Jungle Babies Diaper Cake

Jungle Baby Diaper Cake

For this Diaper Cake you will need:

1/2 yard baby decor flannel (Tier 1)
1/2 yard baby decor matching flannel (Tier 2)
1/2 yard baby decor matching flannel (Tier 3)

Contrast thread to match the fabrics
Ribbon
Trim to match the fabrics

Diaper Pins with the plastic head in a color to match the fabrics
1 package in size 2 of 35 diapers (Huggies works well and makes Mom happy)
(Buttons, stuffed animals, pacifiers, flowers, whatever you want to decorate the cake with)

Package of clean rubber bands that can be found in any craft department.
Cardboard cake plate (can be found in Wal-mart's cake decorating isle.  Used to set your cake on)

Gift wrap or any printed paper to cover the cardboard cake plate

You will start by covering the cardboard cake plate with the printed, decorative paper.  First, place the cardboard plate to the unprinted side of the paper and trace around it.  Cut around your trace line.  I used Mod Podge on the back of the paper and then press it to the plate.  Set aside to dry.

Next, you will make three flannel burp cloths for the cake.  These will serve as "fondant" for around the cake tiers.  Be sure to pre-wash the flannel fabric for shrinkage. 

To make your "fondant" covering for each tier, press the fabric and open flat.  Measure each length for each tier as instructed below.  Use a scalloped edge on your sewing machine with the matching color contrast thread.  Sew each panel or tier using the scalloped edge at 1/2 of an inch in from the edge of the fabric sewing around each side.  Clip the fabric away from the scalloped edges.  Fold the burp cloth in half lengthwise.  Set aside.  Roll each diaper and secure with a rubber band. Take the rolled diapers and set upright in a round position.  Wrap the burp cloth around the rolled diapers and secure with one of the diaper pins.  Do this for each tier.  To make the washcloths, square up the remaining fabric.   Do the same as you did for the burp cloths with the scalloped edges. These will make the size of animals you see in the photo. 

 
Bottom Tier.    Cut one panel 31 inches in length by 10 inches in width. Save remaining fabric for washcloth animals.  Holds 20 rolled diapers secured with a rubber band on each diaper. 

Middle Tier.   Cut one panel 25 inches in length by 10 inches in width.  Save remaining fabric for washcloth animals.  Holds 9 rolled diapers secured with a rubber band on each diaper. 

Top Tier.   Cut 21 inches in length by 10 inches in width .  Save remaining fabric for washcloth animals.  Holds 6 rolled diapers secured with a rubber band on each diaper.  You can experiment with how many diapers you'll need for each tier depending on how tightly you roll the diapers.

Once you finish each tier, fold each tier in half lengthwise to where they measure 5 inches in width. Wrap each tier around the stacks of diapers with the scalloped edges at the bottom of the tier.  Now stack them as shown in the photo. Here is a great tutorial on how to stack your diaper cake over at All Free Holiday Crafts.   
https://content.primecp.com/master_images/files/Untitled%20design%20(4).pdf  

The following links show how to make the baby animal washcloths to set on your completed cake. You will need to finish the edges of the washcloths the same way you did for the burp cloths.  The extra fabric will be enough to create at least one elephant washcloth animal.  You can make more washcloths depending how much fabric you have left over.
 
For 5 baby animal washcloths ~   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chtAbkGKrws

For Elephant washcloth ~  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6NRElGcf1I

Now you can finish decorating your diaper cake anyway you like with your washcloth animals, small stuffed animals, pacifiers or any baby item that will go with the theme of your cake. Be sure to add along with the diaper cake a little note explaining the pins or item(s) you used to secure the burp cloths and wash cloths and their safe removal.  Have fun!

A big thank you to Nails and Towels and Sillychely over at YouTube for their great video tutorials!  You can find the Jungle Babies fabrics at JoAnn's Fabrics.

Here is another diaper cake I did for my niece's baby shower.  The "cake" is decorated in a baby dinosaur theme.  

Gift of the Handkerchief

My Mother-in-law has many handkerchiefs and she wanted to give each of her girls a few as gifts to remember her by.  Thought I would share this poem and idea with you.  Enjoy! 

