Patchwork

What a weekend! It flew by - do you feel the same?

 

Time always seems to fly by, though, and the time I imagine it will take to finish projects is never long enough. I think I need some creative time management skills. As in 'how long does it actually take to complete a new design/project from start to finish'? It's just difficult to calculate. On top of that, I've figured out that the first prototype I create is almost never what the final product looks  like.

That's why I'm writing about patchwork today, rather than all of the inventory in my etsy store.

patch·work (pách wùrk)

1) patches sewn together; needlework in which pieces of fabric are sewn together in a decorative way

2) mixture: something made up of many different parts

 

I started sewing a bunch of pieces of fabric together this weekend - remnants of projects, scraps from clothing, and bits and squares from vintage fabric pieces I've hoarded collected throughout the years. I had no plan, because I usually just wing it, and so far, it's turning out rather well. I have no idea what this patchwork will turn into - a pillow or pillows, a quilt top, a table runner, a basket liner? I'm waiting for a sign...

In terms of other projects, I managed to make ONE pillow cover this past weekend, in my beloved ticking (red-and-white!). It's cotton, a nice weight, machine washable, and gets softer with use. I try to use feather/down pillows whenever I can, I like the slouchy, soft, nap-able quality they have. I'm not sure if this pillow's ready for it's debut in the shop yet...I need to let it sit for awhile longer.

I also upcycled some plates this weekend, turning them into mini chalkboards; I added the 'menu' label to dress them up an extra little bit. They're simple and very fun to write on...like most chalk boards. You should try it. They'll be in the etsy shop soon, so you can. I also designed a few things for kitchen organization/prettification; they'll be making an appearance here and in the shop soon, too.

 

 

The handsome fellow in the picture above is Penner who also acts as a photography 'assistant' on occasion. He found his way into our backyard one day and has never left. He's happy to greet every human who ventures into his territory; he doesn't feel at all the same about his fellow felines.

 

And last but not least...it's Giveaway time!

 

There are three prizes to win:

1.) One $10 gift card to JoAnn

2.) One $20 gift card to Home Goods

3.) One pillow of your choice from the Paisley Press etsy store

 

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. I'll draw names from the comments to determine winners. If you want to leave a comment as Anonymous, please be sure to leave a name in the body of the comment so I'll know who I'm gifting. The giveaway closes at 5 pm Pacific time on Thursday, August 28. Winner(s) will be announced Friday, August 29. 

 

Good luck!

 

~ M ~

Sweet Burlap Gift Bags

Happy Monday Tuesday!

 

Whew! It's taken me awhile to get back on my feet after last weekend. I hope, though, everyone had a smashing 4th of July!

 

I had a hard time with everything I worked on yesterday...sort of seemed to be in a creative funk for the day. I finally ended up making some cute gift bags so the funk was short-lived. Thankfully!

 

I love burlap bags. They're rustic and basic but could stand, in reality, to be dressed up a little. Nothing too over the top given burlap's humble nature, just something simple...cute. So I got busy and created a scalloped heart design on the Silhouette. Once the design was complete, I cut 4 on heat transfer vinyl and ironed one onto each bag.

 

 So far, I like working with the heat transfer vinyl (HTV). HTV comes on a plastic-like backing. The Silhouette cuts the vinyl layer while leaving the backing layer intact. After the cut is completed, any of the vinyl that's not part of the design is removed and then it's ironed - with the vinyl side down and the backing attached - to fabric. A protective layer is also required between the backing material and the iron. I just use a scrap piece of fabric.

 

After the design is ironed, the backing is peeled off, the vinyl is now affixed to the fabric and the project is complete! I struggled a little bit with the detail on this heart and the texture of the burlap - they didn't exactly want to get together. The scallops required extra time and attention to make sure they were well attached but everything turned out great in the end.

 

These would be great bags for shower or wedding gifts. They'd actually work for any gift that's given from the heart...and that's small enough to fit in the bag!

I think there might be a way for peeps who don't have Silhouettes to create a few heat transfer vinyl projects that are similar to this. I haven't tried it yet - it's on my list - but I'll let you know if it works out.

For Silhouette owners, check back tomorrow. I'll have the cut file for the scalloped heart available for download.

 

Stay tuned.

 

~ M ~

Birdhouse Beauty

Hello Everyone!

