5 a Week: Mini-Pin Cushions

 

It’s Sunday, so it’s time for week 9 of…

 

…The Five a Week Pledge.

 

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see the first week for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

 

This week’s craft:

Pincushions!

Little ones made each with a single square of fleece and an extra scrap for decoration.  The method I used for them is a little hard for me to describe in words.  I think I’ll explain it with more detail in a later post, it’s easy I promise.  The decorative flowers were made with just a strip of fleece and some thread and running stitches.  It’s a easy little technique I learned from a book on fabric flowers that I found at the library years ago.  I will probably explain that one later too.  Wow, much to do for the future.

Anyway, these pincushions were so quick to put together.  I could literally whip one up on the train ride to work, and whip up and attach the flower on the ride back.  I actually finished the last couple of flowers while waiting to leave from work.  I kind of stuck around the store for a while longer than intended last night due to a major storm.  Nothing like sewing to keep you occupied when waiting.  Especially sewing something as cute as these pin cushions. 

I kind of thought they would make cute gifts, either for people I know who sew or for people who are interested in learning.  Maybe coupled with the needle books from last week (see 5 a Week: Needle Books) and some other necessary supplies.  For now, I still need to focus on the next batch of small projects as well as my craft list.  You thought I forgot about that right?  Nope, I just hadn’t quite had enough time to get started right away.  I did get one project from it finished, the easiest.  I’ll share that one plus some more things later this week.  Look forward to it.

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Wordless Wednesday: Asian Cuisine

Taken at UnPhogettable, at Mekong Plaza in Mesa Arizona.

 

 

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5 a Week: Needle Books

It’s Sunday, so it’s time for week 8 of…

 

…The Five a Week Pledge.

 

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see the first week for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

 

This week’s craft:

Needle books.

Or needle cases if you prefer to call them that.  I say needle books because they look like cute little fabric books until you flip them open.

See what I mean?

The main reason I made them was to use up some leftover fleece.  Despite recent attempts at decluttering, I still had a few fleece squares hanging out in my stash waiting to be used.  Plus I realized I didn’t actually have anything cute to put my sewing needles in.  Just the packaging they came in, which is super boring.

This needle book is my favorite.  I love the cute daisy print fleece.

These books are super easy to make.  All I had to do was cut a couple of rectangle shaped pieces from the fleece for the “pages”, cut a wider piece to wrap around as the “cover”, then sew a straight line along the side as the “binding”.

I chose to just let the fabric do the talking, but if I wanted to I could have actually made them more elaborate.  Maybe add appliques or trims to the covers before sewing, or decorative stitching along the edges.  I kept on coming up with tons of ideas for making these books while sewing them, maybe even for making similar fabric books.  For now I’m happy with these, but I did come up with one good idea.  What’s a cute needle book without a cute matching pincushion?  So that will probably be next week’s craft.  Look forward to it!

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5 a Week: Chocolate and Cream

It’s Sunday, so it’s time for week 7 of…

 

…The Five a Week Pledge.

 

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see the first week for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

 

This week’s craft:

Chocolate and Cream.

That is, accessories made with more chocolate brown ribbon and creamy off-white lace.  I got the idea from some of the lace cuffs from last week’s craft.  From the left is a pair of choker necklaces, then a headband on top, a hair clip below it, and a small broach.

The chokers were made by cutting a length of the lace about long enough to wrap around my neck plus a little extra for hemming and breathing room, super important.  I cut a second piece of lace and sewed the two together along their top edges.  The chocolate ribbon covers this seam.  All I had to do then was hem the ends, add some snaps and make and attach a bow.  Then repeat all to make a second one.

For the headband, I did the same thing with the lace as the chokers.  It’s actually two layers of lace pieces sewn together with two rows of stitches down the center.  This created a channel that I could slide a plain metal headband through.  Then I added the ribbon.  I also wrapped ribbon around the ends of the head band to hide the raw edges of lace and to make it cuter and more comfortable.  A couple more bows and it was done.

The hair clip and the broach was made pretty much just like the lace applique broaches I made several weeks ago.  Here’s the tutorial if you missed it.  Again all it took to finish them was a few chocolate ribbon bows.

On another note, I’m going on a short hiatus from blogging here.  Just for the week, I’ll be back in time for the blog hop this Saturday.  I just wanted to mention it so no one thinks I’ve “gone quiet” again.  It’s just for the week and not several months.  I’ll be working on a few projects, including ones for this blog.  Look forward to it.

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Wordless Wednesday: Have a Spectacular Day

Taken at Mesa Community College.

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It’s In the Bag!

 

This past weekend I stopped by the last day of Epic Thrift’s Back to School Bag Sale.  I really didn’t want to miss it because of how great the last bag sale was (see Bagging It on Black Friday).  I wanted to show off share what I scored at the sale. I’m afraid the pictures were taken as soon as I got back from work that evening.  Bad lighting ahead.