DIY Idea for Hankies

A House For All Seasons ~ Gone to the Beach

This house was a lot of fun to make way back when.  I added my own cross stitch embellishments of a beach theme.  You can find the instruction book from Astor Place over at Amazon at the following link:

http://www.amazon.com/House-All-Seasons-Perforated-Stitch/dp/B002USFBLS

It's a pattern book from the eighties.   

The "yard sign" is taken from the following pattern.  I made the image smaller. 

http://www.everythingcrossstitch.com/beach-huts-mrp-p36603.aspx?k2=e1

For your own printable cross stitch graph paper in any size you need you can go to this link.  

http://www.stitchpoint.com/eng/tool/grid/_intro_graphpaper.php

Fall Decor

Happy Fall Door Decor

This was fun putting together.  I got the metal hanging sconce and fall decor at Hobby Lobby.  Sorry about my finger in the lower right corner!  Did not notice that.  ;)

Gardenia and Double Delight Rose

I really don't have a green thumb when it comes to house plants or exotic plants such as the Gardenia.  So by a miracle, this Gardenia tree by my front door has bloomed with the most beautiful flowers.  I'm enjoying it while it lasts.  :)

Here was our first Double Delight rose bush blooming at our new home earlier this year.  Love the Double Delights!

Polymer Clay Wedding Cake Ornament

Polymer Clay Wedding Cake Decoration by Diana Rudolf

Wedding Cake for Fall Wedding 

Created by Betty Roebuck

Roses and Leaves 

by Karla Wadas Hickenbottom

This was so much fun to make.  The polymer clay is easy to work with.  Love that stuff!  It was great in that I could make a piece, set it aside and come back a week later and still work with it.  It doesn't dry out.  I used the Sculpey brand clay.  This is an ornament I made for my daughter and son-in-law for their tenth wedding anniversary.  The actual cake was created by my daughter's mother-in-law, Betty Roebuck.  She makes the most beautiful cakes. 

DIY Mod Podged Dispenser

Mod Podged Toilet Dispenser

This project is made using the flushable wipes dispenser you find in your grocer or Walmart.  This was fun to make and went pretty quick.  I got the idea from my daughter, Kristen.  She made me one as a gift awhile back.  This one goes great with our beach bathroom theme.  You can design your own with any of your favorite scrapbook papers and embellishments.  

 

I used The Paper Studio's Beach House scrapbook papers for my design on this box.  

First, you will need a piece of paper to trace your top pattern to.  Before you begin, place the flushable wipes in a zip-lock baggie so they won't dry out. 

Cut a section of paper to fit over the top of the dispenser.  Tape the paper to the top on both sides. 

Using the side of the pencil lead, shade over the top around the lid.  This will be your pattern piece.  Shade that entire area of the lid.  

Remove the paper from the lid and cut out your pattern on the lines you created with the pencil rub or shading.  Place the pattern over the top to make sure your scrapbook piece will fit.

Next, place the pattern piece over your scrapbook paper.  Tape it to the scrapbook paper and cut around the pattern piece.  Set this piece aside.

I placed the scrapbook paper along the bottom edge of the dispenser and measured where to cut the strip of paper to fit on the front edge by pressing with my finger along the bottom to get the cut line as shown above.  Cut out your strip. 

Next, place the strip along the front of the dispenser and cut out a notch for the closing tab as shown above.  

"Paint" on a layer of Mod Podge in the front of the dispenser with a brush or sponge and then lay your strip along that edge of the front as you see above.  Try not to get too much of the Mod Podge onto the surface of the dispenser.  You can see it has a smooth and shiny finish and too much Mod Podge will make it bubble. 

If you need to, you can cut a tiny snip that may want to stick over the edge of the dispenser as shown.  

Cut out any design(s) from your scrapbook paper that you desire to go on the sides and the lid at the top of the dispenser.  

Using your Mod Podge like glue, glue each cut out in any way you desire onto your dispenser. Next, using your paint brush or sponge, cover the entire area of scrapbook paper.  I'm fairly new to using Mod Podge, so if you know a better way of getting your paper onto an object with the Mod Podge, please share it with us.  Thank you!!  

Add any tiny embellishments you would like to your dispenser.  Place it on the back of the toilet in your bathroom.