Festive Felt and Ombre Trees

This week I've been running out of things to do with the kids I nanny for... so we got crafty with felt. This little ombre tree craft is incredibly easy, you just need a few simple supplies:

felt by the yard

styrofoam cones

hot glue gun

a scissor

Joann Fabric had some awesome, speckled, real wool felt; but it was $10 a yard and we weren't trying to get fancy. Therefore, we walked slowwwly by the good stuff to the polyester felt which comes in more colors, is 72" wide, and only $4.99 a yard! WAHOO!! We picked 3 greens and cut 1/2 yard of each which is more than enough for about 6 or more trees. The felt was on promo 40% off so we paid about $1.25 each color. I thought the styro. cones were a little pricey, about $5 each; but we used a coupon, of course!

Next, I traced a faint line lengthwise on my felt, about an inch away from the edge. I freehand cut the scallops but wanted to make sure there was some sort of line to follow bc my scallops can get a little cray. Also, my felt was folded in half to save time (and sanity). Again, cut lengthwise, so your strands are the longest possible, 72 inches in this case.

After cutting scallops from all 3 colors, I started wrapping at the bottom of the cone and wrapping up in a spiral motion. 

**** If using high-heat glue gun, be sure to apply glue to felt, NOT foam, so the form doesn't melt.

When wrapping, we glued on the piece we were glueing down, as opposed to the piece we were glue to, so we didn't have glue accidentally showing.

Unfortunately, the top of the cone is not a point like you would hope... So I started glueing and pinching the fabric together to make a point and just kind of went with it. Maybe you are craftier and can make a point to attach to the top before you start wrapping? 

We cut a little star and Presto! The whole house FELT instantly festive!

What else can we make from felt you ask?? A little preview above... and details next week!

Festival Hoorahs. Bra Optional.

Dress: Free People Boots: Jeffrey Campbell Bag: Gap Jewelry: Michael Kors watch,
Anthropologie wrap bracelet,  handmade Mexican shell bracelet,
Vintage ring, Urban Outfitters earrings Glasses: Forever21

Get your festy on. 

Or at least look like you are in flowy boho dresses, 

huge earrings, and fringe booties. Bra optional.

Extra credit for a dress that twirls.

gettin' springy with it

Spurts of 60 degree weather and tiny flower buds have inspired me to start thinking about spring accessories! (Cannot WAIT until I don't have to bring a jacket and Uggs in my car just incase it starts snowing...)

Sweater: Target Jeans/Clutch/Boots: Gap Watch: Fossil Bracelet: Anthropologie Ring: vintage

Earrings: Free People 

Shirt: Anthropologie Jeans: Gap Necklace: Anthropologie and Forever21 

Scarves (left to right): Anthropologie, The Limited via Buffalo Exchange, and vintage (from my Grandmother)

Bag: Free People Earrings: Urban Outfitters Bracelet: Nordstrom Rack

Earrings: Forever21

{not so} Small Frye

Frye Harness 12R Chocolate love! Photo by: Kelly Ann

I was in Scottsdale the other day with my sister from another mister when a guy came up to me and asked (for his wife who was standing further away, blushing) What kind of boots I was wearing and where they could find some! 

I was so flattered (and shocked because I thought the whole world knew what Frye Harness boots were), and actually started blushing myself (BAHaha, silly me!) 

"Aw, these ol' things?" (I didn't really say that) but I did collect my whits and tell them they are "Frye" brand, the best boot brand EVER, the style is "Harness" ("Harness 12R Chocolate" to be exact), and they sell them at Nordstrom along with tons of other Frye boot/shoe styles. They were so funny, getting all excited, said a quick "Thanks so much!" and walked away, wifey saying "Let's go to Nordstom!" under her breath. My SFAM laughed at me for blushing and said she had never heard of Frye either! WHAT THE HECK! I have to tell everyone!

Side note: Frye doesn't only make boots of all shapes and sizes, they have handbags, wallets, accessories, sneakers, clogs, moccasins, flats, pumps, oxfords, and shoes/boots/accessories for men and kids, too. Here are just a few of my favs!

Frye Paige

Frye Deborah Studded Short

Frye Melissa Trapunto

You can buy The Frye Company almost anywhere.. like: Nordstrom, Belk, Urban Outfitters, Macy's, Anthropologie, and of course online markets like Ebay, Amazon, and Etsy are great places to find good deals. You just have to remember that the awesome Limited (2 year) Warranty is only offered when purchased at  authorized Frye Company retailers.

Don't know the style anymore, sorry! Photo by: oneoakphoto.com

My first pair of Frye boots I bought on Ebay! I was just about to start college and was in desperate need of some awesome classic leather boots to strut around campus and fell in LOVE with a pair that were $400... (damn me and my expensive taste!) Obviously, my Mother refused to buy them so I resorted to Ebay to try to find an affordable pair. What-do-you-know; I found the EXACT ones I had wanted, in my size, (and they were "%100 Authentic" which is the key word for finding non-knock off) listed at $200 "Buy-it-now", so I did. Almost 7 years later I STILL get stopped on the streets and compliments on them.

Fun fact: The Harness boot style looks the exact same as the Harness made in the 70's. I have a friend who wears a pair of Harness boots from the 70's and they look exactly like my new ones. (The wear and tear is hardly even noticeable at all which is so sweeeet!)

