Fabric Scrappy Brooch

I had fun wasting time, playing around with some scraps and pieces 

leftover from another project to create a fabric brooch the other day.

You won't be able to see that project until later in the year though ;) 

I also used a fancy stitch on my sewing machine

for the very first time on the felt background piece! 

Will I actually wear it ? 

Probably not, I am not a jewelry wearer.

This is what happens when I don't close a box of fabric right away.....

the cat makes herself a new bed for catnapping. 

I'll probably not be posting as much on the blog for a while.

I've worked months ahead on my design team projects

 for Love To Craft  (always posted on the first of the month)

and have a decent enough stash of greeting cards made (I think!). 

It's time (passed!) to start concentrating on my photo albums

and scrapbooks. I've so much to get completed still!

I will have some digi projects to share

for my creative team work with JMC Designs, though.

In fact, there are will be three kits released this month

that I have digi projects to share for. 

Thanks for looking, have a great day =) 

Stamped Fabric Snowman Multi Use Embellishment

This sweet little fabric scrap snowman was a cinch to make ;)
He can be a pin, a magnet, an ornament, a scrapbook page embellishment,
a gift package tie on, etc and so on !

I used scraps of tea stained "muslin" with a piece of cotton batting
sandwiched between for his head. I hand stitched the three pieces together,
leaving the edge of each layer raw and exposed.

The face was stamped with a permanent brown ink.
I lightly tapped ink onto his cheeks with my finger tip
and used a blender pen with chalk to color in his nose.

A little scrap of plaid cotton fabric was torn then hot glued into place
to create his scarf. You could certainly add more embellishments to him !

Thanks for looking =)

I'm entering my fabric scrap snow man in the current Anything Goes Challenge #76 at
Retro Rubber. My stamp is 11 years old and in a set  by Printworks, Q025 Melt Your Heart.

My Favorite Crafty Items I Made Last Year

My favorite crafty projects I made the past year =)

Treat box made out of an envelope die

and various paper punches.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/03/all-items-used-were-from-stampin-up.html

tutorial

Dollar Bill Rose Bouquet -

real money crafted into paper roses to

give someone that has "everything".

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/04/dollar-bill-rose-tutorial.html

tutorial

Pop Open Scrapbook Box for a wedding - 

this is the open view, click the link below for more views and instructions

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/05/pop-up-cake-explosion-box-wedding-card.html

tutorial

Graduation Party Decor

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/05/graduation-cap-gift-bags.html

how to for the grad cap gift bags

Pop Open Scrapbook In A Box - Golden Anniversary

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/07/50th-anniversary-scrapbook-in-box.html

Beads and ribbon bookmark

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/09/beads-and-ribbons-bookmark.html

Made from scratch Double DVD case reusing parts from

the table markers I made for my cousins wedding reception.

We did the videorecording and I took some photos. 

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/10/double-dvd-case-made-from-scratch.html

Miniature stocking gift bags made from a die

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/12/mini-stocking-gift-bag.html

tutorial

Ornament - 

I finally broke down and bought the dies/stamps that it seemed

everyone (except me!) had last year, making these gorgeous ornaments.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/12/ornament-keepsakes-ornament.html

Made from scratch box to hold a set of hand made greeting cards

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2013/12/handmade-greeting-card-box.html

tutorial

Thanks for looking =) 

Beads and Ribbons Bookmark

I posted the box previously here.

Mom and I went to a local art gallery "yard sale" over the weekend. The "yard sale" itself didn't have much we were interested in, although I did find a 2" binder I was in need of !

While there, we perused the gallery of fiber arts items that were on display and for sale. Oh my gosh, I should have become more artsy way back when and created more "art" to try to sell, I was totally blown away by the prices on the pieces. I have to wonder if they ever sell any and to who ? Several things were in the thousands of dollars, most were well into the hundreds !!!

There was a small section of gift type items, a bit more reasonably priced. One thing mom picked up, but quickly put back down, was a bookmark made of ribbon and beads. Ding , idea ! I dugout my small collection of beads (another one of those craft projects I wanted to get into and never did, it's not like I wear jewelry anyway) and some ribbon to make one for her ! This one is even fancier than the one at the gallery, though it doesn't have high end Swarovski type beads. I know she reads - a LOT - so maybe she will use it.

I've never made anything like this , but figured it can't be too difficult. It really wasn't, the hardest part for me was bending the ends of the eye pins and attaching the tiny jump rings. I think I should buy a smaller pair of needle nose pliers should I decide to get into beading =)

Supplies:
1/8" satin ribbon
7/8" organdy ribbon
eye pins
assorted plastic beads and spacers
charm
jump rings
needle nose pliers
Fray check
tiny dab of hot glue


Thanks for looking =)

Baby Headbands

Super easy to make - and the variations are absolutely endless ! I could have made dozens, so much fun to make =)

Mom bought several adorable outfits to give as a shower gift so I decided I'd whip up a few headbands to add to them. It was good to get back to the craft dungeon this past week, digging through old supplies, crafty stuff I hadn't used in so long.

