A Welcoming Thought (Or a Wreath Alternative)

 This is the time of year that we are supposed to be taking stock of our blessings, thinking about warmth, family and harvest. At least that's how I feel. The holidays are fast approaching and with family stopping by more often, I wanted to start decorating for the season.

There are tons of wreath tutorials and some really beautiful designs out there for this time of year. Don't believe, go look at pinterest. Personally, I'm not a big fan of wreaths and with my screen, they are hard to see. Plus, I don't have that much room to store them. So I decided on an alternative.

I started with this free template from BHG.com for a pillow. I loved the look of it but wanted to personalize it a little. Rather than enlarging as directed, I printed it out on a single piece of paper and cut the pieces out of craft felt. There was the main orange background, a yellow-orange body and the brown stem.

With a pencil, I free handed some lettering and the swirly-curlies and then hand stitched the beads down. For a little extra touch I outlined the stem in the same gold beads as the swirly-curlies and used a pale green ribbon to hang it. There is no stuffing or stiffener to this at all, just basically two layers of felt.

It looked a little plain on my 70's-tastic front door, so I added the fall leaf wreath from yesterday's post to it. My DH gave it his stamp of approval, so it will be up for a bit, until I get my Halloween door project finished...

Fall Leaves For the Home

Fall and spring are my favorite times of year. I love watching all the colors change and transition. Even though all the leaves on my trees are still bright, vibrant greens, I know the changes are coming. The days are cooler, the nights are getting chilly and I'm starting to crave hot chocolate.

Since the leaves outside aren't changing fast enough, I decided to make myself a little bit of fall for the house. Using templates I found on My Cute Stamps, I cut my leaves out of brown, red, orange and yellow craft felt. I added some gold glitter puff paint for the veining and contrast. (Besides who doesn't love a little glitter when it won't rub off on everything!)

The biggest problem was figuring out what to do them. My first thought was a fall table runner or something decorative over my front door. I decided the best thing, given my limited time, was to stitch some 1/4" ribbon to the back (it's a nice pale green) and make a garland.

Yes, my picture is horrible, but I blame time constraints at the moment. Eventually I will update with a better picture.

At any rate, I cut one of each leaf out of each color and ended up with a total of 16 which were then alternated along the ribbon. I hand stitched it because I was watching E and A and couldn't get to my sewing machine. Realistically, using the machine you could easily connect as many as you want in very little time.

Now to figure out what to do with it.

Baby Gift, pt 2

So yesterday I told you about a friend expecting a baby girl and I showed you have the gift that I made for her baby shower. Well, today I get to show you the last two things in the gift. Not a lot of blah, blah, blah today, just going to get straight to it.

First is the first receiving blanket I've ever made. Knowing that the parents were going for an Asian theme in the nursery made it difficult to shop for material. But when I spotted this red, black and white lantern flannel I got so excited I almost did a happy dance in the middle of Joann's!

Again, sorry for the horrible, rushed pictures. I found a beautiful, rich red flannel for the back of the blanket and couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

The biggest part of the gift was a baby quilt. I knew they would have a hard time finding something in the stores in the colors they choose. It was an obvious choice for me to make the quilt but the materials I chose were less obvious. I spent over an hour trying to pick just the right ones.

Inspiration for the design came from Pinterest. I am the first to admit I was not really digging the color choices for a baby nursery. Yet, as I chose the fabrics and really thought about it, I realized it was actually a pretty good choice of colors. This blanket is something Kaiya can take with her throughout her life. It doesn't look childish or babyish, so when she goes off to college she can take this (by then well worn) blanket with her for security and a feeling of home without having to explain having a baby blanket.

I really wish I had gotten a better picture of the quilt, all laid out would have been great. I think I may have to make another one just to show the simple beauty of the design. If you want a better view of the fabrics used, take a look at yesterday's post, I made the soft blocks out of leftover fabric from this quilt! I love when nothing gets wasted!

Wedding Jewelry

The last thing I did for the wedding was the bridal party jewelry. The bride herself had jewelry, but wanted something appropriate for her attendants. The bridesmaids wore strapless, royal purple dresses and the bride wanted to keep the jewelry simple and elegant.

I found lovely snowflake pendants accented with Swarovski crystals and paired them with a simple silver chain broken up by white glass pearls. The look was understated and classic. Plus, each of her attendants had a beautiful piece of jewelry that would always remind them of the special role they played in her special day.

Nine-Patch Block Tutorial

I recently came across this fabulous series of how-to videos that beautifully illustrate how to make different basic quilt blocks. This series was put together by the ladies over at Missouri Star Quilt Shop. I'm sure you will find it incredibly helpful, and hopefully it will inspire you to get out the sewing machine and some beautiful fabrics and have fun!



