celebrate CREATIVITY in all its forms

The Year In Review

Happy New Year!  Hard to believe we're already into a brand new year. 

Before embarking on the next 12-months of colorful crafts, projects, quilts and occasional recipes, I thought it would be fun to share a quick recap of the year that was.

Perhaps you missed a few projects from this blog last year.  Here's a rundown with thumbnails and links that will get you caught up on everything from celebrate CREATIVITY 2009. ♥

Stick a Pin in It Talk about a beauty makeover.  Turn a drab old picture and frame into an elegant bulletin board in no time at all.

Where Women Create Need to get more organized in the New year?  I think we can all relate.  Read a quick review of some great organization books that are helping me whip my own work space into tip-top shape.

Savvy Stenciling Transform a plain-Jane storage box into a fancier one with the addition of stenciling.  I share easy tips and techniques to make your stenciling project a success.

Hang Papers, Not Clothes Why use wooden clothes pins to hang clothes when you can use them to clip loose papers?  This easy decoupage project not only yields a pretty result, it will change the way you look at clothespins forever.

Apronology Aprons look fab on everyone.  Take a look at my sweet apron collection and also read a special introduction to Nana Banana (my mom).

Spring is in the Air After a dreary and cold winter, this Spring quilt will warm you up in quick order.  Scrumptious, colorful fabrics and a super easy quilt pattern make this a great weekend project for any skill level.

 

What is Old is New Again It's amazing what a yard of Damask canvas and a staple gun can accomplish.  Finally, a reason to be excited about ironing as you'll see with this easy ironing board makeover project.

Pretty Details and Butterfly Wings  Beautiful scrapbooking is often all about the little details.  That and a couple of butterfly wings.  Check out the elements that can make for a great scrapbook page and a tutorial on how to make translucent, winged embellishments.

Monkey Business Have a bake sale coming up?  The addition of these fun recipe cards will guarantee your baked goods will fly off that fundraising table.  Great project for kids to help out with.

Mom's Day Every mom deserves a special breakfast.  Your mom will love this Mother's Day dish which is so yummy, you can practically taste it through the computer screen.

Hats Off to the (little) Chef This cute chef hat tutorial is easy and the finished product will get anyone looking like the real deal in the kitchen.

Wordplay Create attractive, vinyl words and phrases for your wall to make a statement in any room in the house. 

 

Pretty in Pink It's the color every little girl loves.  Take a look at how I turned a favorite old child's dress (that I couldn't bear to part with) into an adorable apron.  You'll love the finished project but you may end up having to cut a deal with your daughter to keep the new garment for yourself.

Quilts, Gardens and a Day in the Country A trip to the country turns into a fun day of fresh air, veggie gathering and a visit with Nana Banana.  It's also the backdrop for a great quilt project that will remind you of basket full of garden goodies.

Plentiful Cookbooks, Photography, Julia Child and Pistachio Pudding I love cookbooks and not just for the recipes.  They're great inspiration for improving my photography for this blog.  Take a trip through my cookbook collection for a look at where I get some of my photo inspiration.

Blogging for Bliss If you've ever thought of starting a blog or improving an existing one, this book with blogging tips and strategies is for you.  My blog (along with dozens of other must-visit sites) is also featured and my blog banner graces the back book jacket.  How cool is that?

Sweet September You haven't really tasted a waffle cone until you've made one by your own hands.  Your kids will also enjoy making these sweet treats.  Check out this post which includes an assortment of ideas on putting these cones to good use and really good taste.

Decorative Desk Decor Even a work desk needs pretty decor.  Here's another easy project to create a fashionable-looking storage container, mini notebooks and decorative clips to help keep those scattered desk items in place.

Boo to You Fall fun, scary scrapbooking and sweet treats are just some of the features in this Halloween roundup of projects and activities.

End of an Era A look back at Memory Makers scrapbooking magazine. Production on this long-running, popular magazine ended this year.  Also, get a close up look at some of my favorite layouts that were picked up by MM for publication.

Autumn Harvest  As the Fall season rolls in, you may want to warm up with this pretty Autumn quilt.  See how the easy quilt blocks are constructed with my step-by-step and download a PDF pattern to make it yourself.

A Bushel of Apples  You may be amazed at all the things you can do with a bushel of apples.  This fun post starts out with a visit to an apple orchard and ends up taking a bite out of half a dozen apple-themed projects that you can easily make yourself.

The Kissing Ball Like mistletoe, a holiday kissing ball will get you a few smooches.  This holiday decoration is not only a blast to make but legend has it that good fortune will befall anyone who walks under one.

The Pleasure of Poinsettias Nothing symbolizes the holiday season like Poinsettias.  Enjoy this step-by-step tutorial for a beautiful 3-D Poinsettia holiday medallion that can be used for much more than just cardmaking.

 ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  

So, that's a look back at the year that was.  Do you have a favorite project (or two) that was featured here last year?  I'd love to know which post stands out to you and why.

Also, throughout the next several months you may notice a few changes around here as I continue to tweak this site to make it a more informative, navigable and pleasant visiting experience.  

A huge thanks to all of you for your interest and enthusiasm in my handiwork and I look forward to more fun, inspiration and loads of creativity in 2010.

Happy New Year! ♥

A Bushel of Apples

Who doesn't love a beautiful apple orchard?  A recent family orchard-excursion not only yielded a ton of apples for us but also sparked the inspiration for this fun-filled post for you.

Grab a cup of java or better yet, pour yourself some apple juice and relax for the read. 

With 40 colorful photos featuring creative apple ideas, this is my biggest post ever.

Any visit to an apple orchard results in a huge haul as you can see from Jordy's bag. 

By the way, apple picking will definitely bring out the competition in siblings as Jordy and Cameron attempted to out-pick each other.

 

Carter Mountain in Charlottesville, Virginia was the destination spot for this outing.  We made the trip with three other families from our neighborhood and all the kids had a blast.  

By the way, do you know how hard it is to get a group of kids to do what you want, all at the same time? 

