Easy Bejeweled Thumb Tacks

Ok so I bought a few packages of jewels at the Dollar Store in town the other day and I didn't really have a plan for them. But while I was at the thrift store rummaging through the free box(I find some cool stuff sometimes) I found a zip lock bag full of Thumb Tacks. Now normally I don't get super excited when I find thumb tacks but this particular bunch of thumb tacks had some very cute Ladybug push pins in it as well. So anyways after getting home I put my Ladybug push pins on my bulletin board and realized that my board needed a little sprucing up and those Dollar store Jewels came to my mind.

So here is what I used.
Flat backed Jewels~$1
Thumb Tacks~Free Box
Hot Glue Gun~Already had it!!
(Looking Simple Already Right???)

Ok so then all I did was put some hot glue on the Thumb Tack and pushed on the Jewel. So simple and Cute!!!

These are the cute little Ladybug Pins that were my inspiration!! Thank you Thrift Store free box!!

Here's the jewels that I got from the Dollar Store and the Free miss-matched Thumb Tacks!!

I added a bit of hot glue to the top of the thumb tack. 

(I told you it would be super easy)

Put the push pin down on the flat side of the Jewel. (obviously)

Then WaLa!! There you have it your own Jewel Push Pins. 

I think they do a very nice job of showcasing my hair clips!!!

Hair Clips

So I have been making hair clips here and their for myself and my daughter but recently my husband mentioned that I make them to a woman that he works with. She was very interested and so I made her two and she loved them. She loved them so much that she wanted me to make her 4 more. Its such a wonderful feeling to know that someone likes your creations. So I posted the pictures of the first 2 clips that I made for her on my facebook page and the responses were amazing. Since posting the pictures I have gotten requests for about 14 more. WOW. So im thinking that since I love making these so much that I want to build up a little inventory and put them on Etsy.com. This is something that im excited about doing and cant wait to get it off the ground.

I know there are many people that make these flower hair accessories but I think the thing that sets me apart from the rest is that I use shirts, pajama pants, or night gowns as the majority of my material. I find these pieces of clothing at Thrift-Stores and Yard Sales.   I love that I can make an ugly shirt(in my opinion) into a really pretty hair accessory and that the pieces that I make from them are unique because only so many can be made out of that piece of material and then there is no more.

Let me show you what exactly im talking about. This is one of the night gowns that I got at one of the local thrift stores and if I remember right it cost me $1. I really like the material and hoped that it would make a good pattern for a hair clip so I tried it out.

And here is how it turned out. 

(the one on the right with the skull was also made from a night gown)

So I look forward to creating more unique pieces out of recycled clothing. And hopefully soon I will have enough to list on etsy.com. 

Stay Tuned. 

                  Love Nicolette

Fathers Day Gift Idea

So I was searching the blog world for a fun, creative and easy idea for a gift for my daughter to give to my husband on fathers day. Well I found a blog with a lot of cool and fun ideas. (http://www.tipjunkie.com/fathers-day-activities/ ) This is where I saw the picture frame with the Little Girl holding the paper mache letters.

So since I didn't have paper mache letters I made Picture Frame Letters. Like the ones in the picture below.

For the letters I just printed the letters "D a d"  off of the computer from my word processor. Each letter was at size 650 and on font Times New Roman.  

As for the backing behind the letters I used silky material that I had bought for making hair accessories. 

The frames were just some that I had around. 

Then on the the photo taking and the funnest part. 

Here are a few of the pictures from our fun photo shoot. 

Then here is a collage that I put together on Picasa. 

I just know that my husband will love this gift for years to come. 

If you make one let me know, I would love to see pictures. 

First Post

Ok so this is my very first blog post, where do I start.  Im going to first say that the main focus of this blog will be some crafty things ive been making or wanting to make. I might also post some Life blurbs in my blog as well.
So a little about me, My name is Nicolette Johanna Swain, I have been married to my husband Jeremy Swain for  going on 2 years now(we have been together for 7 wow), and we have a 5 year old daughter and her name is Cadence Leann(she will actually be 6 June 28th). Cadence will probably be the focus of many of my blog post since well she is the main focus of my life.  I also was diagnosed with a little thing called Hypothyroidism and let me tell you with all the grief it has caused me I will probably post about that too.  I was born and raised in a little town in northern california (Red Bluff), I now live in an even smaller town now in the mountains(Susanville).  I work as a Preschool Teachers Aide and im going to school to get my AA in Child Development. I love my job and look forward to going to work and playing with children all day. (what more could you really want in a job?) Well I feel like im rambling a bit and I dont want to scare you off just yet. Thanks for reading. Love Nicolette