Some were made with die cut felt pieces, others are made with bits of ribbon, lace and other notions I had on hand. Unfortunately there are no sewing supply stores in our area so I had to make do with some elastic I had in my stash. I used to have cute stretchy lace that I made headbands for my daughter with years ago, but I can't find it. Then again, that was 20 years ago (I can NOT believe it has been that long, wow, time sure has flown by) and if I had any left, it probably wouldn't stretch anymore! 

The photos are not the best since I took them after I already had the headbands packaged. I cut a piece of card stock to fit some small cellophane bags I had on hand. I used a punch to make a notch at each end for the elastic to rest in. The cellophane bags have a hole at the top that fit perfectly over the tops of the hangers ! 

Felts

Daisies die from Stampin' Up!

yellow thread

elastic colored with a Sharpie marker

hot glue

iridescent lace scrap gathered with thread to make a circle

ribbon roses hot glued on 

wide satin ribbon gathered into a circle

tiny lace rosette

pearl stitched on in the center

Basic instructions for a poofy flower

felts

flowers die from Stampin' Up! (I used 5 small flowers)

handcut leaves and circles 

hot glue

elastic

Fold each of the flowers into fourths, add a dab of hot glue (watch your fingers !!!) to hold in place. Lay four of the flowers around the edge of the circle that you hand cut. Glue in place. Glue the fifth flower in the center. Adhere ends of the elastic to the back of the flower. Glue a circle on top of the elastic ends. Don't add too much glue or let it be exposed, you don't want it to be rough on baby's head. You could certainly add more flowers, use different fabrics and folds - soooo many ways to make a puffy flower shape. Have fun ! 

By the way, if you don't know the circumference of the baby's head,  the standard measurements I came across are 12" long for newborn to about three months, 14.5" for three months and up. 

That concludes my crafting / gift making from the past week. Thanks for looking =) 

2 more felt Snowmen projects

A little snowman pin I made out of felt, wooden "ice cream spoon" that I painted for his head/face, pipe cleaners for arms and a scrap of fabric.

I attached it to a gift tag on a present.

These were totally inspired by candy cane covers that could be

purchased from a mail order catalog.

I had enough felt and fabric scraps on hand to make my own,

donated them to the school holiday bazaar.

Snowflake Pin / Card

4.25" x 4.25" card with removable felt snowflake pin

The Whisper White is embossed with the large polka dot

Texturz plate although it doesn't show in the photo.





It would also make a nice gift package embellishment

(or napkin ring doodad, magnet, etc).

SUPPLIES:

All supplies (except the brad) are from Stampin' Up!

Bashful Blue, Whisper White and Metallic Silver card stock

Large Polka Dot Texturz plate

Northern Flurry embossing folder

Bigz Snowflake #2 die, Sizzix

Double stitched 1" grosgrain ribbon, Bashful Blue (retired)

Felt

Pin back

Hot glue

SNAIL adhesive ( or your favorite adhesive for paper)

Sparkly brad, unknown (I used this brad rather than a rhinestone brad from Stampin' Up! because it was larger)

Cropadile  (or another heavy duty hole punch tool of some sort)

This is the first time I made something like this; I used regular felt. I think if there is such a thing, you may want to look for stiff felt or maybe iron on something (fusible interfacing?) to the back of the felt before die cutting to stiffen it. Mine seems too "floppy".

Cut two snowflakes from the felt.

Use one snowflake as is for the base. Snip the other snowflakes into 6 pieces to layer on top of the whole snowflake. I made two layers of three parts each. The 1 designates the whole snowflake, bottom layer.  The 2 is the second layer and the 3 is the top layer.

Punch a hole with the Cropadile through all layers to attach brad.

Cut out a circle of felt, chipboard, etc to adhere the snowflakes to. Attach pin back (or magnet or napkin ring or....) to this. I used hot glue for gluing all pieces together.

Cut a piece of Bashful Blue card stock 4.25" x 8.5"; fold in half to create a 4.25" square card.

Cut two pieces of 4" square metallic silver card stock.

Cut two pieces of 3.75" square Whisper White card stock. Run one piece through the Big Shot with the large polka dot Texturz plate. Run the other piece through with the Northern Flurry embossing folder - be sure to leave an area that is not embossed for writing on !

Glue the Northern Flurry embossed Whisper White piece to one silver piece then on to the inside of the Bashful Blue card.