One second after I snapped this photo, everyone in this shot scattered in a different direction.

 

I'm sure we picked more apples than we'll ever be able to eat.  Of course, the treat is in the plucking.

As you're picking your apples, consider gathering a few apple branch twigs as you spot them on the orchard ground.   

I'll show you how you can put these orchard twigs to good use further down in this post. 

Since we're on the subject of apples, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at a variety of projects that feature this tasty and popular fruit.

 
The apples in the sink look delicious but it doesn't get much sweeter than this cute, cloth doll in the photo below.

I made her more than a decade ago and it was nice to dig her up to include in this post.  

Check out that apple apron.

Before attaching the plaid apple-shaped fabric to the apron, lightly stuff the shapes with cotton fiberfill. 

Fabric strips tied in a bow represent the apple leaves and they also add a nice fanciful twist to the project. 

I checked and even after all these years this doll pattern is still available if you click here.

We're still talking apples and this 2-page scrapbook page captures Jordy's first visit to an orchard as well as his first-ever bite of an apple when he was about one year old.

It's great to look back on these old photos, reflect on that fun afternoon and marvel at what a big boy Jordy is today in comparison.

Remember, that's what scrapbooking is all about.

  

Here is a closer look at a few of the details on this layout you may want to try on your own scrapbook pages. 

This embellished, khaki-colored fabric piece is an example of how layering a series of trinkets can add dimension and interest to a scrapbook page. 

I also used a favorite apple-definition rubber stamp which you'll spot again throughout this post. 

I repeated the apple-lettering element by using the same stamp to customize these chipboard letters which are positioned across the bottom of the scrapbook layout.

Customizing chipboard is super simple.

You'll need a rubber stamp, stamp ink, acrylic paint, clear sealer or decoupage glue and chipboard letters.   

Chipboard is available in a variety of shapes, letters and patterns.  Paint the chipboard letters the desired color and set aside to dry completely. 

     
Once chipboard is dry, use the rubber stamp to add the lettering to the alphabet. 

Let rubber stamp ink dry completely and then apply a layer of acrylic clear coat (or decoupage glue) to give the letter shine and durability.

 

Meanwhile, an apple a day, keeps the doctor away, right?  Do you think this kind of apple counts toward that healthy eating motto?

Eat these in moderation and you, your doctor and your dentist will be fine.

There a lots of sugar cookie and royal icing recipes to choose from but the ingredients below work best for me.

The cookies from this recipe are crisp and sweet and the frosting is perfectly smooth with a thick consistency for easy spreading. 

Just click the photo below to print this recipe.

  

The above recipe will yield about a dozen cookies. 

Be sure to set aside a small amount of dough to create some fun dimension to each cookie.

   

Utilizing that set-aside dough, use a leaf shaped fondant cookie cutter to make lots of little leaves to adorn the apple cookies. 

These mini leaves are not only cute but also make great bite size treats too. 

    
 
Add an apple green color to the mix by decorating the leaves with icing or decorating gel.

I also added a few sprinkles to each leaf for a bit more texture.

Apply a small amount of icing to the back of the leaves which will act as an adhesive when dry.  These little leaves are the perfect touch and I think they actually give the cookies more character. 

My neighbor thought the white icing strip was a fake worm but I actually meant it to represent light reflecting off the shiny apple.  

However, you could roll a tiny worm out of dough, bake it and apply it to the cookie like the leaves for some additional whimsy.

  

Here's a quick look at what the cookies look like in a shade of apple green. 

To get this color I used regular green food coloring in the icing recipe and then continued to add drops of yellow food coloring until I got the desired color. 

     
   
Meanwhile, if you're making your apple cookies to give as a gift, little tags are a really cute way to dress up the packaging.

You'll need assorted cardstock, a tag punch and an apple punch to create the shapes.

If you don't already have a tag punch in your crafts arsenal, I highly recommend it. 

These tags are really handy and you'll find yourself using them on a variety of projects and homemade treat-packaging.

Enter my trusty apple definition stamp again.  I told you this stamp was versatile. 

Of course you can use any stamp you like as a background but this one is really perfect for the look I'm after.

After punching out the tags, simply stamp the length of them with the apple stamp. 

Create an opening for the ribbon using a small-size hole punch.  

Insert the ribbon through each hole and your done. 

You can see another way I used this versatile rubber stamp if you click here.

 
This is just one more way to enhance apple cookies to make them even more special to the recipient.  

I think these individually wrapped cookies practically look like they came straight out of a gourmet bakery.

It's easy to see how a small touch of creativity can make an attractive product even prettier.

 

If your sweet tooth needs some additional satisfaction, you can't go wrong with caramel apples.

Caramel apples are my favorite treat of the season especially when covered with chopped pecans. 

Hmm, probably not great for your teeth but oh-so good in your tummy.

   

Time to pull out those apple orchard twigs I mentioned earlier.  Make sure you give them a thorough scrubbing.

Have you already figured out what I have in mind for these twigs?

    
Skip those flat, wooden popsicle sticks and consider incorporating this un-common element into your caramel treats.

Stick an orchard twig into the center of the caramel apples to serve as a fun holder.

I love the natural, slightly rustic element that these apple tree twigs add to these handpicked apples. 

  

Of course, the handmade apple tags can also be used to add a finishing touch to your caramel apples. 

This would make a great teacher gift and I suspect it would get gobbled up before the last school bell rings.

   

Now we all know that apples grow on trees.  But wouldn't it be great if an apple tree near you produced this kind of crop?  

Say goodbye to wayward pins and needles.  With this jumbo apple pincushion you'll never step foot on a lost pin again. 

This project only requires a few fabric remnants, felt squares and some cotton stuffing.  Cut six elongated oval shapes with slightly tapered ends. 

The ovals shown here about 13-inches long with an approximate center width of about 5-inches. 

Pin right sides together and stitch using a standard 1/4-inch seam allowance. 

   
Pin right sides together and stitch using a standard 1/4-inch seam.

After stitching all six shapes, you'll end up with a ball-like result as in the photo below. 

