Kt'zKreations

Save those pants!

2012-01-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

We rarely have much less use bleach in our home. However, of course the ONE time we do---the Birdy Girl mysteriously got bleach spots on a pair of her pants. They fit her well and had lots of life left int hem, so I hated to have to get rid of them.

After seeing a few pots in blog land about 'art' they made with bleach pens....I splurged and purchased one. I knew that was the answer.

We went to town creating dots and flowers and eventually swirls on her pants to cover up the original spots. It took some getting used too but by the end we were nearly pros. haha.

The 'pen' has two ends, a fine point and a thicker point. The fine point was used for the swirls and the thicker end worked well for the larger polka-dots. Occasionally, the liquid would come out fast and thick so you really should practice on scrap fabric to get the hang of it. We didn't care too much since these pants were already *ruined*, we had nothing to lose. The girl loves how they turned out and now she has extra life in her pants as well a fun 'new' pair.

Love This.

2012-01-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

Source: austinkleon.com via Katy on Pinterest

I love this.I really do. There is so much creative inspiration in the world around us....mostly I see an idea somewhere else and then I create my own version of it...that is why I don't sell much. I don't make a good seller--I'd rather SHOW YOU how to make your OWN version than charge you so I can make it for you.....sigh.

I especially like #3 and #6...which rules to you like the best?

Skirt to Scarf

2012-01-09T00:59:00.000-08:00

I needed a gift for a friend so I dove into my donate stash and found these two skirts. I knew exactly what I wanted to make: a fabric scarf.

(forgive the pics...toddler got to the camera and it seems to be permanently out of commission. SO I had to take these with my phone. Boo!)

I chose the black skirt especially for the trim. The other fabric is a nice neutral.

Tada! Reversible scarf!

Christmas Memorial Wreath

2011-12-10T08:22:00.001-08:00

I wanted to make a rosemary wreath this year. I love the scent and the symbolism. Rosemary means remembrance. I thought it would be a nice way to remember those we miss so much during the holiday seasons. Plus I have three bushes of it growing in my garden. It also welcomes guests with a lovely fragrance when they enter through our doorway.

SUPPLIES:

wreath form

floral wire

rosemary

scissors (to cut wire)

I used two coupons I had for Joann's. The wreath form and floral wire were around $2 each full price but with my two coupons I was able to get each of them for about half price. I have lots of wire left over for another project too. That makes the cost of this wreath UNDER $2!

You could virtually make this project for *free* using a wire hanger (we never have any since the Mr. no longer needs to dry clean his clothes) bent into a circle wreath form and yarn, twine, fabric scraps, or twisty ties that you have around the house to attach the rosemary. Don't be afraid to try various herbs or plants. I have read that boxwood makes a great wreath...I might try that next because I have a large box wood bush in my back yard too.

1. Starting with the longest and most pliable pieces, I wired stems along the inner most ring of the wreath. Work the wire like thread, up and around the stems and wire.

2. Use other long and pliable pieces to wire stems along the outer most ring of the form. Over lap tips and ends.

3. Use the split or bushy stems to fill in the center of the ring. Over lap tips over ends, wiring as you go. This section is more of a challenge to work with the wire. I suggest using smaller lengths of wire at a time and twisty them off on the back. I actually flipped the wreath form over at this point in order to wire the pieces on through the back. Keep the form face down on top of the rosemary to help prevent moving. Once the pieces are initially secure on their ends, go back and wire them along their tips.

4. Fill in any spaces with shorter, straight pieces. I was able to work the small pieces into the wreath form with out having to add any more wire, but go ahead if you need to. It's amazing how the wire disappears!

When it's as full as you like-you're finished!

There is a very large rusty nail in our door that we could NOT remove, making the red ribbon hang askew. Oh well.

I also used bits of wild rosemary, which does not grow in straight stems, to add a little more texture and fluff around it.

I would also like mine to be fuller so I think next time I will purchase a larger wreath form. OH! The rosemary will dry...so I am going to attempt to keep it fresher longer by spritzing with water daily. Let me know if you have any other suggestions or ideas for that.

Now, whenever anyone enters my home, they are greeted with the intoxicating scent of rosemary. I LOVE it.

Linked to:
LoeLaLoep

Recent Treasure finds

2011-11-25T22:58:00.001-08:00

To go along with my recent Creative Myths series, I wanted to share some recent thrifted treasures.

This stash was from a bag of notions. I don't remember exactly but I think the bag was no more than $2.95. It contained mainly vintage sewing notions. I couldn't resist. There were two packs of snaps, two small containers of grommets, hook & eye closures, collar stays, elastic, vintage lace elastic, wire stays, roll of pink binding, a few patches, ribbon, vintage lace, vintage wool mending yarn, crochet hook w/ wire (& knitting needles w/ wire not pictured) and some other items I am not sure what they are but they look cool.

Then I found this fabulous treasure for $1.95:

The roll is 10 yards of brand new flat white lace, and tons of other lace trims:TONS. I wish you could see the cream eyelet trim up close. I think it's my most favorite. But...the BEADS! What a steal, huh? They are so pretty and lovely!!! Who knows what project will grace their trim.

TRUE CONFESSION TIME:
When I'm at the thrift store & I see home made items...I feel SO bad for them. I wonder if that is what will happen to all the home made gifts I give....they will be donated to the thrift store!?!
I know how much time and energy goes into a crocheted blanket or home made quilt. Many are very lovely too, not just yellow baby blankets. I always want to buy them all...out of appreciation if nothing else.

So the other day...I did! Birdy and I found two big bags of crochet granny squares. I have not counted them all yet but I think there might be around .... 200? Maybe. They are in the loveliest colors too!

These pix do not even show them ALL. many of them are squares with a flower in the middle. So lovely. Both bags together were under $10. We have big plans for all of them. Some will be a blanket, then maybe a scarf, a bag...so many possibilities.

Even when you are low on funds, as you can see, you can find plenty of materials for inexpensive at the thrift store. I know you can find items at yard sales too! Don't be afraid. Get to crafting!!!

I can't afford to sew...and other creative myths #2

2011-11-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone is on a budget. Crafting need not be expensive. For some reason 'crafting' & DIY has hit the mainstream and is currently en vogue. Martha Stewart led the DIY charge! BUT 'crafting' initially was done due to necessity, not because there was leisure time. Blankets and clothing *had* to be made or else you didn't have any.

Creative Myths is a series I'm doing to encourage the reluctant crafter by addressing all the myths we tell ourselves that hinder our creativity.

Creative Myth #2

I can't afford to sew!

Borrow a sewing machine. Many women have sewing machines. If the woman uses hers, she will say so but often, there is one sitting in a closet somewhere collecting dust! Sometimes a seasoned crafter will even have an extra machine on hand. Don't be afraid to ask around. If you can afford a little, check craigslist, yard sales and thrift stores for a used machine.

Repurpose, reuse, recycle: you don't need to go out and purchase brand new fabric to make a quilt. This is NOT how they did it in the old days. They saved scraps of fabric and then used those scraps to create a blanket for warmth. Where do I get the fabric to start with? you ask...Well, most homes have clothing in abundance, for starters. Go through your closets, your children's closets etc. There's a whole menagerie of fabric opportunities just waiting to be discovered in your closet. Don't forget your linen closet! Yes, sheets are a steal when you compare the price per yardage.

Again, if you have a little money you can find great deals on sheets at yard sales and thrift stores. I've seen bags full of fabric at the thrift store for pennies on the dollar. I've also seen lawns full at yard sales and ads on craigslist. Again, don't be afraid to ask around too. Most fabric crafters have an over abundance--ask me how I know. ;-)

Before you make something completely from scratch, ask yourself if you can simply alter something you already have? Is there a shirt that has a stain? Instead of ditching the shirt or sewing a whole new one...can you sew a flower and attach that over the stain? Allow your creativity to lead and guide you in new directions.

Linens are the best source for fabric: sheets can be made into curtains, skirts, shirts, pillows, stuffed animals, slip covers etc.

There are many online tutorials for creating a new piece of clothing from an old piece of clothing. (see below for ideas)

Notions: You will need to purchase some notions like needles and thread. Keep in mind that most thread will not be seen. Therefore you do NOT need to have thread in every color. A good basic or whatever is on sale will do. As long as it is strong and keeps your item together, it will do. I found a TON of thread once in my garage. Spools and spools and spools of brown and yellow...lasted me for YEARS! (actually I STILL have some) The color has never been a problem.

When you reach the end of your spool and there is still a bit left. Wind that bit around your fingers a few times and save the piece for the times when you only need a little to close a stuffed project via hand sewing.

Use Alternatives: Most patterns that need elastic can use a draw string instead. You can use a ribbon or create one with the fabric you have on hand. If something calls for a zipper, can you use buttons...and vice-versa.

Save the elastic from underwear. Really. When a pair of undies has exhausted itself for some reason, I cut the elastic off if it still has stretch, stash it in my supply drawer and then toss the rest.

Save buttons from other items of clothing that are no longer useable.

Salvage Zippers: those plastic bags that bedding often come in as well as some random toys have zippers that are easy to remove with a seam ripper!

Use the library to check out pattern and sewing books. Or save some time by looking online. You can also search online for how to create your own patterns OR use an item of clothing that already fits you well as the basis for the new item.

If you do buy a pattern: wait until they are on sale. They go on sale often for about $1 each. Also, patterns can be found at the thrift store for nearly a dime a dozen.

Stuffing for toys or pillows: you can purchase fluff OR you can use other strips of fabric or old cloths for filler.

The possibilities are endless!

Repurposed Inspirations:

Men's shirt into toddler sundress

T-shirt into ruffled toddler skirt

Men's shirt into skirt

Pillow case to toddler dress

Adult Tshirt to toddler Tshirt

Classic pillow case dress

Simple doll dress using stretch fabric

There are many more inspiring ideas online. Start sewing! I can't wait to see what you come up with. Please be sure to come back and share your projects, I'd love to see them. Now quick: go grab your guy's shirts before he notices. ;-)

Baby Book

2011-11-06T23:14:00.000-08:00

Another baby shower, another baby gift. I had a root canal on Friday--& it was much more traumatic (ie: *painful*) than I expected. I had planned on creating my gift on Friday but just couldn't. I was pressed for time on Saturday, the day of the shower, and needed to change plans slightly.

I made this cloth book. It was plan B, admittedly. It is an easy go to & makes the perfect gift for a little one. A baby can chew on it, spit up on it, drag it around...Hey! It can even double as a burp cloth over your shoulder--just flip the page each time. haha.

Then just toss in the wash!

Cloth books make great beginner sewing projects & the recipient will *always* love them & won't even notice any mistakes.

Since I was unable to go with my original gift idea, I also added home made baby wipes/wash cloths. Another simple 'go-to'.

I cut squares of flannel I had on hand and serged all around the edges. Voila'!

Soft, economical AND eco-friendly + an easy way to stash-bust.

I wrapped everything in a sweet bow and placed in a brown paper gift bag. Birdy cut out & then glued on extra fabric motifs from the cloth book to the sides of the bag.

The recipient loved it.

And her shower was absolutely lovely!

The table centerpieces were gallon sized succulents wrapped in brown paper & twine. Each guest received a small succulent plant wrapped the same way. So sweet. The best looking gender-nuetral shower I've ever seen. (the parents to be have chosen to keep baby's gender a secret--even to themselves-how exciting!)

Felt Halloween Candy Bag

2011-11-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Although my kiddos each made their own individual costumes this year--I couldn't *not* have my hand in something! We dressed the toddler as an Angry Bird (based on a video game). I figured I could @ least make his candy bag.

His trick-R-treat bag is a pig character from the game. (the birds are shot @ the pigs) I thought it turned out adorable and was very simple.