Happy Crafting All!

Wire Jewelry Video Resource

I've been fascinated with making wire jewelry for the last several weeks, and the results of my experimentations have (mostly) been posted here on my blog. But what was the inspiration that got me hooked on this new skill? A quick visit to Wire-Sculpture.com is what started it all.

Not only do they sell all the supplies you'll need, they are a wonderful resource for wire workers of all skill levels. I signed up for their daily tip newsletter and have not been disappointed - especially when I asked a question and had the answer in my inbox 2 days later!

Plus, the added bonus is they have a collection of free patterns and videos to not inspire but help you get started. I have watched nearly all of them and I love them. They make it look so simple! Here is a link to the video collection.

Happy Crafting All!

Scarves, Scarves, Scarves

Maybe the middle of September is the wrong time to start thinking about this, but I love scarves! I love to crochet them and give them as gifts. They are so simple and quick to make, and now is really the perfect time to start thinking about them - and making them!

Holiday craft shows are right around the corner, and a what better item to offer is scarves that you've crocheted or knit by hand. Think of all the possible variations - school colors, fashion colors, so many different yarns offering different weights and textures. Not to mention, they whip up in no time!

Patterns for scarves are in abundance, but I couldn't help but write my own. Hopefully it will get you motivated to make some of your own! This is a one skein project, using Homespun yarn. I love Homespun yarn for scarves because it is so soft and warm, and it stays soft even after several washings. Watch for sales at your favorite craft stores and you should be able to find it fairly inexpensive.

Materials:
One skein Lion Brand Homespun yarn (6oz)
Size K (2.5 mm) crochet hook

Abbreviations:
ch= chain
dc= double crochet

Ch 21

Row 1: Dc in fourth ch from hook and in each ch across. .
Row 2: Ch 3*, turn. Skip first stitch, dc in next stitch and in each dc across.
Repeat Row 2 until you run out of yarn. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Fringe is optional.

*= ch 3 is the first dc in each row

Happy Crafting All!

Wire Wrapped Ring

The time had come for me to attempt a wire wrapped ring that did not include beads. The result is a little weird, a little rough, a little unbalance, but not too bad really. Considering I was just playing around and experimenting, the fact that it even looks like a ring amazed me!

Yes, I still have a lot to learn, but at least I can see that I am making progress. And that makes me happy. If I can't see improvement in my own work, then I get frustrated and it's better for me to stop for a while. (Keep in mind, this is not the first wire wrapped, non-bead ring - trust me, there is a ton of improvement!)

Keep Crafting All!

Free Crochet Patterns

I'm always looking for new and fun patterns to work from. And free patterns are the best! Recently, I came across a great resource for crocheters in search of fun, functional patterns. Free-Crochet.com has a diverse collection of patterns for crocheters of all skill levels. Patterns are searchable and downloaded in PDF format, which makes them easy to keep track of and print. I love browsing their selection and downloading patterns for future use.

Check out their site: http://www.free-crochet.com/

Happy Crafting All!

Just A Little Note

It makes me feel incredibly old to say this, but I miss getting letters in the mail. I remember as a kid I would always get extra excited as any holiday approached because it meant I would get a card from my grandmother. It made me feel important to get mail.

Now, I would love to find something in my mailbox other than bills and advertisements. Don't get me wrong - email is a wonderful thing, allowing me to keep in touch with family and friends in ways I couldn't as child. At the same, though, I'm sure a lot of people out there would love getting something pretty in the mail.

The card above took me all of 15 minutes to put together. On a blank card, I glued the green rectangle of textured card stock and embellished it with a photograph of a rose (made into a die-cut). Using an inexpensive stamp, ink pad and colored pencil, I added the embellishment to the right of the picture. For very little expense and not very much time, I created a card that will make someone's day when it shows up in their mailbox. Why not try to make a card for someone special in your life, and see just how happy it will make them!

Happy Crafting All!

Silver Creek Remembered

I love journaling because it gives me a chance to revisit great days of the not so distant past and allows me to relive some of those wonderful memories. Way back in May, my husband and I took a drive up to Silver Creek which is south of Sun Valley. Naturally, we took our dogs to give them a day of roaming the countryside, exploring to smells and sites.

When I was putting these pages together, I knew I didn't want a lot of embellishment on them. I wanted to remember the day, the sights and the people I was with. Using a lot of pictures is the best way to capture that give a lot of visual reminders. The journaling and title element for the pages were both done in Word which allowed me to preserve the written memories in a more legible script and I was able to design the pieces in a way that complimented the layout. The only real embellishment on the pages are the strips of self-adhesive ribbon on the outside edge. The ribbon adds interest and a different dynamic without competing with the pictures.

