Cynthia Shaffer

And The Winner Of the Arrow Necklace Is .... Kristin!

I really didn't

forget,

Swear,

I didn't,

Life just got busy

And then

tonight,

With a bunch of people sitting around the dinner table,

I printed out the names of everyone that said "Hi"

on my blog,

In response 

to the arrow necklace

Giveaway!

And the winner is ...

Kristin!

I'll send you an email to get your address!

Mixed Media Essentials ... Giveaway and Tutorial!

I'm so excited to finally get to show everyone these super fun rubber stamps by Roben-Marie Smith and even more honored to be considered part of a design team that includes some super talented artist!

So there's a little blog hop going on right now ... come along and check out the art that everyone   created using Roben-Marie's rubber stamps. You'll soon see that the art is among the best I've seen in a long time ... and the variety is vast and great!

April Cole

Carissa Paige

Danielle Donaldson

Jen Osborn

Kristin Peterson

Lorraine Bell

Roben-Marie Smith

Sandi Keene

These are the samples I made using the rubber stamps ... One thing you'll notice is that the stamps are really big and so much fun to use in mixed media, shrink plastic and for embroidering on clothing or napkins, or ... well just about anything!

I was channeling my inner Roben-Marie when I creating this tag.

Here's the GIVEAWAY >>> This 6 arrow shrink plastic necklace ... leave a comment, or even just say "Hi" and I'll toss your name into the pot and on May 8th I'll pick a winner! 

The shrink plastic necklaces were just too much fun to make ... I couldn't stop ... It's one of those addicting kind of crafts!

And then at some point late one night, I grabed bits of odds and ends and created this little collage masking off one of the rubber stamp to show just one little cross.

And then this happened ... a little bit of embroidery on a panel that was stamped using three of the rubber stamp images and black StazOn ink and then stitched to a onesie!

Ok, I have to admit ... my pieces are a bit out there, but as I was telling Roben-Marie, I am so in love with these stamps that my mind kept jumping from project to project and I my hands couldn't keep up with my ideas!

Here's what I did to make the above shrink plastic arrow necklace: 

• Grab a sheet of shrink plastic and using black StazOn ink, stamp three arrows

• Cut out around the arrow shapes and punch small holes into the 4 corners on 2 of the arrows and 2 top corners of the third arrow.
• Using a cotton swab, lightly brush on three different coordinating chalk colors.

• Place the arrow into a pie tin and using an awl and a heat gun, shrink up the plastic.The side that was stamped on and colored on will now be the backside.

• Apply a thin coat of white gesso to the back of the shrunk arrows.

• Sand the sides of the arrows to smooth out any sharp points or edges.

• Add edge of black around the arrrows, using a black Sharpie marker.

• Link the necklace together with jump rings.
• Add a clasp to the back and then you are done!

 

 

 

Burlap Tote Tutorial : : Free Motion Stitching/Sketching

 

In case you haven't figured it out yet ... I LOVE TO FREE MOTION STITCH!

I LOVE everything about it ... the imperfections that happen because I was going too fast, or not fast enough. I Love the buttery feeling under my hands as I navigate the sewing machine over simple plain muslin.

And then to see the outcome, after a little bit of stress and tense shoulders is always worth it!

Here's what I did:

First you want to go to the Burlap Tote Tutorial I have a few days here and cut out all the parts and pieces needed to make one of those totes.

• Before I start free motion stitching I always do some warm-up panels to get the rhythm and flow going. I always have a stack of batting and muslin squares sitting right next to my sewing machine ... ready to be stitched.

• Looking at the print/motif on the burlap I choose to, I decided to free motion stitch a couple of mums and a stem and a few leaves.
• On plain white copy paper, I drew the basic shapes.
• Next I layered a panel of white cotton bating with a panel of muslin and then pinned the copy paper on top and cut out around the shape.

• Next I used a fabric glue stick and fabric basting adhesive to adhere the batting and muslin to the front panel of my burlap tote.

• Next  ...  the fun part ... Free motion stitch the mum, stems and leaf patterns, while looking at the motif on the burlap. I use free motion quilting gloves to help grip the fabric a bit.

