ArtfullyQuaint

Lovely vintage jars and ruffles...

Hello! *waves* I'm ready to feature more DIY fun so are you ready?? I certainly hope so because the two projects I'm sharing feature a couple of my most favorite things... VINTAGE JARS and RUFFLES! Of course these projects will make your home look "vintage" and "trendy" without paying an arm and a leg (Hey.. we need those!) and will have the most important component of all... your hand in making them! So, without me rambling on... please enjoy! As always I'd love to hear your comments and thoughts ♥

                   The first DIY project tutorial is a darling shabby chic ruffled shade! Isn't it cute?

The Shabby Chic Pleated Shade

Full of lovely, romantic ruffles, and only 4 steps involved! Let's get started!

1. Start with a plain lampshade. whichever shape you like.

2. Cut out enough strips to cover the shade. You'll want about 3x the measurement of your shade. For example, if your shade is 40" around the top, make the first strip about 120".
3. Fold the strips over to make pleats all the way down, and pin each pleat.

Wrap the strips around the shade, to make sure they fit, and then sew strait down the strip, to hold the pleats together.

Look at all that ruffly goodness!!

4. Pin the start of each strip to the lampshade, to see where they will need to go, and use a glue gun to attach them. Try to glue along the stitching, so it doesn't show through lighter fabric when the lamp is turned on.

All done!

Turn on the light, and admire your handiwork!

The second cool DIY project tutorial  is vintage looking blue canning jars! I happen to have an actual blue canning jar which was given to me by a friend when I was sick. The color is to die for. Literally. Note: It's mentioned that the final product is not waterproof so you may need to find some type of sealer to make them that way.

Have you priced vintage blue canning jars lately? Wanna make your own really cheap?

I bought these probably five years ago at an antique/consignment store. I think I paid about 12 dollars for a set of four.  Now you can expect to pay at least that for just one.

Last night I was cruising around the internet and happened upon a link to a tutorial using mod podge and food coloring to make your own. Cool! In the original tutorial, she experimented with a few different methods and colors to get the look she was after. She had some problems with brush strokes showing up in the finished product.  I think she had the best luck using undiluted mod-podge, painting it on then stippling out the brush strokes with the end of her paint brush.  She used the jars as hanging garden lanterns, with tea light candles. Just lovely!

This afternoon I decided to play around with some mod-podge and food coloring myself. I'm thrilled with the results.  First I gathered up a few jars, some mod podge and blue and green food coloring.

Just pour some mod podge into one of your jars. I didn't measure, I just pored in about 1/4 cup.

Add a few drops of water to thin down just a bit. So it's the consistency of.... oh I don't know, slightly thinned mod podge. Then squirt in a few drops of food coloring- to your liking. I tried a few different combinations. I think I liked a 3:2 ratio 3 blue drops to two green. But you do what makes you happy. Stir it around to get a uniform distribution of color, then start swirling. Swirl around to cover the inside and pour the remainder into the next jar you want to color. Keep swirling and pouring to your hearts content or until you run out of jars or you need to mix more- which ever comes first.

You want to get as much of the mod podge mixture out of the jar as possible so you don't have a big glob of dried gunk in the bottom of your lovely jar.

This is how it will look wet.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere about heat setting paint on glassware by baking it at a low temp, so I set my oven on the lowest setting it would allow, 150 degrees and popped them in.

I took this after they had cooked for about 20 minutes.

And for the finished product, drum roll please.....

Not too shabby, eh? They look very much like the real deal and since no brush was used, there are no brush strokes.  I don't imagine they are food safe. I wouldn't drink out of them or store food items, but they work great for showing off some pretty flowers.

You'll notice there's no water in the jars. I was impatient to take a picture, but I want to let them stay in the oven for a few hours to really set the mod podge. The label says once dries, it doesn't come off.

Edited to add***

OK, I've searched and searched for info about water and mod podge. After reading the FAQ page on the Mod Podge website, I don't  think they will hold up to having water in them.  I wonder how a clear spray sealer might work??? I'll have to give it a try tomorrow. Or you could just use the same method, but use paint made for glass, maybe something like this or this.  Or just don't put water in them and they should hold up just fine.

