The Ten Best Things About Rainy Days

So I don't know about you but I really do love rainy days. It is now slowly reaching the peak of fall (which is also my favourite season... more on that later ;)) here in Ontario, and this week was one last blast of warm weather... minus today that is. Today it was a downpour of all of the rain saved up during those last beautiful days of summer, which is why I am writing all about why I love rainy days.

Beautiful isn't it?

I know a lot of people dislike the fact that the rain can mess up your day, it can slow down traffic, get you wet and soggy, and keep you from spending hours outside. I believe that when you really consider it, rainy days are wonderful.  I mean don't get me wrong, it is not as if I would like to go out and live on the coast where it rains 280 days out of 365; however, the coast of Canada (east or west) are absolutely amazing and gorgeous!!!

Continuing now...

The reasons I love rainy days, and fall rainy days best of all are listed right here. So when you need a new outlook on rainy days or you are stuck in side and not impressed with the rain, come here and be glad :). All you need to do is keep on reading!

10. Getting Things Done Around Town 
I don't know about you but I have a nasty habit of spending amazing days outside and neglecting some of the duller things I may need to accomplish in a day. I mean, doesn't a day in the sun, or a day on the beach sound better than driving to the doctors for a check up, or going to pick up toiletries from the store. It 100% does for me!

However, this is real life and those things do need to get done... which is why rainy days are the best for that. You aren't wasting one of the amazing days in fall or summer inside or running around, I find that the rainy days really allow you to be productive and get all the necessities out of the way so you can enjoy the sun (once it comes out to say hello again.)

Hello Mr. Sun, It's nice to see you again. 

9. Getting Things Done Around the House

Turn up that music and give it a try!

Similar to the last post, Rainy days really and truly can be productive and constructive. With the Sun playing hide and seek and a little moisture in the air you can complete a deep clean on the house. Dusting, vacuuming, mopping and decluttering sometimes may not be your favourite thing to do, even if it is rainy out, but I have some tips to help!

TURN IT UP!!!  (the music I mean). I pop in a CD, crank up my Ipod, or turn on Songza (or your favourite site) and clean clean clean. Do I sing out loud (out of tune) and dance like a mad woman... well yes I do but it makes the time fly by and in no time the house is spotless!!! Cleaning really can be enjoyable and in the end you can see all of your progress and maybe get rid of the clutter while you're at it!

8. Getting Outside in the Rain
It would make sense to put this activity before the cleaning, but lets be real playing in the rain is way more fun than cleaning!!!

How Cute is This!!???!!

***as a reminder you may want to do this one before you deep clean the floors ;)***

Playing outdoors in your rubber boots and bright coloured rain jackets is one of the most amazing things to do! It makes me feel as if I am still a kid. You can go puddle jumping and running in the fields without a care in the world. Play with coloured umbrellas and finding the new joys of all the seasons during a rainy day.
You know that you all have some rain gear that is sitting in the closet stuffed away that really wants to go on an adventure with you. Why not take it down and plan a great day!

7. Warming up with a Cup of Tea and Great Friends
Another reason I love rainy days is that it is the perfect way to reconnect with old friends. Why not just warm up the kettle get out the teapot and shoot them a message to come over for a short catch up session. Sometimes life becomes busy and there are so many excuses for not seeing each other very often. Well why not clear up time when it is raining, when your day really can be freed up. Take this time and enjoy it!

My Grandmother's Beautiful China
( I love an excuse to bring it out, you'll see it a lot more)

In autumn there is truly nothing better than a delicious warm cup of tea and rekindling friendships or just being with the ones you love and see everyday. It makes you take time and reflect on the best things in your life.

6. Going Out to the Movies... (or staying in)
I absolutely Love Love Love movies of all kinds!!!! If I have some extra time, not even on a rainy day I will turn on Netflix or pop in one of my many movies and enjoy. However, rainy days open up hours of enjoyable time (once the house is clean of course;)).Cuddling up with one of my many blankets or quilts and turning on a feel good movie to spend a great afternoon with the boyfriend or even by myself.

If I have the time for more than one movie, it doesn't even matter what the genre is, just a great movie with an enticing plot and a captivating cast of characters to lose yourself in.

