A Creative Dream

Let's start the week with a treat...

2012-01-30T05:00:00.005-05:00

I've discovered that you can make graham crackers from scratch. Did y'all know that? And, if you did, why hadn't you told me?

I was reading through a blog the other day and ran across the "perfect" graham cracker recipe. I was shocked... first that you can make them at home, and then for being so silly as to not realize that you could. Of course, I started searching out recipes. There are tons of them out there. Finally, I just went back to the perfect graham cracker recipe since it was the first I'd seen.

Are they good? Oh my goodness, yes. They are very good. I've made a couple of batches since then, and tweaked the recipe a bit to suit my taste even more. Since they really are just that good, and relatively low in calories, I thought I'd share with you guys... ready?

You need (this is my tweaked version, you can go to Haniela's to find the original):

1 and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup self rising flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
6 tablespoons of cold butter (no substitute)

Use a pastry blender, or food processor, to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is well worked in and crumbly. At this point, heat your oven to 350 degrees.

1/4 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon of orange juice concentrate
2 teaspoons of bourbon (or, you can substitute vanilla, but the bourbon brings out the honey particularly well)

Dump all of the liquid ingredients into the dry and incorporate until you have a lovely ball of dough.

Refrigerate the dough. Just enough to chill it. I find it is easier to roll out when it isn't rock hard.

Roll it out between pieces of waxed paper until it is very thin... about 1/8th of an inch.

Cut it into whatever shape or shapes you want, mine are 1 1/4" circles, and pop the cookies into a 350 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. You want them to be golden brown (even a bit browner and they are still very good... trust me on that one).

Let them cool completely and then store them in an air tight container. You can do anything with these that you would do with the store bought graham crackers... my favorite thing is to eat them, just as they are... mine have a hint of orange and cinnamon that are very clear, and the bourbon really accentuates the honey perfectly... enjoy.

Next up... backgrounds and depth of color (because Eileen wants to know how I do it) in our little creative journal journey...

ArtsyBlogger links...

2012-01-28T17:53:00.004-05:00

Here they are everyone... the ArtsyBlogger links for this week... (and I apologize, my home connection never seems to connect to Cherie's page... I'll post a pic from her post on Monday... arghhhhh Insight!!!)

Beading Arts

Interested in publishing this year? How about starting out with a magazine?

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
You can transform plain glassware into unique home decor. Check out Eileen's first attempt with transparent glass paints

Glass Mushrooms
Cherie makes glass mushrooms for the garden out of dessert bowls

Awwwww....

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

My Little One says to me the other day, "I got you something, and it's going to be here today." Then she warned me not to open any package.

She's like that. She likes to collect reactions.

So, when the child, who is now a young woman, gets home, she opens the package. Seems she's ordered herself a few items as well... but then she hands me a little silver box...

And in that little silver box was this...

Isn't it lovely?

Quite lovely actually. Don't you think?

Kate, aka "My Little One", loves this artist. Her name is Char, and she has a little shop over on Etsy called Indigo Silver Studio. I joke with Kate often that she's paid paid a substantial part of a mortgage for her... but Char's work is lovely. It's not just pretty, it's very well made. The stones are pretty and they're set beautifully, whether they are in a ring, a necklace or earrings. (And trust me, I've seen her rings, necklaces and earrings... and lots of them.)

I didn't make the purchase, so I can't leave feedback for Char, but I love the ring. Even more since my daughter had her make it for me. So thank you Char, for conspiring with my Little One...

... and thank you my Little One for being such a sweetheart. And congrats on being inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (you make your Momma proud)!

(To be clear, I've received no compensation from Char or Indigo Silver Studio for writing positive things about her work. As a matter of fact, she doesn't even know that I'm writing this...)

ArtsyBlogger links...

2012-01-21T17:50:00.003-05:00

Let's see if everyone has gotten more accomplished than I have this week... here are the ArtsyBlogger links...

Getting Mixed Media Supplies From a Library Sale
Cherie hit up the library sale this week and got some cool books to craft with.

(I'm jealous!)

Eileen - The Artful Crafter

Take a look at this awesome mixed media earring organizer.

Beading Arts

Cyndi has been trying to encourage everyone to get out there and take a class this year!

In my little world...

2012-01-19T05:00:00.009-05:00

"Tomorrow" is a somewhat subjective term, used loosely on the blog sometime to mean the near future... Technically, this isn't "tomorrow" to the last blog post...but I've got the beginnings of a page for ya...

I've got a 9" x 12" sheet of 90 pound cold pressed watercolour paper, some gesso, black and white acrylic paint, my trusted Formica chip, a 1" wide brush, and a glass of good merlot ( a very important component to this particular journal).

Over the last few weeks I've been listening to a song that was recorded by Sting on his Sacred Love disk. "Book of My Life" has got to be one of my all time favorite songs, it's thoughtful and introspective... and inspiring, at least to me...

Listening to the song inspires me to write my own book of my days, and I want to add a page to this journal to honor that inspiration. When I listen to the song I see a person sitting near a fire that is dying, and from the "ethers" visions of a life visit... so, to begin I need to create those ethers...

I began by smearing a somewhat thick coat of gesso in the center of the watercolour paper, drawing it from the center toward the edges. It's rather random, definitely not solid... my theory is that it's just going to be used more as a "float" for the other colors. (Edit: Work with the other colors while the gesso is wet.)

With that on the paper, I add a line of black acrylic paint near one long side, and a line of white near the other side.

Using my handy Formica chip, I begin dragging the paints around the paper.

And I continued adding black and white until I was satisfied with the overall effect. Notice that I darkened it a great deal at one of the longer edges. This is where my "land" will be.

It needs color... even if I want to show shadow, I must have color! And I want a storm-ish sort of feeling to it (no doubt influenced by the delicious peals of thunder I woke to yesterday)... so I blend that aqua into the background with a brush. I'm just using a random brush/push sort of motion to do this.

And then, I add more white and more black, blending them all together in a rough sort of way. Basically pushing the colors with short, sharp brush strokes.

Standing back to look at it... this is really working for me.

I want to sharpen the "land" area, so I use my brush and a bit more black paint to create a bit of definition to the top of the land area. Standing back to look at it again I think... "wow, that's exactly what I had in my head..." . A feat, trust me, as most of the time I don't start with a plan. And when I do, it rarely looks like that plan.

Now, to add a figure... a very, very vague figure and a glow from a dying fire. That didn't turn out quite as I wanted it to, but I've learned to walk away from something if I am not totally satisfied with it, and come back later. Very often some kind of magic happened and I like it after all.

So now, it's sitting and drying, and working magic. I'll be adding words once that's all finished.

I've started a Flickr set that will hold all the photos for this journal journey... along with more photos that don't make it to the blog... check it out here.

And so we begin...

2012-01-14T09:31:00.009-05:00

Today begins our art/visual/creative journal journey. Before we really get into this I need to make a few statements to help set the tone and outline some goals.

I create journals all the time. Have bunches of them around here, but this one is going to be different. This one will actually contain more than just pretty backgrounds. This journal is going to include entries (gasp!). And I will be opening these entries up for everyone to read. Now, granted, there probably won't be any shocking revelations, my life is pretty boring, but they (the entries) will be there... so go easy on them.

While you are invited to share this journey with me, by either creating your own journal or just satisfying your voyeuristic tendencies by visiting mine, the real goal of this project is to encourage you to create. Doesn't matter what you create, just create.

And remember, being creative doesn't just apply to making stuff, it applies to life... As my Grandmother used to say, "the devil is often in the details". And, while she often said that with negative intention, while she was complaining about some rounded applique seam she was adding to a quilt, there is another perspective that can be used with a more encouraging intent. Sometimes it really is the small bits of creativity we add to our lives that can bring about a more "satisfied" sense of "being".

I have a fascination of sorts, about human beings and what makes us... "us". One of our most unique qualities we have is our ability to artistically create with purpose. There is a great deal of debate about whether or not we have a "need" to create, or if we all of us have the "ability" to be creative. Personally, I think we all desire to express ourselves in some creative way. Me... I have no choice, trying to live without creating would be akin to trying to live without breathing. It's a balm to my soul. I'm sure it sounds silly to some, but it's a spark that my Creator put into my very being, it is a part of who I am. So to me that debate about whether we are or are not creative makes no sense, I just cannot see the other side of that argument no matter how hard I try.

Now, as I have said, this is going to be a long running tutorial. It will be punctuated by other things because I tend to be come bored when working on one thing for very long. I will be adding a page to the blog that will carry all of the posts, in the order they are posted, for easy reference. Please take a second to consider... while I hope this will be a very detailed and helpful experience, don't believe you have to make yours (if you do make one) just like I do. What you should do is check it out, see how I do it, take it, tweak it, and make it all yours. While it may be said that imitation is a most sincere form of flattery, all it really is is taking claim to something that you really had no hand in. Use the techniques to create your own, something that is exclusively and wonderfully yours. And remember, ALWAYS honor the copyright of others.

So, here we go...

I'm starting with the supply list. The list is long, and not everything will be used, and things will be added as we go... I just don't want to miss something along the way. As I give you this list of supplies, you will find a definite lack of brand names (even though sometimes you will see brands in the photos), and even specific color names. That isn't to keep you from creating with what I use, that is to encourage you to use what you prefer.

2012 Creative.visual.art journal supplies:

"junk"... junk mail, flyers, wrapping papers, news papers, catalogs, etc.
*Don't look at them as a "whole" object to use... consider words, numbers, etc.

Old book pages
*I love old book pages (bet you guys hadn't caught on to that yet huh?), the more worn the better. Pick pages that have a great "feel", whatever that is to you. You'll know when you've found the right ones for you.

Cardboard
*Think along the lines of cereal boxes and things like that. (This is one of the most likely not to be used... I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.)

Watercolour paper
*I'll be using weights between 90 and 140 pounds, all are cold pressed.

Scraps of cloth
*Whatever you like, I'm thinking muslin may find a place in mine.

Images
*Ah... images. What would an art journal be without them? This is often where folks lose sight of that whole copyright thing. Use images that appeal to you. If you use photos you have taken I highly recommend that you make copies of them to use. If you use images you find online... I really recommend that you search for those in the public domain (that means they are copyright free). Two very good resources that come to mind are Graphics Fairy and Wikimedia Commons.

And here's the really fun stuff...

"Stuff"
*Paints... acrylic, watercolour, gouche, milk.
Pastels
*soft and oil based
Colored pencils
Watercolour pencils
Pens
*I use only permanent pens when possible... although, in this one I may use some white gel pens.

Other stuff:
*glues, gel mediums, Mod Podge, hole punches, scissors, pokey stick tool (aka the every so useful bamboo skewer), erasers (to carve small stamps into), rubber stamps, soda bottle lids, bubble wrap, brayer, mesh or netting, any other thing you can think of that can leave an imprint.

Possible add ins:

Beads, wire, buttons, charms, found objects, polymer clay items, paper clips, staples, thread (probably will be sewing on several of the pages), pretty much anything is game in this category

AND... (and this is the tricky part)... ideas.

Also, if you'd like, you can buy a plain journal (or cheap composition book) to use as your "base". I am not good at coloring in the lines, so I definitely am not good at composing in the pages, so I will be building mine from scratch. I don't plan on making it more than probably 20 pages long (that gives me 40 total pages to work with when you consider front and back), although, who knows how big or small it will end up? My pages will not all be the same size. While that may drive some folks crazy, that sort of wonkiness is good for me. You do what is good for you.

Now, to facilitate always having these things in one place, since I am the queen of having crap everywhere, I am also putting my stuff in a bin to keep it all in one place. Whether or not that is necessary is completely up to you and how well organized you are. Organization just doesn't happen to be one of my strengths.

So... tomorrow... starting a page...

ArtsyBlogger links...

2012-01-14T08:29:00.002-05:00

OMGoodness... it is COLD around here today! Fifteen degrees. It was almost 60 degrees just a couple of days ago... sigh...

It is a perfect weekend to stay in and work on that new project I'll be sharing with you starting Monday, I think the Universe often conspires to set up situations that actually work for me more than I realize. While I am gathering and getting started on everything, you guys go check out the ArtsyBlogger links this week...

(Is this not just stunning?!?!?)
Beading Arts
Do you struggle to add Swarovski rivolis to your bead embroidery? Cyndi has the solution for you in her brand new e-booklet, "Three Bezels Plus a Bonus"!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Eileen's happy to be back in her niche. Have you found yours yet?

My server and Cherie's server are having issues chatting with each other this morning, so I'll add a pic as soon as I can get there... but, until then, here's her link!

Keep an Eye Out for Someone Special
Cherie makes a picture with a Chinese fortune.

Mo(o)re Whimsies
Amazing Mold Putty and a Victorian Picture Frame

So, here's what we're gonna do...

2012-01-11T05:00:00.005-05:00

I am inviting you to join me make this journal. This will be a long running tutorial, an online class basically, that is free and open to anyone who reads the blog. While it will be simple to do, the instructions will be in depth.

