Ribbon wristlet key fobs

I have found another cute project on Pinterest. I found it here and it linked to a great picture tutorial, which is always my favorite kind of tutorial. 

I changed up the base of my wristlet key fobs from cotton webbing to the beautiful striped 1.25 inch wide ribbons from both SU! and CTMH. I have quite a collection of them and thought this would be a perfect project to use them on. I have a ton of decorative ribbon between my monthly Reasonable Ribbon subscription and a general addiction to collecting the pretty patterns where ever and when ever I see them. So I coordinated narrower ribbons with the striped ribbons and cut them in 11 inch lengths before stitching them together. I also sewed the cut ends of the ribbon together right side to right side so that when I turned it around the raw edged would be completely trapped in the cinched hardware. I ordered my hardware off of ebay here from craftsuppliesforless and found them to be very easy to clamp down around the ribbon ends just using a regular pair of pliers and a rag to protect the metal from getting scratched. I am probably never going to make enough of these to justify buying a $13.50 special crimp tool that is pretty much only used for this hardware. 

I have two friends who just bought new cars and another friend who just moved, so I thought these would be very appropriate and fun little gifts to give them in recognition of their new cars and home. And of course I picked my favorite and kept it for my keys.

  

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Tee's altered to fringe scarves

I have had this pin on Pinterest for quite a while. I finally took the plunge and pulled out an old tee that I never wore. Followed the easy picture instructions and created my own fringe-y infinity scarves. I like it, a lot. A lot more than the boring tee that it was before. 

So I made another. From another ugly, unworn tee. I learned some things. The black tee was a higher quality all around. Better knit, thicker. It is a better finished scarf. It has a better cowl effect and the fringe rolls up tighter and stays rolled better. The white tee was a very cheap one, thin and shapeless. The finished scarf is limp and does not lay as nice.

Both tee's were basic crew necks in XL size. I used my self healing mat and my rotary cutter. I cut off the hem and then cut right under the armpit, that left about 16 inches. So I cut my fringe in 1 inch widths and about 8 inches deep, not being overly exact at the stopping spot. After pulling all the fringe to stretch and create the rolled effect I then stretched the width also. This allows both scarves to be doubled up and still loose around the neck, also the edge rolls under so the raw edges don't really show anywhere.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Ruffled tote bag

It's been sooo long. Sorry. I was suffering from bronchitis and my family all got it too. Of course it takes me the longest to recover from it. Ugh. But I think I am getting my mojo back. I have been playing with paper a little. But it's nothing new, just repeats of projects I have already shown, but I have been knitting and sewing up a storm. I seem to do this once or twice a year, just switch gears completely and go for the fibre's and fabrics instead of paper. This is one of those fabric projects I have been eager to do. I have pinned on Pinterest a bunch of these ideas, the one that influenced the final project the most is this one. This will make a nice trick or treating bag.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

IPod pouch from shirt cuff

I love recycling, upcycling whatever you want to call it. It's a personal challenge to make something cool or at least useful out of something that someone else might consider garbage. My hubby and I have differing opinions about what is garbage and what still has use in it. So he was going to toss out a long sleeved shirt that was practically brand new and I couldn't do it. So I put it in the donate bag. Then I saw this idea on Pinterest and changed my plans. *Bonus, I cut the sleeves off at the length of other dress shirts he had and hemmed it up. Now he likes and wears the shirt he was going to toss in the garbage. Win, win!

This is the perfect size for carrying my IPod back and forth to work in my bag. It's unique and kinda funky. I like it.



I altered the quickie tutorial that Pinterest links to, just a little bit. I needed some extra room to allow it to hold an IPod so I cut off the part of the sleeve right above the cuff, the parts that make up the slit to allow your hand to fit through the narrowest part of the sleeve. I used those already stitched parts to sew into the sides to make it wider and allow it to hold something thicker. This was a pretty fun and quick little project.


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Ipod bag

Here is my attempt to use up some of the fabric scraps left over from my Disney inspired quilted book bag. It's an Ipod baggy. So cute. Lined with black with white polka dots and then yellow striped ribbons for the pull ties.

