tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34707300623495071032024-03-13T19:59:30.668-07:00Unicorns are people, too...raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-16996319574043929282013-05-13T11:59:00.002-07:002013-05-13T11:59:55.907-07:00Happy Mother's Day: Quilter's EditionI don't know about all the other mommies I know, but I had THE MOST WONDERFUL Mother's Day courtesy of my wonderful husband and our little minions. I got my favorite breakfast (pancakes!!!) made and ready for me when I was done sleeping in. I got some beautiful flowers, and I also got some cards with options for the day's activities. My options were:<br />
<ol>
<li>Go to the aquarium.</li>
<li>Go to a NEW quilt shop.</li>
</ol>
Hmm... I absolutely LOVE the aquarium. Probably more than the average person. I love the aquarium like children love the aquarium. Yes, that's it. I'm a huge woman-child when it comes to going to the aquarium. But the quilt shop... I felt selfish picking that one, but Scott actually anticipated I'd pick that one and bought me some Swedish fish (which I also love) so I could get my own kind of aquarium experience. I suppose he knows me better than I think.<br />
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QUILT SHOP!!! He took me to the Fabric Shack in Waynesville, OH, and it was the most amazing fabric experience I've ever had in my life. We were there for a couple hours, I think, but I made my seemingly-selfish outing about my kids. What better way to spend Mother's Day than to start a quilt for your firstborn? Yay! It's not about me, anymore!<br />
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The people there were amazing! This is the stash I ended up with before I left. I think most of it's Moda fabric, which is my new favorite. The brown deer on the chartreuse are my favorite of this lot. Oh, and the RVs. They're pretty awesome, too. :)<br />
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I told myself I didn't want the quilt to be too 'baby', but it ended up a little 'kiddy' anyway. I don't care. I love it! (If you don't know the song by Icona Pop, it's one of Joey's favorite songs, and I just sang that as I typed it.)<br />
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Since I bought the fabric yesterday, I have completed my very first quilt block. Ever. And it is glorious.<br />
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So out of this seemingly selfish quilt shop outing for Mother's Day, came an awesome quilt block that I made and am immensely proud of. And it's all for Joey. (Rosie will get hers in time; no worries.)<br />
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Happy Mother's Day to me!<br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-54680403498105411692013-04-04T09:00:00.000-07:002013-04-04T09:00:01.931-07:00Make Your Own Rubber Stamp!This is a really fun and easy project (depending on your stamp design, I suppose) that will set apart your crafts from everybody else's. Seriously... who else will have this stamp?!<br />
<br />
<b>Customizing Your Own Stamp</b><br />
<br />
<b>materials</b><br />
*image to transfer (make sure it's flipped horizontally so it will be the right way when you stamp it)<br />
*linocut or a large eraser (whatever fits your image; Michael's sells linocut!)<br />
*rubber cement<br />
*cutting tools<br />
<br />
<b>steps</b><br />
<b>1. </b>Use the rubber cement to adhere your image to the linocut block. Please make sure your image is flipped horizontally! I made this mistake the first time I did it, and wanted to kick myself when I went to check the proof. :) Argghhh! <br />
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<b>2. </b>Know which part of the image you want to be the stamp. I wanted Ohio to be the stamp so I would cut all the linocut away except the state of Ohio. Use your sharpest tool to cut around the image's outline so you can start cutting away the larger portions of what you don't want.<br />
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NOTE: If you wanted the stamp to be the outline around the state of Ohio, you would cut away the state itself.<br />
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I also wanted the heart to be an outline so I took a finer tool and then traced around the outline of the heart. I then used a small, curved tool to cut out the inside of the heart at an angle so I didn't weaken my state outline.<br />
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<b>3. </b>Now it's time to check your proof! Stamp your image to make sure you have all the necessary linocut cut away to get a nice, crisp image. Cut more if you need to.<br />
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And now you have a totally unique, one-of-a-kind rubber stamp. Just another thing that makes you awesome. ;) If you wanted, you could mount your linocut stamp onto a wooden block. Our local arts store sells wooden blocks so you might have to do a little looking. I haven't seen those at Michael's, yet. Or you could make your own! I just ran a couple lines of removable adhesive down the back of my stamp so I can use it on any of my acrylic stamping blocks. Whatever you do, have fun with it!<br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-79694360516626417102013-04-03T12:06:00.000-07:002013-04-03T12:06:00.818-07:00Quilted Spring Table RunnerNow that you've had plenty of time to finish your beautiful spring placemats, here's what you can do with the scraps. Did I tell you how lovely your placemats were? Great job. :) Now let's make a table runner!<br />
<br />
<b>Quilted Spring Table Runner</b><br />
<br />
Finished measurements: 20" x 14"<br />
Seam allowance: 1/2" (unless otherwise stated)<br />
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<b>materials</b><br />
*scrap fabric pattern A<br />
*scrap fabric pattern B<br />
*solid-colored fabric<br />
*coordinating colored thread<br />
<br />
<b>steps</b><br />
<br />
<b>1. </b>Make sure your fabric is prewashed.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>2. </b>Cut solid-colored fabric to the following size specifications:<br />
*5-1/4" x 15" (x2)<br />
*1-1/2" x 15"<br />
*21" x 15"<br />
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Make sure all pieces are pressed.<br />
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<b>3. </b>Cut both patterned fabrics into rectangles about 2-3" longer than what you need by anywhere from 3-7" wide. This pattern calls for 5" quilted stripes so I cut my rectangles about 7" x 5" (or so). There's really no exact science for this part as long as the pieces are long enough.<br />
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<b>4. </b>Take a fabric A rectangle and a fabric B rectangle and lay them on top of each other RS together at an angle. Stitch the long side of the top piece at 1/4". Press open.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q489VPAF6-w/UVsm1q5YUUI/AAAAAAAAAho/51y2EEuSu_4/s1600/056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q489VPAF6-w/UVsm1q5YUUI/AAAAAAAAAho/51y2EEuSu_4/s200/056.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-W2zVakYUU/UVsm6HNiz5I/AAAAAAAAAhw/tGnZdxZPcWo/s1600/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-W2zVakYUU/UVsm6HNiz5I/AAAAAAAAAhw/tGnZdxZPcWo/s200/057.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>5. </b>Lay another rectangle on top of the one you just sewed RS together at an angle (you'll probably want the angle to be the opposite direction of the one you just made). Sew the long side of the new top piece at 1/4" and press open.<br />
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<b>6. </b>Now you'll keep doing this until your quilted strip is as long as you need it. If you're having trouble with the organized chaos of the angles of each piece, you can always place it at the angle you want (like above) and then fold it open to get an idea of what it will look like.<br />
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<b>7. </b>Now it's time to cut the strip to the correct size. This is where it really starts to come together. Using a straightedge, cut one side straight using the shortest piece of fabric as a guide (see picture). Then use the straightedge to cut the quilted strip to 5-1/2" wide.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ba3szvjE7nc/UVsoNZy0StI/AAAAAAAAAiI/HOOt5ixKM0U/s1600/062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ba3szvjE7nc/UVsoNZy0StI/AAAAAAAAAiI/HOOt5ixKM0U/s200/062.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DTaQZeut7Iw/UVsogNqZ0NI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/Ph_5r2YLuzQ/s1600/064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DTaQZeut7Iw/UVsogNqZ0NI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/Ph_5r2YLuzQ/s200/064.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<b>8. </b>Then comes the easy part of cutting it to the correct height of 15". Use your fabric as a guide, and just cut whichever side strikes your fancy; as long as it's 15" tall. Do this twice and you've got your 2 quilted strips! Now for the easy part.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TYzOBHRkg6Q/UVspK_l3cqI/AAAAAAAAAiY/OZEuc4qtvBQ/s1600/065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TYzOBHRkg6Q/UVspK_l3cqI/AAAAAAAAAiY/OZEuc4qtvBQ/s320/065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>9. </b>Lay a quilted strip on top of a solid-colored piece (5-1/4" x 15") RS together. Stitch a long side at 1/4". Press open.<br />
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NOTE: When sewing the quilted piece on your sewing machine, make sure the folds are going under the presser foot backwards so they don't get bunched up under there.<br />
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<b>10. </b>Lay the skinny solid-colored piece (1-1/2" x 15") on top of the other side of the quilted strip you just sewed RS together. Stitch a long side at 1/4". Press open.</div>
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<b>11. </b>Lay the second quilted strip on top of the other side of the skinny solid-colored piece RS together. Stitch the long side at 1/4". Press open.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MO-fTq6mkLg/UVsqE0Tu7UI/AAAAAAAAAig/edWZngCPEHM/s1600/066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MO-fTq6mkLg/UVsqE0Tu7UI/AAAAAAAAAig/edWZngCPEHM/s320/066.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>12. </b>Lay a solid-colored piece (5-1/2" x 15") on top of the other side of the second quilted strip RS together. Stitch the long side at 1/4". Press open. Now you have the top of the runner done!<br />