During this long running tutorial I'll walk you through creating a journal as I make one myself. My goal is to have plenty of photos of each and every step all along the way so that you can feel empowered to make your own, especially if you have never tried to make one. I promise, it's easy. Really.

And it's an awful lot of fun. Really.

Since I am really sort of up to my backside in alligators (so to speak) at the office the rest of this week... and the swamp just is not draining fast enough, so the 'gators are gaining... I'm going to begin this on Monday when I'll be posting a long list of items that I'll be using. I'm not planning on going out and buying anything for this, and you shouldn't either. While the list will seem very long, it's really just me trying to be very thorough, and will show anything that I MIGHT use. Or, I might not. I won't know until I begin. The list is very flexible, use what you have.

My goals for this adventure are simple. I want to share with you what I do, and I want you to come away from the journey feeling as though you can accomplish this as well.

It's important to note here, I really haven't any amazing drawing skills, although I do a pretty good doodle. I don't have extensive art training... although I did take a few classes back in high school (we shall NOT even consider how long ago that was).

In other words, I'm a whole lot like the normal sort of folk out there, with a shade of (mostly good) crazy tossed in for good measure, but no professional art training. I adore color, shockingly bright and beautiful color... I like making big, fun, colorful messes... and I don't color inside the lines, heck, sometimes I don't even use lines.

So... if you want to play along, feel free. We don't have any fees to deal with, there are no rigid class times... actually, there's really only one rule... YOU MUST HAVE FUN!

Yup, that's all I ask.

You can play along with me while I do this over the next few months, or you can bookmark it and come back to it. As the journey progresses I will be adding a new page to the blog where all of this can be accessed without having to search through the posts. Feel free to tell anyone and everyone you think might be interested, but do NOT re-post the lessons on your blog. You may use one or two photos as long as you link back to the page you found them on, and share a link to my blog.

So... see you guys on Monday... get ready to play!

So... this time of the year...

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

I have about a bizillion envelopes in my office, no joke. It's a seemingly endless supply of them. Some have great postmarks, others have amazing stamps, and some are just made out if very interesting paper.

So, what happens with all of these? Usually, they are tossed into the recycling bin.

What's going to happen to at least some of these this year? An art journal. Yup... starting this weekend, these guys are going to be recycled into something colorful, creative and wonderful. And I am inviting you to come be a part of the journey and make your own.

Here's what you need to do... gather stuff. Don't make judgments about whether or not it would be "good" to use, just believe it is. Gather envelopes, junk mail, newspaper pages, etc., and come play with me next week. I'll be walking you through the process of turning junk into beauty. I'll be starting the process this weekend, and the first post will show up on Monday. That gives you plenty of time to gather ye goods.

Watch'a waitin' for?

ArtsyBlogger links...

2012-01-08T07:04:00.002-05:00

Speaking of great resources... these ladies share great projects all the time! Go check out the links for this week...

Beading Arts
Have you heard about Take a Stitch Tuesday?

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here's how to make a lovely flowered bolster pillow to dress up a room.

Cupcake Plate Stand
Cherie makes a stand for cupcakes out of vintage plates.

I wonder if...

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone knows about this amazing resource...

Interweave Press, the folks who produce Cloth Paper Scissors, Studios, Fiber Arts and the new edition (among a few new editions) Pages, has an amazing array of free... yes FREE... books and videos available for you.

Check out the free e-books here, and online projects and patterns here. There's really something for everyone... go check them out. Trust me, you'll thank me later...

(I received no compensation for sharing this with you... it's just an amazing resource!)

Hey everyone...

2012-01-05T09:52:00.003-05:00

My blogging buddy Cyndi, from Mixed Media Artist, is hosting a give-away! Yup... a bunch of them actually, featuring books from Lark Publishing.

The first is "Handmade Dolls", and even though I want this one, being the nice person I am, I thought I'd let you guys in on it too!

It's all about perspective...

2012-01-04T14:30:00.004-05:00

This is my perspective for the day. I have a "bug"... ugh. I got up, started getting ready for work and thought... "Ya know, I don't think I feel well."

I argued with myself for a bit, but the, "Oh yeah, I do not feel good..." won.

But look, isn't the blankie Kellye gave me for Christmas (to remember our year of cupcake duty) nice?

I'm going back to sleep...

Time for you guys to weigh in...

2012-01-03T05:31:00.002-05:00

Yeah... not that weigh in... but to weigh-in as to add your opinion...

You guys know I am all over the place as far as art and crafting goes. I'm not sure that I'll ever have a particular niche. And, with that in mind, I'm curious, what would you guys like to see here over the next few months?

Journaling? Crafts? Art? Doodling? Art dolls? Something I haven't tried before? More tutorials, less tutorials? What sort of stuff would you guys like to see?

Come on...weigh in on this one... it's a whole lot easier than looking at a scale right now!

One more thing... about those balls...

2012-01-02T05:00:00.002-05:00

Last day of my holiday break... work begins again tomorrow, so I have all of that catching up to get done that I haven't gotten done. But, I wanted to mention something about these spikey balls...

I've done mine in old book pages, but y'all know what a fan I am of old book pages. For me, they are something magical... so I use them in lots of things. But, believe it or not, there are some people out there who cannot stand the thought of using an old book for something else, no matter what condition it is in.

And, that is ok... you can do the same process using any sort of paper. Just think, all of those useless junk mail fliers... wrapping paper... construction paper... it's all worth a try. Keep in mind, the thicker the paper the harder it is to get the really pointy point, even copy paper can be a bit more blunt than thinner paper... but don't let that stop you. I don't know about y'all, but there are a few bright, colorful, glossy magazines laying around here that are calling to me...

Wow... a new year...

2012-01-01T14:58:00.023-05:00

I was wondering what in the world I would share with everyone to start the new year off right, and then I opened my email. Y'all seem to really like my spikey balls... at least judging by the number of emails asking how I made them and requesting a tute. Honestly, I didn't share these earlier because I thought everyone knew how to make them. I remember doing them with my grandmother when I was little, so they're not something new. I was wrong... who knew? Always one who likes to give my readers what you want, seems the perfect thing to share to begin this new year. So here we go... the first tutorial of 2012...

You know I use some really technical tools to create what I do, so let's hope you all have them... ready? You need:

Something round, about the size of what you want your finished ball to be. I used a blank cd (actually the spacer you get when you buy a mega bunch of cds). I have also used jar lids, the tops of cans, small plates, and even, from time to time, a drafting compass, although very infrequently. A sheet of white copy paper to draw the pattern on, a pencil, scissors, old book pages, and glue. You will also need some heavy thread, I used perle cotton, a needle, two sequins or tiny plastic washers (use a hole punch to punch them out of a plastic lid, and make a hole in the center) and two beads slightly larger than the hole in the sequin or washer. And, of course, my favorite handy-dandy-all-around-tool... the bamboo skewer.

First, you make the pattern. Using your circle, draw around it onto the white paper. I also drew inside the circle at the center of the cd just to give myself a reference point for later.

Cut out the circle. You need to fold it so that you have 8 equal sections. That means you fold it in half, then fold that semi circle in half. Open it, and do it all over again so that you have eight folds. I marked the lines with a pencil, and then marked each line 1/2" out from the center fold. When I'm cutting the book pages later I won't go any farther down than that mark, leaving a solid center. You've now got your cutting pattern.

Stack a few of the book pages and use whatever you made your original circle with to make a circle on the pages.

You can either cut them out now, or you can use your pattern to draw your cutting lines, then cut out the circle and the lines.

And, ta-da, there you have it... the beginning of the spikey balls.... Now, let me reassure you at this point, if your circle wasn't cut out perfectly... you're doomed. But... not really. The circles do not have to be PERFECTLY round. And, the cutting into the circles doesn't have to be perfectly even, just close. One thing I would caution about, if you stack too many of the pages, when you cut, especially the straight cuts from the outside of the circle toward the inside, you may well get very unevenly spaced sections. Trust me on that one... been there, done that. Should that happen, you have to toss that bunch and make new ones. Otherwise, you know I always encourage you to embrace the minor imperfections... it will all work out just fine.

Here comes the time consuming part. Grab your circles (you need about 17 for each ball you want to create), your bamboo skewer, and the glue, settle yourself in and turn on something entertaining on TV. Position your skewer so that the tip is almost in the center of one of the sections of paper.

Wrap the paper around the skewer to create a cone shape. The sharper the point the better, and glue. Be sure to hold the paper for a few seconds so that you know it has adhered, trying to re-glue them later is not fun. Learning to make that really sharp point takes a bit of practice, probably took me making four or five balls before I became pretty consistent, so don't get discouraged, just keep going.

When you have all of your points rolled, use the sharp end of your skewer to put a hole in the center of your piece. Once you have them all ready, it's time to string them.

Completely ignoring the glue on my fingers, thread your needle with what you have chosen to use as thread. I used a neutral colored (832) perle cotton. Insert your needle into the bead, then through the sequin or washer.

String seven of the stars, all with their "open" centers facing the same direction. Then string the remaining eight stars with their open centers facing the other direction. Be sure to not let everything fall off of your thread. It happens... and if it does, just restring... won't take that happening many times to make sure that it doesn't again.

When you have all the stars on, load the sequin or washer, then the bead... then take your thread back down through the sequin/washer.

Run your threaded needle all the way back through the stars and come out where you originally.

Bring your needle up through the sequin/washer and through the bead (along side the thread that is already there).

Position a knot, and gently, but firmly, tighten it. Be sure to double or triple tie it... making sure to not get any of the points caught in it...

And there you go... a spikey ball. Simple, huh? If you want to get really fancy, as we did when making them for our tree when I was little, you can put glitter on them... just do it after you roll the tips and before you thread them... and be sure to let them dry completely before you string them.

Personally, I love the simplicity of them, all stacked in and around a container on the table.

I can't quite get this right...

2011-12-31T10:59:00.002-05:00

I love the idea of having these spiky balls as the background (I'm late to noticing I can upload my own pics, huh?)... but I just can't get the whole text thing to work well with them against the background... so, y'all be patient with me while I play with it over the next few days...

While I work out that little glitch... let me share the ArtsyBlogger links for the week...

Mo(o)re Whimsies
New projects with Creative Paperclay and Viva Las Vegas Stamps

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Add beautiful kaleidoscope effects to your hand made cards with iris folded designs.

And I just want to remind everyone that you can participate in an extraordinarly worthy cause... you don't have to be a world renown artist... you just have to make a butterfly... maybe you could even use the techniques that Barbara and Eileen share in their posts this week...Check out my post here for links to the information you need to participate.

Checking in...

2011-12-29T09:21:00.013-05:00

It's been a lovely few days... the kiddos where here. I swear, they seem more like real grown ups all the time...

I've had the chance to put a few things up, although the trees are still out. I made these guys this year. They spent the season hanging from the mantle, and I like them so much I really don't want to put them in hiding. At this point, they have found a home on a small table. Not sure they will stay there, but we'll see.

My Big One loves Moleskine notebooks, he carries one around with him everywhere, which is pretty interesting... I just read a report that suggested that creative people do that. I wanted to give him one as a gift, and while out searching for his black one I found a set of three covered in a "craft" paper sort of covering. While I am not as much a fan of the Moleskine (I hear you all gasping now...) how could I pass up that blank cover? I did a little doodling.

And, this morning, while gazing out the kitchen window sipping my coffee, I saw the dogs nemesis... He's made his home in the huge holly trees I have out back. A few days ago, while I was taking the dog out, he came out of his nest to investigate what was going on. The dog, totally oblivious to everything but the scents on the ground, totally ignored him, prompting the little guy to come a bit closer, then a bit more so... until the dog noticed... and tried to pull my shoulder out of joint to get to him.

He obviously thought it was quite fun, as he now seems to lie in wait for the dog to torment. Could be a long winter... wonder if my shoulder will stay intact.

Now... the rest of the house cleaning will wait... I am off to begin a project or two, or twelve...

Happy Christmas...

2011-12-25T06:42:00.011-05:00

It's here... for those of us who celebrate the Christmas holiday, the day has finally arrived... although it's almost over on the other side of the world. Today my children who live up north will pile their stuff in the car... not so long from now actually... and make their way home for gifts and a feast. We'll spend a few days as a family, then everyone will get back to their busy worlds. It strikes me that life has moved very far past when they were children. By now the gifts would have been unwrapped and paper flung everywhere...

I think that's why I do so love these Christmas ornaments. Each and every one of them are tangible evidence of magic. They hold memories of Christmases past... if that isn't true magic, I don't know what is. The cutie above is made from my very own baby quilt... that means he's more than 50 years old. Doesn't look it, does he?

My son, the budding artist, created Santa when he was about six. He's gone on to create graphic novels... and now makes ornaments for he and his beloved... one day their tree will reflect the same sort of magic. (And, yes, that is a small plastic dinosaur tucked into the branches... thanks to my Little One... they have been tucked everywhere around here.)