It's a perfect fit. Now I might need a Disney design skin for my Ipod. Oh yeah!


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Quilted book bag

Woo Hoo! I am celebrating. It is finished. A strip pieced and quilted book bag in Disney inspired selection of fabrics. I found inspiration from this picture on pinterest. If you double click on a photo in pinterest it should take you right back to the original location on the web, it does in this case. The original post gives some info about the design details. I changed it up a bit, but it was an awesome starting point. I am still considering making the adorable flowers though. Or I might make a new Ipod bag to match my book bag. I have scraps, and you know how I hate to waste scraps. :)

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Sewing and organizing

This is what I am working on right now. Its going to be a book bag when its all said and done. I got the inspiration from here, and just had to run with it. I have been saving this gorgeous Disney inspired fabric selection for just the right project. Something I could use every day and enjoy seeing it often. Perfect solution. It's not completed yet but I wanted to share because it has been dominating my attention and time lately. I will post a photo when it is completed.

I am also working on organizing a little bit. I have had a few trips to Scheel's and Cabella's with my guys this past month, and these are my big finds. I do not know where I originally read about using ammo boxes to store the small alphabet stamp sets, but they work perfectly. They make it really easy to use the stamps, pulling them out and replacing is a dream. Yea!!!


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Halloween book marks

I am making Halloween bookmarks for some coworkers and my boys. I had made some Valentines book marks earlier this year and had a specific request for more holiday themed ones. I'm always up for a challenge.
I used Debbie Mumm and DCWV fall matstack papers. I did a little sewing, a little heat embossing, add a little ribbon and hemp cording and punch the corners with the cute little SU! ticket corner and voila! I used CTMH stamp sets A1100 Boo-tiful, D1180 Happy Haunting & D1311 October Word Puzzle.

Here's a close up of the details.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Rag quilt tote bag

I made this tote bag for my dear friend, for her birthday. I got the inspiration from mychicnscratch.com, she has made a wonderful tutorial series on making these bags. The videos really are terrific. I used the SU! scallop square and cut the denim and also the cotton fabrics in my cuttlebug. The denim I can cut 2 layers at one pass, the cotton fabric I can cut 6 layers at one pass. Super-dee-duper fast and easy.


I recycled old jeans, cutting them up to use for this project. Even the straps and the button closure are recycled from cut up jeans. This tote takes 30 denim squares and 24 cotton squares, I used double layer denim on the bottom for extra strength.
Enjoy!

Sewing is crafting too

I have been a busy bee today. I found 1 blog about sewing and altering t-shirts and all that good crafty stuff....and that led to another blog and another until I had added about 8 new sewing and altering clothing blogs to my blog reader. They all highly motivated me. So I got out the sewing machine (dusted it off, for shame) and have been going strong since this morning, with only short breaks for meals and laundry. ;)

I made 2 of these gathered clutches mostly because in my sewing/fabric stash I found a single quilt square that I must have been attempting a new style on(probably a decade ago). Cut in half it was the exact measurements for 2 clutches. Woo hoo! I just happen to know a mom who almost always says "Did you make me one?" Yes, mom I did. I am already using my clutch as a makeup bag in my purse. The finished size is 4.5x8.5 inches. The fantastic tutorial for this gathered clutch came from Noodleheads.blogspot.com 04-22-10 post. If you sew you really have to check her out, but be forewarned it is addictive!

This is my own design, maybe that's why it is so plain compared to the clutch. But I was in need of a new Ipod carrying bag and I had some scraps sitting on the table from the clutch. 1, 2, 3 and there I have it. It will be sturdy and functional, not exceptionally pretty but its cute enough.

Digging deeper into my fabric stash I found this gorgeous lightweight seersucker that was perfect for this adorable summer scarf I saw at dana-made-it.com 07-02-08 post. Her photos are much more beautiful then mine but I really love this red seersucker. I am going to enjoy this for a long time to come. I'm certain of it. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my excited rambling. I hope you get excited over a long lost love of some kind. Enjoy!