Etcetorize

Boho Cardi

2013-05-22T07:30:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to make this cute little cardi for ages but I wasn't sure about the fit, so I decided to try it with this fabric that my great aunt gave me ages ago instead of the special fabric I had set aside just for this project.

As much as I like this pretty border print, I'm glad I tried it first, because as it turns out the pattern does need just a bit of tweaking.

It's from the book Sewing in a Straight Line.

In the book they use a T-knit and either I didn't read the directions right or something's not quite right, because the front panels are just way to narrow. So, instead of adding bias tape to finish the front seam I ended up using some lace seam tape to add just a bit more width and interest.

Can you see the stork?

You can get a better view of the fabric here when I used it for my Mary Tyler Moore inspired top.

It's cute and very boho I think. It's quite a bit more colourful than anything else in my closet so it's a good departure for me. Sometimes it's a good thing to step out of our comfort zones~

Songza

2013-05-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

You guys know I'm not really with it when it comes to technology. There was a time when I always had the latest and great gadget but at some point I just opted out and didn't get into the whole 'I-anything' craze.

So downloading new music can be bit of a challenge for me. And then along came Songza!!

No downloading required! Just awesome playlists already compiled for you that you can pull up at any time.

What's really fun is that it helps you find music based on your mood! Just click on a few choices and it will take you to several "expert made songlists for every occasion".

When you choose the one you want there are similar lists handy in case the one picked just isn't working for you.

Best of all...it's free! There are no listening limits and so far I haven't run into any annoying pop-ups or ads.

So, if you're looking for something to soothe your nerves while you sew, wake you up while you're blogging about last night's creation, or just want a relaxing background soundtrack you should try this out!

Are you already on Songza? (I have been known to be a little behind on trends so I wouldn't doubt it if I were one of the last ones to know about this site) What are your favourite playlists? Leave a comment below and share!

*This is a not a sponsored post and I have not received any remuneration, I just think this is a fun website that you'll enjoy~

Last Minute Blouse

2013-05-20T07:30:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I sewed like a crazy person trying to get this blouse done before my next work trip. I got it done, and in the end didn't even take it with me!

I'm still not sure that I'm crazy about the fit but I really love the fabric so I'll give it a test run and see how it wears throughout the day.

This is the pattern I used, another steal from the thrift store (I don't mean that literally, I just love getting patterns for 50 cents!).

I think I'm going to try it with a stretch fabric and not do the side zipper. It might fit my body a bit better.

Have you ever sewed something up for a certain occasion and then changed your mind at the last minute? Why do we do that to ourselves? All the stress for nothing. Leave a comment and tell us about your last minute toss away projects~

Old School Trivet

2013-05-17T08:49:00.001-06:00

Like many of you, I have a stash of fabric that is waaaaay too big. Part of the reason is because I can't bring myself to throw away any scraps left over from other projects. So, I pulled out my half metre of cotton leftover from my dining room chairs makeover and decided to put it to good use~

This is such a simple project but I love it when I can put the things I make to really good use. Plus it reminded me of the kind of thing I used to see at church sales with my grandma when I was a kid so it brought back some good memories.

Here's all you need to make your own trivet:

Materials:
-.5-1 metre of cotton fabric
-scissors, thread, needle
-optional: thimble (not shown)

Steps:
1) If you're new to working with fabric this first step might scare you a bit but just go for it, once you start you won't want to stop.

You're going to make strips of fabric from your cotton by tearing it on the grainline. Just cut an inch two perpendicular to the selvedge of your fabric. I made my strips 2.5" wide.

Make sure to start with a straight
torn edge so that your strip
will be an even width throughout.

2) Now just pull the fabric apart and it should tear easily, and straight, along the grainline. It might look like it's crooked compared to your print, but trust me, the fabric itself will be straight.

I made 6 strips but you can make any multiple of three that you want. The more you make the bigger your project will be and the more hand sewing you'll have to do. (3 strips makes a nice little coaster size piece.)

3) Start with 3 strips of fabric by folding the ends into a T shape and securing with a few stitches.

Ideally you should use a matching colour of thread.
This lovely lilac was on my machine though
and I was too lazy to change it.

4) Now just braid your strips together, folding in the raw edges as best you can as you go.

5) If you want to add more strips of fabric to make your braid longer just weave them in near the end of your first set. When you're happy with the length of braid you have, secure it with a few hand stitches.