I hand sewed the primary bag pieces together. The rest of the facial pieces were hot-glued on in the name of time efficiency. I used green felt I had on hand and bits & pieces of black & white felt.

He was able to wear it messenger bag style--across his chest. ;-)

Felt is such a good choice for simple or beginner crafts. It doesn't fray when cut so it never needs seams or serging. It's also great for use with crafts for children as well a wide variety of other crafts like: felt flowers to be used as brooches or hair pins, hand or finger puppets, ornaments, book covers, baby shoes, holiday garlands, pin cushions or as an accent on an already made project. Just google felt crafts to find inspiration.

I don't have TIME to sew...and other creative myths #1.

2011-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

The idea of working on a a project, can be more over whelming than the project itself. I'm a busy wife and mom but I make time to create. It feeds my soul in numerous ways and if I neglect my creative side for too long I has a negative impact on my psyche. Really. I truly believe creativity is good for one's mental and emotional state and probably even spiritual state.

I want to enlighten you to many of the myths we tell ourselves to hold back those creative forces and offer you the truth...or at least some creative solutions to the obstacles that hold us back. This series will focus on one myth per post and offer some tips and tricks to help over come the creative myth.

Creative Myth #1

I don't have time to sew!

Break it down into bite size creative chunks: Any project can be broken down in to smaller time increments. For example, cut your fabric pieces one day and put it away. The next day sew parts of it together. The day after that, do the hem. etc. You get the idea. Fight the feeling that you *must* complete a project in one sitting.

Learn short cuts: if you're making a clothing item for around the house, let's say for a child, it does not need to be perfect. Especially play or lounge clothes! The children won't notice or care. They don't need French Seams or that every seam be serged. Of course you want it to last until they out grow it, but that usually happens sooner rather than later. Pinking shears (the scissors that cut in a zig-zag pattern) are very useful to help prevent fabric from fraying. Save the attention to detail for special occasions.

Ditch the pattern: patterns are great tools for learning to sew new items. They are not always necessary though. You can find lots of free tutorials online these days that instruct how to create various sewn object using pictures and instructions. Using patterns unnecessarily uses up valuable time.

For example:Do you really need a pattern to create a skirt? Guess what? NO! A basic skirt is a tube of fabric! Get it? Cut a large strip, sew up the side and fold down the top, sew leaving a small opening. Insert elastic OR even better a ribbon you can tie to fit you perfectly. If you are an *absolute* beginner and have *never* sewn anything before, then look online for how-to's to fill in the fine details.

You can use clothing you already have as a sizing guide instead of purchasing a pattern and taking time to figure it out and cut out the pieces.

Leave your machine out: I know, you're worried about what type of example you'll be setting for your kids if you don't put away your supplies *as soon as you finish*, right? Well, you are NOT finished! It can be tedious to have to unpack your sewing machine each and every time, just to have to immediately repack it away because the baby woke up unexpectedly or the 8 year old needs help with their spelling words or you smell the brownies you forgot about, burning--you get the idea.

Leave it out! If you are using your dining table to sew, then store it under the table where you can easily access it tomorrow. When you have only 10 or 20 minutes, you need to conserve those seconds when you can! You can put away the machine when you are expecting company. ;-)

What you can do with ONLY 20 minutes:

cut fabric pieces

sew a dress

sew a hem

sew a casing for skirt or child pants

attach two legs for a pair or lounge pants

cut fabric for an owl pillow

cut squares for a quilt

pin a 'quilt sandwich'

sew a simple doll dress

measure your child's waist and legs for width & length of pants (don't forget to write it down)

Find an item of clothing in the closet that fits well, to use as a sizing guide.

Serge an adult T-shirt into a toddler size T

gather a ruffle or a skirt

You get the idea. Once you get started and have everything in perspective, you will be amazed how much you CAN get accomplished in very little time at all.

Hey! Go set up your machine and get started before the brownies burn. ;-)

Big Brother T to lil brother T: make your own toddler T-shirt

2011-10-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

The toddler needs clothes. Really. He has outgrown all but one pair of jeans. The temps have taken a dip so he also needs some long sleeved T's. I haven't gotten a chance to go to the thrift store and I really hate to spend money unnecessarily. In an instant I told oldest to see if he had a T-shirt he no longer wore, maybe was too small...I wanted to see if I could make the toddler a quick shirt.

It was ridiculously simple. Sorry for the poor pic quality--I always think to take pix too late. Here is a semi-tutorial for using larger T's to create a piece of toddler clothing.

We put the T on him wrong side out so we could pin it to fit. We used LARGE safety pins. This avoids the risk of being poked. (Isn't this little guy such a patient little cutie?)

1. Pull up the shoulders first so you can pin it to avoid the the neck being too wide. Make sure it fits around the head easily to remove.

2. Have the toddler hold out his/her arms just long enough to get a good pin under. This will be where the 'sleeve' will begin.

3. Pin the sides along the waist for an appropriate fit.

4. Don't forget to mark the length you want.

5. I took my serger and eyeballed along the pinned edges. From under the arm to down the sides you are basically cutting or serging an upside down L shape on each side.

BE SURE to NOT serge or cut too close to the child's underarm OR they will not be able to comfortably remove or put on the shirt. Always better to be TOO BIG than too small...because you can always make it smaller but you can't make it bigger. IF you don't have a serger, you can simply sew a straight stitch along your lines/pins.

6. Serge (or cut & sew) the tops of the shoulders. Again pay attention NOT to make the sleeve too narrow. Line up the 'collar' so the edges are even.

7. After the underarm, sides & shoulders are cut and serged/sewn, serge the bottom or hem. I am blessed to have a serger so no hemming was required.

TaDaaaa!

I couldn't be happier with how this turned out. It took all of 10 minutes?

And the sleeve length was perfect! An adult size, short sleeve T produced a long sleeve toddler shirt.

The shirt cut ended up being more of a roomy-boxy sweat shirt shape but you could also ways cut/sew it narrower along the abdomen if you wanted. I didn't mind how this turned out and I can't wait to create more.

I love when I can repurpose an item into something new. I know we have a bunch of T's around here and now I can put them to good use instead of tossing and/or buying new ones that this little guy will out grow in no time!

Don't you think this would make a great GIFT for new parents?....sneak one of daddy's old favorite T's & recreate it into a shirt the toddler can wear. You can also make little pants out of old T's as well. (have I posted that before? if not, I really should!) I have a baby shower coming up soon...hhhmmm... ;-)

For a little girl's T, you could even flare the sleeves, which would be adorable. Don't you think? So many options--it's too easy NOT to try, isn't it? This would make a great first sewing or serging project. The toddler won't mind if you make a mistake and no one will even notice. Go ahead, try it today. I know you can do it.

For the Garden

2011-10-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my garden the past few months, not only adding plants but also trying to add visual interest. Being a renter, I've also tried to keep plants in pots so they are portable. A few of our pots were faded and pretty boring looking.

The other day I decided to spruce them up a bit with spray paint I had around the house. I bought it months ago for another project then changed my mind and they were never used. I decided to paint the larger one a golden yellow color and the smaller one a bright orange. The bright orange one's original color was a darker green so it ended up not being so bright, which was actually nicer. The colors go well for Fall but I think they will look good year round.

For now they are on the porch. The green one behind them could use some work, but it's harder to do while there is still a plant in it. The two we painted were empty.

My mini-roses aren't looking so hot right now. Not sure why. They were on the porch and looked lush and lovely, about to bloom again. Then suddenly a few days later they looked near death.

The bigger yellow pot has a gardenia in it. It was looking neglected too but sprung back the next day after replanting it. Hopefully the roses will recover just as well.

Bedroom Side Table re-do

2011-10-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

I must've forced the Mr. to curb crawl this side table months ago if not last year. It took residence on our porch, sadly calling out to me every time I went in or out of my front door. I planned to get to it as soon as I could.

Same old story, right? Well, this weekend I was in a creative frenzy. I finally dragged-ok had oldest carry-that heavy little table to the back yard and the Birdy girl & I got to work.

I used primer, since I wasn't going to do any sanding, I already had on hand and some grey-blue oops paint I had also scored months ago.
We painted Birdy's room white this summer and have slowly been decorating it a neutral white on white since the male toddler is also housed there. Birdy also has this idea that she wants her room *vintage*. Well, this side table certainly fits that description.

It's not a new piece, but it definitely has much more life in it now!

It was the perfect day to paint it too, warm and dry. Almost too warm. The coats dried quickly so we were able to complete the entire piece in one afternoon.

I found the drawer pulls at Michael's Arts & Crafts store for only $1.50 each. Initially, I purchased them thinking I could use them for my own desk that doesn't have any, but the screws were too big. They fit the drawer in this table perfectly!

Aren't they just adorable? I thought so too.

Whoooos got a Kindle?

2011-10-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

This was the original E-reader I made. I began crocheting one before I decided to sew the one I posted about previously.

I was not happy with how it came out over all, but I do think it's really cute.

I realize some modifications I could make that would help me (or anyone) enjoy it more.

I wanted it to open so I made the wings with the ability to open. Pretty cool design but it ended up with to many 'pieces' IMO and too bulky over all. The bulkiness might be really helpful if you drop your bag or something--it would help cushion the blow.

I meant to write a pattern for it, but then I forgot.

I think I can figure it out by next week.....

This one is going to be donated toward an auction that will help support artistic, theatrical endeavors that a friend is involved in.

BaBEE quilt

2011-10-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

I made this quilt for a friend, on Saturday. I chose a simple, large square lay out to simplify the process and build it quickly. However, my machine began to be temperamental as soon as I changed the presser foot to the quilting foot. I could not figure out what the problem was, something with the tension. After hours of fighting with it and having to rip out all the quilted seems....I finally gave up and switched back to the regular foot and simply quilted it with a square motif and was finished quickly. Except by then, the shower was over. :-(

Her baby theme colors were black and yellow, like a bee. I love how it turned out over all. Another friend is having a surprise-gender-baby and I think this color scheme will make the perfect neutral. I plan on making another one but with more red accents. I have a good amount of fabric left over.

The back fabric is flannel. Doesn't it look like a honey comb? I did not use any batting, which makes it a great weight. Not too heavy, not too light. The 'scribbles' you see in the quilting are words; fruits of the spirit. I think I had to remove one or two permanently due to the tension issue. I was looking at it tonight and it looks like most of them survived.

I thought the words would show up better on the honey comb side...they don't. So the front yellow pieces have bold black threaded words running through them, backwards. The momma like it though, that is all that counts.

This was also the first time I used satin binding. It was pretty easy to work with except for the fact that I ran out on a small section--which is why it is red. The red adds to it's 'modern' charm, though.

Kindle Cover

2011-09-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

I didn't want to buy a Kindle cover when I knew I could whip one out myself. It was pretty easy, like a pillow case for your e-reader. It did end up being a wee bit tight for it, but not unusable. Now that I have one made I know how I can make another easier and better.

It opens like a book. The Kindle can slide into the left side, like a sleeve. The right side has corner pockets to hold it in place while reading. The only thing I didn't do but would have liked, was to create something to keep it closed. I was going to attach a ribbon, but I forgot. I used some left over interfacing (I think that is what it is?) in between the fabric pieces for sturdiness.

I did look online and didn't see any I liked....especially not one with as much character as an owl with giant eyes. I fashioned it after the owl pillows I made before.

I'd like to make another...maybe not an owl but something anyway...simple but attractive.

New Lighting Fixture

2011-08-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

After repainting my daughter's room this summer, marshmallow white, I decided to go with this idea of white on white for decorating. It's a slow process but we're getting there. I saw some pictures of creating focal points with paper lanterns and I knew it was exactly what I wanted in her room for the lighting.

I realize now I should have taken a pic of the lighting fixture that was there before. (I might have one in the painting pix, if so, I'll post them later) It was a vintage, pink, glass bowl-like dish that hung down below the light bulb. I found these paper lanterns for very inexpensive and finally went to work.

