A Pinterest Christmas

Now that all of my Christmas celebrations are over, I can post some pictures of the gifts I made using ideas from Pinterest this year.

First, I decided to make everyone in the family a set of coasters. There are many different posts on Pinterest that describe the basic idea:

• Start with a 4"X4" plain tile (these sell for only $0.16!)
• Cut scrapbook paper to 4"X4" shape
• Use Mod Podge to attach the paper to the tile
• Add a coat of Mod Podge on top
• Spray with acrylic sealer
• Glue some felt or cork to the bottom (I used felt cut to 3.825"X3.825") 

Here they are:

To make the IU and Duke coasters, I simply found a picture of the logo and printed them using a nice color laser printer. (You can't use an inkjet because the Mod Podge will make the ink run.) I also made some Cubs and Call of Duty coasters for my nephews, but didn't get them in the picture. And, the coasters on the right side of the top row are for me! (I have to keep some of my projects for myself!)

Next, I made two small photo collages for my godsons, Alex and Andrei. I bought the paper mache letters from JoAnn's when I bought the T for my great nephew's collage, but JoAnn's only had the letter A in a 12-inch size. But, I think they turned out okay. I know their parents were excited about them! :-) Of course, with two adorable kids, it is easy to make any project look great!

Last, I made another no-sew blanket for my great-nephew Ty. His parents are both IU alums, and his uncle played football at IU. My sisters helped me in finding the perfect fleece. It turns out that IU doesn't allow its logo to be used on stuff like fleece, so it is impossible to get fleece that has the official IU symbol on it. But, fortunately, my sisters found this fleece at JoAnn's in Columbus, Indiana. It is all the more perfect since it has footballs on it.

For this blanket, I didn't want to use the traditional "tie" method, so I used the "braiding" method instead that I learned about from a post on Helping Little Hands. I did, however, use a size N crochet hook rather than a paper clip to do the actual braiding. It turned out really well! I think this type of edge is a bit nicer than the tradition tied edge. Another tutorial can be found at Nebraska Views.

I should also say that I put together a collage of my sister's last name using photos of pieces of architecture that look like letters of the alphabet. Luckily, I was able to find a ready-made frame with five openings. I also made one for myself, and I will share pictures of these in another post.

My sister gave me some wonderful craft-related gifts. She got me a fun storage bag with pockets and dividers. It is black, but the inside is the Cat in the Hat!! She also gave me some crochet needles, yarn, and a book on beginning crochet. She knows that I really want to learn to knit and crochet in the coming year.

I hope everyone got all they wished for this holiday season. I think 2012 will be a wonderful year, full of changes, fun, and of course, more projects!!