How to Make a Camera Strap Cover

I MADE that!  I was SO excited when I got it all finished and realized it turned out cute!

I have been wanting to get a cover for my camera strap ever since I saw all the cute straps all over blogland.  I decided it would be silly for me to buy a strap when I can sew…..so, here’s what I did!
First I went to JoAnn Fabrics and picked up some cute fat quarters in patterns I liked. (and they were on sale for .99 so that was a plus, so my camera strap cost $6.00, but if you already have fabric, it would be free!) I really liked all these blues and greens, so I got them all!  By the way, A fat quarter is a one-fourth yard cut of fabric that (usually) measures 18" x 22" instead of the typical 9" x 44" quarter-yard cut.


To get started, I measured my camera strap…


Mine measured 1  3/4 inches wide by 23  1/2 inches long. I doubled the width (so it covers the front and back) then added 1 inch for seam allowances (1/2 inch on both sides ). Then I added an inch to the length to give a 1/2 inch to hem each end.  So my measurements (including seam allowances) ended up being  4 1/2 x 24 1/2 inches.  (for a Canon EOS Rebel)  If you have a different strap, just measure the width and double it (one for each side) and add the 1” seam allowance and make the length the same length as your strap, plus 1” extra for 1/2” hem on each end.  EASY! :0) 
I wanted two different fabrics, so I sewed some 4 1/2” wide fabric on each end of my longer 4 1/2” wide piece,  but made sure the whole thing ended up being 24 1/2” long.


Then I sewed it lengthwise like this…(with right sides together)


Then you just have to turn it right side out and iron it with seam to the back…




Next, I put a safety pin on the end of my camera strap and pulled the strap through the new cover.  Just tuck the ends of the fabric under and tack it in place with a needle and thread…


You can stop here or you can take it a step further and make the rosette like I did.

I sewed 4 1/2” wide strips of all my different fabrics together…just like I did on the ends of the strap…..



I sewed it lengthwise again, just like the strap. (with right sides together and then turned right side out)


Then all I did was wind it around, (turning the fabric every once in a while)  tacking it with a needle and thread until it looked like a rose…

Then I just sewed it on the strap cover. (I did that while the strap cover was already on the strap)

Then you’re done…walla!

Very cute strap for very little money! 
I LOVE my new strap cover, hope you’ll try tackling one yourself!
Have a great day!
Hugs
Missy

Technorati Tags: how to make a camera strap cover,cute camera strap covers,fat quarter,JoAnn fabrics,how to make a fabric rosette

How to Add Molding to Your Doors- Door Header Tutorial

Hey ya’ll!  Recently I was blessed to be asked to review some paint brushes by Purdy and of course I said, “yes”!  I knew I had some things coming up I could use them on and this project was one of them!


Here’s what they sent me! Woo hoo! I’ll tell you up front these are the best brushes I have EVER used! (but keep reading…you’re gonna want to see what I painted with these brushes..and get the tutorial!   lol)


I have been wanting to do some updating to my doors for a while now and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do until I saw what Emily did to her doors. (she was inspired by Diann)
I’ll show you how I went from this……

this….

and this….


To this……

this…..


and this……


To get started you’ll need pre-primed MDF boards from Lowes…I bought 3 1/2” wide x 8’ long boards for $6.76 each.  Each piece did two doors.  (well the regular sized doors…I bought longer pieces for the bigger doors)
First I measured the width across my doorways from the outside edge of the door facing  (most of my doors were 38” wide.) 


I then took my board and cut it with my handy dandy miter saw and nailed it above the doorway like this…




The next step was crown molding (I had some left over from another project and just bought a little extra to finish up)

Crown molding is a little bit tricky to cut…you have to cut while it’s resting at an angle and upside down…like this. (see how the little curved part is facing up…that’s actually the bottom of the crown.  Also, it’s angled just like it would be when it’s installed)   You cut it at 45degree angles on each end,  and to the length of your board that you’ve already nailed up.


