glue and paper

Organizing winter gear

2012-01-26T08:05:00.001-08:00

I should have taken a before picture of the closet, but it would have been embarrassing. We have a small closet in our entry. It came with a basic wire shelf... we can set stuff on top and hang hangers.

I have installed hooks on the inside of the closet where the kids can reach... that helped a bit. But the winter stuff was a problem. I kept it in a bin on the shelf... which was way too high for the kids to reach. I am all about independence... if you want to play outside, go get your mittens. But the kids couldn't get their winter gear out or put it away... so there was always a mess. There is no room on the floor of the closet (that is where boots and a skinny bin for umbrellas are). The only place left was the door. The closet door is extra skinny, and I needed lots of little pockets for the little mittens, legwarmers, etc.
And so I made my own customer closet organizer with scraps. There are some bigger pockets and some small ones. I put the grown-up winter gear at the top and the kids' stuff within their reach. The organizer is attached to the door with velcro Command Strips. I actually stapled the strips to the fabric of the organizer so I wouldn't have to sew through the adhesive and get my needle all gummy.

This organizer has been in the closet for almost a month now, and I am happy to report the closet has stayed pretty clean. The kids can get their stuff out and put it away. And even though the organizer is made from scraps and not all matchy, I think it is fairly cute.

Success all around.

cardigan sweater pillow cover

2012-01-26T07:53:00.001-08:00

Oops. When I exported my photo from Lightroom I left the watermark on. Shameless advertising for my photography, I know.
Anyhow... I found a darling wool sweater cardigan at the thrift store. I loved the colors and the big buttons... but I wouldn't have worn it (it was too big anyhow). I washed it on hot and dried it in the dryer to felt the wool. Then I laid it out and cut a square to fit my pillow. I sewed around the four sides (leaving the center button unbuttoned so I could flip the right side out.
I can take the pillow out of the cover by unbuttoning it. It will look cute in the fall with my pumpkin pillows!

kitty

2012-01-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a little Christmas present I made for June. I up-cycled a wool sweater and made a tiny kitty for her. The bottom side is fleece. The nose is felt. Button eyes.
June named it Lily.

a fabric sample book turned into a quilt

2012-01-05T19:32:00.001-08:00

A while back I got a bound book of fabric swatches... for free. The colors were all in rainbow order. It was so neat... but useless and silly to display.
So I cut that book of fabric up into quilt blocks. I arranged the colors chromatically from white in one corner to black at the opposite corner... rainbow order from top to bottom.
I pieced it all together...
and then I sent it away to be quilted.
And I forgot about it.

Fast forward several months... I got a package.
It was magic.

My quilt came back! I finished the edges and stitched my name on it (which felt a little like cheating since I sent it out to be quilted).

Oh, I love it! My girls love it too. It is the new favorite cozy thing. Unfortunately it is small... like a lap blanket.

Too bad it isn't big enough for our bed... someday I'll get that ambitious!

Christmas Painting

2011-12-02T11:47:00.001-08:00

We have a big frame in our dining room... two feet by four feet. I have made several seasonal paintings to go into the frame using inexpensive underlayment board from the home improvement store. I bought two four-by-eight foot sheets (about $10 a sheet) and had them cut down into eight two-by- four foot sections. I primed them and painted them. So I have several paintings that fit the frame, and throughout the year, the painting gets switched.
Here is the summer painting.
And if you click here, you can see the Thanksgiving painting in the bottom photo.
Anyhow, last December I started a Christmas painting... and I didn't finish it in time... actually it wasn't really finished at all. I made a good start. This year I pulled out that painting and got to work on it. I repainted most of it. The composition stayed the same. The subjects stayed the same (except the goat that was turned into a pony per a little girl's request).
This morning the paint was dry, so I popped it into the frame and put it up.

And here is another angle...

I'm pretty happy with it.

shirt re-do

2011-12-02T11:22:00.001-08:00

Hello friends! It has been a while. Here is a comfy t-shirt dress that I made for my daughter. The t-shirt was an adult size small and after I was done, it was a kids size 5/6 dress.
Easy peasy.

I am making another one and taking tutorial photos as I go, so stay tuned!

my romantic dollar

2011-10-06T19:03:00.001-07:00

I scored this couple for $1 (they were originally $4, marked down to $2, and it was half-off day) at the local thrift shop. I couldn't resist them as they stared at me from the shelf. They were probably once boring bookends that ended up getting sent to the thrift store.
I brought them home and perched them on a book in front of our window... oh, and I turned them to face each other.

In front of the window they turn into silhouettes.
I love the space between them...

Can't you feel the electricity!?

Probably one of my best $1 purchases ever.

$2.99 shoe redo

2011-09-13T08:52:00.001-07:00

I got these shoes for $2.99 a pair (at Marcs). My girls do not like plain things, but for $2.99 I knew I could make them work.

I like Converses. They hold up much better than other, more expensive brands. Last Christmas we bought Alli a pair of sparkly Stride Rites (good shoes, right?!). Well, by the end of February they looked like hobo shoes... complete with falling off rubber pieces and holes. (And Alli had been wearing her boots to school since it was winter, so they were only worn indoors.) They were replaced with Converses which she wore and loved and outgrew... and they still look great seven months later. (I will save them for Ruby.)
Anyhow...
I painted the shoes.
To do this, I removed the laces. I used quality acrylic paint (it comes in tubes and is pretty thick). The better paint holds its color better and is less brittle. I watered the paint down to the consistency of salad dressing (runny, makes a puddle, but not too thin). The paint should spread easily and soak into the fabric a little. but not all the way through to the inside lining.
Painting on shoes isn't too difficult. I used a small brush near the edges and around fine details, and I used a bigger brush to fill in the rest. I kept a wet wipe nearby for when I got paint on the rubber part.
The girls picked their colors. And Alli wanted stripes on her tongue and Ruby wanted polka-dots.

We let them dry for about an hour. It was tough waiting.

Worth the wait.

We laced them up... and then the girls checked to see if they could run faster with their new shoes.

They were pretty fast.

Ruby said she would wear these shoes forever. (Not likely.)

All smiles for Alli.

I'm thinking I should go back and stock up on bigger sizes.

a purse that used to be a sweater...

2011-08-05T15:17:00.001-07:00

My niece found a sweater at a thrift store. She loved it, but it was a bit too small. So the beloved sweater ended up in the giveaway pile that goes from my sister's house to my house. It was too big for my kids and too small for me, and so I recycled the sweater.

And now the thrift sweater has a new life as a purse.

I made this dress

2011-07-13T20:16:00.001-07:00

I made this dress for June out of designer fabric samples... the kind that come bound in an 11x17 book. Not much to work with.
I pieced my favorite toile prints together. There are at least seven or eight different toile prints combined on this dress. I tried to stick with patterns based on red, yellow and blue.
I have to admit, there were moments while making this, that I wondered if it would be cute or hideous. There is no middle ground here. I kept plugging away at it with the voice of Tim Gunn saying, "Make it work!" in my head.
The three red rosettes were made from strips of the same red fabric used on the band. I found the tutorial online. Here is one tutorial... I couldn't find the original one I used. Same idea, but I didn't use glue. I stitched it all.

