random.on purpose.

This "Boo"quet's for you

Halloween is coming soon - hooray!  I used to not-so-much like that particular holiday, but the decorations and other surrounding "stuff" have improved greatly in recent years, so now it's one of my faves!

Remember this guy?

It would seem that I am completely unable to use this stamp (from Stampin'Up!'s "Best Fiends" set) without adding googlie eyes to the "booquet" (which is eyeballs, anyway).  It inspired me to make my own eyeball "boo"quet:

Wanna make one of your own?  It's pretty easy!  Here's what you need:

• Some semi-raggedy red flowers (I got mine at Michael's)
• A pack of eyeball party favors (I got mine at Party City)
• Red craft paint (from my stash)

You'll also need a hot glue gun and glue sticks, some wire cutters (or strong scissors), and a hammer and small nail.  Here's what you do:

Using the wire cutters or strong scissors, cut the flower stems apart so that they are no longer a "bush".  Pull all of the flower heads and leaves off of the stems.  Separate the flower heads as shown above.  Set aside the leaves and flower centers for a future project (we don't need them for this one).  Paint the stems and the sepal (that little thing on the far right in the pic above) with the red paint and set aside to dry.

Use the small nail and hammer to pierce a hole on the back of each eyeball.  Enlarge the hole by wiggling the nail around in the hole and/or using a small file or reaming tool until it is the right size to slide onto the stem where you pulled off the flower head.  Heat up the glue gun and reassemble the flowers like so:

When you put the flower together the usual way, the sepal goes onto the stem with the points pointing up, as shown on the left above.  We're doing it differently, though, so put it on the stem "upside down" - with the points pointing down, as shown on the right above.

Put the larger set of petals from the flower head onto the stem next.  This one goes on upside-down also, so that the petals droop.  The smaller set of petals will go on next, and in its usual, upright orientation:

Next, put a little hot glue on and around the hole in the eyeball and slide it onto the stem.  Snug the petals up around it a bit.  A little glue is all you need - too much and you'll melt the stem and make a mess.  It should look like this now:

Repeat with the rest of the eyeballs and flowers, and you're done!  My "bush" had 14 flowers, and there were only 10 eyeballs in the favor pack, so I went and got another pack so I could finish.  Wanna see it again?

And a little closeup:

Curious about what this project costs?  The flower bush was on sale for 50% off, so I picked it up for a mere $1.50.  The packs of eyeballs were $1.99 apiece, and I had the paint and glue sticks on hand, so that's a grand total of $5.48 (not including tax), and I still have 6 eyeballs left over!

Okay - that does it for my first Halloween project offering!  If you'd like to revisit a few others, click on the title below the picture for these:

"BOO"bbles

Halloween pillowcases

Okay - that should keep you busy for a bit!  If you decide to try any of these projects, I'd love to see the finished results!  Post a comment or shoot me an email, okay?  Thanks so much, and thanks for stopping by!

Thrifty Thursday - back again

It's been a really, REALLY long time since I've done a Thrifty Thursday post!  I don't know if I'll get back to doing it with any kind of regularity, but I messed around with some stuff yesterday and this morning, so I thought I'd share today and the label fit, so there you go!

So, exactly how much fun can you have for $3.88?  If you pick up one of these tablecloths from WalMart:

 you can have AT LEAST three times much fun as this:

Why do I say three times as much?  Because I made everything you see in the photo above from less than one-third of the tablecloth! (As you may have already noticed, I only used the one on the left - I may or may not get around to playing with the other one...)   I will warn you - this is a LONG post and has MANY pictures!   Turn back now if that will overwhelm you!  If not, let's start simple, shall we?

These are beanbags - probably the easiest thing on the planet to make!  Here's what you do:

Cut a piece of the tablecloth that is three full squares high, with a half-square above and below, by seven squares wide, with a half-square at each end, like this:

  or this:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

depending on where you want the pattern to be on your finished beanbag.  Fold in half, wrong sides together, and begin stitching almost at the end of the side opposite the fold, and right where the red and white squares meet (make sure the back is lined up with the front):

Stitch to the corner of the white square, leave the needle in your work, lift the presser foot and pivot your work 90 degrees, sew down the next side to the corner, pivot, turn and sew the edge by the fold - continue until you are sewing down the side you started on, but only go about an inch down that side.  Clip the threads.  You should have this:

See that opening?  Using a funnel if necessary, pour rice or popcorn into the opening until your beanbag is as full as you'd like, then sew the entire edge on the machine to close the opening.  Trim around the edges with pinking shears to remove excess fabric and make it pretty , and you end up with this:

  or this: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't want to make beanbags, you can use the exact same pieces and make coasters instead.  Just go all the way around all four sides instead of leaving an opening, then trim.  I thought they'd be cuter if I also stitched along the lines between the squares, too, so I did:

Want to make a pouch to carry the beanbags in?  Sure you do!  Here's how you do that:

Cut a section of tablecloth that is eleven full squares wide, with a half square at each end, and five full squares high, with a half square along the bottom, and a three-fourths square (more or less - I just cut along the tops of the hearts) along the top.  Also cut a smaller strip seven full squares wide with halves at each end, and one full square high, with halves at top and bottom:

First we're going to hem the top edge of the larger piece.  Do this by folding that 3/4 row to the wrong side, tucking the raw edge back under to meet the fold, and stitching.  I used a zig-zag stitch.  (I also forgot to take a picture of this step, you can see the wrong side in the photo below this one):