It's not hard to create a lovely page to preserve memories without losing those memories to the fancy embellishments. Pages like these prove that less really is sometimes more!

Happy Crafting All!

Make A Quilt With Me, Wk 6

We are in the home stretch. Everything for your beautiful baby quilt is done - except the binding, the very last step.

Attaching the binding can be a very frustrating process for new quilters. I have been quilting for a few years and it is still the only part of the quilting process I truly dread. Rather than drag this out, lets get to the instructions so you can finish up that quilt!

First, you will need to get out those four 2.5" strips of Fabric B that you set aside all those weeks ago. You are going arrange them with right sides facing, to create an 'L' shape. Then you will draw a diagonal line as shown in the picture below.

Join the two pieces by sewing on the line you marked. Then trim the triangle of excess fabric and press the piece open. Repeat this step until you have all four strips connected into one long strip. Where you connect the strips should look like the picture below. Trim the ends at a 45 degree angle.

Once you have all four connected and the ends trimmed, it is time to press your binding. Fold the binding in half as you press to create a strip of material that is double thickness with the right side facing out. (This is where you can see the reasoning for connecting the strips with an angled seam. Once the fabric is folded in half, the seam will not over lap which reduces the bulk that you will be sewing through when you attach the binding.)


I have been contemplating the best possible way to explain the final binding process. I have realized that I probably could not write instructions that would be clear enough to guide you through this very important step. So, when you have finished assembling your quilt binding, please watch the video below with Eleanor Burns showing you how to finish binding your quilt.




The very last step to any quilt is sign it. I use a fabric marker and will write my name, pattern name, date the quilt was made and who it was for on the back of the quilt, generally along the binding. I like to keep the signature subtle and small on the back.

Now that your quilt is completed, it is time to sit back and enjoy the efforts of your hard work. You should be proud of yourself. It can be frustrating, but hopefully you made it through the whole process and have a beautiful baby quilt for your own little one or to give a very special gift.

Congratulations on completing the quilt! I hope you had fun!

Happy Crafting All!

Copper Bauble II

After I made the simple cocktail ring show cased in last's jewelry post, I knew I could do better. So, after a few deep breaths and some searching through my bead stash, I got back to work.

The result was this more refined and proportionate looking ring. By using smaller beads and the same techniques as last week, I was able to create a ring that I would actually wear - which is a first! Most of my experiments so far have not been all that great, so one I would wear is an improvement!

I am starting to really enjoy creating these rings and have been looking through my beads for the same appropriate size in more dazzling color combinations!

Happy Crafting All!

Birthday Wishes - Classically Simple

I love this birthday card. It is so simple but classic with it's textured background, the rolling letters stamped on simple white paper, self-adhesive ribbon and the beautiful metallic butterfly in contrasting pink. This card design could easily be altered to make it a little more masculine or more feminine. As it is right now, it would be perfect for a woman who loves to be active or loves the calming ocean tone the textured paper lends to the project. To make the piece a little more interesting, I used double-sided foam tape to raise the birthday greeting and left the butterfly tag loose, adding dimension to the piece.

Again, simple, classy and handmade in less than a half hour. It's sure to make someone smile!

Happy Crafting All!

Make A Quilt With Me, Wk 5

We are in the home stretch now! Of course, this is also where the quilt making can get a little tricky and very frustrating. These last steps will require a lot of patience. By now you have you quilt top completed and pinned to the batting and backing in a 'quilt sandwich' and you are ready to start quilting through the center.

One of the easiest ways to do the actual quilting is what's called 'stitch in the ditch.' This basically means you will be stitching next to (in the ditch) your block seams. I personally love this method because I have a very inexpensive sewing machine and straight lines are easier to do than trying to do fancy curves and designs.


Unroll your quilt on one side, just to the center seam. I prefer to start stitching in the center of the quilt and work my way out. The rolled part will stay under the throat of the machine as you sew a straight line down the center seam.

The biggest key here is to go slow. You may want to drop your dog (feeder) feet so you can guide the quilt through the throat and past the needle. I found that it helped me to leave my feet up - they aided in moving the material through a little more smoothly with less effort on my part.

For this week, take your time and sew all the straight seams between each of the 36 blocks. On the back, you will notice a grid pattern take shape. Once you have all the vertical seams sewn, rotate the quilt one quarter turn. This will make the vertical stitching you just finished horizontal. Roll half of the quilt and repeat the process. Make sure you also do the seam connecting the border to the squares.