I added a pocket on the front for the little treasures June finds here and there.
The red rosettes, the trim on the pocket, and the band at the bottom pull it all together.
It is sophisticated and whimsical.
And I think it works.

Pink.

2011-05-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

When Grandma Utah was in town, she painted Ruby and June's room pink. Bold pink. I love it, but now I need to get new curtains for their room. The current curtains match, but the saturated color and the busy, colorful pattern are too much. So I am looking for a white cotton fabric with large white polka dots. Anyone have any suggestions? Wal-Mart had a similar type of curtain... but the fabric was cheap and it would have cost me $40 for four panels. If I can't find what I am thinking of, I will have to figure out a way to make it.

fun with paint

2011-05-08T19:39:00.001-07:00

I finished a flower painting for our dining room.
And Grandma Utah painted Ruby and June's room.

Pink is an understatement.

For my Mom

2011-05-08T19:21:00.001-07:00

I made this for my Mom. She deserves a comfy and stylish place to prop up her feet.

I found this wonderful crewel fabric remnant at Chelsea Design House in Columbus. I love the rich texture and jewel-toned colors. The bird and bugs are playful, but the fabric has a very classic look.
A whole bag stuffed full of fabric samples costs $5. For real.
The wood base came from a broken tray table we had. $0.
The curvy brass legs came off of another footstool that had broken. The old footstool cost about $8 from Goodwill.
The stuffing is a cheap pillow.
You may be thinking, "Wow Karyn. You are cheap."
My Mom calls it "thrifty."
And she taught me all I know about thriftiness.

Happy Mothers Day!

A Fancy Bench

2011-04-08T19:49:00.001-07:00

My sister-in-law gave me this bench. It had been given to her... she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. So she gave it to me.

The fabric was filthy, faded, and worn.
But check out those legs!

(Imagine cat-call here.)
So I pulled out my bins of fabric, and I found a piece of silk/linen blend that wasn't quite big enough, but I had several small samples of the same fabric in different colors.

So I ironed them and sewed them all together. And ironed it all again.

The strip of colored fabrics is off center. I like it like that.
Now for the dirty part...
I took off the legs.
I pulled off the old fabric and carefully took out the old nails. The nails were original square-shaft nails that had been hand-crafted long ago. I wanted to save them to tack the bottom lining back on.
The padding under the old fabric was made from straw. I kept the straw cushion, but added two layers of batting to make it cushier. I kept the vacuum handy for this part. There were bits of straw and shreds of fabric everywhere.
I stretched the new fabric onto the seat, working from the center out.

I used the staple gun to tack the cloth on... making sure to trim around the bolts where the legs attach.
Here's a look at a corner...

To finish it off nicely, I covered the bottom with a lush piece of burnt orange fabric. Using the original nails that I had pulled out of the bench earlier, I tacked the orange cloth onto the bottom, covering the staples and edges of the silk/linen fabric. I love the old nails on this piece. They make the fabric look like it has always been there.

Of course, as soon as I am through, June has to try it out.

(Yes, the art room is a mess... a productive mess.)
And here is the bench in it's new spot...

Designer Outfit, Thrifty Price

2011-03-29T11:08:00.001-07:00

A few years ago, I splurged on a sampling of fine dark chocolates from around the world (hooray for Costco!). Ever since then, I do not like Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Hershey bars, etc. Halloween candy doesn't really tempt me. I want the good stuff.
When we lived in Chicago, there was a tiny thrift shop across the street that was a gold mine for designer duds. I quickly developed a taste for designer jeans. Ever since then, I do not like Old Navy jeans. Not even tempting. I want the jeans that fit perfectly, last for years, keep their shape, and have well-crafted details. Luckily for my husband, I am cheap... too cheap to shop at Nordstrom. I get my designer fix at the thrift shop or deeply-discounted stores.
The jacket is from my Chicago thrift store. I got it at a fill-a-bag-for-$5 sale. ($5 divided by a paper bag stuffed with clothes= super duper cheap.) I love the bright, bold pattern, the large squarish buttons and the purple piping on the inside seams. The necklace is from an estate auction: $3. The brown t-shirt was from MJR sales. It was 75% off of $5... it had a tiny hole that I had to stitch shut. My jeans are Rock & Republic from my Chicago thrift store: $6. My strappy gold wedge sandals are from a thrift shop in Columbus: $3. They were almost brand new. They are quite comfortable and darling.

This outfit cost less than $20.

As a bonus, the chair was $1 at an estate auction. That's right.
And I made the pillows.

If you are thrifty with your fashion, there is a nifty contest here.

Alli's new room!

2011-02-18T06:46:00.001-08:00

Alli turned seven this year, and the big gift was her very own room. She got the room that June used to have (and June now shared with Ruby). The room started out pretty bare... beige carpet and walls. The crib came down and the rocking chair found a new spot. It was a blank canvas. And so the makeover began...

The new room was going to be a surprise, but it is hard to keep a room secret. Alli found out, and then she had all kinds of ideas of what it should be like. She made a sketch and I made a sketch and we worked together to get it just right.
She wanted a place to display her drawings and hang her calendar. I got this bulletin board for $5. It was used, but I painted the cork with Modge Podge and covered it with fabric and then painted a second layer of Modge Podge on top. It is cute with or without papers hanging on it.

Alli really wanted a nightstand. And we had one that wasn't really being used in our guest room. This nightstand came from an alley in Chicago. Free. With a fresh coat of paint, new hardware, and some distressing around the edges, it is as good as new.

Alli keeps books, her journal, pencils, tissues and other necessities in the drawers. She keeps a little vase with a note from Ruby, a lamp, and a picture of her friend on top.
The lamp came from an estate auction. It cost about $5. It was purple when I got it. Inspired by Eddie Ross, I fancied-up the shade. I added pink circle stickers to the shade to made it pop. I made the stickers with some pink sticker vinyl that I had and the QuicKutz Revolution die cutter. The polka dots are so whimsical and fun, best of all, it was so easy to do!
Above Alli's bed is a fairy painting. She found an illustration in a library book that she just loved. I painted the picture on canvas board put it in a simple wood frame. I love how the fairy looks down on the bed.

The owl on the bed was a Christmas gift. Alli asked for something homemade. And she asked for a Pillow Pet. So I made a pillow pet for her (which wasn't quite what she had in mind... but she loves it now).
The bed was purchased years ago when Alli graduated from the crib. It is a magenta sleigh bed with a trundle. I got it for $75 off of Craigslist. Alli did get a nice new mattress. I was able to get it for $75 (50% off!) using a Groupon deal at DFW.
The square pillow came from Marc's for $3.99. It is a down pillow. I made the cover from a sample of designer upholstery fabric. A bag-full of fabric samples is $5 at Chelsea Design House Warehouse in Columbus.
Alli's duvet cover is made from a king-sized sheet folded in half and sewn up the sides. There is an opening at the bottom of the blanket to remove the feather blanket inside. I purchased the sheet at a thrift store for 75 cents. I loved the color and the bold, graphic pattern.
Alli's dresser is from an estate auction. I think is was $3. With paint and a little distressing around the edges... and some gluing and repairs on the drawers by my handsome handyman... it is adorable and functional.

