Wanna create a WOW baby shower gift?

First I hot glued ribbon bows in several shades of pink, white and purple onto the clip clothes pins. You can use blues or yellows and greens if you know (or don't) the sex of the child.

Next, I decorated the rim of the small laundry basket...I usually get my baskets from Micheal's as they ahve many different sizes available.

Then I undid all of the items I had gotten as gifts and laid them out along a clothes line...and then pinned them to the line with the "bowed" clothes pins.

The listing of what I usually put in the basket is as follows:
blankets, receiving blankets, socks, booties, cloth diapers or burp cloths, onesies, outfits, hats, layette outfits, mittens, washcloths, hooded baby towels, undershirts...in other words anything you would "hang on the line". I also have attached "binkies" and baby rattles or toys as well. In this case, I had a butterfly loofah in pink and white - and the theme of the baby's room was to have butterflies in it - so be creative! Sometimes I even put in Dreft detergent or some other mild detergent. Its cute.



I like to layer white tissue paper on the bottom of the basket. You can also hide any of the hangers or tags and receipts in the bottom under the tissue, too. Then, from one end of the rope, you lay in your line with items into the bottom of the basket, swooping it back and forth so when its pulled out it doesn't catch on any of the other items. Lay the last item on top and let the rope end dangle so its easy to reach. I put a note on this one since I did not go to the shower, but sent the gift, because if you don't know what to do, it ruins the effect.

Lastly, I wrap the basket in clear plastic, and tie it up with another piece of the clothes line and some ribbon, and I also put a small flower arrangement at the top in appropriate colors. I always have flowers around. (Thank you, Mother, for your teachings about flowers and such!!) And WALLAH! You have an awesome baby shower gift!

When the gift is opened, you have at least one someone help by pulling out the line and stretching it out for all to see. Its a great effect! And I do so love to have the best effect gift at any party! Email me if you have any questions...Good luck making one!

A gift for my mamma....

Did I mention that my mom was a florist? Well, yeah...and the craftiest woman alive on the planet...one of the many many things I miss about my mom...well, anyway...her room is so disgustingly blah, that I went to Michael's and bought one of those ...well not plastic, but fake pumpkins...cut a small hole in it, placed in some Styrofoam and added the flowers and lil scare crow...I even did a relatively good job of making a florist type bow...I only watched her make hundreds and hundreds of them...I used to just wimp out and ask her to make my bows...she doesn't remember any of that anymore...I was hoping it would bring back a memory or two...like a body memory or something...like how you know to type...kwim? No luck...anyway...she thought it was pretty (got a smile from her! ...as only I can do!!!) So - I thought I would share a picture of the arrangement...I think it came out cute myself!!!

The CD crate project for my mother...

OK - so here is another (as Jantink says) YILMS* craft projects...I bought these CD crates at I believe Michael's...I didn't want them to be exactly white so Bob said, "whitewash 'em!"...wow - what a great idea honey - so I did!!! I love that man!! Anywho...I used the acrylic craft paint in white - added some spring water (lol) and swished it aound in my paint bowl....really chemically correct, eh? LOL

So here is one completely whitewashed twice - to which I had to use my emossing gun on to help dry...

Then I decorated it using craft inks - I used the retired set of the sunflower (sniff, sniff)....I colored the chipboard letters with artichoke and glued them on with a lil dab'el'do'ya of crystal effects...MAN does that stick!

So - I made one for my mom and one for Stephanie's other grandmother...... so here are two done...

Then off to Lowe's for flowers!!! So here they are on the front porch - ready to be delivered! At the dollar store, I found a 6 pack of these plastic flower things - I actually have no idea WHAT you call 'em...but you put the flower pot in this like "plate" or "bowl" so that when you water the plant the water doesn't go all over....the plastic had a lip and my friend Candy said - cut the lip off and I bet it fits....well I did and it did!! LOL Thanks Candy!!

So here is the final shot of a complete crate complete with flowers....YILMS!! LOL

* = yes I love myself!! LOL