6) Now just coil your braid into a circle, hand stitching on the BACK or bottom of the piece as you go.

There will be a top and bottom (or front and back). Keep your stitches to one side and don't worry too much about how it looks under there. Do be careful not to let your piece take on a bowl shape though. It will curve a tiny bit and that's OK but try your best to keep it somewhat flat.

7) When your done, just fold the ends to the bottom and stitch down. Now steam the heck out of it and will flatten right down.

Steam your glasses up if you have to~

And now you have something to set your hot pots and bowls on when making dinner tonight!

(This photo was taken before I steamed it)

It's such an easy project and easy to do. In fact I did most of my hand stitching while watching bad TV shows throughout the week. I didn't use a thimble but I sure wish I had. Depending on your cotton there may be some bits that are harder to push your needle through than others and a thimble will save your tender little fingers from bearing the brunt of that work.

Of course, I still have some fabric left over and I haven't thrown it away so now I'll have to come up with another scrapbuster to use the rest of it up once and for all~

On another note, the snow has finally melted here and now I can get outside to do some gardening and get some fun outdoor crafts done!!! I have loads of fun ideas planned for the coming weeks so I hope you'll keep stopping by to check them all out.

Have a crafty week everyone!

DIY & Crafts

2013-05-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

If you follow lots of DIY and crafting boards on Pinterest you may have noticed more than a few pins from this site lately:

DIY & Crafts is another fun submission site that highlights the best from the web in the areas of decorating, fashion, health, home, homemade, lifehacks, and repurpose.

Some of their more popular posts include:

As you can tell, it's kind of a wide range, which is fun because you never know what you'll find there.

They comb the web looking for awesome projects to promote but you can also submit your own projects in case they've somehow missed you.

According to their Pinterest page, everything they post comes with step by step instructions...so if you like to share tutorials this is an excellent place to get more exposure.

Have you ever been featured on DIY & Crafts? Have you ever visited the site before? Leave a comment and tell the rest of us all about it!

Pinspired Bookmark

2013-05-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

I had to wait to share my Mother's Day gifts with you because I didn't get to see my mom until later in the week....and she's one of the few family members who actually reads my blog, so I didn't want to spoil any surprises for her.

I gave her a great garden bench that I know she's wanted for ages but I still wanted to add a little something handmade. I inherited my love for reading from my mom so I hit up my "Scrapbooking and Paper Crafts" board on Pinterest for some bookmark ideas instead of the standard Mother's Day Card and here's what I came up with:

I don't have the die-cut (or the machine) that the original project used so I fired up my Silhouette and finally figured out how to use the Edit Points Button:

This little button
is pretty amazing!

I came up with these shapes to make the project.

Before I cut out the second shape, I deleted the rectangle shape, drew the message with my Silhouette pens, and then without removing the paper from the machine, added the rectangle back in and deleted the text. Actually, I did all this on a separate shape that I then pasted down onto the rectangle, but same idea.

Here's the original post from Ginger over at Gingersnap Crafts:

Source: gingersnapcrafts.com via Etcetorize on Pinterest

It's another fun and easy way to use up your scraps! What do you use to keep your place in your books? Or have you all switched to electronic readers? I just can't bring myself to do it. I still love the feel of a book in my hands. Leave a comment below~

Craftbits

2013-05-14T07:30:00.000-06:00

I just came across a new (to me) craft submission site that I thought you'd all want to try out. It's called Craftbits!

I found it through a link on craftgossip.com, another one of my favourite craft submission sites.

You can find loads of member (it's free to join) projects, enter giveaways (which are open worldwide!!!), and submit your own projects.

You can find projects under all of these different categories:

Best of all, the site keeps track of all of the projects you've submitted. No guessing which ones went in, which ones were approved, etc.

Click on the Most Popular Crafts button in the upper right hand corner...

and you'll find lists of crafts sorted by:
-projects with the most comments
-projects with the most bookmarks
-projects that have been emailed the most
-projects that have been printed the most
-projects with the most followers.

Check it out and let us all know what you think! Leave a comment below~

Boys Vest

2013-05-13T07:30:00.000-06:00

I still have a tiny bit of camoflage fabric from the bargain bin so I stitched up a cool vest for my nephew.

I've made him loads of outdoor vests but usually I just use a jacket pattern I have and nix the sleeves. This time I used a proper lined vest pattern:

This pattern came out in 2000 so the only place you'll find it is in the bargain bins at the thrift shop or at an online vintage pattern seller. If you do find it and you have a little man in your life, scoop it up.

