Crafts from the Past

Whenever I go to the library, I always hit the Friends of Library Bookstore.  Sometimes there's nothing I want, but other times, I come out loaded down with more used books than any girl can carry.  Last week, I found a goldmine of 1970s and 1980s Better Homes and Gardens craft books.  I'll admit, in my early days of  crafting, I would just walk by books like this, but as I've grown as a craft designer, I've realized that these books are gems.  Yes, the colors and styles might be a bit dated, but the bones of good craft design are there and waiting to inspire.  I was even surprised by how timeless some of the styles are.  In the seventies, it was all about patchwork and returning to nature.  Sounds familiar?  Check-out this shower curtain idea from Creative Crafts and Stitchery (Better Homes and Gardens). 

I think the idea, and even the photo, could be found on a modern blog. (Okay, maybe not the fuzzy tiolet seat cover, but you know what I'm saying.)  In fact, I'm thinking I just might need to make one for my daughter's bathroom. 

I'm officially addicted to old craft books now.  What are your favorites?  What projects have you revamped?

Wonky Log Cabin Quilt

I was really unsure of this quilt.  Once the top was completed, I really didn't know if my fabric choices were okay.  You know how judges on shows like Project Runway tell people they "question their taste"?  Well, I was definitely questioning mine.  But the one thing I do know about quilts is that you usually can't judge them until they are done.  (Which stinks because by the time you are quilting it, you've already invested a lot of time and fabric in the project!) But the quilting really makes all the difference. I was still questioning myself after it was quilted though.  Then I added the binding and it has grown on me.

The pattern is the Wonky Log Cabin.  I love anything wonky, because I'm not exactly known for my ability to cut straight lines.  Now I can pretend I meant for the cutting to be a little uneven. 

Regardless of my taste, I'm proud of myself because I set a goal to get this quilt done within the month.  I carefully counted out the weeks until my deadline, and assigned myself steps to get done each week.  Even though I was often frustrated with the look of the quilt, I pushed on and I finished it four days before my deadline.  It feels good to get done, and have one more quilt under my belt.  With each quilt I make, I feel like I learn something.  What did you learn the last time you sewed a quilt?

WireKnitz Bracelet

When I was at CHA in January, I met the President of WireKnitz.  She was passing out her business card with a little sample bundle of her revolutionary, new product.  The package sat on my desk as I worked my way through all the follow-up I had to do until one day, in a fit of creative energy, I grabbed it and created this darling bracelet with it.  The WireKnitz came in the tubular, bracelet shape, so all I had to do was add some ribbon flowers, beads, sequins and buttons (from Blumenthal Lansing of course!).  It was so easy and such a great way to use up all those little bits and bobs rolling around in my sewing basket.  It just says Spring to me and I'm thinking I'll style my entire Easter Sunday outfit around it.  Of course, it would look just as good with jeans and white t-shirt.

A Restful Weekend

A weekend spent resting and hiding from the wind and rain.  Reading, watching television, baking peanut butter & chocolate chunk cookies and listening to the my new, favorite album, Bright Morning Stars by the Wailin' Jennys.

As I was baking, I looked up the stairs and saw my cute girl, resting on the landing, reading.  She just read me an entire book for the first time last week.  After celebrating with her and tucking her in, I went downstairs and cried.  Cried with joy, pride, and little sadness that my baby is growing up.  I know it will bring new and exciting adventures, but I can't help but mourn those baby and toddler years just a bit.  I never would have guessed that motherhood would feel like this.  That every few months, you would look down at this completely new person and love them for all that they are becoming.  But also feel such a loss over the little person who stood there just a minute ago.  You can't get those days back.  I remind myself of that every time I think I'm too busy to stop what I'm doing to play or listen or hug.  I will only have these moments for a little while.

Behind the Scenes of When Creativity Knocks

Sometimes I feel like a bad mother.  I'm not great at doing "kiddie" activities with my daughter.  Instead of Chuck E Cheese, we go to the Japanese Market and buy Japanese magazines and eat noodles at the food court.  We only go to the park once a week, not every day after school. In fact, yesterday after school, my daughter came home to the craft show, When Creativity Knocks, being filmed in our kitchen.  She even got to be in an episode with me.  It was very exciting for both of us and I can't wait until our episode airs and we can share it with you.  Here are some scenes from our day:

WCK Host, Ana Arujo, doing a light test before filming starts.  I contributed to the shoot by playing "Craft Services" and laid out a spread of food to keep the talent and crew happy and well-fed.

Producer/Director/Editor, Scott Pfieffer sets up for the shoot.

A fantastic episode being filmed.  I'll let you know when these air, so you can check them out!  It's kind of cool to think my home will be the background for 5 episodes!  Good thing I cleaned-up the day before!

A peek at the set-up for my episode.

My daughter and I collaborated on a project and it was so fun to have her with me while I demonstrated our ideas!

After an exciting day, my daughter seemed pretty pleased with the whole process.  Maybe one day, when she looks back on experiences like these, she won't miss the trips to Chuck E Cheese or the park.  Maybe she'll look back on her childhood and think it was pretty special after all.  A mother can only hope.

On Flowers and Irrational Numbers

I must have Spring Fever because I've got flowers on the brain.  My darling husband gave me flowers to celebrate Pi Day yesterday.  What?  You don't celebrate 3.14 as Pi Day?  If you were married to a physicist, you probably would.  Especially if, when you first started dating, he called you Pi as a nickname.  And, because you were young and in love, you thought it was short for "Sweetie Pie".   Later you found out he actually meant the IRRATIONAL number Pi.  Welcome to my world.