What I did not realize was just how much the boots I was wearing was going to effect the control, or in this case, lack of control ... I had with the foot pedal! Oh, my ... total lead foot here!

• Then using sharp scissors, I cut out around the stitched motif and best I could.

 And there you have it ... Easy Peasy and one so fun ... and the perfect size and shape to hold your laptop and wallet  ... oh any you lipstick!

 

Burlap Tote Tutorial : : Easy Peasy and oh so Cute!

 

How fun is this?

And this? And guess what? They are the perfect size tote to carry a large laptop!

Right around the holidays I found these amazing fabrics ... Printed Burlap ... Oh my! I was in love and right away I knew what I was going to make with them.

When I got home from the fabric store, I started riffling through my mass of stash fabrics and gathered a few coordinating cotton for lining and jute webbing to be used as the straps. Oh and a bit of silk shantung ... Love to mix unexpected fabrics!

Want to make some? 

Here's what you do:

• Cut 2 pieces of burlap that measure 15 x 16.5 inches.
• Place the pieces right sides together and stitch down the side, across the bottom and them back up the other side, pivoting at the corners. Remember to back tack at the beginning and the end of your seams.

• Cut 2 pieces of coordinating cotton fabric that measure 15 x 16 inches.
• Place the pieces right sides together and stitch down the side, across the bottom, but this time you need to stop about 7 inches in, back tack, then start stitching again, leaving about a 4 inch opening. Continue stitching until you reach the other corner and pivot and then stitch up the other side. Remember to back tack at the beginning and the end of your seams

• Clip the corners at a diagonal. This will give the tote nice sharp corners once you turn it right side out.

• Flip the tote right side out and using a chop stick poke the corners out.

• Using an iron ... press the side seams open ... trust me, this really helps to find the side seam when you go to press the tote flat.

I was in mass production mode here. As you can see I have 3 totes in the works at one time!

• Next, cut a strip of cream color silk shantung that measures 4 inches wide x the width of the fabric. I'm pretty sure that my silk was 44 inches wide.
• Press the strip in half width-wise and then using a tape measure and a pencil make a small mark every 2 1/4 inch for the entire length of the strip.

•  Place one end of the strip under the sewing machine foot and stitch just a few stitches. Before you reach the pencil mark form a small pleat with your finger, about 3/8 to 1/2 inch deep. Stitch across the pleat and then repeat for every pencil mark.

• Pin the pleated silk to the right side of the top of the burlap tote. You may want to baste around the top of the tote to keep the silk in place.

• Cut a length of jute webbing that measures 50 inches.
• Pin the jute to the tote, centered at the side seams. Baste the straps if you feel you need to.

• Place the burlap tote inside the cotton lining, right side together and pin around the top edge. Stitch in place.

• Remember the opening you made at the bottom of the lining? Well ... here's where it comes in handy!
• Birth the tote through that hole ... I know kind of funny! That's the costume shop talk coming out in me!

• Almost there ... It can be snug, depending on just how wide of an opening you left in that lining.

• Push the lining to the inside and press the top edge.

• Stitch around the top edge through all layers, about 3/8 inch from the top edge.

• Stitch a small scrap of fabric with text printed on it ... using a zig-zag stitch and you are done!

 Printed burlap tote : : Easy Peasy!

Leather Journal : : Tutorial

It was a crafty kind of day at our house a few days ago. My son Corry, home from college, is loving the quiet of the house with just a few friends near by and the warmth pups! He was looking for something to make ... hummm.

I reminded him of all the hides of leather we recently acquired ... Ok, truth be told ... we went dumpster diving ... So worth it ... we scored 6 huge hides of leather ... and if you can belive it, we didn't take it all. There were several hides I left behind simply because I didn't care for the color. What was I thinking?

Anyways ... Corry loves to draw and paint and doodle, being the art major that he is and so he set out to learn how to make leather journals.

He was out in the man cave for hours ... reading and watching videos, trying to figure out what he wanted to make ... then, these happened!

After several hours, he mastered it! Of course I wanted a journal too and so for this tutorial, Corry made me a journal while I shot the photos and typed away ... Hope we didn't miss any steps! 