I often created ornaments for them that reflected their particular interests over the year. This was his for his 11th Christmas. Trekkies will recognize this one.

This one...

And this one...

And even this one... made from the most simple of ingredients, flour, salt and water... a dash of imagination... and you suddenly have a vessel that holds the memories of the magic of that year.

Before I get to the business of the day, creating the magic for this year, I wanted to stop in here to send my wishes to all of you...

May your day be filled with heartfelt laughter... may you find a moment or two of quiet solitude before the hustle and bustle... may your roast beast be filling... may your happiness know no bounds. I wish that you may know peace, and joy, and hope... and most of all, may you love and be loved, for that my friend, is the true magic, not just of the season, but of life...

'Tis the night before...

2011-12-24T19:02:00.002-05:00

NORAD reports that Santa is on his way to the States... I hope everyone has the cookies and milk ready to set out...

I'm offering up the ArtsyBlogger links for the week... go visit...

Mo(o)re Whimsies
Merry Christmas

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Learn how to make cute little patterned rosettes to embellish your paper crafts, including where to download some pretty patterned papers which can also be used for tea bag tile folding.

By the way... today, Christmas Eve is Eileen's birthday... make sure you wish her many more!

Beading Arts
It can be a bit hard to find nice ornament cover patterns that are free, so Cyndi has rounded up a few goodies for you!

I have kidnapped the plants...

2011-12-23T11:11:00.003-05:00

Yup... the whole bunch of them.

We have a few interior offices around here, and soon, our doors will be closing for the Christmas vacation... we'll be gone 11 days. I really didn't want the plants from those offices in the dark that long. Since my office has a window... here they are.

So, I kidnapped them.

I guess, considering it's 11 days, I may actually have to run over and water them too...

Down to the wire now...

2011-12-19T05:00:00.005-05:00

I've spent the weekend cleaning, finishing the wrapping, doing a few more ornaments, grabbing some groceries, and even spent barely a few minutes just breathing deeply.

While breathing deeply, I took a few photos of some of my favorite ornaments and thought I'd share with you...

My tree is a "pencil" tree. It's about 7 1/2 feet tall (I have 10 feet ceilings downstairs). There are 700 lights on it... 400 colored, and 300 white. (Seriously, who would think you could get that many lights on the tree?) That glass tree topper way up there... it adds another 12" to the height of the tree, and my daughter just loves that thing.

Every ornament on the tree has a story, and every year as I put them up it's a walk through my Christmas history...

This one is a simple wooden shape, just painted with a simple little face... and just a touch of glitter

This one was made by The Little One, when she really was little. She was 4 or 5 when she created this little bunny. It's complete all the way down to pearl earrings and little flowers on her shoes.

You find lots and lots of needlepoint ornaments on the tree, the majority of them I designed.

And there are a few on the tree that Kate stitched... she's created many ornaments since that first bunny way back when.

Since we all have a whole lot going on this week, I'm going to keep it simple around here. I plan on sharing more ornaments and decorations, the ones that I'm finishing up and more of the ones on the tree... and then... I'm sure I'll find something to get into...

What a week...

2011-12-17T05:53:00.003-05:00

Whew! Last week was what I affectionately refer to as hell week at work. Happens every year... year end reports, quarterly reports, new reports going out, the yearly winter meeting of our inspectors... and all the usual day to day stuff. You know, when you add that to the holiday stuff going on, it's a wonder I keep even a shred of sanity. Although, I admit there are those who might say I don't.

Today I get to regroup and finish up a few things and I am momentarily off to do just that, but before I get started, it's time to share the ArtsyBlogging links for the week... go see what everyone's been doing. Eileen has a whole lot of Christmas ornaments going on over on her blog... and Cyndi has an amazing give away happening... don't miss out!

Beading Arts
Every new year should bring a new challenge. How about getting inspired by the Ring A Day challenge...and maybe win a copy of the book?

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Make these cute clothespin Christmas ornaments. Eileen shows a skier, but you could also do a nutcracker or skinny Santa.

Patterns, patterns, patterns...

2011-12-14T08:40:00.004-05:00

Here we go everyone... patterns! All in one place even... If you go to the 15 Ornaments 15 Days page all of the patterns have been set there under the photos of the ornament. All of them are in .jpeg format. To get them to print, right click on the pattern and open in another window. You will most likely get a little magnifying glass if you put your cursor over the picture, click on it... that enlarges the pattern to the original size. From there, hit print and you should have it.

Of course, we all know that just because that should work, it doesn't for everyone... so if you need the .pdf version, email me... the addy is over in the left side bar.

Now, since I've shared all of these with you guys... if you make them, share with me and send me pictures... I do love to see how everyone makes them their own!

Goodness y'all...

2011-12-13T14:45:00.003-05:00

Between "the season" and work I am way behind (just read that the way I really meant it... I've gone over the edge of crazy and have moved well into my own lost little world). I have so much more to share, promise, but since I meant to do this yesterday and didn't get to it... let's try it today...

Winners of the second drawing for ornaments:

Carol

Cherie

Rocky Cross

Deb

Quilter Laura

Send me your mailing addresses!

(Oh... and the final patterns for ALL of the ornaments will be up before 10 am tomorrow morning, I am having a BEAR of a time trying to get them converted properly.... arghhhhhh!)

Winners and ArtsyBloggers...

2011-12-10T07:23:00.002-05:00

Woo hoo it is the weekend... the shopping is done, wrapping today, a few last minute gifts and I am finished! I didn't meet my "by Thanksgiving" deadline... but I am beating Christmas... Counts in my book!

OK, winners first:

Carol (Beads and Birds)

Deb (Learning to Just Breathe)

Rocky Cross Studio

Diane (So Many Years )

Barbara (Mo(o)re Whimsies)

Gill, my friend, what have you done to piss off Karma? You are such a great follower, and always leave all those comments... MUST be something. I know how to get around that. I'm going to do something specifically for you. (Have no idea what, but I'll make it good, I promise.) So email me your address too.

Felt Eiffel Tower Ornaments

Cherie makes some more ornaments out of felt.
Also spotted on CraftGossip... congrats Cherie!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
"Santa Claus is coming to town." Are you ready for The Artful Crafter’s annual Christmas Parade of Crafts?

Beading Arts
Wanna learn to work with chains in your jewelry designs? Cyndi has a copy of "Chains Chains Chains" up for grabs!

It's not midnight yet...

2011-12-08T22:54:00.013-05:00

So this still counts as a post today... ornament number 15!

This month is always a very difficult one, besides all the holiday stuff going on, it's the end of the year at work, which makes for exhausting days. Sometimes I need that ray of light to remind me that there is an end to the tunnel. So, I decided the last ornament would be a catawampus little star, just a wee bit off kilter, sort of like me... to remind me of just that. The star holds a heart in its center too... to remind me that it's important to hold to what is important.

This one is simple, but I really like the way it turned out. Start with a piece of the background fabric of your choice... of course, mine is hot pink felt. Cut out the largest heart in the grouping (the patterns will posted on Sunday) for the ornament in another color. Mine is white felt, and I used a light orange floss to stitch it to the hot pink.

On top of that is a layer of another coordinating fabric. For mine I used the light yellow that I had used in the moons, and I stitched it down with a dark yellow floss.

One last layer of a star, this time in a bright orange (with hot pink in it of course) cotton fabric...

And, finally, a heart... centered in all the light from that star... reminding me that I need to always center my own heart with what is truly important...

The background was trimmed leaving a bit of the hot pink, and another star of the hot pink was cut... and then stitched on, as a backing. I chose not to stuff this one, but I may go back and do that later. I haven't quite decided that one yet. And then I ran a piece of brass wire from the left arm to the right arm of the star just like I did on the Grateful Heart Ornament. And there you go... the star to shine the way.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Number 14...

2011-12-07T21:09:00.022-05:00

A million years or so ago, in what seems like another life, I designed needlepoint. This little guy was one I created during that time.

He's finished on a 4 inch styrofoam ball, with lots of fabric and ribbons and cording. He can hang on a tree, or, he even has legs that he can use to sit on a table top... which is where he currently resides... on my coffee table. 'Tis the season after all.

I thought I'd create a less huge snowman that might take up a little less room on the tree (by the way, I'll be sharing my tree and some of the ornaments on it next week, in case anyone is interested).

While it doesn't look like much now, just you wait... this pile of stuff turns into probably my favorite ornament of the series.

What I used... felt, cotton fabric, floss, polyfil, and some larger glass beads.

How I did it...

I first traced the scarf shapes onto the back of the cotton fabric I used. Sewed around them, cut them out, clipped all the curves and turned them. The outline is the stitching line, I haven't included any seam allowance. It wouldn't be a bad idea, if you have an iron handy, to press them at this point. It's not a necessity... but doesn't hurt either.

I stitched the blanket stitch all the way around one of the pieces and sat it aside.

The next step was to stitch the snowman to the background. When I cut the shape out of the felt, I cut a bit extra around the bottom. Once it was stitched on, I trimmed the excess off. It's a great way to make sure the edges match.

Remember the piece I sat aside? it's one of the ends of the scarf. I used just a couple of stitches to attach it to the body of the snowman. Note that it hangs past the edge of the ornament.

The horizontal portion of the scarf goes on next, and it will cover a part of the end you just stitched on. Just like a real scarf would... see how that works?

Now that the basics are in place, you can judge the placement of his carrot nose. Stitch it on, and after that, the last edge of the scarf. This piece has no stitching around the edge when you begin.

When you get it positioned where you like, stitch around the upper portion of it (think about it like a "U" shape), from the left side, through all layers. When you get to the bottom seam of the horizontal part of scarf, stitch ONLY through the little piece of scarf that doesn't have stitching on it. What happens is you have two ends of scarf, both finished with stitching, that are "free" of the ornament.

Notice I added some "snow" to the background (sorry for the blurriness of the picture).

The back was attached to the front, blanket stitch again, with white thread. The hanger was added as I stitched around the ornament, and before it was completely closed off, I stuffed him. Cute, huh? See that scarf hanging off the edges?

It still needed something to add a bit to it, so I decided some larger glass beads would add to the "snow" effect on the edges. I attached them relatively evenly all the way around. (I skipped two of the blanket stitches between each bead as my spacer.)

And there he is... the finished snowman....

I think he's my favorite... but don't tell the others.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Well... it was a day...

2011-12-06T19:49:00.023-05:00

Goodness... was it ever a day...

This is what was in our parking lot at work this afternoon. Now... I will admit, it was a pleasure to look at what was in our parking lot this afternoon... and we all did look. Well, we girls anyway.

But it started when a wee bit of smoke started coming from some seed that someone was drying in a microwave. Not something that is usually done, and not something I recommend... I'm just thrilled it wasn't me doing it.

The smoking seed was moved to the grass in front of the building, but the alarm was pulled, so off we all went to our designated places in the parking lot to await the fire department.

You know.. seeds can smoke for a very long while it turns out. And, just when you think things are under control, they can actually burst into flame. Fire... wow. We've had an issue with our fire alarm in the building before, so we've had visits with fire trucks with some frequency. This is the first time we've actually had smoke with those visits though.

Definitely an exciting afternoon.

This isn't what I had planned for this post, but after all the excitement I decided to go with something easy, oh so simple, and very fast.

This little thing is perfect for a package accessory, an ornament... and, it's something that you can get the kiddos in on.

Here's what you need... Wire, pliers and a bunch of fabric torn into strips, then cut into about 3 inch lengths.

You need something that you are going to be able to bend the wire around to make a circle. In this case I used a ring you find on a pint mason jar.

Make a loop on one end, thread the other through it and make a wee little bit bigger loop.

And now all you do is tie those little strips of fabric you tore up in knots all the way around the wire. I alternated red and green, but you can use any colors you prefer.

Before you know it, you have a wreath accomplished.

That larger loop we left earlier when we were making the form... it is the perfect place to add a ribbon for hanging.

And, there we go, number 13... a cute little wreath, perfect for the tree or as a package topper. Add a few buttons, or a couple of jingle bells, maybe a gift tag... and there you go.

And ladies... I know that you will allow me one more photo and that you will join me in appreciating... the professionalism of our firemen...

Number 12...

2011-12-05T05:00:00.009-05:00

An official dozen!

So, lately I have noticed that owls have definitely made a comeback. They seriously are everywhere I look lately, and I'm not one that pays much attention to what's in... so you know they are everywhere! Let's make one for the tree, what do ya say?

Poor little guy looks sort of one sided here, doesn't he?

After I cut the pieces from paper and checked to see if they'd fit, I cut them from fabric. Cotton for the base and back, and felt for the rest. Now, in the instructions you'll see two different groups of fabric because I'm working on two at the same time.

These are simple enough, once you get the pieces cut, all you do is stitch the felt in the proper places. I probably should mention here... on the back of one of the pieces of the cotton I drew the outline of the finished body size. That way I could line up the wings and head knowing that they'd be at the edge of the actual body when they're sewn.

