a little how-to; bienvenue banner

burlap is my new best friend.

it's cheap, and beautiful, and has so very many great functions.

i bought a whole bunch of it for my 29th birthday party,

from which i have made some table runners, place mats, and this welcome banner.

because i don't need more than one table runner, those extras from the party are in the process of being

refurbished as upholstery for this chair and a throw pillow for our living room.

(so stay tuned)

as far as the banner, i can't take all the credit.

i was completely inspired by the ones i found here.

(general rule is you should change a design at least 30 percent in order to not be a really nasty copycat.

and for copyright purposes of course.)

so i tried to change mine up a bit, in all fairness.

here's what i came up with:

simply make a template from card stock by folding a sheet in half,

cutt along that fold, and then remove a triangle portion from the bottom.

i just eyeballed the shape i wanted. 

after that first step the rest is even easier.

you trace that template as many times as needed onto the fabric.

i even did a couple extra - banking on the fact that i would mess something up somewhere along the line.

then cut them all out!

it's tedious, so you might want to enlist some help.

or bat your eyes and ask your husband to assist.

then sew a very thin seam along the top.

i used my very rudimentary sewing skills and some black thread for contrast.

you can use whatever you've got. 

and then you go and get that larger set of alphabet stamps sitting upstairs in your top drawer,
those ones you purchased for some event last year that have also been anxiously awaiting some sort of future usefulness.

and when you grab it be grateful because this set was so ultra cheap

-four dollars maybe-

because they're just those children's foam ones.

but they work absolutely just as well as any rubber stamps.

so don't you dare spend the extra money if you need to buy some.

i suppose you could if you wanted to, but i might think a little less of you.

let the ink dry and then thread those babies onto some twine.

voila! 

usually i'm not one who likes lots of cutesy sayings displayed around the house,

but i thought the bienvenue (french for welcome) was tres chic!!

and it helps that i can use it for almost any event.

or even keep it hanging in this very place year round.

i'm also loving this one.

with those wee clothespins holding the letters up, wouldn't it make such a sweet baby shower banner?

me thinks yes. hmm, i smell a project.
and you could make a couple of each letter just to have on hand and spell practically anything out.
so many possibilities!
burlap i tell you, i'm just discovering it and i'm very pleased with the discovery.