Iron Craft challege 14 and the wristlets I made.



The challenge this week was a difficult one for me - had to step outside my comfort zone. It was suppose to be sort of an Artist Trading Card - the idea was postcards. I DO NOT scrap! So I decided to sew one up. That was where it got difficult, I wanted to use all vintage things, but didn't want to ruin anything. That doesn't work does it?? So I chose a vintage quilt square, a hand embroidered dresser scarf, vintage pictures, old pins and quotes out of a vintage book. Whoa. So this is what I came up with

This is the first time we have exchanged any of our challenges and today I mailed this to Canada!

My next item is a wristlet I had made for the show back in March.  I made 12 I think and had only 3 left, not too bad really.  Plus, I made three others special order that I have already delivered and been paid for!  For these I add a vintage earring or brooch.  Make it special, let's face it, unless you have the other earring (which you don't I do:)) NO ONE else will have a bag like this regardless . . .  but isn't it so adorable!

The zipper on this one is vintage also. I also have to say, I don't think I have taken a better picture of anything either! But you know what the kick in the pants is? Only $20. Yep, cheap.

Wouldn't this black one be perfect for Prom? Cell phone, cash, lip stick, ID. Maybe one more thing no mother wants to admit too . . . would all fit perfect!



March 30th was National Doctor Appreciation day.  Our unit observed it and I offered to make them gift bags.  Somehow came up with idea for bow ties (bow ties or no ties is a movement the hospital is trying to initiate)   Anyway, I made 14 bow ties for our docs and they were super cute too.  I didn't do the regular bow tie that they would have to tie themselves, I bought the pattern off http://www.etsy.com wish I could remember her name. . . oh well - I will post that later, anyway the docs all got scarlet and grey (duh) but what you are about to see is a smaller version I made this evening.  I have this vintage tux I had picked up a couple Halloween's ago that I think will make awesome bow ties!!  Perfect for Grooms men's gifts perhaps?????  anyway, when I get there, I will post those put something to chew on for now is the little gentlemen ties.

Come on!!  So cute!

Til next time. I'll be sewing. :)

Some new bags.

So, or should it be sew?  Anyway, since the show, I have actually been sewing even more and totally enjoying it.  I think it is because I feel I got such a positive response. There could not have been that many people just feeling sorry for me right?  trust me - I am right.

I am now overwhelmed with everything I want to create.  I had sewn vintage clip on earrings onto some of these small wristlets I had made.  They were a big hit!  Now,I want to sew them onto everything - they really were that cute.  I won't but I would like too!


Damn, just tried to put a photo up, but only have it on my phone. So now I am going to put up some of the vinyl one's I have been working on. Those were a big hit too, not sure why - it is clear vinyl over fabric. Super easy to keep clean i guess is the attraction. Here they are.





This last one leaves a little something to be desired I think, just can't get it right yet, the curve is throwing me for a loop.

So the next one is a great big bag that I adore!!! I made it in white/blue also.  I think I have some yellow cut out also.

Isn't that awesome?  Think of how cute you would be in pictures hiding behind this behemoth!  Love it!  One of the girls I did the show with is making me a big flower out of red/oranges polka dot fabric to go over the flap.  There will be riots over owning this!

So here is just a couple more for your viewing pleasure!



Okay, any suggestions?  I have to figure out a way for you to see the wristlets!  Really will love them!





The Crafty B's of Bexley Trunk show was a huge success!

So the Trunk show that the Crafty B's hosted this weekend went great!!  We had so many friends, family, neighbors and strangers show up and I honestly think they were wowed by our collective work!  It was fun to work with a group of ladies to plan this who have had similar concerns and thoughts all along the way also! 
My dad made these awesome "trees" for us to showcase our work in the windows of the space we used, hopefully soon I will have photos of those to share!
I met multiple other inspiring sewers during this event!  I wish I had written down their names, but am hoping to run into them again soon, they all live in Bexley too so I think there is a good chance I will.
As always when preparing for a show, I got overwhelmed with all my fabric and pattern choices, but have a ton of new ideas I can't wait to get started on! Hopefully I will be posting photos soon, I have a couple on my facebook page so check those out for now!