When all was in place, I stitched the pupils into the eyes.

From there, it's simple... put the right sides together, stitch around the outline that was drawn on the back. (Leaving an opening to turn.) Add a ribbon at the top for hanging while you are sewing around the ornament. Clip carefully and turn.

Stuff the cuties with a bit of polyfil... and sew the opening closed and there you have it... an owl or two, or twelve... for the tree!

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity

Try as I might...

2011-12-04T15:56:00.005-05:00

I cannot seem to get my scanner to scan today... Not sure what the issue is, but I am unable to scan and load the patterns for the ornaments for the week. Never fear though, I can do it tomorrow... so, check back on THIS post and you'll find them then.

In the mean time... let me share with you something that was shared with me... Viv, over at Sew Much Progress sent me an email that she'd done one of the ornaments... didn't he turn out cute, cute, cute? And as adorable as he is, you must go here to see the quilt she has just finished it is truly spectacular!

And, speaking of spectacular... I tend to be a very early riser as I've commented about before. I think this is why... when I looked out my window I saw this. The photo doesn't do it justice. The sky was ablaze with glorious color. That sort of thing leaves me in awe.

Patterns on this post tomorrow... and a new ornament on a new post.

ArtsyBlogger links...

2011-12-03T14:24:00.002-05:00

Well... it's Saturday again... and the lawn care company my neighbor uses has been going strong for the last two and a half hours. They don't seem to be in any hurry to get finished and move on to the next yard either. Y'all... we have little yards... there is no reason to be gunning their blowers and mowers for that long... can yo say ANNOYING??? I hope your day is far more peaceful. Let me add some enjoyment to it by sharing the ArtsyBlogger links for the week...

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Do you know about yarn bombing? Whimsical hand knit and crocheted art is circling the globe!

(This just happened around the corner from my house... Check out all the info Eileen shares with us about it... might even inspire you too!)

Wooden Birdhouse Necklaces
Cherie makes some necklaces for holiday gifts.

(Oh my goodness... I cannot tell you how cute that turns out... don't miss it!)

Beading Arts
Cyndi is featuring an entire month of tutorials to get you ready for the holidays!

(And Cyndi is saving our butts with some GREAT tutorials... be sure to check them out. That's where I'm headed now!)

Number 11...

2011-12-02T05:00:00.003-05:00

The other afternoon I was driving home after work as usual. This time of the year I am always in awe of the quality of the late afternoon sun. Have you noticed how golden it is? How absolutely beautiful it is when it bathes all of your world in a glow that seems warm and cozy.

I'm also generally in awe of how grateful that particular quality makes my heart feel. I'm not sure why... that glow means the cold brightness of winter is getting close... but for me, those couple of weeks of golden sun makes me pay even more attention to how beautiful my world is, and how much I have to be grateful for.

It made me think, I needed to do an ornament that symbolized that grateful heart. This is what I came up with.

What I used... felt, cotton fabric, perle cotton, a button, brass wire and a small bit of polyfil.

How I did it... Y'all know I am not a huge fan of really symmetrical, and hearts are no exception to that for me. I like a bit of "catiwampus" in them, so I created a heart pattern that is just that. I cut a front and a back using the larger heart pattern. The front is hot pink (I know it looks more red but it isn't) and the back a very bright teal. The smaller heart is a funky cotton fabric that has a variety of colors to it, and the smallest heart is the same teal as the back.

First thing to be done is attach the smaller heart to the larger one. I used a yellow DMC perle and did the blanket stitch all the way around.

When that was finished I added the smallest heart using the same yellow cotton to make french knots all around it.

Finally, the front and back are attached. The back (teal) is cut ever so slightly larger so that you can see just a smidge of it over the hot pink, and a lime green floss (6 strands) was used to stitch them together (stuffing it with polyfil before closing).

It still needed a focal point, so I attached a lime green button.

Now, this I like. It's bright, colorful and all of that golden yellow reminds me of that sunlight I love so much. But, it still needs to hang.

I cut a length of brass wire about 9 inches long (should I do this again, I might give it a couple more inches), and pushed it from the back through the front. Using jewelry pliers I twisted the end into a few loops, and the part extending from the back I twisted around a pencil... then stuck that end through from the back to the front, and created the small loops with the pliers again.

And there it is... my grateful heart ornament. I really like this one... I think it could end up hanging somewhere in my home after the tree comes down.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Allow me just one more intrusion...

2011-12-01T05:00:00.002-05:00

For one more give away... I promise I'll hold of on another until the new year... But, since it's now December, I want to do this before we get too far into it... because you KNOW the mail is going to get slower and slower.

Number 6

And bonus number 6

Number 7

Number 8

Number 9

Number 10

All are up for grabs, just like numbers 1 through 5

Just like those first five, the rules are the same. Five of my followers will each win one of the ornaments. Here are the rules... read them CAREFULLY...

1. You must be a follower of this blog. As in over there in the follower list on the right.

2. You must leave a comment on this post (this is for a chance for one of the ornaments above only).

3. You may leave ONE comment each day until the give away is closed.

If you write a blog and would like to link back to share this with your readers, please do (and thank you for doing it)... but you don't get extra chances for that.

The give away will be open from the posting of this post until 11:59 PM EST, December 12, 2011. I will be using Random.org to generate random numbers, one at a time, and those comments will be the winners. The first number chosen gets the first ornament, second number chosen gets the second ornament and so on. You may only win one ornament, so if your comment is chosen twice, I'll choose again.

I'll be posting the winners on the blog, in a post on December 12th (yes, the same day), and entry in this drawing is totally separate from the other drawing... so you could win one from both if your comment is picked. The winner has 24 hours after the announcement is made to email me their mailing address or I'll head back over to Random.org for another pick.... so... get a move on, will ya? They need a good home...

Number 10...

2011-11-30T05:00:00.005-05:00

It's another Santa! This time wearing a tall hat... in teal. And red.... I got one traditional color in there.

What I used... felt. Good quality felt for the pieces that create Santa, a few beads, coordinating and contrasting floss, a smidge of batting and a little polyfil to stuff him. That's it...

How I did it...

First I cut all of the pieces out... face parts from a peachy flesh, white beard, moustache and hat brim. The hat is from a very bright teal, and the stripes are red. They are not on the pattern, but are just strips about a quarter of an inch wide (I stitched them down and then trimmed the sides). The foundation for it all I cut from white (the back red).

Gauging the placement of the face, I stitched a couple of basting stitches in just to hold it in place. Using the good old button hole stitch I stitched on the cheeks first. Then the nose is placed and stitched.

Next... the placement of the beard. It's stitched just along the top with a running stitch to hold it in place. To gussey it up a bit I decided to add some swirls to his beard by couching some thread in twirls onto it.

When this is all in place I want to be sure to get the rest set in correctly so I pin them into place.

Pinned, then the moustache is stitched in place.

The red stripes are stitched onto the hat. I used lime green floss (nothing like a lot of color, right?)

Now all the little touches that finish it up... some white beads on the hat brim, and three lime green buttons on the hat. A little red bow for a hanger... and, of course, a couple of black beads for the eyes...

And there you have it... the finished Santa in a tall hat...

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

We interrupt these 15 ornaments...

2011-11-29T05:00:00.002-05:00

For a give away! If I don't get this in, I'll be so far behind Christmas will be here and gone... so..

Remember these:

Number One
Number Two
Number Three
Number Four
Number Five

I'm giving them away. Five of my followers will each win one of the ornaments. Here are the rules... read them CAREFULLY...

1. You must be a follower of this blog. As in over there in the follower list on the right.

2. You must leave a comment on this post.

3. You may leave ONE comment each day until the give away is closed.

If you write a blog and would like to link back to share this with your readers, please do (and thank you for doing it)... but you don't get extra chances for that.

The give away will be open from the posting of this post until 11:59 PM EST, December 10, 2011. I will be using Random.org to generate random numbers, one at a time, and those comments will be the winners. The first number chosen gets the first ornament, second number chosen gets the second ornament and so on. You may only win one ornament, so if your comment is chosen twice, I'll choose again.

I'll be posting the winners on the blog, in a post on December 11th when I share the patters for that week. The winner has 24 hours after the announcement is made to email me their mailing address or I'll head back over to Random.org for another pick.... so... watcha waitin' for?

Number 9...

2011-11-28T05:00:00.008-05:00

This one wasn't on the original list, but you guys know how I'm always subject to change. Deb from Learning to Just Breathe asked if I'd show the button hole stitch I keep using... so this one was born. I really like how it turned out, so now it's number 9.

When my Grandmother passed away I was given some of her old cookie cutters.

By far, my favorite has always been a bird cutter. I'm not sure why, but even as a little girl I thought it was beautiful. I've considered turning it into an ornament on my tree for years, but I still love the idea of cutting out these cookies. So, the perfect option... use it as a pattern for an ornament.
I traced around it, then cut two pieces from white felt. I'm going to opt for some wings, so I fiddled around until I got a shape I liked and then cut two of those as well. I also cut two small round shapes in hot pink, about the size of a dime, and four leaf shapes in lime green.

My first step was to judge placement. To do that I used a basting thread to attach the pink circle where I wanted it. (Sounds so much better than saying I stuck the pink dot on doesn't it?) I tucked the leaves in on each side and stitched them down. Then using a light orange stitched the dots down using long stitches.

After that stitching was finished, I attached the wings to the body. Using... guess what? The button hole stitch. Now... technically, it's really a blanket stitch because the stitches are spaced. But my Grandmother called all of these stitches button hole and I guess I just picked it up. (Technically, in the button hole stitch, the stitches lie side by side by side. It's created around, of all things, a button hole, and is meant to stop fraying.)

So let me go a bit more in depth about how that's done.

If you use it to attach something, like I am the wing, you might want to pin it or baste it in place, just to help hold it while you stitch. For this part of the ornament I switched from floss to a size 5 DMC perle cotton. I knotted it, and from the back side brought the needle up right at a spot where the wing and body meet. Move the needle over just a bit (this is probably a shade more than an eighth of an inch) and down, then insert it from the front. Before you pull the stitch all the way taught (it would be a straight stitch on an angle if you did) you bring the needle up through the back again, right where the wing and body meet, directly over where you put the needle through.

I know it sounds complicated, but I promise, it isn't... (my apologies for the horrible photo on this one, but you get the idea... and if you don't, check this out... great pics there!) From here, you just keep stitching all the way around, keeping the stitches even.

When you get the wings on, it's time to join the two body pieces. After lining them up, I knot the cotton and secure it on the wrong side of one of the pieces, and bring it up to the middle of the back. In the end, this will be where the hanger is as well. You will work from the front of the piece pushing the needle through to the back, always bringing it up in the loop that is created by doing that.

Just keep stitching like that all the way around.

After working your way all the way around, stuff it gently with polyfil, and be sure to add the hanger (hot pink ribbon for me) before you take the final stitches. Take note that I knotted the hanger, would make it more difficult to be pulled out should it get tugged on.

The only thing left to do is to add a bead to the center of the "flower" on the wing... and hang it on the tree. Which, by the way, will be going up soon around here...

And, there you go, number 9.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

More patterns...

2011-11-26T09:42:00.009-05:00

And here we are... the patterns for numbers 4 through 8. In no particular order. They are all loaded as .jpg's, and should print on our standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper. As always, if you have problems with the .jpg, email me and I'll send you the .pdf file.

If anyone has any questions, just let me know.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

The ArtsyBlogger links...

2011-11-26T07:43:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and that everyone made it home after Black Friday! I hope even more that you get out today for Small Business Saturday. Go visit your own home town treasures... those little businesses offer something really different and unique... and they give you the added bonus of knowing that you are investing in YOUR community!

And now... the links for the week!

Felt Ornament Houses
Cherie makes little felt ornaments for the tree.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Do you craft for profit or would you like to? Here are some tips for reaching your target market.

Beading Arts
Beautiful toggle clasps are meant to be seen, not hidden away!

Number 8...

2011-11-25T05:00:00.007-05:00

How about a cutie with a tall hat?

Here we are, just a shade past the half way point of the 15 ornaments, and the offering today is a cute little guy with a very tall hat.

He's a combination of cotton fabrics and felt... with a button and a bell to finish him off.

We begin by drawing the outline, and the basic placements on the foundation muslin. As you can see, I was meticulous about pressing off the muslin before I took photos.

My plan is to "stack" layers of colors, well, two colors, for the hat. Hot pink (I know, you haven't seem me use that before, have ya?) is going to be the first layer, and I lay it against the drawn outline to gauge how much of a curve I need to trim at the bottom. When I have the curve cut, I baste the bottom in place, and trim off the edges.

The next layer is going to be lime green... then hot pink again... and so on. I baste each layer on, gently turning under the edge that will be seen so that there is no raw edge. You'll notice that I stitched around the outer edge as well (from the wrong side, where I could see the outline I drew on the muslin) so that I create the area I know I need to stitch within as I stitch down the layers.