It comes together really easily, fits great, and looks pretty spiffy! Looks like I made this one just in time...he had just broken his arm the day before and this was the perfect thing to wear over his brand new cast!

Have you ever had to wear a cast? I've never had to (thank goodness), but this is already the second time my nephew has had one...and he's only 6! Leave a comment, tell us about your cast experience...and what you wore with it~

Paper Pendant

2013-05-10T07:30:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but my blogging schedule has sort of been blown to pieces lately. For someone like me who likes routine, and has been in this particular routine for the past two and half years, you can imagine how this sits with me.

My real life job, yeah the one that pays the bills around here, is getting in the way so I hope you'll bear with me while I figure out how to fit it all in.

In the meantime...I hope you enjoy this week's fun and super easy project!

You only need a few supplies to make your own pretty accessory:

Supplies:
-Pretty medium/heavy weight paper
-optional template
-craft knife and cutting mat
-standard jewellery making kit: pliers, jump rings, chain, closure
-small hole punch
(In the picure you also see a glue runner, but I decided not to use it so just pretend it's not there)

Before we get started I have to tell you about my template. I picked it up at the dollar store and got 4 different templates for a whopping $1.25!

I was originally drawn to the mailing/gift tags but this project uses the leaf pattern:

So, you don't have to use a template for this project but it will sure simplify things for you if you have one.

Steps:
1) Choose 4 different papers and decide how you want to layer them. It's important to use heavier weight paper so that your pendant doesn't bend or fly around while you're wearing it.

It's hard to see but some of these
have sparkle!

2) Starting with your bottom paper, cut out your largest shape.

3) Now just move through your papers cutting smaller and smaller (but same) shapes until you get a pretty stack. Line them up with all the points matching to see how it will look.

4) Using a very small hole punch, punch a hole through the top tip of the shape, getting as close as you can to the edge without tearing the paper.

5) Line your papers up and once again, starting with the bottom piece thread them onto a jump ring.

6) Now just add your pendant to a chain and add a closure and you're done!

So easy! You can use any type of shape. This is a great paper buster for all those little bits of scraps you keep from past projects too! If you want to add more body to your shapes add a layer of Dimensional Mod Podge before you put it all together.

I'll try to have more to share next week. Until then...don't be afraid to leave a comment~

Check out my other (very popular) paper jewellery project HERE!

Rainbow Flipbook

2013-05-03T17:30:00.001-06:00

You guys know how much I love to have little blank books and journals. I almost picked up another set to cover with pretty paper and then I realized that I could make my own...right from scratch with things I already had at home...and so can you!

Here's what you need to make your own flipbook:

-recipe cards
-pretty paper
-Mod Podge and sponge brush or your preferred adhesive
-large D ring
-cutting mat and craft knife or pencil and scissors
-hole punch or crop-o-dile

Steps:
1) Use your recipe cards as a template to cut two pieces of pretty scrapbook paper. These will be used as your front and back covers. You can either just cut right along the card or trace around with a pencil and then cut with scissors.

2) Use Mod Podge to adhere your pretty papers to two separate cards.

3) If you have a brayer this would be a good time to pull it out. Roll out any bubbles and make sure all of the edges are secure.

4) Decide how many recipe cards you want to use to create your little book.

5) If you're really lucky and have a crop-o-dile I'm sure it would come in handy for this next step, but I don't have one (boohoo), so I'm just using a plain old school hole punch. Determine where your D-ring will be inserted and punch a hole.

Use that card as a template to punch the other cards. If you go off every once in awhile (like maybe I did), just switch out your template with a card that was punched cleanly.

Hopefully they'll all pretty much line up.

6) Starting with the cards you want at the back of your book just thread them onto your D-ring.

Voila! You're done!

Punching the holes wasn't anywhere near as labour intensive as I feared it might be. The whole thing was done within a half hour.

These are great books to use as flashcards when you're learning a new language, as a recipe stack, or just a plain old notebook.

What will you use yours for? Leave a comment below!

BurdaStyle Kids patterns

2013-05-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

BurdaStyle has been so awesome at releasing new, fashionable, and modern patterns. So many that it's almost hard to keep up.

I don't want to do a post every time they do a release but I had to show you these adorable new patterns for little girls:

I think this melon coloured dress is my fav:

I noticed in the comments section of the last few pattern releases that Burdastyle is taking a real beating. A lot of people don't feel that they're designing for real bodies or that the styles are too simple.

