Tutorials, DIY, & How Tos... Oh My!

I love a good tutorial! Although I'm much better off with an actual pattern, I have made quite a few things from the many tutorials you can find on generous crafter's blogs. I like to share the handmade love too, and realized the other day that the tutorials I've done here have added up over the last two years... wow I've been blogging for almost 2 years... that's a post all of it's own! So for your convenience (and mine too the next time someone asks me "how'd you make that") I added a list of links to my tutorial posts to the right margin of the blog. If you haven't been an Elle Belle fan since the beginning *GASP* check 'em out! And definitely let me know if you use any of them, I'd love love love to see your creations!

Share some handmade how to of your own as well... post a comment here with a link to your favorite tutorial (one of your own or one you've found online) if you care to!

Featured Seller - CREATE a THOUGHT

Everyday you are creating thoughts. Thoughts that are interesting and beautiful, profound and deep, silly and funny. Whatever your thought style is, they should be recorded. CREATEaTHOUGHT's mission is to help you do just that. Browse through this Etsy shop and find one-of-a-kind journals like this vintage bingo design:
I'll confess that I'm not good about keeping a journal... I ease the guilt by referring to this blog as my diary of creative endeavors... but I am a list making fool! I have notebooks stashed just about everywhere and of course they can't be those hideous cardboard brown ones...even boring grocery lists deserve an interesting place to land.

If you don't want to keep your thoughts all to yourself, CREATE a THOUGHT has you covered there too with Flair2Wear buttons.

Tag Blanket Give Away!

Thank you everyone who stopped by to comment on my giveaway and especially to those of you who decided to follow my little diary of crafty endeavors (a.k.a. my blog)! Without further ado... random.org picked our winner... DESIREE. Come on down Desiree and claim your Elle Belle tag blanket!

Welcome Sew Mama Sew visitors (and my usuals of course too)! I'm hoping to make it a bit easier to add some handmade goodness to your day, so I'm participating in the Give Away Day and giving away a boy or girl Minky and satin crinkle corner tag blanket. All you have to do is check out my Etsy shop and leave a comment here on my blog about your favorite Elle Belle item. I’ll give you an additional entry if you like my blog enough to follow. Just click on the “follow” button on the right and leave a 2nd comment on this post to indicate that you follow. I'll use a random # generator thingie to pick a winner midnight Saturday May 30th. Good Luck! Hidden crinkle material gives one corner a curious crunchy sound & feel • Built with unbeatably super soft genuine Minky and satin, they are oh so snuggly • 12 distinct ribbons compliment the fabric and add a variety of texture and color • At approximately 14x14 inches square (not including the ribbon), they’re just the right size for the diaper bag and convenient for car seat playtime.


Elle Belle tag blankets are designed to sooth little ones while engaging them in tactile, auditory, and visual, exploration. They are the perfect cozy alternative to the larger crib sized comforts they know and love. Will they be jealous of your super cute handmade gift at the next shower? ©

*I'll spread the handmade love across the world... international entries welcome too!

Collaged Clipboard

Even though we’re nearly across the country from each other, my Mom and I must have been on the same wave length because she and I both spent the day cleaning out and re-organizing our spaces a few weeks ago (see my My Space Now Hers post). My space happens to be a sewing studio, hers is an office were she runs her Real Estate business. So, for Mother’s Day I thought I would make her a collaged clipboard to help in her efforts to find a place for everything and keep everything in its place… not to mention add a little whimsy to her work area. If you’d like to make one as a gift or for yourself, there are a few tools that will make it easier and give you a nice finished product. In addition to the paper and embellishments you’ll use to decorate your clip board, you’ll need: scrappy glue, bone folder, sanding block, & corner rounder. First, cut your papers to fit the clipboard & round the bottom corners. Spread scrappy glue evenly over the surface of the clipboard (I used a tooth pick, you could also use a paint brush, to get an even coat) and adhere your papers. Tie bits of ribbon to the clip part. Add stickers (the blue “ribbon” that divides the two papers is actually adhesive backed paper and the cupcakes are cut from another piece of card stock and applied with more scrappy glue) and use your bone folder to cleanly apply any rub on transfers (the words are rub ons). Using your sanding block, sand all along the edge of the clip board; this gives it a really finished look and keeps the paper from lifting away from the edges. If you weren’t using distressed look papers like I did, you could use an ink pad to apply that finish to the piece. Have fun!

Bloomhill Baby

The Etsy community is such a wonderful group of crafters! Case in point, Bloomhill Baby. The Etsy Baby street team hosted a baby shower for Moms on Etsy. If you were expecting or had a baby within 3 months you could sign up to be showered with some handmade baby goodness from 2 members of the Etsy Baby team. How sweet is that?!