Some of the treats ;)

Now if you venture out to go see the movie at a theatre that can sometimes be more enjoyable. You can escape into the theatre to be engulfed by the movie atmosphere, the big screen, the treats and excitement!!

I am not really a TV person so movies are the best things for me!! Short and sweet :). If you are a TV person check out Netflix or Crave TV and get your fill during a rainy day!

5. Spending the Day at the Book Store (or the mall)
I am more partial for the book store, wandering the shelves seeing what new surprises are hiding behind every cover and title!! Have you ever been to the book store to just experience it? I suggest you try, don't go to buy anything or really with anything in mind. Go there and wander the shelves and be with the books and the people. It is a pretty amazing experience to be among so much unread literature and to sense the energy of all of the stories and "lives" yet to be experiences and learned about.... I know, I know this is getting a little new age for some of you. I really do love my books and book stores. I will talk more about that and why I love them at a later date. Hopefully you stay tuned!!

If you want to try something new today, go to your nearest book store and give it a try. Be open to looking around and maybe your'll find something new out about yourself and your interests! Sent me a message if you do! I would love to hear about your experiences.

4. Baking, Cooking and Finding New Recipes

Don't these Cinnamon Buns look amazing!!!! (They were delicious by the way)

Rainy days sometimes require a little bit of comfort food. I agree that sometimes the rain can be a little much, especially after 5-8 days in a row. However, if you ever start to feel a little stir crazy or start to get cabin fever why not plan a new recipe or bake your favourite dessert or treat. There is something about the smell of fresh baked goods that brings a smile to my face and can change the energy of a home. It can bring life to a soggy atmosphere. So the next time you are stuck at home and you don't feel like going out in the rain and you are letting the weather weigh you down. Go to your cupboard and pick out your favourite cookbook, or go on Pinterest and explore for new recipes and spice things up. Bring the life back into the house :).

3. Crafting, Starting and Finishing Projects (you know you have some!!!)
When I was young, my mum always planned rainy day crafts for us and rainy day activities. This is a tradition that stuck with me. When it is dreary and wet out, I get an itch to craft, sew, knit or crochet, something to keep my mind busy and my fingers moving.

Really is there ever a bad time to get crafting, to start a new project or to put the final finishing touches on a project. I love those final moments of putting yourself into a project and the taking a step back and being able to enjoy the fruits of your labour. I just finished decorating and reorganizing my craft room. The Tutorial/Art for that room will come in a bit but here is the before and after. This was a wonderful rainy weekend project.

Nice and clean and bright :)

Before.. Mostly Storage

There are many crafts that will stem from this room. We have just moved into the house and settling in, so there are many more craft tutorials to come!! Here is one sneak peak of a quilt I framed and it is the art above my writing desk :)

My Writing desk with the nice pop of colour the tutorial will come soon

 What was the last thing you made? Do you enjoy crafting on rainy days?

2.Curling up on the Couch With a Great Book

I can't let an opportunity to read just pass by!!! As stated before I love to get lost in a story, finding new books and authors or rereading my old favourites.

Its amazing to escape into a book, to explore the rolling hills of Tuscany, or solve a mystery, get lost in space or fantasy or even learn about one of your real life heros. What is your favourite genre? Do you have one? Do you love to read on rainy days?

Do you love to get caught in a different reality, to escape and explore somewhere for a few hours?

George R.R Martin put it perfectly when he said " A reader lives a thousand lives, one who does not lives only one." Why waste a day, use any excuse to cuddle-up get comfy and fall into a book.

1. Slowing Down and Enjoying Being at Home

If you haven't noticed yet, a lot of my favourite things to do during rainy days has to do with slowing it down and enjoying time at home and with the people I love. I believe that rainy days are natures way of refuelling and nurturing the earth as well as us. So take this time and do an activity you enjoy or go out and be with someone you love. Rejoice and rejuvenate yourself!!

I hope you have enjoyed my initial top ten best things!! Many, many, more to come in the future...

I would love to hear from you all. What are your favourite things to do during a rainy day??