That's it for this week. Again, TAKE YOUR TIME! Keep a slow, steady pace as you move the quilt through the machine and before you know it, it will be done.

Now is when you should be getting really excited! Next week will be the final step and once you've completed it, you'll have a beautiful quilt you can be proud of. Until then....

Happy Crafting All!

Pictures To Die Cuts

If you have ever ventured through the paper craft sections of you favorite craft store, you'll undoubtedly have seen the lovely die cuts available for your projects. But why buy them when you can make them at home. It's easier than you think.

Above is the perfect example of how easy it can be. I used a picture of a blooming rose that I took at a city park, cut around the rose and made my own rose 'die cut' perfect for cardmaking or even scrapbooking. If you don't happen to have a collection of pictures to use, you can always search domain-free images to use in your projects - simply download the free images and cut them out.

Obviously, using something like a Cricut system would be easier, but those can be expensive. Using my own pictures, the only investment I have to make is in printer ink, paper to print the pictures on and a pair of sharp scissors. And with the economy the way it is, saving money anywhere you can is a definite plus!

Happy Crafting All!

Make A Quilt With Me, Wk 4

If you have been following along with me, by now you have sewn all your blocks together in the pattern of your choice. Hopefully it all came together fairly easily for you and you are ready for this weeks instructions. Now, because lasts weeks instructions were a little involved, this weeks homework will be fairly easily.

The first step this week is to out four strips of Fabric B which were set aside when we started. You will need to sew one strip to each side of the quilt, adding the only border to the quilt. Press the top to smooth it out. Once you have that done, the top of your quilt is finished! You should be proud of yourself! You are half way to having a completed quilt ready for your own little one or to give as a gift.

Now, get out your backing material (Fabric D), and your batting. It is time to make your quilt sandwich. You are going to need a fairly large area to work. I will generally lay everything out on the floor at this point, however if you have enough space on your dining room table, I would recommend using that surface.

First, you'll need to press your backing material flat. Lay it out on the work surface. Then open up your batting, unroll and unfold it, smoothing it over the backing material. Use your hand to smooth it over the entire backing material; it will sort of adhere to the back material and not slip too much. Next, lay your quilt top over the batting and smooth it down with your hand as you did the batting.
Once you have it all smoothed and flattened, grab your safety pins and start pinning through all three layers. I prefer to use safety pins for this step because, even though they are a little more work to get on and off, I don't have to worry about stabbing myself on a straight pin while I'm working.
As you can see, I put one safety pin in the center of each fence rail block and along the border. You really need to use a lot of pins so that your materials don't shift and move around as you are quilting. Nothing is more frustrating than working so hard to quilt the layers together only to find out it shifted and won't lay flat once it is done.
After you it is pinned, trim the backing and batting to 1.5" - 2" larger than the quilt top, all the way around. Then, starting from one side, start rolling the quilt like cinnamon rolls. Go ahead and roll the entire quilt and set it aside until next week. As I said, this week is pretty simple. It is very important though, that you roll the quilt from this point on. If you fold the quilt in half, you risk shifting the material or allowing the batting to bunch or crinkle. This can cause problems when you are quilting with your machine.
So that's it for this week. Now you have a good idea of what your quilt look and feel like. You can feel the actual weight and texture of finished quilt. Next week we will do the actual quilting through all three layers of your quilt sandwich! Until then...

Happy Crafting All!!

Alternate Resin Hearts

Last week I showed you a simple and patriotic resin heart pendant from my Fourth of July inventory. This week I wanted to show you how easily the same basic pendant can be altered for a completely different look.

While last weeks pendant was highlighted with star confetti and dyed resin, this week's examples illustrate how something as simple as glitter can offer two distinctive looks. The pendant on the left was another big seller on the Fourth of July because of it's patriotic theme. The pendant on the right, however, is a solid glitter for year-round wear.

Using glitter offers you an easy and inexpensive way to create sparkling accents for day or evening wear. Catching the light beautifully, the glitter makes these fun for all ages while keeping the price of the piece cheap to make - and in return, cheap to sell!

Happy Crafting All!

Sometime Simple Is Best

When designing jewelry that I plan to sell, I try to create something beautiful that can actually be worn. This means sometimes a piece a less artistic than it is functional. These earrings are a perfect example of that principle. Made from crackle glass beads and creamy Druk glass beads, this pair of earrings is simple, stylish and sophisticated - or everything a woman could want in a pair of earrings! Afterall, why spend tons of cash for a pair of earrings that can be too heavy or bulky to be worn comfortably, just because they are more artsy? The artistic pieces are great, but every jewelry collection needs its functional pieces as well!

Happy Crafting All!