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<b>13. </b>Lay the runner on top of the large solid-colored piece RS together. Stitch all around (1/2" seam allowance) leaving 2-3" for turning inside out.<br />
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<b>14. </b>Clip corners and turn inside out. Press.<br />
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<b>15. </b>Choose a color for the decorative stitching and stitch 1/4" all the way around the outside.<br />
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Since this piece isn't reversible (like the coordinating placemats), it doesn't really matter which color of the coordinating thread you choose for the stitching. I chose the blue because it popped more than the chartreuse.<br />
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<b>16. </b>"Stitch in the ditch" for both sides of both quilted strips (4 stitch lines).<br />
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And now you have a beautifully quilted table runner that will match either side of your reversible placemats. This was also my very first quilting project, and I have fallen in love with quilting! If this is going to be your first quilting project, you picked a good one. :)<br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-35483595843050093992013-04-02T11:29:00.000-07:002013-04-02T11:29:10.140-07:00Easy Spring PlacematsI have finally gotten tired enough of the weather where I am now trying to do everything in my power TO FORCE SPRING UPON US. I'm tired of this cold weather, already. So I found some beautiful springy fabric, made up a super easy sewing pattern, and I ended up with 4 reversible cheerfully spring placemats for our table. Yay!<br />
<br />
<b>Easy Spring Placemats (makes 4 placemats)</b><br />
<br />
Finished measurements: 15" x 15"<br />
Seam Allowance: 1/2" (unless otherwise stated)<br />
<br />
<b>materials</b><br />
*pattern fabric A: <b> </b>6" x 16" (x4)<br />
*pattern fabric B: 6" x 16" (x4)<br />
*solid-colored fabric: 6" x 16" (x16)<br />
*2 coordinating colored threads<br />
<br />
<b>steps</b><br />
<br />
<b>1. </b>Always prewash fabric!<br />
<br />
<b>2. </b>Cut fabric to sizes specified in materials list. Make sure all pieces are pressed.<br />
<br />
<b>3. </b>Lay down fabric A and a solid color RS together. Sew down one long side. Press open.<br />
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<b>4. </b>Lay down solid-colored fabric piece on top of previously sewn fabric A RS together. Sew down the other long side. Press open.<br />
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<b> 5. </b>Follow steps 3-4 again for fabric B and the solid-colored fabric. Now you have 2 square pieces of sewn fabric.<br />
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<b>6. </b>Lay them down RS together with one of them turned 90° (so the patterned fabrics form a cross on top of each other). Sew all the edges leaving 2-3" for turning inside out.<br />
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<b>7. </b>Clip all corners, turn placemat inside out and press.<br />
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<b>8. </b>This is where it gets fun! I chose a chartreuse thread to show on the blue side and a blue thread to show on the chartreuse side for some decorative flair. With that in mind, I sewed 1/4" all around the edge to finish off the seam.<br />
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NOTE: When I was sewing with the chartreuse fabric facing up in my sewing machine, I had the blue thread in the top of my machine, and the chartreuse thread in the bobbin (so it shows up on the underside with the blue fabric). <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bPD0AVfefQ/UVsgf9DhtvI/AAAAAAAAAhA/J22-PrtH7yQ/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bPD0AVfefQ/UVsgf9DhtvI/AAAAAAAAAhA/J22-PrtH7yQ/s320/018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>9. </b>To finish it up, I "stitched in the ditch" on both sides, which created a 3x3 grid on each side of the placemat.<br />
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NOTE: When I was sewing with the chartreuse fabric facing up in my sewing
machine, I had the blue thread in the top of my machine, and the
chartreuse thread in the bobbin (so it shows up on the underside with
the blue fabric). This means when I flipped the placemat over to "stitch in the ditch" on the other side, I had to switch the thread colors in the machine so chartreuse was on the top of the machine and blue was in the bobbin.<br />
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And now spring is starting to show up a bit. It's even warmed up outside! I'll take credit for that. :) Come back later for instructions on making the lovely quilted table runner in the center with the scraps! Happy Crafting!<br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-16157631790287087082013-03-26T09:04:00.000-07:002013-03-26T09:04:38.362-07:00Knits for BooksAnd by books, I mean my Kindle, of course. I never thought I would really get into it (because I'm a ginormous bookworm), but the rare occasion now is when I read an 'actual' book. Funny how these things turn out sometimes.<br />
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In any case, my moods tend to change very quickly (just ask my husband), and I like to be able to change my gadget cases whenever I like right along with them. However, I also have very particular tastes so, despite the fact that I have actually found 1 other Kindle case I liked, it's more than I care to spend right now so I can't lose by making a case myself. I had the yarn already, and the pattern was free. Yahtzee!<br />
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I got the pattern (by Jayne Hayward) off Ravelry (as I so often do) for free. It is a ravelry download, though so if you're interested, and you're NOT part of Ravelry, you need to join in order to download it. Heck, join anyway. It doesn't cost anything, and it's fiber crafting heaven, if you're into that kind of thing. <br />
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One new ridiculously complex cast-on method and several hours later, I have my new cover for my old baby. :) I used merino wool for this one, and this is the first time I've ever blocked wool so I WAS VERY CAREFUL. I did all this hard cable work, and I did NOT want to felt this. So I had to be extra careful. I found a very good tutorial by <a href="http://www.myzigzagstitch.com/2010/04/26/how-to-do-it-blocking-wool/" target="_blank">Mandy Powers of ZigZag Stitch</a> that tells you everything you need to know to block your wool without taking you off the deep end. Short and to the point. :)<br />
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And here you have the finished product. Blocked and beautiful. Now my most beloved 'book' can be as cozy as I usually am right before I rip its case off to read it. <br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-84825719134839888452013-03-21T08:24:00.001-07:002013-03-21T08:24:39.023-07:00Giving New Life to Old ChairsDumpster chairs, even. Scott and I were moving out of our apartment and found these wonderful bar chairs just sitting by the dumpster on our way out. There was nothing wrong with them, and they were free. I'll take 'em! That was 7 years ago, and they're still going strong, especially with my latest project.<br />
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This was the poor state of them before this week. I bought a yard of home decor weight fabric (love this log cross section fabric!) from IKEA (always measure your surface; I have some extra for a fun project later...), and had some fabric stabilizer and a staple gun standing by.<br />
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I started by detaching the seat from the frame and beginning the long task of removing the staples from the fabric.<br />
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It was a giant pain in the butt, but with a standard screwdriver and a pair of pliers, I was able to get it done. I kept the seat fabric to measure for the new seat. I ironed the old seat so it would lay flat for measuring and cutting. Now you can REALLY see why this needed to be done. :) Cut around the old seat, and you have your new one! You probably don't have to do this, but I'm kind of anal-retentive and want everything to be perfect so I did a quick blanket stitch around the outside of my new seat fabric to prevent fraying. <br />
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Luckily, my old seat's foam padding was just fine so I didn't have to replace that. Now I'm ready to staple the new fabric!<br />
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I started at the back of the seat and started stapling from the middle. That way you can work in to the corners and get them the way you want them. I noticed when I was undoing the old seat fabric that there was a sort of plastic stabilizer so I decided to use some fabric stabilizer I had on hand. Just to keep the staples from pulling the fabric. It was around $7.99 for 10 yards, and I already had it. It seemed like a good idea. :)<br />
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I tried to work all 4 corners to be as flat as I could manage, and they all had extra stapling. It was more trial and error than anything. I had to take out staples a few times to rewrap. At this point, while you're wrapping, it might also be a good idea to mark the existing screw holes on your fabric so you don't staple them and so you know where they are for reattachment. I didn't mark them, but everything worked out fine. <br />
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When I was done wrapping the seat, I realized I didn't get enough fabric for the bottom cover. So... I decided to use the old seat fabric. :) I cut it using the old bottom as a template, and I, of course, had to do a little moving around to get it in a good spot that didn't have holes in it. I also turned it over so the side of the fabric that was facing out before was now to the inside of the seat. I also did a quick blanket stitch around this piece of fabric because it's more important that this one doesn't unravel and look unsightly. Then, staples all around, and voila! <br />
