Simply Sublime Stiching!

clipped from www.sublimestitching.com

Ready-to-Stitch ECO TOTE
"FLORAL FANTASY" by Jenny Hart
Limited Edition

This is the tote that I bought from Sublime Stitching last week! When I saw the design at first I was sort of intimidated, but once I started going with it I just got caught up in choosing colors and deciding what I wanted to fill in and such.
And this is my "finished" tote! (I say "finished because I may all stuff onto it and fill in some more of the leaves and flowers.) I had so much fun with it that I may do another for a friend!! Best thing is that it was majorly cheap and even Eco-friendly!! What do you think??

DIY Project: Altoid Tin Travel Candle

Isn't this so pretty? (You can find the original post here....another great find from Stumble!)

What You’ll Need:

1. altoids tins
2. candle wicks
3. wax (i used microwaveable soy wax from a craft store)
4. mod podge (a glue/sealant available at craft stores. it is non-toxic and nonflammable
5. decorative paper
6. pencil
7. scissors
8. paint brush
9. wax coloring or scents (optional)

Instructions:
1. clean the altoids tin thoroughly.
2. trace the top and bottom on your paper and carefully cut out shapes.

3. measure the width of the sides for the top and bottom. for the bottom, measure to the bumps on the front side where the top and bottom connect. (my altoids tin is .25 in and .5 in thick) and cut a long strip in each width.
4. separate the top and bottom of the tin. spread a layer of mod podge around the rim of the bottom tin and wrap the strip around. press down and cut off any excess paper. smooth down the edges with your fingers to wipe off any extra glue.

5. spread mod podge on the flat base of the tin and place the paper over it. smooth out any bumps and snip around the sides to clean the edges.
6. repeat with the top of the tin. you can cover the holes and bumps and then cut them off later.
7. when the papers are all attached, paint a thin layer of mod podge over all of the papered part of the the tins. this smooths the edges and seals the paper to protect it.
8. let dry completely and reattach the two pieces. clean any glue off the inside of the tin with a paper towel and soap.
9. glue the wicks onto the base.
10. heat the wax and pour to directly below the hinges in the back.
11. let the wax dry. trim the wicks.
12. if you want, you can attach a small pack of matches to the inside of the top lid so you always have a light!

YOU’RE DONE!

My New Craft Space!

Da dada DA!!!!!!!! My Christmas present from Klint was finished this weekend and looks just like I pictured it. I am sure that there will be more additions to it, but I am loving having my own area to work and craft!

Craft of the day: Pin Cushion Bracelet

Now that I am dabbling in sewing I have discovered a few things that I need for the process to go smoothly, like a pin cushion. Of course me being me it can't be just any pin cushion! So I looked around and came up with this to aid me with my couch sewing. Now I don't have to use one of my little stuffed birds for the job!!

Materials:
Snapple bottle Cap or cap of similar size
3x3 square of fabric
poly-fil
glue gun
ribbon
button
needle and thread
elastic cut to fit around your wrist comfortably but snug enough to not slide.

How To:
1. Using a running stitch gather the fabric into a ball leaving enough room to stuff the ball with poly-fil.
2. Close the ball tight and roll it to shape it.
3. Using a glue gun attach ribbon to the outside rim of the bottle cap.
4. Attach a button to the place where the ribbon overlaps.
5. Use a generous amount of hot glue in the inside of the bottle cap, making sure to also get the inside rim.
6. Press your fabric ball firmly in the bottle cap, hold for a few seconds
7. Using the glue gun attach the elastic to the top of the bottle cap, creating a bracelet.

Voila! An instant pin cushion that even protects your wrist from pokes with the bottle cap, and you are doing a bit of good for the environment by recycling!!

You can even make a pin cushion ring using a smaller bottle cap like this found on Etsy and the source of my inspiration!!

My First Craft Show

.....was a flop, but luckily not because of anything I did. I actually made quite a bit since there was all of 5 customers there, but it was definitely a dissapointment. This was the first show at the dance studio and I think that it was a learning experience for the owner. I am very proud of myself though for making my table look fun and getting tons of hair clippies done for sale though (now if anyone knows what I can do with about 200 pairs of hair clips I am open to all ideas!!!)
A couple of people suggested adding them to my Etsy store, but the thought of taking pics and listing all those clips makes me a bit dizzy, plus every pair is different. Sooooo..... what next? =)

All I Want for Christmas...

...is a place to keep my craftiness organized and cute!

For Christmas I have mentioned that we are only giving each other 4 gifts: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. Well, my want and need are one and the same: a place to keep my craft supplies organized, a place where I can craft and feel inspired but can close the doors and leave a project half done without fear of little hands (or paws) getting into the glue, glitter, and papers. So I started looking for inspiration and found exactly what I wanted at (of course) Martha Stewarts's website. =) Do you see why I am adoring this woman nowadays? This was my mecca of craft areas:

It is a place that I can close, is cute, and very well organized. Problem is though that is takes a lot of work to find two sturdy bookcases that match but are different depths, not to mention the cost of fitting them together, fitting them with plaxiglass shelves, etc... so we thought about what else would work within a $100 budget... when the answer was looking at me as we thought and thought... our catch-all closet in the playroom!! It holds all the things that don't have a home, things that are forgotten and not needed or have a place elsewhere in the house. This is the inspiration picture from Better Homes and Gardens magazine- 100 tips for Organization.

So now that we know what is going to house my craft area I need ideas on where to get cute storage supplies, tools that you use to keep your inspiration flowing but not overflowing into your living areas. What organizational tool can you not live without? I need to get everything from a desk to shelves, etc so help my hubby out and send your organize tips and tricks here!!