For a laundry hamper, I used some heavyweight oil cloth and sewed a tote with handles. It is easy for Alli to bring her dirty clothes down to the laundry room. And it is a cute tote too.
My sister gave me the vintage mirror above Alli's dresser. Alli keeps a few of her treasures on the dresser: a diorama, her piggybank, the alarm clock, and her CD player.
Of course there is a bookcase in Alli's room. My brother Dan made this a few years ago. It needed a fresh coat of paint, and I decoupaged some fabric on the roof.

Everyone loves the book shelf.
And no big sister's room is complete without little sisters trying to get in!

Alli loves having her own space. This room is Alli through and through.

After reading this, you may think I am cheap. I sort of am. I like really nice stuff, but I don't want to pay full price for it. If you take the time to hunt down the bargains, design can be done for cheap. This whole room was painted, furnished, and decorated for about $250. Not bad.

I love you banner!

2011-02-16T19:23:00.001-08:00

I made a fabric banner for Valentine's Day... or any love-celebration day.
On one side it says "I love you."

On the other side there are birds, a bee, a flower, a tree...

You know, love stuff.

Pirate Party Details!

2011-01-17T12:22:00.001-08:00

A certain young pirate turned seven!!!
And so we had to celebrate! Alli wanted a pirate birthday party. So I have been collecting and dreaming up pirate party ideas for a few months.

We sent out invitations with a treasure map on the envelope. If you know our part of the neighborhood, you may recognize the streets as the water. The maps for the kids in the neighborhood showed how to get to the X from their own houses. For the kids who don't live in the neighborhood, the map covered a larger area and had street labels on the waterways.

The invitation says:
Ahoy Pirate friend! Ye are invited to celebrate Cap'n Alli's 7th birthday on Monday..... from 9-11am. A hearty breakfast will be served... cake too! Come dressed in your pirate best... or walk the plank!
We all dressed up.

The kids costumes were easy. We had a bunch of pirate accessories.
For my costume I wore a wide-striped shirt, a pair of capris that I cut off with a jagged edge, and a bandanna around my hair.

I looked like a deck hand.

My sister came with a much more exciting ensemble...

She wore her husband's white shirt with lots of jewelry and scarves. For the mustache and goatee, she glued hair onto her face. Afterwards it peeled right off. Where did the hair come from? She has a teenage son with a big red curly mop of hair... maybe he should check for missing locks!
My brother took a different approach...

Sort of a pirate wizard.

We played a fishing game at the party.

The kids sat around the "pool" (a blue blanket) where there were fish, gators, sharks, and a wooden plank.

The fish have paper clips sewn in them, and the fishing pole had a magnet on the end of the string.
On the back of each fish was a message...

"Pick 1 prize"
"go again"
"shout ARG!"
"Walk the PLANK!"
We passed the fishing pole around and the kids took turns fishing. I switched out the notes in the fish after each one was caught... these are clever kids you know.
Once everyone had a few turns, those who didn't end up winning a prize got to pick a prize... so everyone got something.

Here is how I made the paper gators...

I cut out these shapes (two fit on one 8.5x11 piece of paper). On the top I drew eyes. On the bottom, I drew nostrils. Where the dotted lines are, I folded it so I turned out like this...

There were shark fins sticking out of the water too. (Shark fin = triangle folded in half.)

Alli picked the theme of her party long ago, and so I was able to pick up some party gear on sale after Halloween!

Down in the playroom there was a boat.

Never underestimate the power of a cardboard box!

We had two large white boards and a bunch of dry-erase markers. The kids drew pirates and treasure maps. I didn't take a picture, but you can see a little bit of it behind this pirate.

We played a treasure hunt game. Clues were written on post-it notes and hidden around the house, one clue leading to another. The clues led to the "treasure" which was a bowl of prizes for everyone.
The treat bags were simple paper bags with a treasure chest drawn on each. Ruby embellished hers with heart stickers.

It was a fun party. I'm glad Alli picked pirates as a theme this year... and I can't wait to see what she will want for next year!

what's next...

2010-11-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

I think I am finally ready to tackle this chair. We got it for $5. I found some fabric (lower left corner). The fabric is a sturdy upholstery fabric, and on sale it was $17 for 5 yards. I love the bold, graphic pattern in soft, neutral colors.
And now for the demolition...

Ceck back soon.

the table

2010-08-31T15:05:00.001-07:00

We got this table at the beginning of the summer. I loved the size of the table and the clean lines and solid form. It was $60... this was a Craigslist find. It came with scratches and watermarks on the top. So we stripped off the old finish, sanded it down, stained and finished it with polyurethane. The legs were in great condition, so we left them alone.
Our table just came into the house Sunday night.

And now Andy has a spot in the garage for his car.

the ottoman empire

2010-08-31T14:59:00.001-07:00

I bought an ottoman at a yard sale. It was clean and well-built. It was a nice size. And it was $10.

But the fabric was UGLY!

And then I found this diamond checked upholstery fabric at another yard sale. It was new, unused. I love the bold graphic pattern! Best of all, it was $3 for about 2+ yards.

And so I started another project. I took the ottoman apart stitch-by-stitch. And I used the old pieces as a pattern to reupholster the ottoman. I recovered the cushion. I used white muslin on the bottom of the cushion because I didn't have enough of the diamond-pattern fabric. There is velcro connecting the cushion to the ottoman base. I reused the velcro and the zipper from the original ottoman covering. When I finished, I had an 18 inch square of leftover fabric.

For $13 and about three hours, I am pretty pleased with the finished product.

painted backdrop

2010-07-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

As you may have seen in my other blog, I am doing photography professionally now. My sister-in-law Betsy showed me how to use inexpensive shower board from Lowe's to make a white background.

So I have two sheets of 4x4 shower board... but sometimes white is just so plain. So I painted the backside of the shower board. I used broad strokes to blend the paint and made the edges darker.

And now I can use the white side or the painted side as a background. And it doesn't take up any extra space! I love how it looks out of focus (it's nice in focus too). The colors add a nice pop to portraits.

But a word of caution... make sure to put your paints away properly!

Bath night.
(It did come off in the tub, which is a good thing because it looks like a horrible wound!)

recycled fabric = adorable dress

2010-05-10T14:45:00.001-07:00

I got this nifty piece of cotton fabric a while back at my favorite Chicago thrift store. I'm not quite sure what it is supposed to be... a scarf? a wall hanging? I loved the primary colors and graphic design and I knew I would use it for something awesome. Someday.

It waited patiently in a box for months and months... while we moved... and unpacked...
And then I saw it again.
I paired it with a yellow cherry-blossom-like print, bright red pom-pom trim, and big red buttons. The inside of the bodice is yellow gingham.

I love it.

pillowcase dress

2010-04-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

I had a sewing day with my friend Laura this week... actually two days. We made pillowcase dresses. I will not give instructions here. There was much trial and error for me. Just google (is it an acceptable verb yet?) "pillowcase dress tutorial" and there will be several to choose from.
My variation was adding the gathered round pockets to the front.