I think these are right on the ball though. With the exception of the little blue tunic at the bottom (the neckline is a far too low) they're all super stylish, something that any little girl could wear, and not overly difficult but also not overly simple. In short...I really like them!

Best of all, I don't think any of these patterns is more than $6.00~

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Trunk Transformation

2013-04-30T07:30:00.000-06:00

I think I was about 14 or so when my Grandma gave me this trunk for my birthday:

I think she was the only person who believed me at the time when I said I was going to travel the world.

For a long time, I basically lived out of a suitcase while I travelled. So, my trunk stayed behind at my parents house. And, over time, it took a bit of a beating.

When I finally started to settle down and needed some furniture I rescued my trunk.

I just used some MDF type board that I had cut at the hardware store to size.

I added a nice super thick layer of foam, wrapped it in quilt batting, and then wrapped the whole thing with some microfiber type fabric.

Added some home made cushions and now it's a bench!

I've picked the lock many times, but now
I just don't lock it. If I ever remember the special
secret hiding place I put the key, then I'll lock it again~

But it still holds my treasures...

Yes, I was a bit of a Barbie fanatic when I was a kid. I couldn't possibly let go of them so I keep them in my trunk. I've also got a bag of Glamour Gals that I can't get rid of either. They were like miniature Barbies...sort of. Anyone else out there remember them?

Do you have any of your childhood toys kept in a special place? Leave a comment!

Easy Eyelet Collar

2013-04-27T17:29:00.000-06:00

Another super fast quickie craft for today. I've been on the road ALL week this week, in fact, I'm probably still on the road as you're reading this. But I still make time for crafting~

Here's what you need to make your own pretty collar:

Materials:
-eyelet or lace pre-made collar
-standard sewing kit (thread, scissors, machine, pins, etc.)
-double wide, double fold bias tape
-snaps

Steps
1) Cut a piece of bias tape the length of one collar times two plus an extra 4-6" depending on how low or high you want it to sit on your collarbone. Press it flat and lay it down. Notice how one side is just slightly narrower than the other? Centre it onto the back side of your collar and stitch down.

Line up the raw edge and sew inside the first creased fold.

2) Now just fold the bias tape over to the front along it's fold lines. See how it naturally hugs the edge? and because the slightly wider side is on the front you won't see any edge of the bias tape. Just stitch along the edge making sure to catch both side of your bias tape.

3) Figure out where you want your closure to be by trying on your necklace and marking the overlap of the tape with a two pins. Apply your snaps as per the package directions. My snaps are super old school. I picked up a whole bag of them at the thrift store. They work great though!

4) Once you've secured both sides of your snap just snip the ends of the bias tape off.

There you go! All done! Wasn't that easy? And now my necklace dilemma from Wednesday is solved!

I pick up these kinds of collars at the fabric store once in awhile. They usually have a basket with different kinds for $1 each or less. They come in handy for all kinds of things so it doesn't hurt to have a few on hand

I have no travel for work scheduled next week so I hope to get back into full on crafty mode again soon. Have a crafty week everyone! Don't by shy to leave a comment~

The Great British Sewing Bee

2013-04-25T07:30:00.000-06:00

A great BIG huge thank you to Gertie over at Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing! Last week she told all of her readers about a great new show airing on BBC right now and I'm completely addicted after watching only half an episode!

8 home sewers compete to win the title of the Britain's best home sewer. Some of them have decades of experience and some only started sewing a few years ago.

Contestants and Judges

It's the funnest, least catty, and most educational reality show that I think I've ever seen.

Participants are judged by Mary Martin, "the best sewing teacher in the world", and Patrick Grant from Savile Row.

There are only 4 episodes (boohoo) but each episode is jampacked with sewing and great tips as well as one easy to make project with instructions for viewers.

This show will appeal to sewers of all levels of experience...including all of you out there who keep telling me that you've been thinking about taking up sewing but are feeling intimidated.

Would you compete on a reality show? What kind of show do you think you could win? I'm pretty sure there's now way I could beat out Ann on The Great British Sewing Bee but I think I could do pretty well on the Amazing Race. What about you? Leave a comment below~

Another Little Black Dress

2013-04-24T07:30:00.000-06:00

Because you just can't have too many!