-Keep each day happy and live each day to the fullest-

-Even the rainy ones ;)-

Fabric Flower Tutorial - Hair Clip DIY

So I wanted to get right into things, I am planning on posting about two posts a week. With one tutorial a week to start. I hope you all enjoy these tutorials and I welcome all positive comments and critiques. As you know this is my first blog and first tutorial and I will use your tips to grow and get better both for myself and to make my tutorials better for you!

These are the finished flower clips!

Let's get started...

Both colours for the Bride!

Smaller clips for the Bridesmaids!

The inspiration for designing this fabric flower clip was from one of my girlfriends, she was planning a destination wedding and wanted to find really graceful and light looking flowers for the girl's hair and her wedding dress sash. Unfortunately I don't have the wedding pictures but I wanted to share these amazing flowers with all of you!

We discussed a few different styles of flowers and looked at many different types of flowers, both real and fake, to find the right ones. It was challenging because a lot of the fabric ones were too rigid or structured such as these below:

Ribbon Flower Tutorials will follow on a later date, Stay Tuned!

We were able to decide on a type of flower that we wanted to model the clips after. Initially we thought that a wide water lilly would look okay but then before we got started we stumbled upon an image of a relaxed peony similar to this one. 

Doesn't it feel like a beach flower?? So Beautiful!

So I seem to be taking a stroll down memory lane, I digress, forgive me for my rambles!

Here we go...

I will be numbering the images and processes so if you require any clarification about the stages or anything I did please let me know :).

Getting Started: What you will need...

-Less than 1/2 yard for each fabric (depending on how many flower you will need this may change)

-Matching felt fabric, one sheet will be fine (depending on how many flowers you need)

-Matching Thread

-Sewing needle

-Sewing pins (plastic or glass head is fine)

-Small Embroidery Scissors, and stronger non fabric scissors (for cutting paper and cardboard).

-1 Sheet of paper

-1 Sheet of thin cardboard/poster board, nothing too bulky.

-Pencil or marking tools

-Alligator clips, Hair Clasps or Barrettes for your hair clip.

-Hot Glue Gun or White glue (and time)

-Decorative beads, sequins or gems for the centre of your flowers.

-Ruler or Measuring tape (if you require the flowers to be a specific size.)

All the Supplies ready to go!

Directions and Tips:

I recommend taking a look through all of the directs to get a grasp of what we will be doing. Happy Crafting!

1. Choosing your Fabric:

Before you start cutting you need to choose your materials and colours. We chose three different fabrics so that we could layer them to change the texture and weight of the flower and provide a little more depth. By all means you can use one main fabric; however, this tutorial will feature three. 

We used organza, tulle and chiffon for a little weight, we found these all at fabricland in Ontario.

I recommend looking around and browsing the feel of different fabrics to feel the weight and drape/ stiffness of the fabric. Enjoy being in the fabric store, get used to the feel of the different fabrics and it will give you a better understanding of what you would like your flower to be. Happy Hunting!

2. Designing your Template:

We needed three different sizes of flowers for the different clips and for the sash. Each layer of fabric was cut using a template. The template was used to maintain a similar shape for all of the petals. Start by choosing the shape of the Petal you want and in the size you want. You can practice a few times on the white paper and once you have designed one petal that you would like for the shape of all of your petals we cut it out.

This is petal shape we used for all three sizes, we changed the size for each.

***Keep in mind that the more intricate your petal is the more difficult your future cuts will be***

Next you will trace the petal 5-6 times turning it as you go to create the whole flower shape. Your petals can be as close together or as spaced out as you would like them. You can always try out a few on the paper if you have a limited supply of cardboard or poster board. Keep in mind that this is the step where you can size up or down your design. If you have a specific measurement that you need, use your ruler here to keep the design accurate.

This flower is starting to take shape!!!

*** One Big Tip: use a cardboard that is easily bendable, it can have some structure but make sure that it is not too thick or you will have a very hard time with the next steps. ***

3. The Pre-Cutting Phase

Now that you have your template and you know the size of your flower, get your fabric out because it's Cutting Time!! 

The fabric that we chose was very light so I was able to fold the fabric multiple times to do one cut so that each layer did not need to be cut individually. The amount of layers you can cut through will vary based on the fabric you have chosen. Use your discretion with how much your scissors can handle when cutting so that lines remain crisp as you cut.