Fold the piece in half width-wise and stitch along the half-heart row, so you only have full hearts on the finished piece.  Trim the seam and stitch the raw edges with a zig-zag stitch to finish:

 

Leaving the piece exactly as it is, sew across the bottom where the half square and full square rows meet:

We need to square the bottom, so this is how we accomplish that:  Open the corner and manipulate the sides and bottom until the seams of each are lined up and you have a triangle.  Stitch across the triangle where it is two full squares wide, then trim the excess:

  


Repeat for the other side.  Since there is no side seam there, just line up the bottom seam with where the fold was.  You can look inside to see where you are, if it helps:

Turn the entire thing right side out, and you have this:

Now we need a handle.  That smaller strip that you cut earlier - you can see it in the pic waaay up there - is going to become the handle.  Lay it wrong side up, fold the half-square rows to the center, and stitch right down the middle with a zig-zag stitch to catch everything and hold it together:

  

Tuck the half-square at one end inside the top edge of your pouch, lining it up with the top edge, and centering it on the side seam.  Stitch it on (I used a zig-zag stitch, and double-stitched it).  Repeat for the other end of the handle on the opposite side of the pouch, centering between the two full squares on the other side (since there's no side seam):

   

And that's it!  Four of the beanbags will fit in this little pouch:

The purse is made basically the same way - hem the top edge, sew the side seam, sew the bottom seam, square the corners - with a couple of changes and additions.  Cut the body piece twenty-one full squares wide, beginning and ending with a red row.  It is eight full squares high, beginnng with a white row and ending with a red one.  The handles (there are two) are fifteen sqares wide by one square high + half squares top and bottom.  The picture below shows seventeen squares wide, but I ended up trimming my pieces when I went to attach them - I thought that they were too long:

  

The hem is a full square folded to the inside, instead of a three-fourths square.   When you sew across the triangles to square up the bottom, sew across three full squares instead of two:

  

Make the handles the same way as you did for the beanbag puch.  To attach them, I left the entire piece inside out and flattened it back out like it was before the bottom was squared up.  Lay one handle wrong-side up on the table, lay the purse body over it, with one square of the handle aligned with the top edge of the purse body, and at the edge of the full square closest to the side seam, as shown below.  Lay the other handle, right-side up, on top of everything else, again lining up one square with the top edge, and making sure everything is even:

  

Stitch across the top ege through all layers of the handles and purse body.  Leave the needle in the piece and pivot 90 degrees, stitch until you get to the edge of the hem, pivot and stitch along that edge until you get to the other side of the handle, pivot and stitch back up to meet where you starte, pivot and take a few stitches to reinforce and finish off:

  
  

Repeat for the other side with the other ends of the handle strips, making sure that you don't get them twisted.  You will now have this:

Turn the entire thing right side out.  Now we're going to make a piece to stabilize the bottom.  Cut a piece of cardboard 3 3/4" wide x 8 3/4" long.  Lay it on the tablecloth and cut around it, like so:

Flip the fabric over so it is facing wrong-side up.  Center the cardboard piece on it and trim off the corners.  Put adhesive around all four side of the cardboard, fold the fabric over and press into the adhesive:

  

Turn it over and tuck it inside the bottom of the purse, right side up.  Now all we need is a closure!  Cut a strip of the tablecloth one full square wide, with half squares on each side, and four full squares high.  Fold the half square rows to the wrong side, then fold the entire piece in half.  Sew down one side, from the raw edges to the fold, pivot and sew across the fold, pivot and sew back up the other side to the raw edges:

  
  

You will end up with a finished flap.  Tuck it inside the top edge of the center back of the purse as shown, and stitch across the entire flap with a zig-zag stitch (twice) to sew it securely to the purse.

  

We're going to sew the hook side of a Velcro closure to the free end of the flap by sewing a big "X" across the square.  We're going to sew the loop side of the Velcro to the front of the purse by stitching in a sort of hourglass shape:

  

And that completes the purse!

Want something easy now?  How about a tube?  Cut a strip three full squares wide with half squares on each side, and nine full squares high, with half squares top and bottom.  Hem the bottom by folding one and a half squares to the wrong side, and topstitching across a full square on the right side.  Then fold the whole thing in half lengthwise, right sides together, and sew the side seam (the usual half-square dealie-o).  Trim excess fabric:

  
  

Turn the tube right side out, cinch the hemmed end with a rubber band, and tie a bow around it to cover the rubber band.  Tuck in a square and a half on the unfinished end, then fill the tube as you like (candy for the kidlets or, like I did, two bottles of Stickles for a crafty friend).  Tie a ribbon around the unfinished end to close (no need for a rubber band here), and you're done!

 

One last project for you - tired yet?  This one is an envelope.  Cut a section of the tablecloth five full squares wide with half squares on each side, and eleven full squares high with half squares top and bottom (I trimmed the top edge of my piece after I took the photo below - sorry!).  Hem the top edge by folding a double hem and stitching, as we've done on the purse and pouch, only this time we want to end up with a half square row along the top, as shown below:

  

To form the pointed flap of the envelope, fold the strip in half lengthwise, and sew across the bottom along the half-square line.  Clip the corner, trim the seam, finger-press the seam open, and turn the point right-side out:

  
  

Topstitch across the flap to hold the self-lining in place.  Fold the hemmed edge up, right sides together, to form envelope body.  You want to pay attention to the bottom edge, making sure that you have the fold exactly between two rows of full squares:

  

Sew the side seams along the half-square edges and trim the bottom corners.  In order to make a nice, finished look when we fold the envelope shut, we need to do the following:  Fold the side seam and the bit of the flap that's not in the seam toward the inside of the envelope.  Stitch from the edge of the flap to the bottom of the hem, as shown.  Repeat for the other side.  Turn envelope right side out.