I found a pair of Julius the monkey pajama pants as well as some nice pillowcases.  Perfect for bedtime, or possibly to cut up for sewing other things.  I saw a pair of Hello Kitty pajama pants too, but they were too big.  It’s hard to see at the bottom of the photo, but I also found a pair of long white gloves.  They were easy to fit in the bag and I thought they might come in handy.  I also got a white curtain that I thought was a sheet until I saw the loops for a rod.  It will still work, I can either use it for sewing or for taking pictures. 

The blue dress on the left is actually made of terry cloth, as in towels.  I thought it was really cute and comfy, plus it would be perfect after swimming.  The other blue dress I kind of took a chance on, it may or may not work for me.  That’s one of the good things about bag sales, you can squeeze in extra items you may not normally consider otherwise. 

And yes, that is a Barbie movie.  Barbie’s The Princess and The Pauper, I actually like it.  It’s really funny, especially the bloopers at the end.  Remember, all Barbie movies have bloopers you don’t want to miss.  Plus, remember to check out movies from the library for free before buying.  That way if you hate them you didn’t waste any money.

Three pink tops, can you tell I like pink?  Two of them are polo shirts, I guess there is something about a pink polo.  It just looks so cute, on men as well as women too.  Of course that a completely different topic. 

It’s hard to see the black skirt, but it’s a short A-line skirt and simple but super cute.  I’ve already worn it, it works with practically everything and is really comfortable.  Can you tell I really like this skirt?

The skirt on the right has pretty embroidery on the edge and looks like it’s hand made.  It does remind me of a white and brown skirt I got before at a bag sale.  Sad this about that one is that I haven’t worn it because it doesn’t match anything.

I also took a quick peek at housewares and found three really pretty saucers.  They have gold edging and two of them have English violets painted on them.  I sadly couldn’t find the matching tea cups.  Maybe another time.

Why in the world are black clothes so hard to photograph?  Anyway, from the left is a see through lace top, a sheer black blouse and a black vest with lace on the sides.  Basically three pieces that require me to wear another top underneath for the sake of modesty.  They are also all small things I took a chance on.

Here is a couple of basic tank tops and a really cute red violet sleeve less top.  It has lace, pin tucks and ruffles and it ties in back and on the front.  It look really pretty on me too.  I wore it the other day with the cute A-line black skirt.  Told you it works with everything.

Another black top that wouldn’t photograph well, it’s a nice button down that fits me well.  It actually has nice looking cuffs with cute buttons.  I also got a pair of embroidered napkins and a wallet that looks just like the one I currently have.  At least it has the same design for things like pockets and stuff.  It even has a built in keychain, just like my current wallet which is why I like it.  It’s really handy to have my keys attached to my wallet.

I know it’s still Summer, but I like to plan ahead so I got these pretty long sleeved tops.  They will come in handy when it finally cools down here.  I also got this short sleeved bolero, it’s perfect to use year round.

More trouble with black clothing.  The black velvety dress is so adorable, I would actually wear it now if it weren’t so warm outside.  I also found another pair of black pants for work and a special pair of jeans.  Special because they actually fit me.  I have the most trouble finding jeans that fit me.  They are either perfect everywhere but the waist, or fit the waist perfectly and are baggy everywhere else.

And the best piece.  A coat.  Yes more planning ahead for Winter.  I’ve always had trouble finding cute coats on sale, no matter what the season.  That’s another good thing about bag sales.  It doesn’t matter what the price tag says, it only matters that it fits in the bag.  Of course things fit better in the bag when you know how to roll it.  Rolled up clothing takes up much less space than folded, meaning you can fit more in the bag than usual.  That’s why I could get so much in the bag.

Speaking of which, here are the totals:

• 4 white pillow cases (1 with lace!)
• 2 floral print pillow cases
• 1 white “curtain”
• 1 pair cute pajama pants
• 1 pair long white gloves
• 3 dresses
• 2 skirts
• 3 pink short sleeve tops
• 2 long sleeve tops
• 3 black tops
• 1 vest
• 1 bolero
• 1 small piece wall art
• 1 Barbie DVD
• 2 pretty napkins
• 1 pink wallet
• 1 pair black pants
• 1 pair jeans that actually fit
• 3 sleeve-less tops
• 3 pretty saucers
• 1 cute coat

38 items total for $20 plus sales tax.  A pretty good haul.  Still can’t wait for the next sale.

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5 a Week: Lace Wrist Cuffs

It’s Sunday, so it’s time for week 6 of…

 

…The Five a Week Pledge.

 

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see the first week for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

 

This week’s craft:

Wrist Cuffs.

Such a pretty accessory, easy too.  All you have to do is cut strips of different laces, layer them together as you like, gather them some how with elastic, then sew the ends together like a bracelet.  Then you can add ribbon, beads, and/or charms to decorate.