Measure your template from tip to tip at the widest part. I recommend adding at least one cm to each side for cutting space. Now you will take your fabric and fold in half along the width (fold the unfinished or "selvage edges" together). Now measure the size of your flower plus the two cm added to the width and you will cut along the width of the fabric.

You can measure with the template or with a ruler, your preference.
Note that the selvage to the right is still attached.
I like to keep mine together so it does not unravel.

Once you have the doubled strip you will fold the fabric however many times it allows for your design to fit. I was able to fold mine 8 times so that I was able to have 16 flowers cut out (remember it is doubled because it is folded). Now we move on to the next steps.

4. The Cutting Phase
Initially I attempted to trace each flower and hold it all together to trim and cut out the correct shapes.... Let me tell you I quickly found a better way!! ( Talk about time consuming and bad results!! Thankfully I did not take picture of that part ;))

Lucky for you, all of the kinks have been worked out and we are on our way. Make sure that you have your pins ready. You will be pinning the cardboard template right into the, layers of fabric that you have already precut (I have used 8 layers). The pins should look something like this...

5 Pins for 5 Petals 

This pins still allows for some movement

***keep in mind that the more pins you have the more careful you have to be and the stiffer your template becomes. I like my templates somewhere in the middle so that there is some movement with the structure to work with.**

Now we trim. I used embroidery scissors to do my trimming as they are very easy to work with in small spaces and they are very sharp and precise with small cuts and tricky fabric. If you do not have embroidery scissors you do not need to run out to grab them, you just need to be more careful with the larger craft scissors.

***The Chiffon has less crisp edges as it moves more and is a heavier weight of fabric. I recommend using less layers while cutting the chiffon.***

*** Tip: Make sure that you cut slowly so that you do not cut the template or damage the fabric design. If this happens you can start over and get a little more practice with initial steps ;).***

This is the cut Tulle, 8 layers all together.

If you want to make the exact flowers, I used 8 layers of all three fabrics. In total for one flower I had 24 layers, you can do more or less but those amounts worked out really well for me.

5. Layering Stage

Before we start make sure to have your sall piles of fabric all ready for the layering part.

The Three Layers of Fabric!

Now that you have all of your individual pieces cut out we will begin to layer them. You will be alternating all three in order of Organza, Chiffon and then the Tulle. Make sure to alternate the direction of the petals so that you can see each layer as you move on. If you don't stagger the directions of the petals you will not be able to see each layer and get the added dimension for the flower. So there you go...Easy as pie, you keep layering until all of your 24 cut outs are part of your flower tower ;).

The Flower Tower!!!!

Tower of Flower Petals :)

6. Sewing Stage

Now that you have your flower tower all lined up you will need to get out your thread and sewing needle. This is the part where we make sure that the layers stay together and we are able to give it shape. If you do not feel comfortable using a sewing needle then you are able to use glue between each layer. However, make sure that you only place a little glue or you will limit the movement of your flower. Additionally, I wanted to note that you will have a harder time adding the final shape to your flower with the glue.

Start Sewing right in the centre

Prepare a few inches of thread with a knot at the end and hold the tower. You will be placing the knot down the front and centre of your flower so that we will be creating a small centre for your decoration to rest later. Make a few stitches back and forth to secure the centre.

All secure in the centre

Once your centre feels secure and it is not shifting a lot, you will being to push up the sides of the flower to give it some shape. I always start from the bottom to make a "V Shape".

Once this shape created you will thread the flower with the needle right at the base stitching the flower into the shape you want. It is alight to go right across your flower just be sure to keep the stitches low so that you wont be able to see them later. We Are almost done! Can you see your flower taking shape????

The Flower with some Base Volume!

7. Hot Glue and  Final Stage

Make sure to have your felt, hair clip and glue ready. Be careful with the hot glue and it can burn your fingers even through the fabric. Take your felt fabric and determine how much coverage of the bottom of the flower you want. Mostly, the felt allows you to hide your stitches and provides a great material for adhering the flower to the metal of the clip. Once you have the felt cut out, place glue on the felt and place onto the base of the flower. Keep in mind that you can push down from the centre of the flower but make sure to maintain the shape of your flower while pressing.

Felt on and Now for the gem and the clip!