Overall a simple project... and Alli loves it.

terrarium

2010-03-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun little project for a spring day. The girls had fun collecting all the supplies at a local forest preserve. It all came together in about 20 minutes... plus clean up.

Supplies:
glass container with lid (this beauty was $1 from the thrift store)
rocks
soil
plants (we used moss)
small toys for decorating

Fill the bottom of the container with rocks (for drainage). Add a layer of soil. Top with moss and plants. Add little toy people or animals to live in your little world. Add a little water. Place out of direct sunlight... and enjoy.

Polly Pocket looks so happy driving through this lush landscape.

the finished horse

2010-03-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

I bought this bisque-fired ceramic carousel horse at a thrift store in Chicago. It started out shabby... with lots of potential.

I covered the entire horse with gesso (acrylic primer) and then painted in the details with acrylic paints. I had hoped to finish it for Christmas, but let's face it, we just moved and things have been a bit busy here... so it was more of a Presidents Day gift.

The girls love watching me paint, but more than that, they like to help. I gave them each a small portion of the saddle to paint however they wanted.

I like how it turned out. Alli and Ruby and June love this horse. I often find stuffed animals on its back. Maybe the next project will be making a more sturdy base for it.

cleaning is more fun...

2010-03-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's called a "Shark." And so I made it a bit more shark-ish. I glued large googly-eyes to the top. I cut a row of fierce teeth out of white adhesive vinyl.

And now sweeping is that much more fun.

You should hear the girls squeal and scream as the shark chases them around the kitchen... gobbling up bits of crumbs.

fancy girly gloves in ten minutes

2009-11-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

Last spring I got a great deal on a two-pack of stretchy gloves from Target (25 cents!). One pair was pink with colorful hearts. The second pair was cream with pink stripes at the wrist.

This morning was chilly. So I pulled out the gloves for my girls. But when they saw that one pair had hearts and the other was plain, the bickering began. Of course they both wanted the fancier gloves.

They got plain brown gloves today. (I'm so mean.)

So while they were at school, I pulled out the fabric paint and painted fingernails on the fingers of the plain gloves. I used gold paint to make rings on the ring-fingers. I added pink jewels with the glue gun.

The painting and gluing took about ten minutes. Drying time was about an hour.

Voila!

Fancy!

Now I am wondering if I have just caused another fight.

Christmas project

2009-10-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

I found this little beauty at a thrift shop for cheap. It is a bisque-fired ceramic carousel horse that has been painted hideously with glitter paint.
I am going to make it pretty again.
This horse is going to be a Christmas present, so I hid it away in the basement laundry room. I have been painting it while Alli and Ruby are at school and hiding it before they come home. That worked well for a few weeks until they went exploring in the dark, creepy laundry room.
They were so delighted to discover the horse! I sort of made up a story... like, "I think that belongs to the landlord. We better not mess with it." or something like that.
I hope they will forgive my fib when Christmas comes.
I will post another picture when the horse is done.

the wedding

2009-08-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

My baby sister got married last weekend! She is the ninth kid in our family to tie the knot, so my family knows a thing or two about throwing a little party... for cheap.
We transformed the church gym with paper lanterns lit with battery-powered LEDs. The lanterns were purchased online, and we saved the packaging so they can be resold on Ebay.
For flowers, we used hydrangeas from a friend's yard. The flowers were free (but they looked expensive). We also used greenery from hostas and some wildflowers in the arrangements. About half of the tables had hydrangeas, the other tables had arrangements of lemons and limes. The fruits were ordered by the case (and after the reception we made lots of lemonade!). We used a variety of pitchers, vases, candlesticks, and bowls for all of the arrangements, so each table was unique... but the whole room looked pulled-together and cohesive. Very chic and elegant... and inexpensive.
Unfortunately, in all the hustle and bustle of the reception, I forgot to get good pictures of the table centerpieces. These are the best pictures I've got.
My brother Dan made the cake and decorated it. Delicious. And gorgeous.
The groom's family brought gorgeous leis for the bride and groom and for all of the bride's family (that's a lot of flowers!). I wore a pretty magenta lei (that June pulled apart). I loved all of the flowers on the tables and people.
Some of the food was ordered from a friend's restaurant... and he did it for his cost. Some food was prepared by family and friends. It all came together, and 200 people were fed.

Only one more Mars wedding to go... and it better be in a few years, Ben!

lemon and lime

2009-08-03T17:02:00.001-07:00

My youngest sister is getting married this week! I am doing the centerpieces and decorations for the reception, so I have been playing with her theme lately: lemon and lime. It is such a fun theme to work with!

My mom's theme: inexpensive! So we are using seasonal flowers like hydrangeas (from our friend's garden) and Queen Anne's lace, daisies, etc. (whatever we find growing on the side of the road). We are also ordering cases of fresh lemons and limes.

The table centerpieces will be arrangements of hydrangeas and wildflowers and collections of lemons and limes in eclectic dishes. The bride wants an elegant yet whimsical feel. Quaint with a little quirk. We are using an assortment of vases and dishes... some wedding gifts that we haven't used much and other pieces from the thrift store. The colors of the lemons and limes, flowers, and dishes will unify all the tables, but each table will be unique.

Stay tuned for pictures of the wedding and reception!

From a shirt to a dress...

2009-06-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

I joined a little blog sewing group and made this dress for Ruby! The dress started out as a men's shirt. I would have used one of Andy's shirts , but they were all washed and ironed, hanging neatly in the closet... so I went to the thrift store and picked out a shirt. Orange gingham. It was big, so there was plenty of leftover fabric to make the headband-hat-thingy. Also, instead of the elastic waistband, I made a tie waistband. Not only does it tie, but it also looks like a tie (necktie)... but it is made of washable cotton. I carefully removed the shirt pocket and sewed it onto the skirt of the dress. Ruby likes to fill it with treasures. Ruby loves this dress and calls it her "sundress."
Click here for the tutorial!

This is the second time I have tried to get good pictures of her in the dress. She is jsut always on the move! Next time!

no sweat... actually, no stink

2009-06-04T13:10:00.001-07:00

I made something today. Deodorant.

I haven't used antiperspirant in a long time. Like two years or something. It is not very good for you. And I don't like yellow pit stains in my shirts. So, no antiperspirant for me.
Sure, I sweat. But I don't stink.
I found a great recipe for homemade deodorant here.

3 Tablespoons shea butter
3 Tablespoons baking soda
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons cocoa butter
2 vitamin E oil gel caps (puncture and squeeze out the oil)
Essential Oil (I used ylang yang and orange)

I switched to this deodorant last fall. I love it. The ingredients are simple and it works so well! When I say it works well, I mean you may sweat buckets, but you will not stink! And your shirt pits will not turn yellow.
Here is a little variation on that recipe, you can find moisturizers (usually "body butter" or something thick like that) made mostly of shea and cocoa butter that are already scented with essential oils (read the ingredients), and so I use about 5 tablespoons of that. Mix the Vitamin E oil to lotion. And then just add the baking soda and corn starch to that. I like Bath & Body Works body butters and massage butters for a quick deodorant.