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Reattach it to the frame, and you're golden. Now we have our brand new old dumpster chairs. For the cost of free + $7.34 for the fabric, these chairs couldn't have been a better investment. :) Happy Crafting!<br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-39237283991058858322013-03-20T06:39:00.000-07:002013-03-20T06:39:13.952-07:00Adventures in Chalkboard PaintI have ALWAYS wanted to use chalkboard paint. I see it on the DIY network, Martha Stewart crafting ads (I get her craft a day newsletter) and in various Michael's or JoAnn's crafting project ideas. So now it's my turn! Unfortunately, I did not end up getting Martha Stewart's chalkboard paint as it was 2 ounces fewer for $1 more. I got the folkart brand (a very well-known acrylic paint brand), and it worked just fine. I imagine there's only so much that can go wrong with paint so I didn't even think about it. Anyway... on to the project!<br />
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We have some baking ingredient jars on our counter, and they needed a little jazzing up. Plus, I always have to look really closely to distinguish the flour and sugar. It sounds stupid, but it's a problem for me. I'm blind as a bat. I bought some pre-cut balsa wood circles (3.25" diameter) for $0.29 each to fit the lids of my kitchen jars. I got my chalkboard paint for $6.99. I used contact paper to mask off a slightly smaller circle in the middle of each balsa piece, and then I just painted 6 or 7 coats of the chalkboard paint. The balsa really soaked up that paint so it took a couple days for me to get all my coats on. I adhered each circle to the lid with 3-D glue dots so they can be
removed (if necessary, but they probably won't) but the intention is for
them to stay there forever. I like to plan my options. <br />
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This was a really quick and easy project that you could do for any room. I painted a couple extra chalkboard labels to use in my craft room. Now I can change out the contents of each jar, or, as is the case with my granola (maple pecan here... yum...), I can get different flavors. And I will never mistake the flour for the sugar again.<br />
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Now... how else can I use my chalkboard paint...? raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-32152894883582050212013-03-18T12:58:00.000-07:002013-03-18T12:58:44.642-07:00Joey's New BedsheetsI have finally finished that poor boy's sheets. He's had the same 2 sets of bedsheets for over 3 years, but no more! I thought, "Hey, how hard could it possibly be to make a sheet. It's a flat piece of fabric with some corners in it." It turns out, it wasn't that hard, it was just kind of a pain in the butt. The great part about the process, though, was that I got to take Joey to the store with me so he could pick out whatever pattern he wanted. We both had a good time with this part.<br />
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The first set of sheets I made was made from some Cars fabric Joey picked out. If you missed it the first time, the pillowcase pattern can be found elsewhere on my blog <a href="http://raynamadeit.blogspot.com/2013/01/easy-toddler-pillowcase.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Super easy stuff, and it took me about 20 minutes to make.<br />
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The second set of sheets we made (I say we because he's a very good helper and would want credit, I'm sure), was made from some dump truck fabric he picked. Now, I couldn't stand to make an entire bedsheet out of the super busy dump truck pattern so I made the pillowcase using the dump truck fabric and picked out a coordinating fabric for the actual bedsheet. You'll see what I mean in a second. I made this pillowcase the exact same way with the exception of the added grosgrain ribbon embellishment. I took that out and used some decorative stitching on the outer hem to have a little fun with my new sewing machine. :)<br />
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You can't see it very well in this picture, but the bedsheet is a fabric with all sizes of grey circles. I thought it looked like rocks all piled up, and it goes really well with his pillowcase. And also, he's a hammy turkey. :)<br />
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So, now to get down to business! The pattern I used for the bedsheet can be found <a href="http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/blog/fitted_crib_sheet_tutorial.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a>. The guys at Michael Miller Fabrics did an amazing job with this pattern as it was very easy to read and complete. I did, however, need to make some changes to suit my own needs. For Joey's bedsheet (please be sure to measure your mattress!), I had to add 2" to the length. On the other hand of that, the pattern calls for 45" in fabric width, and I did just fine with 42". I couldn't find anything at JoAnn's that had 45" length.<br />
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I also decided to use 3/8" elastic as the 1/4" they suggest looked way to flimsy when I went to buy it in the store. I wanted a little extra strength assurance. That also changed the hemming measurements: I folded the hem over a full 1" and then folded back under 1/4" (same in the pattern) in order to fit the wider elastic. It is always suggested that you leave 1/4" on each side of your elastic track. So if your elastic is 3/8" wide, you need a track that is 7/8" wide. I was short about an 1/8", but with my bodkin and my super-savvy threading skills, it worked just fine. <br />
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I always encourage you to make your decor your own, and this is a really easy way to do it. Don't let it intimidate you! I do get a little overwhelmed by my crafts sometimes, but, if I just sit down and do it, everything works out just fine. And if it doesn't, you can always give it as a gift. ;) I'm looking forward to getting to make Rosie's sheets when hers start to get old. :) Happy Crafting!<br />
<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-40398366100415940522013-03-16T19:17:00.000-07:002013-03-16T19:17:03.416-07:00I Have a New Work Table!Yes! I have a brand new work table made by none other than my wonderful husband. He made it for me for my birthday, and it's finally been installed! It folds up against the wall for storage. Lucky for him, though, I don't EVER intend on folding it away. There will undoubtedly always be SOMETHING on it. :)<br />
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Here we have my lovely model, Joey showing off its wonderful table-ness. It holds things, like tupperware bowls, on its surface wonderfully. It is also a good place at which to sit. Scott painted it my favorite color (purple!), and, my personal favorite detail, added decorative exposed screw heads. Beautiful!<br />
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And here we have me in my usual crafting position. That is to say crouched over just asking for back pain but enjoying myself immensely! So here's to a wonderful husband who is incredibly talented in the work shop. In making me this wonderful crafting table, he has unknowingly added some more items to his work list. :) Happy Crafting... and Happy Birthday to me!<br /><br />
<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-61592435879363374132013-01-28T13:37:00.000-08:002013-01-28T13:37:46.100-08:00Update Your Mangy Ironing Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so maybe your ironing board cover isn't mangy, but mine certainly was. So I fixed it.<br />
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How do these things get so dirty, anyway? I've never ironed anything but clean clothes. Anyway, here's a nice easy, maybe a little dirty, tutorial for you to use when you'd like a little change on the ironing board.<br />
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<b>Ironing Board Cover Tutorial</b><br />
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<b><i>Materials:</i></b><br />
<i>* </i>Measure your ironing board to get an idea of how much fabric you'll need.<b><i> </i></b>Mine is 56" long so I just got 2 yds.<br />
*1/8" cord<br />
*toggles for the cord<br />
*coordinating thread<br />
*ruler<br />
*water soluble pen<br />
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<i>Remember to always wash your fabric before sewing.</i> <br />
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1.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="line-height: 115%;">Remove
current board cover and inspect underlayment to make sure it’s still usable. If
it’s not, you’ll have to get something to replace it. Mine was foam, and it's fine. Awesome.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> 2. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Lay
fabric down on top of your ironing board facedown making sure to leave a few
inches around the edge of the fabric. Trace around the ironing board with your m<span style="font-size: small;">arker</span>.</span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">If you wanted to make a paper pattern that yo<span style="font-size: small;">u could use<span style="font-size: small;"> whenever you wanted, you could <span style="font-size: small;"></span>do<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>that, too. The following steps will be the same, you'll just use paper.</span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Lay
your fabric down again (right side down again) and mark around your traced
pattern at 3”. This will give it room to hang down around the ironing board and
for you to make your casing for the cord.</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--></span></span> </span></span> </span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dnYxHR53toY/UQbqxaDfWhI/AAAAAAAAAb4/hbmK6oRErWE/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dnYxHR53toY/UQbqxaDfWhI/AAAAAAAAAb4/hbmK6oRErWE/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
4. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">You