   
Stitch the final section together, making sure to leave 3-inch opening for stuffing. 

Turn inside out to right side and stuff with cotton.  Close the opening by hand with a slipstitch. 

     
For the stem, roll a small square of wool and hot glue the edge closed.

Cut apple leaves out of contrasting felt or wool.  There are any number of ways you can embellish the leaves.  In this case I simply added a zig-zag stitch around the edge of the felt.

Hot glue the leaves and stem to the top of the apple.  This apple pincushion is about 10-inches tall from stem to bottom.

Here's another way to decorate the leaves.  Hot glue jute (a type of rope) to create the leaf veining in the yellow apple. 

Jute is available at most hardware stores and can be used for a variety of other fun projects. 

I'll share some fun jute projects later in an upcoming post. 

  

This red apple pincushion is even more jumbo and sits at about 12-inches tall from stem to bottom.  The larger the oval fabric shapes you cut, the larger the finished apple. 

By the way, you could also fill these pincushions with aquarium pepples instead of cotton and use them as door stops, paperweights or even bookshelf decor.

     

Talk about a great crop.  If only I could get my hands on a packet of seeds that would grow into trees filled with these.

With magic seeds like that, I'd plant a huge pincushion orchard and invite crafters from all over to visit and help themselves to the beautiful (and functional) produce. 

 
So many apples so little time.  

The inspiration for creativity is always bountiful when you're working with a bushel of apples.

Pretty in Pink

If you're like me you can never get enough of a great apron project.

I love the look of my latest apron with its sheer fabric and complimentary crisp, pink cotton.  It's a perfect combination of soft textures and subtle color.

This project is another fun example of how you can take something very old and turn it into something new-giving it new life and new function at the same time.

 

Take a look at the photo below to see what this pretty pink apron used to look like.

Yes, once upon a time, this apron was a dress  I bought the dress for Cameron to wear for a school picture when she was six years old, four years and half ago.  Wow, time flies. 

          

The class photo was adorable and I ended up creating this scrapbook page out it.  The layout was published by Memory Makers magazine a few years ago and it was nice to have such a special printed keepsake of the sweet frock and Cameron's sweet smile.

Despite the published keepsake, I still hung on to the dress which eventually got lost in the closet amidst more current attire.

 

I recently came across the dress while cleaning out Cameron's closet and once again, couldn't bear the thought of giving it away.

How could anyone consider parting with a dress this gorgeous?  As I admired the beautiful blooming trim and fabric combinations, the idea of turning this into something else popped in my head.

            

You may know by now how I feel about re-purposing. 

First step was to de-construct the dress by carefully opening up every seam with a seam-ripper.  I laid all the pieces out on the floor to get a good look at what I had to work with.

  

Since the front part of the apron was pretty much already intact, all I had to do was gather the top edge of the panel and then finish off the edges by turning over 1/4-inch (twice) and top-stitching. 

It was easy enough to cut a waistband from the dress' back panel.  After attaching the waistband, I'm halfway there.

 

I initially thought I might need to go find some matching cotton to make the ties but there was actually more than enough fabric from the back panel of the dress which didn't have any embroidery across the bottom.

After creating the ties, I stitched a small pleat at the base of each one before attaching them to the waistband.  

 

I loved the look of the pretty little pink buttons in the back dress bodice.  While I ended up not using this pocket for the apron, I wanted to share it here anyway because it really illustrates how every part of the dress can be used.

I'll hang on to this pocket for a future project.

 

While looking for a nice way to top-off the apron pocket I did decide to use, I discovered this wonderful pink ball fringe. 

Ball fringe is such a fun-looking embellishment and it's great for use on pillows, dolls and endless other projects.

            

Before attaching the fringe, I gathered a small amount of the plain sheer fabric from the back panel of the dress.

Then, I stitched the sheer fabric under the pocket that I made out of the rose-embroidered dress bodice.  After securing the sheer fabric, I top stitched the edge and then added the ball fringe.

 

Here's how the pocket looks attached to the apron.  I like the way the sheer fabric in the pocket ties into the sheer fabric across that runs across the bottom of the apron.

   

For this photo shoot, we actually had to work pretty quickly in my backyard to get the shots we needed because the mosquitoes were pretty ferocious on this day for some reason.

Cameron was a real trooper, despite a few swipes and bites.

     

Thought I'd share this photo because even though it doesn't show the full apron project, I just love how Cameron's little hands look holding the flowers.

Props like this are fun to incorporate into a photograph and can really add a nice element to any photo shoot.

      

Perhaps, it's worth taking a second look at some of those old garments tucked away that your little ones are no longer little enough to wear. 

You may be surprised by the possibilities. 

While this is certainly a great re-purposing project, in some ways I suspect it's also my way of hanging on to a part of a little girl who all of a sudden seems to be more of a little lady. 

Wow, Cameron is growing up fast and as you can see she's perfectly pretty in pink.

Hats Off To The (little) Chef

I may have mentioned before that I'm not a fantastic cook.  My husband and kids would likely second that, but at least I'm earnest. 

While I'm still learning and practicing my cooking skills, I've also been trying to get my kids more involved in preparing meals and experimenting in the kitchen along with me.

With that in mind, it occurred to me that attire could possibly inspire.

 

In an effort to encourage Cameron's burgeoning interest in cooking and baking, I made her this cute chef's hat.  I've almost finished one for Jordy too.

I thought looking the part would give the kids a pinch and a dash more inspiration when they're having fun in the kitchen.

A chef's hat is a super simple project and while there are any number of ways to make one, I'll walk you through my easy technique.

You'll need @3/4-yard of fabric, velcro and optional fusible interfacing.  First step is to make the following fabric cuts;  a 20 inch X 7 inch rectangle for the hat band and a 9 inch X 1-1/2 inch strip for facing. 

Also cut a fabric circle with a 22-inch diameter. 

Mark a 5-inch line from the edge of the fabric circle.  Cut the line as shown in the photo below.