Here's what you do:

• Cut papers down to 6 x 9 inches

• Using a straight edge, tear about 1/4 inch off the short ends. Place the cork side of the ruler on the paper ... this makes for a varied and scrappy edge.

• Fold paper in half

• Gather all the folded pieces of paper to make several signatures. The thickness of the paper of the paper will determine how many pieces of paper are in each signature ... (A signature is a section in a journal ... if a signature is made with the thin paper, I will have 10 pieces of paper, folded in half to give me a 20 pages in that signature.) 
• For this journal we are mixing the papers within each signature so there will be a few thick pages made from watercolor paper and then a few pages made from marker paper. 
• There will be 7 signatures in this journal.

• Open to the center of one signature and mark the points where the pages are going to be stitched into the leather. For this journal we marked 1/4 from the top edge and the bottom edge, then make four marks roughly every 1 3/4 inch. This will give you 3 sections in the center of the signature. For the technique we are using to stitch this journal, you have to have an odd number of sections to sew in the center of the signtures.

• Using a leather needle and a hammer, poke hole where the pencil marks are.

•  Use this top piece of paper as a template to poke the holes in the remaining signatures. The paper clips help to keep all the paper lined up.

•  Cut a piece of leather that measures 14 x 6 1/2 inches.

• Place one signature 4 1/2 inches from the left edge and using a white pencil make a small dot where the holes are on the signature, and then 6 more 1/8 inch apart.

• Using the leather needle and hammer punch holes at every white mark.

• Cut a length of leather cord that measures 2 times the height of the signature x the number of signatures you have, plus an extra 12 inches.

• Place one signature onto the leather and follow the above chart to stitch the journal together. Start by going into the paper side of G4 and then on through the leather, tying a simple knot that can be untied ... leave a 4 inch tail. Then come back up through the leather and the paper at G3. Then back down through G2 and up through G1, then back down through G2 and then up through G3 and then down through G4 paper only and then through the F4 leather ... Continue up through F3 (This is the start of a new signature) leather and paper and continue in this manner until all the signature have been stitched into the leather. Your last stitch you will be going into A4 paper and leather and then back up through G3, leather only and then out G2 leather only and then in at A1 leather only and then across the top of the signatures and through the paper only from the back to the inside fold of G1.
• The below photo shows you what this stitching looks like from the outside.

•  This last stitch will bring you back to the first signature you started stitching. Untie the first knott and then tie the 2 end together. Trim the ends of the cord.

• The next step is to create some sort of closure ... here you can see that the inside flap is exactly the same width as the pages ... I may trim it by about 1/4 inch or so.

• And then the front flap doesn't goes all the way to the edge ... Not sure how I'm going to close this journal or embellish it. This is the fun part, according to Corry, so stay tuned for another post on how I finish it off.

 

Free Motion Stitching : : Sketching : : Doodling : : Painting

It was weekend of work, work and even more work ... and I couldn't stop the ideas from flowing.

In fact I got up early Saturday morning and then went to bed late that night with my mind still spinning over new ideas to stitch/sketch/doodle/paint on fabric and paper.

I couldn't stop thinking about all the possibilities for this type of organic, free motion stitching, doodling, sketching, painting ... or whatever you want to call it.

Here's what I did:

I first adhered a panel of muslin to a panel of white batting, using spray adhesive. Next I cut out a few circles in a variety of colors and glued them down using a fabric glue stick. And then the fun began ... I free motion stitched around the circles creating flowers and just random shapes. 

Next I painted the panel using these acrylic paints. I added color to the insides of the petals and to the outer edges of some flowers. At some point I even went in and added some white paint just to pop a few areas.

And then ... of course ... a little embroidery with white perl cotton adds the little perfect details that I love so much.

So fun don't you think? More samples to come ... Lord knows I made a ton!

 

Stitch . Craft . Create

Have you seen the latest edition of Stitch Craft Create?

You may remember that the first edition featured my quilted trees on the cover ... And today, they are offering one of my pieces on the Stitch Craft Create blog as a free project!

So cute, don't you think ... a quilted cozy for a bouquet of flowers, just in time for mothers day. You can find the post here along with the list of tools and instructions needed to make this cozy.