I used two strands of a light orange floss and the buttonhole stitch to stitch each of the layers down.

Next, I cut the body out of felt and basted it on. It extends past the edges of the outline just a bit so that when I sew the ornament together it will be caught in the seam.

The scarf comes next. It's an orange pattern fabric that matches the threads I used to stitch down the hat layers. I stitched it down using hot pink thread.

The cuff at the bottom of the hat finishes out this portion of the ornament. To break up the patterns, I used a green stripe, stitched down with the hot pink thread.

I cut the snowman out, leaving about 1/4 inch beyond the edges of patterned fabric. It's sewn to a hot pink fabric, the edges cut to 1/8 inch, clipped and turned. Then he's stuffed.

Now come the features that bring out his personality... a "carrot" nose, stitched on using a darker orange floss, a few french knots that create his mouth, and a couple of seed beads to make his sparkling eyes.

He has a jingle bell attached to the tip of his hat, and I added a button to his scarf for interest. And, at the top, he hangs from a hot pink bow.

And, there you go... a snowman in a tall hat. Number 8 in the series.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Number 7...

2011-11-24T12:07:00.011-05:00

This one is going to be short... mostly because you can refer to the Sock Monkey instructions to do it. (Actually, the Sock Monkey was born from creating the pattern for this one.)

I used felt for all of this... simply because it's so darned easy to work with. Cut out the pieces of pattern (no seam allowance needed), be sure to lay them on the background to be certain of the placement, and then stitch them down with coordinating floss.

I stitched them in this order:
The earmuffs
The white face
The black of the head
The beak

When I got all of that on, the scarf was last. There are two ways you could do this. You could cut out the scarf background, and stitch the squares onto it, then applique it. Or, you can do as I did, stitch the scarf background onto the ornament, then add the contrasting squares. For the most part I used a button hole stitch through out using two strands of floss.

Once all was stitched down I used a chain stitch to "connect" the earmuffs.

To finish it up all I did was attach the appliqued part to the backing, using the same buttonhole stitch. Added a bit of polyfil to stuff it, and attached a hot pink (even though it shows up lighter in the photos) bow for hanging.

And there you have it, our second adorable penguin of the season!

Here's wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving day, and all the blessings of all the seasons we begin celebrating now!

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Number 6... and even a bonus...

2011-11-23T18:23:00.021-05:00

It's no secret that I love the moon, I'm fascinated with it. I've mentioned it often here on the blog. It's just so darned magical somehow. So you know I'm going to have to do one... maybe even two.

To make this one I found this wonderful, soft yellow, pale plaid-ish cotton fabric. The photos don't do it justice... but trust me, it's lovely. I also used a couple of scraps of hot pink cottons, and some hot pink felt... ribbon, and yellow and black floss.

But, while drawing the pattern, I had another idea too... a moon in his sleeping hat...

For this one I used the same yellow, and pinks... with a pretty blue swirly pattern too. And a tinsel-ish sort of trim too.

Again, the pattern I will be posting on Sunday does NOT have a seam allowance added to it. The line on the pattern is your stitching line. Be sure to add about 1/4th inch of fabric outside of the line (that you will later trim to about 1/8th of an inch) for your seam allowance. Trace the pieces onto the fabric you plan to use, stitch on the lines, cut the excess fabric, clip CAREFULLY, turn and stuff.

I stitched the faces on at this point because, frankly, I don't trust myself to stitch them on the flat pieces, then sew the ornament up so that they are relatively even... this just seemed easier.

Next... for the cheeks I wanted to use a hot pink. The original thought was to applique a circle of the fabric on, but after a bit more contemplation, I decided to make a yo-yo for the cheeks. I cut the circle out about a half inch larger all the way around than the pattern indicated. To make the yo-yo I folded the raw edge of the fabric in just a bit to make a folded edge, then took a running stitch all the way round the circle.

Once I'd gone all the way around, I simply pulled the thread to gather it... and, ta-da-da-daaaaaa.... a yo-yo. then I stitched that to the cheek area on the ornament. Notice, on this ornament I stitched a nose into it... on the other one I did not.

Now, because I never know exactly how an ornament is going to hang on a tree, I did this to both sides rather than leave one plain.

It's pretty plain at this point, so I decided to add a heart. The original intent was to have it hanging from the tip of the moon. I didn't really measure so much as just cut and stitch... cotton fabric onto felt, and it turned out a shade too big. Not wanting to start over, I decided maybe I could place it somewhere else. I sort of like how that works.

For the one in his sleeping cap, I stitched the hat to the moon on both pieces, then turned them right sides facing and stitched the moon together. When he was clipped, turned and stuffed, he was created the same way the first moon was... only this time I got the size of the moon right to make it dangle. And I wanted something sparkly on him, so this piece of trim was perfect. I actually glued it around the hat using tacky glue.

Both of the sweeties will be hanging from a hot pink bow...

And there you go... number 6, and a bonus.

Thank you everyone for your kind words about the magazine article... I admit, I am still smiling about it.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Ornament number five...

2011-11-22T05:00:00.006-05:00

Gotta have an angel, don't we?

I thought I had taken many more photos of this one along the way, but when I downloaded them I was surprised at how many I hadn't taken, so I'll try to explain this pretty clearly for everyone.

For this little one I cut the head, wings, arms and legs from muslin, and the body from a patterned fabric.

An important thing to note, on the pattern I will be posting on Sunday, there are no seam allowances. The line that you see is the line that you will stitch on, so cut extra for the allowance (about 1/4", that you will trim down closer to 1/8" after you've stitched).

The arms and legs are one piece, cut on a fold, so that the fold acts like a seam. Draw the pieces onto the wrong side of the fabric you are using. I did this by cutting out the pattern pieces, then tracing around them with a graphite pencil (leaving the extra seam allowance).

First stitch your arm and leg pieces. I used a sewing machine set on a very tiny straight stitch. Trim the seam allowance to about 1/8", clip the curves VERY carefully so that you don't clip into the seam, and turn. If you want to press the pieces, this is the time to do that. After I turned them, I lightly stuffed only the hand and feet areas of each leaving the majority of each un-stuffed.

Stitch the head to the body. Clip the seams where they slightly curve so that there won't be any problems later. Position the arms and legs on one of the body pieces, turned in to the center of the body. There will be too much of them, but you can fold them so that they fit inside. Pin the head/body pieces together, right sides facing, arms and legs tucked inside, and stitch around. Be sure to leave about an inch opening along a straight seam so that you can turn. Trim the seam so that there is about 1/8" fabric, clip those curves, very carefully, and turn. Stuff the head and body, and stitch the seam closed. Stitch her wings together, trim the seams, clip the curves, and then VERY carefully, cut a slit through one layer of the fabric in the center of the wings. Turn them, and press. There you have the very basics. Now... on to the stuff that sets her apart.

She needs some hair. For that, I used looked through some of the fringes I have on hand. It was either going to be the hot pink or the green. I decided on the green. Mostly because I love the texture of it, and think the green goes perfectly with her dress. I just love coloring outside of the lines... in my own little way.

I hand stitched the fringe to her head working from the edges toward the inside so I could make sure the hair was wild and everywhere. Would I want anything all tame and sedate? Heavens no...

She needs something... ok, lots of somethings... but she needs something to break the area between her face and dress. I think a cute little gathered collar would be perfect.

I used a totally different fabric for that. Pinking one side, and cutting a strip a shade less than 1/2" wide and maybe two inches long. Then I ran a gathering stitch along the straight edge, and tugged to gather until it fit around her dress/neck. Take a couple of stitches to anchor it in place, and there you go...

Having a bit left over, I gathered it into a "flower" and set it aside to see if I'd end up using it somewhere.

As you can see... I ended up attaching it to her dress in the front. The wings were gathered a bit down the middle and attached to the back. You can stitch or glue them, whichever works best for you.

Two black seed beads were added for her eyes... and a wire halo was created and attached somewhere in all of that hair.

I made a red and green wreath that I tied a red ribbon on for her to hold, but I'm not really sure I like it. That may or may not stay.

She is a cutie... and just for good measure, I thought I'd be sure to share a back view too... I do love that fringe for hair. Just imagine all of the color combinations you could use and how much fun you could have with these!

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

STOP the presses!!!! or... OMG, OMG, OMG....

2011-11-21T05:00:00.002-05:00

Ok, maybe I should say "Roll the presses!"... I'm interrupting our 15 ornaments 15 days series (I guess it will be 15 ornaments 16 days now)... but I am so excited I just can't wait to share!

Haven't received my copies from the publisher yet, so I stopped by my local Barnes & Noble... just to see. And guess what was on the shelf?

The premier issue of Pages.

I picked up a copy, sat on a bench there in front of the magazines... and opened it up.

This has been in the works for a long time now, and it still seems surreal... when I opened the magazine... it's really there.

REALLY!

You guys have seen this somewhere before, remember?

I know I seem a bit excited... but it is my very first publication... (and I still can't believe it!)

Celebrating today... and back to the ornaments tomorrow!

The patterns... and an oops...

2011-11-20T05:00:00.002-05:00

First, let's get to the oops... somehow the snowman with stars pattern has become... "corrupted". He seemed so sweet, didn't he? A corrupted snowman... who'd a thunk it? Anyway, I'll rescan, without the corruptions, and post the angelic little guy on here (this page) tomorrow...

In the mean time, some patterns...

These should all print on 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper (standard US paper). Right click to open the image in another window, and then you might need to click it again to enlarge. If, for any reason, it doesn't work for you, email me (over there in the left side bar)... I'll be happy to send you the .pdf format.

ArtsyBloggers...

2011-11-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday everyone! Here are the ArtsyBlogger links for the week... check out what everyone's doing!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter

It’s that time of year to harvest (or buy) hard shelled gourds for crafting. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Picnic Plate Veggie Stand

Cherie makes a veggie stand out of old plates.

Moore Whimsies

My amazing giveaway winner!

Beading Arts
Bead a continuous loop necklace for a unique eyeglass holder!

And, what is Christmas without Santa...

2011-11-17T05:25:00.012-05:00

Seriously... we gotta have the big man himself, right? How about a Santa with a long beard?

Here's what I used...

Muslin
Red patterned cotton
Felt in flesh and white
Floss
Ribbon
Pom-pom
Polyfil
Black seed beads
Quilt batting
Glitter

How I did it...

Again, I started by drawing the outline of the finished ornament onto the muslin so it could serve as a foundation for the applique. Then I cut out the pieces that I'd be using from the rest of the fabrics.

I began this one by anchoring the hat in place with basting stitches around the outside. From there, I placed the face and did a button hole stitch all around it, and after that I added the brim of the hat stitching it down with a running stitch. To give it some extra lift I "stuffed" it with a bit of quilt batting before I finished stitching it down.

Using a contrasting floss (to add the blush to his cheeks) I stitched them down, again using a button hole stitch. When both of those were finished I added the nose on top, stitching it with a coordinating floss, and a button hole stitch.

His beard is next. I first stitched across the top, just under his nose, and then around the rest (running stitch). Because I later want to add some stitching, and to add more dimension, I stuffed the beard with a layer of the quilt batting.

Then comes his moustache. I stitched both sides in place using a tiny button hole stitch, and padded it a bit with the batting as well.

Now it's time to back it. I'm using the same fabric I did the hat in. Right sides together, I sewed around the outer edges using the outline I had drawn as my guide.

Trim the excess fabric away, leaving about an eighth of an inch, clip it, turn it and stuff.

To finish him, I stitched some "curls" into his beard using a light blue floss. Stitched the seed beads on for his eyes, and added the pom-pom to the end of his hat. It has some sparkly fibers in it, and to echo that I added some of the micro-fine glitter to the hat brim (used a clear drying glue). After the glue dried, all I had to do was add the ribbon bow and hanger... and.... ta-da-da-da... Santa!

Four down, eleven to go... woo hoo!

Don't forget, there's a cork reindeer being given away... details on yesterday's post!

ArtsyBlogger links tomorrow, and then all the patterns for this week posted on Sunday... with more ornaments to come next week!

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

The third...

2011-11-17T05:00:00.013-05:00

Ornament number three is a Sock Monkey! And, oh, so easy to make to boot!

What I used...

Felt (soooo easy)... teal, brown, beige and red
Coordinating floss
Cotton fabric, funky print and yellow
Ribbon for hanger
Two black buttons
Polyfil

How I did it...

Talk about easy! Working with felt is such a joy, no worry about fraying, the needle slides through so easy... it's great!

The teal is the base and the back, there is no foundation of muslin involved in this one. Cut out your shapes (don't forget, patterns will be published on Sunday). I didn't use any fusible webbing for this one. The monkey is out of felt, the scarf and hat are out of cottons.

The first thing I did was lay the monkey ears and head on the teal background to see where you want to place them, and run a basting thread to hold them in place. I stitched the ears down first, then the head. (I've used a button hole stitch over pretty much all of it.)