Please pardon the uncustomary wordiness in some of these instructions.  I departed from my usual brevity to make sure I cover every step as clearly as possible.

 

Grab the 9 inch X 1-1/2 inch fabric strip which will serve as a mini binding to be placed around the slit that was just cut in the fabric circle.  Turn the strip by 1/4-inch and iron. 

Note: Some of the colors look a shade different from photo to photo due to inconsistent lighting conditions in-house.  All pieces shown are cut from the same fabric selection.

 

Pin the 9 inch X 1-1/2 inch facing strip along the entire slit, pin in place and then stitch using a 1/2 seam allowance. 

After attaching the facing strip to the slit, turn the finished edge toward unfinished side, iron and then top stitch to secure.

 

To make the hat band, first adhere fusible interfacing (or baste stitch another cut of matching 20 inch X 7 inch fabric) to the wrong side of this band. 

Heavier canvas-like fabric may not need interfacing but if you're using a lightweight fabric the extra stiffness gives the band a bit more support.

After applying the interfacing, turn one long edge over about 1/4-inch and iron.  Top-stitch the edge. 

The gathering process is one of my least favorite aspects of any project because all too often my threads break and I have to start over. 

Because of the large distance of required gathering on this project, be extra careful pulling your gathered threads. 

You may also want to consider stitching a series of gathered sets around the fabric circle to minimize the possibility of thread breaks. 

After gathering, pin the hat band (right sides together) to the hat.  Line up the each end with @1/2 clearance on each end.  Slide the gathers and ease to fit, pinning as you go.

You can adjust the size of the hat by simply changing the length of the band.

Stitch the band to the hat.  Fold the band in half toward the outside (rights sides together) and stitch each end from top to bottom using 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Then turn the band inside-out and fold in half toward the inside (wrong sides together) of the hat and iron.

Remember that slit I cut earlier?  Here's a closeup look at the finished slit as it relates to the hat band. 

I think this technique makes a nice and clean finished edge that not only makes the hat more adjustable, but also gives it a more professional appearance.

Finally, add some velcro to each end of the hat band.  Some velcro brands have adhesive on the back but I think it's better to actually stitch the velcro to the hat for a more secure hold. 

Learn from my mistake tip:  Do not stitch through velcro with adhesive-backing.  The adhesive will immediately gum up any needle and if you're using a sewing machine, the needle could carry adhesive down into the machine's internal parts which could cause serious damage to your machine.  If you're going to stitch the velcro on, use a brand without an adhesive-backing.

When you stitch the velcro, do not stitch through the entire band. Stitch the velcro to the inside of the band before securing the open edge of the band to the inside.  That way, the velcro stitching is not visible from the outside of the hat.  Once the velcro is attached, slipstitch the inside edge of the band to the hat to secure.

Meanwhile, no chef's hat would be complete without an apron.  A nice coordinated-looking ensemble is created by using some of the same hat fabric for the apron ties and waistband.

I used fabric designer Amy Butler's Domestic Goddess pattern for this apron which is as easy to make as it is beautiful. 

 

I always think it's nice to personalize homemade projects when possible.  A little embroidery on the bodice goes a long way to make this garment that much more special for Cameron. 

This Amy Butler apron is definitely one of my favorite designs and I've used it several times to create a nice collection. 

Even though the same pattern was used multiple times, I think each apron still has its own personality thanks to the varied fabrics.

This Domestic Goddess pattern has simple, easy-to-understand instructions and the result is quick, elegant and oh-so feminine. 

Trust me, you won't be able to resist creating your own assortment.

Getting back to Cameron's ensemble, I think her hat and apron set looks just as adorable from the back as it does the front.  I love this linen-lookalike fabric which is so crisp when ironed.

Since this particular fabric is more on the lightweight side, I used some heavy-duty starch on the chef hat to give it more poof.

I must admit that after I finished this ensemble, I initially thought it was almost too pretty for Cameron to actually use in the kitchen.  

I thought it might be a bit painful to see food ingredients and fingerprints all over the front. 

However, since I did make this apron/hat set for Cameron to wear as she practices her culinary skills my reluctance was fleeting.  I think it will be fine.  Besides, everything here is completely washable and easy enough to duplicate if necessary. 

Still, I may try to steer her away from recipes that contain grape juice or tomato sauce.

Want to guarantee a smile on a loved ones face?  Try making a chef's hat and matching apron as a gift and you won't have any problem getting a smile as big as the great outdoors.

I think you can see Cameron is quite ready to whip up something in the kitchen right now.   

  

I look forward to the day when this budding young chef will be able to teach me a few things in the kitchen. 

Until then, hat's off to the (little) chef.

Apronology

Who doesn't love a beautiful apron?  Modern aprons do more than just keep your clothes clean.  These days, aprons often reflect the personality of the person who made them as well as the person who wears the garment. 

As you read this tribute to aprons, stay tuned to the end of this post for more on this pretty yellow apron in the photo below as well as a special introduction to the lady wearing it.

       

Since we're talking about aprons, let me start by telling you about a fantastic new publication that may get you thinking about aprons in a way you never have before.

The magazine is called Apronology.   The editors define Apronology as the "study of the art of the apron".  This premier issue by Stampington and Company is loaded with dozens  of  "aprons with attitude" and a ton of amazing ideas to spark your own creativity.  

      

My multi-tiered, sheer, pink cocktail apron in the photo below is featured in this issue, in one of the Spotlight articles. 

I have some fun plans in the works centering around this apron design so this definitely won't be the last time you see this pretty garment.  

          

It's really great to see my creative efforts recognized in print this way.  The magazine editors gave my apron a nice double page spread that includes my thoughts on being an "apronologist" as well as a short essay I wrote.

Take a second look at any original aprons you may have in your closet because Apronology editors are now considering submissions for their 2010 Apronology issue.  The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2009.

One of the things I love about aprons is how wonderfully varied and versatile they can be. I know this floral apron in the photo below may look more like a skirt but it really is an apron.  