 

Attempting to turn over a new leaf....

                    

July ~ 2010- I made a trip to my local quilting shop to browse the lovely fabric and get my creative juices flowing. To my horror I found.. IN JULY Halloween and Christmas fabric... IN JULY happily displayed... IN JULY ..in one conrner! Did I say it was JULY??? After a lot of "oh maaaaaan! NOT ALREADY" angst... I decided I would overcome my "slight distain" (yes, I'm trying to be nice) for said holiday fabric. It was clear I was overly critical of those trying to be extra organized by doing holiday projects well in advance (hello dear sister!*waves*)  I knew a lot of this resentment stemmed from my lack of planning, so I decided to be one of "them" and get with the program. I bought a darling Halloween Charm pack and over the next 2+ months of sewing... I now have THIS!

             

 I realize that many women would have had this project done by August 1st, however I am not one of "them". I had to process the Halloween colors (hard I know!) and realize that time really does fly by fast... I GOT BUSY. For those of you who would LOVE to quilt or sort of feel like I did (I'm sorry if you do) I've decided to share the pattern. If you want to click out of AQ because you don't think you can make this table topper... STOP!!... because I swear this is SUPER easy to do. I wouldn't lie to you right? RIGHT! This project is all straight line sewing. All you need are a few quilting supplies and time. Now, aren't you excited about the creative possiblities? Yes? Ok! So now LET's SEW!

Supplies:

1 Charm Pack with 49 – 5” squares  (if you don't know what a charm pack is... go here to learn about the many, many, many color options and choices. You can also buy them at your local quilting store :)
¼ yard inner border
½ yard outer border
1/3 yard binding
1 yard backing
38” x 38” batting
4 ½” square ruler

                                     

To start cut each of the 49 charm pack squares in half creating 2 – 2 ½” x 5” rectangles. Use one light rectangle and one dark rectangle and sew together along the 5” edge. Sew all pieces together in this manner. Then, square up each sewn block to 41/2" square. This means to make all sides THE SAME size :)

                                      

Press each block open. Make sure each seam is pressed to the darker side of fabric.

                                      

Arrange blocks into 7 rows of 7. Place one block so that the seam is horizontal and the next block so that the seam is vertical. Continue to alternate this way for each row. Sew blocks into rows and then sew rows together.

                                       

When sewing all rows together, make sure you PIN where the seams meet (top row to bottom row). Reason: because you don't want to sit in a crying mess picking out seams that don't match. Trust me.. I've been there and done it and it's NOT pretty.

                                            

Just take a pin and insert into one seam and then continue on into the other. Tutorial here if you need help with this step (or any other quilting question) :) (and it's ok if you do!)

Finally! Your quilt top should look like this :)  

Now you are ready to add the borders. This is fairly easy, however if you need help cutting your fabric the right way, go here to see how to cut your strips for sewing. You will need for the borders:

Cut 4 – 1 ½” strips x width of fabric from the inner border. Sew onto sides and then top & bottom.

Cut 4 – 3 ½” strips x width of fabric from the outer border. Sew onto sides and then top and bottom.

Cut 4 – 2 ¼” strips x width of fabric from the binding fabric.

After you have sewn on the borders you are ready to cut the backing fabric. The back of your quilt should be about 3-4" larger all around than the top of the quilt. I usually measure the length of the quilt and add 8", and then measure the width and add 8". Once you have done that.. you are ready for your quilt to be quilted! YAY! I usually take my quilt tops to be machine quilted. You can also hand quilt them. It's entirely your choice. Once the quilt is finished, you are ready to sew on the binding. The easiest way to do binding is to sew all strips together then fold your cut strips in half and iron. Once done, you sew to your quilt. Best how-to tutorial for binding is here.  Last step is to ENJOY YOUR CREATION and pat yourself on the back for a job well done! Now... on to the next project, right? RIGHT! Comments or thoughts on this project are appreciated! ♥ Happy Quilting!

