Fabulous Five: DIY Humbingbird Feeders

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You know what I love? Hummingbirds. Really though, who doesn't? Satan maybe. Ooh, and the bugs they eat. Still, I think we (those of us with opposable thumbs and the ability to read) can agree that hummingbirds make us smile. While I was standing on my deck this morning I realized I had nary a feeder and while I was at Wal-Mart I realized that I did not enjoy the plastic sort.

So for our (mostly mine) own benefit I rounded up a few very pretty DIY options. And because most o them require hummingbird feeder tubes I sourced both packs of twelve and single tubes.

Isn't this just the prettiest? Made from a plastic bottle and several plastic spoons. Visit The Shabby Beach Nest for the tutorial.

 

A glass bottle, copper tubing and a feeder tube come together to make this gorgeous number from Birds and Blooms. 

Pretty glass beads on recycled clear glass bottles come together or this feeder from Think Crafts.

This clever option from Cultivating Life is what I will be making while I wait or my hummingbird feeder tubes to come in the mail.

And because this is Fabulous Five, not Fabulous Four, I give you one more truly fabulous hummingbird feeder.

The Grand Chandelier Hummingbird Feeder

Have fun and stay cool while you're in your gardens!

Ruffle Bum Vintage Sheet Skirt

Skirt Week is upon us again and it just so happens I have a few entries for this year's contest, so bear with me as I publish a couple of posts tooting my own horn.


Presenting the Vintage Sheet Ruffle Bum Skirt!

 Front view. This skirt is made from two of my very favourite vintage sheets in my stash.

 The skirt does have a soft lining with an attached aqua tulle peek-a-boo ruffle.

The back of the skirt has four rows ruffles that I double sided - narrow hemmed myself before ruffling.

 Back left close up.

Back right close up.

The skirt was inspired by this one I made two years ago for family member's little one.

Sometimes you just can't let go of a good idea. <3 Wish me good luck!

Modern Wednesday Has Arrived!

I have been away again. But I have a great excuse! I have been creating, but with a different purpose than usual! *drumroll please*

I have opened a shop! It is technically an online shop called Modern Wednesday but all of my sales have been local (semi) custom orders. So it has been an exciting couple of months. And let me tell you, nothing gets the creative juices flowing like a sense of purpose! Would you like to see a couple items from my shop? Awesome!

 Panel skirt with liner and tulle ruffle listing at ModernWednesday.

 Ruffle Bum Skirt with liner and blue tulle ruffle listing at Modern Wednesday.

 Chiffon flower accessory with beaded centre listing at Modern Wednesday

Denim and Yellow barrettes listing at Modern Wednesday

Stretch Cotton grey wrap with salvaged leather pockets listing at Modern Wednesday.

Blue Gigham and lace gathered flower accessory listing at Modern Wednesday.

Pretty snazzy stuff isn't it! Some of it you might even recognize them from old tutorials and pictures. 

There is three times those listings at the shop though. Also, I have galleries set up of my favourite projects that I encourage people to order custom made projects. Remember my very first sewing project ever? The bean bags? Well, someone ordered a set of eight as sensory toys for her son with Autism. Remember Wednesday's felt crown? Well I made the prettiest girly version of it this week for another custom order.

I chose Indiemade to host my website and shop because it was an all inclusive flat rate price that includes hosting, design and a shopping platform. I can have up to 13 galleries with unlimited photos within. I can list up to 100 items in my shop at a time and there is no commission for Indiemade. The biggest selling point for me though was that customers DO NOT NEED an account to shop at my shoppe! I love that. Believe it or not, a lot of people in my life do not shop within Etsy's 'borders'. Some don't even know what 'an Etsy' is.  So I didn't see the point in complicating the process for my local customers all the while giving my customers access to my competition.
That being said, I have an Etsy storefront, I just haven't decided how to divvy up my listings between the two. Suggestions?

I also have a Facebook fan page for those of you that would like to follow for sneak peaks and discounts! I update regularly with 'In The Making' photos as well as 'In The Shoppe' photos.

So there you have it. That is what has been eating up all my spare time. When I am not playing mom and homemaker I am playing maker and shopkeeper. I like my new hat(s). I have not given up on this blog, I swear I just have to find a balance because Storage Geek is still going strong as well. I'm nearly at 30,000 readers! So lots of stuff here, all awesome.