Actually, I made this apron for me but my daughter quickly swiped it for herself.  I figured since she helped cut it out and sew it , she could have it.  It's too long for her now, but she'll grow into it.   

       

Of course, you don't always have to make an apron from scratch.  A little embroidery can go a long way when applied to a ready-to-wear apron.  I bought these plain canvas aprons and spiced them up with embroidered images and personalization for teacher gifts.

You can never go wrong with personalization and these aprons were a big hit.

Here is another take on embellishing a store-bought apron with beautiful embroidery. 

This embroidery technique is called Cutwork and involves stitching out an outline of the image and then cutting out portions of the fabric within the image before resuming the embroidery process.

          

Here's a closer look at the cutwork detail on this apron.  As you can see, there are areas within the butterfly designs which are cut out for a really nice see-through effect. 

I'll share some more pretty cutwork embroidery projects later in an upcoming post.

   

Often, the fabric you use helps make the apron that much more spectacular.  I made this bibbed apron a while back out of fabric from designer Amy Butler's Belle collection.  I just can't get enough of Amy Butler's vibrant and coordinated fabrics.

My friend Beena, modeled this apron for me a while back.  Her adorable baby girl is now two years old.

            

Of course, so-called apronologists come in all ages.  Enter my 10-year old daughter again.  She really enjoys whipping up aprons (and other items) on my old Singer sewing machine that my parents bought me when I was about her age. 

I've been working with Cameron on learning to read sewing patterns but she often prefers to design and sew her own unique ideas.  

          

Cameron is always happy to show off her handiwork too and I think her apron is quite imaginative.  Check out that scalloped bottom. 

Like mother like daughter when it comes to scallops (my scallops are typically on quilt edges). 

         

Cameron is a quick study and while I still supervise her use of the sewing machine, she's getting better and better at flying solo. 

She's also very focused and conscientious about every project she takes on.  Good qualities to have.

(Noteworthy:  Cameron is also quite the budding photographer.  She snapped the photo of me in the orange sweater that is located in the left sidebar on this blog's homepage.)

        

Aprons do seem to be all the rage lately and they all have such flair and whimsy.  There are plenty of apron books and patterns available with a project to fit just about any taste. 

I think the simplicity of most apron patterns makes them very accessible to sewers of every skill level.  If you're a beginner sewer, an apron would be a great first project to build confidence.  

Meantime,  here are a few more photos of the apron you saw at the very top of this post.  I embroidered this apron as a personalized gift for my mom, Elaine. 

She enjoys being called Nana Banana and I think this banana-yellow apron suits her perfectly.  

 

I wanted you to meet Nana Banana, because this is who I inherited my creative instincts from.  As far back as I can remember my mom has always encouraged me and my siblings to sew, paint (sometimes on the walls) scrapbook, make our own gifts and holiday ornaments and use our hands in creative ways.

I'm so pleased my mom can see for herself how I put all those early lessons to good use, not only through this blog and other outlets but also with my efforts to foster the same love of creativity in my own children. 

      

By the way, for Nana Banana's apron I added a border of embroidered strawberries for additional color.  I love this splash of red.

Now, this gives me a taste for real strawberries (dipped in chocolate, of course).

        

I think one of the things that makes aprons so wonderful is that they are not only functional but also fun to wear. 

Aprons can add a delightful element to a day's activities and aprons also happen to look fabulous on anyone who wears one.  

        

I'd like to give a special thanks to my mom for agreeing to model her apron for me so I could use it in this post.  

Of course, I'm even more thrilled to finally have a chance to introduce all of you to the special person who set me on my early path to creativity. 

Thanks Nana Banana-for everything!

Pick a Pear (and eat an apple)

This isn't the kind of pear you can actually sink your teeth into but it's still a yummy-looking piece of fruit. 

You can never go wrong with a great pincushion like this.

       

The pretty pear reminds me of a fun fruit by fabric designer Heather Bailey whose little pear pincushions look adorable at about 5-inches tall.  Textile artist Lucinda Ganderton also features a similar irresistible, tiny pear pincushion in one of her popular books.

I thought a bigger version would be fun to make and even more fun to use, so I created a super duper one.  My jumbo pear is close to 14-inches tall and 9-inches wide.  You definitely won't lose this in your sewing area.

      

I included these photos of average-sized apples just to give you a visual perspective of just how large this pear pincushion turned out. 

I could take a bite out of one of these delicious looking apples right now.

    

Of course, the leaves on this jumbo pear deserve equally over-sized leaves which are made out of felt.  While the pear body holds loads of loose straight pins, these large leaves are perfect for storing needles. 

The leaf veins are a simple embroidery backstitch.  While I do a lot of machine embroidery, I'd love to improve my hand embroidery skills for other smaller projects, so this was good practice.

I recently learned how to make a beautiful embroidered French Knot and tried to use some of the pretty stitches on this project.  However, I ended up having to cut the little knots off the felt because on this particular project the French Knot stitch with its dotted appearance, looked more like some sort of leaf infestation on the felt.  

I'll have to save my newly-discovered French Knot stitches for another day and another project.  In the meantime, this backstitch works fine.

      

Meanwhile, I really fancy the look of this old, weathered picnic table in my parents' backyard which I used for this outdoor photo shoot.  I love the faded wood and its rustic texture. 

Looking at this wonderfully-worn table, reminds me of days growing up here in the country and climbing trees, many of which are still standing today. 

How lucky is that, to be able to grow up with an opportunity to climb trees?  Those are good memories.

My mom loved this pear project too and she sat outside and kept my company as I snapped these photos.  While I clicked away, we chit-chatted about a little bit of everything; kids, politics and various crafts projects.  What a great way to spend a fall day. 

I can't wait to sit this jumbo pear in my sewing space and fill it with all my wayward pins and needles. 

I think a jumbo pear pincushion like this would also make the most delicious holiday gift for that special friend or loved one who sews.  With dimensions like this, just think of all the pins this plush fruit could potentially hold.  

Of course if you make one to give as a gift, you must also pick a pear for yourself.  After that, perhaps... eat an apple. 