For the first pair of cuffs I used two different white eyelet laces and I embellished them with cute bows made from pink grosgrain ribbon.  I actually got the ribbon from Bookman’s.  I’m not sure if they will match anything in my wardrobe though.  I mean I do have a lot of pink stuff, but not necessary this shade of pink.  Of course that could be a good excuse to make some more pink clothing.

The second pair of cuffs uses the same lace but with thin white satin ribbon bows instead of the pink.  Makes them more versatile.  I can wear them with everything, at least with everything that you can wear eyelet lace with without looking odd.

The third pair is just like the second pair of cuffs except I stitched the elastic directly to the cuffs instead of threading it through a channel.  It makes it look pretty good worn but kind of wonky when you put it down.  That why it looks strange in the first picture.

The last two pairs were both made with a creamy off-white eyelet lace and a matching colored polyester lace and elastic sewn directly to the lace.  I had originally intended to layer the laces in a way to cover most of the polyester lace since it looks really cheap.  That idea went out the window, but it’s for the best.  Sometimes the best way to disguise something is to leave it out in plain sight.  I really like the way this came out, even if it does remind me of a garter.

The only difference between these two pairs of cuffs is this one uses brown ribbon for the bows.  I love this ribbon, it reminds me of chocolate.  In face I frequently use it to wrap chocolate gifts.  I think it looks great with the cream color of the laces.  Makes me want to make more accessories using the two together.  Maybe that will be good for next week.  Look forward to it!

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It’s Back!

That’s right, the list has returned.  I realized it has been literally years since the last time I had an actually craft list (see Up to Thirty Two).  I miss having a list to go by, it’s more fun to check each one off.  So I now present:
Project List #33

• Purse
• Bag
• Mini-bag
• Dress
• Vest
• Fleece

Just six items to get myself back in the habit, and I probably won’t finish it within this month like with previous craft lists.  School is about to start and that makes things crazy around here.  It’s what happens when you work at a store located across the street from an University.  But I will finish it one way or another.  Look forward to it!

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Wordless Wednesday: Flutter Bye

 

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Back to School!! On Pinterest

August always makes me think of Fall which always, always makes me think of school and all that comes with it.  I love this time of year.  It’s been years since I have so much as taken a single class, but I still get excited when I see sales on notebooks and stuff.  It’s still useful stuff to have around the house anyway, especially when it’s cute.  Nothing like pretty office supplies.  And since things are cuter when you craft them yourself, and I tend to honor all occasions with Pinterest, I created my annual Back to School pin board.  Here for your enjoyment.

Back to School 2015 Pin Board

Some Highlights:

• Button Paperclip Bookmarks
• Rollup Cord Holder
• Binder Pouch Tutorial
• Notebook Folder

As usual with my seasonal pin boards, I will add new pins throughout the year regardless of season.  Check out my boards for other holidays/occasions too.

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5 a Week: Sandals for Dolls

It’s Sunday, so it’s time for week 5 of…

 

 

The Five a Week Pledge

 

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see the first week for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

 

This week’s craft:

Sandals!  For Dolls!

Another craft for dolls, but this will probably the last for a little while.  My bjd shouldn’t get all the fun.  Plus with these she now has enough clothing to officially be considered fully dressed (see her reaction on the doll blog). 

I made the shoes based on this cute bjd sandal tutorial.  There’s just a few differences.

I only used one layer of foam instead of two because if I had used two layers I would have ended up with platforms, not the look I was going for exactly.  I just attached the straps to the sides of the foam really well letting the lace on the edge re-enforce it.

Instead of making ankle straps like in the tutorial, I just added ribbon to tie on the sandals.  It makes it easier to fit and looks really cute.

One problem I had was that the lace I used was wider than the foam.  When I attached it to the edge of the foam I had to trim off the excess at the bottom.  I tried to just glue it down instead with the first pair of sandals, but it looked terrible.  Trimming was the better option indeed. 

Since it’s been five weeks since I started this challenge, I thought it best to recap what I’ve accomplished.

I’ve made:

• 5 Beaded Bracelets
• 5 Lace Brooches
• Plus 1 Lace Appliqué Brooch Tutorial
• 5 Ball Jointed Doll Sized Circle Skirts
• 5 Ball Jointed Doll Sized Lace Tank Tops
• 5 Ball Jointed Doll Sized Lace and Ribbon Sandals

25 plus one bonus is 26 crafts completed in five weeks.  Not too bad.  A very helpful person left a lovely comment referring to this as a “productivity challenge”.  Looking at these numbers I’d say it is a pretty accurate term.  I’m feeling optimistic about the next five weeks of “productivity”.  Look forward to it!

Update:  I made more doll sandals that are even better than these, plus I made a tutorial for them! Check it out!

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