Here's the pattern I used:

You can see a print version of the same dress here~

I love the idea of this simple dress because you can dress it up or down with a change of shoes and jewellery easily. But now I can't decide which necklace to wear with it. I'm planning on wearing my new dress to facilitate a meeting at work. Which necklace do you like best?

Leave a comment and let me know! Owl, 60's turquoise beads, gold chain, emerald chain, or gypsy tassle?

Lady O

2013-04-23T08:49:00.000-06:00

This has has very little to do with sewing and crafting but I have to share something with you.....the Oprah experience!!!! Yes! I got to see Oprah, live, in person!

Attending her show was on my bucket list, and when it ended, I just figured that was one thing I'd never get to do. So, when it was announced that she was coming to Saskatchewan of all places, I knew I'd be there.

My sister and I went in on a ticket for my mom too as an early birthday present. I put the ticket in this envelope:

My hands were so shaky from excitement
I had to get someone else to take our picture~

It was a great show. Even though she was just up there on that stage, in front of more than 13,000 people, talking, she was entertaining. She told all of the Oprah stories that we know and love but you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was riveted to every word.

Could you talk in front of
13,000 people?!?!?

At the end, George Strombolopolous (Strombo for short) came out and did a little one on one chat with her. He's a Canadian radio host that now has his own late afternoon talk show.

I find myself very contemplative after the experience. She talked a lot about finding your purpose and finding the stillness to let it come to you. This is something I've been after for a long time, and hearing about her experiences really pushes me to focus a little more to figure it all out.

If you ever get the chance to stand in the light of Lady O....go for it! You won't regret it~

She looks amazing!

Have any of you out there seen Oprah in person? Did you have the thrill of seeing a taping of the show when it was still on? Leave a comment, I want to hear all about it!!!!

My First Painting!

2013-04-22T07:30:00.000-06:00

Because I don't have my hand in enough craft pots (or enough craft supplies stuffed into my closet) I decided to take up another hobby....watercolour painting~

It's something I've always wanted to learn, but I've never considered myself to be artistic. I'm crafty sure, but artistic, not so much.

I've studied Art History though and have a great love an appreciation for painting, so I figured it's about time I just get over my fear of creating something horribly ugly, and dive in.

Here's my first painting.

It's just a bunch of blobs of colour but I kind of like it~

I really like this corner for some reason.

I've only had one class so far, but I'm having fun learning something new. If you have any tips for me, leave a comment below.

My tip for you is...whatever it is you've always wanted to do but haven't, DO IT! There's no such thing as failure as long as you're trying.

Butterfly Wreath

2013-04-20T17:31:00.000-06:00

All of this travel for work has slowed me down, but I still feel the need to create! As a result, we're just doing a quickie craft this week. Don't get me wrong, it still has big impact, it's just not all that complicated.

Here's what you need to make your own Springtime Butterfly Wreath:

Materials:
-wire hangers
-book pages
-hot glue gun w/glue
-optional: White acrylic or spray paint, Sparkle Mod Podge, sponge brush
-cutting machine or the patience of a saint and scissors

Steps:
1) Stretch out your wire hangers into something that looks more like a circle than a hanger. Don't worry about the top, we'll use that to hang your wreath once it's done. Also, don't worry if it's not perfect, it's not supposed to be~

2) Now, if it weren't still winter here I would've just taken my circulesque hangers outside and sprayed them white (or better yet use white hangers), but it's still way too cold here, and besides I didn't have any spray paint left over. So, I used acrylic paint and just dry brushed it on.

Use it fairly dry and just bounce your brush onto the metal hanger. If you try to brush it on you'll only sweep the paint right off. Again, it doesn't have to be perfect, because most of it will be covered anyway.

3) While your paint is drying use your book pages to cut out butterfly shapes. I'm lucky enough to have a Silhouette machine that did all the work for me. I used the butterfly shape called "Butterfly Set" that comes with 5 different shapes and sizes that you can ungroup and use however you want.

4) Your paint should be dry now so let's put a good healthy coat of Sparkle Mod Podge on top. This is a small detail but it's what can really make your wreath sing. I like to use Sparkle Mod Podge because it's fairly mess free sparkle. You can go the messy route and do it with spray or sprinkle, but I've got enough mess going on already.

5) Let your hangers dry one more time and get the glue gun ready to go because next we're going to start adding butterflies. While your gun is heating up, you can use a bit of thin wire to bind your hangers together if you've used more than one.

