Ruby The Rubik's Cube Valentine Box

Over the weekend, my daughter Xiera worked on her Valentine box for her upcoming Valentine party at school. She wanted something cute, retro, and kawaii. She fell in love with an adorable Rubik's cube box idea she found on Pinterest created by Tammy and Annie of Peppermint Plum. Xiera decided to recreate her own version. We substituted black construction paper in the place of the black foam paper it called for underneath the colorful foam block squares.

We also decided to cut the hole on top with an x-acto knife AFTER the box was complete. I helped with this part. ;)
Xiera requested an opening in the back to remove all of her Valentines and candy with ease so I used the x-acto knife once again to create this opening.

Xiera cannot wait to show off Ruby the Rubik's Cube to all of her friends this week at her Valentine party. We think it turned out very kawaii!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! For Xiera's Valentine party at school today, she made this adorable kitty cat box to store all of her special Valentines from all of her friends.

It is complete with a crocheted pink tail. ;)

She is so excited to show it off to all of her friends today.

I am actually heading out within the hour to help out with both of the girls' Valentine parties at school. Here is what I made for all of the kiddos to snack on.

Although this is not my picture, my trix treats turned out the same. Photo is courtesy of Cravings of a Lunatic. I hope they all brought their sweet tooth.

Who's Who Love Letters Launch...

Who's Who is having their Valentine's launch on facebook beginning tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. eastern time. A lot of amazingly talented boutique designers are coming together for this launch so please come and check it out. I have a few new items that I have made for this fun launch that you won't want to miss. ;)

You Got Mail!

Valentine's Day has to be one of my favorite holidays. I adore all things pink and red, topped off with hearts. This year Xiera had to make her own Valentine box at home. She said she wanted to be unique and bring in something other than a shoebox or oatmeal shaped container. She suggested a mailbox shaped box. I searched and searched online and finally found a website that inspired the perfect box.

I found an old clothing box lid downstairs and cut off three of it's sides.

Then I used wrapping paper, (I found a roll of wrapping paper with roses on it that I purchased awhile back at the local Dollar Tree store.) and wrapped up the largest part of the box lid and the side I did not cut off.

After wrapping, I folded the box into the shape of a mailbox using the side as the bottom of the mailbox. Using box tape, I taped it together.

I then took a piece of pink cardstock paper and traced the end of the mailbox. I drew a few tabs all the way around and a larger one for the end and cut it out taping the tabs to the inside of the box.

Next, I traced the front opening and drew only the bottom flap.

After cutting it out, I taped the bottom flap to the bottom inside of the box.
I took a hole punch and punched a hole on the top front of the box and top of the front lid.

I used a scrap piece of ribbon and threaded it through both holes. This is what we used to open and shut the mailbox, tieing the ribbon into a bow to close the box and untieing it to open. I also used a little box tape around both holes to make them sturdier and less likely to rip and tear.

I took my pencil and poked two holes at the top.

I then threaded a scrap piece of ribbon through both holes and tied a knot. I pushed the knot through one of the holes to make a ribbon handle. I used box tape again around both holes to make the holes sturdy. I used a scrap piece of red construction paper to create a flag. After cutting it out, I realized how flimsy it was, so I glued the flag to one of the leftover sides that I had cut off from the box.

After cutting out, I attached the flag to the box using a brad.
Xiera then decorated it with sequins, buttons, fake flowers, and foam letters and shapes to make it her own.


I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Love Inspires

Valentine's Day is approaching and I have been inspired to decorate and create for the upcoming occasion. Last year I crocheted a heart swag to adorn my hutch. This year I made two more to hang all the way around.

I purchased a sweet little decorative hand painted block set on etsy from SimpleBlockSayings. I thought it was simply perfect in every way.

The white tree I found at Hobby Lobby on sale for half off. I was sad to find that one of the bird's tails were broken and even more upset to find that it was the last one they had. But when they told me that they would give me another 20% off for the flaw, I knew I had to have it. I think it looks like a mommy bird perched on a tree with her baby bird. Perhaps she is teaching it how to fly. I have so many plans for this adorable little tree for every season. The little heart tree on the blocks inspired me to crochet the heart ornaments.
I am not the only one inspired by this fast approaching day of Love. Look at these beautiful treasuries that feature my Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue scarf and hat set.