Damn, sorry y'all, I talk a lot... Comment for more info!

Smooches! 

Emerald City

  

 

A few days ago Pantone announced the new color of the year for 2013. You guessed it, Emerald! Whoop Whoop! 

I am stoked that this color is a little more classic and timeless than the 2012 Tangerine Tango, which my closet is now completely drenched in... Green in general is a color that everyone can wear and is very versatile and practical. Emerald is a color you can wear all year round and year after year. Oh, and not-to-mention it really compliments my green eyes... 

Hope you are inspired!

Smooches!

Blog Surfing

  

 I have been blog surfing lately, you know, just trying to find some awesome blogs that really inspire my style, my blog, might have awesome holiday gift ideas, DIYs, blah blah blah.... and what.the.hell out of all the millions of blogs out there why does everything have to be high fashion?!? Don't get me wrong, I love high fashion, and sure, I can drool over a pair of Louboutins, a Chloe bag, or a Hermes scarf for a minute or two but in all reality browsing through these sites where the daily outfit or gift ideas consists of items like these, is just frickin ridiculous. I can appreciate the beauty and that so-and-so the famous designer made it , but I would much rather see someone put together an  INCREDIBLE outfit made up of NO brand names. Think about it, I have never owned anything recognized as a high fashion label but if I were to go into the Dolce and Gabbana section of Saks BLINDFOLDED and put together an outfit I'm sure I would be commended for my "style" and featured in blogs for days. It's like being in a candy shop and getting rewarded for picking out... candy; no gold star for that person.

 uh uh, I cannot relate to these blogs that feature a random 26 yr old someone who recommends the new Ipad, a Burburry scarf, AND latest Uggs as "stocking stuffers for your man", or who dress in only couture labels for their featured outfits. Trends, labels and money do not determine style. 

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Smooooches!

Completing crafts... Something that rarely happens here.

Well well, would you just look at me! Here I am being all SORTS of crafty and actually completing a Nail and String art project from my Do It Myself Pinterest board! I am SO proud of myself....

 This is my ideal location for this particular craft, if only the house came along with completing the project
(Sadly, this is not my home, but if you want to look at more of it click here.)

As many of you may already know, Colorado is the lovely shape of a rectangle..... QUITE unrecognizable if I do say so myself. Therefore; the idea of  making a "Nail and String" art in the shape of Colorado is just not an option... God forbid people confuse my perfect state of CO for Wyoming or somewhere lame like that.

Unfortunately for me (and my home decor), but fortunately for my darling man and his sweet family who are all from Minnesota, I made this beautiful piece of art out of their recognizable state shape and "hearted" in the (general) area of Eden Prairie, where they reside. Another great fortune for them, they received this masterpiece as a host/hostess gift for having me to their cabin in Nisswa at Gull Lake this summer for the 4th (we go hard). 

What's that? You say Wow, Frances is so talented and I'd really like to make one of these with her help. Well it is your lucky day after-all, I will walk you through it. 

Materials Needed:

2-3 packs of 1 inch long, thin nails (about 20 in a pack, I chose brass colored) (Home Depot)

lace crochet type string (you choose the color) (Michael's/Hobby Lobby)

a hammer

professional grade food dye (Michael's/Hobby Lobby)

a piece of wood (Home Depot makes 1-2 cuts for free... look in their scrap wood pile!)

a printer 

tape

large paint brush

1. I went to ReSource to find a piece of wood to use and very sweetly asked the gentlemen at Home Depot to cut it for me to 12x15 inches. I also bought my nails here... in little plastic packets of about 20, i just chose the prettiest gold ones which were about $2.

2. I used my professional grade food dye (this is EXTREMELY potent stuff! $1 at craft store for 2 ounces) to dye my wood! This was you don't have to deal with gross chemical smells of paint or wood stain and it's soooo much cheaper/less scary. I used a Q-tip to swab a fingernail size amount into about an ounce of water and painted in onto my wood slab. If it goes on too dark, simply use more water on your brush to tone it down and vise-versa. Let Dry.

3. I printed out the shape of Minnesota and taped in on my board and started hammering! (Try to cut inside the state line so that you are nailing on the edge of the paper vs right through the paper) Place each nail about 1/2 cm apart from each other for straight lines. For the jagged weird lines (like on the right and top side of the state of MN) I placed nails in kind of a zig-zag pattern to get the right look... Follow me?

4. After completing the border, I pulled up the paper (and found that there were a million little pieces stuck around every nail.. *Note to self: don't nail directly into paper, nail on edge.) I then made the heart shape with nails, trying to use as many as I could because I knew I would have more border nails than heard nails and string would overlap and get cluttered on heart. 

5. I tied the string onto the top corner and started looping one nail on border to one nail in heart.... on and on and on and on and on and on and on. One time my string broke so I just tied a new piece to the end and hide in under a crowded string area.... 

Once you are done stringing... you are pretty much done with the project WHOOP WHOOP! and  Phew, that was hard crafting work! Pat yourself on the back, instagram, show everyone in close proximity to you, text a pic to your mom, and clean up your mess. 

You don't get it? Or you want me to make you one? I completely understand, you are not craft-talented and I'm not judging you, contact me! 

Thanks for reading my ranting, raving, and rambling on!  Smoooooooches!