bleached out

It's been a while since my last blog but fortunately the blogging world hasn't noticed yet, though maybe someday it would be nice if it were- when i have the time :) I've wanted to try this project for a few weeks now and have seen several examples online.... none i seen used masking tape so it left me wondering how well it would work. Masking tape has been a wonder creation for me lately! I have been having surprisingly wonderful outcomes with it for a number of recent projects. Also, I've been addicted to the new Cricut my super, amazingly kind, MIL got me.
But you can create your stencils (or buy them) cutting free-hand with scissors, printing your image or letters from the printer, using an exacto-knife, where ever your imagination takes you!! I saw on one site a woman just layed branches down on fabric and used this technique and it looked great! In other examples I seen no sort of adhesive was used at all, you could just lay your shapes down and spray. I would imagine you could just twist the garment and have a tie-dye effect. My result has 'fold' marks near the collar; they werent intentional but made it even better!

supplies:

item of clothing, piece of fabric, pillow case --- something that will respond to bleach (my shirt had a single tiny dot of a bleach mark so i knew it would go reddish)

bleach
water
spray bottle (my solution was about half bleach and half water)

card board --- to put in between shirt to prevent going through to other side just in case and for a surface to lay project on while spraying

what you will use for stenciling, if any at all, possibly some rubber bands if tie-dying




a plain, old black t-shirt i was not wearing... At All... :)


With my masking tape stencils cut with cricut machine using Florals Embellished cartridge. With experimenting I've discovered masking tape is Awesomely cut with the cricut when you have the pressure, speed, and blade depth all set to "2".


on cardboard with cardboard inserted inside ready, outside to be sprayed. Right now would be a good time to make sure you have your water bottle nozzle set for how you want it to spray, before doing the garment. I set mine to a 'mist'.


spray lightly and wait for it .........


with a moment it seems to "develop" into the fabric. i sprayed mine from the lower left and top right corners inward with a light mist 3 times at the most and got this effect. as luck would have it :) since i did spray so lightly, if you notice near the tag where my cardbord didnt cover, it did not bleed through to the outside.



And there you have it!!!!! I let it dry outside for about an hour in 95 degree weather before i moved it, but put it on right after taking it's finished pic!
It really turned out beyond expectations : ) the whole time i was cuting and applying my 'stencils' i was telling myself to have low expectations on the detail, but I got pleasantly surprised!!!! they were all there! I credit the masking tape!:)

happy crafting to you! and i have lots of ideas but not enough time or money to do them all but i hope to be sharing them here soon!
lots of love and hugs!
Btw.... we have number three on the way!!!! I had not shared that here yet so why not now! : )

Harrison turned one! and we celebrated Sodor style : )

My baby boy turned one already! My, the year went sooooo fast!!! I'm proud of my handsome, sweet, smart little man :) He is adorable; but of course I'm supposed to think that- but it's true anyway- lol!
Well, I'm dont think my attempt at a Thomas the Tank Engine cake was as good as the Wubbzy cake.... while that was my first attempt at icing a cake, this was my second try at using an icing bag and tips. I learned it takes finess and practice (and probably more time than i could afford : P ). Also, again, I was reminded if i'm going to ice raw,cut cake chocolate isn't the best choice because crumblys show : )
Okaaaaay, i'll quit critiquing myself : P Party guests were kind in their compliments and it tasted Yummy!!!!

I was in the way of dinner making so my pictures arent the best : P also i didnt have much time the next morning before the celebration to take pictures with natural light like i wouldve liked : )

i do like making special cakes : ) maybe by the time i'm a grandma they will be fabulous, lol! i hope!

green gift wrapping

I'm pleased with myself this year for my economical gift wrapping !

By buying attractive inexpensive boxes that can be used for storage in anyone's home I minimized the need for wrapping paper (thanks IKEA!) the box gets to be part of the gift and not a landfill : )

Then by using this lovely blog tutorial : http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-gift-bow-from-magazine-page.html
I made a bunch of magazine page bows using gluestick instead of a bunch of staples (no unneccessary metal use) hope she doesnt mind my sharing! : P

My ribbon was primarily salvaged gift bows with the staple pulled off (carefully as not to tear) taped and wrapped around a tube to get the creases out. <>

Finally my gift tags are actually personalysed ornaments. I had the idea for these last year but didn't have the time. They were made with cinnamon dough and the recipe is below.

Every year since I started giving gifts as a kid I have tried to do something different in the wrapping process. Last year instead of ribbon bows I used fake poinsettias and another year I made origami stars. Thank goodness for the internet and all these ideas at our finger tips!

TO YOU AND YOURS, HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

or

HAPPY CHRISMANUKKAHWANZAADAN!




cinnamon dough

3/4 cup cinnamon

1 and 1/8 cup flour

1 cup salt

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
1 Tbsp. ground clove (optional)

Mix dry ingredients. Add water to form dough. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. With fingers (because dough is very sticky!) flatten enough to use cookie cutter and pull dough from sides before lifting cutter on the parchment. Or mold your dough. Make these about 1/4 inch thick. Use a toothpick to make stringing holes. Bake in oven @ 350 F for 15-20 mins.

*if you let dough sit for a little bit it stiffens (the salt seems to dry it moderately fast) If you want white tops let air dry a little while before baking. Mine became white on top because I had to keep stopping to attend to my 8 month old... happy accident? maybe : )

**sea salt creates pretty little sparkly flecks :)

give a H(@,@)T!