Here's a peak at a couple of the other projects I have in this latest edition ... free motion stitched infinity scarf,

A simple rolled rose necklace ... but the best part about this project is that the roses are interchangable.

The sky is the limit here with the different color combinations.

I'm so happy for the good people behind this magazine and Shannon, the editor couldn't be more professional and just really great to to work with. Congratulations F + W Media Inc. on another successful publication!

 

Carving Rubber Stamps : : A Duet With Jen Osborn

I've been carving rubber stamps lately, something that I thought I would NEVER do ... but I have to tell you, it is SOOOO much fun. 

Yesterday I woke up to a text message from Jen Osborn, we are friends on facebook and from time to time we chat back and forth ... I love her art. There weren't any words in the message, just a photo of her 2 latest paintings. 

So fun don't you think? 

I got inspired ... and I loved her barn, tree and of course her signature skeleton head ... I decided to carve some rubber using her images as inspiration.

I know, I know ... the barn is falling over ... oh well, it happens.

So simple and yet soooo Jen!

 

Of course I couldn't well enoguh alone ... out came the Glimmer Mists.

 

So sweet don't you think? Love this one ... I couldn't stop stamping ........! 

Here's what you do:

Find a simple image that you like and simply sketch it out onto an eraser or this pink rubber. Next, using the smallest carving blade, outline the image and then cut out the details.

For larger shapes just use a scissor or a craft knife and cut out around the image, then carve out the interior details.

Thanks Jen for the inspiration! 

Happy carving.

 

Uniform Project : : The Making of the Little Black Dress

After a little bit of brainstorming, I was off and running, searching for the perfect black/dark gray fabric to make our uniforms from. 

We decided on the middle fabric that I found at Fabric Land, my local high-end fabric store. Here's a couple reasons why we loved this fabric ... First we all liked the deep dark color and secondly, the fiber content is a polyester and rayon blend. Easy to wash and wear, and that poly will make the dress industrial strength and the rayon adds a little bit of fluidity and swing.

After taking Jenny's measurements, I then drafted a pattern for her, referring to a little sketch I had drawn and shared with everyone. OH how I love to draft patterns. It had been a while since I had really drafted a pattern and had to use my skills from my days in the garment industry. I loved it then and love it now. There's a bit of creativity in drafting a pattern ... your brain needs to be able to think in 3D terms and there is also a certain amount of math and science involved, which I also love! 

After cutting all the pieces out, I then over-locked or serged all the edges and did a quick stay stitch around the neck front and back and marked the center front with a long hand sewn basting stitch.

Next, I pinned all the pieces together and then basted all the seams together, yes, I run over the pins with my sewing machine!

This dress can be worn forwards or backwards and the insertion of this little pleat in the back or front, depending on how you are wearing it, really gives the dress that extra little flare.

After fitting the dress to Jenny, little to no alterations were needed, so I sewed over all the seams and then pressed them open, set the sleeves, dropped in the facings, marked the buttonhole placement and then stitched the 10 buttonholes! Yes, 10 ... count them. Oh, then came the buttons ... I decided to just use a random assortment of vintage and not so vintage black and gray buttons that I found in my black button mason jar.

And then to finish the dress ... the hem!

Check out Jenny's blog today and check out how many people are receiving fresh clean water! 

She's got this dress all dolled up and ready for a day out!

 

Japanese Candy Wrapper Collage : Tutorial

My Husband just called to inform that he will be traveling in the upcoming months ... It's Japan again ... my favorite place!

He travels there often and always returns home with some very interesting candy for my kids. We never know what it will be and I have to tell you, I have only actually tried a few of the 'sweets' he has brought back.

Why you might ask ... well here's why ... I learned early on in his traveling days that a lot of the Japanese candies are made from bean paste ... and I love beans, but here's where I have an issue ... I can not wrap my brain around the idea that beans are a sweet treat. To me the are salty, savory and are often slathered with onions and cilantro. So ... do you understand my problem?

Here's a funny story ... so my mother had a Japanese foreign exchange student named Yoshiko come to live her for a year. We introduced her to all of our favorite foods, including refried beans ... she tried them and nearly spit them out on her plate ... she could not wrap her brain around the idea that they were not sweet! 

