PS. I don't have mice! My daughter had a mouse themed 5th birthday so I found these great little mouse decals on Etsy. Aren't they cute? Again, not committed to them as they are stuck on the contact paper not my stairs!
Give it a try! Good luck!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Stairway to heaven!
I have been longing after the ombre stairs I saw on Pinterest. Then I saw some rainbow ones. My hubby won't let me buy any art for the hallway so the stairway was just a barren bore. Although I loved the ombre stairs, teal to aqua, I just wasn't brave enough to do it. So I did the next best thing. I cut contact paper to fit each stair, painted it and stuck it up. This way if I tire of it it won't be hard to get rid of. Also I decided to do some weathering and stenciling which was much easier on the contact paper placed on a table than doing it vertically on the stairway. Originally I went with the whole rainbow effect but decided to tone it down a bit.
PS. I don't have mice! My daughter had a mouse themed 5th birthday so I found these great little mouse decals on Etsy. Aren't they cute? Again, not committed to them as they are stuck on the contact paper not my stairs!
Give it a try! Good luck!
PS. I don't have mice! My daughter had a mouse themed 5th birthday so I found these great little mouse decals on Etsy. Aren't they cute? Again, not committed to them as they are stuck on the contact paper not my stairs!
Give it a try! Good luck!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Leather Kelly style bag
Phew! That was a project! I made the bag that was so beautifully done on www.iammomma-hearmeroar. It was a big job. The hard part was that essentially you have to make your own pattern with your own measurements. Then there's punching all those dadgum holes. Then there's all that lacing! And then there is the biggest problem, my inability to follow closely the directions. If only I could slow down and pay attention but alas I cannot.
A few things I did in addition to the instructions:
I made the bag 11 x 13 1/2 (tapered).
The gusset was 6 x 37 tapered.
The flap is 3 x 7.
Straps 18" long with thick rope inserted in the middle 13".
I measured and marked all the holes on the wrong side of the leather before punching.
I did attach handles and flap before lacing the bag up.
I neglected to keep the extra gusset inches that fold down. Instead I sewed the lining all the way
around and left the lining stick out the top. (This whole step was improvised because I effed it up).
I also added a pocket to the inside lining.
Overall I'm pleased with the look of the bag. I used pink lacing to give it a more Anthropolgie look. I was afraid it might end up looking to western. I will make this again but lower and wider. I have some natural color leather that is just beautiful I want to make a bag out of that I have been searching for the right pattern for.
FYI. I got the leather at Tandy. You can get some awesome deals there. I got a huge hide that will easily make 6 handbags for $60. I used a good quality hole punch also purchased at Tandy. The lacing I got at Joann Fabrics. I used less than one package, about 75" to go around each sides and around 25" for the flap.
I also used some rivets to hold the bag together while I punched the holes. I put these in randomly just to keep it from slipping (I did not hammer them, just inserted and removed when ready).
I put rope in the middle of the handles. To do this I cut the strap to about 18" x 3" wide. I use Wonder double sided tape anytime I sew leather. It is the best way. I put a strip the middle 13" and on the edge. I folded it over and used my zipper foot. Best to try it out first before you do it.
That brings me to sewing leather. I use a leather needle and a fairly long stitch. As I said before the Wonder tape is key to keeping the leather from slipping and sliding as you sew. Always make sure your bobbin is full too. You could be sewing along just making holes if your bobbin runs out and the holes don't go away. Your leather will be ruined.
Here's a pic of the finished product. I like the lining sticking out a bit. The key here is to use snappy colors. It's a happy bag! Have fun!
A few things I did in addition to the instructions:
I made the bag 11 x 13 1/2 (tapered).
The gusset was 6 x 37 tapered.
The flap is 3 x 7.
Straps 18" long with thick rope inserted in the middle 13".
I measured and marked all the holes on the wrong side of the leather before punching.
I did attach handles and flap before lacing the bag up.
I neglected to keep the extra gusset inches that fold down. Instead I sewed the lining all the way
around and left the lining stick out the top. (This whole step was improvised because I effed it up).
I also added a pocket to the inside lining.
Overall I'm pleased with the look of the bag. I used pink lacing to give it a more Anthropolgie look. I was afraid it might end up looking to western. I will make this again but lower and wider. I have some natural color leather that is just beautiful I want to make a bag out of that I have been searching for the right pattern for.
FYI. I got the leather at Tandy. You can get some awesome deals there. I got a huge hide that will easily make 6 handbags for $60. I used a good quality hole punch also purchased at Tandy. The lacing I got at Joann Fabrics. I used less than one package, about 75" to go around each sides and around 25" for the flap.
I also used some rivets to hold the bag together while I punched the holes. I put these in randomly just to keep it from slipping (I did not hammer them, just inserted and removed when ready).
I put rope in the middle of the handles. To do this I cut the strap to about 18" x 3" wide. I use Wonder double sided tape anytime I sew leather. It is the best way. I put a strip the middle 13" and on the edge. I folded it over and used my zipper foot. Best to try it out first before you do it.
That brings me to sewing leather. I use a leather needle and a fairly long stitch. As I said before the Wonder tape is key to keeping the leather from slipping and sliding as you sew. Always make sure your bobbin is full too. You could be sewing along just making holes if your bobbin runs out and the holes don't go away. Your leather will be ruined.