After the ears and head are in place, I stitched the scarf down, at least the upper part of the scarf. The lower part of it will be stitched down when I close the ornament.

When all of that is in place, I add the hat and snout. I decided about here that the ears needed something to "break" them from the head a bit, so I add a bit of the beige floss in a satin stitch just to make an "inner" ear. And, of course, I added a smile.

All that's left now are the eyes, and that's as simple as sewing a button on. Well... two buttons. Cute so far, huh?

Now... the finishing. Stitch the back and front of the ornament together using the button hole stitch around the outside. I began at a corner of the scarf (left side) and stitched up toward the top. When I got to the center top I added a loop of ribbon to use as a hanger.

Before you close the ornament, be sure to add a bit of polyfil to give it some shape. And then, like the cherry on the top, add a tassel at the top of his hat. Cut a strip of felt about an inch tall and a couple of inches long, and then cut into it to make a fringe.

Roll it up and secure it with a few stitches, then attach it to the top of the hat... and there you go... a Sock Monkey ornament! (I think this is my favorite photo of him...LOL)

And, if you really like him... you can make him a friend too...

Now, if you have been so kind as to read this far... guess what? Remember when I said that there would be giveaways? Remember the herd? Well... I have a small reindeer that is looking to fly to a new home. Want it to be yours?

Well... if you are one of my followers... (currently, as I type this there are 224 of you, and you MUST be on that list... so if you aren't, get on there!), and if you leave a comment on this post... you just might have one decorating your tree this year. But hurry, because this give away will close Saturday night at 11:59 pm. I'll let you know who the winner is on Sunday when I post the patterns... and that winner gets 24 hours to email me to claim their prize. If they don't, a new winner will be chosen.

Comment... this post... before midnight Saturday (that would be the 19th)... 24 hours to email me if you win... what are you waiting for?

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Number two...

2011-11-16T05:00:00.009-05:00

Second ornament... a short, chubby penguin. Who doesn't love penguins... right?

What I used...

Muslin
Black fabric with a subtle pattern
Green fabric (stripes)
Red fabric (red with white dots)
White felt
Yellow felt
Coordinating threads
Two black seed beads
Red button
Polyfil
Thin web bonding material (think "wonder-under)
Thin gold braid

How I did it...

Using a permanent marker I drew an outline of the finished ornament on a piece of muslin. This creates my foundation for the application of the rest of the ornament.

Draw the pattern pieces on the paper of the fusible bonding. Cut them out, and apply them according to the directions to the fabrics you are using for the hat and scarf.

Here you have a couple of options. You can iron all of the pieces on the foundation in their places, or you can apply them in layers (that's what I do).

Using coordinating threads (or contrasting ones if you prefer) stitch the pieces down.

When you've finished the stitching, lay it on the backing fabric (right sides facing) and stitch around the outline leaving about an inch opening to turn. I use a sewing machine, but you could also stitch it by hand. Clip the fabric outside of the seams (carefully, not to clip the stitching), turn it, and stuff it... sewing the opening closed by hand.

It's a cutie, but definitely needs a few more details. Decide where you want your eyes to be. You can mark the area with a tiny dot from a permanent marker if you'd like. Insert a threaded needle from the back of the ornament through to the front where you have marked the eye placement and attach a bead... take the needle from the front to the back, coming out of the same spot where you first inserted the needle. Repeat for the second eye.

I decided to add a red button on his scarf just to add some interest. And, after looking at him for a couple of minutes, I decided he needed a bit more sparkle... so I added a smear of clear drying glue to the white of his hat and sprinkled on some glitter. It's an ultra-fine glitter, so it adds a bright sparkle that will look great in the Christmas lights.

To finish it, I anchored the thin gold cording with a couple of stitches, then glued it all around the outside edge of the ornament, creating a loop, and attaching the second end with a few more stitches. A drop of glue was added to the anchoring stitches, and when it was dry, I tied a knot at the base of the loop. Perfect for hanging on the tree!

There you go... the second ornament! Two down... thirteen to go.

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

It's the fifteenth...

2011-11-15T05:00:00.007-05:00

And here's our first...

He's a cutie, if I do say so myself. Bright cotton colors, brass wire, a little imagination ... and a few stitches...

Here's what I used...

White cotton with a small whiter print on it
Muslin
Scraps of green, pink (two different pinks) and yellow fabrics
Three buttons
Brass wire
Cotton embroidery floss to match fabrics
Polyfil
Fusible adhesive webbing
Yellow and hot pink felt

Here's how I did it...

Cut a piece of muslin the size of about an inch bigger all around than the body of the snowman. Using a permanent pen, trace the outline of the snowman onto the muslin, adding the lines where the scarf, nose, heart, etc., will go. This is going to serve as the foundation for the ornament and will help you with placement.

Cut a piece of the white you want to use for the body the same size as the muslin. I used the marker to draw an outline about an eighth of an inch outside of the shape. This will give me a general idea of the edge of the ornament, but will make sure that the outline won't show later because I'll be sewing inside it. Baste the white over the muslin so that the outline that is on the muslin foundation is inside the outline of the white.

Draw the heart, parts of the scarf, and nose on the paper of the fusible web, cut them out with a bit of space around the shapes, and iron onto the back of the fabrics. When they're cool, cut the shapes out on the outline and peel off the backing. Using a light box, or holding the muslin and white fabrics up to a window, position your pieces on the snowman and, using a hot iron to stick them in place.

You have to let the snowman cool now, or you'll burn your fingers, and you're going to need them for the next step.

Using coordinating (or contrasting) floss, stitch the pieces in place. I used a blanket stitch around the scarf, and just random stitches around the heart and nose. You can see where I lightly outlined the eyes and mouth. Once all of the pieces were stitched on I used black floss to fill in the circles.

One word of caution here... do NOT carry the black floss from one dot to the next, under the white fabric, it will show (and that's bad).

When all was stitched in place, I laid the snowman on another piece of the white fabric, right sides together, and using the outline that's on the muslin foundation, sew around the outline, leaving about an inch opening to turn.

Trim the edges, clip the curves, and turn. Lightly stuff and sew the opening closed.

Stitch the hearts and star to a backing of felt (I used the blanket stitch and coordinating floss), and then cut them out next to the stitching. When that was finished, I stitched a button in their centers.

Clip about a 9" length of the brass wire. CAREFULLY poke it through the side of the snowman where his arm would be. Loop it to make sure it is attached, then wrap it around something thin (I used my famous pokey stick, otherwise known as bamboo skewer) to make it loopy (about an inch and a half), then loop it around the button on one of the hearts, then repeat the process, adding the star and the other heart. Poke the wire through the other side where his arm would be, loop it off, and cut any excess wire... and... ta-aaaaa-aaa-da...

The first ornament...

And, guess what? I've figured out what I'll be posting on Sundays... the patterns for the week!

Actually, I'm creating a new page for all of the patterns, just so they will be in one place... and, since it's getting late, I've decided I'll work on that tomorrow...

Now... on to number two...

Patterns, images and instructions copyright 2011, june crawford. You may not copy, sell or distribute the patterns as your own. These patterns are for your personal use ONLY, not for making profit. If you choose to make an ornament for charity, please notify me. ALL of the money from the sale of that ornament must be donated to that charity.

Did I mention....

2011-11-14T12:25:00.001-05:00

That there will be give aways?

Surely I didn't forget that?

(If you aren't a follower, you might want to sign up!)

A day late...

2011-11-13T07:02:00.004-05:00

It sometimes happens... but here are the ArtsyBlogger links for the week!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Come see The Artful Crafter's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade of crafts!

Beading Arts
Jewelry designer Tammy Powley shares some of her expertise for creating unique bead strung jewelry!

Easy Peasy Turkey Cards
Cherie makes some easy (cheesy) cards for Thanksgiving.

The details...

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Ok... so I've been talking about this, now it's time to get to the details.

As I've said, I am going to be sharing 15 ornaments over 15 days. Let me start by clarify that first though... There will be 15 ornaments, and they will be shared over 15 days... but those will be week days. Saturdays will still be saved for the ArtsyBlogger links, and who knows what will be shared on Sundays (or, I may take Sunday off).

Now... what will I be sharing? Well... I've decided that all of the ornaments for this project will be fabric based. Why? Because they are easy to store, and, because my stitching skills have been sorely neglected. All of them are patterns that I've designed and not a single one of them have been shared (in this form) on the blog.

With each and every one of the ornaments I will be sharing with you what supplies I used, how I created them, and the pattern I used to create them.

There is a catch though... I hold the copyright to all of the patterns and the tutorials. You may not copy them or sell them or distribute them as your own. If you choose to make some of these for charity, ALL of the money from the sale of the ornament MUST be donated to that charity. In other words, I did all the hard work involved in designing these, so please respect that.

Wanna know what sort of ornaments I'll be sharing? (You know you do...) Let me tell you... these are in no particular order... I'll be sharing them in whatever order I get them finished...

... a short penguin
... a short Santa
... a snowman in a tall hat
... a beeskeep Santa
... a Santa in a tall hat
... a Santa with a long beard
... a penguin in a tall hat
... a simple penguin
... a sock monkey
... a star appliqued stocking
... a fat snowman
... a snowman with hearts and stars
... an angel
... a long legged Santa
... a crescent moon

When is all of this going to start? The 15th of November... of course. Are you ready?

It was a challenge...

2011-11-09T12:23:00.009-05:00

Margaret (from work) and I have both agreed that we will be FINISHED with our Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving* . And, to start the season off right, and seal that goal, I took one of the little reindeer (tied with a purple ribbon no less) in to her.

Upon showing it around to everyone one of the guys asked if I had a Santa to go with them.

Seems like a challenge, doesn't it?

Ever one for a challenge, when I went home that evening I remembered that I had three champagne corks left from the niece's wedding... somewhere. (And, yes Diane, I'd love to have more corks, I just haven't had the chance to email you yet, but I will!) After rooting around a bit, I did find them... so the challenge was set.

Step one.. figure out how in the heck to make them remotely resemble a Santa. To this end, I cut the round top off of one of the corks and glued it to the round top of a second cork.

OK, not perfect, but I can live with it.

Step 2... Santa wears red, so I had to add a bit of color... a wash of red acrylic on the "coat" area, and black on the "boot" area.

Step 3... the face the round upper portion of the cork from the third cork. Some of the back of the cork was cut away so that the face could sit a little bit back on the shoulders. then the face was painted too. And I hot glued a black chenille stem around his waist to be his belt.

His arms were cut from one of the lower portions of one of the corks (I got tired of counting steps... ), and his "hands" were cut from the rounded portion of the part of the cork I had cut from the back of his head. At this point I realize he looks more like a Nutcracker than a Santa, but Santa was the challenge... y'all feel free to go with the Nutcracker if you prefer.

His beard is made from wool roving. I never really have got the hang of working with this stuff, so it's always interesting how it goes for me. A little hot glue, some roving... Oh crap... he can't have all white eyes, that would be bad... black is added...

Then some more roving... and this is where he neither looks like Santa nor a Nutcracker, but much more like a mad scientist...

Trimming and twisting the roving I finally come up with something like this...

I made him a hat from felt, and added a silver chenille trim around his cuffs and boots, and even made a little pompom for his hat out of it.

*(Disclaimer...Now, y'all... I lie to myself pretty often. I'm going to lose 20 pounds, I'm going to get up in the morning and go walk early, etc. As women, we do that from time to time. And, while we all know that having it done by Thanksgiving is an admirable goal, it probably won't happen. But, Margaret and I, because we are friends, support the lies we tell ourselves that way... )

Hi from the herd...

2011-11-08T05:00:00.002-05:00

Yup... the herd.

This weekend I cleaned the house (redundant, huh), got out the hot glue gun, the wine corks, a single side razor blade, some ribbon and wire. Other than a sliced finger, it all went pretty well.

So... have you heard (herd)? I'm making 15 ornaments in 15 days... starting the 15th. And did you hear... I'm sharing tutorials for all 15. (Level of craziness in that... about a 15?)

All of the ornaments are new, this is going to be the first time I've made them too. I'll take really good notes, and photos so I can be sure to let you know what not to do.

The herd won't be in the group. I found instructions here. Mine are a little bit more involved (ok, a whole lot more involved maybe)... and, other than that sliced finger, it went well. And I do love how they turned out. I would have made more of them, but a girl can only drink so much...

I'll fill you in on all of the details about 15 ornaments 15 days in just a day or two, including a list of the ornaments I'll be making...

See you soon!

15 ornaments...

2011-11-06T05:00:00.001-05:00

I've been working on something special to share with everyone...

15 ornaments... 15 days.

More information coming this week...

(p.s. The mushroom ornament won't be featured, but, if you want instructions for that... cause they are gorgeous... go here.)

The ArtsyBlogger links...

2011-11-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here we are at Saturday again (already)! I'm using my weekend to prepare for something coming up on the blog very soon... more on that next week. Spend a couple of minutes of your weekend checking out the ArtsyBlogger links!