  

Hangin' Around

I've long admired those pretty padded clothes hangers that I often see while flipping through various magazines.  After studying one recently it occurred to me that this would be a great project to try myself.

That brings me to today's project and this easy padded floral hanger.

    

I think any fabric would work with this easy design but I decided to go with a floral decorator fabric.  I actually bought this fabric for another project and I had quite a bit left over.  

I hate to throw away fabric remnants and this is a perfect way to use up fabric pieces that are too small to do anything else with.  You'll only need about 1/4-yard of fabric for one hanger.   

Grab some coordinating ribbon to adorn the finished hanger.  You can find ribbon by the spool at most fabric stores.  I love the dainty look of these roses on a string.  Each rose has a tiny pearl center.  Perfect for this project

     

You'll need some cotton fiberfill along with a few wooden coat hangers.  Many wooden hangers come with the pants bar across the bottom.  This bar is easily removed with a good tug.  Be sure to also remove the tiny nails that the bar is attached to.

Measure the distance between the end of the coat hanger and the center.  Add about 1/4-inch to that measurement and cut with a 3-inch width.  Label this piece A.

Create piece B by cutting another piece of fabric about 8 1/4-inch longer than piece A.  Piece B will also have a 3-inch width.

Round the corners of piece A and B identically.  I used the large opening of a regular sized paper cup as corner-rounder guide.

The longer fabric piece (B) will need to be gathered all the way around.  To gather, select your largest stitch width (also called a basting stitch) on your sewing machine and stitch 1/4-inch all the way around fabric piece.  Make sure you leave several inches of tail thread on the end.

Next, stitch an identical row all the way around about 1/4-inch to the left of your original stitching.  This will give you two parallel rows of basting stitch.

Gently pull the top two tail threads that hang off the raw edge of the fabric and gently slide the fabric forward to create the gathers.

The thicker the fabric the more care you need to take with the gathering.  There's nothing worse than getting halfway through your gathering process and having the pull threads break on you.

It's a good idea to gather from both sides of your fabric piece and have them meet in the center to reduce the risk of pesky thread breaks. 

The photo below shows piece B after it's been gathered. 

Pin piece B to piece A matching both at the bottom raw edge.  Then ease the gathering so that both pieces fit together with right sides together.  Pin and then stitch all the way around with a 5/8 standard seam allowance.

Turn inside out and this will give you the first fabric sleeve for the hanger.  Duplicate steps for the second fabric sleeve.

Slightly stuff both sleeves with some cotton fiberfill and then insert the ends of the wooden hanger into each one.  Do not over-stuff at this point because you still need to insert your wooden hanger.  You can use a knitting needle to help get the stuffing into the farthest end.

Gently insert the end of the wooden hanger into the sleeve.  Make sure you slide the wood under the cotton so the cotton fills out the gathered top portion of the sleeve. 

The photo below shows what the project should look like at this point.

Bring the open ends of pieces A and B together at the center of the wood hanger.  Slightly overlap one open end over the other and slip stitch them together.

You can hide the slip-stitching by wrapping ribbon around the hanger several times before topping it off with a bow.

        

This is another really simple but elegant project to make.  As you can see, even a first-time effort can turn out nicely.  Imagine how pretty three of these covered hangers would look sitting in a tissue paper-filled gift box.   

Wouldn't a trio of fabric covered hangers make a great gift?  The fact that you made them yourself, would make the offering even more special. 

Now this is the kind of hangin' around that really pays off.

The Messenger Bag

Lately, I've been drawn into tackling handbags.  It's funny because I'm not much of a handbag carrier.  I just enjoy trying my hand at designing and making them. 

My latest project is a Messenger bag.  I love this bag because I was able to add a few special touches to create a really beautiful and not-so-ordinary take on a classic bag shape.   

I think the most striking thing about this project is the wonderful embroidery on the flap.  Hmm, and that's precisely why a certain little girl in my house claimed this bag for herself as soon as it was finished.  Now I have to figure out how to get it back.

While I work on that plan, allow me to walk you through the easy steps to create this great bag.

First of all, I found a great fabric called polysuede.  It actually looks like suede but as the name suggests, it's a polyester blend but it still has that suede look.  It's a bit softer and a much lighter fabric to work with than 100% suede. 

For the lining, I used a wonderful cotton with a paisley pattern that also contained the same taupe coloring as the main fabric.  I found both of these fabrics at Hobby Lobby craft store.  I love how these two textures look together.

If you add any embroidery to this project you'll have to apply that first before any actual construction on the bag begins.

If you're going to add embroidery to your flap, I suggest you cut the fabric about 1/4-inch larger than the pattern all the way around.  This will accomodate any shrinkage that will likely occur during the embroidery process.  You can always trim the flap down to size once the embroidery is completed.

In the photo below, you can see the slight puckering around the rose design.  That's the slight shrinkage I was talking about and it's often created when stitching out very large designs.  When using really large embroidery the fabric tends draws inward a bit as the embroidery is stitched out. 

The additional 1/4-inch of fabric all the way around, should be just enough to make up for this shrinkage.

The rose embroidery designs I used for this project are from an embroidery collection called Roses for Mary by Jenny Haskins .  Haskins is well known in embroidery circles for her complex and elegant designs and projects.  Her website also has quite a few beautiful free embroidery designs for downloading too. 

If you have an opportunity to pick up her corresponding Roses for Mary quilt book, you'll be amazed at how she weaves these beautiful embroidered roses and buds from her collection into a spectacular quilt.  It's total eye candy.

The lucious picture on the cover prompted me to buy this book along with the embroidery disk at first sight.  I have yet to tackle this incredible quilt project but perhaps one day I'll get around to it.

If you're interested in seeing more of Jenny Haskins' fabulous designs, she publishes a fabulous quarterly Austrailian magazine called Creative Expressions and it's available at numerous locations including Barnes and Noble book stores and Joann's Fabrics to name a few. 

The cover photo below is from the latest issue.  Isn't that heart pillow just beautiful?  It's so delicate.  Trust me, there are loads of delicious projects in this issue.  I generally buy the magazine just to drool over the extraordinary and intricate embroidery.