I also found large plastic crystal-chandelier like beads that I had planned on hanging intermingled with the lanterns but once we had the lanterns finangled, they seemed well enough with out them. Well, plus it was pretty tough on the arms and shoulders. There are beads hanging around the light bulb but they are too close to the lanterns to even see. bummer. (that's what those white strings are around the top of the light) They were a good idea in theory but gave us the most grief in application.

The whole thing was put together using upholstery thread. (just because that is the only white thread I had & I couldn't find my *invisible thread) The thread doesn't show on the lanterns but you can clearly see it attached to the beads. I attached the thread randomly to the wires of the lanterns and just kept pulling & tying until they hung in the shape and length we wanted. (oldest son was helping me) The beads are threaded onto a wire, wrapped around the metal fixture. I applied a strip of hot glue around the fixture to help it not slip. (learned the hard way after it slipped numerous times, entangling the beads) I tried tos tick to using what I had on hand.

I also realize the actual metal fixture the light bulb is affixed to, would look much better if *it* were also painted white. Don't know WHY I didn't think of that when we painted the room.

I'm still debating whether or not to add beads but it looks nice and simple the way it is. The shape came out lovely. I can imagine having this in various shades, colors & textures would also be smashing. It creates a nice glow when the light is on too.

I'm thinking of adding more paper lanterns around the house...

Another Birthday Banner

2011-08-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Any excuse to sew? Instead of using glue to attach pieces of this super easy banner, I sewed them.

It was the Mr.'s birthday and besides the fact that he was always present (I like to surprise), I hardly had a moment to spare. So while he was out playing tennis for the morning, I went to work.

I free hand cut larger pennant triangles from fall themed paper I had, then smaller ones. I sewed straight across the tops to attach the smaller pieces on top and to attach each pennant to the next. I left my free motion quilting foot on my machine all summer, this was another excuse to put it to practice. (And boy do I need practice using it!!!!) After all the triangles were attached, I created a string of swirls on each individual pennant. I had plenty of letters but none that went with the color scheme of the papers. I noticed some letters the day before while I was @ Target & knew they would match. I quickly went to Target, used a $5 gift card I had and paid a dollar out of pocket for a pack of alphabet stickers in the exact hues I needed. Voila'!

Easy peasy and festive to boot!

Crochet Washcloth

2011-08-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

This is the first crochet washcloth I have ever made, believe it or not. I made this for my neighbor as a gift. I will be including a bar of home made soap, maybe one of the ones I felted...

I am not too happy w/ the mix of colors. I like each of the yarns individually, but they don't work as well together as I was hoping.

It's a nice & easy pattern though. I'd like to make it again using solid colored yarn instead.

Water Bombs

2011-07-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing as much crafting this summer as I thought I was going to. Most recently I've been using my creative energy to over haul my home, one donation bag at a time. Getting rid of *stuff* is a major ordeal. Seriously. This led to over hauling one of the kids rooms....which led to a search for smaller beds to make their living space more spacious. They had a giant bunk bed that took up a lot of eye-room as well as much of their bed room. It had a full size bed on the bottom, which can accommodate lots of kiddos when needed but beyond that....that led me to scour craigslist for new beds. I found exactly what I was looking for, for a steal! Praise the Lord.

Once we took the old bed down and brought the new beds in....we could see how horrible the walls were. Peeling, cracked paint caused by mold *in* the walls...the paint would chip off & there would be mold *under* the paint. ugh. ugh. ugh. So that led to repainting the entire bedroom. A full day project, assisted by my fabulous sister-in-love. Thank goodness for her.

The room is now a gorgeous, bright *white* called 'marshmallow'. ALL of that though...took a lot of my creative energy to accomplish. We're still not totally finished because now we get to use some creative energy to decorate the room in a fresh color scheme using bright accents.

Plus we've been having a fabulously active summer. I take yarn and hooks with me everywhere I go but I'm intentionally staying focused, enjoying the present moments to much to let time pass me by.

I did do a quick and easy project the other day though. Water Bombs! I followed the simple idea in this post and produced these:

Yep! I'm totally awesome, I know. The pack of colorful sponges were from Dollar Tree, yah for $1! I also purchased a pack of zip ties from Pep Boys from around $3 and have a ton left over. (like 95! lol) It can't get much cheaper than that, can it?

Emerald City Barbie?

2011-07-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

In *old* news I made these glamorous doll dresses a few months ago. I had green velvet-like fabric and this other sparkly green fabric that both had some stretch to it. I used the selvage edges so I would not need to hem edges. It's the most basic thing in the world. I cut a small strip for the top and sewed it into a tube shape. Then I cut a larger strip for the bottom skirt portion and attached sides to create a larger tube shape. I 'gathered' one end of the larger tube and attached it to the smaller tube, creating a 'dress'. Voila'! Easy peasy. I especially liked that there is no button, velcro or snaps to mess with because the fabric is stretchy. It slips on the dolls fairly easily and it can accommodate the sizes and shapes of a few different dolls, as indicated in the picture.

Don't they look like they are ready for a ball in the Emerald City?

My daughter's new interest

2011-07-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

My grandma gave me an old cross stitch brooch kit. We have more in our garage from my mom & other grandma. I believe they were from a popular direct sales company in the 80's called The Creative Circle. Do you remember them? I remember the company fondly. Well, Birdy, for some reason, took an interest in this little cross stitch initial brooch kit and started it. I found that even when I was showing her how to do it, it felt quite addicting and I didn't want to give it back! haha. She is really enjoying it though. I am surprised. She was working on it diligently today and I think she can easily finish it tomorrow if she has enough free time. Who knows? Maybe this interest will *stick*.

Baby Shower gifts!

2011-06-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

I attended a baby shower on Sunday afternoon for a long-time friend, she's expecting a girl after two boys. I knew I wanted to give a home made gift but I had not been on the ball @ all. I whipped together one of my owl but in miniature size. It came out adorable AND was super fast to make....it took my standard time of 'about an hour' from start to finish. But what else?

My wheels of creativity started turning over night so that morning I whipped out a couple burp cloths in coordinating fabric, dug through my stash of crocheted items and grabbed a hat that was cute but had been too small for Birdy when I made it, found a small, cute canning jar & filled it w/ some home made detergent and put a piece of coordinating fabric over the lid. Voila'! Instant gift package. Then I wrote a blessing on my card to her. Bummed that I forgot to take a pic of the jar of detergent.

I was pleased how it all worked out! Everything looked adorable & she loved it. I dug through my stash of cloth diapers and was able to find 2 that I had purchased specifically for that purpose but never made. Then I lucked out to actually find a lid that fit the canning jar on the first try too! ;-) I already had all the supplies on hand and didn't need to spend any money.

I am also hoping to whip out a pair of crochet Mary Janes for her little bebita....because admit it, it's not every day you have the opportunity to crochet a sweet little pair of Mary Janes! ;-)

Still Creating: wip

2011-06-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything recently because I've been forcing myself NOT to start any new projects until I finish up my projects for the FAIR! I am still crocheting that afghan of circles that I started....Really, I'm bored. There I said it. I took too long and now I am sick of these circles! They are so easy and I can whip them up in no time. There is no real reason it's not finished except that I am bored!

I know I will be pleased once it's done...but it doesn't spark much creativity. I think I might even change the original pattern up a bit, more than I already am with the colors....but only because I am in no mood to crochet a million small squares to connect all the circles. I don't know. I'll have to see how it looks when I have the circles all done...if I ever do.

I'm also still 'working' on Sammyboy's quilt from *last year's birthday*! It is almost finished really--I just have NOT sat down & forced myself to finish. The basic quilt top, the hardest part is done. I only need to add some trim and then sandwitch it together and do the binding & quilting....that pic above is the back side trim fabric. Although that pic is the fabric backwards. I actually liked it better than the front side and wanted to use it like that. But I didn't....it felt like too much 'rule breaking'....like there really ARE rules! pshaw!

I should finish it tonight...if I just sat down at my machine & got TO IT!

You should know by now though, that I really couldn't NOT do anything. I've been making soap! And laundry detergent. The soap takes a bit more creativity and is super easy and FUN of course. I like the idea of adding herbs and essential oils and seeing what happens.

Cheer me on!

Epic Quilt: the fine details

2011-05-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

The story that seemed to incorporate itself into the quilt the most is A Rose for Emily. You can obviously see the dominant presence of roses within the quilt. She is a southern belle w/ a controlling father & she finally ends up w/ a 'man', whom she keeps by poisoning him w/ arsenic. His corpse is found after she dies. Of course there is more to it but that is the super nutshell version.

Here are all her elements:

the girl (she represents all the female characters from all the stories)-her "steel gray hair"

roses

the brown patch on the left w/ the carriage

the skeletal guy next to the tree

the fabrics w/ china--Emily gave china painting lessons in her home

Hills Like White Elephants: A young woman & an "American" are @ a train station discussing (or not) the trip they are taking--which I don't want to give away.....

The general color scheme of the quilt is inspired by this work. Brown & barren on one side & green/fertile on the other. (left to right) This is a significantly symbolic part of the piece's landscape.

Babylon Revisited: Story of a man after the roaring 20's who has come back to Paris to retrieve his dd, who is in the care & guardianship of his SIL--after the death of his W.

That story is most represented by the girl on the swing--he dreams of his wife on a swing PLUS the fact that he has a young dd. Also the black & the back of the quilt is black w/ outlines of stars----his SIL is dressed in black w/ a necklace of black stars.

Trifles: a short play that all takes place in a kitchen. A woman has killed her husband & the men are trying to discover WHY/motive. The women in the kitchen discover the motive but don't tell....throughout the men are putting down the "women's work".

the quilt itself because the wife had been working on a quilt

the birdcage, her friends discover a broken bird cage in her kitchen

the uneven edges--she has a spot of uneven stitches

a patch of fabric that is truffles--alluding to trifles

Also they mention that she will KNOT her quilt to quilt it--so the pink ribbons in the trees--I used to knot/quilt that portion of the quilt.

Oh & the ropes to the swing are NOOSES--because she kills her husband w/ a rope.

The Story of an Hour A woman w/ "heart trouble" learns of her DH sudden death then receives the shock of her life to discover he is still alive.

the birds in the trees--she is in her room looking out over the trees & takes note of ALL the birds in the trees.

The Open Boat : men in a dingy after their ship has sunk, they can see the shore but the waves are too rough to make it in, they keep expecting help--based on a true event of the author.

Towards the upper left is a patch w/ a light house & it says FL. The event happened off the coast of FL & during the story they can see the shore & light house but can't make it in...

The Real Inspector Hound--couldn't find the text online. I didn't like it-- a modern play that I found annoying. ;)

Up at the very top, toward the middle is a swatch of fabric of playing cards--because they play cards in the play. Plus the fact that it is a *modern* quilt.

I also sewed random squares to also emphasize the *modernity* of the piece & quilt.

The Cask of Amontillado: the narrator is so offended he kills his *frenemy* by walling him in ALIVE, deep in his families crypt.

It's very small & almost hidden, but on the right, in the crook of the tree, is a jester (square like a playing card). His friend is dressed for a costume party as a jester.

Also the pile of skulls & bones @ the base of the tree--there are bones every where in the crypt & a pile that he has moved to make the space to trap his frenemy.

Young Goodman Brown: a naive young puritan man travels into the forest to a satanic meeting & is surprised to see all the members of his village whom he considered pious & holy, including his wife.

The tree is the most significant representation of that.

But also the pink ribbons represent his wife because she had pink ribbons on her bonnet & then later he sees a pink ribbon float down from the sky & get stuck in a tree in the forest.

Cathedral: a man hosts a friend of his wife as a visitor--who happens to be blind...& ends up having his own eyes 'opened'.