Speaking of flowers, I'm sketching and working away on a flower inspired project too.  I'll share more after I figure out exactly what I want to do with them.  Hope you have a flower-filled day!

Something Blue Wedding Headband

I must be in a hair accessory kind of mood this week.  First my Shamrock headband and now one fit for a bride!  This is the simplest of wedding tutorials.  It takes about five minutes to make.  Exactly the amount of time a bride has to get crafty when she's planning her wedding.  I think it would be sweet on a bride, but it's also perfect for bridesmaids or flower girls.  And the great thing is everyone can wear it again!  It's romantic enough for a wedding, but not so "wedding-y" (yes, I made that word up) that you couldn't wear it with a sweet summer dress.  Here's how to make it:

Supplies:

Headband
Iron-on applique (I found mine at Joann Fabric and Craft Stores)
Aleene's Original Tacky Glue

Directions:

1. Apply glue to applique and attach to headband.  Be sure to only apply glue where you want the applique to be attached to the headband.  As you can see in my photos, I let some of the applique float off the headband, giving it an airy look.
2. Allow glue to dry and place on head

See?  I told you it was quick and easy!  Since you have so much extra time left, why not check-out my super cool Burlesque Paper Cake project for a Bachelorette party or maybe make some Glitter Lace Votives for the reception centerpieces?  You can also visit my fellow designers' blogs.  We're all working on wedding ideas today.  To check-out what everyone else is doing, just click on the button below and it will move you right along.

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Shamrock Headband for St. Patrick's Day

Let's say you want to be festive on March 17th, but you aren't really into glittery shamrocks glued to springs shooting off your headband.  I mean, let's face it, the St. Patrick's Day stuff they have in stores caters to someone who is planning to spend the holiday drinking green beer.  Not that I have anything against green beer...actually I do because it makes me sick...but that's another story. Okay, where was I?  Oh yes, looking for understated St. Pat's Day accessories.  I couldn't find them.  So I made one.  Introducing my sophisticated (and child appropriate) Shamrock Headbands.  Here's how to make them:

Supplies:
Stretchy handband in a color of your choice.
Felt in green, white, black
Aleene's Original Tacky Glue

Tools:
Scissors
Iron
Fiskars Oval Shape Cutter Template (optional)
Fiskars Heart Shaped Squeeze Punch (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut out our felt into ovals in graduating sizes.  Mine measured accordingly:  The largest, green felt oval measured 2" x 2.5", the black oval measure 1.5" x 2" and the 1" x 1.5".  I used Fiskars' oval shape cutter plate as a template.
2. Cut shamrock shape out of green felt.  I cut three small hearts out, and one small stem.  If you don't want to free-hand the hearts, use a Fiskars' Heart Hand Punch. (I couldn't cut through felt with it, but I just punched a paper template and used it to cut out perfect heart shapes.)  To give the shamrock some dimension, I folded each heart in half and ironed it.  Be careful!  The hearts are very tiny and the iron is very hot!  Keep your fingers clear of the iron. 
3. Glue your smallest oval (the white one) onto the middle sized oval (the black one).
4. Using tacky glue, apply the hearts (in a shamrock shape) and your stem onto the white oval.  If you ironed a seam in the middle of the hearts, just run a line of glue down the back of the seam to maintain the dimension your risked burning your fingers for.
5. Put glue onto the back of your black oval.  Lay the headband down onto the oval, centering it.  Then lay the largest oval (the green one) over the headband.  Make sure everything is straight and let it dry.

Another option for this project:  Instead of cutting-out hearts, you could use my flower to shamrock technique instead.  Check-out this post for more information.

Mary Janes and Charm Bracelets

Is there anything better than Mary Jane shoes and your favorite charm bracelet?  Maybe a cupcake dress, but that's about all I can think of.

Who doesn't love free tutorials?

I just wanted to give you a heads up this morning.  Interweave, the publishers of one of my favorite magazines, Stitch, has just launched a new community website called Sew Daily. 

To celebrate the launch, they offering a free ebook of projects when you sign-up for the free membership.  You can sign-up and get your goodies here.  Once a member, you can find some great, free projects on the community website (like the ones in the photo above).

I personally love free sewing patterns.  As much as I enjoy making up my own tutorials, I also love to try patterns out sometimes.  As a self-taught sewer, I've found that working my way through existing patterns and tutorials helps me learn new skills and practice what I already know.  What about you? Do you prefer to "wing it" when you are doing a sewing project or do you like to follow instructions?

Material Disclosure:  I am not getting paid for sharing this information-I just love free stuff and I know you do too! 

Introducing the Designer Blog Connection!

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I have exciting news for you!  I've teamed up with some professional designers to bring you monthly, themed blog hops to inspire you.  Each month, we'll be posting our takes on different topics.  The designers on the list are amazing and I'm sure you are going to enjoy seeing how differently we each interpret the themes!

We are kicking off this exciting blog event by sharing our experiences at CHA and having a drawing to win a Cricut Expressions machine!  I shared some of my CHA experiences in this post a few weeks ago and I encourage you to visit the other designers to read their thoughts about the show, new products and everything else CHA.  We've made it very easy for you to jump from blog to blog.  Just click on the badge above (you can go forward or back) and it will take you to the next designer's blog.

And don't forget!  To win the Cricut Expression machine, visit this blog and follow the instructions.  The winner will be posted on March 13, when we will begin our creative challenges by sharing tons and tons of DIY wedding ideas with you!

Thanks for joining the fun!  If you are new to my blog, I would love it if you would "Follow" me!  In between Designer Blog Connection challenges, I always have lots of tutorials and inspiration for living a creative life!