How to clean car leather

This is probably an odd post for a my blog, but that's okay.  You'll thank me later.  

We recently bought a new-to-us van.  Seeing as I'm now 26 weeks pregnant and our current car already had three car seats sandwiched in the back seat, we were in need of a van.  We found an '05 Odyssey that was great and what we could afford.  The only thing I wasn't in love with was that the seats were pretty dirty.  But we bought it cause it was very well maintained mechanically and the people we got it from were super nice.
So what to do about the dirty leather.  I started by doing some research.  Aside from specifically made car-care products, the suggestion that popped up over and over again on car/van forums was Woolite.  Plain old Woolite.  Huh?  Figured it was worth a try.  And it worked.  Pretty darn well, I'd say.
Here's what I used:  Woolite, I picked up a bottle at Target for $8.  Mix that with some water at a 1-10 ratio, ie. 1 C. Woolite to 10 C. water.   Old toothbrush, old baby brush, and some microfiber towels.
Vacuum out as much of the gunk in the seams as you can.  Spray some Woolite mix on the seats let it sit for a few minutes.  Then get to scrubbing with the baby brush or the toothbrush depending on what area you're cleaning.  Wipe off with a dry microfiber towel.  If more work needs to be down, repeat the process.  After I was finished I wiped the whole seat down with a wet microfiber towel.
Here are the results!! All these pictures are straight out of camera (no editing done).

Pretty good, right?!!  To do this bucket seat, it probably took between 30-45 minutes.  But they look a million times better.  Obviously not showroom floor quality, I mean the van is 7 years old, but compared to what they did look like, I am VERY pleased.
So go get yourself some Woolite and get to cleaning.

Linking to:
Make it Monday
Tip Me Tuesday
Show and Tell
Weekend Wrap up


For more information about cleaning your car interior check out Homeviable. They've got a helpful post about detailing.

Oh, and just because this is 2012 and people are ridiculous, I assume no responsibility if you use this method and it damages your leather for some reason.  Use your brain.  

Make a Fall Perpetual Calendar {rewind}

I'm reposting this tutorial in case you missed it last year.  It is still one of the most viewed post on my blog.  It's almost October so I'm getting really excited to be able to have it on display again.  I need to make several more of these, so I can have one up all year long.
ENJOY.

**Original post Sept. 2010**

My friend and I are the Creative Activities Girls for our MOPS group. It can be quite the task to find a craft that 70+ women will enjoy, all while staying within a TIGHT budget ~$1. Last week we made fall perpetual calendars. I think all the ladies liked it, and its something they can easily recreate for another season. And we stayed {I think} under budget.

Want to make your own?

SUPPLIES:

• 2” x 2” x 8’ – I cut this board into 1 ½ “ pieces which creates the cubes you need for the top pieces.
• 1” x 2” x 6’ – I cut this board into lengths of 3”. They do have this board in 4’ lengths. I lightly sanded the edges of all the wood. With these boards you will have plenty to make several sets, one for each season, gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, etc.
• Scrapbook paper. I got a HUGE stack of fall themed paper on sale at Joann's for $10. Cut 12 squares into 1 1/4" pieces.
• Numbers/Months. We used a Cricut to cut out all ours out of black cardstock. If you don't have access to a Cricut you could buy ready made number/months stickers from the scrapbook section at any craft store. Numbers you will need: Block A: 0,1,2,3,7,8
  Block B: 0,1,2,4,5,6 **Note: Six is interchangeable with nine
• Paint, Mod Podge, Glue (optional)

What to do:

• Glue or Mod Podge your numbers down to the squares. We used plain old glue sticks, made it quick and easy.
• Paint the edges of your blocks. Your scrapbook paper will cover the bare spots on your cubes. If you feel better about painting your base block all the way, go for it. I'm just lazy and it will be covered by your cubes anyways, so I didn't see the point.
• Mod Podge you scrapbook squares onto the cubes. Remember: Block A: 0,1,2,3,7,8
  Block B: 0,1,2,4,5,6
• Mod Podge your months onto your base block.
• Seal it all with a layer of Mod Podge (optional)
• Display your super cute fall perpetual calendar!