6) Now the fun part....add some butterflies. Use as many or as few as you like!

7) The last step is to take down your Christmas sign from your door and put up your springtime wreath in the hopes that Mother Nature see's it and STOPS SENDING SNOW!!!! It's been six months! We get it, you can move on now Mr. Winter~

I still might add a some Glimmer Mist but for now it goes well with my Butterfly door knocker.

Don't be shy to send me some warm weather and leave a comment below~

Pretty and Comfy!

2013-04-18T07:30:00.000-06:00

So sorry everyone, I promised to share this project with you yesterday and I got so caught up in my roadtrip for work that I forgot to hit the publish button!

I've been travelling for work a lot lately, but this week took me some place I've never been before.....north....the FAR north.

See that big arrow right smack dab in the middle of Canada? Well, that's where I was all day yesterday. Almost as far north in Saskatchewan, Canada as you can get (but not quite).

It's a lovely place, everyone was super friendly, and it was surprisingly quite warm out! All in all an exhausting but great trip.

Anyway, onto more crafty things....

I'm going to show you something very embarrassing....this is the chair that I sit on at my computer, where I spend so much of my spare time sharing all of my creative projects with you guys.

I've had this chair for about 15 years. I finally gave away the cheapy desk it came with about 5 years ago. I have a hard time letting go of stuff that still works. And for all intents and purposes, this chair still works....it's just not comfortable, at all~

So, remember the fabric I showed you on Monday that Wholeport sent me?

Well, here's what I did with the beautiful floral piece:

Look at all that padding! I added a piece of foam and a couple layers of quilt batting to the seat before I covered it.

I remade the back, making it longer and tighter

And now, here's where I sit when I'm talking to all of you...

So much prettier!

Check out Wholeport for your own crafting and sewing projects. They've got all types of fabric and supplies (even baking stuff!).

*This post is sponsored by Wholeport.com however I received no compensation other than supplies and all opinions are my own.

HotPatterns

2013-04-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

I noticed the other day on Twitter that there was some breaking news about HotPatterns. They've apparently gone digital! Funny thing is, I always thought they were.

I used a few Hot Patterns that I've downloaded and taped together. For example this purse from waaaay back is a Hot Pattern.

Original post HERE

I love them because they have such fresh and modern styles. Here are some of their new releases that I really like.

I'm such a sucker for cute art work~

LOVE the versatility of the pattern!

Classic but there's something about this
pattern that tells me it's got style~

And right now, if you visit the Hotpatterns website, you can receive a FREE download for a purse organizer!

I'm heading back right now to get my own!

Blah to Tah Dah!

2013-04-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

Take a look at the beautiful fabrics I received from Whole Port this month!

It's such a treat to get something that's not from the bargain bin!

And now take a look at my blah boring dining room set.

It doesn't get used all that often. I thought, maybe if these chairs weren't quite so boring I'd want to invite people over to sit on them more than a couple times a year~

Tah dah! The new fabric adds just a bit more character without causing a big commotion in the rest of the space.

The dining room is connected to the living room so I wanted to go with something neutral but still eye catching.

Don't stare too long...it will hypnotize you~

Come back on Wednesday to see what I did with the other floral print fabric from above!

Wholeport has almost any type of fabric you could possibly need. From cotton to lace to flannel to denim and satin, it's all there! Check it out. The prices are great, the quality is fantastic, and it ships really quickly.

* This post is sponsored by Wholeport.com however I did not receive any compensation other than supplies and all opinions are my own.

Designer Ring Knock Off

2013-04-12T07:30:00.000-06:00

Isn't it amazing what you find when you actually click through to the original source of something you've pinned on Pinterest? I'm not being sarcastic. I really mean it~

For instance, I pinned this great ring, loving it, thinking somehow, someway I would figure out a crafty way to make this interesting piece.

When I clicked through I found out that this is a designer ring from DuePunti. It's made from silicone with a diamond embedded and runs for around $98 each.

And look at all the pretty colours it comes in!!!!

Source

Mine aren't quite as perfect and there aren't any diamonds involved but here's what I came up with:

And here's all you need to make your own!

Materials:
-polymer clay
-rhinestones
-optional: clay knife, ring sizer, something to roll your clay on
-baking tray (not shown)
-access to an oven

Steps:
1) Condition a small amount of clay by rolling it around between your hands to soften it up. (FYI.. I used the clay I received from Wholeport a couple of months ago because I've got so many fun colours and it's way softer than any other clay I've ever worked with)

2) I like to use a large tile on my work surface. Red or black clay sometimes has so much pigment it could stain your table.

