November already?

It's November already? Seems like summer was just yesterday.  I have been crafting and searching for new ideas for Christmas gifts. I found this idea on Pinterest.  All you need is a 4" clay pot with a clay saucer. A little glass craft bowl, ribbon, pain, E 6000 and a little wooden ball. I got the clay pot and saucer at Michael's for under 2.00. I bought the bowl and ribbon at The Dollar Tree for 2.00, added a bag of candy 1.00. I glued the wooden ball to the center of the bottom side of saucer.
So I painted the pot and saucer, let them dry and added some brown dots of paint. Let that dry and glued the bowl to the upside down clay pot. I let it dry for 2 days just to make sure it was really dry. Tied a ribbon around it, added the candy.
I think it turned out really cute and made a cute gift for under 5.00
Although Michael's was limited on clay pots and the matching saucers. I also added some brown dots to the lid after I took this photo.
Right now I am making a felt basket as a gift.
I'll post it when I'm finished with it.
So what are you working on? Do you make homemade gifts? I always make some gifts for Christmas. Last year I made a ton of handcrafted scarves, coasters and other things. I was disappointed afterwards. I worked really hard and long. I put a lot of thought and energy into those items I made. Only to see no one wearing the things or displaying what I had given them. I guess some people don't appreciate the effort. So this year I will not be killing myself to get it all done. I will make a few things to give to those who appreciates handcrafted gifts other than that I won't give the others anything. Does that sound mean or selfish?  The people I gave these things to wanted the more expensive gift items and because they don't do any crafting,, they do not realize the amount of effort that goes into it.. Now if I had bought the same gift and it came with a large price tag or brand name they would have been tickled pink. But I know from past experiences that people think because I craft , it was inexpensive. My daughter always comes to mind in these cases. Since I have crafted her whole life she showed little appreciation for these things. It has only been in the last couple of years that she is starting to show some love for the handcrafted item.
So is life I guess..... well until next time
Happy Crafting!

Summer Gone By

I know it's been awhile but time seems to be going so fast. I spent my summer sewing a few pieces of clothes for the youngest granddaughter and learning how to work with polymer clay. I saw a altered bottle on Flickr and fell in love. Isn't is just gorgeous! I figured that if you just wrap snakes of clay and add a few indents then bake. You would do a quick paint job and wipe that off. This is what you get. Right? Well not quite. Because mine keep flattening out and just doesn't look the same. But I'll keep working on it. Heaven knows I'm no quitter. Although I have a ton of UFOs, I eventually get back to them and finish.
Right now I am working a boutique style hair bows too. My youngest granddaughter started school a couple of weeks ago and will not go without a bow in her hair. I never realized just how young they become little divas. But at 4 she is definitely a diva with very strong opinions, likes and dislikes.

Tags

I have recently became enthralled with tags. Tags being gift tags that you use on presents. But to be honest with you I think are way to pretty to go on something that with be thrown away along with the gift wrapping. So after looking at many for a couple of weeks decided this morning to try my hand at making one. I use scrapbooking card stock, a few card making stick ons, a wee bit of pearl stems, snipped off a little bit of artifial flowers, added 2 different ribbons and a butterfly button.

I guess you are only limited by your imagination and you resources.

I really didn't have alot to work with but I think it turned out rather cute.

If I were going to get into it big I could probably spend a fortune. But I am a cheapskate at heart and so mine will never rival those tags that I am in love with. Oh well just as well. Just wanted to share.

Until next time peeps, Happy Crafting

I love Pinterest

Have you discovered Pinterest yet? Evidently they have been around for awhile but I have not seen it until 2 weeks ago. This site allows you to collect pictures and urls of things, places and styles that inspire you. You can collect pictures of what you like by surfing the web, going to sites you love or by joining and looking at what others have posted on their pin boards. You pin or repin pictures onto your pinterest board.

I have become addicted to Pinterest. In the last 2 weeks I have visited dozens of blogs where the blogger has tutorial and how tos of just about anything. Did you know you can make your own cleaning supplies for a fraction of retail cost? Well, I didn't know until Pinterest.

Did you know that you could make beautiful furntishings from old shipping pallets? Me either but there are dozens of people out there who make beds, couches, tables, shelves ect... from shipping pallets. You remember right before Christmas I was doing all the gifts handmade? I will be very prepared next Christmas. As a matter of fact I have become so inspired by the DIYs that I am so motivated to make some changes at my house.

Although I am not quite sure which room I will begin with. My kitchen does need a new coat of paint so I will probably begin there along with the hall way that is sort of attached to the kitchen.

Was thinking of maybe a light orange walls with accents in Dark orange with a touch of teal.