Upper right corner is black & then black & white & moves into black w/ color & then into regular colors of the sky---indicative of how the main character has an enlightening experience. Also the black 'frame' of the quilt itself.

Some general items: the leaves also are mostly green on the right (your right) & are more brown on the left, to mirror the landscape of fertile & barren.

Across the bottom I made large up & down zig zag stitches, they start as green & then become brown--as grass & then dead grass.

I sewed the edges using steel gray thread. A few patches of fabric have gray or green squares sewn into them but most of the sewing was done w/ brown thread.

There are a few fabrics in the middle that have a mix of green & brown for *transition* between the two.

Far right, utmost corner there is a definitive square w/ NO fabric. That is representative of the 2 stories I did NOT intentionally include. & of the blind man in cathedral.

Up @ the top is a swatch w/ hearts on it--as most of the characters are looking for love or learn something about it etc...

The tree has all the female characters initials on it (as if they were carved) in brown fabric paint.

I think that's most everything.

Epic Quilt

2011-05-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

For one of my classes, the professor allowed us to create a project for our final. We had creative freedom as long as our project incorporated, in some way, the readings from the semester. I decided to do a quilt. I was inspired by these two quilt designs: Girl on Swing & the leaves on this tree quilt. Those quilt are mini quilts. I wanted to make mine useable size, so I went with lap/crib size. I had a class partner, he cut the tree and other elements and contributed LOTS of fabric--which I got to keep, even if we didn't use. Score!

I used new-to-me quilting techniques--applique with raw edges. All the pieces were laid ON TOP of the base fabric and sewn right on the base.

It was A LOT more work than I anticipated & took me NUMEROUS hours of sewing. More than I ever imagined. In the end though--I felt pretty good about the over all finished piece. I also learned a few new things about my machine LIKE I can do free motion quilting on it using a darning plate! Who knew!?!

It's hard to capture ALL the elements in this quilt on film, due to the size but you can get the general idea. Since it's finished, it will also be an entry into the fair this year! Yay! My next post will give all the secret fine details of the elements I've incorporated into this piece.

it wasn't pretty

2011-04-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

Told you.

I have been meaning to take on a slip-cover project for my sofas. I bought and used canvas drop cloths from Home Depot. I found the idea online, a decorating blog.

Wasn't too hard....

I used a ton of pins! K kept taking them out when I wasn't looking and I wouldn't realize until I began taking it off. Once I began the cushion, I actually followed a tip and basted it before I took it off. Saved me a lot of sewing heartache. I used upholstery thread as directed.....ugh! It kept splitting and bunching up in the needle. Not sure why.

But eventually........

Tada!

I did NOT do the hem. I was too excited to wait to show you the pic though. Which isn't even very good, I know. I took in the evening and there wasn't sufficient lighting.

If I ever take it off again, maybe I'll put a pleated box hem or something...I'm almost tempted to simply hem it by hand and leave it at that.

Anyway though...it came out better than I could have ever expected.

Even with my ~~mistakes~~ tweaks.

From the vault

2011-03-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

This was one of the first owl pillows I made. For a friend of the family, as a Christmas gift. If you've seen my other ones, this one has more fine details & is a bit more involved, but I must say--it sure is adorable! I've since greatly simplified my basic design. If you've read or followed my tutorial, this gives you an idea of how you can personalize your own creation.

Maybe I'll make a few specialty, sleepy ones like this..for special friends or special order. ;-)

More Joy

2011-03-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

A friend commissioned me to create a quilt as a gift. This one is lap/crib size. You might recognize the blue & green printed fabrics from the quilt I made for K. She really liked those & wanted me to use them but also incorporate some pink because it is for a baby girl.

I tried something new...I 'quilted' it in a circle--actually it's a spiral--formation. I was inspired by an e-friend who did that & made it look SO EASY! Well, it might have been easy had I not done it WRONG. {does *every* project I do NEED to be a learning opportunity?} I quilted it w/ the backing/solid fabric side UP--it should have been down. This caused all those rectangular pieces you see to sometimes 'gather' up. ugh. It all worked out in the end though.

I included a tiny bit of JOY.

{I highlighted it this time so you can actually *see* it!}

Don't you just LOVE it?

I really do.

The JOY is in the center (somewhat) and then the quilting spirals out from there. It's not exactly *centered* but that makes it all the more unique & absolutely lovely. IMO.

I was quite tempted to keep it..... ;-)

I really love the blue Hawaiian print backing and that colorful pink print that I used for the binding.

FREE Owl Pillow tutorial

2011-03-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

1. Decide how big you want your owl pillow to be. Find a circle shaped object you can trace. You can see I used the bottom of a basket. You can use chalk to trace around your object. Add two peaks, one on each side of the top of your circle to create the owl 'ears'.

2. Cut out your shape. It saves time to cut @ least 2 pieces @ a time. (front & back) You can also layer 4 pieces and have enough for 2 owls in the same amount of time. (I hate cutting so I look for short-cuts all the time!)

3. Again, find a smaller circle shaped household item that you can trace for the outer eye. Cut 2.

4. Find a circle slightly smaller for the white of the eye. Trace & cut 2. Do the same for the black center of the eye, or you can cut those freehand.

5. Cut 2 half circles or oval shapes out of coordinating fabric for 'wings'. Pin to front of owl right side facing UP.

6. Using the zig-zag stitch setting, sew wings to front of owl. You only need to sew inside edges. (the outside edges will be sewn later when you attach front & back)

7. Cut off any excess wing fabric to align to owl body edges.

8. Arrange eye circles as shown & pin. You can play around with them to create different moods for your owl. (centered, looking up, looking right, looking left etc) When you are satisfied, sew eyes using straight stitch.

9. Cut and pin beak to front of owl, between eyes. Again, you can personalize your owl beak by making it fatter, shorter, narrower etc.

10. Draw legs (using chalk) to your preferred design. (super long & skinny, fat feet etc)

11. Attach legs, as shown, to bottom edge of owl body, upside down.

12. Place *back* of owl, right side *down*, on top of owl face. Pin edges,sew along edges (leave seam allowance) using straight stitch. I like to back stitch over legs to reinforce. REMEMBER to leave a portion OPEN & unsewn for stuffing.

13. Reach in through opening of body & carefully pull owl right side out.

14. Inspect your owl that all edges are properly sewn, no leg missing or open seams (besides stuffing hole) etc.

15. Begin stuffing your owl. Use plenty of stuffing and be sure to get into 'ear' peaks. A pencil or crochet hook may be useful for those spots.

16. If you are satisfied with the shape & fullness of your owl, hand stitch closed.

What I have shown you here, I believe is the simplest form to start with, using basic shapes. (mainly circle & triangle) *I* like to use felt for the eyes, beak and feet/legs, but feel free to experiment and have fun with it. I have also made stuffed legs and printed fabric eyes. Use your imagination and have FUN with it!

Let me know if you have any questions.

And OF COURSE, show me what you come up with.

I'd appreciate a link back if you use this tute & find it helpful. Feel free to create to your heart's content. ;-)

belated Valentine gifts!

2011-03-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

Another pair of sweet sister owls for some friends!

Seriously, aren't they just the cutest ever!!

I just LOVE making these, so simple.

I have an order for another pair--so I plan on making a tutorial for them. Although, they seem pretty self-explanatory to me, don't they?

sewing love

2011-03-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

As part of my "make do or do without challenge", I have not wanted to purchase any gifts (or much of anything, personally!). Instead I want to be more creative and save money at the same time. Well, toddler gift giving fits the bill. We had a party this weekend and I was able to whip this up before we party time. Inspired by & tutorial here!

We used a stuffed animal (w/ no sentimental value) we already had and dismembered it. I happened to have on hand, this very plush snuggie shawl that I had already cut a portion of for something else. It made the perfect "pillow" part of the body. Attached body parts & sew into a square. It's pretty simple, although attaching the head can be a challenge for the novice. I already had stuffing on hand too. It cost me no physical $$$, just my time. Isn't it SO cute?

Well, then my daughter felt inspired....

She took another non-sentimental value "stuftie" and created this for her baby brother. How sweet huh? We were running low on stuffing so we re-used a pillow no one was using anymore. Of course, you could not do that if you wanted to sell your creation, but for home use--it's the perfect *upcycling* use of a pillow. We also though using a patterned fabric made it much cuter than a plain solid. K just LOVED it and kept trying to take it from her before she was even finished! I helped her sew over the limbs and hand sew it closed, but she basically did the rest herself. Can I mention how proud I was seeing her working at my sewing machine?

I am also hoping this will inspire my kiddos to pare down their *stuftie* ~~hoard~~ collection. ;-)

We love color

2011-03-05T22:01:00.000-08:00

Part of our Valentine gift giving included making heart shaped crayons. I grabbed a few chocolate molds I've had in the garage *forever* & have never used. (not the best choice!) It sounded like a great idea at the time.

I placed the mold upon my stone cookie sheet, on a low temperature setting and baked until it all looked melted enough. I'll spare you the photos showing the melted crayon spilling beyond the molds it was meant to stay IN.

I placed the mold in the freezer for a few minutes...or until I remembered. They popped out easily once I took them out. By the third set (which I forgot to take a pic of) I used my silicone, heart shaped, mini-muffin pan (is it a pan?). NO risk of being in the oven--but I don't think I'll ever be able to use it for food again--so it's a risky trade off.

For future reference, I think using a candy mold is a great idea if it isn't going in the oven. Mine survived but I watched them very closely, but they seemed to warp a bit when they got warm. However, if it was middle of summer, I think you could put the crayons in the molds and simply set them in the sun and have beautifully shaped crayons in no time without risking the integrity of the mold.

Free Printable

2011-02-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

Simply click on the graphic above. When it opens in a new page, right click to save to your computer. From there you can print directly from your computer.

Link back and show me what you did with it!

And of course, let me know if you have any problems. ;-)

I printed it on an index card and then framed it in a frame I purchased from the "after-Valentine's-clearance" a few years ago.

afghan parts

2011-02-05T00:16:00.000-08:00

I've finished 12 circles....only 48 more to go...plus 73 small squares. I need to find the rest of my yarn. I timed it and I can get a circle whipped up in about 15 minutes. With that in mind--I should really be moving *a lot* faster on this. I can get a couple done during school just in the minutes I'm waiting for class to start!

If I can find the coordinating yarn I used to have around here.....I think I can have this finished by the end of the month...

What do you think?

Maybe it will be my personal Valentine's gift to myself. ;-)

sweetness!

2011-01-29T23:06:00.000-08:00

Playing around with some free graphics and photobucket tonight.

Valentine Ideas!

2011-01-21T22:58:00.000-08:00

I've made it no secret that I absolutely love, Love, LOVE Valentine's! It's my most favorite *holiday*.

Here are some FABULOUS & crafty ideas--frugal, of course.

Enjoy.

Valentine tree, paper hearts & more.

cute! crochet heart pattern

adorable plush heart

Oh LOTS of Valentine goodie links!

Valentine mail pouch

printable banner

Inspired by...

2011-01-20T20:47:00.000-08:00

There are so many talented & crafty gals out there in blogland. They also love to SHARE their ideas. Recently i came across this freebie, a sweet printable. Well, my home's main decorating color is red--which goes right along with my love of all things Valentine!

I found some old thrifted frames in my "linen closet"--I have NO idea why they were in there. They had patriotic designs on them. I got them back when I was designing my middles room in patriotic colors but I never used them. My daughter claimed one but I went to work on the other one.

It is much smaller than the link above uses. I adjusted my print preview to %60 to try and make it fit better to the frame I had on hand. I cut out the center to place *inside* the frame, under the glass. I could have adjusted it smaller, I think but I finagled it to work well enough. I had to cut the "frame" portion of the design apart but it's ok.

Nope, it's not a smudge on your screen or on the glass of the frame..(upper right corner above "always")..one of my darlings stepped on the paper as I was on the floor cutting out the rest. {sigh} I couldn't get the dirt off & don't feel like wasting the ink to reprint a full 'nother one.

OTHERWISE, it looks pretty cute doesn't it?

Join the Valentine, linky, fun & enter the giveaway @ Domestic Fashionista!

Baby Gifts

2011-01-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

Part of my make-do-without-challenge is to make do with what I have on hand....that means NOT running to buy new fabric every time I get the whim AND challenging myself to be creative for gift giving occasions!

This is what I came up with.

I made two burp cloths and a receiving blanket. The receiving blanket is super easy to make....the burp cloths, although not exactly hard, require a bit more patience. I used flannel I had on hand, as well as cloth diapers I already had.

The receiving blanket is basically a big square with the edges hemmed. if I had a fancy machine it would have been cute to use a decorative seam. I just used a zig-zag. It's only a light weight one layer but you could double it to make it a bit heavier but still lighter than a blanket.

The burp cloths were a bit trickier. I tried doing one by zig-zagging on top of the fabric on each side...well, it came out *ok*. The other I folded the fabric under and sewed a straight stitch across the top. It turned out well enough in a pinch but I think I could have taken my time a bit more.

To top it off a tossed in one of the extra owl pillows I had made. Cute!

Take note

2011-01-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

For the second installment of a tea I again hosted, I could not find the mini composition books. I did find these little top-flip notepads. They had a sturdy cardboard back but no front cover. I thought I might make a sewn felt flip cover but decided to use paper instead. It was great.

I simply cut paper to fit the front 1.5x the height of the book. I folded it over the top and glued it to the back. To add a little more flair, I used rub on transfers I had, of inspirational words and definitions. I think I've mentioned before how awful I am at cutting so that was the hardest part. I'm sure a paper cutter/trimmer could work to make this part of the process easier but I always forget I have one.

Crafty goals for this year

2011-01-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

Why not? We make so many other types of resolutions....why not list crafty goals or things we'd really like to accomplish, artistically speaking, too? I'm not going to list small things, (like the toddler jacket I have sitting on my table right now, that is half way done) but rather some larger projects I REALLY want to do.

1. finish my middle son's quilt
*most rows are are finished but still need to be attached for top
*needs assembling
*need to choose binding fabric

2. create a quilt from my oldest son's chalk drawing & enter it into the fair
*not started, need to make fabric choices

3. crochet an afghan and enter it into the fair
*it's 60 circles connected by 73 small squares
*1 circle completed

I'm sure there will be plenty of smaller projects in between but these are the main ones I want to really finish this year....& truly ASAP!

I'll let you know how it's going along the way.
What do YOU want to create this year?

a little note...

2010-12-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

I wanted notebooks for an event I was hosting and knew I wanted the covers to be decorated. I wasn't sure if I wanted to have the guests decorate their book themselves, decorate with paper or fabric... I decided on making fabric book covers that way the recipient could remove it, if they were inclined. I was pleased with the finished product even though I hit a few glitches here and there.

I did the first two with regular cotton fabric. Then I realized the felt was faster to work up for this project. (no seems needed) Since I was in a hurry, I ended up covering most with the felt. It was too plain with felt alone, so I added a fabric "binding". Doesn't it add so much more?

You simply cut a piece of felt larger than the book itself. (about 3 times the size the width of the front) You can fold it over the book to give you an idea and then mark it off. I pinned the 'sleeve' part and used chalk to mark the top and bottom margins. I sewed all the way across the top and bottom to seal the sleeves.

I then cut a rectangle out of coordinating fabric for the "binding", that matched in height from top to bottom of the felt. I zigzag stitched the sides of each piece onto the felt. Voila'!

Easy peasy, right?

I love this picture because of all the inspirational energy it conveys. The madness, the color, the perceived chaos that produces the lovely finished product.

Free crochet snowflake pattern

2010-12-27T22:40:00.000-08:00

My first pattern!

I made these little ornaments for the season. I created the pattern myself although you can find many similar free patterns online. I've tried writing my patterns down in the past, and let's just say, it didn't go very well. This one is simple enough that I think it's understandable. If you are an experienced crocheter, you can create your own pattern and/or you can even add more *arms/petals* to it, to create various sizes.

H hook (but really, you can use whatever you have or can find--I lose my 'favorite sizes' often! LOL eyeroll)

chain 4 (or start w/ magic ring),slst (slip stitch) in first chain to create ring.

round 1: work 6 sc in ring, join with slst

round 2: 2 sc in each sc (12 sc) join with slst

round 3: chain 3 in next st (counts as dc), 2 dc in same stitch, sk next st, *3 dc in next st, chain 1, skip next st, repeat from * 4x, join with slst

round 4: chain 1, slst in first chain, * (sc, dc, sc) in next st, sk next st, sc in ch-1 sp, sk next st, repeat from * 5x join with slst.

Pull loop up to create a long loop for hanging. Knot at bottom to secure.

If you use white yarn, these look like snowflakes, don't they?

If you use cotton yarn, they make great make-up removing or small facial cleansing cloths.

You can create a garland by *not* pulling up yarn loop & cutting.

My gift to you.

Merry Christmas!

Whoo's the cutest?

2010-12-23T23:49:00.000-08:00

These came out cuter than I could have ever imagined! I whipped up quite a few as Christmas gifts for various little 'peeps' in the family. They adored them. They were pretty simple to create. Cutting basic shapes and using felt really sped up the process.

I'd like to be able to create a different animal pillow using simple basic shapes. Owls are popular right now, so I wasn't very original but it was quick and easy.

I also learned (finally) HOW to hand sew it closed with out the stitching looking like FRANKENSTEIN! Finally. LOL

The seams looked great--since they were perfectly invisible.

Angel Ornament

2010-12-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

My daughter made this angel. Well, she started it and I simply 'tidied' it up a bit. ;-) Isn't she simply lovely?

I saw some of these online and knew we just HAD to make some of our own. She needle felted the body, head, hair and wings. I added a bit more fluff to the body, shape to the hair and wings and detailed face.

I hot glued a hemp loop on the back for hanging.

I think she is the cutest angel I have ever seen and she looks fabulous on our tree. I want to make some more....

Merry, merry & Happy Christmas

2010-12-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

I found a full package of plain chipboard letters on clearance! So much potential.

For this banner, I traced the letters on festive paper (%50 off the full pad of seasonal papers). Cut them out & glued them on. Pretty simple & self explanatory, right?

Then I grabbed a mug from the kitchen that had a large enough base to include the various letters & traced circles on plain card stock and two of the coordinating papers. I grabbed a larger jar, traced circles on the other festive papers.

I then glued the letters onto the card stock and blued those circles onto the larger circles. I glued them a bit off center on each one and did the same with the letters.

I punched small holes at each end of the finished circle and attached them to each other with brads. I attached a jute loop at each end for hanging. Using the brads allows each circle to be turned onto the next, to take up the space of just one circle when storing. Again, an easy craft that requires little to know skill. You could even have the kiddos do it or make their own!

Now for a little Retro action!

I used the chipboard letters for this banner too...but I painted them. I also used doilies I had, painted red. It was too plain to leave just red with blue letters...they needed some white. Polka dots were the perfect solution. I had the perfect blue ribbon.

Next time...I won't paint the doilies though. LOL A bit too much work....it was easy but felt like 'busy work'. Maybe spray paint would have been easier or quicker? I've seen lots online just plain white that looked very chic'.

My kids helped me paint these too!

friendly giving

2010-12-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

These are not a new idea. This is my version.

No need to go out and purchase mason jars. I save my glass jars (& lids) after use. I had salsa jars, jelly jars, and the jars my coconut oil comes in.

I found a simple peppermint cocoa recipe online.

Since the jars are various sizes the batches were able to go farther.

I am also using baby food jars to hold an individual serving.

Combining a homemade recipe with your saved jars makes this gift super affordable!

I traced the lid of each jar on the back of festive paper and then hot glued it on top.

I took some coordinating ribbon I had around the house and also glued it along the sides of the lid then tied a loose knot.

I glued pre-cut paper letters on the jars to indicate what was inside.

Next time I will remember to use the adhesive letters I already have!

See? No skill required!

I had my children tracing and cutting the circles while I was layering the jars full of goods.

Finished the sweater!

2010-12-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

Just in time for it to get WARM! of course. I did not follow a pattern, as most I found require you to crochet all separate pieces and then sew them together. I hate having all those separate pieces.

I simply started from the bottom, worked my way up, back and forth, creating one base piece. I did do the sleeves separate but I worked those from the chest out, in rounds, resulting in a bit different texture than the rest of the sweater.

I attached two vintage buttons to finish it off.

It fit him quite well, I think only for this season though. I could have done a few more rounds for the shoulders but I was afraid of running out of yarn. I had enough left over but when I did the shoulders I had not worked the sleeves yet.

The way I kept it as one piece was this: I started a chain (bottom of sweater), worked back and forth. As I got up high enough to the arm holes, I only worked so far as to the hole, back and forth. When it was as 'tall' as I wanted, I slip stitched down the inside side and then began the back rows. Back and forth. Same thing down the side to work the other side front. Then I attached all pieces across the top working back and forth. To create the shoulders I began to decrease my stitches to bring it in.

I worked the sleeves in rounds from the armhole out. I did not realize at first the different texture that was being created because I was not going back and forth. It turned out ok though. If I have time...later...I'll try to work up a pattern...someday. :-)

necessary evil

2010-11-29T23:34:00.000-08:00

There are two things I can't stand in my artistic endeavors. I think of them as *necessary evils*. They are completely necessary, unfortunately...but I still can't stand them!! Because I can't stand them, I will put off projects that require these 2 details to attention...for months. It's horrible, I admit.

Once I actually do them, it's not so bad...but it's the *idea* of them that gets me.

What could they possibly be?

WHAT is SO bad?

Gathering, for one!

And CUTTING fabric! ugh! It's awful I just HATE it.

Tonight I finally finished cutting squares for my son's {cough, cough} birthday quilt--his birthday is in June--this is from this last June. I'm awful I know. The thing is I CAN'T cut straight to save my life. (I can't write straight with out lines either--I wonder if it stems from the same mental deficiency? lol) I even got a rotary cutter & a friend gave me a cutting mat. What's the point? It does no good if my cutter doesn't follow the lines on the mat.

I usually avoid gathering too...but if you are doing a skirt or dress that does not have an elastic waist...well then you need to gather.

Well, I am hoping to surprise my boy with a finished quilt by Christmas. The only way I think I can surprise him is if I sew @ night...which I mostly don't like to do but it's possible. I usually sew during the day while the kiddos tend to their academics.

I have to figure out some framing fabric because the squares are much smaller than originally anticipated. It was unavoidable, what can I say?

Cheer me on!?!

What necessary evils do you tolerate in your crafting?

crochet cup sleeve

2010-11-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

I guess most people might call it a *cup cozy* but that just sounds lame to me...even though I usually adore alliterations. Go figure. This is a simple craft for beginners and youngsters. It's something actually useful they can create. It can be plain or embellished to your fancy.

My dd made this one, the band is white. She chose the button and yarn color then I quickly worked up a flower to attach. I like it. I always forget how much I love making flowers. They are so simple and easy and super quick to make. I didn't even need a pattern for that flower.

I like these vintage buttons. I have a rather large collection of vintage buttons I sort of inherited from my grandma.

New Dress

2010-11-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

BEFORE

My daughter needed a dress in a pinch and it had to be this champagne color. I hit the thrift store first to see if there was anything I could work with. I found this monstrosity of champagne and began to research.

I was inspired by the recent trend in tutu dresses and decided I would go in that direction.

I seam ripped the bodice and top off, serged the under and over skirt pieces together. I despise the slipperiness of froo-froo fabrics so I was trying to avoid any of that by serging the two pieces together from the get go.

