} -->

Saturday, February 28, 2009

The Red Tags Call My Name

I found a new Treasure Chest! And boy what a deal! I'm itching to get my fabric in there, dreaming about how I will organize it. and how much extra room I'll have.



Here's the best part - can you see the price tag? The original price was $129.99 and the clearance price was...wait for it...$16.24!!! I thought there was a mistake, so I picked it up and hurried for the cashier before they could change their minds :)

Happy Clearance Sales to everyone!



New Look for Spool {}

As you can see, Spool {} has a re-design! Many thanks to Sara Bonds! The cost was very reasonable. She did a great job and was very patient. Check her out if you need a fresh look.




Friday, February 27, 2009

Inchies Project

These little guys are called inchies. I hadn't heard the term before I joined the Inchies Swap on Swapbot. I really didn't know what to do, so I just made my illustrations tiny, printed them out, and Modge Podged them to scrapbook paper covered watercolor paper. Modge Podge seems to be my friend lately. They kind of remind me of little memory cards...



Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Book Review

Well it's actually a magazine. I love reusing, recycling, repurposing, restyling...re-whatever-ing!
There's 25 projects, and I'll bet anyone who takes a look will find something they like. My favorites are the T-shirt Tunic, Lumberjack Revival (flannel shirt to girlie vest...note to self: the word revival has a nice ring to it...), Quick Change (coin purses from broken umbrellas...yup, broken umbrellas...), and the No Fuss Necklace (choker from lace and buttons). Not bad for $6.99.



Photo courtesy of Taunton

Monday, February 23, 2009

Altered Journal Project

My first altered journal project! I did this for a swap on Swap-Bot. I don't know if anyone can tell, but the mermaid is supposed to be going through a portal to an ocean world :)



This isn't a tute, but if anyone is curious, here's what I did:

I have a bunch of craft stuff on hand all the time, so the whole project only cost $1.37 plus tax.
I had the sea fabric in my scraps (hooray for scraps!)
I bought a clearance journal for $1.37 and glued an oval of the fabric on like a portal using Modge Podge.
Then I drew a mermaid, cut her out, and painted her with acrylics.
After she dried, I glued her (again using Modge Podge) to the oval, leaving part of her "hanging" out.
I butchered a bracelet for some glass beads and using Sobo glue this time, I squeezed a line of glue around the portal and dropped in the beads.
After the Sobo dried clear, I put on 2 coats of Modge Podge over the whole thing - even over the beads.
When it dried I saw the beads looked a little over Modge Podged and I might choose a smoother cover next time, but overall I liked it.
I gave it the Sadie test...and she said "Ooooh I want one" so I guess it turned out ok :)

Featured at Tipnut!

I am so very pleased to say my wristlet tute was featured on Tipnut as one of 30 Neat-O Projects to Make in February!

I was so excited I started thinking of new tutes, and came up with an idea for March - it involves a red tag sale shower curtain...



Saturday, February 21, 2009

Paper Piecing Project

This is my first attempt at paper piecing. The project was sooo easy and quick. I think the end result is pretty dramatic too.

The basic process is pinning a scrap to a paper design, sewing the scrap onto the paper along a preprinted line, folding on the next line, trimming the seam, lining up the next scrap, and sewing again. That's it!

The instructions came from a free class on the Learning Fiber Arts Yahoo group.
I love this group! They (we, now I guess!) have a ton of ongoing FREE classes. Check it out!





Friday, February 20, 2009

Featured at One Pretty Thing and Dollar Store Crafts!

Two places in one day! Both One Pretty Thing and Dollar Store Crafts!
I'm so happy :)




Here's the Tute...

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Bloggy Giveaways On The Grapevine!

Photos courtesy of the giveaway holder's blogs

Sue and Terri of Two Creative Studios is having a fabulous giveaway to promote their new book: Creative Ways with Fibre and Stitch! I love all of Sue's creations and Terri has some pretty terrific stuff too :)
Deadline to enter - Mar 6



Yummy Goods is having a 2 year blogiversary fabric giveaway!
Deadline to enter - Feb 20.



Art Gallery Fabrics gives a peek at her new line and says to stay tuned for a jumbo giveaway of 50 fat quarters! Wait for it, wait for it...

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Fabrics I'm Liking This Week

Ooooh Batiks! I wonder why it took me so long to find the batiks?
I like so many I'll have to start with a color scheme.
This week is water.

Kaufman Artisan Bali Batik Tango Sea Turtles Blue
Timeless Treasures Tonga Bali Batik Medallions Forest
Hoffman Bali Batik Cobblestone Mosaic Turquoise



Photos courtesy of Hancock's of Paducah

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Patchwork Horse

Here she is - Miss Sassy the Patchwork Horse! Sadie hasn't seen her yet. I hope she likes her...


Monday, February 16, 2009

New Illustration

The other day, Sara Bonds called my Owl Mama an illustration. Since the little designs are new stuff to me, I hadn't thought of it quite that way. I liked it though, so thanks Sara :)

My newest illustration is Sunny Sally. She makes me smile...

Sunday, February 15, 2009

The Best Book!