Japanese Candy Collage and Doodles

The wrapping and presentation is a feast for my eyes ... I love all the color and love the attention to details.

Japanese Candy Wrapper Collage:

 Unwrap and flatten colorful candy wrappers ... feed the candy to your children!

Cut out random shapes and swirls from the wrappers.

Using a glue stick, randomly adhere the pieces to a panel of watercolor paper.

Free motion stitch the wrappers in place and then onto the card in swirls and loop patterns.

Add some color with watercolor pencils and doodle shapes with a black marker.

Here's to Japanese candy, happy and safe travels for my husband and crafting and doodling!

Bokeh LOVE : : Fun Filter Tutorial

It's all about the bokeh these days ... you know the blur you get in the background of a photograph when you open up the aperture on your lens and then focus in on a subject that's pretty close. This works best with a focal length of 50mm or more and a wide open aperture! 

One important element that helps to accentuate this effect are twinkling lights in the background. It doesn't need to be twinkle lights really but just bits of light shinning through trees will help you get that effect also.

With a little bit of patience and practice you can add some really fun, cool affects to your photographs.

While focusing on a particular subject can be a little challenging, the look is just way to fun to not keep playing till you get a photo that really speak to you. LOVE this love photo!

Ok, how much fun is this photograph? The only thing missing are raindrops on the flower petals.

So ... here I'm purposely out of focus to accentuate the bokeh shaped raindrops.

I love this filter I made. Can you imagine photographing a church or an outdoor wedding using this effect? BEAUTIFUL if you ask me!

Here's what you do:

Trace the lens cap onto a black piece of card stock and cut out circle.

Using a light colored pencil, draw a small shape in the center of the black circle and then cut out using a craft knife.

Cut a strip of black card stock the circumference of the circle and then snip into the strip.

Wrap the clipped strip around the black circle and tape in place.

Now ... go play and experiment!

As you can imagine, the sky is the limit here!

Here are a few other bokeh filters I made. I shot all these at night ... forcing the bokeh effect with the twinkle lights that are hanging from my back patio all year long!

If you're new to this whole photography thing and want to take that DSLR out of auto mode ... You might want to consider taking this class I'm teaching ... Photography 101: Shooting Beyond Auto Mode. I know that the february date is nearly full, but there are still a few spot open for the March 17th date!

Inkodye : : Apron, Ink, Doodle

Ok so, I have been crafting for lots of years, and tried lots of different products that do lots of different things, but when it comes to something quick, simple and super fun ... Inkodye is it.

So i was moving fast here,not wanting to spend too much time on an apron that is going to get used while I'm painting ... in other words ... there will be paint everywhere on this apron in no time.

First off, I just painted the apron with a red and orange, blending the colors a little. The ink goes on sort of clear, so blending can be a little difficult. Next I place this stencil on top of the apron, the placed it in the window sill for just a few minutes.

You see, the ink is light sensitive, so when it's exposed to sunlight the color develops right before your eyes.

And here it is after I rinse, washed and dried it .. so fun!

Next I tried it on a file folder with this alphabet stencil ...

So fun ... to be used in a future project.

While I was on an apron kick, I decided to use masking tape to mask off strips ... The colors are sooo rich and yummy.

And here it is after I rinsed it and peeled off the tape. I love the way the tape worked ... possibilities ... endless!

Oh, No, I couldn't leave well enough alone ... no, no ... out came the black permanent marker for a little doodling.

Then I white permanent marker , just to pop some of the doodles.

I love the quick transformation of these very simple aprons. Possibilities ... unlimited.

What a great thing to do at a kids party ... they would think it's all so magical!

 

Scrappy Wool Scarf : : Tutorial

The weather has definitely taken a turn around here and in fact it is down right cold out, all the time it seems ... well, not Minnesota cold, but cold for California. And, when the wind picks up a bit, and I'm outside watching a baseball game ... a wool scarf is about the only thing that really warms me up to the core.

