Autumn Acorn Napkin Rings

November 5, 2013 by girlinspired 19 Comments

Napkin rings can make such a beautiful impact on your table setting. They dress up any table and provide visual interest. I have a handful of silver napkin rings that we purchased when we were first married, but I wanted something with a warmer, crafted feel. These autumn acorn napkin rings are the perfect accent for the custom cloth napkins I made for my Thanksgiving table.

The supplies needed for this project are basic and inexpensive. I found everything except for the acorn caps at my local Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store. I collected my acorn caps from my mom’s yard – and by “I collected” I mean I called my mom to ask if the kids could gather some acorns while they were over there playing one day and when I came to pick up the kids, my sweet mom had collected, washed in Clorox, and laid the caps out on a paper towel to dry. If your mom doesn’t live nearby and supply you with all your random crafting supplies like mine, you can probably collect acorns from a park or purchase them from a number of sources on etsy.

DIY Napkin Rings Tutorial

Supplies:

Acorn caps
wool roving in desired colors (yarn section)
green and brown craft felt (use higher quality felt from the fabric section, the higher quality felt has at least partial wool content)
mustard-colored thread
brown ribbon
Wire floral stems (found in the floral section)
hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

Step 1: Create small felted wool balls from the wool roving (wool roving in a variety of colors can be found in the yarn section at Jo-Ann). If you have never made these before, it is really easy. Detailed instructions can be found in this felted wool ball tutorial. You will need three balls for each napkin ring you wish to make.

Step 2: Hot glue felted balls into clean acorn caps.

Step 3: Cut three green leaves and two brown oak-leaf shapes from the felt for each napkin ring. Add decorative stitching with embroidery thread or your sewing machine. I played around with several machine-stitch styles on my leaves; I also think embroidery thread would be lovely and add some chunky texture, but I avoid hand-sewing as much as possible, so…. There’s no right or wrong shape for the leaves or stitching pattern. You don’t even have to add the stitching, but I think it makes the oak leaves really go from “crafty” to polished.

Step 4: Wrap a floral wire stem around and around three or four fingers to form a ring. Turn and wrap the two ends of the wire to secure the ring in shape.

Step 5: Cut two small brown circles from the felt. These should be 1-2″ in diameter.

Step 6: Gather all of the pieces in one place. Preheat your hot glue gun. Glue one felt circle on each side of the “top” of the napkin ring – this will form the foundation of the decorations. Also, tie your ribbon into a bow or a few loops. Add a drop of hot glue to the top side of one end of the green leaves and pinch together to give the leaf some dimension.

Step 7: Arrange the three green leaves around the brown felt circle and glue in place. Next, glue one brown oak leaf between two of the green leaves. Layer the ribbon then the acorns, arranging and gluing in a visually pleasing arrangement. Add the final brown oak leaf last, positioning it to give the napkin ring balance and dimension. That’s it! Repeat for as many napkin rings as you like!

If you missed the easy dinner napkin tutorial, you can find it by clicking on the picture below.

How to Sew Dinner Napkins

November 4, 2013 by girlinspired 37 Comments

The Halloween decorations have been taken down and stored for next year…except the sticky eyeballs that seem to be permanently affixed to my foyer ceiling from one very exciting hour of eyeball throwing by the children. thanks kids. Regardless of that eyesore (haha!), I’m cozying up the house for the colder weather and beginning to think about Thanksgiving. I spent a little time last week making a stack of dinner napkins. Today I’m going to show you how to sew dinner napkins that require simple folding and pressing to create neatly mitered corners before stitching around the perimeter of the napkin. I think this technique makes them a simple, straightforward sewing project, easy for anyone.

Step 1: Prewash your fabric and iron it well. Cut the fabric into 18″ squares (or larger). On the wrong side of the fabric, make a mark with a disappearing fabric marker in each corner where 1″ up and 1″ out intersects. You can also draw a light diagonal line from the corner up through the circle mark – this will help you to see where the folded fabric will meet to form the mitered corner (see step 5)

Step 2: Fold each corner up to meet the circle mark you made in Step 1.

Step 3: Fold each corner again, bringing the first fold line up to meet the circle mark.

Step 4: Fold and press up each edge about 1/2″. Repeat for all for sides of the napkin.

Step 5: Fold and press each edge up another 1/2″ so that the corner lines up at a diagonal with the line you drew in Step 1.

Adjust the sides and press well so that the corners align with one another. Pin the edges in place if you wish.

Step 6: Working on the right side of the napkin, place the napkin in the sewing machine and topstitch 1/4″ from the edge of the napkin all the way around. Begin stitching 1/4″ from the first corner and stop stitching 1/4″ before you reach the other edge. Leaving the needle in the napkin, lift the presser foot and rotate the napkin. Continue stitching until you reach 1/4″ from the next corner and so on. This will result in a neat square of stitching, all 1/4″ from the outer edge of the napkin.

That’s all there is to it. Now you know how to sew dinner napkins! Once you get the hang of the folding, you should be able to make a stack of custom cloth napkins in no time. I used some autumn colored quilting cotton from Jo-Ann for my napkins.

I’ve also shared how to make these beautiful autumn acorn napkin rings, so be sure to check them out! So fun, huh?

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

October 31, 2013 by girlinspired 15 Comments

If you’re watching your waistline this holiday season, you best click on because these pumpkin pie cupcakes are irresistible. The pumpkin cake is moist and just dense enough to hold a center of pumpkin pie-like filling before being topped with homemade cream cheese frosting. De-lic-ious!