Linking to:

Someday Crafts
Tea Rose Home
Sew Much Ado
This Blessed Nest
Somewhat Simple
Tatertots and Jello
Envirocraftiness

Glitter French Tips {how to}

Source: None via Amanda on Pinterest

I LOVE to do my nails!!  I normally just have french tips on them. Which apparently EVERYONE knows.  This is the exchange a good friend of mine had with her daughter the other day.
"I was asking her different questions about different shapes. I asked her to think of something that was a small square. She said, "I can think of something small and square-ish that is the same size as your two front teeth, Momma." OK, what Lauren? "Amanda's fingernails, when they're long with white on the top." This girl doesn't miss ANYTHING!!! :)"
HA!  So basically my nails are famous. Using the above as my pinspiration (stole this term from my buddy Jen) I decided to do orange glitter tips.  Consider it a stay-at-home mom's idea of bling :)

I used the same glitter that I had on hand from my glitter frames.  I filed my nails, then applied polish just to the tips and sprinkled on the glitter.  Do this one at a time, paint tip, sprinkle glitter, paint tip, sprinkle glitter and so on.  This way your tip is wet enough with polish to really grab the glitter.  And you'll want to do it over some paper so you can gently tap off the excess.    Let them dry, which actually for me didn't take that long.  Then I took a small eye shadow brush (a small paint brush would probably work too) and gently brushed off my nail and finger that still had glitter lingering.

Now you're ready to apply a top coat.  Originally I was gonna use my Mod Podge spray sealer (I know crazy idea), but when Ben saw me with it he said "do you think that's a good idea?" in such a husbandly way and it made me rethink it.  But I just didn't want all my hard work to go down the drain by applying a typical top coat, my thinking was if I could "spray" a top coat on all my glitter would stay intact.  Well under my husband's advice I went with a standard clear top coat, and it worked!  You can see from the pics, it did pick up a little glitter and transfer it, but I actually think it looks pretty that way.

So there you have it, GLITTER FRENCH TIPS.

Are you gonna try this?  I'd love to see pics if you do!

Linking to:
Today's Creative Blog
Someday Crafts
Tip Junkie
Blue Cricket Designs

Big Boy Cap {tutorial}

Summer is (almost) here!!  So that means we'll be spending lots of time outside.  And you gotta protect that little sweet head from the sun, so caps are a MUST.
This cap started out as a babyish hand me down that was given to me.

The frog was begging to be covered up with something a little bit "cooler" for Mr. Lincoln.
Here's what I did

 1. Start by grabbing a cup to use as a template for your circle.  Make sure it is large enough to cover up the old design.
2. Trace and cut your circle out of knit (old t-shirt bound for Goodwill).
3. Check size, I decided this was a bit too large, so I trimmed it down a little.

4. With Double sided Steam-a-Seam draw your design on front side of the paper.  Remember if you are doing a letter to draw the mirror image. Peel off back side of paper and stick to knit.  Cut out.
5. Peel off paper backing, make sure you leave on the webbing.
6. Position on circle, iron in place.  You can either leave as is or do a decorative stitch around design.
(Need help w/ Steam-a-Seam let me know.  You could also use Heat n Bond for this step)

7. Place Steam-a-Seam on back side of circle, peel off paper backing leaving webbing. 

8. Position on cap, iron in place.  Again, you could leave it as is, or sew a decorative stitch around design.   I chose to do a zigzag. 

And DONE!!  Have the best baby ever model his new big boy cap.

LOOKIN' GOOD!!

You can't have him.....he's mine :)

Linking to:

TipJunkie

Get Your Craft On

Whatever Goes Wednesday

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs

Framed Ruffly Heart Tutorial {flashback}

{Originally posted January 14, 2010}
In an effort to start marking things off my project list, I made this framed ruffly heart.

And lucky you, I'll show you how :)
Gather your supplies, you'll need
1. Fabric
2. Frame
3. Felt
4. Glue gun and scissors
5. Sewing machine to make your ruffle

Let's begin :)

Start by taking your fabric and ripping two strips, mine were about an inch wide.  Just make a little snip in the fabric and then rip it all the way down.  Then sew together to make one really long strip.  Run that long strip through your machine to make a ruffle (high tension, long length), about 1/4 inch from one edge. Put your sewing machine away, we're done with it.

