid one and hand stitch a small piece to hold the bow together (about 2 inches by two inches, when sewn in

I planned to sew a band for the neck, but my friend suggested adding a hairclip-this was so much faster and easier!

I made a mini-version for my one-year old. Seriously, these were SO fast and easy!

The real magic was getting all of my boys to wear them- especially my husband... :)

If you want to be even more matchy you can make a headband to match your ties.

I didn't even sew this- I just grabbed a piece of fabric and folded it over to make a headband.
I added this flower that my friend taught me to make by ripping a strip of fabric 45 inches by 2 inches then tying a knot at the end and twisting and turning the fabric (gluing it with a glue gun along the way) until it becomes a flower.

So dang cute!

Stylish homemade baby bibs

2010-03-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

As promised I have finally gotten around to publishing
a tutorial on making stylish homemade baby bibs.

You will need:

*an unused shower curtain
( I bought mine at the dollar store)
*rotary cutter (optional)

*fabric-about the size of an 8.5x11 piece of paper
(Using darker fabric is a plus to hide any stains.)
and
*Coordinating ribbon

Start by cutting the shower curtain to about
the size of an 8.5x11 piece of paper. (because my
shower curtain was thin, I cut three pieces the
same size to make it really sturdy).

Using a small baby bowl or other round object
as a guide, cut out a place for the baby's head.
I didn't like it so round so I changed my shape a bit.
(see below) If you have an old bib it also works
great to use as a guide for cutting.

Place your fabric on top of the plastic and cut
out the neck, then cut your ribbon
(two pieces 9" long and a decorative piece)

Sew the ribbon to the front of the bib BEFORE
sewing on the vinyl so that you can go over
it multiple times (if you sew over the vinyl
multiple times it will weaken it and it may rip).

Sew on the decorative ribbon

Place the front and back of the bib together
and sew it inside out, leaving a space to pull
it back ride-side out (see bottom right corner).

After pulling it back through, sew a stitch
across the bottom and you are done

I have been using mine now for over
a month and it has held up great!

Have fun!

Baby gifts- Homemade

2010-02-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

These homemade baby gifts are a fun way to surprise a new mom.
The tiny blanky is made small (between 12-15 inches)
to be portable so that the baby doesn't have to drag a full-sized
blanket around to be comforted on outings etc. Start by picking some coordinating fabrics that you like and
cut it to be bewtween 13"-16" inches depending on how
big you want it to turn out.

you can add a decorative edge to one of the sides sewing strips
of your coordinating print to the sides or just put your
coordinating print on the other side.

for the back of this blanky, I used part of a brown fleece
blanket that I bought premade for only $4.00.
Fleece by the yard can be a little pricey.

Next select some ribbon that matches the colors in the fabric.
They can be different widths.

Cut the ribbon to be about 3".
You will need about 7 ribbon pieces per blanket side

Using your iron or a flat iron, put a crease down
the middle of the ribbon to help it stay flat.

Lay the ribbon where you want it to be sewn (varying the
ribbon types) and pin (or tape) them to the FACE of the
blanket then add the back of the blanket so that the
two outside pieces are inside with the ribbons. Sew
together leaving a small space to pull it back to its right side.

After pulling the blanket right-side-out (the Ribbons will naturally
poke out as seen in the photo of the completed blanket), sew along
the edges again to secure the ribbons more firmly in place.

If you want to add a little toy animal that matches it's even better. My friend Teresa
got the idea for the giraffe from makeitandloveit (blog address on my sidebar),
but since I made mine a little differently, I thought I would show you how I did it.

Start by making a patern out of an 8.5" x 11" paper.
Cut out a front and a back for the giraffe
(again, I used the brown fleece blanket
for the back leaving the edging on the bottom
for the hoofs).

Cut a strip from the coordinating fabric to
add to the bottom of the legs.

Sew these pieces on BEFORE sewing
the rest of the giraffe together.

Now add you ribbon (using the same instructions as
above). You can see that I prefer to tape the
ribbon rather than pin it- it's faster and it stays nicely
in place until you have finished sewing it.

Add a pinch of the coordinating fabric for the tail.

Follow the same instructions as with the blanket sewing the
outer pieces inside with the ribbons leaving
a small opening to pull it right-side-out.

When you are finished you can make a "baby" giraffe to go with its mama and also embellish it any way you want (being careful about pieces that could present a choking hazard.)

You can monogram the blanky if you like
(this is the first one I made for my baby) .

Get creative....you can do so many variations,

My son David loves to help me design things.
Together we made a tiny dinosaur for his friend's birthday.

H a p p y C r e a t i n g !

Stay tuned....

Next up....how to make stylish baby bibs with
your favorite fabric and ......

a shower curtain!

P.s. this is my first ever attempt at making a tutorial...
if this was helpful to you please let me know so that
i can see if making more of them is worth the effort!

Special Occasions

2009-11-30T20:31:00.000-08:00

He is the reason we celebrate

tree detail

our crazy tree

ornamented chandelier

Childhood nativity given to me by my Young Women leader
(the baby Jesus is lost..but it is still so precious to me)

Dining table detail

Toilet topper:)

Entry table

Dining Table (which we never use except for making crafts).

Merry Christmas!

Weddings

2009-11-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

Adam and Brittani's Wedding Luncheon at UVU.

All of these black and White decorations were made by hand using paper, mod podge, vinyl and die cuts; I spray painted various frames black so they would match each other.

I made the guest book using a 12x 12 scrapbook

Callie and Tyler's Wedding at the Rexburg Ballroom.

We collected Fall decor items from neighbors homes to bring a warm at-home feeling
to the reception.

Kitchens

2009-11-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

cook in style

Living Rooms

2009-11-30T20:27:00.000-08:00

The place where you live

paint options

2009-09-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

kids rooms

2009-09-01T15:11:00.001-07:00

kid's rooms

2009-09-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

bathrooms

2009-09-01T13:53:00.001-07:00

bathrooms

2009-09-01T13:28:00.001-07:00

organization

2009-09-01T13:17:00.001-07:00

Other

2009-09-01T12:52:00.000-07:00