Made this owl pillow today for my little girl for christmas : ) I guess to be sharing for the season maybe it should be a turtle dove or even a snow owl : P oh well! i like it! and i like it enough to share here : )

I didnt take pictures of the process for a tutorial but i've put the templates i made at the bottom of the post if you'd like to make one like this one^ I LOVE making HOMEMADE GIFTS!!!!

<>

^my own caricature of an owl : ) if i ever have my own design line ( i hope to!! ) this may very likely be my own "signature owl" i was surprised when i googled images i had not seen an owl interpretation with a heart face. i got the inspiration from the face of a baby great horned owl : ) definately suits my style : P (i need a new ink cartridge otherwise i wouldve just scanned and enlarged this image, ooooh well)

( @,@)
(),,_,,()

Templates in case you would like to make your own : ) cut with fold on right side and pieces joined together

* first snowy morning of the season *

my sliding door, made this morning : )

and the kittens never lost their mittens

Or not again that is : ) (my little kitten lost some already this year : P) This isn't a really creative, of my own invention, project But I wanted to offer mainly just the idea here in case you haven't thought of it and how simple but helpful it is!

No doubt when you were a kid you likely had some mittens or gloves on a string inside your coat running through the sleeves so you wouldnt lose them. : ) You remember now? Well this is a 2-step project so simple and so useful!

You probably don't need a tutorial but here you are anyway! : )

What you need:
.mittens or gloves

.ribbon or yarn or skinny strip of fleece or jersey (whatever you'd like really!)

.(scissors, needle, and thread)

.and your coat to measure, unless your little kitten will kindly let you measure : P

*First: (ribbon method and simple string only)

Measure your "string" across the back of the coat with a couple inches to spare at the ends.

*Secondly:

Sew ribbon to mittens folding end in and over so it doesn't fray at the ends. : )

*Knit alternative:

If you have knit gloves I would use some coordinating yarn and with a large eyed needle poke it through, tie it off with a loop, and crochet a simple chain the length to the next mitten cut the yarn with a few inches. Pull the end through the other mitten with the needle and tie it. : ) or you could sew it on and not poke through...

( : Now let's have pie!!!!!! : ) meow, meow, meow

Sssssso.... cold draft ssstopper

Burrrrrr! I am cold! My apartment is soooooo drafty!, from the doors! from the windows! and my little ones want to play on the floor! Grrrrr! is more like it from this momma. But fortunately here's thisss guy delivering a HiSSSSSSS........ (well, not literally, but you get the picture) : )

And here's how you can make your own door draft stopper snake to protect you from the cold.

what you need:
.a long rectangle of fabric for the body. mine was 46" x 7" but doors come in different sizes and I trust you can use your basic math skills to decide how long and how thick you'd like it to be.

.fabric scraps for the inside of its mouth.

.fabric scrap for tongue - hopefully something that does not fray like felt

.2 buttons for eyes

.thread (scissors, small piece of paper, pen, needle, and sewing machine) : P

.rice or some other filling

} To Create {

First fold your fabric for the body in half lengthwise, then in half again lengthwise. At one end cut a curve that will be the corner of the snakes mouth to the front of its face. Unfold once so you the fabric is halved, and as you can see above on the right you will have the head shape.

Now place the body on the paper to make a template. For a seam allowance of 1/2" I put it on the edge with the corners of the snakes mouth 1/2" from the edge. Trace and cut out. Then cut two pieces for the inside of the snakes mouth. Cut a forked tongue for snakey with remaining scrap. : )

Now would be the time to sew on the eyes. (@.@) Then with the tongue centered inside the two mouth pieces sew them together with your 1/2" seam.

Now here's the tricky part. Open the body piece with right side up. Pin and sew, with the tongue down and inside, one of the matching mouth perimeters. Fold the mouth peice in half upward leaving the tongue down. Refold the body in half lengthwise right sides together. Pin and sew the second set of matching perimeters. If you start at the body fold you can continue down the side of the body in one go. ***down the body and around the mouth I used only 1/4" seam with the exception of where I tapered in.



Once you're about halfway down the length of your snake gradually taper inward going to the end until you reach it with about an inch or two open at the end. *note you want it wide enough you can pour into it your filler.

Turn out and fill ! : ) I used rice and though I think beans would work too it would be a lumpy snake, but that may be just what you want : P

After filling (which mine was solidly packed with about 6" of tail unfilled so when evenly dispersed it wasn't too hard) sew the end closed :) You could use the machine but I hand sewed and gathered to create a rounded effect when it filled.



Isn't he cute!?! Problem now is my children think it's a toy, ha ha! : P So we shall see how much door action he gets : )

please excuse my ucky apt. rug, door, and trim : )

Keep in mind you can make one of these so simply without being a snake with just a long rectangle (such as 46"x7") and it can have just as much character with a beautiful print! Express your self! I would love to see any you make too and show them! I know there are so many creative wacky print combos that would be sooooo great to see : )

BE GREEN!!!! USE LESS ENERGY! : )

Conserve even more and make one of these from something else! a pant leg, the sleeve of a big sweater, or maybe an old scarf folded in half and sewn together - if it has holes in the knit use an old t-shirt and double layer : )

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and making thissssssss : P ... I could definately see this being stuffed with cotton too and made an actual toy. And I hope this can keep your home warmer and hearts happy in this coooooold weather! lower your energy bills too : ) even keep in the cool on hot summer days !

love our earth and reduce, reuse, and recycle : )