Like this…. (see how the bottom edge of the 45 degree cut is right on the edge of the board that you already installed? This is what you want it to look like on each end)

The next step is to cut little pieces that will fit into that space on the end.  Your side pieces will have one 45 degree cut that matches the 45 that you just cut, plus it will have  a straight cut that goes against the wall. (these too are cut upside down and angled)
They’ll look like this when they’re in place


I just put some glue on the angled side……

stuck it in position and used painters tape to help hold it in place until the glue dried.  Do NOT try to nail this piece in place, it will split out your wood.
I installed a little decorative piece of half round next, to hide where the 3 1/2” piece of MDF joined with the regular facing.  I just glued that piece up too and taped it until it dried.

After the glue dried, I primed all the doors with my Kilz 2 primer and my Purdy brushes!
I have to tell you, I LOVE these brushes!  I used to think I was doing  the smart thing by just using the little foam brushes that I could throw away when I finished using them, but I was wrong! I think I’d have been much better off buying a reusable Purdy brush and just keep using it over and over…these have been amazing!  They come in these cute little boxes that you can reuse once you clean your brushes…it keeps the bristles nice and straight.


I also enjoyed using a brush with a real wood handle….they were very comfortable to hold. (and let me tell you, I held them for a LONG time…LOTS of painting with these doors!)


The paint went on beautifully with these brushes, BUT


(ha, you thought I was going to say something negative didn’t you!) Nope, I was going to say, BUT, my favorite part was the angled brushes…they made getting the sides of the doors a breeze to paint! (and it was with no painters tape!)  The only time I used painters tape was to hold the wood while the glue dried! lol



So lets see the before and afters one more time shall we?! (cause we all know that’s our favorite part!)

upstairs hallway BEFORE:

and AFTER:

Above the front door BEFORE:

and AFTER:

Over dining room BEFORE:

and AFTER:


I did ELEVEN of these doorways!! I told you I did a lot of painting!

Ok..to wrap it up, I sawed, I nailed, I glued, I primed and I painted and now I’m in LOVE with my doors and the Purdy Brushes!
If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask away!
Hugs!
Missy
Linking up to Beneath My Heart

Technorati Tags: how to install crown molding,how to make door headers,how to make your doors pretty,how to install molding

Up Close and Personal- what kind of macro lens to buy.

 

Sorry I’ve been away from the blog for a few days, I’ve just had a lot going on, but I’m back!  :0)
As you know, I just got a big girl camera a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been trying desperately to learn how to use this thing!
I am getting the hang of some of it, but I wanted to take some really close up pics and you just can’t do that very well on the regular modes of the camera. I decided to get a macro lens…well sort of.  Macro lenses cost a small fortune, so I found a cool little gadget that works beautifully and only cost a FRACTION of what a macro lens cost.

Let me introduce you to the Raynox DCR-250.  It just clips to the front of your regular lens and takes great pics! ($75.00 on amazon)

I took all the photos on this page with the Raynox, and I’m just learning how to use it, so if you REALLY know what you’re doing, your pics would be fabulous! (some day I’ll learn more!)  I did buy the Canon EOS for DUMMIES book, so I’m trying! lol

Anyway, here a few shots I took using the Raynox. Keep in mind, these flowers are teeny tiny, but look like normal size flowers because of the lens. :0)

Yellow Yarrow…..

Our birch tree bark…. (I think it kinda looks like shaved white chocolate!)

Spider web with dew…..

Butterfly on flower…..

Morning Glory leaf against the morning sky



Pretty in Pink….

Miniature rose bud…

Cosmos….

Purple sage…..

 

Sneak peek of an upcoming project….

Star fish and sea shells….

I’m just in love with this little lens!  The Raynox is a super macro conversion lens that works with SLR/Video cameras.  You’ll have to check to make sure it’ll work with yours, but it sure has made me a happy gal!

I have one of my projects that I was telling you about totally finished, so it’ll be coming up this week, so keep an eye out!

Have a great week!

Missy

PS..I didn’t get any compensation for telling you about this lens, I just think it’s a great product for the price. :0)

Technorati Tags: Canon Rebel t2i,Raynox DCR-250,what kind of macro lens should I buy,macro photos