Flower Pillow for Mom

I made this pillow awhile ago for my mom and decided to share it.

It's a round pillow embroidered with a flower. Each petal represents one of my mom's kids (five kids = five petals) with miltiple hearts in the center. Around the edge is embroideered the phrase "The Power of a  Mother's Love is like an ever-blooming flower."

Baby Blessing Quilt: Part 7 (More Embellishment)

After the five pieces were sewn together and ironed, I added more embroidery and fleece hearts. By adding more embellishments AFTER the pieces were sewn securely together allowed me to add images and words spanning more than one piece as well as reinforce the seams where they were sewn together.

I used a flower, more hearts, and a few words ("love," "dream," and "hope").

Baby Blessing Quilt: Part 6 (Piecing it Together)

I pieced the small blessing quilt together, first laying it out, then sewing the three pieces of the left side and two pieces of the right side before sewing the right and left side together.

It's starting to take shape... literally.

Part 5: Baby Blessing Quilt (5th piece)

The fifth piece of the Baby Blessing Quilt is much like others in that I embroidered a blessing (a Jewish blessing this time) onto a piece of fabric (white/ivory this time) and appliqued a couple fleece hearts onto it. This is the last of the pieces to make up the front It's not a big finished project but it will be enough to sere it's purpose.

Fifth piece (not squares here).

It reads:
"In every birth, blessed is the wonder.
"In every creation, blessed in the new beginning.
"In every child, blessed is the life.
"In every Hope, blessed is the potential.
"In every transition, blessed is the beginning.
"In every existence blessed are the possibilities.
"In every love, blessed are the tears.
"In every life bless is the love.
           "-Jewish Blessing-"

Part 4: Baby Blessing Quilt (4th peice)

The fourth piece of the Baby Blessing Quilt is larger than the rest with an Irish Baby Blessing embroidered in black on rose fabric with a butterfly and heart added (not obvious to see but the letters show better in person and the other bits are as much for texture as anything else - sometimes subtle additions can be a nice added touch).

Piece Four (still no square).

It reads:
"May all blessings of our Lord touch your life today.
"May He send his little angels to protect you on your way.
"Such a miraulacous gift sent from above.
"Someone so precious to cherish and love.
"ay sunshine and moonbeams dance over your head.
"As you quietly slumber in your bed.
"May good luck be with you wherever you go.
"And your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.
          "-Irish Baby Blessing-"

Ceramics Flashback

This jewelry box was from my eighth grade art class. (I re-found it recently packed away in a box.) Once upon a time it had a square lid with a handle that fit it approximately. The lid seems to be a casualty of time, but the box itself is in one piece. It still is engraved with my last name and class period on the bottom (from before it went in to kiln) as well as my full name, year, and what appears to be y teacher's grade penciled on the bottom of it. (Pretty sure it was an A.)

 It may not have been perfect but for a kid it was my way from the shape to the heart on one side to the rough rainbow on the other and the green and brown glaze.

I have a lot of great memories from that lass... it seems some that even have something to do with art. It was the last art class I took in school choosing to spent my high school arts in music.

Wooden Dove

The wooden dove is from a pattern of my grandpa's. He made them and he helped us make them.The wooden dove is made from one piece of wood with a small wooden heart attached with clear fishing line. I have two that he helped me make that hang in my windows. They serve as a reminder that we need Peace on Earth everyday.

Embroidered Poetry Book

 As a part of April's National Poetry Month, April 14 (2011) is Poem in Your Pocket Day and, of course, I needed something to help celebrate and embrace this idea. (Poetry is important to the human soul.) Generation T had a great idea to make a Poetic Pocket Square, but I wanted something a little different, a little more me. (And something that would hold more than just one poem. I couldn't choose just one.) I needed space for more than just one poem and so came about this Embroidered Poetry Book, sewn together with a little heart and a little imagination. (The best combination for any project.) Oh, and some fabric and embroidery floss, too. (Everything was stuff I already had on hand.)

