How to Make a FABULOUS, NO Sew Tooter, aka...Tutu!

Our house these days is Frozen EVERYTHING! Each new day Charley requests, nay, demands..., that she wear her Elsa dress. Typically for school or other public outings I can talk her into regular child clothes, but when we are at home, I don't see why she can't be Elsa everyday :)

The only problem is we only have a handful (like two) "Elsa" dresses, and only have two "Elsa" nightgowns as well. So we trade them out. Also, for Halloween this year, Char requested that she "turn into Elsa"...so naturally I had to make Liza be Anna!

Meemaw ordered Charley a fancy Elsa costume for Christmas, but I was having a hard time finding an Anna for Liza. I checked on Etsy and found a few ideas to run with, and decided to make my own. The main part? A royal blue tutu for a little baby girl. Then I found this link that showed me exactly how to make a no-sew tutu.

I did not reinvent the wheel, my friends. I straight up stole this idea and am republishing it here, but don't forget to click the link above so that this nice lady gets some hits too!

First, gather all your supplies. Just a quick trip to Hobbly Lobbly (as Charley calls it) will do the trick. You need:

Wrap your tulle around a piece of cardboard (or as I did, a kitchen cutting board) to your desired length. I wrapped mine the same way for both girls, but for Charley's since I wanted it longer, I only cut on one end. The link above suggests cutting your tulle to about 15 inches for toddlers per piece.

Make necessary cuts.

Cut a LONG piece of ribbon. ( I opted for ribbon here rather than elastic so that the tutus can grow with the child, not get super tight when their little waists grow :) Cut your ribbon longer than you will really need...rather cut more off later than be stuck with too little!

Next, tie your pieces of tulle to the ribbon. You can do a standard knot, or as I opted, make a simple slip knot. I personally think the slip knot is prettier. Do this until you have the desired length and pattern you would like.

Then just tie a pretty bow at the back and...

TA....DAAAA!!!!

You have now successfully made a simple, no-sew, "tooter", (as Charley says) or tutu!!!! And now you have successfully added to your "Elsa" dress up collection, just like us! 

Happy crafting, friends! 

How to Hang Pictures Straight and Tidy (The Easy Way)!

Few things in life make me happier than an easy "half-assed" way to make things pretty. According to my husband, its one of my best qualities. ;)

Frames or home decor with one hinge are a piece of cake to hang; just nail, level and you're done. However, every now and again the universe will throw out there the type of wall decor that has two, yes TWO, hanging hinges. 

Here you will learn how to hang picture straight and tidy (the easy way)!!!

Step 1: Gather your supplies. 

For this simple project you will need frames, washi tape, a sharpie, a level, and hanging materials (hammer and nail, duh). 

Step 2: "Measure" & Mark. 

This might sound a little off, but this is the most important step to making sure you put your nail holes exactly where they need to go. Lay your washi tape over the back of the frame across the hinges, sticky side down, as shown below. 

Using the sharpie, mark the center of your hinges. This will be where you place your nail hole and will determine the distance between the two nails. (As shown above). 

Step 3: Position the Washi Tape. 

Remove the washi tape from the frame and place on the wall in the desired location of your wall decor, as shown below. 

Step 4: Center & Hang

By holding one end in place, pivot the other end to the level height using the level. Hammer your nails into the washi tape in the previously drawn marks. Remove washi tape and hang your beautiful photographs or wall decor! 

And voila! 

Happy hanging!