Here's what I did to make this quick scrappy scarf:

• First I gathered a couple of wool sweaters in coordinating colors. I found these 2 sweaters at my local thrift store, and the pink one had been felted, just slightly.
• Next, I dusted off my serger and then just dove right in and serged the bottom rib, cutting off about 1/4 inch as I went.
• To make the knit ruffle, all you have to do is pull or stretch the sweater as it is going under the machine foot. If you want the serged stitch to be dense than shorten up the stitch length on the machine.

• Then, I just started cutting out panels from the 2 sweaters. Each panel measured about 8 inches wide and as long as I could possibly get. I even opened up the sleeve and found a nice long 8 inch wide piece there too.

• After I had several segments cut, I lined up the pieces the way I wanted them and then started serging the seams together. Note: If you look really close at the above photo, you can see that I have serged the brown piece to a non-ruffled pink piece, then placed a ruffled pink piece overlapping that seam but meeting at the top of that non-ruffled piece. 
• Now seam the 2 or actually 3 pink pieces wrong sides together.

• Piece the scarf together until you have about 70 inches total in length.

Ok so, as you can see these are pretty darn cute and so simple to make and makes really cute Christmas gifts! Needless to say, the cost was minimal as well ... let's see, I think each sweater was $1.90 and I still have lots of the brown sweater left to make a second one in a different color way ... 

Enjoy and Stay Warm!

 

Mustard and Gray Houndstooth : : Knitting for a Rainy Day

I LOVE rainy days.

Not only because all my plants are getting a nice drink of fresh water, but also because it gives me permission to stay home with my pups and do what I love to do ... KNIT!

When the weather changed to chilly and breezy a few days ago, and knowing that lots of baseball and rain were in my future, I took a little field trip to my local craft store and scooped up this yummy wool yarn.

Having no real plan or pattern in mind for this yarn I did remember that in my knitting group my friend Anna was trying out a new pattern that slightly resembled houndstooth and I have always loved houndstooth.

So I quick like knit up  a swatch to check my gauge and to work out the pattern and soon realized that I loved the look of the high contrast and that it did look like knitted houndstooth but much more simple than reading a chart and tracking your rows ...LOVE IT!

Look how simple ...

1. Starting with the gray yarn, cast on an odd number of stitches. the amount you cast on will depend on what you're knitting. (Think scarf, prayer shawl or skirt.)
2. Knit 2 foundation rows. 
3. Add the mustard yarn and K the first stitch, K the next stitch along with the loop right below the stitch that's on the needle.
4. Knit the next stitch.
5. Repeat #3 and #4 until you get to the end of the row.
6. Next row ... all K.
7. Now bring the gray back up .. K 2 then knit in the pattern described above, except when you get to the end of this row, K the last 2 stitches.
8. Knit the next row.

Here's to rainy days, yummy yarn, fab houndstooth and sweet pups!

Soldering + Glass + Pearls = Homecoming Corsage and Boutonniere : : Tutorial

Another high school dance has come and gone and guess what ... the corsage and boutonniere still look as good as the night they were worn!

You may remember this post last year when I announced to my son Corry and his girlfriend Dylan that I was pretty much done purchasing flowers for the dances when I discovered that they take them off when they get to the dance anyways!

This is what this years handmade "flowers" looked like. Of course they would be soldered ... that seems to be what I'm into these days and if I say so myself ... I think they turned out pretty fab!

Here's what I did:

• Using tinned copper wire, I first created a large heart shape and then another loop, just to make it look a bit abstract. 
• Then using fine silver wire I strung fresh water pearls, glass beads and some silver beads, twisting each bead in place on the wire. 
• Next I wrapped the thin wire around the heart shaped tinned copper. 

• After the heart shape was wrapped, I wrapped the curly ends and then went back and secured the center area. (Notice that at this point the red floss in the middle is gone ... since I was designing as I was going, not all the photos are super accurate and things change and I forget to re-shoot some steps.)

• Next I glued a little square of text from a Bible onto a 1" square of glass and then glued a little red heart onto the text. 
• Then I soldered just the top and bottom edges of the glass squares.

• And to anchor the wired heart to the glass, I soldered just a small spot at the top.

• Then sandwiched the wired bundle between the 2 glass squares and then soldered the outer edges several times.

