Tips

I got an email from Better Homes and Gardens with these lovely old style laundry tips.

I think I will use cross stitch hoops to add a little more homey look instead of picture frames. You could even paint them if they are the wood ones. However, they do make plastic ones that come in different colors.

Hiccup in the process

Ironically its kind of a bad time for me to have created this blog. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE doing projects of all kinds, but right now is not a great time in my life.

I recently lost my job and its been really tight. My parents (bless them soo much) have agreed to allow me to move back home if I am unable to find a job by the middle of next month. I broke my lease right after Christmas when we all decided it would be the best idea instead of trying to pay for me to stay in my apartment. For the last several weekends I have been packing up my apartment and taking everything to my parent's house. My parents have a fairly large storage room, which sadly I am going to completely fill, that will house all the stuff I have right now. Luckily if I AM able to find a job I will be able to un-break my lease (as long as they haven't rented out my apartment) and move everything back. Sadly I have only had one interview, so its not looking good.

I packed up all my crafting supplies, as they were in the bedroom and that was the next room to be boxed up. I will still have my cross stick, knitting, and some fabric available to do some tiny projects. I will try and keep posting things, even if its just links to other people's projects. (I will hope that you mention that I did so on those sites as to show thanks)

I will most likely be moved out of my apartment by February 11th.


I was able to find the templates to make the decorations for my friend Sarah's baby mobile that I am going to make for her. Just need to get the right fabric now. I also found the mobile parts, so I will hopefully purchase that soon.

Organized Craft Place

You ever have a "hissy fit", for lack of a better word, when you can't find something and you KNOW you have it? I used to have it all the time when I was scrapbooking. I could never find anything because I had (still have) sooo much stuff. Luckily enough I learned from my outbursts of anger and finally organized my craft place. Granted it took me moving away to finally do it, but I did it all the same! No need to quibble about why. =)

I wandered into Hobby Lobby one day, cause I do just about everyday, and I was in the scrapbooking supplies and BLAM right in front of me was an entire wall of storage ideas. I honestly think I wet myself. I felt a little overwhelmed thinking about what it would mean for me to get my supplies together. Then it started to come to me, just walking up and down that wall. I took some pictures with my phone and went home to think it over. Life squeezed in and took away a lot of my free time for about two weeks, but finally I had some down time! I went back and low and below stuff was on SALE. (The word everyone loves to hear!) This was not some pathetic 20% or 30%, but 50% off. I think I did a little jig right there in the store. I bought two 12x12 paper holders, two 8x11 paper holders, 4 storage boxes, couple of baskets, and about 23 plastic containers. I was ready to get organized. Plus I didn't even feel like my heart was going to jump out of chest for how much I spent because it was practically nothing. (OK not NOTHING, but better than it would have been if it was not on sale) Now I'm not saying everyone should go out and get it ALL right now. It worked for me because I had some cushion money.

As I sit here typing this I'm looking at my bookshelves and feeling so proud of how organized I am and have stay, because come on we ALL know we start out OK but fail miserably in such a short period of time. I have labels on everything, which I made, and everything is put away. (the picture of my desk is because I was waiting for the glue gun to cool off)

Check it out:

I have this bookshelf and another that flank my desk. This has all my paper, stickers, and scrapbook albums (new and finished ones).

Each of these plastic containers is labeled and holds stickers. I have 17 of them.

All my paper is sorted by color and labeled, which I made. Every time I buy a package of paper I ripe it apart and sort the paper by color. That way it doesn't pile up and I know what there is to use.

These are the plastic containers I use for stickers (and also for ribbon). They come in this large size for $1.99 and a small size for $1.29. They are very handy.

This is the other bookshelf. This holds my flowers emblessiments, photos, stamps, ink, ribbons, paints, paint brushes, and some books and magazines. My sewing machine in the item on the lower right side.

There are two bags on the ground to the left of the bookshelf. The tan one holds all my fabric pieces for my fabric flowers. (The bigger fabric amounts for sewing and quilting is in my closet) The black bag is full of all my cross stick supplies. All my thread is wound on dollies and numbered.

There is another bag off to the right that is not pictured that holds all my yarn, needles, and other knitting supplies. (Its fairly large)

I use the smaller containers for my ribbons. I have 6 small containers and one large one.

 These are all my stamps and stamp inks. I need a bigger basket, as I have more now.

 Flower emblessiments and eyelets. All in containers and sorted.

I haven't decorated this yet (I got it from a friend yesturday), but its on my list. Its holding my knitting, cross stick, and card books along with my scrapbooking magazines.