Real Quick

Hi all,
Just wanted to real quick bring you up to date on some bags I have recently made and let you know that Me and the Crafty B's are hostessing a Trunk Show this weekend.  See my facebook page for detailed details!  I have been cutting up a storm on bags and vintage pillow case dresses!  Now I need to sew up a storm.  Sewing seems to take so much less time - in my mind anyway. 
I made the following for my girlfriend's daughters to give to their "big sis/little sis" dancing friends before their competitions last weekend.  The Glam Bag was for a 10 year old who's favorite color is turquoise.  the yellow bag was for a 17 year old who's fave is yellow.  I think they ended up hitting the mark - if I knew what the mark was:).

So enjoy the photos!  Let me know what you think!

The Iron Craft Challenge 5

So this week we were asked to "Create a Valentine."  I know everyone thinks for sure my romantic side was just bursting with ideas right?  Yeah right.  Luckily I had purchased yet another cake plate a few weeks ago at the thrift store that I had yet to put away and was smacked with a great idea.. . . . . A CAKE.  I have to be honest, not sure the cake and frosting are all that great.  The cake was Devil's Food (which I thought appropriate b/c of Valentines) but the butter frosting is lacking something.  Like sweetness.  Fortunately, this little challenge is over the Internet and I don't have to tote the cake down to Church basement to be judged. Whew.

I did use the Heart Cutout's from Target dollar AGAIN for this challenge.  Hard to tell now, but those are paper hearts forming the first impression of this Valentine.

Next I found a "snowflake heart" on-line. Printed, enlarged and cut it all out.  It went a bit astray from there as you can tell.  The snowflake got stuck multiple times and so some of the hearts look like, well, you can see. Nothing, something? Art is in the eye of the beholder right?

So once I got the snowflake cut out, I sprinkled the whole top with hot pink sugar crystals.  FYI, you just, "rub off" those crystals from the top of the cake.  They do stick.  Oh well.

Anyway, posting this tomorrow first thing on Flicker under the iron craft.  Seriously people, check this out!  You will want to do at least one thing on it even if you don't post it.  It's freezing outside, what else are you going to do?

HUGS!

My bunting is on someone else's website!

So the bunting I made is on theironcraft.blogspot.com!  Of course, everyone that submitted a photo made her page, but still.  I could've been the first she refused!  Anyway, there are many awesome buntings on the site, I really think you ought to check it out!
Take care all.

Iron Craft

Hello all! It sure has been awhile hasn't it?  Happy New Year!

This post is going to be a little different from the others.  I had mentioned in my heading that this blog is "about sewing and other things I create", but I have never posted those "other things I create".  Well now I am!  Take a gander at my Valentine's Day Bunting.

Somewhere in the blogging world I found a site called Iron Craft.  Iron Craft is a site dedicated to challenging crafty people to create a different craft once a week. I didn't partake the first 2 weeks, but joined in the fun this week.  The first week's challenge was to create "Winter Light".  If you visit the site, you will see some super amazing candle holders, white lights etc. The second week the challenge was to create a draft dodger.  One of those snakes that goes in front of your door or window to stop the draft. . . anyway there are some really cute (I know, who thought those could be cute?) items that were made. And while looking at all those photos I got jealous of all the creativity these other crafters were using!  So I made the bunting.  It was fairly simple, and I think, it is unique.  Here's how it went down. 

I had already purchased 2 packs of heart shaped doilies from the Target Dollar Bin.  Each pack had 20 hearts in it, I have only used one so far. Well, I sewed the hearts together using my sewing machine.  Now that wasn't terribly hard, but a few suggestions. 1) use a top stitch needle, a leather one was too much. 2) feed the hearts in slowly but separately 3) it isn't going to be perfect, even if Martha did it her personal self.  That's fine isn't it?  I think so.

After sewing them together I picked out about 25 buttons. Some red, some pink keeping with the Valentine's theme.  I then hand sewed the buttons on, alternating around the doilies where the button's were placed in order to keep the doilies from sagging in just one direction.  After actually sewing the first couple buttons on as if they keeping a set of DD's in place on a hooker, I realized, oh I only need to sew thru each hole on the button once or twice.  The paper was actually left more stable by only inserting the needle thru the same area those few times rather then securing it more.  Once all the buttons were on, all I had to do was find a cute spot for the super cute result!

If you want to join Iron Craft it's easy!  I might also mention out right, it isn't a requirement that you do all the crafts. You can just pick and choose.  Of course the "challenge" is to actually attempt all the crafts, thereby stepping outside your crafting comfort zone.  I definitely enjoyed my time creating this bunting and am looking very forward to the rest of the crafts this year.  Also, checking out other crafter's creations so openly is very cool.

Enjoy!