The very tallented, Tammy of Bloomhill Baby, makes some really adorable baby items... some that even include machine embroidery that she custom designs herself. She created this pretty little onesie for Liv with her initials.

Bloomhill Baby's profile says she's a perfectionist and you can definitely tell it in her work! This onesie is great quality and her attention to detail on the trim and embroidered design is obvious. Tammy's commitment to excellence makes her a dream to work with and I so appreciate her generosity!

An Elle Belle Birthday!

Elle Belle has you covered when it comes to those littlest birthdays! For the actual birth day, nothing beats an Elle Belle sling! They come with written instructions that include pictures, so if Mommy hasn't used a sling before she'll be a pro in no time. I guarentee the first time baby is inconsolable and the only thing that works is the sling, you'll get a call from the new Mommy to thank you for your gift that saved the day. Or maybe she'll thank you instead for actually being able to make herself a sandwhich or fold laundry for the first time because baby won't let her put him/her down. Slings are new Mommy life savers!

First birthdays are great for hooded towels that make bath time and those trips to the beach/pool even more fun. The recycled no-break/no-roll crayons are also a big hit with this creative crowd.

Second birthdays beg for an Elle Belle I Spy quilt! They’re an extra special gift that makes for lots of quality fun time with Mommy & Daddy and is sure to become a cherished heirloom.

Third birthdays are the perfect time to start preparing for pre-school and get a jump on letter, number, & color recognition with Elle Belle Count & Spell beanbags.

Forth birthdays and that little one isn’t quite so little anymore. Elle Belle Tooth pillows make one of those rites of passage a little less painful!

Stop by the Elle Belle shop the next time you get a playful party invitation in the mail!

Crayon Roll

I love pre-school aged birthday parties! All the laughter of playing games with their little friends, blowing out the candles brings such a sense of accomplishment, and just tearing into all that colorful wrapping paper is half the fun. But I think my favorite part is giving a gift that the birthday boy or girl not only loves, but that was made with care and attention. I often make gifts that aren’t part of what I sell in the Elle Belle shop just because it’s a good excuse to try something different. I tried my hand at a crayon roll for a recent 2 year old party we were invited to. It was easy to make and when filled with crayons and accompanied by a coloring book I thought it made a sweet gift.

Here’s how I did it: You can make them in whatever size you like, depending on how many crayons you want to store. I wanted to fit about 20 crayons in this one, so I cut two strips of fabric 12.5" long x 5.5" wide. Pin the strips right sides together. Cut a length of ribbon for the tie, fold it in half and pin it between the strips into the middle of one of the short ends. Sew the strips together (1/4” seam allowance), leaving room to turn. Turn the strips right sides out & press.

Cut a piece of felt 3” tall and a quarter of an inch shorter than the outside of your crayon roll (I used pinking shears for a decorative edge). Pin the felt to the bottom of the crayon roll and top stitch all the way around (catching the felt & the seam allowance from the spot you used to turn the strips). I did a double row just because I thought it looked nice, you can skip that if you’d like.

Sew a row of stitches every ¾” across the crayon roll. Fill with crayons, roll it up, tie it with your ribbon & heat set the ends to prevent fraying. Now you can invite your friends out to dinner and have adult conversation while their little one quietly colors away with their handy dandy new crayon roll!

Coming Soon!

I’ve been on an Elle Belle hiatus of sorts since last Christmas and haven’t been listing new items in the shop, but that’s come to an end. I’ll be posting new items every week day for at least a month. Here’s what you can expect to see in the coming weeks:

• New designer boy and girl cart covers being released.
• Bib & Paci clips - These are in limited supply, when they’re gone they’re gone, so get them while you can. Oh and did I mention they’re FREE shipping?!
• Zippered pouches now included for FREE with many Elle Belle slings.
• The last of the Elle Belle Swarovski crystal heirloom baby bracelets makes it’s appearance near the end of the month.
• Several new slings are making their way into the shop
• Recycled no-break, no-roll crayon sets make a sweet surprise for your creative little one

Be sure to stop by the shop often this month. Keep watching the blog too; I’ll be featuring some of the new products and even do a giveaway just for blog readers!

Tummy Time Couldn't be Cuter!

Ann finished binding and quilting the play mat I pieced for the new baby! It was so wonderful to have it all finished to perfection and not have to do the “dirty” work :) So here you have it, our collaborative effort, the super puffy, super fun play mat from Amy Butler’s Little Stitches for Little Ones book: