Thursday, December 29, 2011

Work in Progress - and it is still December!

Erin has pointed out that I have been absent from the blog all year. It is true, I have no excuse, other than the fact that I haven't actually finished any crafts this year. Well, other than a scarf, but it didn't seem to fit the theme at the time. Which means that this month's theme is perfect for me! The only problem I had was narrowing it down to just one work in progress. I have some that are several years old. My hope is that in reading my saga, those of you who have organized crafty lives and prolific craft inspiration can understand why embarking upon new projects is a very large undertaking for me.

First, though, I had to clear out the sewing room. It is also the ironing room, and it is also the room where I throw clutter when there's company. Since I travel about once a month, it is also the room that is in a constant state of suitcase packing and unpacking. The floor, ironing board, and sewing table were cleared out for walking and using. Some items that I thought were lost were recovered. It was kind of exciting.

In any case, today I finally started on pillow covers for the family room. One side of the pillow cover was purchased last January. At least, I think it was January 2011. It might have been 2010. It is a light gray corduroy, as the pillows need to be fairly neutral. The sofa in question is a cream, maybe gray, sage, pink, maybe a little blue, floral. The carpet is cream. The curtains are sage and beige print, and the shades are cream and gold stripes.


Here's a picture of the state of affairs, and the sad little pillows which need to be thrown out. (I left the bigger pillows out of the picture).

So I decided to pair the corduroy with a gold and beige pattern, sort of a chenille/upholstery weave. I thought to add cording also of the corduroy, but earlier today when I tore apart my sewing room closet in an annual fit of what passes for reorganization, I found some gold metallic print leftover from my Christmas tree skirt a few years ago. That seemed a better way to go for the cording.

So, armed with a sheet of web instructions on how to cover cording, a sort of clean sewing room, and an uninterrupted block of time, I started pondering how to cut bias strips. First, I had to look up bias. Luckily, the how to cover cording web page (http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/cordingpiping.htm) pointed to a handy reference link. So bias is a fancy word for cutting fabric at 45 degrees. Who knew?

Now, how to find exactly 45 degrees? According to the directions, if I don't do it right, my cording cover will be woefully weak and structurally unsound. In scouring the basement for a really cool steel square we used to have, I found a rusty steel ruler with a 45 degree angle marking. It must have been my husband's grandfather's. I don't know what you are supposed to use this for, but it is perfect for me. After I started measuring, I realized that the pattern on my fabric is at 45 degrees! Clearly, this tool was made for this job.


Here are the pieces being cut. The sewing room was too crowded, so I had to move down to the kitchen table for cutting. At two pillows with 14" a side, I need something like 120" of bias strips. It appears that I have enough fabric.

After the cutting, I am delighted that I have not cut the cute Christmas tablecloth, and it is back to the sewing machine upstairs I go. The machine has been sitting idle for at least 3 years, due to the fact that I have not had any new sewing inspiration in that long. I should have put the machine in the closet, or at least covered it. A sewing machine cover is a project that I have wanted for some time, I probably have a pattern for one, but today's closet organization did not include pattern reorg. So now I have to start by dusting the machine. I probably should oil it, too, but I decide to skip that step, I figure the bias strips won't be that critical.


Here is my Kenmore 6 stitch. I bought it I think in 1979 for $200 because I wanted to make my own cute clothes like Debbie Ehrlich in the 7th grade. It was a lot of money. It was all my own money, as my mother said it was a waste and I would never use it. Well, I never did make my own clothes, as Debbie Ehrlich was incredibly talented as well as a cute little tiny skinny girl who could wear a tablecloth and it would look good. I, on the other hand, have always had the fashion sense and unusually short figure I have today. In any case, I *have* made many curtains and Halloween costumes, and my $200 investment is still working for me about 33 years later, so there is still hope that it may yet pay for itself. If you look closely, you can see the shot glass that holds the sewing platform up. My family lost the little leg when I went away to college and they packed all my stuff up so that my younger sister could move into my bedroom. Sears doesn't sell the leg separately from the platform, and I didn't feel like buying the whole platform.

So, I got the bobbin wound (had to open the instruction book, I always fear putting the bobbin in backwards), and the machine threaded. I found the zipper foot, too, right where I left it in the labelled box in my sewing box! This is only the second time I've ever used that, and I did have to play with it for awhile to figure out what to do with it.


Here are the bias strips all together, being sewn around the cording. Sewing around the cording is more troublesome than it sounds.

So, now it should be time to cut the covers and sew them together! But I find my attention to this activity is wavering for the night, and I will have to continue this project another day.

This means it is truly a Work In Progress.

And now you can see why I can't possibly keep up with, nor document, a craft per month. But I do thank you all for the continuing inspiration, and I do love seeing all of your talent!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Stinky Feet

Okay, so these technically aren't a work in progress anymore since I just finished them. Other than my two year old (who likes to pick them up, smell them, and say "pee-wee stinky feet") you are the first to see them. Don't you feel special? You can consider it my Christmas gift to you.

About 6 years ago I decided to make stockings for my then-boyfriend/now-husband's Grandmother. I used thin sheets of plastic to create a pattern based on the shape of a store bought stocking. Since then I've made probably 40 of these stockings.

Here you can see my very sophisticated pattern in action. I have pieces for the outside of the stocking, lining, cuff, heel, and toe.


After cutting out the fabric I cross-stitch the name on the front using waste canvas.


And then sew!


These stockings are for my parents. My mom started dropping "subtle" hints about how nice it would be if all her grandchildren, children, and their spouses had matching stockings earlier this month.

That one is my mom's - her favorite color is plaid.

Penguins for my baby.

The whole crew

And it would appear the old proverb of the cobbler's children going barefoot proves true at our house, since every single one of these stockings I've made has been a gift for someone else and my kids don't have their own.

Maybe next year.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Housewarming Party Invitations

Even though this month's challenge is all about works in progress, I'm declining to post most of what I'm currently working on. The internet, though it is a vast wasteland and most of the recipients are not likely to be visiting craft sites, may run across their holiday gifts. I want them to be surprises, like Sue would enjoy.


If they're not at least this excited, I'll feel like Debbie Downer.

So instead, I'll post invitations I made for my friend's housewarming party last year.
Ken & Linda are the ultimate tropical beach party people. Every year they host a Jamaican Reggae night at their beach house. So, when Linda "retired" from her travel agency (she now runs it from a home office, rather than its downtown location) they no longer needed to live in the city. They built a house in Eden, NY, a town better known for its annual Corn Festival and high school tractor parades than nightlife and urban vibes.

They were throwing an "Open House" party to show off their gorgeous new digs that backed up to a vineyard and assure their friends and family that they were not in an episode of "Green Acres." I was asked to design the invitations, which had to include a picture of a dilapidated barn somewhere. This is what I came up with.

I found the barn image online and printed it on vellum. Using red and brown colored pencils, I highlighted some areas and blended them using a blending stump and mineral spirits. I inked the edges of the card using Tim Holtz's Walnut Stain and Staz-on in Jet Black. They were attached with photo corners. I stamped the "Our Country Home" in black using an alphabet set I found on sale at Joann's. Inside, I stamped their address and the party information, and added a scalloped border (not going to post that because, well, you know, weirdos and all.) I added a tab that I attached with a brad that had their names and phone number so that, even if the invitee threw away the card afterward, they could save this little bit of information.

I also inked the edges of the envelopes to match the invitations. They were a hit, with the only caveat being the extra postage required because of the brad. They didn't lay perfectly flat, even though they were well within the weight limit for the post office and certainly not obtrusive. Eh, that's a small town post office for you. I'm sure the extra 20 cents on each one will help pull the Postal Service out of bankruptcy.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

December: Works in Progress

It is the executive decision of myself (6 weeks out from baby #3 and decidedly not crafting) and Laura, whose month it was, to "scrap" a theme for December. The rotation has been shifted down a month, and for December, please show us your current Works in Progress (I know I have a few!). We'll start fresh with a fun new theme after the holidays.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Holiday Earrings

Before I start I'd like to offer the following disclaimers:
  1. I am not a professional photographer by any means.
  2. It isn't easy to take good pictures with very little natural light (Oh, how I love the grey winter days in Central New York).
  3. Shiny stuff is really hard to photograph.

Okay. I feel better now.

This afternoon after putting the boys down for their naps I tackled one of the approximately 8.2 million projects on my Christmas Craft To Do List. I wanted to make something small for our local children's librarian and also for the women that watch my kids at the YMCA while I workout.

I decided on giving each lady a pair of either snowman or Christmas tree earrings. I started making these two years ago and they are very simple to put together. I won't get in to how you bend and wrap the head pins here (there are tons of tutorials online if you want to learn). I will show you the tools I used and the sizes of the beads (all the beads I used are Swarovski - very sparkly).

Tools:


Supplies Needed for Snowmen:


For Trees:
Finished Products (ooooh pretty):

Those trees were especially hard to photograph. I don't normally use the 12mm Margarita beads. Our librarian is a big fan of bling though, so she'll appreciate the extra bit of sparkle.

Here you can see the difference in size between a tree with the 12mm bead on the bottom and one without. The taller one is still only about three-quarters of an inch tall, so it's not outrageously large (I actually think I might like the 12mm version better).

Of course you can go nuts with the color combinations and even use crystals on the snowmen in place of the pearls.

So there you have it, a quick and easy way to add a little sparkle to your holidays.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Late to November


Since I can't post anything until December 26th (I've been crafting my face off!) I'm posting pics from a baby shower we threw for my friends Larry & Theresa last year. It was a Pirate-themed co-ed baby shower on the beach, because, what other theme can you do for the couple who met at a Jimmy Buffett concert?


I made the invitations by dyeing plain 8.5"X11" office paper and envelopes in coffee and air-drying them, then ironing them flat. The Pirate Boy stamp came from Buffalo Stamps. I wanted a pirate baby, though, so I cut off his cute little head.


I searched the internet for a baby stamp and found this bear on ebay. It wasn't worth the trouble of actually ordering it & waiting for it to get shipped, so I decapitated the bear with Photoshop & used my Pazzles & runner stamp material to create a "bottom half" stamp. (This is probably copyright infringement, but since I wasn't making any money off of it I'm fine with that.) I also made the "Pirate on Board" stamp with the Pazzles from a stock image from the internet. I stamped the images (other images came from a $1 stamp set from Joann's, Studio G if I remember correctly) and used black embossing powder for a raised, glossy image. The text is in "Pieced of Eight" font, printed in a regular inkjet printer. I inked the edges using Tim Holtz's "Walnut Stain" to further age it.

I also made "Thank You" cards with the Pirate Baby embossed in black, and a watermark image on the envelopes. I made seals by punching small circles, stamping an "Aargh!" in black and adding a glue dot (with the paper backing still on one side) so Mom & Dad didn't have to make an extra stop at the store.




I made silkscreens for all of the images on the quilt. I stamped images from the pirate sets I had, scanned them, enlarged them & used them on the 12"X12" quilt patches. The anchor & ships wheel came off of the internet, though. The quilt reverses to a Firefighter theme, since Baby John's father is in the fire department, and a Pirate/Firefighter quilt is the coolest thing a baby could hope to puke on.



My friend Pam had the "Pirate Baby" made out of stained glass at Creation Station in Silver Creek, NY, to match.

Instead of "Baby Bingo," because that is lame, we did "LARRY" with Dad as the center square.
They loved it!

Also, we had cake. It matched the invitations. It was delicious.

This is how we roll at the beach.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

November

Hi!!! Erin was gentle in reminding me about this... I've been so MIA. Sadly since getting a roomie all of my craft stuff has been locked away in storage...

SO, for anyone still looking for an idea for the month (sorry this is SO late!).....

As the holidays approach, focus on making a gift(s), OR something that makes your own life easier!

This for me means, most of the ladies in my life will be getting a vintage cake plate! I'll be spending a day of thrift/antique store shopping looking for vintage plates and candle holders to glue together with the Amazing E6000 (glue) from Michaels that I've heard works well. SUPER cheap, easy and great for gifts! :) Have fun!
Happy Holidays!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Captain CaveKid


There was never really any question that Luke (my four month old) would be a dinosaur for Halloween. I am so in love with the the dino costume his big brother wore his first Halloween that Luke and any future babies will most likely be wearing that their first Halloweens as well (provided I can squeeze them in to it it fits them).

I had a really difficult time deciding on Adam’s costume though. I originally toyed with the idea of him being a dinosaur too, but I knew there was no way he would keep any sort of mask or hood on, and most of the costumes I found online had one or the other (and not to mention were more than I wanted to spend). I really wanted the boys’ costumes to go together so when my husband suggested Adam dress as a caveman, I knew it was perfect (though technically according to the geologic timeline cavepeople and dinosaurs did not coexist, but what's 65 million years between friends?).


So a a quick trip to Joanns for some animal print fabric and another to a Halloween costume shop for the plastic bones around the top and we were in business. I used one of Adam’s shirts as a guide for the size (and still ended up having to take in the sides twice).

We added his dinosaur feet slippers and a club (yes, I gave a two-year-old a club, probably not one of my better parenting decisions) and there you go, instant Cavekid. We'll be going to a party at a friend's house on Halloween, instead of door-to-door (he's still a bit young for trick-or-treating), but we'll put pants and a long-sleeve shirt underneath to keep him warm.

I think my little wild man pulls off the caveman look pretty well.

(By the way, Erin - I can't comment on your post for some reason, but the costumes you made for your boys turned out fantastic! You did a great job!)


Thursday, October 20, 2011

Dressed Up Canning Jars On Driftwood


I've been wanting to decorate the driftwood stump in our yard for a while. My neighbor Pam has a beautiful sculpture garden in her yard, so I had to give her one too. I've made several of these since & keep refining my process, so sadly no step-by-step, just the pictures.

I live in the most beautiful place in the world, Sunset Bay, NY.


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Costume Making Year 2

Elliott is Super Why and Henry is supposed to be Woofster (Super Why's dog), but he wasn't into the cape, so he is just a dog.
Elliott's costume is two pieces, shirt and pants--which I managed to make on the first try. His shirt is appliqued and he has a blue cape and green mask. The mask could've used more tweaking, but he doesnt seem to care.
Henry's is a jumpsuit and it is my second try. The first attempt was with a more dog-like fuzzy fabric. Problem was, it had almost no give (so what was a little small was REALLY tight) and the inside of the fabric was itchy, so he was just not happy. The second try was fleece and MUCH easier. He has a hood with ears and a tail in the back. The jumpsuit zips up the front.
The costumes weren't as hard as I expected, but I didn't really follow a pattern, either. I just traced around a big shirt/pants of theirs and added a BIG seam allowance so that they'd be able to wear the costumes over clothes (this is Western New York, after all!). Then I embellished and sewed the two pieces right sides together (except for feet, hand, and neck holes). MUCH easier than I expected!
Can't wait to see what other people have come up with!
Erin

Saturday, October 1, 2011

All dressed up with nowhere somewhere to go!

This month's theme is dressing up! So many choices... dress up a cardigan with flowers... bedazzle a tshirt... or show off a Halloween costume or decoration you made! Happy crafting :)

A Little Less Exposure


This is really for the house, but I've meant to do this for at least two years. I crossed it off of my to-do list, therefore it is for me.

Our bathroom has these tow 48" X 48" mirrors over the bathtub so, in addition to the two mirrors above the vanity and the one on the linen closet....that's a whole lot of naked to see when stepping out of the shower. I wanted to make it a little less...reflective.

The curtains are made out of muslin ($16 for 10 yards at Joann's) and tied back with twine. Eventually I'll add beach glass to the ties, but we're throwing a party for 100 of our closest friends tonight so it won't happen today.

The palm trees are "etched glass" cling-ons I bought in Florida. When I first put them up, I thought it looked a little too much like something Bea Arthur might have in her bathroom, but together with the curtains, I like it.

Instead of having the various seashells from our beach adventures scattered on the ledge, I put them in an old candle holder and it made the difference I was looking for.

If anything, it's something new to look at while doing my business in the morning (Note the position of the toilet. Like I said, it was a WHOLE lot of naked before the curtains!)

Now for the rest of the list....

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Little Wallet

Earlier this month while supporting the economy at a local fabric shop I purchased this pattern.


That same night I put it to good use and whipped up this little wallet.


The pattern was super easy and quick to sew (my type of project). I will admit it didn't turn out exactly as I'd planned. I had intended to have the entire outside of the wallet be the floral fabric and have the stripes on the inside, however due to my misreading the pattern, this is how it ended up. I actually think I prefer it this way (happy accident).

It has three pockets on the inside and is the perfect home for the gift cards and business cards that live in my purse.

I've made three more since this one. It's a nice little something extra if you're giving someone a gift card.

Now I need to go see if my library has that Amy Butler book that Erin used so I can make a matching bag. (:

Monday, September 19, 2011

Teardop Bag


I took my first ever sewing class last week (with Amy) and it was SUPER fun! I made myself the Amy Butler Teardrop Bag from her Style Stitches book. It was SO much easier than expected and I love how it turned out. Next time, though, I am either making the strap shorter for a shoulder bag or longer for a cross-body bag. It's currently kind of an 80s length... Easy beginner bag for anyone who wants to branch out!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

September: It's All About YOU

Hey there crafters, for this month's project, make something for yourself to keep and NOT give away or share with anyone else. It's about time you did something nice for yourself, special lady!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

off topic, but useful... maybe this can be my share the wealth entry... a month late [and nothing crafted]

i feel bad for being m.i.a. lately.  work has been extremely hectic, then i go home to my adorable, but extremely energetic 2 year old and i am pooped [plus i am 8 months pregnant, which might add to my exhaustion].  my goal is to be able to get to some crafting when i have more "free time" on my maternity leave... hopefully i am not just kidding myself.

anyway, back to the topic in hand.  has anyone here heard or use pinterest


it has become my new obsession and on top of it there is an app for that, so now i can "pin"on the go.


pinterest is a virtual pinboard.  pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. you can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. [yeah i copied this from their site]

so now instead of bookmarking all of those websites with craft projects you might want to attempt one day you can just "pin" it and access it from anywhere.

you can create different boards to catagorize your "pins," explore other peoples boards [people "pin" all sorts of stuff], and follow the ones that interest you. 

in order to join, you have to request an invite or i can send you an invite... just shoot me an email or comment with the email address you would like it sent to.

i have a bunch of project ideas "pinned" that i would like to do... now to find the time...

Cool for School Messenger Bag

I made this messenger bag for my niece for school--it was my first non-tote bag and much easier than expected! This is the second bag, I tweaked the strap to make it heavier duty and adjustable and added my very first magnetic closure (which hopefully doesn't rip out the first week it is used). I hope she likes it! I actually already have orders for at least two more, plus I'd like to make one for myself...

Monday, August 1, 2011

Back to "Cool"

It's that time of year ago when kids start remembering their summer reading projects and parents start count down calendars. Back to school time. But since it has been one of the hottest summers on record across the country I think we need to celebrate "Back to Cool". Start scratching your craftin' noggins and think cool. Cool waters, cool temperatures, cool colors, cool personality!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Sharing the Wealth

Hello all,

Late to the party again with May & June but they'll get up there, eventually.

I made three fascinators for my friend Jodi. She lives in Saratoga Springs and visits the racetrack often with her husband, Carl.

I wish I had taken photos of all three before I gave them to her, but she was kind enough to text me this photo and message.
"Feather headband was a huge success. I even had men telling me how much they liked it. Carl thought it was so funny because people kept coming up to me and commenting on it. Thank you. Perfect for Saratoga!"

She looks fabulous, as always.

Friday, July 1, 2011

July challenge: Share the wealth

Hey there crafty ladies! If you are anything like me, you rarely get to craft things for yourself because you are too busy making things for other people. So why fight the urge? Crafters are some of the most generous people around, so let’s take that to the next level and share our craftiness with the world.


So this month’s challenge is pretty simple: Make something, and then give it away.


Feel free to shine your halo if you find an organization out there that you have never supported before and/or give something to a complete stranger.


Here are a couple suggestions – and feel free to search the Internet to find a specific organization looking for handmade items. The lists of charities that accept crafts might even spark ideas for new crafts: clothing for preemies, chemo caps, scarves for people who have been sexually assaulted, crafts for shelter animals, prayer shawls, blankets for disaster relief, etc.


Some big organizations that come to mind include Warm Up America and Project Linus, but several people have compiled very comprehensive lists of national organizations that seek crafts:
http://www.purplekittyyarns.com/craft-charities.html
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/craftingforcharity/Crafting_for_Charity.htm
http://www.craftbits.com/crafts/charity


For those in the Rochester area, here are a few crafting charities that are always looking for additional crafty people:
The Handiwork Ministry - http://thehandiworkministry.vpweb.com/ - An active crafting group that makes a variety of projects for the community near and far. This group is growing and recently launched satellite groups in Hagerstown, Maryland, and New South Wales, Australia.
Angels of Mercy – http://www.angelsofmercyny.org – An Irondequoit-based group of crafters who turn pillowcases into dresses to help fight sex trafficking around the world. They meet at St. Cecilia’s on the third Tuesday of the month.


One other way you can find recipients is to pick a charity that you like to support (a Hospice home or a food cupboard) and check their wish list to see if there is an item on it that you can craft. Or give them a call and find out what they need and want.


Before you unleash your creativity, make sure to check out the organization’s website to learn what types of items they need, and see if they have any free patterns or guidelines on their site. If the site looks sketchy, do some web research just to make sure they are legit - Charity Navigator, for instance, is one way to check and make sure the organization is a nonprofit and is going to do what it says. Have they been written up in local newspapers? Have people sent them pictures of completed crafts?


After you have finished your crafting, post pics so we can all admire it. Then, set your craft free to bless someone else’s life. Happy crafting!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

A much needed freshened up porch!




So we bought our home back in Nov 2009, and we needed a new roof put over our porch. The roof turned out great, but underneath was left in a shamble. I talked my husband into tearing off the old wall cover and restoring the original cedar siding. After a few words, nice one of course, we started tearing off and this is what we found:

My Mom works with a lady who lived in this house as a child and she must have written her name (Michelle) on the porch as they were covering it!

We replaced some of the siding up under the roof that was missing/ had roof tar on it

and then painted it up nice! Crafty-tasticy!