The other color we needed to work with was apple red. I went to my local craft supply store and stocked up on some fabulous & sparkly butterflies, flowers and wide satin ribbon for nearly a steal!!!

I basically pulled the skirt portion up to my daughter's underarms and attached straps. It was a challenge to get it to stay up. I had problems with the elastic--it kept stretching instead of staying tight and keeping it up on her. I am not sure what I should have done differently but eventually I got it to stay well enough. I gathered the fabric across the back while the front sits 'flat'.

I trimmed the top of it with the wide red satin ribbon and also used it to create the straps. It wraps around the sides and ties in a bow in the back with the ends hanging down the length of the dress. Based on the styles I have seen on the tutu dresses, I attached a very large flower on the front.

I did not like the flower once it was on, maybe because of the leaves? But I wanted the leaves because the ribbon was a tad different shade than what we needed and the flower was more accurate and covered up the ribbon. I glued the the flower to a large safety pin so it is totally removable.

Then I hand sewed a few tiny sparkly red butterflies on the skirt portion.

AFTER

original dress $5 (thrift)

giant flower $5 (most expensive piece!)

tiny butterflies: $1.20 (more left over)

wide satin ribbon: $3 (25 yards--plenty left over)

TOTAL: under $15

Initially I did this for my daughter to wear as her flower girl dress for a wedding--but then the bride & groom decided to go with something else. I will remove the large flower and this will now be her Christmas dress this year. I am pleased with the result & think it's absolutely lovely.

arg! IDK why blogger squished that after pic!

this year's DIY Halloween Costumes

2010-11-01T23:53:00.000-07:00

I HATE paying exorbitant prices for horrible, cheaply made costumes plus I LOVE making our own. These costumes were *pieced* together. I repurposed some items and added home made details. We went with an Alice in Wonderland theme this year, inspired by Tim Burton's version.

I started with the base dress from the thrift store. I purchased the over skirt fabric (%50 off sale, of course). I made a mistake & purchased that bit of red/black fabric you see on the top of the shoulders, thinking the costume had bustles on the side. It did not. I was going to incorporate it more on the sleeves but didn't in the end. At least that was also %50 off. Oh and I also purchased a bit of gold fabric that is the undersleeve and base of the bodice. I used an outgrown, collared button up shirt that was destined for the donation pile for the collar.

I added stiffening fabric (is there a proper name for that? lol) for the triangular bodice w/ the gold over. I found some red beaded trim in my stash and a plastic pearl necklace from my daughter's costume jewelry collection. I attached all those pieces plus strips of red grosgrain ribbon with hot glue.

We took apart an old flimsy toy hamper thingy and salvaged the blue netting for the sleeves & saved the wire for *later*...I repurposed a rectangle lacey table topper and used it for the end of the sleeves & saved the rest for *later*.

I cut hearts from the fabric I trimmed to shorten the dress. I turned them around because the underside was black & hot glued them on and also glued small gold hearts in the middle.

I inserted elastic (salvaged from an outgrown pair of undies) into the over skirt and secured it with strategically placed safety pins.

I used the stiffener stuff again for the crown, hot gluing it into a circle shape. Hot glued the gold fabric over it & added vintage buttons from my stash, yes, again, hot glued! Oh & the trick to making it stay on her head....I hot glued tiny claw clips inside. heehee!

Then we added the face make-up & Voila'!

She really knows how to get into character, don't ya think?

Can you believe that HAT? Me neither. And you won't believe how ridiculously easy it was to look so impressive! It's all cardboard inside. really. Someone posted a political sign on our lawn in the middle of the night. We weren't too happy about that but we put it to good use....we used it for the main cylinder of the hat. heehee. Then there is a thicker piece of cardboad on top of that. I did buy 2 peacock feathers that are on the side and we tied the shoulder fabric from a dress my daughter recently wore to a wedding, around it.

I purchased a bit of fabric for the top part. The brim utilized that wire from earlier and some fabric from a t-shirt sheet I originally used as a baby sling for my littlest one. He already had the suit jacket, it was outgrown and also destined for the donation pile. I hand sewed the lace from earlier like I did to the queen's sleeves to the end.

We scavenged all of my spools of thread and tied them together with yarn and then attached them to a belt that no longer fit anyone. I used some colorful fabric I already had to create the bow.

He had pants that worked from a previous Halloween, left over from being the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz. He finished off the look by wearing his sisters colorful striped socks. My husband did his make-up.

Last but not least was our youngest. My husband found this fleece while we were doing some last minute fabric searching @ Joann's. I think it was perfect, don't you agree? I ended up with way too much but better than not enough. I'll use the rest for something... I salvaged the zipper from a reversible dress that will eventually be made into an apron.

I used a footed pajama he already has for a rough pattern by tracing an outline of it. It has a tail attached to the back. The pink of the ears are from another outgrown pair of undies. He was quite cozy...even though by the time all was said and done, he would run away from us when we tried to put it on him. LOL

We were all pretty pleased with the results. Yes! I did make myself Alice...and that costume was acceptable but by no means anything to brag about. ;-)

The latest....

2010-10-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

I've been SO inspired lately. I updated my ETSY shop w/ lots of new goodies & items I had made but never listed. I am really hoping to maintain it and get my business rolling. I went to a craft fair last weekend & it was quite inspiring. I also met a very friendly boutique owner who sells hand-crafted items on consignment. I am hoping to contact her and see if I can show some products in her shop.

I was also referred to another local boutique and did contact them via email. They responded that I could send the a link to my shop and they would check it out, determine if my products would be a good fit. I am trying to convince myself to send them the link. (fear!) Nothing lost by trying.

Here are a few of my latest creations....(IDK why the picture formatting is so tweaky!)

You can see plenty more where those came from in my shop!!!

Needle felting

2010-10-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is only one of our creations. Needle felting has become one our new favorite crafts. I recently ordered more wool roving, a whole pound and spent last night attempting to dye some of it. it was trial and error but I got a bright red I wanted, @ least. It's SO easy to do, it's funny.

We have so much fun creating little objects and creatures. The kids really enjoy. I am enjoying it so much more than I thought I would. I can't wait to get the rest of my wool dyed so I can make more fun creations. Aren't those pumpkins the cutest thing? I made the large one myself and Birdy and I made the smaller one together.

Dresser Redo

2010-08-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

I was going to just trash or freecycle this dresser. Then I felt inspired. It is narrower than the one oldest DS currently has in his room so I asked him if he wanted to trade and we could paint it. Initially I thought he would choose a more *mature* color and he did say he wanted navy. After we started looking at paint colors though, he chose this one.

We were even going to get new handles or just pain them a grey color or something but following my inspiration, I just knew this apple red would compliment it well and give it a bit of a retro feel. I am very pleased with how it turned out. Oldest LOVES it. Once he began to put the handles back on--he was in LOVE!

BEFORE

drawers

primed

during

TaDa!

My new favorite bag!

2010-08-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

I started this toward the end of our road trip when DH was doing all the driving & reading in the car makes me nauseous. I had A LOT of the yarn on the bottom of the bag & I was sick of it so I thought i would use up what I had & make a bag to SELL, since I did NOT like that yarn.....but when I added other colors to it...I began to fall in LOVE....

Finished...sorry not very good lighting but the colors are scrumptious! The straps are long enough that I can wear it across my body over the opposite shoulder & it's very roomy but NOT too deep that I lose my keys in it!

I think I am going to start making MORE of these simply to DESTASH my VERY large ~~collection~~ supply of yarn! It was simple & I just LOVE the way it turned out!!!

5 min Dress!!

2010-07-01T22:38:00.000-07:00

Joanne's had tube-top-dress fabric for %60 OFF. Otherwise, it's ridiculously priced!!!! W/ my serger I whipped out 3 for Birdy in about 15 minutes MAX! If you don't have a serger---still super simple, just sew sides together & create small hem. But w/ the serger is was super simple & FAST! 2 (shorter than the one pictured) girls size dresses cost less than $2.50 each---one is going to be converted into a long top.

This long one is actually probably for adult ladies but it was too fabulous to pass up---it was the last bit just tossed on top of the other bolts. It cost maybe $5? I serged the bottom to her size & as you can see, used the excess for a head band/tie.

Another Birthday

2010-06-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Both my middles have birthdays in June. Exactly one week from each other. The older middle wanted a party themed after the latest Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland. I did what I could and here are a few things I came up with.

Birthday Banner

Here are some of te cupcake toppers.

I went more with a Mad Hatter-wacky style and look. I think it fit well enough. The initials belong to both middles. He was very happy with the final result.

He turned the big 1OH! :-)
Now I'm working on an Alice inspired lap quilt for him......

JOY!

2010-06-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

Can you see the JOY?

Close up of the 'front'.


Close up of the 'back'.

I used Bamboo batting, which only came in "generous crib size", which was 60 x 60! Gigantic if you ask me. Totally great size for anything but a stroller. Great lap quilt, cuddly on the couch quilt, floor mat---basically *everything*! The bamboo is SO soft...its a shame it's on the inside. The finished product does not measure exactly 60x60. I had to adjust for what I had. I was tired of adding fabric to it & refused to do anymore by the end...it's still basically squarish shape though.

I did it!

2010-06-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

I finished the quilt! What.an.ADVENTURE!!! Seriously.

It came out beyond wonderful. I am so excited. It's definitely *home-made*, {if you know what I mean {wink, wink}} I think that makes it all the more special. I even did something extra special. I machine quilted it but I stitched words into it. I stitched the word JOY into it about four times. I will try to get a pic of it but it won't be easy, I think. I did it freehand w/ the machine so there are also swirls and a couple hearts. I will post more detailed pix later but for now....

Quilting?

2010-05-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

I started a quilt! Really. For Baby K, of course. It will use 'strips' that my friend got me for K's birthday decorations. Blues & greens of course. I am very excited & can't wait until it is finished. Of course, I will post pix....

The hard part is designing it. I have a design in my head, because I don't want that 'checkered' look, but I don't know if it will really work or look nice enough.

We'll see.....

I'm also excited that I'm even sewing again. Is it just me or do any other crafters out there kinda go through a 'crafter's block' type of period? Where you lose all gumption to DO anything crafty? It's sad when that happens.

OH! and guess what? DH got me a SERGER for my birthday! Yep! Exciting huh? SO exciting. :D

Anything for my sweet prince!

2010-04-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

Naturally wanting to make Baby K's first birthday extra special, I decided to go with a *real* theme. I looked on ETSY for inspiration and found a party them using tiffany blue and lime green along with a frog prince. Perfect! With only 10 days to spare I went to work. I had a hard time finding papers in the colors I wanted but in the end I found packs of blue/green papers @ Target of all places for only $.99 cents! Can you believe that?

I created cupcake toppers and a birthday banner. It doesn't sound like much but add to that all the regular party fare....and you get the idea. We ordered a custom pinata that matched perfectly. I also coordinated plates, cutlery and napkins. I used a boxed cake mix this time but homemade frosting--I made the green frosting peppermint flavored and WOW was it delish!!!

I realized later, this was the same color theme I had for his baby shower. How sentimentally sweet, right? The banner pix did not come out very well so I'll have to show them another time, but just know--it was adorable. ;-) I'm going to use the cupcake topper cards to decorating thank you cards. I hate to just throw them away.

One Creative Thing

2010-03-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm entertaining the idea of changing this blog name to that. I decided last month to really let go & allow myself to do @ least ONE creative thing every day. It's been going well but like anything, I need to stay on top of *allowing* myself that creative freedom.

I have been crafting and creating but not recording it very well. lol I gave back a friend's sewing machine that I had for WAY too long. Which forced me to finally order the presser foot that was broken on my own. Of course, as soon as I gave back the machine, all I could think about were all the projects I wanted to sew! Of course!!!