I just received my (signed!) copy of Sue Bleiweiss and Terri Stegmiller's
Creative Ways with Fiber & Stitch.
I sat down with my diet Coke with lime and my sticky notes and prepared to stick a note on the projects I wanted to do. Well! I started stickin' and stickin' and then realized I had stuck every project so far! So I threw away the stickers and resolved to work my way through the book, project by project :) I'd have to say this is the best book I've seen in the past year!

Take a look inside!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Sadie's Next Request

Sadie would like a stuffed horse. Luckily she'll accept almost anything I make, so here's the fabric I put together for it. And here's the pattern (photo courtesy of Simplicity).
Dare I risk a bad joke and say "A horse of a different color"...well, ok, sorry :)



Friday, February 13, 2009

The Red Tags Call My Name

Target has had some great clearance lately! This time I got a shower curtain with a pretty brown and blue pattern - and button holes. I'm thinking pillow covers...




Thursday, February 12, 2009

My Spoonflower Design Fabric is Here!

I'm so excited! It looks great! I only have a fat quarter, so I'm trying to decide what to make out of it...



Tuesday, February 10, 2009

CSPC Shares Some Guidance for Crafters

Get the full dope

Click the pic to see the table better

Monday, February 9, 2009

Designs By Melly & me Bushfire Appeal Auction

Designs By Melly & me, Australian designing sisters, are having an auction to help the victims of the Victoria bushfires.

Just one of the offerings is their way cute Freya Doll.

Victoria Australia

Just taking a moment to wish everyone in the Australian fires the best of luck. Good wishes coming out to you all!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Spoonflower Design


Here's my latest attempt on Mama Owl. She now has a home!

Featured at Whip Up!

Once again a Too Cool day :) It makes me smile smile smile!
Here's the post.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Bloggy Giveaways On The Grapevine!

Look at this cute felted hedgehog on The Benner Daily! Giveaway ends Saturday.



Stash Giveaway on Some Art Talk! Giveaway Ends Valentines Day.



100th Post Tote Giveaway on Maple Creek Blog! Giveaway ends 2/11/09.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Book I'm Liking This Week

This is such a great book - so many pictures, patterns, and projects! It's spiral bound and lays flat, too. What's not to like!


Click the pic and go to Amazon

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

My Creative Space

Here's where I sew, and my daughter uses her laptop, and we do our craft projects...glad the kitchen table isn't used for eating, lol! The thread cabinet is "100 Spools of Thread".

Monday, February 2, 2009

Spoonflower Design

Meet Mama Owl! I wonder if I should print her...



Sunday, February 1, 2009

Free Placemat Bag Tutorial!

Here's a fast project that can be made between the "Hey Mama?"s and the "Hey Honey?"s.

The Placemat Bag



1) What to Buy:
Buy a placemat with a little heft to it. If it's too thin the bag will be too thin, and there's not a quick way to add interfacing in this project.

Make sure the placemat looks good folded in half (with the fold down) since that's how the bag sews up. There are some adorable placemats out there but they don't all look good folded in half!

Photo: Red Tag Sale Placemat (and same placemat folded in half)

2) Making the Handles:
The handles are 1"x3" rectangular cutouts in the center of the short sides. Lay the placemat right side down on the table. Working on the back or lining side of the placemat, measure the short sides of the placemat. Mark the centers with a pin. Measure down 1" at the center mark. Using a water soluble pen (or chalk), mark that spot, then measure 1 1/2" to either side of the center and mark those spots too. Draw a line between these marks. Now measure down another inch from the line, mark, and draw a line. Square these two measurements off so that a rectangle 1"x 3" is in the center of the short side of the placemat, 1" from the edge.

Photo: Marked handle (click to see larger photo and the marks)


Next, set the machine to buttonhole stitch (zigzag about 1/8" wide at about .5 - 1.0 stitches). Zigzag around the line once or twice, keeping the line to the inside (to the left of the zigzag). This will stabilize the fabric.

Photo: Sewn handle

Cut the fabric out of the inside of stitching, as close to the stitching as you can get. Zigzag again around the edges, making sure to catch any raw edges inside the stitch. Go around two or three times until it looks nice, depending on the color and makeup of the fabric.

Photo: Cut Handle


Photo: Finished Handle

3) Sewing the Sides:
With the placemat folded right sides and handles together, stitch up the sides about 1/4" from the edge. Back stitch at the top. The sides are already finished so there's no need to worry about raw edges.

Photo: Pinned Seam (small seam allowance)


4) Creating the Gussets:
Smooth out your bag flat, right sides still together. Place a pin in the bottom crease right at the side seam. Measure up 1" from the bottom and mark with the water soluble pen. Turn the fabric over, still inside out, and mark 1" up from the bottom on that side too.

Photo: Marked Gusset


Looking at the photo, open the bag (still inside out) and place the bottom of the bag on the table. Press down on the corner seam to make a triangle with the seam straight up and down from the point to the base. Verify that the bottom fold is directly under the seam. Use the pin for direction. The marks should now make a line at the base of the triangle. Sew across these lines from edge to edge to form the gussets.

Photo: Open Gusset



Photo: Sewn Gusset


5) Turn your bag right side out and enjoy!

Photo: Finished Gusset