Seriously, this stuff works well. Fresh pits all day. And night!

Not very crafty... but homemade. And healthy.

a skirt from Grandma's fabric

2009-05-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

I had a lovely neighbor all of my growing-up years in Ohio. We called her "Grandma Wolf." (Wolf was her last name.) Grandma Wolf loved to sew. She made most of her own clothes... crisp pants with cool cotton blouses... koulots and matching tops. And she wore all of her homemade creations with white knee-high stockings and white shoes.

Grandma could do it all: buttonholes, zippers, elastic, collars, piping, trims. She generously gave us lots of leftover fabric. She had a huge garden. She canned things. Visiting her was a treat... and usually she gave us her unique homemade cookies or some "penny candy." I wish now that I could go back in time and take sewing lessons from her. She would have liked that. Gardening lessons too. She knew so much, and I wasn't really interested then. Grandma passed away a few years ago.

When I went home for Easter this year, I spotted some fabric at my parents' home... vintage fabric remnants from Grandma Wolf! What a treasure!

This week, I made a skirt for myself with the fabric from Grandma. I kept it simple... A-line with a zipper and hook closures. With the scraps I sewed a flower for my hair. I love the bright, graphic floral pattern... so summery and bright. Vintage, but fresh. As I worked on this project, I thought of my sweet neighbor and I wondered what she would think of my efforts.

Not as tidy as Grandma would have done, but a solid first step.

sushi baby

2009-05-13T12:27:00.001-07:00

Another applique shirt! This is for a baby with sophisticated taste buds... sushi with ginger and wasabi! This kimono-style t-shirt would be cute paired with black leggings and Trumpette socks. Yum.

yoga baby shirts

2009-05-13T12:12:00.001-07:00

Here are some bodysuits I appliqued for a baby shower gift. The momma is into yoga, so I made babies doing yoga poses. I also made a baby yoga mat with tag fringe to go with this.

custom glasses

2009-05-13T11:56:00.001-07:00

My sister stayed with us this winter to help with the new baby. It was wonderful. But she and I kept getting our glasses mixed up. Not that I minded too much, but I like to use one glass all day... less dishes to do. And I like to keep my germs to myself.

So here is our solution... a simple project for your glass tumblers.

First, cut shapes from contact paper to make stencils. Paper punches, QuicKutz, or even an Xacto knife work well for this. The shapes should be unique, so every glass is different... so you can easily tell them apart.

Make sure the glass bottoms are very clean, and adhere the stencils to the bottoms.

Next, carefully paint some glass etching paste over the design. Wait five minutes and rinse well (or whatever the package instructions say). Peel off the contact paper stencils, and voila!

Now you can tell which glass is yours by its unique design... and your glasses will still match each other when set at the table.

And every time you take a sip, you will smile at how clever you are. We have also found these to be great conversation pieces.

I used several images, but monograms, punctation, or geometric designs would work too.

This makes a great semi-homemade gift! A 12-pack of glasses at Target is about $6. The etching paste is about $5 (the small bottle will go a long way!). And if you don't have lots of paper punches, come over and borrow mine.

retro apron

2009-03-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

This apron is part of a very late Christmas gift. I appliqued the orange slice with fabric, double-sided iron-on backing, and machine stitching.
Applique-ing was so much fun. I might have to make some more projects with this.
Stay tuned.

creative baby gifts

2009-03-10T15:04:00.001-07:00

I am blessed with some very talented and generous friends who have made some darling gifts for June.

My sister-in-law Sarah knitted this winter hat for June (and another coordinating one too... a Chicago girl can't have too many!). Obviously June loves it! I love it too. Knitting is not (yet?) one of my talents, so it is wonderful to have a homemade knit hat.

My friend Mo made these onesies with fabric, double-sided iron-on backing, and simple machine stitching. I can't wait for June to grow into these. I think the writing over the elephant says "awesome" or something like that.

The fabulously talented Marjorie crocheted the gorgeous edging on this blanket. It is such a beautiful touch on a simple blanket.

My dear friend Stephanie made this sweet set: bibs, burp cloths, and onesie. I love the hand stitching around the monogram and heart! And how baby-sophisticated to have a burp cloth that matches the outfit!

My mother-in-law made June's blessing gown. You can see it here.

My lovely friend Kris Tina made a baby cozy for June. That's right. A baby cozy. A cocoon of fuzziness. Here is June snoozing away in her cozy cocoon. Heavenly.

I love seeing the brilliant projects my friends do... and it is wonderful to be on the receiving end of their creativity!

pants for daddy's girl

2009-03-04T20:54:00.001-08:00

I have a thing for 1) a good challenge, 2) recycling, 3) creating something unique, 4) outfitting my daughters... and this project fulfilled all those things.

I used the shirt sleeves to make pant legs. I sewed the shirt pocket onto the back of the pants. I am not very great at sewing waistbands, so I used the wasteband from a pair of Ruby's shorts (they used to be pants, but the knees wore out so I made them into shorts, then the bum got worn out.... this is recycling at its best, right?). I cut the waistband off the shorts with about 2 inches of fabric below it. I attached the waistband to the sleeve pants. Not too difficult.

What do you think? Ruby likes to wear this with her "Daddy's Sweetheart" shirt.

Birthday banner

2009-01-29T10:51:00.001-08:00

At our house, there are four January birthdays! So I like to decorate the house a little extra special. This year I made a fabric birthday banner. We used it all month, and I will pull it out in June... and again and again over the years.
I stuck with a gender-neutral rainbow palette. I used bright, basic colors, but you could do this in any color theme.

To do this project you will need:
28 rectangles of fabric (6-1/2 inches by 8-1/2 inches)*
felt scraps... enough to cut out 26 letters
10 feet or more of twill binding or thick bias tape (or doubled up ribbon)
2 curtain rings with clips
a sewing machine that can do a straight stitch

*This is a great use for your collection of fat quarters and fabric remnants!

Iron all of the wrinkles and folds out of the fabric rectangles.
Cut out the letters for HAPPY BIRTHDAY two times (for front and back). I cut out the letters by hand, so I went for the multi-font look... unity in the variety. The letters should be about 5 inches tall. If you are making multi-colored letters, you may want to lay out your rectangles so you can coordinate your letters with their backgrounds.
Sew one letter onto each rectangle... there will be two blank rectangles. Just a simple, straight stitch will do.
This is the tricky part... lay out the first set of letters spelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY (make sure to leave a blank rectangle between words). Lay out the second set of letters below in this order YADHTRIB YPPAH (don't forget the blank rectangle in between words). They should line up like this (I used the @ to show the blank space):

H A P P Y @ B I R T H D A Y
Y A D H T R I B @ Y P P A H

Sew the H rectangle to the Y rectangle with letters facing in, then flip inside out. Sew the A to the A, letters facing in, flip inside out. Repeat with remaining letters. You will end up with HAPPY BIRTHDAY on both sides of your flags.
Line up your flags with about 2 inches between each one. Pin them in place on the bias tape or ribbon. Double check to be sure your letters are in the right order on both sides. Sew the flags in place with a straight stitch.
At each end of the ribbon or bias tape, sew a curtain ring (this makes hanging the banner much easier).
Hang your project and enjoy!

creative

2009-01-11T13:32:00.001-08:00

Please be patient... I have been working on a very creative project (with help from Andy)! Her name is June Emilia. She is beautiful! As with any good creative work, she has caused a lot of messes and taken all my energy... but totally worth it!
Stay tuned for more crafty, creative posts, but in the meantime, enjoy a few of Alli's projects...

variation on a theme... hats

2008-12-21T20:12:00.001-08:00

I made myself a hat. A floppy, funky sort of beanie.

