Christmas is quickly upon us.  Are you still looking for a something to give those hard to shop for people on your list?  I consider one of the hardest age groups to shop for teen girls.  I wanted to share an easy and fun craft you can do with your kids that would thrill any girl this Christmas {even your own}. This picture frame bulletin board makes the perfect gift for a child to decorate their room. It would be an especially fun adult/child DIY project to make for a sibling or a friend!  You are never to young to start fixing up, remaking and giving handmade gifts!

This project starts with an old picture frame. We found ours at our local Goodwill store. You will also need a can of spray paint, beautiful fabric (mine is from Waverly), a ceiling tile cut to fit the picture frame, staple gun, glue gun, thumb tacks and a covered button kit.

Remove the picture from the frame and give the frame a couple coats of spray paint. Allow paint to dry between layers.

While the paint is drying make custom thumb tacks by covering buttons in a coordinating fabric (again from Waverly). Following package directions to cover buttons. Be sure to remove the shank from the back of the button before placing into the plastic piece.

Use hot glue or  an extra strong adhesive like E600 to fasten  a washer on the back and then  a  thumb tack. The washer will help raise the tack up so it is even with the edges of the button.

Cut the ceiling tile to fit inside the picture frame. Cut fabric big enough to wrap around the ceiling tile.

Starting with the corners staple the fabric around the ceiling tile.

Staple fabric all the way around. Staple on one side, then move to the opposite side.

Place fabric covered tile into the frame. Secure with duct tape or nails.

A perfect way to make an extra special bulletin board!

If you love Waverly as much as I do, you may want to pop over to the Waverly Facebook page  and enter to win one of the two $100 giftcards they are giving away right now.

Check out the other amazing blogger’s participating in this event.

Full disclosure: Waverly provided the fabric  for my use with this project along with compensation for the additional supplies I chose to use in the completion of  the project.

Just a few minutes and a few supplies is all you need!

DIY Magnetic Pin Dish Supplies

ceramic dish or plate with an indented area on the bottom where a magnet can fit

1 or 2 heavy duty magnets (no taller than the ridge on the bottom of the dish)

magnetic pins

hot glue

How to make a magnetic pin holder

Hot glue the magnets to the bottom of the dish with a tiny amount of glue. I used hot glue so if I changed my mind I could easily peel off the magnets later.

Add the pins and you have a magnetic pin holder. What a great way to make those handpainted family treasures useful. I think these would also make wonderful gifts!

Oven Mitt Tutorial

Supplies for making your own oven mitt

cotton batting

1/4 yard cotton fabric

1/4 yard coordinating cotton fabric

Insul-Bright Insulated batting

Directions for making a quilted oven mitt

Cut 2 each 9″ X 15″ rectangles of the cotton fabrics, cotton batting, and Insul-brite

Sandwich cotton fabric (lining) right side facing down, Insul-Brite, cotton batting, cotton fabric (0utside) right side facing up.

Sew together in stitching pattern of your choice. I made diagonal lines about an inch apart.

Repeat for other set of rectangles.

Oven Mitt Pattern Download – top

Oven Mitt Pattern Download – bottom

Download oven mitt pattern top and bottom.   Print patterns and tape pieces together.

Stack the two quilted pieces on top of each other, right sides together.

Place pattern on top and draw around the pattern.  This is the stitching line.

Stitch. I reinforce the thumb area so I can trim and make a slit right up to the stitching line.

Cut. Clip curves where necessary.

Turn right side out.

Cut a contrasting piece of fabric 7″ X 15″ for the band. Iron piece in half lengthwise, then open and bring edges to the center and press again.

Line edge of binding up with bottom edge of the oven mitt, right sides together. Turn edge up and being sewing in the first ironed crease.

Stitch all the way around, folding end over when finished.

Fold binding down.

Fold in the other half of the binding. Stitch all the way around in the ditch between the two fabrics, making sure to catch the binding on the inside.

Stitch along the place where the binding overlaps with one straight stitch, or whip stitch it closed by hand.

Finished!

I used this simple pattern that makes a nice scalloped border without having to crochet around the edge. You can find the pattern here.  I was able to get two dishcloths from 1 ball of Sugar n’ Cream cotton yarn.

Package with a nice bottle of soap and you a really useful gift! By the way there is free shipping today at Mrs. Meyer’s Soap.

Don’t forget to check out other handmade gift ideas.