            

Thanks to RedRoosterQuilts for the free charm pack quilt pattern! :)

 

spreading the love!

Alright! I have to share  a few new DIY projects because they are all kinds of AWESOME! DIY= AWESOME in case you didn't know. These projects are sooo fun and clever which means I MUST SHARE :) So without my further DIY gushing- enjoy!

The first DIY project is the vintage notebook jacket by Lune Vintage. Who can resist scribbling inside a notebook with this cute one-of-a-kind jacket? Not me! I plan to get busy asap and make a few for Christmas gifts. Are you ready to make one (or ten) yourself?

Supplies:

• 1 Composition Notebook
• 1 linen dish towel (these were often used decoratively, so can be found in un-used condition)
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Pins

 

Step 1: Wrap your dish towel around your notebook. Find the best position for the design, deciding which side will be the front.

Step 2: Pin around the notebook, leaving 1" from the edge of the book on 3 sides. Keep tight to the spine.

Step 3: Trim excess fabric. You will be left with a rectangle of fabric which is sandwiched over your book.

Step 4: Fold and pin the excess 1" of fabric. Double check by laying your book on top to make sure it is the same size as the cover. Press seams.

Step 5: Sew edges with a simple straight stitch along all 4 sides.

Step 6: Now it's time to make pockets to hold your cover on the notebook. Use the remaining fabric from your towel. Position pocket so the original finished edge of the towel faces inward (will not be sewn).

Step 7: Face good sides of fabric together (topside of pocket against top side of notebook cover). Pin and stitch 3 sides to your cover, leaving the 4th already finished side open.

Step 8: Turn pockets right side out, using a pointed tool like a knitting needle or dull scissor point to poke out the corners. Insert notebooks covers into pockets.

There you go! A re-usable journal cover you can transfer from one notebook to the other. These make great gifts (I know you don't want to think about Christmas yet) and are an excuse to buy up some of those pretty patterned towels.

 

** AQ note: I noticed no mention of sewing a ribbon inside the jacket (7th picture down) This would be really fun to do (and easy) and I think one could totally add beads or whatever to the ribbon to make it an especially personal gift.

 

The second DIY project from Alisa Burke is literally A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. Honestly who can resist such cuteness???  I can't think of a better way to cherish others than to take a personal note and make it into a pillow to enjoy each day. How fun would it be to make a few for children (love notes from mommy) or maybe a  rememberance pillow from a departed love one's words? Gosh, the possiblities are endless....

                                                                  LOVE NOTE PILLOW

I started by selecting a couple of notes and letters that I scanned.

Or they could be photographed

I pulled the documents over to Photoshop and adjusted the brightness and contrast- this could really be done in any photo editing program.

I added a warming filter for a subtle sepia look.

I enlarged the document so that I obscured entire sentences- for a little mystery :)

I then flipped it horizontal to prepare to print.

I used Tulip's photo transfer paper and loaded it into my ink jet printer.

I printed it out.

I then placed the transfer face down on unbleached muslin.

I covered it with a piece of scrap fabric and following the directions, ironed it down.

I let the transfer cool and I peeled off the top sheet to reveal my love note.

I used my craft iron to melt away any obvious edges that were showing.

Next I cut it out

and sewed it onto the surface of another piece of muslin that I had pre cut for my pillow.

I sewed the all of the sides together (with wrong sides facing).

and left a hole open to so I could stuff the pillow and then sew the hole up.

                                                                     SWEET! <333333

                  Thanks again to Lune VIntage and Alisa Burke for sharing their awesome ideas!

 

 

Cute AND hilarious jewelry... a double delight!

Every year up in my neck of the woods an annual event takes place called Swiss Days. It is a combination of a craft fair, Swiss food and non-stop entertainment which delight many people who travel near and far. Matter of fact, this year brought well over 100,000 people to our little community!  This event happens over Labor Day weekend and has become a tradition of sorts in my family. We usually help in the food booths as well as browse the huge variety of handmade goods being sold. For me, each year brings a new challenge to find that particular booth that stands out and speaks to me personally. As I made my way through endless amounts of women, strollers and bored husbands.. I came upon Touch Piece. 