Wrap a piece of Bashful Blue double stitched 1" ribbon around the polka dot embossed Whisper White card stock and metallic silver card stock. Adhere to card front.

Pin the snowflake brooch onto the front of the card through the ribbon.

This card will require a padded envelope and extra postage if you wish to mail it.

Thanks for looking =)

Blog Hop Projects

The following three projects were created for a Blog Hop I participated in. Instructions will be posted in the next few days. Thanks for looking =)

The felt snowflake on this 4.25" x 4.25" card is a removable pin.

The Whisper White layer is embossed with the large polka dot Texturz plate; the inside is embossed with the Northern Frost embossing folder.

Instructions will be posted

January 10th.

Snowman box created from one piece of 12x12 card stock !

Pattern and instructions will be posted January 11th.

Let It Snow "topiary trio"
Instructions will be posted

 January 12th.

BONUS PROJECT: I thought I should include a project for the scrap bookers that may be stopping by during our blog hop ! This is an old project, a progressive scrapbook page, that I demonstrated several years ago. It starts as a 6" x6" scrapbook page (the small blue square), progresses to an 8.5" x 11" page (the light blue rectangle) which can then easily be turned into a 12" x 12" page if you prefer to scrap that size.

Happy New Year !

Straw Hat Scarecrow Pin and "Wreath"

craftysahmiam.blogspot.com

I made this soooooo long ago, but it is still just as cute !The idea came from an old Crafts magazine. It uses two straw hats of different size, a fabric bandanna, raffia, paper twist and acrylic paints.

Basic instructions:
Cut a smaller straw hat in half for the scarecrows hat.
Add whatever embellishments you'd like; I hot glued on a strip of paper twist and fabric scrap. I also poked a hole on one side to run through raffia through. hot glued in place. Hot glue bits of raffia on each side of the face just under the edge of the hat, too.

Large straw hat for base, Paint a face with acrylic craft paints.

Poke a hole on each side of the neck area to run half of a fabric bandanna through. Hot glue in place.
Add more raffia under the bandanna.

Add hanger on back. I just hot  glued on a strip of twine.

craftysahmiam.blogspot.com

Very similar idea, but using a wood circle for the head, miniature straw hat cut in half, raffia, acrylic paints, a scrap of fabric for the bandanna and a pin back to create a piece of fun fall jewelry.

Here is a really cute Scarecrow card I created this fall. It was totally inspired by several scarecrow face projects, such as the two above, that I've crafted over the years.

Thanks for looking =)

Simply Adorned Necklace - Halloween Insert

I bought one of the Simply Adorned necklaces from Stampin' Up! and will admit that I do not wear it, gasp! I don't wear jewelry as it is, and this seems too big for me to wear. It is a really nice piece though, I love that it has two sides, each with a different shape of glass (one is smooth, the other is beveled) and that you can make any sort of insert you want to coordinate with your outfits.

Above are a couple of Halloween inserts I made recently to wear for fun one day. All items used (except the ribbons) were from Stampin' Up!

Only Orange card stock
Whisper White card stock
Carved and Candlelit stamp set
Tricky Treats stamp set
various classic inks and aquapainter
Signo white gel pen


Thanks for looking =)

Frankie Necklace - wood bead project

I made a few of these a long time ago. He is made out of little wood craft beads and spools strung together with ribbon, painted with acrylic crafters paint. The project idea was in an old craft magazine. The ribbon is regular 1/4" (? I think) curling ribbon, so this gives you an idea of little the spool is I painted the face on ! Now that I have LOTS of regular ribbons, I really ought to restring him.

Thanks for looking =)

Stampin' Up! buttons to the rescue

So it wasn't a real rescue, not even a true emergency.

I bought a sort of olive green t-shirt back in June, a totally new color for me to wear, and had no coordinating accessories. I don't wear jewelry and such anyway..... but I wanted a little something to go with this new t-shirt I planned on wearing to the Sting Symphonicites concert that night. I went to the craft dungeon and stood there thinking then an idea popped into my head: I'll make a quick barrette and maybe a simple bracelet with my new buttons. A snippet of ribbon, a few tiny bits of linen thread, hot glue and three buttons made a quick barrette that matches almost perfectly ! I also made a very simple bracelet by threading some buttons onto several strands of hemp that I twisted together. I tore the bracelet back apart so I could reuse the buttons - I think that I need to add more to the barrette.
I liked that the buttons matched so well, I was able to quickly make the barrette to wear with my hair down. However it was soooooooo unbearably hot that night I ended up pulling my hair into a ponytail. Perhaps I should have made a ponytail holder and added the buttons to that instead !

Thanks for looking =)