  

We're going to sew the hook side of the Velcro to the flap, but this time we're going to stitch around the heart instead of through it (you can do this - take your time...).  Figure out where the loop side of the Velcro needs to be on the envelope front, then stitch it on - I did a square around the outside edges this time:

  

And now that project's all finished!

Here's the group shot again:

So, was that fun or what?!  If something is unclear or you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me or leave a comment.  Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

Tutorial: Message Center Door (and a bonus trick)

Wondering where I've been?  Busy, busy over here!  My sister (Alice, two years younger than moi) sent me an email a week or two ago asking if it would be okay with me if she and her husband David came to visit.  What?!  OKAY?!  I was COMPLETELY stoked about the idea, and told her so!

Well, we all know that there's nothing like company coming to motivate us to finish up some projects that we've kinda sorta stalled on, and that was so the case here!  My studio/workroom was nothing short of nightmarish, and I was planning to put a bed in there for them, so something had to be done, for sure.  And then there was the half-baked project that I'm sharing a tutorial for today, that I decided to finish up...

When we moved into this house a year and a half ago, we were somewhat mystified by the positioning of the coat closet.  It is built into the area dividing the living room and the kitchen, with the door opening into the dining area (not really a separate room - sort of eat-in kitchenish, sort of open to the living room, too).  Awkward and ugly, in our opinion.

First we tried treating it like all the other doors and just painted the trim.  Not happy...  We tried camouflaging it by painting it - trim and all - the same color as the wall so it would (hopefully) disappear.  No go...  This is my final solution:

While it is the final solution for now, it is not the final solution forever - this closet is going to disappear (as in three of the walls removed) when we remodel the kitchen.  Meanwhile, I've converted it to a message center.  Here are a couple of the items included:

A magnetic chalkboard (more on this later),

A calendar, a few decorative pieces, and three "buckets" to hold mail, coupons, etc. (more on those later, too).

Want to convert your door, too?  Here's what you'll need:

• A roll of poultry netting (also known as chicken wire) - you can usually find it in the garden section of the home improvement store
• Enough "screen molding" (thin, flat strips - look over with the other moldings) to frame out all four sides of your door
• Enough decorative molding to frame out all four sides of your door
• A miter box and saw
• Wire cutters
• A heavy-duty staple gun and staples
• Small finish nails
• Hammer
• Nail set
• Spackle or other hole-filling medium
• Paint of your choice (I used Krylon Fusion, since I bought plastic molding to save $$)

And here's what you do:

Remove the door from its hinges (leave the hinge parts on the door, though), remove the doorknob and lay the whole thing flat on the floor.  Cut strips of the screen molding to fit around the edges (I didn't miter these - just butt-joined them) and staple them in strategic places all around to keep them in place.  You may want to "bend" the strips out a bit from the hinges so they don't interfere with the swing of the door once you re-hang it:

Very carefully, and preferably wearing thick work gloves, unroll and staple the poultry netting to the molding, trimming excess off of one side and the bottom.  I pre-painted mine with oil-rubbed bronze spray paint (that was tricky - you have to weight it down on each end because it wants to roll back up), but you can leave it silver and it will still look fine.  Also, you will need to bend the twisty-sticky-outy-things (technical term) on the edges down as you go:

After you get that all finished, take a break and enjoy a beverage and/or tasty snack to refuel your depleted energy reserves and so that you can admire what you've accomplished so far...  Wondering why I didn't mention anything about that hole where the doorknob belongs?  That's because I wanted you to ignore it in the previous step, just like I did!  Break time over?  Okay, moving on...

Get your wire cutters and take just a couple of very strategic snips of the mesh covering the hole:

When you replace the doorknob it will hold these wires in place, I promise, and will not interfere with the functioning of the door, I promise!  Now cut the framing pieces of the decorative molding to cover all of the glorious mess you made with wire and staples, mitering the corners.  Nail them to the screen molding in enough places to close up gaps and make everything look finished and tidy.Keep in mind that you may need to trim out some of the edges where the hinges are to accomodate the swing of the door.  Set the nails using the nail set.  Dab a bit of spackle to cover the holes and touch up with paint after the spackle dries.  Re-hang the door and replace the doorknob.

The door itself is finished, and you can use it just like that by clipping things all over it with clothespins (that's how I displayed my Christmas cards last season).  You can also get creative and add things by hanging them with S-hooks.  I re-vamped a magnetic dry-erase board into a magnetic chalkboard:

Here's how you do that:

"Scuff sand" your dry-erase board by sanding it fairly well with fine-grit (150 or 220) sandpaper to provide "tooth" so the paint will stick, then tape off the frame.  I didn't have enough blue painter's tape to finish the job, so I had to use regular masking tape, too:

Following manufacturer's directions, spray the entire surface with chalkboard paint.  I had to do four or five coats to get good, even coverage.  Remove the tape and hang your chalkboard up.  Be sure to cover the entire surface with the side of a piece of chalk to "season" it before you use it (after waiting at least 24 hours for the paint to dry, of course!)

I hung the calendar up simply by folding it backwards over a length of wire and hooking the wire around the poultry netting.  When I need to change months, I simply slide the previous page back behind the whole thing.  I'll have to take it down and re-do it along about June-July, though...

The "buckets" I'm using to corral mail and such started life as Christmas items:

Only $1 apiece on clearance and they're metal (magnets stick to them!) and that scallopy edge is perfect for hanging onto an s-hook:

I'm ignoring the polka dots and glitter for now, but next time I get ambitious, they're getting sanded and painted with my beloved oil-rubbed bronze spray paint.  Since they will hold magnets, I plan to make seasonal decorative pieces to decorate them with, and switch them around periodically.  I'll be sure to show you what I'm talking about once I get a couple of examples made...

The bird plaque things were from the garden section of Hobby Lobby.  I just added some ribbon through the holes in the top and stuck the s-hook into the loop of ribbon at the back to add them to the door.

I'm contemplating putting a larger something-or-other across the bottom of the door to hold newspapers or something, but haven't quite made up my mind on that.  I don't want to make the door too heavy, but it still looks a bit empty along the right side and the bottom...  Any ideas?

And that's all I have for you today!  I'll be back another day - hopefully soon - to show you the studio revamp.  Meanwhile, enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

 

Peter Cottontail

Advance Apologies:  The pictures are a bit murky, the bunny's a bit mangy - my apologies on both counts - explanations to follow...

So - another day, another bunny, as promised!  Here's the reason for the apologies:  I purchased pom poms when they were on sale several months ago, but never opened the packages until last night.  To say that they are poor quality would be an understatement.  BUT - since I promised another bunny today and I'm attempting to follow through on promises I make, I went ahead and put together the bunny and the tutorial.  You may want to buy significantly better pom poms or make your own (there are lots of pom pom makers and tutorials out there).  Buy better quality felt, too - another disappointment...

Also, since I did this at night and later than planned, I didn't have natural light to take pics with or patience for doing a smash-up job on it, so I'm ever so sorry there, too.  My thought was to give you the step-by-step and an idea of the finished product and let you use both to create your own, better version!  Here's the poor mangy little guy:

And here's what you need to make him:

• 2" white pom pom (1)
• 1 7/8" white pom pom (1)
• 3/4" white pom poms (5)
• 7 mm pink pom pom (1)
• 8 mm google eyes (2)
• scraps of pink and white felt
• glue gun or tacky glue
• scissors

I'm not including templates or anything because, frankly, I don't have the time or patience (nice attitude, eh?), and it's basic shapes that I feel confident that you can freehand!  Here's what you do:

Glue two of the 3/4" pom poms on the front of the 1 7/8" pom pom, and add the pink pom pom where they meet at the top:

You just made the muzzle and nose - good for you!  Glue the whole thing onto the top of the 2" pom pom to make the head-and-body assembly;

Cut out two roughly kidney-shaped pieces of white felt and various sizes of pink felt circles to make some feet:

And some bunny ear-shaped pieces of white and pink for his ears:

Glue the feet onto the front of the bunny and the ears to the top of his head (I separated the fibers in the pom pom so I could sort of "smoosh" the ear down in to hold it better).  Add the google eyes:

Glue two of the 3/4" pom poms - one on each side near the muzzle - to make his arms, and add the last one to his backside for a tail:

Congrats!  You've just finished your bunny!  Here he is again:

Thanks for joining me again today, and happy crafting!  With any luck at all I'll get over my brain-fade, stuck mojo on the cardmaking front and have my Jingle Belle card for this week up on the blog later today - we'll see how that goes!   Oh - and be sure to link up in the comments or something if you make any of these, or the ones from yesterday - I'd so love to see them!  Ta!

Hippity, Hoppity...

...Easter's on its way!  What say we have a FUN post today?  What say we have a TUTORIAL?!

Yeah - I know - it's been waaaaay too long and I've been all moody and philosophical and what-have-you when I haven't been absent, and WHAT is up with THAT?!

Anyway - the night before last I had one of those nights where Odd Brain would NOT shut up, so I got up and did stuff (work-related, unfortunately - nothing fun) until about 1:00, then tossed and turned some more until about 2:30 (last time I actually looked at the clock), and then the alarm went off at 5:00, so yeah - not a lot of sleep...  Among the other things passing through my awareness was a possible Easter project, so after I did what I had to do yesterday morning, I trucked myself on over to the dollar store to get what I needed:

Is that a little pile of cute, or what?  I love little baby socks!  And what, you ask, do they have to do with Easter, and what on earth are you making?  Why, these, my dears:

Little stylized, soft-and-safe bunnies!  Fast, easy and CHEAP!  The trifecta of perfection, craft-wise, right?  Two pairs of socks for $1.00, which makes them 50 cents a pair, which means each bunny costs 25 cents to make.  Probably more like 30 or 40 cents if you want to count the fiberfill and ribbon, but I already had them on hand, so I didn't count them...  Here's what  you do:

Turn the sock inside out and trim the threads holding the hem in place:

Line up the creases on the front and back of the sock, and sew "ear" shapes by coming in from one side and up to the point, then down a bit inside the crease.  Repeat for the other side:

Notice how they're a bit wonky in the above photo?  I'm showing you the mistakes I made so you can avoid them...  This is what happens when you try to start from one side and just continue on to the other, instead of starting fresh on the second side.  I also didn't stitch down quite far enough in the center.  I should have continued the seam down closer to the heel of the sock.  Do it the correct way, please, so your ears will be more even...  Then trim off the corners and down the center, extending the cut just a bit past your stitching in the center:

The reason you need to clip a little farther is that you need a small hole to turn the sock  right-side out and to stuff it:

Turn the sock right-side out.  If you need to, you can use a chopstick or the eraser end of a pencil or something along those lines to get the ears arranged.  Add fiberfill to the sock, pushing it down into the toe first, then filling it up into the heel, until it looks sort of like a little fat baby foot might be in it.  Add some fiberfill to the ears, too, so they have a bit of shape and are a bit elongated (use the chopstick to help with this, if needed).  You may find (as I did) that you need to sew the ear seams a bit more to make them look right.  Begin where you ended your stitching before you turned everything right-side out, and end when you're happy with the length of the ear.  Repeat for the second ear:

You will also need to sew the top of the head shut.  To begin this stitching, weave the needle through several stitches on each side of the cut so you don't cause a run or make the edges fray out (Obviously, this pic was taken during the construction of a different rabbit than the other pics):

Also, I find it helpful to use a double thread and pull the needle between the two threads before I pull the first stitch tight.  This keeps the knot from pulling through the holes in the knit, so it anchors your thread.  After you finish the seam (I just use a whipstitch for all of this), tie off the thread and poke the needle back into the rabbit, pulling it back out  an inch or two from where you ended.  Holding the thread taut, clip it close to the rabbit.  The end of the thread will spring back inside and no one will ever see it:

If you're not fond of the way the seam looks, you could always stick a flower or bow or something over it to cover it, but I consider it a non-issue - nobody will pay attention if you don't point it out...  Now - tie a ribbon around the "neck" of the rabbit (just below the heel of the sock) and you're done!

Profile view:

I like them eyeless and simple like this (also safe - no choking hazards here!), but you could get all crazy and add some seed bead eyes (large-ish ones, not the tiny ones) and some stitches to add a bit more shape:

You could also add embellishments - flowers, buttons, whatever...  Pretty easy, though, huh?  Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and I really hope you make some of these babies (!) and link 'em up so I can see 'em!  Thanks for cruisin' by - more bunnies tomorrow, too (different ones)!  See you then, I hope!

Linking up to:

TMI + DIY Shelving (a tutorial of sorts)

I am about to reveal to you two of my pet peeves.  They are odd, but hey, we're dealing with Odd Brain, remember?  The first is bifold doors.  I know that the concept behind them is to save space because they can be opened and closed in a smaller area than a normal door, but I've never encountered a bifold door in my personal living space that was not causing me grief on a regular basis.  They are always on the closet that I need to be in and out of constantly, so they are always open, so they are always in the way!

The second pet peeve is drawers.  I know - can you even believe it?  Here's the deal:  I am impatient on certain fronts, and when I need something, I need it NOW, so unless the drawer is shallow enough to allow me to see the entire contents at a glance, I am losing precious time and getting annoyed.  This does not apply to dresser drawers, so much, since I rarely have a t-shirt or underwear emergency.  I'm referring to drawers in my work/craft/sewing room.  Many a fabulous project has been derailed by the need to plow through a drawer for something.  The hazards are twofold:

1. I will lose interest in the project by the time I find the needed item
2. I will get distracted by other shiny things in the drawer and forget why I was there to begin with

Quite the dilemma, yes?  This is exactly how extreme my peevishness in this area is:  I have some of those plastic three-drawer units you pick up at WalMart that are all stacked up nice and neat with all of my ribbons and flowers in them, and those are neatly contained within clamshell boxes (stamps from Stampin'Up! came in them, originally), and there are only two layers, but I inevitably need the clamshell on the bottom, so I have to move the one on top to get to it every single time.  I know - I'm ridiculous - but I have to live with me, so I try to work around these little idiosyncrasies and accomodate them as much as possible...

All of that nonsense is background for today's DIY project:

TUTORIAL (sort of): DIY Shelving:

What you will need:

• A dresser you hate
• Screws (details below)
• A drill and/or screwdriver
• Shims

I started with this dresser:

It was appropriately hideous and missing hardware (what appear to be handles on the bottom drawer is actually wire...) and the drawers were deep enough to hold all manner of crap treasures, which, in my case, quickly became "buried treasure", so they had to go.

One dresser yields TWO shelving units.  The first is incredibly easy. 

• Step one: remove the drawers. 
• Step two: admire your completed shelving unit

Wasn't that fun?!  Since it's hideous, move Shelving Unit #1 to the unfinished side of the attic for storage (mine holds alterable items), or the basement, or the garage, or wherever.  Shelving Unit #2 is only slightly more attractive - we're going for function here - but it's going to be in a closet, so who's to care?  A few more steps required, too:

• Remove all the hardware from the drawer fronts
• Determine what size of screws you will need, and acquire them.  Screws are sold by gauge (#4, #6, #8, etc.) and length (1/2", 3/4", 1 1/2", etc.)  You can find the correct gauge by using the screws that were holding the pulls onto the drawer fronts.  The length needs to be the thickness of the drawer front + the thickness of the drawer back.  Do not exceed this length or you will regularly impale yourself on screws that are sticking through where they have no business being!  Make sure that the heads of the screw are larger than the holes where the pulls were on the drawers.
• Acquire several sheetrock screws as well.

You will be building this unit upside down, then flipping it over to install it.  Here's how:

Take the smallest drawer and set it on the floor on its front (where the pulls used to be).  The back of the drawer should be facing up.  Take the next drawer and set it on top of the first, again with the front down.  Keep the bottoms (which will become the back of the unit) lined up.  Using the drawer pull holes as a guide, screw the drawers together.

Continue on with the rest of the drawers, moving from smallest to largest, until they are all screwed together.  Flip the unit right side up and place it in the closet (or against the wall) and place shims under the front edge to level it so that the back sits flush with the wall.

Mark the shims with a pencil line across where the edge of the drawer sits, remove the shim and cut off the excess; replace.  (I never cut mine off, as you can see in the first pic - oops!)  Use the sheetrock screws across the top of the unit  to screw it to the wall, so it doesn't come crashing down on you when in use.

Stand back and admire Shelving Unit #2!

See those bifold doors?  I've been battling them for a year - they are gone, baby, gone!  I'm going to put up a pretty curtain instead.  I can leave the curtain pulled back until company's coming, at which time I can pull it neatly across to hide the crap treasures on the shelves.

I used mine for punches (previously way too visible, as seen in this post) and other unsightly items that I need to have handy, but don't want to look at all the time.  I installed a curtain rod inside two of the drawers (if the brackets are 3" down you will have enough room for this configuration) and used wood blocks (intended for mounting rubber stamps) to support yardsticks cut to length to create shelves for more punches.

The border punches have wings? legs? arms? extended pieces on them that I just tucked under the shelves.  Some of the punches were sizes/shapes that didn't fit in, so they got dealt with differently.  Taller wood blocks with yardstick shelves and an unfinished wood pencil case turned on its side help out this group:

And a wooden CD crate helps out here:

I also have a mongo jar of glitter, gesso, UTEE, my date whomper, and my stash of paper bags and coffee filters here.  On the very top shelf (you can see it on the first pic of the post) is my iron and some other things like mineral spirits and acrylic sealer.

I positioned the unit away from the side wall so that there was a gap wide enough to slide my ironing board into, and installed pegboard on that wall  to hang gridded rulers, squares, yardsticks, cutting mats, etc.

And that's the rest of the story!  If you want your unit out in the room for all to see you could "prettify" it easily enough with paint, papers, etc.  I didn't have any enthusiasm for that, since it's not part of the decor, per se.  It's functional and I can hide it if need be and that's all I care!

I promise not to be so wordy in my next post!  Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week!

Twelve Days of Christmas?

Did you know that the Twelve Days of Christmas are NOT the twelve days before Christmas?  The twelve days are from Christmas Day to Twelfth Night (yes, the same one used as the setting for Shakespeare's play), which is January 5th,  followed on the 6th by the Feast of the Epiphany.  You can read all that you'd ever need to know about this HERE.

Why am I telling you this?  Because - like many other bloggers - I intend to do something here on the blog on each of those twelve days, but - unlike most of them - I'm doing so on the actual Twelve Days of Christmas.  Just wanted to give you something to look forward to post-holiday...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (where did that phrase come from and why?  I also wonder about "man alive!", but I digress...what's a tangent? ), I have a few countdown-to-Christmas things planned, as well!  For example, here's the second of the old/new tutorials I did for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps that are forever lost in the ether unless I post them here.  Again, some details could be sketchy, so you may want to read through the whole tutorial before you begin in case there's something unclear or that I left out:

TUTORIAL: Naughty/Nice Chart

Materials needed:

• Owl diecut, punch, or stamp (and whatever you need to color or paper-piece it)
• Alphabet stamps or stickers
• Inks of choice
• Ribbon or strip of decorative paper
• Colored cardstock
• White or ivory cardstock
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Fine-tip black pen (or other colors, as desired)
• Two old-school pencils with erasers (unused)
• Craft knife

To begin, create your owl.  I stamped and paper-pieced the owl from Owl Occasions from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  You also need to play around with the alphabet stamps to determine spacing for the header.  Do this on scrap paper, with the paper in landscape orientation so it's wider than it is long.  I used My Sentiments Exactly Retro Alphabet and Stampin'Up! Little Letters.  I wish I could give you dimensions, but they're long gone...  After you've determined how much space you need to leave for your owl and header, cut the ivory cardstock to width, but leave it longer than needed for now.  You can stamp the lettering, but don't attach the owl yet.

Using the ruler and leaving enough space below the header for a decorative strip, mark endpoints for the horizontal rows - one for the dates and one for each name that will be going on the chart.   Now mark the vertical columns, one for each of the 24 days, by making a tick mark with the pencil every 1/4', beginning at the right side, and working your way back to the left.  When you determine where these columns will end on the right, mark the top line for the dates, as well:

Using the black fine-tip pen, draw all the lines you just marked.  I did a double wavy line (hides a lot of sins).  I've found that the best way to do this is to rotate your paper so that you are pulling the pen towards you, as opposed to drawing across the paper.  You don't have to worry too much about perfection or about trying to make the lines wavy, that will be a natural outcome of what you're doing.

Using your alphabet stamps, stamp each name on its own row.  Write the numbers for the dates with a pen.  Trim the bottom of the cardstock below the last name, then cut the colored cardstock the appropriate size to mat it.  Also cut a strip of decorative paper or a ribbon and adhere it below the header and above the grid.  I used a strip of Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie matted with the same green I used for the chart.  Attach the owl over this strip.

Now we need something to mark the naughty/nice part, right?  Here's where the old-school pencils come in.  Draw and carve a star on the eraser of one, and just carve off tiny bits of the other one:

 
Flatten the top of the "chunked out" one a bit by rubbing it on paper like you're erasing something, but make sure you have the pencil straight up and down.  The idea is to end up with handmade stamps that will do this - stars for nice, and lumps of coal for naughty!

When you use it, it looks like this:

And that's that!  Hopefully this was clear enough for you to be able to execute the project without too much grief...

Thanks for joining me again!  Still one more new/old tutorial to go...stop by and see!

 

 

Tutorial: Banner Blocks

Hello again!  I'm setting some kind of record this week, I'm thinkin' - multiple posts and multiple tutorials?  I hope you don't get used to this, because I'm not sure it's sustainable...  Enjoy it while you can, though, right?

I was doing some maintenance here on the blog and noticed that the links to a few of my tutorials went....nowhere...  They were for posts I did as a guest designer for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps a couple of summers ago.  The company has since revamped their website, blog, etc., and all the prior stuff is gone.  I contacted the owner (Korin is a sweetie!) who confirmed this sad fact, so I'm re-gearing to post the tutorials here.

The good news is that I still have pics - the bad news is that it's been long enough that I may be sketchy on a couple of things.  We'll see...  Anyway, here is the first of those:

TUTORIAL: BANNER BLOCKS

Materials needed:

• Wooden blocks (mine are up-cycled from un-mounting rubber stamps)
• Binder clips (obviously they do not need to match)
  
• Papers of choice (I used Basic Grey Boxer and Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie)
  
• Stamps/inks of choice (I used Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Snow Friends and Close to My Heart Cobblestone Alphabet)
  
• Ribbons of choice (good use for leftover bits)
  
• Adhesives (I used Royal Coat Decoupage Medium, Dimensional Magic, glue dots and foam tape)
  
• Punches (optional - I used a scalloped square and a corner rounder)
  

To begin, measure your blocks and cut a strip as wide as the block is tall, and long enough to wrap around and overlap a bit so you can adhere the ends.  Glue it to the block, making sure that it's smooth and even. I also cut a piece to fit onto the top of the block to finish it (I traced around the block, then cut)  Cut strips that fit your binder clips, too, and adhere them (All of this is where I used the Royal Coat):

Stamp and/or color your images:

Cut them out and assemble them:

I also added some Snow Writer to their hats.  Did you notice that the Mom and Dad are each missing a hand?  That's where the heart they were holding got lopped off when I cut them out.  We'll fix it in the next step...

Add them to your blocks and embellish as desired (this is where Dimensional Magic and glue dots come into play).  I used snowflake sequins and teensy stars to gussy mine up a bit (and give Mom and Dad something to hold).  I also used more Snow Writer around the bottoms of all three.  Tie a bow in each of your ribbons and stick them onto the clips with a glue dot:

Next, use Dimensional Adhesive or another stronger adhesive to attach the binder clips to the top of the block.  Stamp whatever letters you need for whatever word you want, then cut out and assemble the tags.  You may notice that I have "extra" ink and embossing powder on my letters.  I didn't even notice when I was making the tags - just figured they were "shabby chic" or something and were supposed to be that way.  They aren't, but I'm okay with them, regardless!  When I stuck the letter to the scalloped square I used foam tape and only put it on the top and both sides - the bottom is open.  That way I can slide the tags over the clip.  That was just a personal preference, though.  You can do them however you want!

 

And here's the finished project again:

And that's it for my first new/old tutorial!  Have fun making some of your own, and please link 'em up if you do!  Buh-bye!

 

Tutorial: CD Clock

As promised, here's a run-down on the clock-making project:

Materials needed:

• CD (preferably one you're up-cycling)
• Scrapbook paper of  your choice
• Sandpaper
• Decoupage medium (I used Royal Coat; others like Mod Podge)
• Washer (more on this below)
• Adhesive that will glue metal to plastic (I used E6000)
• Clock works (available at craft stores - look by the unfinished wood)
• Stamps and inks, if you want to add more to your paper
• Computer and printer, if needed (more on this below)

Before we start actually making the clock, it's necessary to do some preliminary layout with your paper of choice:

If you want to print a quote on it like I did, then play around with the font and spacing until you get it how you like it.  I used the high-tech method of printing it off on regular printer paper ("fast draft" option to save ink), then held it up to the light with the CD behind it to see where everything would be on the finished project.  Keep in mind that it needs to stay contained within a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" area, and that some of the edges will be cut off because the CD is round - plan accordingly.  After you get it how you'd like, send your actual scrapbook paper through on the regular print option to finish this step:

Alternately, you could stamp a quote or sentiment.  In this instance, you could just trace the outline of the CD onto scrap paper and play around with that until you get it to your liking.  This is also what you will do if you're stamping additional designs.

You also need to prep the CD.  First, "scuff sand" the CD with the sandpaper to give it "tooth", so the paper will adhere properly.  Otherwise, you might be able to peel the whole thing right off, and then where will you be?  Also, you'll need to glue a washer to the back of the CD.  The center hole on the CD is larger than the post on the clock works, so find a washer with an opening the appropriate size and glue it on (make sure it's centered).  I used E600, but you can use whatever works for you.  Here are pictures of these two steps:

Now that you have your paper and CD prepped, you're ready to move on.  Spread an even coat of decoupage medium onto the face of the CD, being especially careful to ensure that there is good coverage around the outer and inner edges, so they don't lift up when you add the clockworks or do the next step.  Smooth the paper on, making sure that it's centered properly.  Let the glue dry before moving on.

To get a nice, smooth edge all the way around, first do a rough cut to trim excess paper away, then use the sandpaper to file away the rest:

You'll also need to carefully cut away the paper covering the center hole.  I used a craft knife.

I wanted more of a finished outside edge, so I used a stubble tool and Black Soot Distress Ink to add some ink around the edges.  It's up to you if you want to do this or not. 

Now just put together the clock!  My clockworks didn't come with any instructions, but I did track down this diagram online:

And there you have it!

You can hang your clock on the wall with the built-in hanger on the clock movement, or set it on a small easel, or whatever floats your boat!  Have fun, and please send me a link if you decide to give it a try!

Tutorial: Pillowcases

I mentioned a bit ago that I was planning to make Halloween pillowcases for my grandkids.  Today is the day that I carried out that plan.  Sherry was interested in having me make a couple for her grandkids, too, but I assured her that it was well within her ability to do it herself.  She's not sure she believes me, so I decided to put together a tutorial for her and anyone else that would like a fun, non-threatening project to sew.

Materials needed for one pillowcase:

• 1 1/4 yards soft cotton or cotton blend fabric
• 1/4 yard contrast fabric, if desired
• 1 1/4 yards trim, if desired
• Thread to match

Tools needed:

• Fabric shears or rotary cutter
• Cutting mat (if using rotary cutter)
• Gridded ruler
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron and ironing board

Before we start, I'm going to pass on to you THE most important tip to ensure that your sewing projects turn out as professional-looking as possible:  Your IRON is every bit as IMPORTANT in the process as your sewing machine!  Let me repeat that: Your IRON is every bit as IMPORTANT in the process as your sewing machine!  Any time you are following directions and they say things like "press seam open" or "turn right side out and press", be assured that you NEED to do this!  Skipping this step may save a bit of time, but that's what makes things look "homemade" instead of "handmade".  Okay, off we go!

Prewash all fabrics and trims to remove sizing and eliminate the possibility of problems such as shrinkage after your pillowcases are made.  Press, if needed, before cutting. 

Cut fabric 34 1/2"" wide x 41" long if it's a non-directional pattern, or two pieces 34 1/2"" wide x 20 1/2" long if you want the pattern to run the same direction on the front and back.  Pin fabric, right sides facing, and stitch in 1/4" seam down a long edge, turn and continue down a short edge, turn and continue down other long edge, if you cut two pieces.  Otherwise, fold in half, right sides facing, and sew in 1/4" seam down remaining long edge and one short edge.  You should have one short edge still open (unseamed).  If you're concerned about the fabric fraying out, zigzag or overcast the same previously-sewn seams near the outer edge of the fabric:

Press seams to one side near open edge:

Fold a 4" hem in open edge and press:

Open out hem, fold under 1/4" hem and press:

Fold 4" hem (now 3 3/4") back over and pin at regular intervals:

Sew near inside folded edge to finish hem (sorry about the bad pic):

Turn entire pillowcase right side out, press, and admire - you're all done!

Wasn't that EASY?  Here are a couple of variations:

If you want a contrasting fabric for the hem, cut the pieces for the pillowcase at 26 1/2" wide instead of 34 1/2" wide.  Also cut a strip of the contrasting fabric 8 1/2" wide by 41" long.  If you want a third fabric as a decorative border between the two, cut it 1 1/2" wide by 41" long.  That's what I'm showing in this section:

Sew body of pillowcase as above.  Turn right side out and press.  Sew short ends of contrasting fabrics together (you're making a "ring"), rights sides facing, in 1/4" seam, but do not overcast the edges.  Press the seams open:

Fold each strip in half so raw edges meet and press:

Pin accent strip to open edge of pillowcase body, raw edges even and matching seams and centers (skip this step if you're just doing a contrasting hem without the accent strip):

If you're concerned that this strip might shift in the next step, you can baste it before moving on.  Otherwise, layer the contrasting hem OVER the accent strip (accent strip will be sandwiched between pillowcase and contrasting hem) and pin, again with raw edges even and  matching seams and centers.  I find it easiest to temporarily remove the pin from the accent strip, then put it back through all the layers.  Sew in 1/4" seam through all layers and overcast.  Flip contrast hem and accent strip to outside and press, pressing seam towards pillowcase:

That pillowcase is done, too!

If you'd rather insert a trim than an accent strip, there's a slight change.  Sew ONLY top edge of pillowcase body (skip this step if you're doing the one-piece version that gets folded in half), then press seam to one side:

Flip fabric over to right side and pin trim to the edge (the short edges that will remain open - the trim will straddle the seam you just made).  Make sure that the part of the trim you want to show after you're finished is facing AWAY from the raw edge, and 1/4" in from the raw edge.  In this instance, I want only half of the ric rac to show, so I pinned it right up to the edge:

If you're not confident that the trim sill stay in place while you continue, you can baste it in place before moving on.  Carefully fold pillowcase, right sides facing, so that raw edges of remaining sides line up, and sew seam on remaining long and short edges, leaving trimmed edge open.  Overcast, if desired.  You are doing it this way so that you won't have any raw edges of the trim exposed when you're done.

Turn pillowcase right side out, press.  Pin contrasting hem over trim as in previous pillowcase instructions.  Stitch in  1/4" seam and overcast, if desired.  Flip hem and trim to outside as before and press, pressing seams toward pillowcase:

I couldn't decide if I liked the yellow ric rac or the orange better, so I did one of each:

And here's my happy little stack of pillowcases:

They'll go postal on Monday, along with some other Halloween goodies!  Hopefully you were able to follow the tutorial all right, but if anything's clear as mud or you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment!

These can be made for other occasions, obviously, or for no occasion at all - it just depends on which fabrics you choose!  Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!