All my adhesives and pens are in one container. My lighted table is next to my container for my stencils and embossing supplies.

All my string, vellum, metal work, and other emblessiments are in this container. All my cards and envelopes are stacked with each other.

All my scrapbook albums. The finished ones are from the dark red one all the way to the right side. The new albums are from the dark red one all the way to the left. The binder next to the dark red ablum holds all my templates, cross stick patterns, patterns for sewing, knitting directions, and random craft directions.

My work desk is flanked on either side by the above bookshelves making it easy to just get the item I need.

The case on my desk is the supplies I use for my fabric flower pins. I'm waiting for the glue gun to cool down before I put it back in the bottom part of that container.



Everything in its place and easy to find. I have only thing that I have issues with is my large stickers. They are in a container on the lower left side of my desk. They are all in there because they are too large to go anywhere else. Those are not sorted, but at least I know where to go to find them. =)

Be inspired to be more organized, or at least some what!

Fabric Flower Pins

I love flower pins, but I hated spending so much money on them. So I finally was able to find a template for one and I have been making them ever since. I have several different types as well. This is one of my favorite ones though. (Found template from Wise Craft.)
Supplies:
Fabric
Flower template
Scissors-small ones are best for the corners, but big ones are best for thicker fabric
Glue gun or fabric glue if you like
Pins
Needle
Thread
Button to cover, or just a regular button
Hair clip
Pin back
Felt- just a small piece
Feathers (optional)

These are the supplies I will be using.

optional to do more than one type of fabric

I use these from time to time, but this one will be a smaller slide clip.

This is the slide clip I will be using. Normally I would do both the clip and the pin, but I will not for this particular flower.

Fabric covered buttons are my favorite to use normally.

Plastic button work just as well, and that is actually what I will be using on this one.

Its best to match the thread as much as possible to the fabric to blend better.

Once you have printed the flower template, cut out the two pieces. Do NOT cut along the dotted lines just yet. The large flower will be used twice and the smaller flower will be used 4 times. I will be using the smaller template 2 additional times to add some detail.

Pin the large template to your fabric and cut it out.

TIP: layer the fabric and then pin. This will allow you to only have to cut out the large flower once, but will still give you the two needed.

Once you have them cut out, cut along the dotted lines to allow the flower to 'flap' around.

Now take one of the large flowers and lay it over the other. I try to not a line the cut marks with each flower, but instead a line them opposite of each other. This allows the flower to move around more freely.

Set the two large flowers aside. Pin the small flower template to the fabric and cut it out 4 times.

TIP: Fold the fabric over again and then pin the template down. This will save time by cutting out all 4 at the same time.

Once all 4 of the small flowers have been cut out take just one small lower and fold it in half.

Then fold it in half again.

Pin this "petal" onto the two large flowers. Leave a small outside rim of the large flower showing, other wise you will have pinned the "petal" too far to one side. This will make the flower lopsided. Repeat this step for all of the small flower cut outs.

I will be adding two more small flowers cut from tulle to add a little detail to my flower.

Now its time to sew the four "petals" in place (or 6 in my case). Using a thread that matches as close as possible to the fabric sew the tips of the "petals" down to the large flowers. Then sew one "petal" to the next petal to insure that they stay in place.

Once you feel the "petals" are secure tie off the thread. Now we need to sew on the button. I'm using a rounded pearl plastic button. If using a regular button you may glue it down. I would suggest sewing it on instead because the glue can tend to spread. The back should look a little pinched together as you start to pull the button tighter onto the flower.

If you haven't already cut a small piece of felt, do so now. I will only be using a slide clip for this flower, so my felt piece is not as large as I would normally make it. If I was adding a pin back as well I would want the felt piece to be a bit bigger.

Clip the hair clip to the felt piece and then use the glue gun to glue one side of the clip to the felt.

TIP: If you were also adding a pin back I would suggest sewing the pin to the felt as well as gluing it into place. This allows it to be more secure.

Now place a small amount of glue on the back of the flower  (about the size of your felt piece) and place the felt piece on the back of the flower. Make sure that you place the side you glued the clip onto the felt on top of the glue you placed on the back of the flower. Other wise you will not be able to open the clip.

Your fabric flower is now finished! This project takes very little time or effort, which is why I love it and use it so often. This particular clip is going to be for my headbands. (but it can be used as just a hair clip, clip to clothing, or even clip it on a pair of shoes)

I have made several of these flowers. I made a set of them to wear on a cardigan for Christmas this year.

Found template from Wise Craft.