can connect the lines if you want (I did). I know it’s a weird shape, but if
you spaced your 3” marks close enough together, it’s just like connecting the
dots. Cut out the shape.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">5. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pl<span style="font-size: small;">ace th<span style="font-size: small;">e fabric right side down. </span></span></span>Mark
in at ¾”. Mark in and pin/press at ¼”.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">6. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Pin/press
again at the marks you made at ¾”. Yes, you will have some gathers around the
corners, but just press them down (hospital corner style) and sew right on top
of them.</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZH9Av6bkt9A/UQbrunYY2bI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/heSJEy9tCWU/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZH9Av6bkt9A/UQbrunYY2bI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/heSJEy9tCWU/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>You can see where I've already pressed and pinned the 1/4" section (on the right side of the photo). Then I went back and folded the fabric again to the 3/4" marks (on the left side of the photo).</li>
</ul>
7. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Mark
a 1” space at the very point of the pattern for a spot where you can insert the
cording. Do not sew this part closed!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">8. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sew
as close to the inside pressed hem as possible. I always like to press my hems when I'm done so they look nice so you can do that, if you'd like.</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gay09H5WzcI/UQbsZMwva1I/AAAAAAAAAck/XqzXkGMIZeA/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gay09H5WzcI/UQbsZMwva1I/AAAAAAAAAck/XqzXkGMIZeA/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
9. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Attach
a safety pin (or elastic threader) to the end of your allotted cord length and
thread it through the casing <span style="font-size: small;">where you left your opening</span>. Make sure you’re threading the cord through the
casing entirely. That probably means you’ll have to go back and straighten out
the fabric where’s it's bunched up because of the cord going through it. This will
make it easier to tighten it at the end.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">10. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Put
your cover on your ironing board and pull the cord tight making sure the cover
surrounds the board on all sides evenly so you don’t have any weird bunches or
wrinkles.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">11. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Thread
the toggle on the exposed cord on the end and tighten it to bring the cover
very close up around the board.</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HaMPUzVD-hQ/UQbtIyfSnYI/AAAAAAAAAcw/SoD6drjRaNM/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HaMPUzVD-hQ/UQbtIyfSnYI/AAAAAAAAAcw/SoD6drjRaNM/s320/031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
12. Step back and admire. Maybe have a drink. Mmmm... drinking and sewing... <br />
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Everyone needs some teal giraffe print in their lives. Happy Crafting!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span> </span></span></span>raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-50433909280673695862013-01-20T15:44:00.001-08:002013-01-28T13:41:39.421-08:00Easy Toddler PillowcaseI welcome you to Joey's first pillowcase tutorial! We figured he was old enough to have his own pillow, and I wanted to encourage him to welcome the change (he's NOT good with change) by having him pick his own pillow fabric. Fun, right?<br />
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<b>Easy Toddler Pillowcase (14" x 20"</b> <b>pillow insert</b>)<br />
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*Fabric of your choice (I bought 1 yard, but you could get away with 1/2 provided you'll be doing a cuff also)<br />
*ribbon or extra fabric for embellishment<br />
*coordinating fabric for the cuff<br />
*coordinating thread<br />
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<i>Seam allowances: 1/2" unless otherwise stated.</i><br />
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<b>1.</b> Prewash and iron the fabric. This will make it easier to work with.<br />
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<b>2. </b> Cut the fabric. This is ALWAYS my least favorite part...<br />
<ul><ul>
<li>Case: 32" x 15-1/2" (you'll be folding this in half to cover the pillow)</li>
<li>Cuff: (2) 15-1/2" x 7"</li>
<li>embellishment: (2) 15-1/2" x 7" (I used 3/4" grosgrain ribbon)</li>
</ul>
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<b>3.</b> Baste the embellishment onto the right side of the cuff fabric as close to the edge of the embellishment as possible. It depends on how much embellishment you want showing, but I moved mine in 1/4" so I had 1/2" of ribbon showing on the pillowcase.<br />
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<b>4.</b> Then, I folded in and ironed my 1/2" hem on the short side of the case fabric and pinned the cuff fabric right underneath it but only as far in as the 1/2" seam. Sew as close to the edge of the case fabric as you can get. Then, I sewed a second seam 1/4" away from that one.<br />
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<li>So you see, I have the case fabric on top (right side up) with the cuff fabric (also right side up) and basted ribbon underneath at the 1/2" seam line.</li>
</ul>
<b>5. </b>Fold assembly in half with right sides together. You can take a look and make sure your embellishments line up, if you like. I took a peek, but I didn't really care all that much. :) Sew your 1/2" seam on both long sides.<br />
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<b>6. </b>Now you can turn it right side out and press all your seams.<br />
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<ul>
<li>It looks really nice when you fold the fabric in half instead of sewing those 3 sides.</li>
</ul>
<b>7.</b> Measure 1" all around the cuff and fold/pin/press the fabric in at this point.<br />
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<b>8.</b> You can use whatever color thread you like, but I chose a contrasting red color to bring in more of the color of the case fabric. Sew at 5/8" and then again at 7/8" for a nice look. <br />
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<b>9. </b>Press one more time, admire your work and you're done! <br />
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<ul>
<li>The contrasting color thread on the black cuff looks really neat! </li>
</ul>
After I finally figured out all my dimensions, it only took me about an hour to put this together. Now that I have my instructions, the next one will be even quicker. Will I be moving on to sheets? I have NO idea. We'll have to see how brave I get. :)<br />
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For now, we'll be building Cars-themed fluffy pillow forts and sleeping comfortably. <br />
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raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-16326475531678517792013-01-16T13:23:00.002-08:002013-01-16T13:29:52.664-08:00Using Our Powers for GoodThere are some days when I swear the world has gone completely bonkers. This time, when the unthinkable happened in a tiny little town that could have been home to any one of us, a band of crafters came together to try and help those affected by the tragedy. While there's never really anything you can do to truly comfort someone in this situation (I can't even bring myself to type it), we can't just sit by and watch them in pain, either. Enter 600 Monsters Strong and their campaign to bring cuddly stuffies to children all over the country who have been affected by gun violence.<br />
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There were a few guidelines for crafting, some of which I wouldn't even have thought of. For example, no x's for eyes. It totally makes sense when you think of it in context, but it's such a common crafting technique. Also, no red monsters. There were discounts offered by the pattern designers featured on the recommended patterns list, and the response to this has just been amazing. I used a couple patterns by Rebecca Danger who was offering 60% discounts on her patterns. It's been fun watching people all over the country knit monsters for these children and fun connecting with them on this level. This has really been an interesting learning experience for me. I'm very happy to have been a part of it!<br />
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I'm hoping the friendly little guys I made will make some children very happy and provide some comfort. Meet Hayworth (the blue guy) and Nora and Nola (the momma and baby monsters). I used a couple of the recommended patterns because I wanted to be safe on that front, but I added some little flairs that were all my own in the form of embroidered felt medallions. I've also been looking for any excuse to embroider so here it is. <!--3--><!--3--><!--3--><br />
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We only have until January 31 to mail monsters, so crafters may not have time enough to make and mail, but there is a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2S25ZPX2Z12NW/ref=cm_sw_su_w" target="_blank">wish list on amazon</a> that anyone is more than welcome to purchase from and have sent to the meet point.<br />
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So, on that note, may everyone stay safe, hug your children (nieces, nephews, grandkids, etc.) and say a prayer for a hurting community. Lots of love from the knitting community (well, at least me).<!--3--><br />
