New Etsy Shop

My Etsy shop is finally open for business. Please, come take a look! floatytoes.etsy.com

do the dishes!

These sweet dishtowels are knitted with Lily Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton yarn. I used the Dishcloth pattern from the Knit Knack Kit by Kris Percival. These will go with the Market Totes to my familial gals. They come together pretty quickly and are a pretty and functional handmade gift!!

I went to a craft night tonight with a bunch of folks from our old neighborhood. The function was hosted by the good people at the Happen N Place on SE Gladstone and 42nd here in Portland, OR. I had a great time and everyone in attendance was super happy to be there. I encourage everyone reading this to start up or participate in a fun craft night with the people you enjoy surrounding yourself with.

Happy December!! It's cold!

totes, totes and more totes!!!!

Again, with the totes!! I made two more using the Market Tote pattern in Amy Butler's Sew-It Kit. I love these things!!!

Christmas Cards

This year I finally decided to make the Christmas cards that I have been wanting to make for so long, design inspired by Martha Stewart. I like mine better, actually :)

I sewed the satin and grossgrain ribbon onto the paper with a metallic red thread. Then I got a slightly larger piece of watercolor paper and painted red around both sides. When it was dry I glued the tree on on side. On the other side I used my Vintage Alphabet Stamps to write " XOXO, C AND J"(as in Chloe and John). It says it all.

Inspired to quilt!

After reading Anna Maria's post today about the Uncommon Quilter book, I was inspired to do the quilt I want to do, mostly because I was reminded that you can take baby steps to eventually create something grand.

I told my friend Marissa about a dream I had, where I created a huge quilt (big enough for my California King sized bed) that was covered with gnomes and forests and gnome homes (I like that - gnome homes).

Of course, the quilt I envisioned looked like it would take a lifetime.

BUT!

If I did one panel per week, 4 per month, that would be 48 panels in a year, which would be a 8x6 quilt. I have to figure out how big each panel will be, but you get the idea. By the end of the year I should have my gnome fantasy quilt!

Fabric silhouette paintings

This is one of the funnest projects ever, although it took a lot of sitting and thinking about what would be cool in silhouette form and not cheesy (like old timey face silhouettes) and not trendy (like something you might see at Urban Outfitters). I finally settled on three different ducks. I guess it's a little cheesy, but I love how they came out.

The idea comes from Anna Maria Horner, and you can see a video tutorial of her making them on the Martha Stewart Show HERE.

She uses canvas that is stretched over wood, and her tutorial requires a staple gun. I went an easier route. I got a three pack of flat canvas boards from Aaron Bros (so cheap!!!!), and I Mod Podged the entire front (like Anna Maria), AND used the same Mod Podge to glue the fabric around to the back of the canvas board. No staple gun necessary! Mod Podge is awesome and great for so many things. I used a glossy finish, but you could just as easily use a matte finish, which I would also like to try. I let that dry on the back for about a half hour and the front for another half hour. This project requires almost no patience :)

Then I printed out the silhouettes I found, cut them out, laid them on the fabric coated canvases, and drew around them with a pencil. Then I either painted in the lines, or on the outside of the lines. Voila! Done!

A few hours later I went back and did a second coat of paint, but the first coat looked pretty good by itself. I would also suggest going back and sealing the whole thing. Mod Podge is perfect for that too!

This is a great way to use a piece of fabric that is too small for any other project. I am excited to try several more themed sets of these!

Totes, revisited

I was so in love with the totes that Marissa made that I had to make some of my own. I am incredibly happy about how they came out, I was giddy while finishing them. The only change I made to the pattern was to do alternating straps (to match the lining). I didn't get a picture of the insides but the bags are lined with the same fabric as the handles. I love the fabrics and now I have started to venture into the 'home decor' section of fabric shops....I never had a need before! Getting that stuff on sale is a big plus, it can be dreadfully expensive. The one tip I would give to anyone is to match up the handles on the bottom of the bag (see picture) so when they are sewed together it looks like one continuous line. If the handles are the same fabric, you won't really notice, but you surely will if it is an alternating pattern. Did I mention I was in love with these totes?

Sling Bag

Otherwise known as a hobo bag, sometimes. This bag was made by request, sort of. I asked my sister what kind of bag she wanted and this is the closest thing we came up with. I started with a Vogue pattern, and altered it so that it could be lined. I love everything lined. Plus it gives you a chance to use a fun fabric on the inside. I used a nice soft 21 wale corduroy for the outside, and a cotton print on the inside.