Mixed Media: For Where Your Treasure Is
Cherie makes a small mixed media picture for her cousin.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
How to make a tubular wine bottle tote from a cardboard mailing tube.

Beading Arts
Cyndi is featuring innovative stringing techniques all month on Beading Arts! Come join in the fun :-)

Let's do some jointing...

2011-11-04T05:00:00.014-04:00

Wings are glittered, on a paper strip and dried.... body is done (and hopefully dried a bit too)... and now it's time to get to the jointing of the arms and legs.

These are very simple wire joints created from brass wire and are a piece of cake. You need 4 strips of brass wire cut to about 2" lengths and jewelry pliers to create the joints.

Before I go into that process though, I want to be sure you guys see something up close. I can't tell you how often I hear something to the effect of, "I am so NOT creative. I can't do anything, not even draw a straight line. I don't know how you do it." Well... for all of you who believe that, do me a favor... click on the photo of that leg. How many straight lines do you see? How many perfectly covered areas of paint? How many even lines? None. Not a single one... Being creative, in my opinion, doesn't have a thing to do with drawing straight lines, or coloring inside them... it has everything to do with playing and enjoying what you do. Moving on after the lecture....

(Daughter "helped" with the typing... her guest portion of the post ---> kate :D)

Let's get jointing. You'll be jointing the legs at the knees, and the arms at the elbows. As I said, it's a really simple joint.

Using your jewelry pliers, create a loop. Pinching that loop in the pliers, twist a couple more like over there in the photo. When you have a few loops insert the wire through the leg.

Slide the upper part of the leg onto the wire, and then cut the wire that sticks out to about half an inch.

Loop that half inch of wire back toward the leg. My joints are pretty loose, you make yours as tight as you'd like, but remember to try them to make sure they do move, and that they are not so tight as to scrape off all your decorative work when they do move. Joint the other knee, and the elbows in the same way.

Let's join the legs together... Cut a piece of the brass wire about three inches long. Create the loop just like you did when you jointed the knees and insert it through one hole at the top of one of the legs and through the top of the other. Leave about an inch of the brass wire between the legs , and clip the end that is sticking out the other leg to about half an inch, and again make the loops just like you did with the knees. Bend the middle of the wire between the legs into a "v" shape. (See photo)

Cut about a 6 inch length of the brass wire and insert through the center of the body (see why we rolled it around the pokey stick???). The side that you rolled most evenly is the bottom, where the legs will attach. Bend the wire at that end into a hook, and "hook" the legs.

Twist the hook onto itself...

And then pull the wire that is sticking out of the body to drag the legs up and somewhat into the body. Spread the wires of the legs so that they are out to the side of the body and the body can "sit" on them.

Sit the arms at the top of the body and wrap the wire that is coming through the body around the wire connecting the arms. I wrap it a couple of times just to make sure it's secure.

The rest of that length of wire that is sticking up above the arms... make lots of loops in it until it sticks up about half an inch from the "neck" of the body. Flatten all of those loops. Using a blob of super glue on the back of the head, attach the head to those flattened loops.

Don't disturb it for a few minutes, just let it set up... and before you know it... you have a beautifully serene face sitting atop your doll.

All that's left is adding the wings... and that just takes some tacky glue on the paper strip that runs between the wings and attaching it to the back.

She's beautiful... don't you think?

Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here
Part 3 is here
Part 4 is here
Part 5 is here

Let's begin finishing with the wings...

2011-11-03T05:00:00.010-04:00

I never did find the card reader, but did go get a new one at lunch yesterday. Obviously, that means the other one should turn up any second. Now that I can download photos again... let's finish up the doll. (Just ignore the glue on all of my fingers in all of the photos.)

Here she is all tattooed up and ready for assembly. And here's the good news for you guys... I'm going to share with you the best way to do it, not necessarily the way I did it... because I learned in this adventure.

First step... let's deal with those wings! As good as I was about taking these photos, this is the one step I somehow missed out on... but, in order to "enhance" the detail in the wings, I first did a brown wash on them, rubbing it pretty much off before it had a chance to dry. That deposited the brown only in the detail. It also sort of dulled the white, of course. To deal with that I dry brushed white on them to deposit it on the high points.

Once that was done, I decided that I wanted to add sparkle to the back of them. So, out comes the matte gel and some microfine glitter.

A thin coating of the gel and a hefty sprinkling of glitter. Tap the excess off and set aside to dry for about 10 minutes.

I'm going to attach these to the body using a strip of paper. It has to be a bit stronger than just a single page, so I've torn out a section of a page and have folded it into thirds (it's about a quarter of an inch or so wide), and glue the top portion down.

Using tacky glue, glue one side of the paper strip to a wing. (Trust me, there are better ways to do this that would be far more symmetrical...but we all know how I much prefer wonkiness.)

Figure out how wide the distance between wings needs to be. Remember, this is a do as I say, not as I do thingie... you won't have arms attached at this stage. Just set your body on the strip and put the arms beside it, that will do just fine as a measurement.

When you've worked out the distance needed, tear off the end of the paper, and glue on the other wing. It should look like this. Set it aside to dry while you work on a body.

The body is just a roll of strips torn from old book pages. Pick a book you like for the texture and print (one that was well loved and falling apart are my favorites to work with.) Tear strips about 1 3/4" to 2" tall and relatively even. Then tear out some strips that get shorter. I usually tear them into a relatively long, somewhat triangular sort of shapes.

When you have a whole bunch of strips torn (and I can't give you a number, it will depend on how thick you want your body to be when finished), get out that handy dandy pokey tool that serves me as everything from a stuffing tool to a paint brush. It's otherwise known as a bamboo skewer. About half an inch from the narrow edge of a strip, add a few rows of glue.

Using the pokey stick, begin rolling the strip into a tube. I try to keep one end of the tube rather even it helps the doll sit. Keep gluing and rolling until you get to the thickness you want. Once it is there, add the thinner strips just to create some interest around the tube.

Next... the jointing of the arms and legs!

Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here
Part 3 is here
Part 4 is here

I'm the only person in the western world...

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

That has a laptop that is less than a year old that does not have a card reader in it. I'm pretty sure that's the case anyway... heavy sigh.

I came home yesterday, did the laundry, unclogged the vacuum cleaner (dog hair... ugh), made the Little One dinner, and finished the doll... taking lots and lots and lots of pictures. Of course, my card reader is at the office now that I'm ready to download and edit and post. Sometimes it goes that way... so I'll be finishing the tutorial tomorrow.

In the mean time, I thought I'd share something that's been happening the last few days.

I'm an insomniac, we all know that. And I honestly don't recall the last time I heard the alarm go off to wake me. There is that sweet few moments, just as I am coming to consciousness but before I am fully awake, where I almost feel that merging with the Universe. I'm not sure that it's something that everyone pays attention to when they wake, but it's some of my favorite moments of every morning.

The last several mornings I've awakened with a thought swimming gently out of the ethers and into my mind during those moments. Different thoughts on different days. They've had nothing to do with the dreams I'd had... but they're interesting. The first time I woke thinking, "Just because you can, doesn't always mean you should."

Well, that was interesting. More interesting, it stuck with me all day, and even since.

Tuesday I woke with, "Come gently into the day." And I thought... "Wow, what a lovely beginning."

So, now I seem to be waking with a mantra for the day in my head. Does this happen to anyone else?

Tattooing...

2011-11-01T05:00:00.008-04:00

And this time it isn't my Little One telling me she's got a new one... Nope, it's time to "tattoo" the dolls. You've baked the doll pieces according to the clay directions, and given it about 24 hours to "cure". Now it's time to get some of that glorious color and design on there.

I've done this it two different ways, one where I paint in the spaces and go back to add the lines, and the second where I add the lines first and go back in to add the paint. Guess which is infinitely easier? (I've told y'all I rarely take the easy way... right?)

Grab yourself some permanent fine and extra find tip markers. I use exclusively black for this step, and it doesn't matter what brand you use, just use a pen with a very fine tip (these pieces are very small remember), one that you like (we all have our favorite brands), and be certain it is permanent.

Now, this is the part where I can tell you how to do something, but I can't really show you how. If you aren't the jump in feet first sort like me, then this is the scary part. But, trust me here, and have faith in yourself... because I know you can... and then jump. Don't worry, you really cannot mess this up. All you have to do is pick up a body part... and draw.

Be careful where you put your fingers as you go. While these pens are permanent, the lines will smear if you touch them while the ink is still damp. (I've done it many times.) I have smears on all of the dolls I've done, really... they don't bother me too much as long as they don't detract from the design once painted. If you get a smear and find it distracting, I have found that alcohol or a baby wipe will get rid of most of the problem.

If you look at what I've drawn on mine you'll see lots of aspects of my "typical" doodles. You'll also see that not every smidgen of my doll is doodled on. There are lots of open spaces in there. I tend to leave myself space to play with the design. That's just how I enjoy doing this. YOU get to draw in as much or as little of your pattern as you please. You may find yourself more comfortable on a first doll to be more structured, and as you make more sort of play it by ear. Remember, there is no "right" or "wrong" here. This is your piece of art.

When you have your lines drawn on the doll as you like put her back in the oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. (I have a toaster oven that I use exclusively for baking clay, makes the baking so much more convenient.) Turn the oven off, leave the door open a crack and let your doll cool completely. Your drawn lines will be set then.

Now... color! Y'all know how I love my color! Choose your palette. Keep it simple, 5 to 6 colors is more than enough. I use acrylic paints that I've watered down until they are similar to watercolors. I use a larger brush than most probably would, a size 4. But it has a great round tip that points very well, so it's perfect.

Have fun with it. Don't sweat it. Notice that my lines are not straight, not all of the drawn outlines are filled in smoothly, and the colors are semi splochy. In the end, it works.

The feet I save until last. Not sure why, other than I want to have a good grip on the leg... but the curve of that foot that makes it so very adorable can be a pain to paint, so I thought I'd show you in photos how I do that (few words, lots of photos).

I use black for the shoes as a standard. Paint the bottom of the foot first, then I draw a line up the back of the heel.

From the top of that line curve the paint until it runs into the bottom that you just painted.

Repeat on the other side of the foot.

Then, check out the top of the foot. I run the paint from both sides to the middle to make a "V" shape.

And, there you have it... a finished leg.

Paint all of the body parts using the same techniques, and allow to dry 12 hours or so, then seal with an acrylic finish.

Whew... we'll leave it there and continue on in the next post.

Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here
Part 3 is here

And now back to the doll...

2011-10-31T05:00:00.008-04:00

The legs are, in my opinion, the trickiest part of this whole adventure. They take a bit of patience to get shaped "just right"... especially the feet. So I'm going to go a bit more in depth about how they are done.

First step is to decide how long you want them to be overall. That means the distance from where they attach to the body to where they end. My doll, completely stretched out, ended up being just about 8 inches. Five of those are the legs. The thigh of the leg is about 2 inches (one is shorter than the other in mine), so the bottom portion of the leg is about 3 to 3 1/2 inches.

The thigh portion is almost as thick as a pencil, and the upper part of the lower leg (think knee) starts off about that thick. Beginning with a log of clay, like in the lower right of the photo above, your first step is to taper it. Roll the clay so that it tapers all the way down the shin and comes to a point at the toe.

Make sure that the point is substantial enough to be able to move though, you don't want it to be a sharp point, more like a blunt one.

Decide how long you want the foot to be. Mine generally end up somewhere between 1/2" and 3/4" long (from the heel to the toe). Make sure that your overall leg length takes that into account.

The first step to form the feet is to bend the foot. Decide where you want the heel to be, and gently bend it into a soft L shape. This is where you look at the leg... do you like the overall shape? Do you like where the heel is set to begin? Do you like how it tapers to the heel?

If you are, then you go on... if not, then you want to fix those things here, this is the easiest place to do that.

When you are happy with what you see...

Pinch the heel sharply.

You want a nice clean crease here.

Gently pull down, stretching ever so softly, and curve up the foot.

Sounds so simple, but I swear it takes me some effort to get that curve just right. I like a great deal of arch in the foot... maybe that's why?

But isn't that foot worth it?

IF you have problems making that curve, a pen barrel or something round can help.

I stuck the bottom leg portion by the ruler so you can see how it worked out.

When you are finished with all the parts, use the wire you will joint them with to poke holes in the parts where they will join.

And here is what you end up with. Well, I have two going at once, but you get the idea. Notice there are no holes in the wings or head. They are attached in another way, so they don't need the holes.... but, you can see the placement in the arms and legs.

And note, I didn't "clean up" the edges of the face. I really like the extra clay there. You do as you prefer though.

Now... bake it. Follow the manufacturers directions on the clay that you have used. Once they are baked, set them aside for at least 24 hours.

Next... we "tattoo" her...

Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here

*Please note, in regard to the copyright, all of the directions and photographs in this tutorial are mine, you may not copy or reproduce them without my consent. These instructions are for you to use for PERSONAL use only, not for profit.