I got a wool sweater at my favorite thrift store. I washed it in hot water and dried it in the dryer... against the recommendations of the tag... and I did it on purpose!
Washing and drying the wool sweater bonded the fibers together, kind of like fleece or felt. Once the sweater was shrunken and felted (nappy), I cut it apart. I made six panels and sewed the pieces together. I topped it off with a big button. It still needed a little something... so I cut a flower out of a red wool sweater that I had washed and dried, stitched around the edge, sewed a button in the middle, and attached it to the hat with a safety pin...

Voila!

I also made stockings from these sweaters... check back soon to see!

the Muff... a $5 winter essential!

2008-12-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

We live in Chicago, so winter is all about surviving the extreme cold. Two years ago I got a rabbit fur muff at the thrift store for Alli ($2 or $3). It was vintage (the satin lining was a little dirty-looking, but the fur was nearly perfect on the outside). I freshened it up with a new fleece lining. It was perfect to keep in the stroller for winter walks! Alli could keep her hands toasty warm and I didn't have to worry about lost mittens. Unfortunately, we had only one muff and two girls who wanted warm hands.

Then I found another muff at my favorite thrift store! What a bargain for $3! And it matched the original muff!

This beauty is a real rabbit fur muff. Classic. I am not a huge fan of fur, but since this recycling, I think the bunny might approve... or at least not disapprove.

Anyhow, to rejuvenate this vintage muff, I made a tube out of new fleece (I bought a remnant from the fabric store for 75% off the original price) for the inside. The tube is a rectangle folded in half with one seam sewn at the bottom. To get the right size, start by guessing and trial-and-error... start a little big because it can always be trimmed smaller.

Once the tube of fleece is ready, check the size by slipping it inside the muff. Make sure the tube is long enough to reach the fur all around the openings on both sides.

Now get out your needle and thread! Stitch the new fleece lining into the muff. Be sure to stitch all the way around the hole on both sides. The stitching doesn't have to be too pretty, fleece and fur are very forgiving.

When you are done, stick your hands into the muff and feel the fleecy-warmth! For under $5, we have the best hand-warmer in Chicago! Seriously, when using the muffs, Alli and Ruby have never complained about cold hands!

Here we are two winters ago, strolling with the original muff! I did change the strap on the original muff this year. It had a wristlet-style strap, so I took it off and put a neck strap on it (so there would be no reason to fight over who got which one).

We are glad to have two girls and two warm muffs!

I am on the lookout for another matching muff... baby girl #3 is coming soon!

More fleece hats!

2008-12-13T12:21:00.001-08:00

My creative mother-in-law made these adorable snowman hats.

Okay, now she is trying to show me up!

PS- My mother-in-law rocks!

fleece hats for every occasion

2008-11-30T20:00:00.001-08:00

Last month, I made a pumpkin hat for Ruby. The fleece hat was so easy to make, that I had to try some variations:

I made this little monster hat for a baby shower gift.

It is sized for a newborn. I started with five 3" x 6"gothic-arch-shaped fleece panels. I sewed those together to make thehat base. I sewed white felt circles on for eyes and yellow felt hornson top. I added bright buttons for monster eyes. I hemmed the hat andsewed the felt teeth on at the same time.

I made this apple hat for a baby gift too.

I started with the same five-panel basic hat. I made a cylinder for the stem... slightly wider at the top. I used some skinny dark green scraps to make the veins on the leaf. Perfect for the baby that is the apple of your eye!

Fleece hats can be styled for any occasion... well, any cold-weather occasion. With all the sales on fleece right now, now is a great time to get creative.

My mother-in-law made this hat.

Actually, she made two.

No wait, actually, she made three... my nephew has one too.

Andy said she was trying to show me up.

What kind of fleece hat do you want to make?

paper Christmas ornaments

2008-11-18T09:10:00.001-08:00

One of our family traditions is making Christmas ornaments to give to our friends! They last longer than cookies and are just as fun to make!

Here is a simple project with stunning results...

I found some great paper ornaments at Paper Source for $1 each! They come in a few different styles and shapes.

I started by putting a sheet of newsprint (tracing paper would work well too) over one facet of the ornament, and with a crayon, I rubbed over one side of the ornament to make a template. That is the trickiest part. If you have trouble holding the paper still, stick it on with double-sided tape so you can get an accurate template to work with.

Now here is the fun, creative part... trace the template on paper, cut out, and glue to the ornament.

Paper Source has a delicious assortment of papers! High quality wrapping paper would work. Fabric would be fabulous! I want to do one with a map of Chicago... maybe the train map! Photos would work. If you have a stack of kids artwork, cut it apart (if your kids are old enough, have them help). This is a good way to display some of it and have a special memento every year. Vintage text, prints and books make great coverings!

I used a book, Curious George Rides a Bike, to cover some ornaments. I got the book at a thrift store for twenty-five cents. It was old and didn't last too long as a book (with the help of Alli and Ruby), but I recycled what was left of it! I traced the template over some of my favorite pictures and text. I love how the black and red print on weathered, vintage paper pairs so well with Christmas paper! Festive and cute!

I finished some ornaments with ribbon trim on the edges. I gold-leafed the edges of another. Tiny ric-rac would be a sweet way to finish them. Oh, the possibilities!

If you like to throw fantastic holiday dinner parties, these would make amazing place cards and double as a party favor (for $1, you can't beat that!) On one side put your guest's name or initials. How fun to take home a special ornament as a keepsake from a dinner with friends!

I have already covered the half-dozen that I bought last week... and I am ready for more!

How are you going to decorate your ornaments?! Please share!

Baby Sweater Makeover

2008-11-18T08:33:00.001-08:00

I got this tiny silk newborn sweater for twenty-five cents. It is so soft and adorable. The only problem was the little snag on the front.

I stitched the snag so it wouldn't grow. Then I covered up the scar with a button flower. I used some vintage buttons and some new ones. I like the eclectic mix of textures and colors.

I added a few other button flowers on the front and on the collar. I stitched stems and leaves using three different colored strands of thread together. The mixed threads are more interesting and homespun-looking. I am not a talented embroiderer, but my basic stitches sufficed here. I like the whimsical look.