I recently made Baby K a pair of Kimono baby slippers. They came out ok. The free online patterns are really written for newborns...it was a bit of a stretch for me to create my own pattern to fit an 11 month old. I also made him a baby pair of yoga pants out of a Tshirt. Very cute! & super easy!!!!

My most enjoyable part of sewing is using other items, used items, and fashioning something new. It feels like it's *real* frugalness @ it's core. My daughter's outgrown undies have become my best source of elastic for baby items. I'll never buy elastic again @ this rate--which I love!

The draw back to this way is the temptation when I went into the fabric store! A Joann Fabric opened right @ the end of my block. Goodness! All those lovely prints & the potential they each hold.....SIGH.

I also pulled out my Knifty Knitter and am using the largest hoop to create a baby cocoon. I don't like it too much, I think I would have liked it better in crochet, but it works and I think I'm almost done. It's for a gift. I also used the smallest loom to make a baby beanie. I could have simply crocheted the beanie, yes, but I used a yarn that is NOT easy to crochet with! A poodle yarn or something like that...it looks cute but is a total pain to crochet with because you can't see the stitches very well.

I also consider 'reading' in my One Creative Thing list and I actually finished a book recently & dived into a few more I've been neglecting. It feels wonderful.

Cheap Cloth Diaper Cover

2010-01-19T20:03:00.000-08:00

I needed a ~~cheap~~ frugal diaper cover. I don't like plastic pants but they certainly are cheaper & you can pick them up in some stores--thus saving shipping for the high end covers. Besides the crinkle noise they make under clothing, I don't like them becasue you ahve to pull them down to get them off. If you're dealing w/ a 'messy' that is absolutely NO fun!

So I made some ~~cheap~~ frugal alterations. I cut the sides and attached snaps. The first time I learned plastic pants are not that sturdy and required reinforcement if I was going to use snaps, that cost me a few good snaps. bummer. Now I know.

I used barely a few scrap sized pieces of fabric to reinforce and it came out splendidly and took only a few minutes of my time.

Cute huh? ;-)

Recycled Christmas lights

2010-01-18T20:08:00.000-08:00

I LOVE being able to recycle/repurpose/refashion every day items instead of throwing them away. Over the Christmas season I was quite dismayed to find that *most* of my fairly new (ie: only a few seasons used) lights were not working properly. What is the deal with that anyway?

I could not, in good conscience, just throw them away. I tossed them into the garage w/ the other ~~junk~~ Christmas decorations. Then as my most favorite holiday approached--VALENTINES--and my creative wheels began to be inspired by all that is LOVELY, PINK & HEART shaped....I remembered those naughty lights.

I saw a rag garland over priced at a local crafts store. I knew I wanted it and I KNEW I could make it myself. The heart shaped light bulb began to go off in my head. I could use the broken lights as the base to my garland. I delegated oldest ds to dismantling the light strand while I began cutting strips of fabric. The fabric choices I had laying around were: Hawaiian print w/ orange/red/hot pink & yellow colors, bright pink checked, lt. pink, bright pink solild, solid red corduroy, red/white polka dot, red checked ribbon, wide red sheer ribbon, lt pink w/ bright pink flowers.

It's coming along nicely and looks absolutely fabulous. Plus it's much longer than the store garland. It's going to look great along the top of my front window! Oldest was able to salvage 2 separate 2 ply strands after all the lights were off. Although this garland would also look absolutely fabulous on a strand of working red lights, don't you think?

It doesn't get any easier. Simply cut strips of fabric and tie on. Voila'!

Another one for a gift

2009-11-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

After seeing K's cute ears hat, a friend ordered one to give as a gift.

I did the reverse crochet stitch around the ears and I really like how it came out.

Ears!

2009-10-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

I made this sweet hat for my babe! I wanted to see if I could make a hat w/ ears on my own...I did. I did not follow any specefic pattern. I used my knowledge of the simple beanie and made to flat circles for the ears. I want to make a Disney Mickey ears hat for him now that I figured out how.

And another Funeral Dress.

2009-08-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

This dress was for the funeral of my Father in law. Once again, I do not like the idea of children wearing all black. I feel they are just too young. My husband chose this fabric. He wanted something still somewhat formal but compromised on the *not* all black idea. This fabric has small purple flowers. I used matching purple thread.

The weather had been triple digits so I also needed something cool for my dd. I decided to use a halter dress she already had as a guide. It worked well enough.

I did not use elastic, buttons or a zipper so it needed to be able to slide on but still fit properly.

I made an exact matching dress for my niece and hers fit her perfectly. My daughter's dress was a little loose across the back once it was on, so I attached a matching purple ribbon. It wasn't the best solution but it was a quick fix.

I also created the French, spiral braid around her head. Again, due to the heat and her having very long hair, I needed something cool for her. It came out quite nice, I must say. It definitely served the purpose nicely.

The dress wasn't really that low in front. Once I took the picture and realized, I tied it better behind her neck and that lifted it up more appropriately.

I also created a matching skirt for the viewing the night before. I trimmed the bottom of it with wide black lace.

Bake-Off!

2009-08-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our Women's Ministry hosted a bake-off today. As prizes I made these aprons. A couple are 'refashioned' from dresses and 3 were made from scratch.

I LOVE how this polka-dot one came out! It's so fun.

I also like this one. It reminds me of tattoos for some reason. I love this colorful dark dotted fabric I used for the waist and pocket accent.

Peasant Blouse

2009-07-14T00:22:00.000-07:00

It feels so good to be doing something crafty again! I found this easy peasy tutorial & based these 2 blouses on it. I like how I used 2 different fabrics for the bodice & the sleeves. I rarely ever have elastic so I used a tie for the neck & the sleeves I left open.

I was forced to use 2 diff fabrics when i did not have enough green for both sleeves & bodice. This first one came out a bit more *fitted* too. She will not be able to wear it very long before she grows out of it. It fits nicely for now though. If I had a real serger, I could have whipped this up even faster.
This is the second one I made, looser. Except I cut the sleeves too narrow. I left them open underneath instead of sewing the seam. I was proud of myself for thinking of that myself. I also used some vintage lace to trim....still used 2 different fabrics but they coordinate.

Doll Case

2009-05-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

I love old suitcases. Always have. This one was in great condition inside too. I have this dream of my dd having all these lovely suitcases to hold all her dolls and doll accessories in. When I saw this one, originally a dull brown color, @ the thrift store--I *knew* I just *had* to have it! Plus I had recently been inspired by all these decoupage suitcases I saw online somewhere.

I used spray paint, taped the edges....which took FOREVA!....I did not have much tape so I fudged and some paint ended up getting under the newspaper I was using to mask it--it was windy, what can I say? I used bright pink and a light pink. The light pink looks white compared to the bright pink.

Over all though, it's cute and turned out nicer than it started. It's roomy enough to hold almost everything too. ;-)

Baby Sling

2009-04-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

I wanted a sling to carry baby in but didn't want to pay exorbitant prices. I knew I could fashion something. I really want a MOBY style wrap but don't have a piece of fabric long enough. I found this cute printed sheet @ the thrift store, I cut it narrow enough and voila'!

Hands Free!!

To wear baby, place length of fabric from shoulder to hip, front to back. Tie ends together securely. THe fabric was still wide enough to double, providing plenty of coverage for baby. I used a stretchy t-shirt fabric sheet.

Diapers!

2009-03-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this site, I decided to make some cloth diapers for my babe to be!

My babe will have quite the Sporty Baby Bum...don't you think? lol

I had a bit of flannel fabric so I decided to dress them up a bit. I realize I prefer to use flannel on one side @ least. I cut up sweatshirts for the thick cetner part of the diaper. There is a T-shirt on the other side of the flannels. The other 2 are all t-shirt w/ sweatshirt centers. I have to say I prefer the flannel on one side. The T-shirts tended to stretch a bit while zig-zagging around & kinda ruffled along the side.

But it will work enough. The cutting was the most tedious part but after that, the actual making of the diapers was easy-peasy!! If Ihad access to a serger, it would have been SO much faster but a zig-zag stitch works in a pinch.

My camera flash made the pix extra, extra bright so the color is a bit off but trust me, they are pretty cute, soft & snuggly. IMO.

I'm going to use the scraps of flannel Ih ave left to make some baby wipes! So soft & so easy!

Now pants!

2009-03-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, this was a funny story...The weather is unpredictable right now. Chilly sometimes so Birdy needed some pants. Just like the spring weeds & flowers, she has sprouted right up & outgrown all her pants, in length. Again, figured I'd just whip a pair out for her.

I used a pair she had as a rough pattern. Buuuttt...I made the mistake of not making sure I had exactly the right amount of fabric for TWO legs! I was about an inch or so short on the width! Oh what to do???

So I decided to simply make them 2 different legs. After sewing them all together...I had to admit they kinda reminded me of *clown pants*. DH & oldest DS agreed w/ me in the nicest way possible....I did *not* tell her that though.

I called her in to check the fit. When she saw them she excitedly exclaimed: O! I LOVE them!!! Now you need to make me a matching shirt!!!

The only thing was: she thought they were PJs! Not because of the mismatch print though....but because of the width of the pant leg. They appear very wide when not on. And I simply did a tie waist again. It's too easy not too & I don't have enough elastic right now to do anything else.

O! & those ruffles....totally HER idea! I abhor gathering....I would have put a straight cuff. heehee

She definitely has her *own* sense of style & I just LOVE that about her.

Another quick skirt for Birdy!

2009-03-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

Again, I LOVE this skirt! It's not as twirly or gathered as the first pink one. It came out more fitted but still modest & loose. It fits her so nicely.
It just can not get any simpler than this!
Seriously.

Don't you just adore those polkadots w/ the colorful fans?

Another skirt

2009-03-05T00:56:00.001-08:00

Too easy not to whip out another one. Isn't the color combo delish? I used scrap fabric as ties. I added the bottom but instead of folding it over & hemming, I just added it underneath like a ruffle, minus the *gathering*. lol I hate gathering anyway. I made it for Birdy but I forgot to factor in the added length the extra created so it actually will prolly fit *me* if I wear it under my maternity belly. I just need to add a ribbon tie instead. It makes it fully adjustable on the waist that way but it goes below Birdy's knees....looks too *bunchy* on her, if you ask me.

I use the selvage edge so I don't have to hem. I like how the pink had a bit of *fray* to it too. I don't like to hem...call me a lazy seamstress if you want. lol If you look closely you'll see a tiny fine detail I *enjoy*.....instead of a straight seam across, I used a wavy seam. I'm not that coordinated either...the yellow thread is used/chosen simply because I have spools & spools of it I scored from free from my sil. ssshhhhhh!!!!

It *all* really took me about an hour. Seriously! & that's only because I actually pinned & ironed the seams & edges, which I normally *don't* do. Again...sssshhhhhhh...don't tell.

This skirt the post prior to this one were inspired by this fabulous tutorial.

Right before church...

2009-03-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

...I whipped up this skirt for my dd. She's been insisting she has *nothing* to wear for @ least a week now! Sooooo...*literally* right before church I whipped this together for her to wear to church that morning.

By the time this pic was taken she wasn't as *crisp* anymore. lol

It was simple. Top edging was a checked pink fabric & I used a bright yellow ribbon to gather & tie instead of elastic.

She looked like quite the sweet, little lady initially. ;-)

Another Baby Shower...

2009-02-28T18:27:00.000-08:00

Tiny charm tag.

Card.

Cotton washcloth & matching beanie.

Boys booties w/ strap across w/ button.

Cupcake inspired baby shower gifts

2009-02-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

A friend, who is due a week ahead of me & is having a girl, had her baby shower. Her invite showed a cupcake theme so even though I had a few items already prepared for her baby dd to be, I decided to start over & create a few cupcake inspired gifts instead.