Cheers!

Wednesday on Wednesday

Wednesday and I went for our very first Mommy-Daughter salon visit. Wednesday got a trim, straighten and the fuchsia that Daddy has been promising her. She also sprayed me down with the shampoo hose by accident.  That was awesome, thank goodness we were the last ones in the shop.

Wednesday on Wednesday

Sweet and silly. My favourite combination in a little girl.

How To: Felt PIn Wheel Wreath

Wow, that is some seriously dreary weather lately isn't it? Makes you wish spring would disappear and summer would get here doesn't it? Well, to help pull me out of the grey weather funk I made the cheeriest wreath this morning!

Pretty as a picture isn't it? And it came together so fast I just had to share the how to! It mostly consists of a pinwheel primer (in case you have never made a single one in grade school. Seriously though, how did you let that happen?)

Get together your supplies which consist of:
1 wreath form
6 squares of felt (4)4" squares and (2)5.5" squares
3 Buttons
Enough lace and/or ribbon to wrap around the wreath
Rotary knife or scissors
Glue gun & sticks (But a needle and thread can be used in its stead)

Here are the super simple steps!

1. Lay out your squares of felt and layer them two to a pile. (I love the contrasting colours of each wheel.)

2. Find the centre and using a rotary knife or scissors, cut to almost the center.

3. Add glue to the centre and fold over one piece and affix. Your back layer might reach the centre but probably won't. I folded both pieces at the same time but had to add a bit of glue to the bottom layer and the point sat just outside the centre. (Don't worry though, the button will cover it.)

4. Continue with all four corners until your pinwheel looks like this.

5. Glue button to centre.

6. Rinse and repeat for the next two pinwheels. Aren't they just adorable?!

7. Pull out your wreath for and do a lace/ribbon mock up. I scavenged some lace from my jars for this. I actually used four different pieces so I wanted to make sure they would all fit.

8. Glue ends (if you have multiple pieces)and wrap evenly.

 9. Glue your pinwheels on and you are done! Now hang that baby and brighten your mood!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Happy crafting!

Wednesday on Wednesday

My little girl is growing up before my eyes.

Wednesday on Wednesday

Some great pictures from our annual Easter egg hunt! The weather was amazing and the children were even more so!

The skirt was one of Wednesday's Easter presents. It was a long overdue requested "rainbow skirt" number. It is made from a combination of vintage sheets, new yardage, thrifted scarf and vintage trims. It was so much fun to make I am making another for sell. I hope your weekend was as beautiful and fun filled as ours! Cheers!

Wednesday on Wednesday

It is that time of year again. The time when Wednesday drives me bananas until she gets to dye some eggs. So yesterday I obliged. I had hopes of doing the Kool-Aid method but my local Wal-Mart didn't sell the individual packs.  I have done the food colouring with vinegar method and it did work but I felt you needed to leave the eggs in the bath too long or vivid colours. (Little ones need instant gratification.) So, I wandered over to the easter decorating section and found Dudley's Egg Decorating Kit. I had two criteria; bright vivid colours and our year old friendly processes. (Some kits called for smushing the egg in a bag of glitter etc.). This kit delivered. Super cheap and super bright colours and the girls loved it.

If we get the eggs eaten by Friday, I am going to do this one more time for Wednesday. Maybe by then the dye on her fingers will have washed away too! This weekend we'll be joining friends for our annual egg hunt. And I have some tricks up my sleeve for Wednesday on Sunday. What are some of your Easter traditions? Do you pay special attention to the religious reasons for the holiday? Do you have a child obsessed with dyeing eggs like me? However you celebrate I hope your Easter is magical.
<3

Wednesday on Wednesday (or Thursday)

It has been ages since I shared some photos of Wednesday. (Since pre-Christmas I believe.) Good and bad excuses aside, I have some wonderful photos to share today. Last week we had some seriously unseasonable and amazing weather here in South Eastern Ontario. It was summer weather. We were out in shorts, and flip flops for the better part of the week. Before the weather could return to the seasonal cold and wet temperatures, I managed to whisk Wednesday off to the park for some sunshine, fun and photos.

Now it is back to raincoats, boots and mittens. What a glorious week it was though. I hope your spring is coming up daffodils!