                    

I was very intrigued by the huge crowd outside and so I set off to see what the fuss was all about. Inside I found many darling jewelry pieces.. but what caught my eye were the unique glass charms with funny captioned victorian pictures! I mean who can resist THIS? Not me! I left with a bag of new jewelry and a smile on my face.  I highly recommend checking Touch Piece  out and who knows.. maybe it will leave you giggling (and buying), too ♥

 

 

 

 

Another funtastic DIY project :)

Another DIY funtastic project for you to enjoy! If you enjoy my DIY posts, shoot a comment my way and tell me if there is anything in particular you'd like to see. Thanks! ♥

Padded Camera Strap Slipcover Tutorial from Priddy Creations! Cute aren't they? You don't know HOW badly I need a new camera strap.. and this fits the bill! Can't wait to make my own... (pics of mine will be posted later)

Padded Camera Strap Slipcover Tutorial

Materials Needed:

· Cotton Fabric (1 piece printed; 1 piece coordinating solid)

· Coordinating Thread

· Lightweight Fusible Fleece

· Rotary Cutter/Scissors

· Acrylic Ruler

· Iron

Finished size for this particular camera strap slipcover is 22 inches long by approximately 2.25 inches wide.  Please read ENTIRE tutorial FIRST before starting.  It makes more sense that way.  :)

NOTE: You can click on each picture to make them larger if you need a better view.

You will need to cut your fabrics (each piece - the print and coordinating solid) 23 inches long by 5.5 inches wide. This will give you TWO separate pieces (one print and one solid).  Press both pieces to get out all wrinkles.  Now lay those aside.

Now cut ONE piece of fusible fleece 21 inches long by 4.5 inches wide. Fleece should be cut one inch shorter (width wise) than the fabric. This will make it easier to sew when finishing your side seams. Length should be 2 inches shorter than fabric. Fleece will stretch when pressing to your fabric and your length will increase as you are pressing. I try and leave a ½ gap at each end of strap so that when you are folding in the fabric, you will not have to worry about the fleece’s bulkiness. Now set aside. 
Putting RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER (printed fabric facing solid fabric), sew or serge together the length (the longest sides) of both fabric pieces using a 1/4 inch seam allowance leaving the ends open (this will make an inside out fabric tubing where printed fabric is facing in). (See image 1).

{Image 1}

 

With fabrics still facing right sides together (inside out), line up fleece evenly centered (I just eyeball this…I do not actually measure it) on the SOLID fabric piece and press (follow manufacturer’s instructions for iron settings). Make sure that you adhere the entire piece. I then let my fleece cool completely before moving on. (See image 2).

{Image 2}

Once fleece has cooled, turn right side out (where printed fabric is now facing out) and press both side seams. Fleece will now be on the inside of the strap between the WRONG sides of the solid and printed fabric. (See images 3-6).

{Image 3 (Turning strap right side out)}

{Image 4 (What strap looks like once it is turned right side out)}

{Image 5 (Press both side seams)}

{Image 6 (What strap looks like once both sides are pressed)}

Turn both ends of straps ½ inch toward the inside of the strap (tucking raw edges of fabric into the strap) and press. (See image 7).

{Image 7}

Sew both ends of straps (width) together with a straight stitch using a 1/8 - 1/4 inch seam allowance (personal preference....I like mine as close to the end of the fabric as I can get so I use 1/8 inch). (See image 8).

{Image 8}

Fold strap (printed fabric on outside/solid fabric touching) in half lengthwise lining up edges and press.

(See images 9 & 10)

{Image 9}

{Image 10}

Sew the two OPEN sides lengthwise together using a 1/8 inch seam allowance starting at the top. Make sure that you reverse/back stitch at stress points (ends of straps near openings). (See image 11).

{Image 11}

And TADA!! You are done! Was that easy or what?

Finished strap.

How easy was that?  Now all you have to do is slide it on your commercial camera strap and you are ALL SET!!

 

 

mulling things over....

 

If you haven't watched Julie and Julia.. GO. WATCH. IT. NOW.