What do you think about repainting all the picture frames down the hall a dark orange and adding dark orange knobs to my white cabinets? I thought then maybe a few tall bottles spray painted teal to set on top of the frig?

I don't know the last time I had a vision for my kitchen it went horribly wrong and it took me 5 years to change it. HeHe

Buying the paint next week so we will see.

Well gotta run, if you want to follow me on Pinterest go to the right hand side and look at the "Places I visit" catagory. It's the first one.

until next time my lovelies, Happy Crafting

Welding Caps Instructions again

I told you last time I would get together instructions for you and I had an awful time trying to get the pattern where you can just print it out. The best I can do is direct you to 2010 posts where I gave you the directions as well as the pictures of the pattern.
I am sorry about it but I am not tech savvy enough to to it any other way.
If some time in the future I figure it out, I'll post it.

Until then here are the pattern pieces and I"ll try to walk you through this.

You will need 4 fat quarters or about 18" of two co ordinating fabrics. Cotton works best.

You will need to cut 2 fronts, 2 backs, 2 side panels, 2 bills and 1 bill piece from felt or fleece and 2 strips for the cap band measuring about 34 -36 inches.

Hopefully you have sewing experience. Sew the bill together using 3 pieces 1 for the outside,the felt or fleece for the padding and 1 for the inside of cap.

* I make mine so they are reversible, Using 1 design on the outside and another design for the inside. After you sew the bill together you then treat the rest of the sewing like you are working on just 1 cap (You will see why in a mionute)

I sew a front and a back to the side panel and do it again then sew the 2 sections together matching up edges. I pin the finished bill piece to the edge of the front pieces then I sew the band to the lower edge around the whole cap. You will need to do some adaptations when you get near the end so the band will need to be sized up and trimmed as you finish it.

Npw do this again for your inside cap.

You will then do the exact same steps for the inside of cap.

Second to the Last step: Place the inside and outside caps together right sides touching And sew around the whole thing leaving a couple inches open for turning.

Turn the cap outside right through the opening and do a stay stitch around the whole cap.

Done.

In the mean time if you can print it and work with it let me know how you did, I would love to see pictures.

Here's a tip, if you have an old baseball hat laying around try looking at it to see how it's put together. You could even tear it up and work with it as a pattern.

I hope this tut helps, I'm sorry it's the best I could give you for now.
Until next time happy crafting peoples.

Welding Caps Revisited

Over the last 2 months I have had 184 requests for a paper pattern for my welding cap tutorial. And that is just in the last 2 months. Unfortunately I donot have the means or time to send these out through the mail. That's alot of stamps and envelopes. I have a tut on my tutorial site that everyone is free to use. It is for a do rag. After Christmas I will get a tutorial together for the welding caps or at least try to. I am not real good with figuring out how to make a pattern that you can print off and not have to worry about the sizing. If you are interested my site is http://itsmybag.myeweb.net
I hope this helps and am truely sorry that I cannot send everyone a written pattern personally.
I will be updating soon. Until then Merry Christmas!

In Love With Felt

I know it has been months since I posted but you know how life gets in the way.

Recently I started crafting for the holidays. And money being in short supply this year I decided to make it a homemade Christmas. So I needed some little toys to add to the pound puppies I made. I started searching for ideas and found 2 really cute free instructions to make owls from felt. Downloaded the patterns and since I already had some felt, made the little owls.

I can say officially I have fallen in love with those little felt squares you can buy by the piece or in 12 packs at Michaels and Walmart.

Turned out cute or at least I think so. So off to Michaels I went. Picked up about 12 in different colors. And made 2 more in blue this time.

Then as I was browsing the web like I often do in search of more little felt friends I had an idea. Why not download coloring pages and use them as patterns. This has worked beautifully.

I have used more owls , an elephant, a chick, a bear and a few others to add to my pattern collection for little felt friends. I also came across a cute little primative pouch holding a stuffed heart with scrabble tiles used to make cute sayings like "love much". The web site wanted over 10.00 each. Since I had about a hundred scrabble tiles sitting in my glass tile jewelry making box. I knew I could make these. But when it came down to putting a stuffed heart in these I thought it could be of more use with maybe coasters in the pouch. Drew out 8 circles and made 4 coasters to go into each pouch. I have now made 7 of these. Trouble was after 3 I didn't have any usable letters left in my pile. I used 1/2 inch letters on the backside of the tiles and that was perfect. I also have made 15 scarfs from fleece and used felt stars, flowers or hearts to embellish the scarves. I"ll do a post on these later.

I will try to set up a tutorial if anyone is interested. Well until next time happy crafting.

Where does the time go?

