Easy Decorated Clip Boards

I love teacher gifts...  You know this, I know this, so there it is.  I have done them here, here, here, here, here and here.  This actually didn't start out as a teacher gift, but inevitably turned into our end of year gift's for my eldest son's teachers.

Here goes: OK, I had the clipboards because we went on a family trip earlier this year and I thought my boys would like writing/drawing in the car...  I have to constantly remind myself that I have boys, because they TOTALLY did not like these.  Nope, they never used them.  So as I was watching these clipboards gather dust, I knew I had to do something with them...

Then as if by craft providence, I saw the cutie pie apple scrap paper (only needed one 12 by 12 sheet) and the apple sequin sticker (on clearance several months ago) and knew together I could put together a cute teacher gift.

The sticker and name are on the back.

Apple paper on the front.

So, decorating clipboards has been done all over the blogosphere, so I am not adding to that.  Besides, if you want to know how to mod podge the paper and clean up the edges, you can review this post.  I do it there on the signs.  I will; however, talk you through how I got the teacher's name around the apple.

Ok, so I have a fancy cutter machine but because I have too many hoppers in the fire, I have not been good about reading the manual (though I did several months ago) and it doesn't seem to want to work well for me.  :(   So, I used the software to make a circle a tad over 3 inches round and picked a font for the teacher's name to go around it.  I used this method to put the name onto the clipboard, then colored the name in with paint pen and let dry.

Found these tiny clipboards at Michaels and had to use them!!
They were in the dollar section, but they weren't a dollar.
I used my paint pen for the sayings.

Used a glue stick and extra decorative paper to
cover the top of the notebook paper.

 These took no time at all to do and were pretty inexpensive!  What cute teacher gifts do you like to make?

Take Care,
Morgan

Baptism Gift

Have you ever made a gift for someone and wished you had made it for yourself?  Be honest...  This is truly a gift I wish I had made for my littlest one, but I didn't.  I couldn't even make it because I only found one of the most important items (the Cross,) which I found by chance!  I am really proud of how this baptism gift turned out and surprisingly the finished product is actually like I imagined it would look!  That never happens for me!

So, I have seen tons of stamped hoops with sewn bunting all over blog land, but I didn't need a gift like that, especially for such a solemn occasion.  I did want a hoop gift though, so I spent a lot of time trolling searching for the applique, charm and perfect font/wording for this gift.  I am so glad I did (cough, cough, though the gift was late...)

This was super easy and if you have to make one, will be super quick for you!  :)  That's what I am here for friends!  I have included a tute, though you all are smart cookies and would hardly need one! 



Materials:
Scrap of Fabric for Hoop
Paint
Wood Hoop - mine is 6 inches across
Applique Cross
Iron on Transfer Paper
Thread/Needle
Ribbon (optional)
Charm (optional) Mine said 'the Lord be with you,' but you could easily do a dove, angel, I saw so many options at the store
Font/Printer/Computer
Embroidery Scissors (optional)

Instructions:

1. Paint outside of wood hoop your desired color.  Try two coats and let dry.
2. Find the perfect font/wording, then print out on regular printer paper.  
3. Cut the wording out and put to the side for now.
4. Place fabric in the hoop.  Place wording in desired area to determine if font size is appropriate.  Place applique in desired spot too.  Rearrange if needed...  In my example, I could have easily put the wording over the cross.  See what looks best to your eye. 
5. If wording looks good, print mirror image on transfer paper according to package directions.
6. Iron wording first, then iron Cross applique.  Ok, my applique wouldn't stick, so I ended up hand sewing a couple of stitches on the top and bottom of the cross.  If you don't have any ribbon/charm, then do the sides, too.  Never remove the fabric from the hoop at this point.  Trust me!  :)
7. Cut a couple of inches of desired ribbon and put the charm on the ribbon.  Fold the ends under the sides of the cross and do your hand stitching.  This is a two-fer because the ribbon stitching also holds the applique, too.
8. Cut excess fabric away from the hoop.  I used my embroidery scissors because they cut real close to the hoop.  I tried using my standard fabric scissors and they didn't do as clean of a job.

I found all of the items (hoop, cross, and charm) at the same store, while I had all of the other items from leftover projects.  When I got to it, this didn't take long and like I said, I wish I had one (or three, actually) of these for my boys.  Yes, I am that person who when I find an awesome gift for you, I buy one for myself, too!  At least people know I do buy other people things I would want...  :)   I am working on it...  Ok, I am not, but I felt like I needed to say that!  :)

What do you like to make for baptism gifts?

Take Care,
Morgan

Linking up to:
Made by you Monday - Skip to my Lou 
Trendy Treehouse 
Craft-O-Maniac 
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/link-party-palooza-22/