Getting back to the messenger bag project, each embroidery pattern has a matching vellum template which depicts the design and can be easily printed out.  This template will help you place the design exactly where you want it on the fabric. 

It's actually fun to plan out a big project like this with multiple embroidery designs.  Just play around with the vellum sheets turning them sideways and upside down to see what overall design best suits your eye.

If you are using multiple designs, you definitely need to plan out how all the designs will be arranged on your fabric.  For example, in some cases you may want a particular design to overlap another.  If that's the case, it makes a big difference in which pattern you stitch out first. 

Advance planning will help ensure a more satisfactory arrangement of the ultimate design.

Because of the various overlaps in design in this project, I had to jump around to various areas of the fabric to stitch out each design.  As long as you clearly mark your fabric, it's pretty easy to keep track of all the different design assignments.

The benefit of using polysuede is that it's wonderfully washable.  Just remember to always use a water soluable marker when marking your fabric.

Here's a look at the unsewn flap with the finished embroidery.  I ended up arranging six different rose designs to complete this final large rose pattern. 

If you look closely you'll see that I did end up with a few gaps in the branches.  That's the kind of detail I hope to perfect the more I practice my design placements and positioning.  Despite this flaw in my stitched-out design layout, I'm still pleased with this first-time effort.

Gently wash the markings from the fabric and let hang dry completely.  Be careful not to over-wring the fabric to prevent damaging the embroidery. 

After fabric is dry, iron flat and resume construction of the bag.

You can't see them in this photo, but the straps for this bag are already sewn into the sides of the bag.  Remember to add strength and reinforcement to the straps by stitching their seam multiple times.

Most of the pieces needs fusible interfacing to add stiffness and that's the white material you see on the outside of the project in the photo below.

For the pockets I cut two pieces of lining fabric measuring about 7-inches X 10-inches. 

With right sides together stitch all the way around leaving a small opening in the seam to turn inside out.

After turning, press the resulting rectangle with a good steam iron.  Then stitch across the top edge about 1/8-inch.  Fold this stitched top down about 1/2-inch.  Stitch again across the top of this folded down piece about 1/8-inch. 

This creates a nice finished edge and mini flap for the top of your multi-pocket.

Determine the pocket placement on the right side of the lining.  Stitch the rectangular pocket to the lining down both sides and across the bottom, leaving the entire top edge of the rectangle open. 

Once this rectangle is secure, double stitch down the center of the rectangle to create individual pockets.  I did this to two separate areas of the rectangle to form three pockets.

I also included a stiff base for the bag using some mesh canvas. 

You can find this mesh canvas at most sewing stores.  It's pretty easy to work with and comes in various sheet sizes.

I created a small pocket on the bottom of the lining by stitching a matching fabric strip directly onto the wrong side of the seams already in the bottom of the lining.

After cutting mesh canvas down to the desired size, simply slip it into the pocket.  This will be completely concealed once the bag is turned inside out because the mesh will be sandwiched between the wrong side of the lining and the wrong side of the bag.

It really does give the bottom of the bag some much-needed extra support.

The large front flap of the bag is already basted across the back of one right side of the bag at this point.  The lining uses the same pattern pieces as the bag itself so it's basically a duplicate of the bag.  After adding the mesh base, simply pin the lining to the bag portion with right sides together. 

Stitch all the way around to attach lining.  Remember to leave an opening large enough to turn inside out.

Gently turn the bag inside out bringing all the pieces to the bag through the opening in the lining attachment.  With only a few pattern pieces to deal with, this Messenger bag takes shape very quickly.

Press the top edge where the bag and lining meet with a good steam iron and then topstitch all the way around about 1/8-inch.  This not only closes up the last opening, it also gives the edge a nice finishing touch.

Here's a look at the inside multi-pockets in the photo below.  I like the idea of having lots of little compartments for various storage and you can see this was a very simple effect to create.

I loved working on this project and tweaking different elements to create a more unique, original bag.   

While I added machine embroidery to the flap, you could also apply hand embroidery for an equally stunning look.  I think just about any embellishment would be a nice touch.  Imagine how much fun applique would look on this too.  There are loads of possibilities.

So that's my first messenger bag, but I assure you it's certainly not my last.  I'm already working on several others for gifts and I'll share those later in an upcoming post.

Velma Loves Zinnias-REPOST

I'm still not sure what happened to my original February 28, 2008 post entitled Velma Loves Zinnias.  It disappeared completely from my system Thursday night along with all the dozens of wonderful and thoughtful comments about this project.

I think this mystery raises blog-backup, access-protection as well as accidental blogger error issues that I will investigate further.

Anyway, I'm re-posting this entry because I want everyone to still have the project information if they decide to try to make this handbag themselves.

I'd also like to add that there is no way I would have been able to easily re-create the original text in this post without the kind and generous help of Sara.   She sent me a copy of the Velma Loves Zinnia post that was in her bloglines file and she spent the time to walk me through a few other helpful tips too.  Thanks Sara, you're a lifesaver!

Now, on to Velma Loves Zinnias-again.

I'm definitely ready to think about warmer days and my latest sewing project certainly fits the bill. 

Considering that we've had more than 24-inches of snow here in the last 4 weeks (not including drifts) this little bag with it's pretty greens makes me think of a warm Spring day and that's exactly what I need.

Velma is the name of the pattern for this cute little bag.  This is another design by the fabulous Amy Butler.  The bag has instructions for a long strap like the one I made and also a short strap that is featured on the pattern cover photo.

I opted for the long strap for this one, but I plan to try the short strap on my next one.  Yes, considering how easy this bag was to make, I will be making several more as gifts. 

The gorgeous fabric is also from Amy Butler.  It's from her LOTUS collection.  I loved this green polka-dot print so much that I bought an extra 2-yards.  At this point I'm not sure what else I'll make with it, but you know I'll think of something.  Stay tuned.