Where does the time go? It has been almost 9 months since I posted. Is that possible? I bet you all forgot about me. I have been busy with work, making things for baby showers and just plain ol being lazy. Yes you can be busy being lazy. Here it is March and looking out the window to snow coming down. Darnit I had plans for the day that did not include snow.

Anyways, both my daughter and daughter in law have decided to do their livingrooms and kitchens in primative. I browsed the web and came across alot of wonderful prim designs. These little star wall hangings will fit the bill nicely. I traced out some stars like these and cut about 1 dozen in 2 diffenert sizes. Now if I can get my hubby to get his dremel and some sand paper out of his building... I plan on painting them, sanding them alittle and hang them with some old wire. Then I'll add a saying on each one. Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures when I get them done. I lost my camera cable and have no idea where it can be. Living in a very small house you tend to lose things in all the clutter. I know I should throw stuff away but I always think I might need it later. No I'm not a hoarder per say. But I have a really hard time throwing away craft supplies. I will eventually use them. I have things for years and not use them then one day I'll decide to do that particular craft again and I dont have to go buy that many supplies because I saved the bulk.

Been gone way too long

Wow has it really been almost 2 months since I last posted. Sorry about that. I seem to be in a funk right now. I did buy and make a few of the glass tile jewelry necklaces. Thet turned out really cute. I really need to post pictures of them. I'll try to do it soon. I am stuck in a rut and have been playing those silly games on FaceBook. If you are a Facebook person then you know the ones I'm referring. I got started a couple of months ago when a co worker kept badgering me to join Farmville and be his neighbor. I finally gave in and it has become almost an obsession. Farmville, Petville, Zoo Paradise, Island Life, Frontierville, not to mention the dozen I finally quit. It has taken over my life. I have to get busy on making things so plan on giving up all but two maybe three of them. I really like Farmville and Frontierville and my grandkids keep asking me not to quit them. You know what a pushover I am with them. Anyways, I'll try to keep you updated more often. Well, I need to go check my crops on Farmville. LOL I'll see ya soon. Until then....,. happy crafting.

My newest venture

My Newest Craft Hopeful.... Scrabble Tile Jewelry.
This is a beautiful example of tile jewelry. These belong to Victoriasgould at ArtFire.

I have in the last couple of days started thinking about starting my crafting for the fall craft shows. Now to be honest with you, I haven't done any crafting or sewing for several months. I'm funny like that. I will go months and months crafting or sewing then suffer serious burnout and completely stop doing any of it for a couple of months.

So trying to decide something that people would like to buy, cost effective, looks professional after it's completed and that is interesting or fun to work on is a big factor.

I know that I will be doing tutus again only this time I know to do lots of pinks and purples.

I will not be making shoes since I have alot of those left from last year.

I am thinking of doing tile jewelry. Although I've never done any. I am intrigued with this technique and the simplicity of making these. If there is a paper or card out there with a design you like you can make it into a beautiful piece.

I'll let you know when I get to do some.

Welding Cap Directions

Okay after waiting forever, here is the directions for putting the welding cap together.
You need two fat quaters, either contrasting or co-ordinating fabrics.
First you need to cut out 2 of each pattern pieces for the sides, back and again for the front and 1 strip of fabric for the headband and 1 for the bill.
You will have a total of 8 pieces for each color fabric.
Now sew 1 front piece to the side and 1 back piece to the other side of the side piece. Do it again with the remaining 3 pieces per color. Then place the panels together right sides together lining up your seams. Sew along the rounded edge fron end to end. This is the beanie cap. Now sew the strip for the band along the lower edge.
You will then repeat all steps to your contrasting or co-ordinating fabrics.
To make the bill you will place a bill pattern piece down on top of the contrasting bill piece right sides together. Sew all along the round edge. Turn right side out and press. Pin the bill raw edge against the outside raw edge of one of the finished cap edges upside down.
Place the other finished cap right side against the other. Sew together leaving an opening about 3 inches unsewn. Pull the entire cap through the opening. Adjusting and finger press the cap band and sew along the whole entire cap edge to close up the opening and give it a finished appearance. Now you're done.

My Biggest Apologies to Everyone

I owe everyone a Huge Apology.... First because I haven't kept up with the comments. Secondly because I told everyone last year when I posted the welding caps, that if they emailed me, I would send them the pattern to the welding caps. Stupidly thinking that comments would be send to my inbox. So here I am with mud on my face.

So to make it up to everyone... I will post a tutorial with step by step pictures on here in the next couple of days. I would do it tonight but it's late and I have to be up very early (4:00 am) to go to work. I'm sorry for the confusion (mostly on my part).
I will try to email people that sent in a comment.
Huggles,
Becky