Here's a pic of the finished product. I like the lining sticking out a bit. The key here is to use snappy colors. It's a happy bag! Have fun!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Back Again!
So I have to be honest. I had no idea what a pain in the neck writing a blog is! It is not as easy as all the other bloggers make it look. The reason I'm going to try to pick it back up is because I am a bit of a chronic crafter and I have been able to hit on some super cool ideas, tutorials and patterns through my endless internet investigating. I also like tweeking other people's ideas.
I feel I have a really good sense of color and pattern. Though I love crazy mixes I also love simplicity.
I have been on a bit of a creative hiatus. A little over a year ago, my family suffered a terrible tragedy with the death of my in-laws. Now my mother has advanced cancer. I now find myself using my crafts for a rescue from the stress of these circumstances.
I love to sew. Plain and simple. Unfortunately it has completed ruined the whole shopping experience for me. Can't buy something I can make. Fortunately, I have not taught myself how to make shoes!
Right now I am making a leather handbag from the www.iammomma-hearmeroar. This is kind of a kelly bag done with a lot of hole punching and lacing. I am always on the lookout for tips and tutorials for working with leather. I like to make my own bags but I like to make them look store bought. I am drafting the pattern with exact measurements. I am a follow the recipe kind of person. I need specific details in order to make something. I do not do well flying by the seat of my pants. Remember those tests in jr. high where they tried to figure out what you have an aptitude for? Undo this box or put this box together was not my forte. I need pictures and tutorials if possible to make something. I cannot visualize. A standard tissue pattern is my downfall. Ergo I love the PDF patterns available online.
Computers today can turn anyone into a creator! Although I had a mom who sewed, I didn't actually pay enough attention to her to learn the craft from her. I did, however, learn that I could make most anything I set my mind to. Thanks to YouTube there is pretty much a tutorial to show you how to do everything. That's where I learned to sew. I ruined A LOT of fabric! I'm on my 3rd sewing machine starting originally with a craft machine from QVC. Now I sew on a Babylock Quest Plus. It's a real workhorse of a machine.
I had a baby late in my life. I retired from the jewelry business and apply all my energy to my family. I started sewing because living in a warm climate I couldn't find lightweight, loose clothing for my daughter to wear. I started making matching clothing for the two of us because I didn't want to clash with her when we were together (I know that's crazy but some people are bugged by strange things!).
On my quest to have a pure child unaffected by this technology laden, plastic world I enrolled her in a Waldorf school. This was a wonderful early childhood experience for the both of us. The Waldorf philosophy embraces all things handmade. I started felting and dollmaking. My daughter has become a creative sponge. Phrase of most days is , "Let's do a craft mama!" Her fine motor skills are miles ahead of a child her age.
Hopefully you will find my posts interesting enough to follow. I will try to include pictures with all that I do for those of you who are intruction challenged as I am.
Feel free to follow!
Greetz! Jill
I feel I have a really good sense of color and pattern. Though I love crazy mixes I also love simplicity.
I have been on a bit of a creative hiatus. A little over a year ago, my family suffered a terrible tragedy with the death of my in-laws. Now my mother has advanced cancer. I now find myself using my crafts for a rescue from the stress of these circumstances.
I love to sew. Plain and simple. Unfortunately it has completed ruined the whole shopping experience for me. Can't buy something I can make. Fortunately, I have not taught myself how to make shoes!
Right now I am making a leather handbag from the www.iammomma-hearmeroar. This is kind of a kelly bag done with a lot of hole punching and lacing. I am always on the lookout for tips and tutorials for working with leather. I like to make my own bags but I like to make them look store bought. I am drafting the pattern with exact measurements. I am a follow the recipe kind of person. I need specific details in order to make something. I do not do well flying by the seat of my pants. Remember those tests in jr. high where they tried to figure out what you have an aptitude for? Undo this box or put this box together was not my forte. I need pictures and tutorials if possible to make something. I cannot visualize. A standard tissue pattern is my downfall. Ergo I love the PDF patterns available online.
Computers today can turn anyone into a creator! Although I had a mom who sewed, I didn't actually pay enough attention to her to learn the craft from her. I did, however, learn that I could make most anything I set my mind to. Thanks to YouTube there is pretty much a tutorial to show you how to do everything. That's where I learned to sew. I ruined A LOT of fabric! I'm on my 3rd sewing machine starting originally with a craft machine from QVC. Now I sew on a Babylock Quest Plus. It's a real workhorse of a machine.
I had a baby late in my life. I retired from the jewelry business and apply all my energy to my family. I started sewing because living in a warm climate I couldn't find lightweight, loose clothing for my daughter to wear. I started making matching clothing for the two of us because I didn't want to clash with her when we were together (I know that's crazy but some people are bugged by strange things!).
On my quest to have a pure child unaffected by this technology laden, plastic world I enrolled her in a Waldorf school. This was a wonderful early childhood experience for the both of us. The Waldorf philosophy embraces all things handmade. I started felting and dollmaking. My daughter has become a creative sponge. Phrase of most days is , "Let's do a craft mama!" Her fine motor skills are miles ahead of a child her age.
Hopefully you will find my posts interesting enough to follow. I will try to include pictures with all that I do for those of you who are intruction challenged as I am.
Feel free to follow!
Greetz! Jill
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