Cut your felt background piece to size by using the frame backing as a guide.  Draw a heart on this to give you guidance on your shape.  (Alternately, if I had to do it again, I would cut a pink heart now and glue that on as my guide, instead of framing my heart at the end with the pink heart, you'll see what I mean)

Starting in the center, working in the round, glue down.

You'll see I'm gluing the 1/4 inch edge, just enough to hold it, about every inch or so.

After a couple times around its taking shape.  Just use your heart as a guide (awww, sweet)

At the top valley, glue it to the previous ruffle, drawing it down to help create the valley.  Make sense?

I finished mine off by framing it with a pink felt heart.

LOVE IT! 
 I honestly think this is my first ever Valentine's decoration.  How pathetic am I!?  Wait don't answer that.

Glitter Frame {tutorial}

JOY to the world!

One thing I lack is a bunch of holiday decor.  We've got our tree of course, but really no other decorations for the season.  So I took my Michaels giftcard and made myself these awesome glitter frames.  Aren't they gorgeous?!  You can make some too, they are a little time consuming, but well worth the effort.  I think they look so fancy and look way more expensive than few dollars they actually cost to make.

Here's what you need:

Cheap $1 frame, ruler, some glitter, Mod Podge, and Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer.

 

These are the purdy glitters I used.  Can't beat a glitter pack for $4.99, do what I did and use your 40% off coupon for an even better deal.

  Start by drawing your stripes on your frame.

-Apply your Mod Podge, lay it on thick.  Apply it just to the line, only on the face of the frame.  You'll do the edges after the face is done.  *Note it shows me painting it on, but after I did the turquoise I changed my method and began dabbing it on with the tip of the sponge brush.  Does that make sense?  It allowed for it to really get thick, good coverage.

-Sprinkle on your glitter

-Shake off excess and see what spots need recovered.  (This is where dabbing it on with tip really helps, it made for lots less spots that needed recovered).  Reapply Mod Podge and glitter anywhere there are bare spots.

-Apple Mod Podge and glitter to edges.  Let dry between colors.

-Rinse and repeat for the rest of the stripes.

-Once all colors are dry, apply a few coats of acrylic sealer.

 Stare in awe at your fancy frames and figure out what you want to hang in your frames.  I simply printed J-O-Y out on cardstock and cute squares to fit.

  A tip about where your stripes meet:

-sometimes bare spots are left that are hard to cover.  I got a toothpick and used it to apply the Mod Podge, that way I could get a thin line of it right where I wanted it.

Linking to:

Tatertots and Jello

KoJo Designs

C.R.A.F.T.

Skip to My Lou

Making the World Cuter

Creative Itch

Zipper Christmas Tree {tutorial}

 

Cute, Easy, Cheap.  My kind of project!

What you'll need:

 

• Dollar store bib (or this would also look great on a onesies or shirt)
• Steam A Seam (my is lite but regular would be better, I picked up lite by accident.  Heat n Bond would also work. Whichever you've got on hand)
• Scrap fabrics
• Zipper

Unzip zipper and cut into several pieces depending on how big you want your tree.  Mine were about 3 inches, some smaller cause you'll be trimming it into a tree shape.

Cut your scrap fabric a little larger than your zipper pieces.  Place a Steam a Seam piece next, then arrange your zipper pieces overlapping just slightly.  Now go gently iron the zippers in place.  

 

Now trim your tree shape.

Place another piece of Steam a Seam on the back of the tree, trim excess.  Position this on your bib, iron in place.  (I chose to do a small tree trunk out of brown, but that is totally optional.)

Sew around the edge of your tree and you're done.  You could actually skip this step and just be done, but I didn't feel my zippers were quite secure enough (probably cause of my Steam a Seam Lite).  

It's SO festive.  I love the texture!!  And even though Mr. Lincoln is not exactly eating food and in need of a bib, he will still look so cute in this.

 Merry Christmas!!

Linking to:
Creative Christmas @ Creative Crate  
Made by You Monday @ Skip to My Lou
Whatever Goes Wed. @ Someday Crafts
Show and Tell @ BlueCricket Design
We Did It Wed @ Sew Much Ado
Tea Rose Home
Strut your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple
Friday Fun Finds @ KoJo Designs 
Christmas Tree Roundup