This was one of the easiest and fastest sewing projects I've ever made.  It took me less than a day to complete.  The directions were quite thorough with clear-cut instructions for every step. 

It's always fun to see a project taking shape.  This is what the bag looks like just before I added the lining.  Almost done now.

The inside pocket is a perfect spot to add a little extra touch.  Before attaching the pocket to the back of the lining I machine embroidered my initials onto the fabric.  I love this kind of personalized detail.

The inside pocket measures 5 1/2 X 2 3/4-inches when finished, so there isn't a ton of room for your stash.  However, it is perfect for small items like business cards, perhaps some makeup or a little pink IPOD.

Here's a wider view of the inside of the bag.  The creases on either side of the bag were achieved by simply steam ironing the folds into the fabric. 

Don't you just love this combination of fabrics?  It just makes me smile.

While you could add any embellishment to the front of the finished bag, I decided to borrow some more inspiration from another Amy Butler pattern to make the pretty flower broach in the photo below.

The layered flower was inspired by Amy Butler's Zinnia pillow which can be found in her Midwest Mod pillow pattern.  Can you tell I'm a big Amy Butler fan?

In addition to the Zinnia pattern, the Midwest Mod pattern package contains two other fun pillow designs. 

I'm actually in the process of making two of these Zinnia pillows which I'll share later in an upcoming post.

To make the flower, I reduced the original pattern size.  Each petal requires two fabric pieces as well as a cut of interfacing.  Just stitch around the petal shape and then turn inside out.

Once the petal is turned inside-out, fold the petal in half and stitch a small 1/8-inch seam from the bottom of the petal to about 1/2 inch to achieve a nice little crease in the petal. 

Once you complete all your petals, simply arrange the large petals in a circle and hand stitch them together.  There are two sizes of petals used to create the Zinnia.   

First, the large petals are stitched together securely.  Then the smaller petals are placed in front and hand-stitched directly onto the larger petals.

Top off the flower with a self covering button.  Of course you could also use a large button of choice but I just love the look of covered buttons.  They're also really easy to construct.

Just for fun I thought it would be great to see how a different embellishment would look on the outside flap.  This demonstrates just how versatile this little bag can be when you can switch up these kinds of details.   

I bought this broach years ago and I generally wear it on the lapel of a green wool coat.  Well, now that winter is winding down a bit, it's nice to see this costume jewelry put to other use. 

Here are a couple of other views of the bag with the Zinnia flower.  I think the bag is adorable from any angle including the side and the back as you can see in the photos below.

Don't forget you can always click any picture within this post for a larger view of the image.

 

I should also mention that I entered this bag in the Amy Butler Sew Inspiring Contest  sponsored by Craftzine which is the on-line extention of Craft magazine.  Wish me luck because the competition will be tough.  There were so many beautiful and inspiring bags entered.   

If you're interested in seeing the other wonderfully creative projects entered for this contest you can see them all on Flickr if you click here.

Meanwhile, when it comes to beautiful fabric and patterns, I can't say enough about Amy Butler designs which are always a visual and creative feast for the eyes. 

The Velma bag and the Zinnia pillows are very easy and just wonderful projects all the way around.

It's no wonder that Velma loves Zinnias. 

A Bird in the Hand

You've heard the old saying, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, right?  Well, if that's the case how much are half a dozen birds in a tree worth?  I think they're worth plenty, if you're looking for a fun project to help spice up your holiday decorations this year.

Start with your contrasting fabrics for the bird body and belly. This is another great project that puts all those great fabric scraps in your stash to very good use.  I made all of these birds out of old fat quarters and leftover fabric from various other finished projects.

My favorite fabric in all of this stash is the musical note pattern.  I just love the tone on tone musical notes.  It has such an old world, vintage look.  This same musical note fabric figures prominantly in another wonderful Log Cabin quilt that I made not long ago.  I'll share that quilt later in a different post.

Anyway, these little birds were equally easy to create in a snap.  The pattern only calls for three pieces-two for the bird body and one piece for the bird belly.   

This is also another example of how far a stack of scraps can take you.  A very small amount of fabric will produce a pretty decent size flock.

First, you'll need to create a little fabric strip for the loop out of coordinating fabric.  Then the bottom portion of the bird body is attached to the pointy, oval-shaped bird belly.  This step got a little tricky for me, because at first it seemed like the bird belly piece was too long to fit on the body from point to point.  You just have to work with the two pieces to ease them together so they eventually fit.  It will take quite a few pins.

Attach the second bird body at the bottom, leaving an opening for the stuffing.  Before sewing the top bird bodies together, slip your loop into the seam and slipstitch closed.  Leave a small opening in the bottom of the bird body for stuffing. 

These little bird ornaments are super simple to make and technically, since they don't have any wings-you'll never have to worry about these feathered friends flying away.  They'll stay right in your tree, exactly where you place them.

I drew upon one of the great patterns in the book called Last-Minute patchwork and Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.  This is the same book that had that really cute pincushion pattern that I shared here a few months ago.  Remember those? 

In fact, these cute birds on the cover are what prompted me to buy the book in the first place.  They're a lot of fun to make and take almost no time at all.  I'd say each bird took about thirty minutes to complete.   

I made these little birds for my kids to use to decorate their Christmas tree.   A few years ago, I decided to allow my kids to have their own miniature tree so they could decorate it to their heart's content and put any and all the decorations they wanted to put on it.

While my kids are decorating their tree, I get to dive into my own larger family tree with a special "back to nature" theme, complete with a range of unusual and delightful decorations that I've collected over the years.

This is such a great time of year and I love the sights, colors and especially the decorations of the holiday season.  It's so much fun to browse various blogs to see how people decorate their homes and trees.  Everything is always so delightfully festive.   

By the way, I'll post some pictures of my own "back to nature" Christmas tree next week.  I wouldn't call it a "traditional" approach to tree trimming but I think you will really like it. 

I also feature some feathered friends of a different variety as well as some items you might not typically expect to see on a Christmas tree.  Hope you check back to see it.

Until then, Happy holidays!