• And to finish off the corsage, I cut a portion out of large jump and then soldered them to the sides.

• Then I  finished it off with a couple of lengths of cream rayon ribbon to wrap around the wrist then tied.

• The boutonniere was of course, much simpler. First I made a heart with the tinned copper wire, then wrapped the beaded silver wire around the shape.
• Next, I soldered the center to secure the shape.

• And to finish it off ... a short length of rayon ribbon wrapped around the center and a long pearl pin.

Photos of the lucky couple ... to come!

 

 

 

Upcycled Sweaters + Pony Pack = Hanging Plant Pouches

Look what I made!

Just playing with some thrift store finds. Sometimes I get an idea and I just have to act on it right now!

 

A week ago or so, my car was in the shop and so I was without a car. I had to go to the thrift store that day so my husband kindly dropped me off on his way to work ... I than walked home.

Well, little did I know that I would be walking home with bags of wool sweaters and suits!

 Plant pouches ... so fun, super simple and look how cute they are on a chain linked fence!

Here's What You Do:

• Gather or purchase old wool sweaters.

• Toss them into the washer. Wash the sweaters using really hot water and a little bit of laundry detergent and start the washer. 

• Check on the sweaters every 10 minutes or so. You don't want the sweaters to over-felt and become super thick.

• Hang the sweaters out to dry or lay them flat on towels. This could take a good day or so!

• Next, cut out a portion of the sweater that measures roughly 6 x 15 inches.

• Overlap the seam and whip stitch it together with a large eye needle and yarn. Machine stitch across the bottom seam, then add a running stitch to the bottom of the pouch.

• Embellish the pouch with hanging buttons or dotted with buttons all over the pouch.

• Cut a length of steel wire approximately 24 inches long. Poke the ends of the wire into the sides of the pouch and twist together. Make sure the wire is secured about an inch down from the top of the pouch.

• Snip small holes into the bottom of a sandwich bag. I really like the ones that have the extra heavy zip lock tops. Makes it easy to add the soil and the plant.

• Fill the bag with potting soil, and then slip the bag into the pouch just to make sure it fits. Take the bag out of the pouch and pot your pony pack plant or two.

• Slip the potted bag back into the pouch and arrange the stems and flowers around the wire hanger. Hang and display anywhere you'd like!

 

• Note: You can water the plant while it's still in the pouch if you have them displayed outside. Excess water will just drip out the bottom, though some water will get absorbed into the wool.

Hop on over to Lark Crafts and check out other felt projects, as they continue to celebrate the release of their latest book, Stash Happy Felt! Flip through the book and see a couple of my projects in there.

Oh and ... I had the good furtune of photographing that book as well!

 Now go pot some plants in those felted old wool sweaters!

Tin Can Caddy #2 :: Tutorial

I am so in love with the first tin can caddy that I made ... way back when ... that I just had to make another. 

When I first started out making this one, I thought I would use papers, old maps, new maps, ledger paper, and subway diagrams, but then reality set in. Paper and Mod Podge don't like wavy, bumping outer can surfaces and I ended up with a puckering mess. So I ditched that idea and went back to the original technique that I know works like a charm.

You gotta try this. And on a Lazy Susann, it dosen't get any better. Oh, and yes, again I tried putting the cans at different heights and while it looks super cute and all, I'm a practical gal and really like that space on the Lazy Susan under the cans.

Here's What I Did:

• Gather a variety of cans in different sizes, one being a large coffee can.
• Cover the cans with fabric panels using Matte Mod Podge. 

• Punch holes in the small cans and in the coffee can, using an awl and a hammer.

• Then load it up with all your crafting supplies.
• Don't forget the Lazy Susan ... such a great idea those Lazy Susan's are!

Here's the original Tin Can Caddy with an even better tutorial ... Enjoy!

 

Shrink Plastic Projects : : Tutorial

I just can't seem to stop ... I'm in love with this darn shrink plastic. Check out some of my recent projects ...  this sweet little 'Art Saves' brooch.

 

Or this oh, so cute necklace ...

And why not ... on a simple white card?

Or ... glue it on to a card and embellish it with pearls and wire.