Now you have your almost finished flower!! All you need to do to finish the flower is choose your centre decoration. I used Gems from Michaels in Canada and they worked wonderfully. I needed multiple different sizes for the centre so the sheet of gems worked well for me. You do not have to follow this exactly, you can use fake pearls or beads or plastic shapes or anything that tickles your fancy. You can even used glitter glue if you do not have a glue gun!

To attach the decoration you will place a dab of hot glue onto the decoration and place it into the centre and hold. Now you can fluff and primp your flower and get it ready for the final step or the hair clip!

Gems on the Finished Clips

***If your stitches come loose when you are attaching the base this is fine and do not worry you can wait until the glue has cooled (do not try and rip it off as it will damage the fabric.) Once the flower is safe to handle again you can begin stitching again and make sure to tie off your thread well so that the stitches stay!***

8. Attaching The Clip:

To attach the Flower to the clip all you need to do is place a small amount of glue onto the flat part of the clip and press the flower on to it. As the glue is cooling you will be able to move and direct the flower to where you would like to put it. Add you final touches and primps and you are done!!!

Clip is on and the glue is cooling.

Way to go!! Thank you for following along and I hope that thee clips add a great accent to your collection!

Styling your new clips:

You can wear them with your hair down behind one ear, or in an up-do or with your hair half pinned back. I would love to see all of your pictures of you try this tutorial. 

Enjoy your new Hair Clips!!

*** Please note that these designs were created for a tutorial only. Reference this blog if you would like to share. These designs are original and were made for the enjoyment of others please be respectful when sharing and producing these designs***

-If you have any questions please contact me-

Happy Crafting!!

My First Venture

Welcome to The Youthful Old Soul. I'm glad you stopped by.

I want to start off by telling you a bit about myself and what you can expect to find here on my blog. My name is Elly, I live in Ontario, Canada and I am a Twenty something lady with a Ninety year old heart ;).

To know me is to know that I love the basic things in life. Some of my favourite things are not material things you can buy, they are moments and feelings, such as the smell of fall in the crisp morning air and reading a book by the fire with a cosy blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. I love feeling the warmth of the sun in summer and being with my family and friends making new memories and rejoicing in the old ones as well. This blog will be an outlet for positive thought and feeling and a way for me to express the joys and beauty of life. As you follow along you will get to learn a bit more about me and who I am.

I love the old beauty of life, the slow practiced pace of knitting, the smooth patterns of crochet and the peacefulness of sewing. My grandmother was the most creative person I knew and I wish that I had had more time with her to learn from her and to develop my skills. During the short time I had with her, I was able to learn a few things. I want to make sure that I don't lose my skills and I plan on using this blog to teach you and hopefully advance my skills as well (fingers crossed!).

I plan on posting beginner tutorials for crocheting, knitting, sewing and any additional crafts that Pop up along the way. Please check in from time to time, maybe we can both learn something along the way.

One of my favourites :)

A little more about me, I am an avid reader, in fact the only thing I love more than crafting is reading (that and my boyfriend <3). I always have someone coming up to me to ask who my favourite author is, or what my favourite genre is. My answer is always the same... I do not have a favourite author or genre, I love all genres and I truly admire and enjoy reading great literature of all kinds. Don't get me wrong, I have favourite books, ones that I have read over many times (one of which I love so much I have rebought 4 times over the years). I believe that each genre, author and story has had an impact on shaping me both as a reader and a person. I truly believe that if I were to limit myself by categories or only reading specific authors, I would have missed out on a great many adventures. If you keep your mind open, you never know what you may learn :).

Every so often I plan to post about the books I have read and the joy they bring me. I would love to hear about the books that impact your life as well. Please message me with any book suggestions!! I am all ears (figuratively speaking). I can't promise I will be able to read all of your suggestions, but I promise to respond to them and I plan on making a list and slowly working through it as I go.

This was just a small summary I suppose, I don't want to limit where this space will take us so I will leave you with this. If you ever need a space where you can slow things down, unwind and maybe learn a thing or two along the way, then this is the place for you. I welcome all comments (positive comments and critiques please :)) and want you to remember that in this space and in your daily day, life is a journey and I hope you will join me along the way.