I've been gone. Has anyone even noticed? Hmmm.. not sure. Regardless, I suppose this foray into blogging is a bit like keeping a journal so I must press forward. If nothing else comes from my adventure, I take comfort in knowing it is a great place to keep ideas, thoughts and happenings of my life compiled into one neat little place. Each time I start a new post, I often feel like Julie in the movie "Julie and Julia". She starts blogging about the happenings of cooking through Julia Child's famed cook book "Mastering The Art of French Cooking". She starts blogging with a bang and then realizes that it might take a while to get anyone to notice her undertaking. I feel a kinship of sorts with Julie where she proclaims rather fantastically about sending her thoughts out to a big, vast void- hoping someone, anyone is out there... reading her words. I do believe I understand this. Every post comes straight from my heart and is rather scary knowing your heart is somewhere out there...floating around in cyberspace. Are you out there? Are you reading my words? If so.. introduce yourself and let's be friends! ♥

For the love of the State Fair....

 
 
                                  
                                  

Today I visited the Utah State Fair! Who can resist the funnel cakes, BBQ goodness, cotton candy and the assorted carnival games to entertain you? Not many! However, as much as I love fun and yummy, my most favorite part about the state fair is the exhibits. My 15 yr old son asked rather sarcastically "You mean people really visit these boring places?" *insert teenage eyeroll here* um... why YES! I certainly do :) Let the complaining begin :) Isn't it a mother's right to cause her children as much angst as possible while "forcing" (another direct quote) them to view something beautiful AND learn something educational? I certainly think so. With this thought in mind, I "made" (teenagers know everything) my children follow me to the Home Arts exhibit where all kinds of loveliness resides *siiiiiiggghh* The striking colors of fabric made into stunning quilts took my breath away. The endless knitting, crocheting, tatting and all other assorted handmade crafts were dazzling and reminded me of why I create: to experience a unique kind of happiness and a sense of accomplishment  Something out of nothing.. which hopefully... has turned into beauty shared.

                                       

         

                                          

 

                                                                                 

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” — Alan Alda

On a DIY roll....

It's official! I am completely in love with all things DO. IT. YOURSELF. And, because I'm DIY consumed lately.. I'm naturally going to post another DIY project for you to enjoy. Hope you like and if you have thoughts or comments, I'd <3333 to hear from you :) Happy Tuesday! xo

How-To: Gourd Lanterns

Hard-shell gourds, sometimes called calabash gourds, are some of the world's first cultivated plants. They are harvested from their vines in the fall and then air-dried for several months. When a gourd is fully dry inside and out, it forms a woody shell that can be cut with simple tools.

Cultures all over the world fashion hard-shell gourds into vessels or musical instruments. Here, we've turned them into festive outdoor lanterns, using a drill to create patterns for light to shine through.

Note: This project is fairly messy, making it a good outdoor build.

Materials

Water
Hard-shell gourd A good source online is Welburn Gourd Farm.
Mineral oil
Newspaper
Pencil
Scrubbing sponge
String of Christmas lights
Surgical mask
Bucket
Large spoon
Handheld drill with various drill bits
Pumpkin-carving tool kit like those found at Yankee Harvest
Small paring knife

Source: Craftzine

Fun DIY Delights...

Gosh, I am a sucker for cool DIY projects! Can't get enough of them! I have many reasons why I love them but I'll list two main reasons... 1) I can make something cool All. By. Myself and 2) I can save money All. By. Myself. Saving money alone should peak anyone's curiosity, right? RIGHT! I am sharing not one but TWO DIY projects that caught my eye while checking out some cool craft blogs. I hope these projects catch your eye, too. Maybe you'll be inspired to make something fun yourself and improve your surroundings like I plan on improving mine. Which reminds me... did  I mention how fun and how much satisfaction I get by doing things All. By. Myself? xo

 Lately I have a thing for pillows. Don't ask me why because I can't explain it other than to say they are squishy, soft and eye candy for the soul. Pillows = Love. This DIY tutorial comes from Classy Clutter which shares how to make a cool Felt Flower Pillow. Enjoy :)

First I recovered a very eh... just okay looking pillow that once sat on my couch. 

