I was at a Favorite Things party – which just needs to be a whole post of its own because its so fun!  Long description short, you bring 5 things of the same thing (your favorite things)  and walk away with 5 things.   This was my first year to go – and boy have I been missing out!  I walked away with a bracelet, nail polish, cute pad and pens, to die for smelly (in a good way) soap and shower gel.  But, if you counted, those are five things.  How did I end up with this beauty, number 6?  Because my friend’s mom and I have a special connection because we love talking about Canton, TX and the best time ever (another post).  She brought me an extra one in case I didn’t get one.  I love her.

Everyone ooohhed and awwwed over this.  This is a recipe holder or a something really important holder.  It is a great gift for someone or for yourself.  Louise suggested that I make one. You can pretty much talk me into anything, so I made one.  It will be hers after this post.  She gets all my homemade stuff.  This does not even cost $5 to make.  Don’t tell Louise.

So, let’s get this party started.  This is what you will need:

1. piece of wood –  If you don’t have one laying around the house, they are $1.99 at Hobby Lobby.  You know you can use your coupon unless you find a deer head you need to use it for.
2. A dowel rod ($.99) across the aisle from the piece of wood at Hobby Lobby.
3. glue gun
4. scissors
5. drill
6. ribbon
7. accent piece for bow (any old fabric will do)
8. clothes pin (you can buy smaller ones at Hobby Lobby)
9. pruners or dog clippers to cut the dowel rod

Ok, You need to make a bow.  The easiest and usually prettiest way is to make a loop with the ribbon of the size that you want.  You want the size that will cover the top of your wood piece.

Cut the ribbon after you have decided the size you need, and then squish (I think that is a good explanatory word) the ribbon in the middle.  Then, cut another piece of ribbon to put behind your bow that is longer than the loop and squish that with the loop.  It makes it look like you tied the ribbon into a bow, but it lays much smoother.

 

 

Put a twist tie around the middle where you squished it.

Then put the piece of fabric around the bow and hot glue that at the back.

While that is completely drying, you can paint the board and the paper clip if you want.  You can also leave the wood natural or stain it… the options!  All of the options!  I found myself restless, and since there are not 7 million other things I could be doing around the house, I painted.

If you were my mom, you would have thought to have already painted the wood piece and clothespin.  You would be putting in a load of laundry while the bow was drying.  Just saying.

Now you can glue the clothes pin to the back of the bow.

The following step does not have a picture.  There was nothing beautiful about it, and really I couldn’t take a picture of it because I was using both my hands and all my muscles to cut the dowel rod with the pruners.  You are going to have to put your back into it especially if you have pruners are at least 70 years old.  You need to cut about 3 inches of dowel rod to put in the back of the wood piece to prop it up.  If you don’t like the yucky snaggy end it leaves behind, get to sanding.

I’m just going to throw this out there.  You might have access to some sort of saw that would work better – lucky you.  You might be driving by Lowe’s, and they will just cut it for you in the back where all of the wood is.

Drill a hole in the back.  Make sure your drill bit is not too big and not too small.  It needs to be just right.  I had to say that.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  It just has to hold the dowel snuggly.

Glue the clothespin that has the ribbon on it to the center of the wood piece.

You are done!  Now you just have to make four more for the Favorite Things party you are going to host.