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<!--3-->raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-47231874214810436082012-12-31T11:57:00.001-08:002012-12-31T11:57:53.245-08:00Encouraging Myself to Do the Laundry the First Day...I have the curse of having a laundry room that is slightly out of the way (it used to be part of the garage), and I don't always hear the beepers when they go off signalling the laundry's done. Oh, yeah, and also I hate doing laundry. So there's that. In any case, it's impossible for me to do one load of laundry in a day, let alone the 3 or 4 or 5 that need to be done. So I made myself something pretty to try to encourage me to do the laundry when it's supposed to get done, as opposed to pulling clean clothes out of the dryer as we need them. :)<br />
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I bought myself a little wooden sign from Hobby Lobby and this very cute blue-washed wood-looking paper to decoupage onto the sign. The only problem was when I put the barn wood paper on top of the brand new wooden sign, the visuals didn't quite line up. So then I had to attempt to age the wooden sign. In one night. It's actually not that hard. :) Google has some pretty amazing information hidden away. It's like magic or something. I bought some steel wool and soaked it in about a half cup of white vinegar overnight. Then I brushed it on the wooden sign the next day, and, after 3 coats, voila! Instant aging. :) Maagiccccc...<br />
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It took a couple days to air out, but I was really happy with the result. After the decoupage with the barn wood paper, it actually looks like it was a barn wood sign. I added a cute 'launderette' sign, some ribbon and some stamps (I used Staz-On ink as it will literally stamp a permanent image onto anything), and I was mostly good to go. But I wanted something that I could see from the other side of the house that would tell me if I still had clothes in the dryer and I had to get my butt off the couch and go fold them. Enter the miner's coins.<br />
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I'm pretty sure we've all seen October Sky (as old as it is for a movie these days), and I've always loved the idea of those miner's coins that indicate which miners went underground for the day. I had some metal tag rings lying around so I found some icons for washer and dryer to hang in the middle of the rings. That way, I'll know if there are clothes in the washer or dryer (or both), and I can see these rings from across the house. You'd be amazed at how quickly I forget things. I need to remind myself of these things occasionally. :) So I just hang the washer coin on the sign when I put clothes in the washer and so on and so forth. I also made a little quickie pocket for the backside of the sign so I can store the coins there and they won't get lost when they're not in use.<br />
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I know it's not the prettiest thing you've ever seen, but it's the back of the sign, for Pete's sake. I also did some stamp testing there. No one's going to see it. :) So now I have this cute little sign that will tell me when to do the laundry. At least I'm pretty sure my husband's hoping his days of pulling clean clothes out of the dryer are over. :) Happy New Year!<br /><br />
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<span id="goog_1003538677"></span><span id="goog_1003538678"></span><br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-86355298170715403672012-09-17T12:28:00.000-07:002012-09-17T12:28:58.010-07:00Retail is SO BoringI went out a little while ago to try to find a picture album for Rosie's first baby pictures. Unless you want something severely overdecorated and ridiculous or something sadly bare, there is nothing out there for you. Frustrating, to say the least. Some of these people who decorate these things need to just edit themselves. Edit, people! So this is what we ended up getting.<br />
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This was the lesser of several evils but still horribly boring, right? It's a nice color so I can work with that. I thought to myself, "Self, you can add a pretty ribbon. That would be one small step for you and yet one giant leap for this horribly banal photo album.". Then I got to thinking, "Self, you could be <i>really</i> clever and connect it to her baby announcements that you still need to blog.". Good ideas all, Self. I'll try it.<br />
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I added 2 strips of cardstock; 1 patterned leftover from her baby announcements and 1 plain white; and I added a wide satin ribbon with a bow. So you see, retail doesn't HAVE to be boring. It just is. It is up to us as creative, wonderful crafting people to make life exciting sometimes. And it doesn't always take a lot of supplies, money or work. I was able to use supplies I already had (so this upgrade was essentially free) and about 10 minutes to make a completely new photo album. And this one has come leaps and bounds from the original. <br />
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So go out and be creative! I challenge you to accept the inevitable drab that comes from mass producing items and make it your own. I'd love to see what you can do!<br />
<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-5920372964235695162012-09-05T06:14:00.000-07:002012-09-05T06:14:07.856-07:00Easiest Craft Ever - Olympic EditionYes, I realize the Olympics have been over for a little while now, but I haven't been able to shake Viktoria Komova's cute little button earrings. She is definitely a great gymnast, but those earrings! I love them. :) Hence, I decided to make some for myself. As mentioned, this is seriously the easiest craft ever.<br />
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You will need 3 things: <br />
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<b>1) Buttons</b><br />
<b>2) Earring posts (I got mine at Joann's for $1.49)</b><br />
<b>3) Jewelry adhesive (I used Aileen's Jewelry & Metal Glue)</b><br />
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Then all you do is adhere the buttons to the earring post tops. If you're using Aileen's Jewelry & Metal Glue, don't lay the earrings button-top-down to dry. I did that the first time I made them, and the glue fumes deposited some kind of white powder on the button faces. It did NOT look pretty, but I was able to get it off by running the button faces under very hot water and brushing them with a bristle brush. Any leftover residue I removed with a toothpick. Just make sure the glue is dry before you do this. The second time I made button earrings, I laid them on their sides so the button faces were pointing out, and I didn't end up with white powder on them. The glue is quick-drying enough that you can lay the drying earrings on their sides without messing up the adhesive contact.<br />
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I did get a little obsessive, and, before I knew it, I had 8 pairs of button earings.<br />
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This is seriously the easiest craft ever and will put your ears in style with the lovely Viktoria Komova! Have fun and Happy Crafting!<br />
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<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-2902827524101938972012-09-03T05:58:00.001-07:002012-09-05T06:15:15.657-07:00Wrapping with YarnNow that our little girl is here, I can FINALLY reveal some of the artwork I'd been working on for her. If any of you had been following my pinterest account, I had become a bit obsessed with wrapped yarn letters. There's so much you can do with them as far as certain looks and styles, and they're a very unique addition to your decor.<br />
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After much trial and error (unfortunately, it's inevitable), I finally came up with something I liked. I started out by pulling a couple bobbins out of the skein of yarn I bought for the occasion. It was easier to wrap the letter with a more reasonably sized yarn ball. When I was searching for help with this project, I was surprised by the lack of instruction I found. They pretty much said keep practicing until you get something you like. Here are some of the techniques I found worked very well with this project. You will have to practice a lot to get the effect you like, though. Sorry for that.<br />
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I got my wooden letter at Joann's for maybe a couple dollars, and I've got yarn all over the house so that wasn't hard. Some other things you'll want are a hot glue gun and some assorted clamps to hold wrapped sections in place. First, I cut several small pieces of yarn to wrap around the end caps of the letter.<br />
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You'll be wrapping the yarn around the stalks of the letter so this will help cover those hard-to-wrap ends. Use the glue gun to tack these pieces of yarn in place. After way too much practicing, I finally figured I would try to wrap the letter in the way that it is written. I made a diagram I used to keep this in mind.<br />
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This is how I draw my Rs, and I found it worked very well as a guideline for wrapping the yarn around my letter. Of course, I also had to choose one of the hardest letters in the alphabet, but that just figures. From here, I just wrapped each letter stalk as indicated in my diagram, being sure to wrap about twice as much yarn very carefully (the yarn will tend to stack up on itself if you wrap it too much) where stalks met. Then you can use your glue gun to tack in place any yarn strands that are moving on you. I did all my tacking on the back of the letter because if will seep through the yarn and make it very hard and unpleasant-looking.<br />
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I also used some of my clamps to hold in place yarn sections as I was working on other pieces of the letter. You'll also see in this picture that you will be wrapping over the end caps you wrapped at the very beginning. I was actually able to wrap pretty far over the end caps by using my glue gun to tack yarn sections.<br />
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So, after much frustration, I was finally left with a project of which I was extremely proud. I wasn't able to reveal it before Miss Rosie came because we were keeping her name a secret, and this is for her bedroom door. Joey has a J on his, too, but I used paper to decoupage his. Also very fun and easy. :)<br />