Roll out your clay into a small roll, trying to create a bit of a bulge in the middle and tapering off the ends.

3) Wrap the roll around your finger or ring sizer, snip off any extra, and gently squeeze the ends together to create a ring.

4) Embed a crystal or rhinestone by gently pressing it right into the clay.

5) Bake as per the manufacturer's instructions. I often 'double bake' my clay pieces. That just means I bake it once, remove it from the oven and let everything cool down completely, then bake it again (sometimes the next day). I'm not sure if this actually makes the clay stronger or not but I like to think so.

And that's pretty much it! You can make a whole wardrobe of rings to go with any outfit, or wear them all together~

Mine aren't completely uniform but with a bit more practice I might get there~

This is a great stash buster for all of those little bits of clay you keep, just in case.

Have you heard of DuePunti rings? Is this a trend I've completely missed or for once in my life am I ahead of the masses? Leave a comment below~

Summer Pattern Releases

2013-04-11T07:30:00.000-06:00

Oh my gosh...we still have mountains of snow here and can you believe it...the summer patterns are already coming out?!?!

Here are a few of my favs.

McCalls 6744

Great for the office or a patio party!

McCalls 6752

Love that this is TWO pieces~

McCalls 6755

Doesn't this dress look soooo comfy?

McCalls 6747

These shorts were all the rage when I was in Thailand last year....they've finally made their way to North America.

McCalls 6756

So pretty!

I just love how many options you have with all of these pieces!

I am sooooooooooo looking forward to a day without snow. Then not only can I make these lovely garments, but I could actually wear them too!

I have to tell you one weird thing about the McCalls patterns. See the ones where the pic is taken in front of a tropical backdrop? Well, when you go to the site, you can see the full photos, and it looks like they shot in places like Rome, Paris, and Venice and you can see all of the famous landmarks...behind the backdrop! Isn't that funny?

What are you making for this summer? Leave a comment below~

Classic Black Top

2013-04-10T07:30:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I found a great way to procrastinate cleaning my basement....I became obsessed with making a black blouse and could not rest until it was done.

I was watching Fashion Star and although I don't really remember any of the designs anyone came up with I just couldn't get the top that Silvia was wearing out of my head.

I see now that it's more of a
jacket and a blouse~

That's not a great photo of her but she still looks totally awesome. In my head I just remembered that it was very form fitting, verrrrrrrry low cut, and even more sexy.

Silvia is very sophisticated and on the show they always talk about her style as "European". Who wouldn't want to look like her?!?!?

Mine doesn't really fulfill all of the inspiration points because I wanted to be able to wear it to the office, but it is definitely form fitting.

I ended up using this pattern from Simplicity:

I just shortened the dress View A.

I was in such a rush that I didn't cut enough pieces for the placket and had absolutely no fabric left over. So, I ended up making the placket a facing. Which meant I had to alter the collar because it was too long. So, it's not perfect, but I like it.

So, lesson(s) of the day: take your time! read your pattern and make sure you've cut enough pieces! And, consult your inspiration before you make your piece...not after, as you're about to blog about it~

Pattern Review

2013-04-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

I think I've told you guys about PatternReview.com before.

But I'm not sure I mentioned everything you can do there. You see, Pattern Review is about more than just reviewing patterns!

You can purchase patterns there, and they have some great online sales.

You can take classes.

You can read interviews with the movers and shakers of the sewing world.

AND....you can enter contests! I usually manage to catch wind of these contests about a day before they close so have yet to actually enter but I noticed two fun ones running right now, and there's still loads of time to make something.

The Pantone Color Contest-Basically, make something green and share it with the community.

Prize: $50 gift certificate for Patterns from the Past

The Patterns Stash Contest-Make something from an unused pattern in your 'stash' and share it.

$100 gift certificate to Elliott Berman Textiles

Click through to see all the guidelines, but they're pretty flexible and easy.

Good luck to anyone who enters!

I'll be the first to admit that this is not the prettiest of sewing sites, but trust me, if you are a sewer you should be a member (it's free). There is so much information here it will boggle your brain. (Plus, I think they're doing an overhaul on their look soon, and maybe it will be pretty!)

Do you do PatternReview?? Leave a comment below~

You can see some of my reviews here.