I love the finished sweater!
Just a few more weeks until baby arrives... in style.

baby tag blanket

2008-11-01T15:41:00.001-07:00

We have been busy making things for our baby. This week the girls helped me make a tag blanket. This project was inspired by the very crafty Jill.
The fabric is from JoAnn... this piece was a remnant bin deal! I used bits of ribbon around the edges. Alli and Ruby helped pick out the ribbons.
With the good side of two equal-sized fabric pieces facing in, I folded the 2-3 inch lengths of ribbon in half and pinned them between the fabric pieces. Then I sewed the seam, securing the ribbons in place. I did three and a half sides of the blanket before turning it inside out (fuzzy fabric side out) and finishing the last half side.

I sewed another seam around the entire blanket to finish it off.

Hopefully they won't mind sharing this blanket with baby sister!

Make sure to use better quality ribbon for this as it will be washed and chewed on, etc. I used some ribbons from products: Izod ribbon from one of Andy's new dress shirts, Ethel's Chocolate ribbon from a box of chocolates, Hermes ribbon, Toblerone ribbon from a Christmas package... I am a ribbon saver and this project was perfect to purge some of my collection.

from plain to bloomin' cute!

2008-10-30T12:32:00.001-07:00

My mom gave me a cute plain white shirt for Ruby. It had a tiny hole in it. I stitched the hole shut and covered the scar with a flower sequin secured with thread and a seed bead. Then I went a little nuts and added dozens more flower sequins.

Ruby likes her re-styled shirt. Me too.

I bet you can't tell where the hole was!

(Flower sequins by Doodlebug Designs. You can buy them here.)

for the newest monster...

2008-10-26T20:20:00.001-07:00

Alli and Ruby helped make this squeaky tag monster toy for their new baby sister (coming soon).
The squeaker in the tummy is from another toy that wasn't as cute. We used this fun, stringy fur cut in the shape of a monster blob. I sewed the face on using felt pieces, then sewed the two sides of the monster blob together. The tags were sewn into the seams. The girls stuffed the monster and inserted the squeaker and then I sewed the bottom seam shut with a few more ribbon tags in it. I finished it off with button eyes.
Alli and Ruby had fun testing out the squeaker. They can't wait to give it to the newest little monster!

Ric rac pumpkin

2008-10-26T20:13:00.001-07:00

Inspired by the fabulous Eddie Ross, I had to make a ric rac pumpkin all my own.

I did mine au natural with yellow ric rac trim... not quite as sophisticated as his, but we are having a kid Halloween at our house. Easy, quick and adorable!

saving the earth one baggy at a time

2008-10-08T12:10:00.001-07:00

For those of you who are trying to live green, this is a project for you! This is great for packed lunches and picnics. When opened, the sandwich holder doubles as a plate.

I started out with an octagon pattern (I made mine from a trimmed piece of 12x12 inch scrapbooking paper... this holds a full size sandwich, not just the half. But if you like taller sandwiches loaded with stuff, you may want to cut a larger octagon). Cut out two octagons from cute fabric (be extra green and cut fabric from clothes in your toss pile) and one octagon from clear vinyl (available at craft store or recycle from those clear zipper bags that comforters and sheet sets come in).

You can also use a vinyl tablecloth or oilcloth and one piece of fabric... I couldn't find any cute oilcloth at JoAnn's when I was making this... so vinyl worked for me. If you are looking for cute oilcloth, check this out!

Stack the three octagons like this: fabric, vinyl, fabric (patterns facing in). Sew together, leaving one side open. Turn inside-out, make sure the vinyl covers the fabric you want to be on the sandwich-side of the sandwich holder. Make a little tab with a scrap of fabric and sew the scratchy piece of velcro to the tab. Sew this tab onto the sandwich holder when you close the open end. Sew around the edges of the octagon to finish it nicely. Add the soft piece of velcro to the fabric side of the sandwich holder... fold the sandwich holder to find the right position.

Make a sandwich, wrap it up, take it somewhere and enjoy!

This super-cute lunch accessory can be used over and over. Usually I just wipe it down after each use, and wash it in the washer every week or so. Wash regular and lay flat to dry (vinyl side down).

I made a few of these for Alli's school lunches... different fabrics for different moods. I made a smaller one (about 8x8 inches) that is great for pretzels, cookie, etc.

This project was inspired by another creative blog... but I have lost the link. I will try to find it and post it here. Sorry.

because I felt like it...

2008-10-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

I finished the shirt for Alli's pirate costume... arg! The felt is black with glitter interspersed. I would describe this style as girly-glam pirate chic.

This shirt was in the toss pile. It had a few stains from summer fun. The skull and bones covered most of the stains and gave this shirt new life.

I cut the image out of felt and stitched it on the shirt with the sewing machine.

I also reinvented some of Alli's old leggings for Ruby. I'm hoping Ruby will not get tired of hand-me downs if I freshen them up.

I cut off a few inches from the legs, added pom-pom trim and a few felt critters. I sewed buttons on for eyes. The bat on the back covers a spot that was a little worn. Originally the pumpkin was the only thing on the front, but Ruby wanted to wear them backwards so she could see the bat. I added the spider to the front so she would wear them the right way. Ruby loves these pants and wears them as often as laundering allows.

Halloween garland

2008-10-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

I love fall. I love Halloween! It is such a fun, creative, imaginative holiday!
This year we made a Halloween garland to hang over our dining table. We die-cut several Halloween shapes (I used QuicKutz Revolution shapes) from scraps of fall-colored paper. Alli and Ruby decorated several of the shapes with markers and crayons. We strung thread from the wall to the light fixture and then used small pieces of clear tape to hang the die-cut papers on the threads.
Alli and Ruby are so proud of their contributions. The garland is whimsical and festive, and just the right project for an afternoon of spooky fun.

pumpkin hat

2008-10-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Ruby wants to be a pumpkin for Halloween. So I made her a costume. I still have work to do on the suit, but the hat is done, and I love how it turned out! Ruby likes it too and has been wearing it everywhere!
I love working in fleece and felt. They are so easy to work with (and very forgiving)! I made six panels of orange fleece in the shape of Gothic arches. I sewed those together and topped it off with a felt stem (rectangle and circle sewn into a cylinder) and a felt veined leaf. I hemmed the hat so it sits just above Ruby's eyes.
The entire project took about 30 minutes... I was on the phone with my mom the whole time. Not bad.
I promise it is easy, but if you need help, come on over and I'll coach you.

Sugar and spice... and hair bows

2008-09-09T06:55:00.001-07:00

Here are some hair bows I made recently for a benefit auction. You can bid for them on my other blog by leaving a comment (please don't bid here).
My supply list for these includes: metal hair clips (the pinchy kind), felt, buttons, beads, jewels, silk flower, ribbon, suede, peacock feather, glue gun, thread.
I cover one side of the clip with flocked ribbon or felt to cling to fine baby hair (fewer lost bows that way).