You can view them both HERE and HERE.

Zella's love for Pandas and her pretty big blue eyes inspired me to create a new hat design.

The Pretty Little Panda hat was made with the softest fluffiest polyamide yarn and has long textured braids attached to it's earflaps for a touch of whimsy fun. Remember the Fluffy Little Owl hat I made recently? I really loved the design of that hat and so I gathered inspiration from it to create the Pretty Little Panda. You can find it in my Etsy store HERE. As I was making the eyes, I decided at the last minute that I wanted the panda to have blue eyes like Zella. Now that it is finished, I can't imagine it having any other color. I think Zella would agree too.

A Little Bird Named My Conscious....

told me that I was being a very bad blogger and that I needed to blog more often. I have to agree and I do apologize. My only excuse is that family and life was calling and I had to set my blog on the back burner for awhile.
So what have we been up to, you ask? Well we have had snow and ice and we were able to build a beautiful snow ice princess.



For a Valentine's Day gift for Xiera's teacher, I made a Sweetheart Swag. I found the pattern in the February 2010 issue of Crochet World.

I fell in love with it so much, I of course had to make one for myself too.

Zella's birthday was on the 21st and we were planning on celebrating her birthday this past Saturday. Unfortunately Zella and I caught a nasty flu virus that left us laying on the couch while watching Despicable Me over and over again for a few days. We started feeling much better on Monday so I whipped up a batch of yummy strawberry cupcakes for the birthday girl to enjoy. I can't believe my baby girl is already 4 years old!

We have rescheduled her "Birdie" Party for this coming Saturday. :)

Speaking of birds, I am so excited to share a little something I have been working on. I am collaborating with Shawnta of Mamigirlboutique for an upcoming guest launch with Dilly Dally Boutique. You can visit her wonderful blog HERE. Shawnta is making a beautiful set using the Treetop Fancy collection by Free Spirit. I just love the fabric print of the blue bird on the brown background. It was that blue bird that inspired my design. I made a halter top with criss cross straps in green and brown to go over a peasant top she is making.


I think the blue bird embellishment adds a touch of whimsy fun to this precious halter. I am so excited to see it modeled with her set.

A Valentine For a Special Teacher

I just love the Love To Cook Hot Pad pattern in Crochet World Magazine's February 2010 issue. I decided to make one as a Valentine gift for Xiera's kindergarten teacher.

Xiera colored the prettiest picture on her teacher's card.

Isn't it sweet?! Happy Valentine's Day from our home to yours!

Love Abounds Valentine Launch

Wisterialane is having a Love Abounds Valentine themed Launch this week. I relisted two of my past hat designs for the launch.

The Miss Mouse Hat


and my recent Isn't She Lovely Cloche


Don't forget to search Wisterialane on Ebay to see more beautiful Valentine outfits and accessories to match.

With love,
Lindsay

Happy Heart Day!!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! --> You know I couldn't resist my girl Hello Kitty showing some love on this post! ;)
I have had such a busy week. As you already know, Zella's big birthday party is next weekend and I have been planning and gathering goodies for her special day. I am still planning on making her Sponge Bob birthday cake. I am just a little nervous how I am going to go about it, but I am sure once I get started on it, everything will fall into place...hopefully. ;)
I have been keeping my promise to Xiera about fixing her hair up everyday! Phew...these hair styles she picks out really are time consuming, but I love the one on one time we have in the mornings while I make her hair pretty. Here is a picture of one of my favorites!

I found the original hairstyle HERE I just tweaked it a bit because Xiera's hair is a lot longer. I thought the little Scary Spice twisty buns looked cute with it. I have also not mastered the reverse french braid technique, hence the regular french braids. ;) O and yes that top she is wearing is about 3 sizes too small for her. She has been playing "dress up" with Zella's outgrown clothes. She insists that they fit her. I disagree.
In between party shopping for Zella, new hairstyles, and helping Xiera out of her outgrown dress up clothes, I have found some time to work on custom orders and a few more hats to collaborate with my dear friend Janissa of JM Baby Boutique.
First is this adorable little boy bunny hat I made for a dear customer of mine.

And here are some more hats to match JM Baby Boutique's Sets.


And how cute are these little hair clips?


I can't wait to see what Janissa makes to match them!

With Love,
Lindsay