The ArtsyBlogger links...

2011-10-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

Here they are everyone! Go visit and see some great creativity going on out there!

Grocery Bag Paper Turkey Card
Cherie makes a homemade Thanksgiving card out of an old grocery bag.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here’s how to use 3D clay accents to make your decoupage projects pop.

Beading Arts
Polymer clay + greeting cards = a fun mixed media necklace!

Mo(o)re Whimsies
Exciting Times and a Great Giveaway!

Now the arms and legs...

2011-10-28T05:00:00.002-04:00

After the face and wings are made, it's time to work on the arms and legs. These are molded by hand.

Overall I expect that the length of the doll will be somewhere between 7 and 9 inches. It's going to vary, really depending on how it all works out, but I keep that general size in mind when thinking about how thick to make the arms and legs.

Roll the clay out into logs. Mine are just about the thickness of a pencil.

Each arm and each leg will have two parts that will be jointed when the doll is finished. Once have "snakes" of the clay rolled out to the thickness I want, I cut them into the approximate length I want my arm to be overall when finished, and then cut it into two parts. Generally, I cut them the pieces with one being just slightly longer than the other (that will be the upper arm).

For the upper arm, gently roll the clay in your palms to roll one end into more of a point than the other (this will be the end where the pieces join). Slightly flatten the point. What you end up with is a shape like the one over there, rounder(ish) at the top, more pointed at the bottom.

(If you'd like, you can go ahead and make the thighs of your legs at this point as they are made the very same way.)

On the lower part of the arm (the forearm) you will have the roundish part, this will actually be the top of that part of the arm, think of it as the elbow. On the other end you want to flatten it into a somewhat oval shape. This becomes the hand.

Now, I like wonkiness, so I am not worried that both be exact, but you feel free to make them as similar as you wish.

Moving on to the lower part of the legs (since the thighs are the same as the upper arm) we find the trickiest part of this whole thing, so we'll be doing those in the next doll post (on Monday).

Part 1 is here

*Please note, in regard to the copyright, all of the directions and photographs in this tutorial are mine, you may not copy or reproduce them without my consent. These instructions are for you to use for PERSONAL use only, not for profit.

So, a couple of weeks ago...

2011-10-27T05:00:00.007-04:00

I told you I was working on a couple more of the art dolls like the "Ode to Kate", and I have been. One of the nice folks over on Craftsy asked if I had a tutorial for the original, and, while I don't, now I have one for a similar doll, and, of course, I'm going to share.

So... if you want to make your own art doll, similar to the "Ode to Kate", here it is!*

What you will need:

White polymer clay (I used Sculpey)

Book pages (I used a vintage book that I just liked the pages from)

Acrylic paints, your choice of colors
Brass wire, or color of your choice, somewhere around a 20 gauge

Permanent markers with a very fine tip, you favorite brand

White glue (like Elmer's)

Small wire cutters and jewelry pliers

And, this is the most important part... a sense of fun and adventure

Difficulty rating: No harder than you make it.

Where do we begin? I start with the clay because... well, because until you have that finished, you really can't do much else. Begin by kneading your clay to condition it and make it more pliable.

I use molds for my faces and wings. Yes, I know... the easy way out, but sometimes that's ok. I absolutely adore both of these molds, love them, love them, love them... and, lucky for you, if you can't find them, I did a search for you and found some links. My wings come from a mold you can find on this page, it has both the butterfly and angel wings in it, along with a face (with hair). The faces I use come from this mold.

These are both pretty simple to use. The really important part here is that you MUST remember to dust them with something so that they will release the clay. I use basic talcum powder (you know, good old fashioned baby powder), and a paint brush to make sure it gets into the crevices. Roll a ball of the clay, and push it in. Very gently tug at the edge to loosen it, and remove it from the mold. You can smooth the clay if you'd like, I often do this using a relatively soft paint brush, dusted in the baby powder.

The wings are a shade more difficult, not just because there is so darn much more detail, but because this is a hard mold, not a flexible one. You definitely want to be certain that you have that talc in every one of those details too so that the wings can release. I like my wings sorta thin, so I don't use too much clay, just enough to come even with the top of the wing indentation in the mold.

Since this mold is not flexible, you have to gently loosen an edge of a wing, and ever so gently lift it. Once it is out of the mold, you can trim away any excess clay that may interfere with the design.

When I make the angel wings I tend to do a bit more...Once they are out of the mold, I use a single sided razor blade to "slice" into the wing, where the feathers meet each other, and gently bend and shape them just a bit to add more "interest" to them.

Enough for today... tomorrow we'll tackle more of the work with clay...

*Please note, in regard to the copyright, all of the directions and photographs in this tutorial are mine, you may not copy or reproduce them without my consent. These instructions are for you to use for PERSONAL use only, not for profit.

What I did this weekend...

2011-10-24T07:38:00.000-04:00

Here's what I did this weekend...

What did you do?

ArtsyBlogger links...

2011-10-22T16:00:00.002-04:00

It's Saturday! Time to share some link love!

Beading Arts
Cyndi explains how to turn a cabochon into a simple bead embroidered pendant!

Mo(o)re Gourd Whimsies
What's the new project with Creative Paperclay® ?

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Rather than stashing your mom's jewelry away to tarnish and gather dust, combine some of your favorite pieces into a M.O.M.s (Memories of Mom) necklace.

Finished Afghan
Cherie finishes her stained glass afghan.

Tradition...

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here in Kentucky we have this little tradition... college hoops. Now, don't get me wrong, not all of us eat, breathe and sleep Kentucky Wildcats... there are those few who follow some red birds somewhere...

Here in the Big Blue Nation as we kick off the hoops season we do a little thing called Big Blue Madness. This is where we introduce the teams and we see just what the season is expected to hold. A curious thing about us here... regardless of how many new players we have, we expect championships. Period. I've even heard talk about tar and feathers in some years where they weren't doing so well... but, back to Madness...

Each year twenty something thousand or so tickets are distributed, free of charge, to those folks who are standing in line when the windows open. Those who end up being in line have most likely camped out over at Memorial Hall nearly a week. Yup... a week...

I watched it from the comfort of my couch last Saturday... and I just have to share this with everyone, in case you missed it.

Matthew Mitchell is the coach of our women's team, and honestly, he's a heck of a coach. Last year he did a little dance at Madness, and this year everyone wondered what he'd do to top it.

Here's what he did... y'all enjoy...

And here he is...

2011-10-19T05:00:00.008-04:00

All the stitching finished, the hanger added, and ready to hang on the tree, or door, or... wherever...

I love him! Never mind all the tiny bits and pieces that were lost along the way, or the number of times I maybe said some not so nice things about tucking everything under and in... I think he is absolutely adorable!

The original canvas was 3 1/2" tall. The felt gnome is just a bit more than that, coming in at a whopping almost 4 1/4" (not counting the hanger).

All of the outside stitching that I saved until last so that I could match the colors to the bits and pieces of the front (rather than stitching say a red blanket stitch all the way around it) was worth it. Regardless of how many times I swore at it.

So, you know what this means don't ya?

Well, actually, it means a couple of things... I'll definitely be converting more of my needlepoint designs to fabrics... felt and maybe cottons too!

And, of course... since I don't want to hog all the fun... it means I'm giving you the pattern and instructions to make your own little gnome.

There are a couple of conditions... I am not responsible for any cursing that goes on when the stitches are not cooperating or the tiny pieces get lost.

The pattern, photos and directions are copyright 2011, all rights are reserved. This may not be reproduced without permission. The instructions and pattern are intended for personal, non-commercial, use only. (That means you can't use them to make money.)

Click on the image below, and you should be taken to a page that shows it... then you can click on that image and it enlarges... print that. The pattern is a standard page size. If you have any problems, email me for the PDF format.

Where were we...

2011-10-18T05:00:00.003-04:00

We left off with the face in place, and one ear. Poor little guy...

But that's ok, even with the camera battery battery dead, I finished adding his other ear so I wouldn't feel so bad. After all, I'd already documented his first one.

Moving on, it was a shade tricky to decide on the best way to layer all of his features on so that none would be hidden or attached before the right time. It's not this difficult in needlepoint, I don't have to worry about what needs tucked under something else, in needlepoint, it just doesn't exist...

Of course, I also had to decide on the pant color. I chose the orange. Then I lost one of his hands, and one of his shoes... had to re-cut them when I noticed they were gone. Turned around and even his beard was gone. Somewhere in my house there must be a gnome that needed those felt pieces for something.

And, by the time it was bed time for me, this is what I had.

He's obviously not quite finished, but you can see where he's going.

I'll show you what the little guy looks like finished tomorrow.

About two hundred and forty years ago...

2011-10-17T05:00:00.004-04:00

Or, at least what seems like that long ago... I designed needlepoint. Was actually pretty darned good at it too. But, when I closed up shop, I quit. I do things like that. Now I have all of these adorable designs just sitting in there, doing nothing at all. It's sad really.

But, while I have no real desire to create needlepoint these days (although, I do feel that might be changing finally), I really hate that some of these cuties are not being put to good use. One of them in particular has been nagging at me lately... this cute little gnome.

He really, really, really wants to be made in fabric. Really. So, how can I deny him? He's a gnome, so felt seems like a great idea, don't you think?

The original gnome is only 3 1/2" tall, which would make it really difficult to do in felt, so I need to enlarge the pattern first. The second step was to split the design into all of it's little pieces. This was not as easy as I had expected it to be. Not as easy at all darn it... but, I did it.

So here is he, or at least all of his pieces, cut out and ready to be sewn. I wasn't sure I was going to like the green pants for him, I didn't have any forest green felt, just the lime green... so I had an alternate piece of orange, just in case.

And here the real fun begins. I have to figure out how to layer the pieces to achieve the finished gnome. Seems simple enough, doesn't it? Never is as simple as it should be.

I begin by working out the placement of the face. Of course, that's going to be relative to the hat. Once that's worked out I stitch the face where I want it using a small running stitch.

Then comes the placement of the ears. Tough little boogers to deal with, that point at the top of them was difficult... not to mention, while I am stitching them on I realize that, if I want the edges of the ornament to look good, I have to match the stitching on those edges the same color as the felt. That means I can't stitch the edges until I am ready to stitch the backing on the ornament. Can we all scream "ARHGGGGGGG" at once?

Such a pain in the... backside.

At this point, the battery in the camera dies. So much for preparedness huh?

Don't worry... I'll just set it aside while the battery charges, and will share soon.

Ok... the timer is on... you have 48 hours...

2011-10-16T16:07:00.004-04:00

And the winner is.....

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-10-16 20:08:32 UTC

Snap... that means YOU!

Comment 32 reads:

Snap said...: I've been busy ... the weather is cooperating ... cool enough to get out and get errands run before it gets hot yet again! Hope to give this Halloween Cupcake stand a good home (along with the spider)!; 12 October, 2011

So... you have until 5 pm (Eastern time) to email me your address... (my email is over there on the left sidebar)... the Halloween cupcake stand is yours!

Last call.... y'all...

2011-10-16T05:00:00.000-04:00

Last call for all you fabulous followers to get a comment in for the Halloween cupcake stand... you have until one minute before midnight tonight!

Get yourselves over to this post (click on that link) and leave a comment. I've already got the stand... and the spider... packed and ready to head out to its new home!

Hurry... the witching hour is coming fast!

The ArtsyBlogger links...

2011-10-15T05:00:00.002-04:00

These fabulous folks have been at it again! Check out these great links!

Beading Arts
A bit of silver leaf, a bit of acrylic paint, and some polymer clay...beautiful results!

Stained Glass Afghan
Cherie makes a multi-colored afghan for her house.

Halloween Party Recipe- Guacamole Ghouls
Linette's Spooky Guacamole Ghouls are finalists in the Spookamlole recipe contest, check them out and then go vote for your favorite recipe.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Got tea lights? Look at this darling mini birthday cake favor you can make with them. You'll find directions for a coordinating birthday card as well.

Mothers...

2011-10-14T05:00:00.001-04:00

We had such a difficult relationship, and yet, there are still days I want to pick up the phone and call her to tell her something.

This parenting thing... it's tough. Even when you have a pretty good relationship with your offspring. It's far more difficult when you suffer from an illness.

Ten years ago today, I'd gone to Keeneland with friends and my own daughter for the first time. And after spending a wonderful day at the races, almost the minute I'd walked in the door, the phone rang.

It was my father.

"She's gone." I'll never forget those words, or the cracking of his voice as he spoke them. Or how I couldn't fathom what he meant.

There was no warning. There were no signs. She had been with my sister and simply collapsed. She couldn't be revived. She had turned 60 in August.

I know that I drove home. I know that I sat through making the arrangements. And I remember sitting in the pew during her service. I remember people telling me how sorry they were, and I remember going back to the house after. But it still feels unreal, even all this time later.

And here it is, a blink of the eye, and it's ten years later.

And I miss her.