Sewing days

My friend Becki is learning to sew and asked for some instruction/direction.  After we spoke I decided I would give her some sewing lessons.  I picked out the project, the fabric and pattern.  I got everything ready.  I learned to sew when I was 12 years old.  I was taught by my 4-H leaders, Arlene Vierson and Lois Ziegler.  They were perfectionist and taught us well.  I was happy to pass on some of the lessons to Becki.



I picked out some fabric with no particular design.  Polka dot fabric, is that how you spell polka dot?  I decided we would make simple aprons.  Part of making/sewing from a pattern is getting the grain of the fabric straight, that's what I'm doing here.  Getting the pattern pieces straight on the fabric is important and makes is so easy to sew together. 



I cut the pattern pieces and iron them flat. 




Here's the final project done, the cutest apron!

Becki was a great student.  Her skill set is high and she knows her way around a sewing machine, oh and by the way she has the nicest Bernina machine....so jealous.  New project, a dress for her daughter.  I finished up my apron and I think I'll be making more.

 

I do love sewing, it's one of my favorite hobbies.  I've been sewing up Christmas projects. 

Twins & craft store shopping

Met up with the twins, Olivia and Addison & their mom, Michelle at the local craft store.  It was so much fun & they were such troopers.  They let us shop every isle without a problem. 

 

Olivia trying on headbands and several boas.

Addy couldn't decide which color boa was her favorite.

One of our favorite isles, the wind chimes!  Each one chime made a different lovely sound.  This was Addy's favorite.

The mirror isle was fun, too. 



Knitting practice = nice scraf

I found this bolt of thread in a second hand store in Flagstaff, AZ.  It's a very large amount of yarn.  I decided to use it to practice my knitting.  I'm happy with the way the scarf came out.  I used two sizes of knitting needles just to practice.  What I found was the knit stitch was easier than the purl stitch.   The scarf is all knit stitched with no purls stitches at all.  My next scarf will be knit 1, purl 1 so I can practice the purl stitch and not forget the knit stitch.  In comparison to crocheting, knitting takes longer and if you miss a stitch I have no idea what to do.  I casted on 14 stitches and sometimes I had 16 then 14 and I have no clue how that happened, haha.  I'm not done with the scarf cuz I'm gonna do some embroidery on it.  I'm happy I'm learning this whole knit thing.  I like it.

 

Another use for them old hard cover books

I saw this on Pinterest a few weeks ago and thought I have tons of old books laying around.  So while watching football over the weekend I folded up these two books.  I love the concept and the design.

 

I love the idea of using it for my business card collection.  I think I will use them for my Christmas card display this year.  Maybe paint the book covers red, hummm....

In the studio, etching metals.

I've been wanting to try etching metals, again.  I haven't done it in a long time.  I use a chemical called PCB Etchant Solution which you can get at Radio Shack.  It's mainly used in computer motherboard circuit work.  Make sure to use safety glasses and gloves when working with it.

 

 

I clean up the metal strips and stamped images and drew designs on the strips.  I used a permanent ink pad and a sharpie.  I also stamped some of the copper rings.

 

 

I used a glass dish and remember not to ever reuse the dish for food.  It belongs in the studio now.  The metal strips  are placed on clear packing tape with the design side up.  The strips are floated on the solution but I did place the rings right into the solution. 

 

 

I set the timer for one hour, but I got busy and ended up letting the metal sit for two hours.  Since my PCB solution was old it needed two hours to get the results I wanted anyways.

 

 

Here's how they look!  Awesomeness.

 

I bent one of the strips into a bracelet and love love love it.  I will experiment with a clasp of some kind and maybe some embellishments.  Stay tuned....

This is the strip I stamped circles on...way cool.

 

Busy Busy Busy

Back in the studio, gotta event on October 1st!  I've been working on my cement stuff, some xmas stockings, my artwork prints and lastly, my jewelry!!   I have to make earrings and pendants.  I've been working on designs and now to put it from paper to metal.  I may even get some bracelets done.   The fun begins............

Remembering 9/11

It was a Tuesday, it was a work day, it was a busy work day for us, I remember walking into the lunch area and looked up at the TV the moment the plane hit the second tower.  So much for work that day...we were glued to the TV from that moment on...what a sad day. 
This past April I visited the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon and it's an incredible tribute to those who died that day.  If you ever get a chance to visit it, please go at night and you will be moved.

Memories

The other day I bought a large package of pecans and when I opened up the bag the smell of the pecans took me back to when I was a kid.  We visited my "uelo  y uela " in Abilene, Texas and they had pecan tree in their back yard.  I remember picking up pecans and eating all the time whenever we wanted.  The ground was full of them.

 

This past June while visiting Abilene,  I found out my prima, Susie purchased my "uelos" property and plans to turn it into a community garden.  We all met at the D'Bois property in the barrio.  Boy what memories of this place.  Here we are under the pecan tree.  I'm so proud of Susie's purchase and vision.  I'll keep you updated on her project.