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Of course, I also had to knit her a little rose that I attached to her letter. So now Miss Rosetta has her very own wrapped yarn letter for her door, and I am still trying to think of other projects where I can make wrapped yarn letters. It's really fun and pretty addictive. Good luck and happy crafting!raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-83133599723813888002012-08-02T06:07:00.000-07:002012-08-02T06:07:23.672-07:00The Perfect PillowIn the recent very long search to find the perfect back support pillow for Baby 2.0's new green glider, of course, we found nothing we liked. I'm sure you've noticed this happens a lot. I did, however, find the perfect fabric at Hancock Fabrics. So I went for it! This is probably one of the easiest projects you will ever take on if you ever need a nice decorative (or fully functional) pillow for a certain space.<br />
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It goes along with our color scheme perfectly (grey, blue, lime green and pink), and we were able to get just the right size pillow form. So I did get the pillow form, I got a yard of this gorgeous fabric (in case I wanted to make other things with it), some 7/8" wide black satin ribbon and a couple buttons for the envelope closure at the back of the pillow. Easy peasy.<br />
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I cut the fabric to fit the form so the finished size was exactly the size of the pillow, in this case 12" x 16". The hardest part was definitely working that satin ribbon around the edges. I wanted something to break up the front and the back of the pillow, but I have never done piping or anything like that. I took the cheater's way out, and I folded the satin ribbon in half and sewed it right to the pillow cover. It was a bit tricky, but I LOVE the way it turned out.<br />
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Adding the buttonholes, and consequently the buttons, was the finishing touch on this lovely addition to the nursery. I chose some giant buttons so they were more of the design of the pillow as opposed to just being functional. They look good, too. :)<br />
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And voila! You have a beautiful personalized back support (or decorative, if that's your thing) pillow that you have created yourself. Not to mention it took all of a couple hours to finish this project. I love quick projects! Happy Crafting!<br />
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<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-85239836471693789012012-07-22T13:49:00.000-07:002012-07-22T13:49:58.546-07:00Cornering the Market on Cheap ArtworkApparently, I've gotten really picky in my home decor as I can't seem to find anything out there in this large mass-produced world that I like. I see things on etsy all the time that I like, but then it comes down to how much do I want to spend. I'm not necessarily saying I'm cheap, but, sometimes, those sellers are asking a LOT.<br />
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I recently found a saying I <i>really</i> like, and I couldn't find it just the way I wanted it. So I made my own. It didn't take any time at all as I was able to use an open source image editing program (GIMP 2) that's pert near Photoshop and some clip art. I also utilized one of my other favorite tools, <a href="http://1001freefonts.com/">1001freefonts.com</a>. I use this font website ALL THE TIME. They have the greatest typefaces, and the one I chose for this project was Sybil Green. I got the funky frame at Hobby Lobby for $7 since they were on sale for 50% off. <br />
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I put this in our kitchen since it's (our kitchen) severely lacking in personality. It has these weird soffits that hold these frames really well. I made these prints to fit in a 5" x 7" frame and printed them on high quality cardstock.<br />
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After putting this one up, there's another empty weird soffit right across the way from it. So I had to come up with another cute little saying. We drink a LOT of tea in our house, and it's kind of a religion so I came up with, "I Love You More than Tea" and added some cute clip art to go along with that.<br />
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I used all the same tools to make this one, the frames were still on sale at Hobby Lobby, and I'm sure it took a grand total of about 20 minutes in front of my computer to make these. And they're very personal to our family. If you see a cute little saying you like somewhere, don't be afraid to make your very own typographic artwork. Happy Crafting!<br />
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<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-13702007062139815882012-07-20T09:08:00.000-07:002012-07-20T09:08:26.097-07:00DIY: Trendy Baby Decor<div style="font-family: inherit;">
I'm going to apologize for this "tutorial" right now. Yes, I'm implying it's not really a tutorial. It's more like half of one. I wasn't entirely sure this was going to work out when I started it, but, as it turns out, I really liked the end result. </div>
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I think we've all seen those beautiful chandelier butterfly mobiles that are pretty popular right now. They're all over etsy, pottery barn has one and you can find them on amazon. The only problem with these is 1) they're usually between $50 and $80 and 2) butterflies are really your only decorative option. Enter... the brain trust...</div>
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Trendy Chandelier Mobiles: a la Rayna</h2>
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<b>Supplies:</b><br />
colored papers for die cutting<br />
die cutting method (cricut, punch, freestyle with scissors, etc.)<br />
ruler<br />
metal ring (I used 10" diameter)<br />
.5mm stretch magic beading string<br />
18 gauge wire<br />
wire cutters / curlers<br />
coordinating ribbon for wrapping exposed metal wire and ring<br />
* I used 1/4" for the smaller inside wire<br />
* I used 3/8" for the larger outer ring<br />
scissors<br />
various adhesives<br />
*I used glue dots for adhere birds to stretch string<br />
*I used scotch tape to wrap loose ends of stretch string around exposed wire and ring<br />
*I used Aleene's Jewelry & Metal Glue for adhering wire to ring and ribbon to wire / ring<br />
various clamps for holding wrapped ribbon when your hands start to cramp<br />
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I first had to strategize how I was going to lay out my mobile. This probably took the longest amount of time for me as it was a LOT of trial and error. I designed it as an outer metal ring with a 4-point inner crossbar. In the end, I ended up with these specs where the red dots represent where I tied each chandelier string:<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 middle string: 24" long</li>
<li>4 strings radiating out at 21" long</li>
<li>4 strings radiating out at 15" long</li>
<li>16 strings along outer ring at 12" long</li>
</ul>
With the spacing I chose and the die cut sizes (birds: 2", clouds: 2-1/2"), the individual string specs worked out like this:<br />
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<li>24" string: 6 die cuts (2 clouds, 4 birds)</li>
<li>21" strings: 4 die cuts (1 cloud, 3 birds)</li>
<li>15" strings: 3 die cuts (1 cloud, 2 birds)</li>
<li>12" strings: 2 die cut birds </li>
</ul>
Phew. Now that that's over... <br />
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1.) I first made my inner crossbar with the 18 gauge wire and adhering it to itself with the jewelry and metal glue. Be careful with this stuff. I almost bonded my fingers together about a million times. But it works some serious magic with the wire and the ribbon. I wrapped the outer ends of the crossbar around the outer ring with the wire curlers and also used the glue to adhere these 4 points in place.<br />
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2.) Using the specs listed above, I then attached all the die cuts to the chandelier strings and then attached the chandelier strings to the crossbar and outer ring with the stretch beading string.<br />
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3.) I used the scotch tape to wrap all the stretch beading string loose ends from the chandelier strings around the inner crossbar wires and outer ring.<br />
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4.) After all the loose ends are taken care of, wrap the inner crossbar wire with the thinner wire. I fastened the ends of the ribbon to the wire with the jewelry & metal glue. Pure magic. Just don't glue your fingers together. This step serves to hide all the loose ends of the stretch beading string so you don't have those ends hanging out and looking gross.<br />
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5.) I then used the thicker ribbon to wrap the outer ring. I used more technique for this one as it will be more easily viewed. <br />
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6.) I then tied 4 20" pieces of stretch beading string to each junction of the inner crossbar and the outer ring by which I could hang the mobile. In doing this, I ended up with loose ends again so I used a cool 4-point wrap technique to hide the ends and also add some decorative flair to these junction points. And I used lots of jewelry and metal glue! <br />
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7.) After all that, you just have to gather your 4 hanging strings and be very careful about making sure they're all level so your mobile isn't hanging all weird and crooked. Unless, of course, you want it that way. :) Hang it, and you have a perfectly beautiful (and cheap) trendy baby mobile with the die cuts of your choice!<br />
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I will admit that I had a lot of these supplies to begin with, but the beauty of this project is that you can really make it with whatever you have on hand. I ended up making it myself for less than $15. It's much more personal, fitting her room perfectly, and I got to choose the colors and shapes I wanted. I also wanted those clouds in there, and I couldn't find any that were <i>just</i> the way I wanted. Again, I'm picky like that. Know any babies coming your way? This would be a really fun and very personal shower gift for that new little bundle. Happy Crafting!<br />