 

Here it is Thursday and I'm actually posting Thursday's post. Yay for me. No wait, yay for you! Two posts in one day. It feels so good to be back on schedule.

 

This bird house was another find on my last trip to Michaels.  Of course I was looking for something else in the unfinished wood section and I spotted this (my typical MO). I immediately thought of washi tape. And markers. But...once I got started, my markers kept drying out (might have been the 100 degree weather and the gale force winds from the ceiling fan) so I had to cut my losses and go straight for full washi tape coverage. I was able to color a few small spaces with marker, though, like the end of the perch where bird sits.

 

 

I painted it first; some of the tape is transparent and I wanted the under color to be white rather than the natural wood it's made from. After two coats of paint, I sanded it gently and then started taping away.

 

 

I used a sander at the corners and edges to remove excess tape rather than trying to cut it to exact lengths. I also coated it with two coats of Mod Podge to give the tape more staying power and to seal all of the edges.

 

 

It's a bit of a wild looking place - I know I couldn't live in it full time. It's definitely bright enough to catch the eye of any bird passing by. It takes a little patience and a little more manual dexterity to complete this project but I think you'd enjoy making one of your own.

A collection of these little houses would be cute covered with old book pages, too!

Stay tuned.

~ M ~

DIY Grocery Vases

Hello Friends!

 

 

Just a quick note today...

 

My husband and I were making dinner the other evening and I noticed, for some reason, the shape of the barbecue sauce jar. I thought to myself 'Self, this would make a cool vase.' And then I started thinking about what other things in my house, from the grocery store, would make good vessels for flowers. And although I still haven't gotten my hands on that barbecue sauce bottle, I did manage to come up with a few other ideas.

 

 

The 3 vases I 'created' are an upcycled soup can, an upcycled peanut butter jar and 4 egg cups. They're all from the grocery store; the egg cups are usually carried (near the Easter holiday) in the store's dishware section. None of these 'vases' was purchased specifically for flowers nor were they purchased from the floral department. As a matter of fact, the soup can has made an appearance before here and the peanut butter jar, here. It just goes to show that so many things can be useful in several different ways...if you give them a fresh look. 

When it comes to fresh flower displays, I typically prefer smaller vases over larger for the simple reason that I think it draws more attention to the flowers. A gerbera daisy in an egg cup is tiny bit of beauty all on it's own. And lush peonies in an upcycled soup can aren't too bad to look at either!

Immediately after finishing these pictures, I delivered these flowers to two of my neighbors. I think I've told you before that I can't keep any plant - fresh or dried - in my home or my clever little cat finds them and eats them. And they all make her sick. So out they go, off to friends to enjoy.

At least I get to look at the pictures!

 

Stay tuned.

 

~ M ~

Uncanny

Hello Friends!

 

 

I don't usually post on Tuesday (although I'd love to post every day!) so this is just a quick note.

I saw this can when my husband was getting ready to toss it out. I really liked the ridges and had an idea for an easy upcycle. Not exactly an original idea (yes, I used washi tape!), but an idea nonetheless.

 

So simple...all you need is a can (preferably empty ;) ) and a roll of washi. I rinsed the can well and popped it in the dishwasher. When it was clean, I took it to my studio. 15 minutes later, I had a cute little storage container - great for pens or pencils, makeup brushes, or utensils on a casual buffet.

 

The  washi tape came in the mail the day after I cleaned the can up so the two seemed like a natural fit. It took 10 minutes to wrap 3 rows of tape around the can. I need to go over it with a layer of mod podge to give it a good seal. You could glue a piece of felt on the bottom if you'd like (trace around can, cut out, glut to bottom of can) to make sure the can doesn't cause any scuffs or scrapes on surfaces.

 

If you want to do this, make sure your can doesn't have any sharp or rough edges. And washi tape is perfect for this project because it has some 'give' so it will conform to the ridges of the can. Regular paper doesn't have the same amount of 'give' so it's more difficult to work with in the same way.

 

This can would make a great little container for flowers, too. Just use a small glass inside the can to hold water and the stems of the bouquet. If you're wondering what kind of flowers to use, pink carnations, white carnations, or pink roses would each fit the bill perfectly. Very pretty!

 

Stay tuned...

 

~ M ~