 

Susie, SueAnn, Patricia, Tia Mary, Delores, Vicki, Jobi and Angel
This was a great day!

 

Concrete creations!

They're dry!!!

This one is the biggest one.  I used a box and it didn't fair too well.  I wrapped the box with duct tape and as you can see it came out looking like a round bag instead of a box.  I still like it and I'll put it in the courtyard with a plant.

 

 

These are the ones I used jewelry boxes with lids.  I really like the way they came out.

 

 

 

I painted the round one with a metallic purple and it's okay but still not what I have in mind. The box creations worked so nicely as candle holders don't you think? 

 

 

 

 I found some more boxes and still looking for more plastic containers.  I'll be making more. I bought some gold and silver metallic spray paint to use and I also think I may put a wax finish on them. 

Okay, I couldn't wait 24 hours!

I checked on my concrete creations!  I couldn't help myself and had to remove them from the molds.  Turns out not a really good idea.  There's a reason you have to wait 24 hours.

 

Some of them crumbled!

I dropped it when I tapped it.

These are adorable!

Once I broke a few I left the rest alone.  I'll be checking them in 24 hours.  I'm gonna have to go through the recycle box to find more containers to use as molds!  I have a half of bag of Quikcrete to use up!!  I think onto something here.....

An idea that grabbed ahold of me like a rock hitting my head

Concrete Concrete Concrete!

 

 

I saw these on Pinterest and thought what the heck I can make these, I love concrete and have some experience with it. 

 

 

Basic tools - bucket, gloves, and a mixing stick.

Basic items - plastic containers, cups, paper boxes, glass votive holders, etc.

I used Quikrete concrete and that shit is heavy a solid 60lbs!

 

I scooped the mix into the bucket and added water.

 

What I realized after mixing is the texture, not as fine as I would like, but then I can't judge until the final product.  But you can see the pebbles/stones in the mix.  Haha kinda reminds me of refried beans.

I sprayed the various containers with vegetable oil.  I poured the concrete into them and then set the interior container which I also sprayed with the oil. 

Most of the container were small except for this one.  It was a box and it didn't hold up as well as the smaller boxes or plastic cups.

Now to let it all set up for the next 24 hours!

Javier & Anne's reception invites...all done.

This is the drawing I came up with after talking to Javi & Anne.  I touched it up some and rearranged them so they were standing more evenly.  The paper is cream puff shade from Cards & Pockets.  I love the texture of their card stock.

 

I added a red border design and a banner.  I really really like the outcome.  I used my drawing and found the Brain Flower font that was perfect for their invites.  I'm digging the font.  I was able to get two invites to a card stock sheet.  I love my printer Canon Pro 9000, makes printing easy.

 

printing

 

cutting

scoring

 

final score with bone folder

They like the Mexican papel picado banners.  I found one on the internet I was able to use on their envelops.  I finished with printing their return addresses on the back.

 

 printed envelopes

 

Congratulations of Javi & Anne.  Now on to reception decorating ideas and projects....heading to venue this week.  They're having their event on a rooftop!

 

Tip - using the right tools makes the job easy, but investing in the best right tools is smart.

Progress

First, my ankle is so much better.  Lots of rest and ice packs.  I'm in the middle of a wedding invitation order but have a few days before I have to print, cut, assemble since I'm waiting on my paper/envelope order to be delivered.  I've been dreaming up all these projects, painting something...maybe some chairs, lots of chairs need painting by the way, I would love to build a potting shed out of all the wood I have laying around, I have these really cool windows I got in California years ago and also windows from my old high school and I've been dreaming of all the cool things I could do with them, I also have two really really neat metal gates I should do something with them, I still have jewelry pieces to finish, but the biggest thing I've been dreaming about is making Christmas stuff!  I sewed burlap stockings last year and they came out so cool, I want to make more, I also painted xmas signs on wood, I always make my cards and for some reason I have the bug to sew, maybe aprons, maybe some altered art journals, maybe some wire art, maybe maybe maybe...  Okay, I'm back to my senses....finish some unfinished stuff before I start anything else.  Time to sit down and make my gotta finish list.  Should still be fun.

 

 

Travel Photo Album gift

I had a series of photos for my young friend Erin from my trip to the Boston area.  I wanted to put them together in an album for her.  I went to my local craft stores and really couldn't find anything I liked.  I decided to make her an accordion style book.

 

 

 

I used 8 1/2 x 11 white card stock and cut it in half length wise.  I needed three sheets for the number of photos I wanted to use.

 

 

I scored them to make 5 1/2 x 6 size pages

 

 

Folded them in half.

 

 

I used 1/2"  blue masking tape to put the pages together to make one long series of accordion pages.

 

 

 



 

I added photos and grouped them in order of the events we did together.  Visiting Salem, touring the Constitution and hanging out in Marshfield and the beach.

 

 

 

On the back page I added a ribbon under the back page so it can be tied together.  I'm very happy the way it turned out.