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<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-64909987604228565092012-06-19T10:52:00.000-07:002012-06-19T10:52:26.436-07:00El Cheapo Artwork a la RaynaAs we are nearing the arrival of our second baby, we're trying our best to get her room ready and prepared just the way we want it. I'm not going to say I'm picky, I just have an idea of what I want, and that's usually what I want. I don't like to compromise a whole lot on that front if I don't have to. Artwork for her room has been a bit of a challenge in that regard so I decided to take it into my own hands. Enter: Rayna's Craft Tutorial #2.<br />
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<b>El Cheapo Artwork a la Rayna</b><br />
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<b>Supplies:</b><br />
plywood backing for the corresponding paper size (3/8" thickness at least)<b> </b><br />
brayer<br />
decoupage glue<br />
foam brushes<br />
cutting mat<br />
artwork hanging hardware (I used the sawtooth hangers)<br />
craft knife<br />
pencil<br />
hammer<br />
desired scrapbook papers for artwork<br />
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1.) Make sure your plywood backing is the same size as the paper you're going to work with. If it isn't, cut the plywood backing to size. <b>Note: </b>I bought my plywood backing at Michael's where I was able to use a 40% off coupon and get 12" x 12" for the same size as my scrapbooking paper.<br />
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2.) If you wish, you can turn your paper right side down and lay the plywood backing on top of it so you can trace the outline of where you want it glued. I just kind of winged it, which also worked.<br />
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3.) Brush on a generous amount of glue onto the side of the plywood backing where you'll be gluing your scrapbook paper. This is the point at which you have to work pretty quickly...<br />
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4.) Lay your scrapbook paper on top of your gluey plywood board, get it in position as QUICKLY as possible, and then use the brayer to flatten it out and get out any air bubbles that may have appeared when you laid it down. Again, WORKING QUICKLY.<br />
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5.) When you're happy with the appearance of your artwork at this point (this is pretty much how it will look when you're done so keep that in mind), you can flip over the entire piece of artwork and lay it right side down on top of your cutting mat. If necessary, use your craft knife to trim the paper so it's flush with the sides of the plywood board.<br />
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6.) At this point, I ran my fingers around all 4 corners smoothing down cuts and wiping away excess glue. Then, I attached my hardware. I recommend getting a plywood board with at least a 3/8" thickness because that allows the nails to be pounded in without going through your artwork in the front. That would be bad. You can also get this kind of hardware (and several other different kinds of hanging hardware) at Michael's and use a coupon!<br />
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7.) Turn your artwork back around so the right side is facing upward, and, if desired, brush on another generous layer of the decoupage glue to kind of set and seal the paper artwork. It also adds a really cool vintage patina so it looks like you've had it forever. :) Make sure you get the glue around the edges of the paper so it won't start to peel up in the future. Also make sure to remove any excess glue.<br />
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<b>Voila! Now you are done and can hang your lovely artwork anywhere in your house. People will wonder where you bought that beautiful piece!</b><br />
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I did two of them for our baby room and completely beat the price of anything we saw in the stores. We had seen some beautiful artwork at Target, but we didn't really want to pay $15 each for a set of 3.<br />
This is what we did instead: <br />
*plywood backing $2.50 (with coupon) (x2)<br />
*scrapbooking paper $0.69 (x2)<br />
*2 foam brushes $1.99<br />
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And I already had everything else so I spent $8.37 for 2 very personalized pieces of artwork. I'm so proud of myself. So head on over to your local craft/scrapbooking store and go nuts. Happy Crafting!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uoc_wymDfY8/T-C3b5ruriI/AAAAAAAAATo/rn_5DXBSHpA/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uoc_wymDfY8/T-C3b5ruriI/AAAAAAAAATo/rn_5DXBSHpA/s320/029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-49705777632998587452012-06-18T13:10:00.001-07:002012-06-18T13:11:21.094-07:00Easy Peasy Valance for DummiesI don't mean to offend anyone with this title. This just perfectly describes my relationship with sewing and making pretty things quickly and easily. I get bored pretty quickly so it's best if I can make something nice very easily. It has also struck me that this is my first tutorial. Yay! I'm very excited, and I'm sure <i>something</i> will go wrong, but this is a good one to start with. Again, easy.<br />
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So our house has these ugly, old, dirty venetian blinds that we never use in certain windows, e.g. our kitchen window above the sink (a). They're the windows that we never cover because they let in awesome light during the day. I tried taking down those ugly venetian blinds and found that underneath them it was even uglier (b). So I had to come up with something to cover them up because there was NO WAY I was going to continue looking at those stupid, ugly venetian blinds just because it was uglier to remove them. <br />
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<b>Easy Peasy Valance for Dummies</b><br />
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fabric cut to window (width inside trim + 2in) and (desired height + 4in)<br />
coordinating sewing thread <br />
1" x 2" batten (cut to finished width of window)<br />
(2) 1-1/2" L brackets<br />
staple gun<br />
power drill<br />
tape measure (not pictured) <br />
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1.) The first thing I did was cut my fabric to the appropriate size. I added 2 inches to the width and 4 inches to the height. I found it was helpful to label the top and bottom of my fabric so I didn't get confused later. Trust me, it happens.<br />
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2.) Stitch a zigzag stitch (or serge, if your machine does that) all the way around the piece to lock in the threads.<br />
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3.) Fold and pin both the left and right sides of your fabric in 1 inch on the wrong side. Sew a 3/4 inch seam allowance in a coordinating thread color.<br />
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4.) Fold and pin the bottom of your fabric in 1 inch on the wrong side. Sew a 3/4 inch seam allowance in a coordinating color. <br />
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<b>And you're done sewing! Wasn't that easy? Now we're going to work on hanging and installing your valance.</b><br />
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5.) Cut your batten down to size. I like to make it about 1/4 inch shorter than the width of my finished valance just so it tucks inside the fabric nicely.<br />
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6.) Lay the batten down (with the 2 inch surface down) on a secure surface. Align your completed valance right side up on top of the upward-facing 2 inch surface of the batten (a). Ensure the edges are lined up evenly with the edges of your batten and the top edge of the valance is even with the top edge of the batten. Staple your valance to the batten (b).<br />
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7.) Fold your valance over the batten so you are looking at a finished valance with the staples in the back. Lay the valance assembly right side down and measure about 5 inches in from each side of the batten to screw in your L brackets for installation. I always make sure the top of the L brackets go above the batten just a bit so there's extra room for installing it to the inside of the window trim.<br />
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8.) Now all that's left to do is install your valance inside your window trim and make sure it's level and even. Or at least as level and even as you want it. :) Just a side note: you CANNOT see the wooden batten from the outside. I checked.<br />
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<b>And you're done! Now you can (and should) admire your beautiful handiwork.</b><br />
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Here's another one I did in our breakfast nook. The sunlight's amazing in there, and we NEVER put the curtains (or the blinds previously) down. I also made roman shades out of this same fabric for the other 2 windows in the breakfast nook, but that's a whole different can of worms and a subject for a later date. Happy Crafting!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGhmVNoDDTM/T9-KHx6ZonI/AAAAAAAAASo/P3ukWQyKei8/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGhmVNoDDTM/T9-KHx6ZonI/AAAAAAAAASo/P3ukWQyKei8/s320/054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-19883705744473390452012-06-01T21:50:00.000-07:002012-06-01T21:50:15.680-07:00Yaye! (That's Joey for Coloring)<span id="goog_1984378230"></span><span id="goog_1984378231"></span>For Mother's Day, Scott made the mistake of getting me the book <u>100 One-Yard Wonders</u>, which is a sewing book for the mostly sewing-impaired like myself. So I've already made 4 projects from this book, and I keep finding things I want to make, but I'm having to remind myself to take a chill pill once in a while. I need to do that. I get a new type of project going, and I want to do ALL THE THINGS. So this is me. Taking a chill pill.<br />