I just love the simplicity!

Here's What I Did:

• Sand a panel of white shrink plastic with fine grade sandpaper.

• Grab your favorite stamps and black StazOn ink, and stamp the image on the shrink plastic.

• Add a wash of color with chalks or pastels and pom poms and Q-tips.

 

• Add some dots and doodles with a black permanent marker.

• Punch hole in the piece to add beads and jump rings.

• Heat according to the directions on the shrink plastic package, or use a heat gun and a pie tin.
• Watch the plastic curl up, shrink, then flatten.

• Embellish with pearls and beads and add jump rings to hang as a necklace or glue on a pin back!

Way too cute if you ask me!!!

Hope you take some time to craft and play this week!

 

More Felt Fun : : Mug Rug : : Tutorial

You'll have to hop on over to the Lark Crafts site and check out today's post on some super cute  Mason Jar cozies I made for their month long felt party!

Here's another quick project a whipped up to help celebrate their felt month. A Mug Rug! What great gifts these make!

 

Here's what you do:

 

Gather a few skeins of leftover 100% wool and knitting needles to match. Cast on about 45 stitches and just start knitting. Change colors now and then to stripe your piece, but don't think too much. Cast off when the piece measure about 13 x 9 inches (This will vary depending on your yarn and how big you want your mug rug to be). Do not take the time to weave the ends in, but do trim them down to about 4 inches. After the piece is felted, the ends can be snipped off.

Toss the knitted panel into a lingerie bag and then into the washer. Set the washer on HOT water and add a little laundry detergent and start the washer.

Set a timer for 10 minutes and run and check the felting as soon as the time goes off.

Be careful to not over felt the piece. There's a point of no return, when the piece could get super stiff and bulky. If more felting is needed, toss the piece back in the washer and continue washing, again for just 10 minutes at a time. Wash the panel until it measure about 6 x 10 inches. 

Rinse the panel with cool water to get rid of the soap, and stretch or block the piece to the size and shape you desire. Dry on towels ... for what will seem like forever ... maybe a few days! Or, to speed up this process ... roll the mug rug in a towel and squeeze the heck out of it.

Bind the outer edge with a raw-edge binding in a bright patterned fabric.

Embellish with a few scrappy hearts and words.

And ...

ENJOY your coffee and whatever else you want ...

There's plenty of room for a slice of apple or blueberry scone!

 

Felt Flower Brooch : : Tutorial

Just a little something I whipped up a few nights ago.

So cute don't you think? And let me tell you ... it's super easy to make and the fabric came from an old suit I bought at the second hand store. But not just any suit, it was a Pendleton wool suit in a black and white herringbone! Thankfully is wasn't my size, so I had no qualms about cutting up the skirt to get a nice chunk of fabric to play with.

 

Here's what I did:

• First I cut the outer skirt away from the linning, and cut around the pockets, saving every scrap.

• The wool was pretty stiff and I knew that by just washing it in super hot water would soften it up and even felt it a bit. 
• Next I cut the skirt into a few chunk.

• Next I heated up a pot of water on the stove and just before it started to boil, I added some liquid Rit dye.
• Then I added  a chunck of the wool skirt and let it simmer in the dye bath for about 10 minutes, checking on it every few minutes to make sure it didn't get too dark.
• When the color was just right, I took the wool out of the dye and rinsed it in really cold water, trying to encourage the felting process.

• And then hung the pieces out to my clothesline to dry.

• While the wool didn't felt up and get all chunky, it did become much softer and a bit fuzzy.

• So to make the brooch, I quick like drew a large flower, about 5 inches in diameter and then cut out the shape.

• Traced the flower shape on the dyed wool and then cut it out.
• Using a running/gathering stitch and a hand needle and thread, sewing in a circle at the center of the flower.

• Draw up the thread and secure with a knot in the back.

• Then cut out a circle from the black and white wool and pinch it together at the center and sew it to the wool flower. Repeat for the center little circle.

• With a large eye needle and perle cotton, add a running stitch to the outer edges of the flower and the larger circle.

• Sew a pin back to the back of the flower.

• Or, tack it onto a braided bracelet.

Easy Peasy!