If you don't know how to do a basic pillow re-cover its about the simplest thing ever and there a zillion tutorials out there. Google it! If you can sew a straight line, you can make this pillow. PROMISE! 

Next I cut out about 1,000,000 petals. Not really, more like 100 but it was A LOT! I did about 30 large, 30 medium, 30 small probably. I honestly did count them....

But like I said... A LOT!

Then all I did was arrange them how I wanted them on the pillow to make sure I made enough. I was so glad I did and I had 4 left over - haha!

Then I did my center a little different than Z-Gallerie's... I kinda like the way I did it better. Just sayin... haha

I cut out 3 circles using a cup and a sharpie as a pattern.

Folded it in half....

and in half again...

Finally, I HOT GLUED everything on! I could've sewn it but the hot glue worked magically and it was super quick and easy and lets face it, I was getting anxious to get it done.  For the center, I glued 3 of these (above) "petals" in the middle in a cluster to make the inside of the flower. 

I. AM. OBSESSED. I will be making a zillion of these for Christmas gifts this year. (and your birthday Kylie, as promised! LOVE U!)

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And the second DIY project comes from Hope Studios which shows how to make a fantastic scrunchy scarf for those cool nights just around the corner! Darling, isn't it? Just think of the handmade scrunchy possibilities ... gifts for others, scarfs for munchkins of your own or maybe even a tree garland for Christmas (I'm totally joking)  or how about for You? What a novel idea :) I plan on making me one. Now go and make yourself one, too!

Supplies:

2 or 3 yards Jersey knit - To make several, like we did, for your girlfriends or for gifts, use two yards. To make one scarf, you can get one yard and sew the strips together to meet the length requirement.
Thread
Elastic Thread (found in the elastic aisle)
Scissors
Sewing Machine
And about 10 minutes of time

Cut your 2 yards of fabric into 10 inch wide by (at least) 72 inch long strips (your fabric will end up being half as long when you finish, so the longer the better). I like to wear it two ways, as a long drapy scarf and as a tighter neck scarf.

At this point, you can decide to taper your ends or to cut the ends apart, like this, at least 12 inches up from the bottom. I might even make longer tails if I did this again.



Hand wind the elastic thread onto your bobbin, loosely or it will pull too tight and break (use ordinary thread on top), turn off automatic tension control, and sew with a basting stitch from the center of one tail alllll the way to the end. Then again from the center of the other tail allll the way to the other end. So, you have two long seams about 3 inches apart, down the center. (Make sure you back stitch at the beginning and the end, basting stitches will pull out easily if they aren't anchored like this.) See how it is bunching up as it passes through the machine? (click the photo to enlarge) It's like magic!



Here is how it looks all sewn - just two straight seams from end to end:




Now, prance around all giddy-like with your cute new scarf. Make sure to pose for pictures and make plans to give them to everyone on your Christmas list with a neck.




I hate flash, so I did some posing with my scarf in good light against my favorite red wall just for you. See all the variations?

Guess what I'm making...

     HOLY SMOKES! Did you get a good look at this quilt??? *drools*  I am sooo in love with French General and their assorted fabric lines/ goods that the mere sight makes me weak in the knees!

Today I received this quilt kit in the mail *screams* and I am super excited to make it! But, the only (and very small) down side part of making it is that I am donating it to my son for an auction to help him and his wrestling team with associated expenses coming this fall. Why, do you say? Honestly when I look at the above quilt I can't quite answer why I am donating it. A tiny part of myself really wants the quilt for me. However, I've learned that when I make things for others, I'd much rather someone else enjoy something beautiful and watch their expression of happiness and joy in my handmade ware than look at it myself at home. I'm weird, I know. After all, I can make me another quilt if I so desire, right? I enjoy doing/making handmade things and I immensely enjoy giving back through service to help others become the best they can be. In my opinion this is true creativity at it's finest :) Thoughts? I'd love to hear them :) 

P.S. I'll post pics of my finished quilt when it's done and let you know how the auction goes come November :)