The cupcake batter was made by adding several ingredients to a 2-layer cake mix. After partially filling the cupcake tins, I piped about a tablespoon of filling into the center of each tin of batter. The cupcakes with filling bake up together.

Cream cheese frosting is so easy to whip up and is the absolute best compliment to these cupcakes. If you ice big swirls of frosting onto the cupcakes, you’ll probably need a plate and fork to eat them – they’re a little top heavy once you start eating, but look so pretty, particularly with a little sprinkle of cinnamon.

I preferred the cupcakes with just a single swirl of icing. My husband and I were in disagreement about this as he was loving the big mound of frosting! However you like them finished off, this recipe is not to be missed!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Cupcake Batter:

1 box of white cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 can of pumpkin puree (7.5 oz.)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup water

Instructions: Mix together all ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on med-high speed for about 2 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Fill liners with cupcake batter about 1/2 full. Set aside while preparing filling (do not cook yet!!)

Cupcake Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

dash cloves and nutmeg

Instructions: Beat all ingredients together. Place in piping bag and pipe into the center top of each unbaked cupcake. Pipe no more than 1 tablespoon of filling into each cupcake and try to keep the filling toward the top. Place entire muffin tin into 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the centers are set and the cake portion of the cupcake springs back when you press it gently with your finger. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

6 Tablespoons butter (softened)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-3 cups of powdered sugar

Instructions: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy and desired consistency. Add more powdered sugar as needed. Place in large piping bag and pipe a single layer swirl using tip 1M onto each cooled cupcake.

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches

October 22, 2013 by girlinspired 7 Comments

Why must the retail world torture us by stocking seasonal food items for such a brief period of time before yanking them from the shelf for the rest of the year? I think we should make a stand for pumpkin ice cream year round. Last fall, I made these thick, chewy gingerbread cookies and sandwiched pumpkin ice cream between them. I served them at a dinner party where almost everyone went back for a second serving. The ginger and molasses in the cookies are the perfect pairing with the creamy, pumpkin ice cream. The cookies bake up with soft centers but are sturdy enough to contain the ice cream centers and keep the mess off your hands.

Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened slightly

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/3 Cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions: Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and 1 egg. Beat together. Add molasses. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. The dough will be sticky. Scrape together into a ball or log and refrigerate in plastic wrap for 30-60 minutes. Using a large spoon or melon baller, scoop the dough into 2-inch balls. Roll formed balls in granulated sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 12-15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown and the centers are set, but soft. Cool slightly before removing cookies from the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. Makes about 20 cookies.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches

20 Gingerbread Cookies

1 1/2 Quarts of Pumpkin Ice Cream

The sandwiches should be assembled immediately before serving. To make the ice cream sandwiches, remove the pumpkin ice cream from the freezer and let it soften just slightly (5-10 minutes). Scoop a round ball of ice cream into the center of a cookie. Place the other cookie on top of the ice cream and press down gently just until the ice cream squishes to the edge of the sandwich. Serve immediately.

Now then, I think we need a good homemade pumpkin ice cream recipe. Does anyone have a good, creamy one? Ready, set, go!

No Sew Fabric Pumpkins

October 15, 2013 by girlinspired 4 Comments

Halloween decorating is under way here though I confess that the kids take apart the vignettes as fast as I can put them together. I have such a collection of creepy crawlers and cleverly labeled jars leftover from last year’s decorations; the squeaking rats and crows are especially popular with my little ladies. This year, I wanted to add a little more whimsy and fun to the very vintage and eery feel from last year.

These No Sew Fabric Pumpkins can be made in any fabric and require just a few supplies. Ready to make a stack?

No Sew Fabric Pumpkins

Supplies:

All supplies are available at Jo-ann Fabric and Craft Stores

fabric squares (15″ x 15″ for the larger size shown, 12″ x 12″ for the smaller)

polyester fiberfill/batting

yarn, twine, or string

ribbon or twine for a top accent

To make the pumpkins, you can first round off the corners of the fabric square. This will make it easier to tuck in the extra fabric evenly.

Mound some batting in the center of the fabric circle, with the right side of the fabric facing down.

Basically, you’re going to tuck the fabric up and around the batting and push the excess into the center like you’re tucking it into the middle of a donut.

When the fabric is generally tucked into the middle, grab a long piece of yarn. Place the “pumpkin” on the center of the yarn and wrap the yarn up and around. Crisscross the yarn, aim it at a diagonal and wrap it back down to the bottom. Crisscross the yarn one more time and bring it back up to the top, tying into a bow at the top. Adjust the yarn so that it divides the pumpkin into six approximately equal portions.

Smooth the fabric in each section toward the top and tuck the excess into the top once more. Try to keep the folds of the fabric tucked into the divisions made by the yarn. Tighten or loosen the yarn as needed to shape the pumpkin. When your pumpkin is shaped how you like, tie the yarn into a knot at the top and cut off the excess.

Tie a bow out of a ribbon or piece of twine and tuck the ribbon ends into the center of the pumpkin to finish it off.

That’s all there is to it! Make a pile to add to your Halloween and fall décor!

This project was created for the Celebrate the Season campaign organized by Jo-ann Fabric and Craft Stores. I was provided with a gift card to purchase the supplies for this project.

And here’s a coupon so you can snag your supplies, too!