A "Hoot" of a Birthday!

I am the featured designer today at the Paper Crafting World blog.   Consider this your fair warning . . . I'm getting ready to unleash some CUTENESS on you!!!

My oldest niece, Layla, turned 6 recently and when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday this was the response I received -- "Aunt Jen!  You always make me a birthday shirt . . . could it have an owl on it this year?  I LOVE owls!"

Ask and you shall receive!  

Isn't this owl adorable!!  It is a cutting file at PaperCraftingWorld.com called I'll Owl-ways Love You (it is also available as a digi stamp, Owl Always Love You DS).  I used the freezer paper method technique to create my cute little owl.

The short version of how to make these shirts:

1. Choose a 100% cotton shirt.  Wash and dry without any fabric softeners.
2. Purchase a roll of freezer paper.
3. Cut said freezer paper to fit your electronic die cutting machine's cutting mat.
4. Place freezer paper matte side down on your mat. (The shiny side really doesn't stick well, so if you're doing text you need to reverse it to have it cut properly.)
5. Choose your design and cut it out.
6. Iron the freezer paper, shiny-side down, onto your t-shirt.
7. Iron a second solid piece of freezer paper to the inside of your shirt. (This keeps the paint from bleeding through to the back side of your shirt.)
8. Paint design with fabric paints.
9. LET IT DRY! (Don't be tempted to peel it up before it has completely dried. It peels up the edges of your design.)
10. Carefully peel off the freezer paper from the inner and outer surfaces of the shirt.

The shirts created with this method honestly look like they were screen-printed. The only drawback that we have discovered thus far is this . . . they do not like the dryer. You must wash them inside out and hang them to dry or the painted image will begin to crack.

I purchased a skirt to go with the shirt and used the colors in it for my owl.  And as you can see from her expression . . .

She LOVED it!  She loved it so much, in fact, she wore it the very next day to Sea World.   

We also made her some owl cupcakes, that were devoured after her birthday dinner -- 

Aren't they a hoot!  Oreo cookies for the eyes, Reese's pieces for the pupils and nose, and chocolate icing for the ears.  (Thank you, Pinterest!)

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the cuteness!  Make sure you stop back in at the Paper Crafting World blog on Friday for another great project by Sandy and a freebie!

~ Jen