Bathroom Art

2008-09-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

I painted these tiny canvases for our bathroom. They are whimsical, gentle reminders for the bathroom.

project runway stroller

2008-08-17T13:05:00.001-07:00

Far too often my girls are wearing out their toys (partly because most toys these days are made cheaply and partly because the girls are wildly active and "imaginative" with their toys). The latest toy to be worn out: the beloved doll stroller.
So the choices are: 1. throw out the old stroller, buy another one and wear it out too, 2. redo the fabric on this stroller... and make it stronger and more darling... and add a few bells and whistles.
The choice was obvious.
Alli helped me pick out the fabrics. At one point she held up two pieces of fabric and said "I don't know if these make sense together" (sometimes we watch a little Project Runway together). So we picked different fabric. We added a bead trim to the canopy.
On the back we added a pocket... and more bead trim.
So we ended up using a sparkly pink fabric, the brown canvas with polka-dots, and the mid-century-modern multi-colored design, and a teal paisley fabric. As Tim Gunn would say, "We made it work."
And this is why I doubled up the fabric and reinforced seams...

Mom, don't look at this yet...

2008-05-07T18:47:00.000-07:00

Mom, if you are reading this, stop now... until my card arrives in the mail.

Here is a card I made for my mom. I went with a bird nest theme. There are many, many kids in my family, and 90% are out of the nest. My mom is an amazing mother, who has had a busy, full nest for 39+ years. Anyhow, I thought Mom would appreciate the sentiment... and she always appreciates any home-made card from her peeps... er, kids.

This is the front of the card. The mama bird and the nest. (Click on the pictures for a more detailed view.)

This is the inside. There are ten little birds inside (there are ten kids in my family) who have hatched from their eggs and are flying around like chickens with their heads... oh wait, lets stick to nice bird-isms...they are flying around like a bird out of ... oh well. Crazy, busy, colorful flying birds. Here is a little detail on the back of the card... under the heart-felt message to my mom.

The card is made from paper collage and drawing. The paper shapes were made by cutting freehand (with my favorite Tonic spring-cut scissors... essential for detailed cutting), and there are some QuicKutz die-cut shapes as well.

The birds are simple to make: cut out two tear-drop shapes, one larger than the other (I used QuicKutz rain die-cuts). Use the large one as the body, the small one as the wing. Add a beak, eye (googly eyes are great for this), and twiggy feet.

The darling patterned papers are manufactured by Colorbok, Chatterbox, Paper Source, Bazzill, SEI, and others.

My mom will like it. Happy Mothers' Day!

My current project...

2008-04-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am working on a small quilt. It is not done, so here is a preview. I have added a few beads to this piece. This is my first time adding beads to a quilt, and I love how it is turning out. This is a small quilt, so I should be done soon... and I will post a complete picture.

I am already plotting out my next quilt project. Here is a small collage version.

I am not quite sure how to do it... but that is how I like to start most projects. I will start working on the fish quilt as soon as the little one is done.

Framed

2008-03-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

I painted this landscape about five years ago as my goodbye to Utah. This is a painting of a fantastic spot in southwest Provo. The painting has been framed in a second-hand wood frame from D.I. This week I fixed up that old $2 frame. I primed it and gold-leafed it, and now I just love the frame. The painting looks so much better bordered in crackled gold.

Unfortunately, the painting is not yet on the wall, so when I set it up for a quick picture, Alli and Ruby stole the spotlight.

They too look great framed in crackled gold.

Polka-Dot Quilt

2008-03-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

I finished a small quilt yesterday. I made it for the St. James Auction. It is all hand-stitched... with much love. Here is Alli modeling it for me...

Alli and Ruby contributed by drawing on it with a marker... luckily it washed out.

If you are interested in buying the quilt, I will invite you to the auction.

Getting Crafty

2008-03-06T21:17:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to my friend Stephanie! Baby Eliza was born March 3rd. To celebrate her birth, I got a little crafty and made a nursing cover. The front is held open with a flexible plastic piece that keeps mom's view unobstructed while baby nurses in privacy. The nursing cover folds into the front pocket for compact storage. The magnetic clasp holds the strap on one side. I got this great fabric at JoAnn's.

Every mom and baby needs a diaper clutch to hold the essentials. This little bag holds a small wipe container and a few diapers. The fabric lining inside is glittery pink. The magnetic clasp is hidden under a felt flower. I cut the felt with my QuicKutz die-cutter.
The wipes container is embellished with fabric, felt and beads. The flowers were cut with the QuicKutz die-cutter. I used clear Gloo by K.I. Memories to adhere the fabric and beads.

A sneak peek...

2008-02-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a children's book about Ruby's unending desire to be UP. So far I have about fifteen illustrations done or in progress. The text is outlined, but not polished. The illustrations are depictions or exaggerations of climbing feats Ruby has actually attempted.

Ruby is fearless and confident. She has the most darling smile with over-sized kid teeth growing in a toddler mouth, and she does this funny smile where her top, front four teeth stick out... in a very cute way. She is vivacious and bubbly and physically active. And she is always trying to get herself on higher ground... or furniture as the case may be.

The illustrations are watercolor paint, ink, and pencil on heavy watercolor paper.

This illustration is not quite complete... but you get the idea.

thinking of summer

2008-01-31T07:45:00.000-08:00

It is insanely cold here in Chicago, and I have summer on the brain. I find myself browsing through sunny warm pictures of the fun things we did last summer and imagining myself warm and wearing sandals at the beach. (Sigh.) It was 2 degrees yesterday morning... not counting windchill. I had to put on my big ugly warm boots just to check the mail (right outside of our door).
So many of our summer pictures included our dear neighbor Elijah, Alli's best friend, that I had to do a scrapbook page celebrating their summer of fun together. I used paper from the dollar section at Target (12 sheets for $1), a Sharpie felt-tip pen, the QuicKutz Moxie Classic alphabet, and some plain cardstock from Costco.

Click on the picture for a larger, more detailed view.

I doodled and sketched on the die-cut letters and on the paper flowers to tie them together. Doodling makes a very fun, care-free, light-hearted scrapbook page. Some people are intimidated by free-hand drawing. Doodling isn't too difficult. Try this... I drew along the inside of the letters (this font works well because it is so chunky), creating a boundary for my doodling. I filled in the letters with stripes, polka dots, zig zags, etc. The lines don't have to be perfect (that is what makes them fun and innocent).

This was a temporary cure for winter chills, but a permanent preservation of sunny memories... and that warms my heart.

Fish Pinata

2008-01-20T19:09:00.000-08:00

My daughter wanted to have a fish-princess-unicorn-themed party for her fourth birthday. (She is all about mixing and matching. Her hairstyle for the party was one French braid and one pigtail.)

Here is the pinata for the party.

It is a fish princess.

I made the body from a basic pinata (paper mache over balloon).

The pinata is covered in die-cut circles (I used the QuicKutz bagel die) to make the scales. The scales are glued on, row by row, overlapping from front to back. The fins, eyes, lips and crown are hand-cut originals. I used a bone folder to score lines on the fins for a little texture and shaping. I embellished with plastic jewels.

This was a great project to use up lots of miscellaneous paper scraps. I used patterned and solid cardstock. I even used some drawings that Alli had done.

The funny thing is, the kids at the party had never smashed a pinata before, so they were quite reluctant to hit it... until they saw the candy come out. Then it was bashed to pieces in seconds. And candy is probably still scattered throughout my living room... which is fine with my kids.