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Before I decided to cool it, though, I made one of the easier projects in the book because 1) I've been just waiting for the chance when Joey would really be into coloring to make this, and 2) because I had all the supplies on hand. Oh, and it's EASY. Easy is good.<br />
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We've also been doing a lot of traveling, and this is an easy way to transport crayons. If all the slots are filled, you'll know if you're missing any, and, if your kid is like mine, Joey just likes taking the crayons in and out of each slot. He's gotten pretty good at it, actually.<br />
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The only obnoxious thing about the pattern was, of course, having to stitch all the little crayon slots. It is totally worth it, though, and, of course, the entire point of the thing. And it gives us an excuse to color that much more. So grab your favorite yard of boy or girl-inspired fabric and get crackin'!<br />
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<br />raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-42951298364799747112012-04-16T09:55:00.000-07:002012-04-16T09:55:50.013-07:00Aren't Baby Shoes the Cutest?We finally came up with a way to save all those baby shoes we didn't want to throw away: make something artistic with them! Why not? For about Joey's first year, we had a growing mountain of little baby shoes that were too small for him but we couldn't bear to throw them out. I think I saw this idea in a RealSimple magazine, but of course I did it my own way. :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0Wh7w7-59s/T4xMQJax9GI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/fYabqk9f0lI/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0Wh7w7-59s/T4xMQJax9GI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/fYabqk9f0lI/s320/021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I went to Michael's and used one of their coupons to get this shadowbox (I never go to Michael's without a coupon...). It ended up being $11 or something ridiculous like that. I thought this was a great shape for all those little shoes, although don't ask me what's going to happen when I run out of room. I haven't thought that far ahead, yet. New shadowbox, maybe?<br />
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We decided which shoes we wanted to keep. It ended up being the right shoe from all his pairs of tennies. I printed off the month tag labels with the time he last wore the shoes and used my cricut to cut out the labels. I fastened snaps to the sides of the labels and attached the whole assembly with glue dots. They stick really well to this fabric background on the shadowbox, surprisingly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qnjo5oQa13o/T4xMgNiuaVI/AAAAAAAAARE/q4Wa_bcgwKg/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qnjo5oQa13o/T4xMgNiuaVI/AAAAAAAAARE/q4Wa_bcgwKg/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Then I used much larger 3d glue dots to adhere the shoes to the fabric shadowbox because they needed something a little stronger. Don't worry about them sticking out any more than they already do, though. The 3d dots don't actually add any height.<br />
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So, in the end, we were able to get rid of all the dirty shoes we were keeping and keep something that really reminds us of how quickly they grow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rTCke_aMtMo/T4xMW4aPPHI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/p6B8DT94FUI/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rTCke_aMtMo/T4xMW4aPPHI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/p6B8DT94FUI/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We've got this cute little baby wall going for Joey, and soon I look forward to making another little shoe shadowbox with perhaps some pink, flowery shoes!raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-26021374009664404972012-03-09T19:48:00.000-08:002012-03-09T19:48:13.255-08:00FINALLLYYYY! One UFO down...I can honestly say it feels like a HUGE weight has been lifted off my shoulders. About the weight of a giant double afghan, to be exact. I started this project several, several years ago. I think it was one of the first things I wanted to make Scott after we got married. Yep, that was almost 7 years ago. At least I can say I'm dedicated to my UFOs (for those who don't speak 'craft', that means unfinished object, of which I have too many).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noy7X_D_wig/T1rK2rcC7_I/AAAAAAAAAQM/hDce6aWUWX4/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noy7X_D_wig/T1rK2rcC7_I/AAAAAAAAAQM/hDce6aWUWX4/s320/015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is a picture of his blanket back when I had "finished" it. I think I just got bored with it and decided that was enough for now. Scott is such a wonderful husband that he never said anything about it, and he used it all the time despite its unfinished potential. :)<br />
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But then I FINALLY got to feeling so bad that I decided I need to finish the damn thing. Then I could stop thinking about it and stop feeling guilty and he would have a wonderful blanket to actually use! And I also have made a sort of pact where I'm telling myself that I'm going to lessen the number of UFOs I have and to also stop not finishing them! It's a tall order, I know. I have faith in myself, though. So I'm going back through my stash and trying to finish things I've started way too many years ago and just dropped out of boredom. *sigh*<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-f4GhkGL_E/T1rLEBpCeWI/AAAAAAAAAQU/RSHlRo64LTc/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-f4GhkGL_E/T1rLEBpCeWI/AAAAAAAAAQU/RSHlRo64LTc/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This was a great way to get started, and Joey, of course, insisted he help. Really, I just gave him a ruler so he'd feel important. :) This was our fringe station, and I kept having to rearrange it because Joey liked stepping on the piles of yarn, but we all had a good time in the end. I couldn't help but laugh. :) It took me several hours to do all this fringe, though. It took me about 5-1/2 hours to do both sides of fringe. That includes cutting all the yarn and evening the trim, though so it was A LOT of work. Glad it's done. :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJSgJlrN-SU/T1rLRiSu57I/AAAAAAAAAQc/MOUAPt93cEA/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJSgJlrN-SU/T1rLRiSu57I/AAAAAAAAAQc/MOUAPt93cEA/s320/026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_sDmFMAx-4g/T1rLbOXYP8I/AAAAAAAAAQk/UiTw8T61SQo/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_sDmFMAx-4g/T1rLbOXYP8I/AAAAAAAAAQk/UiTw8T61SQo/s320/032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is probably one of the most incredible blankets I've ever made just for the fact that it's a great winter-weight afghan, I love the colors and, with the fringe (which I usually hate) and this lovely scalloped border detail, it really does make a very simple blanket really beautiful. One day, I myself will have a double weight afghan. :) Not now, though. I'm still reveling in the glory of having finished this one. I probably won't be ready to start another regular-person-sized afghan for a while. Ugh.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hxuS-MoT7hE/T1rLjjkE3iI/AAAAAAAAAQs/8yw-OS_Rb_0/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hxuS-MoT7hE/T1rLjjkE3iI/AAAAAAAAAQs/8yw-OS_Rb_0/s320/037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After I got all my pictures for ravelry and said blog, I went right to where my husband was playing video games in our cold basement and put this on him. And here he is where I am making him enjoy the blanket I just worked SO HARD to finish after a ridiculous number of years. If that doesn't say I love you, I don't know what does. <3raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470730062349507103.post-71646447513972443822011-09-03T14:08:00.000-07:002011-09-03T14:08:49.489-07:00Underwater Basket Weaving - Turns Out, It's Not That Easy<br />
I was exposed to an entirely new form of crafting last week. One I had miraculously never even considered before: basket weaving. I even drove 5-1/2 hours to try it. IT WAS AWESOME. Yes, it killed my fingers a bit, but it was totally worth it! I went to one of these art classes with my Mom, and we both made baskets.(That's my Mom and me if you hadn't figured that out, yet. Aren't we amazing?!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c6uvhXIrSA8/TmKUcStSldI/AAAAAAAAAQI/nYciHkwBpp4/s1600/imagejpeg_2_9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c6uvhXIrSA8/TmKUcStSldI/AAAAAAAAAQI/nYciHkwBpp4/s320/imagejpeg_2_9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>An explanation as best I can manage: we wove the bottom of the basket, then we turned up the stakes and wove the top with different kinds of reed. Oh, and we got to cut the tops and do more weaving and then cut more stuff. And we used different colors! My favorite part was the basket feet, though. I LOVE baskets with feet. And also stair baskets, but we didn't make one of those. :( Anyway, as fun as that all sounds, you should definitely try it if you EVER get the chance. I'm pretty sure it won't be my primary hobby (*sad face*), since I have a bazillion other hobbies (how much is a brazilian?), but I will do it whenever I can. (Ooh! That's my basket!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_QTsfAnG88/TmKUaZ5XooI/AAAAAAAAAQE/uAnuGfhFYHg/s1600/IMG_20110826_165216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_QTsfAnG88/TmKUaZ5XooI/AAAAAAAAAQE/uAnuGfhFYHg/s320/IMG_20110826_165216.jpg" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Actually, today I bought a ton of basket making stuff. I'm amazed at the ways you can use baskets. The basket class was at the instructor's house, and it was fun to find all the baskets she had around the house and all the uses she had found for them. They weren't just baskets. They were magazine holders, tissue boxes, utensil holders, bird nests, hearth baskets and trash cans. Now I want everything to be a basket, and, guess what? I think I can make them all. :) </div>raynaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17672284226310239615noreply@blogger.com0