I also included 3 cotton wash cloths. I always though wash cloths were a waste but these were too cute & I think they may be my new *favorite* item to gift.

Skirt Slit Solution

2009-02-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

I got this skirt (maternity) from the thrift store for about $3. There was a slight fray next to the slit & I didn't like how wide the slit opened when I sat down anyway.

I found this pattern online to embellish the pant legs of jeans & adapted it to fit in the slit instead. Then I sewed it right in. Voila'!

Recent Projects

2009-01-20T18:46:00.000-08:00

It's CROCHET people!!!

2008-12-03T17:35:00.001-08:00

Why does everyone assume if you are holding a ball of yarn you *must* be knitting? lol

Seriously, *every* *single* *person* asks me what I'm knitting or makes the comment: Oh, my _____ knits too!

2 hooks = knitting
1 hook = crochet

Has *no one* ever heard of crochet?
Or is it simply that the word "knitting' is prettier & rolls of the tongue in a much smoother fashion.

Say it: kknnnniittting.
Now try: crochet!

lol

Whatever. I still prefer 1 hook. I'm totally partial, I know. But not discriminatory. I would learn to knit if I could...someday. ;-)

Beret

2008-11-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

The pattern was a bit confusing @ first....the whole increase 6 each round thing, but once I figured it out, it was a snap...then the edging...I didn't like that it called for it be made seperate so I decreased myself then made the band by continuing on my own.

I'd like to make more for some other lil girls i know, but it was a bit time consuming.
It kinda looks like a muffin hat instead. lol Maybe a smaller band--not so wide?

I think it might look better in a solid color too.

I got the pattern from Lion Brand yarn site, I think...it's the purple one not the white one.....

Sweaters

2008-11-26T15:58:00.001-08:00

I've been doing alot of crochet lately to prepare for the holidays.

I made this beanie to go along w/ the sweater below.
I added a flower to each side of the beanie.

I still need to put buttons on this one.

Lacy chain edge I added.

I really like it!

Vintage buttons for this sage one.

Unfortuneateley the yarn had a slight variation from each skein that was annoyingly noticeable. Initially this was made to sell but due to that variance, I gave it to dd instead.
I think the chain edging adds such a sweet look to it.
The blue sweater above was the first one I made. Although I followed the pattern directly it produced a sweater too big for dd. I was able to figure it out msyelf to add a few extra rows along the top, decreasing accordingly to make it fit her perfectly.

I have also been creating other styles of beanies that are rectangularish & have a tassle in each corner. I need to get back to work now....

Here are the patterns I used:
Sweater Pattern (may have to register)
Beanie Pattern (adjustable sizing)
Flower Pattern (minus the leaves)

Rawr!

2008-11-22T15:36:00.000-08:00

I'm not a kitty! I'm a *TIGER*!

This is the first kitty I made from the pattern linked in the post below.
The waffle fabric added a nice texture but it frayed easily. I did *not* like the hand sewing bits. This is the first time (since college costume class) that I hand-sewed using a decorative blanket/whip stitch.
Since this was the prototype & ds chose the fabric, I intended on letting him have it, so i chose a pair of vintage eye-looking buttons to use as eyes.

I made another one for my cousin for her birthday. I was not able to get a pic but it was red plaid body w/ red velvet stripes. I machine stitched the stripes on & they looked like flames. lol

Free Pattern

2008-11-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

Saw this cute kitty pattern in Mary Englebreit's Home Companion Magazine.

Too bad it requests to *not* sell any products made from it. But it's still cute & looks simple enough.

Maybe I'll try it today. ;-)

Kitty Pattern

Yarn Peeve!

2008-11-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when using a skein of yarn, you'll come across a point in the thread that was cut during processing & is tied to a new piece of matching yarn.

Normally it's no big deal, especially if it's a solid colored yarn, you won't even notice.

But....tonight I was working on a beanie/hat & was trimming it w/ this lovely jewel toned, variegated yarn. It was working out quite nicely that the colors were matching up w/ each 'round'...then that bump!

The yarn ended @ lavender & 'whoever', tied a blue edge to it! So it totally changed the color pattern it was making on the edge of the beanie.

It was looking so pretty too.
bummer! ;-(

Inspired

2008-10-13T22:15:00.001-07:00

I caught sight of 2 new yarns today in lovely variegated colors that I DON'T already own & just HAD to have!

Unfortunately I was disappointed to see Walmart's yarn prices go UP, while skein sizes have gone down. :(

One skein is black w/ various shades of grey. I think it will make the perfect Raiders inspired scarf & beanie for DH.

The other is also variegated in lighter shades of browns & pinks, but is similar to a brighter on I have. They would actually compliment each other very nicely.

I can't wait to get started.....but I feel obligated to finish a sweater I am in the middle of...luckily I am almost finished or else it would go into the 'almost-but-never-finished-projects' pile! lol

Isn't she cute?

2008-09-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

She was a birthday gift. I could not find the yarn I usually use for hair & decided to experiment w/ this extra fluffy stuff. it was great! Very soft & cuddly. Finally, I have a reason to use this yarn...I've quite a few balls of it in different colors.

She was extra cute w/ green ribbons around her pony tails.

O! Happy day!

2008-08-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

I've tried to teach my dd to 'crochet' before & she just didn't seem to get it, too young? Couldn't keep a hold on the hook or get the idea of 'yarn over' ect...

Well, the other day she asked AGAIN if she could 'crochet' w/ this SCRAP piece of yarn she saw in my hook bag....so I showed her once agian how to make a chain & LO & BEHOLD!!!! She DID IT!!!!

You have NO idea how this WARMS my heart.....my grandma taught my mom to crochet, my mom taught me (only a few years ago) & now I will be passing this on to my OWN dd!!!!!! 4 generations!!!

She chained herself her very own pink bracelet & today she chained her friend one too!!!!

I AM SO PROUD!!!!

She just turned 6 yo this summer too.

Rag Dolls

2008-06-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

Aren't these adorable? I love them & they were so simple to make. This orange one was my prototype. I followed the pattern exactly but her limbs still came out rather skinny. I prefer them w/ no face but since her arms & face are pure white, it looks a bit plain.

I Loved her skin much better. She was cute w/ her brown & floral skin. I thickened the arms a little. I made one like this for my dd birthday too. She seemed to be much more popular than her orange friend. They sold together though as they did not want to be separated.

Now these 2 girls were quite adorable. I thought they had a hint of a vintage look to them. I think it was the fabric prints. My dd chose the coordinating fabrics for each. We made them for a friend's 2 dd as birthday gifts & they were cuddled very much that night. I experimented a bit w/ their hair a bit. I was pleased how they looked w/ ribbons in thier hair.

Baby Gift

2008-05-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

These were SO simple! I mean UNbelieveably quick & easy to make. I'd say less than an hour per pair...if you actually follow the directions. lol And they actually takes SCRAPS of fabric.

I wish I would have found this pattern a long time ago for all the babies I know that have been born. I found 2 different patterns but I found the 1st one to be simpler to follow.

Pattern One

Pattern Two

Like Mother, like daughter

2008-04-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

Birdy got this crafty toy that includes a dolly & 2 bears that you stuff yourself. She became interested in making clothes for the dolly & the bears. I remembered my mom had this little sewing machine she had bought off the tv or something. It isn't very strong or anything but I figured it would be the perfect fit for my birdy girl.
I had to help her a lot more than I expected, really. But I had a good attitude & remained patient. She did choose the most slippery bits of fabric I had, after she cut it into various unuseable pieces of course. We salvaged what we could & went to work.

Voila! The finished project. She was SO proud. So was I! :-)

Easter Chick

2008-03-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

Made this sweet chick for ds, for Easter. I made one for dd too out of crochet thread but hers came out kinda wacky. ???

I used this free pattern I found online. It didn't quite turn out like the pic in the pattern....but they loved them none-the-less. ;-)

Voila'!

2008-02-11T00:39:00.000-08:00

Cupcake anyone?

2008-01-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

I started to crochet again....I made myself a sweet flowered cloche...but it slips off my head??? :-/ I think it's because of my hair being slippery? I don't know....

So anyway, I have wanted to get into making some crochet play food for some time now. There was a birthday occasion so I decided to start w/ a crocheted cupcake...it seemed simple enough & the patterns seem to take less than an hour.

Except, I have now tried 2 different patterns & each one, the icing came out weird! Not very cupcake like @ all. The tops would not puff up, they stayed flat & very NOT cupcake like......

Fortunately there are plenty of cupcake patterns out there for me to choose from...so I will try another one after I get over my frustrating disappointment w/ the 2 that I tried. So far my cupcakes have looked like: a potted plant & a mushroom....if you can imagine that. lol

I did see some patterns for petite, layered cakes, all from crochet...can you imagine? SO adorable, there are crochet patterns out there for EVERYTHING! lol

If I ever get to it, my ktbunch can have a complete toy refrigerator full! lol

Fair Entries Update

2007-10-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

2nd place ribbon!

L's Christmas dress receives a 3rd place ribbon!

L's Easter dress on display.

THIRD Place!

Altered Clothing

2007-07-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

I really like the idea of making something new out of something old.....I wish more people would sew like that. In the olden days, they didn't just run to the store & buy new fabric every time they got a hankering to sew....they saved shirts too thread bare to be mended & made scrap quilts, they saved the buttons off of shirts to reuse or let the children play w/ a string of them as a gift. Saving scraps & sewing was a necessity, not a luxury.

I had 2 skirts, in brand new condition. The first my grandmother wore the last Easter before she died. It was a nice tiered turquoise skirt. Mom bought her that one & a red one for her birthday, she never got to wear the red one. Mom took the red one since it was brand new but never got a chance to wear it either.

I converted both skirts into a layered dress for L. I will post pix as soon as I get some.

I removed the bottom tier of the blue one (it would be way too long otherwise), gathered it & sewed it under the upper tier as a ruffle. Oh & I hemmed the previous tier of course.

I tighted & trimmed the elastic wasitband to fit L's chest & left the waist ties intact. I criss-cross the ties in front, tie around her neck & voila'!

A lovely tiered halter style dress. She looks so darling in it & loves twirling around.

The red one, I took apart from the 2nd tier & repeated all the steps but it has a ruffle midway instead of @ the bottom...I like the ruffle @ the bottom better but they are both cute.

Now I want to go to the thrift store to look for tiered skirts I can 'alter'.

Tea Party Dress

2007-06-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

I made this dress for L for her 5th birthday Tea Party. She wanted something frilly & fancy...this fit the bill. It wasn't too complicated.

I made the over-skirt detachable so that I could interchange it w/ other coordinating fabrics & make other overskirts. The dress can be worn alone. I attached the overskirt to the sash instead, sort of like an apron.

I had some trouble w/ the zipper & remembered why I always do buttons. lol But my grandma fixed it for me, which was great because w/ all the other party preparations, I did not have time.

The overskirt is my favorite part!

NOT-so-Easter-dress

2007-04-09T13:37:00.001-07:00

My latest creations always turn out to be my latest favorites. Can you blame me? This dress is the cutest thing! I made the skirt part narrower than in the past, definitely not twirly, but a much better fit.
I did not want to mess w/ fitting the straps perfectly so I made it a halter instead, it ties in back @ the neck. There is one giant red button on the back to hold it closed. It fits her so well. It turned out to be chilly so she actually wore the shirt I used for her Christmas outfit, remember that one? It is white, trimed w/ red/white polka dot ribbon & red pom-poms. It was perfect.

This dress was the highlight of my day! :)

Gift Apron

2007-03-10T22:48:00.000-08:00

I made this apron for the child care leader of our Church. She is great & LOVES our children. THe pastors asked us to write a note of thanks & I made this.

But look close...I forgot to put pockets! DUH! The ties are tan w/ brown polka dots. I think it is cute & I wish I had a better pic so you could see the pattern of the fabric better.