I embroidered the front outside and inside of the cover with colorful thread colors on green fabric. (I chose to make the 'cover' green and the 'pages' white, but there is no hard fast rule top any fabric or color choices.) For the inside pages of my fabric book, I chose three poems to embroider; including  Emily Dickinson's "If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking," Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken," and Maya Angelou's "The Traveler." I sketched all the fabric with a pencil before sewing the words and details before sewing.

My mind is now full of ideas for another fabric book or two in other themes or purposes. One could make a great, personal, gift for the right person and occasion.

Watch out world - I have poems in my pocket and a trip through the washer won't blur the words.

Poetry For Ransom

Why spend the money on a set or so of 'magnetic poetry" when you can make your own individualized set and recycle in the process? (A double whammy of April's National Poetry Month and celebrating the mantra "Reduce. Reuse. Recycle." Yay for Earth Day!)

These magnets can be easy and totally personalized. (Who doesn't love personalization?) Using words I cut from old magazines and ads I attached them to old sheet style magnets from torn, tattered, and magnets no longer needed with Mod Podge. (Like the ones often given away at fairs and things for businesses, politicians running for office, and community organizations.) Of course, you can also get magnet sheets and strips at craft and office stores, but I had these on hand to be recycled/reused for something already. The Mod Podge secured the words to the magnets and gave a nice sealing finish when dry.

The Gift Of Jewelry

Peace Sign Necklace from C.

I not only give handmade gifts, but sometimes I receive them from friends and family as well. Jewelry has been a part of it.

A friend dabbled in jewelry making and made me a bead and wire necklace with a peace sign (somehow it made her think of me) and a few feathers.

The ring is braided wire soldered together. I don't remember exactly where it came from, but I think it found it's way into my collection while at one of my camps.

The Heart Jewelry set was bride's maid gift from my cousin's wedding, complete with a silver wire heart pendent on the necklace & earrings and a matching blue and silver bracelet. The Bride designed the jewelry with a jewelry making friend from her church and we were given them the morning of the wedding. Our dresses were an ice blue and we wore the jewelry for the wedding. (The mothers of the bride and groom where also given bracelets.) The clasps are magnetized (making it a bracelet I can can actually clasp on my own).

Wire Ring

Heart Jewelry Set

Charm Hemp Necklace

This is just hemp charm necklace is an example of something fun I was playing around with. The charms were made with tiny bits of white Sculpey clay and bits of twisty ties inserted into the clay before they were baked (according to the direction on the package). I made a flower, a heart, a rose, a flat disc (to be used as a peace sign), and a small ball (to be used as a small globe).

They were then painted with acrylic paint (the globe with green bits, a peace sign on red, an orange and yellow flower, a yellow rose, and a black heart).

Once dry, the charms were used in making the hemp macrame necklace, made using an equal combination of simple half and square knots. (I used twenty of each in the pattern.) The clay charms were attached to the central strand in an equal spacing as I worked. The end is made from a loop and a button to act as the clasp.

Macrame is one of many of the retro 60s crafts that were the most popular at camp. I taught macrame knots pretty much every week to campers and the knots are often used in making friendship bracelets or anklets. I had a hemp and bead anklet my supervisor at my first camp made me and other staff members.

Boxes

Painted pressed paper box

Sometimes you just need someplace to put your trinkets, treasures, jewelry, gifts, or other little bits. They come in all shapes and sizes, can be made from all sorts of materials, and can be decorated in a variety of ways.

I painted a fire-inspired marbling effect on the round pressed paper box that can be found at most craft stores. I accented it with the black swirls and sealed it with an acrylic spray sealer to keep the paint nice and to give it a nice shine. It's just the right size to hole loose chance emptied from a pocket, rings, bracelets, a necklace, worry dolls, little notes, a set of keys, or other little bits.

The pressed paper boxes are available in different sizes and shapes and can be used in all sorts of ways. I have a few that are small, dollhouse size.

The heart shaped box is made from fuseable beads and a heart shaped form. Using the heart shaped form I made two full hearts, one for the bottom of the box and one for the lid, fusing them per the directions with the special iron paper and an iron. Then I made three hearts that were just the outline of the heart to form the walls. Using a needle and thread I attached the bottom and the three side pieces to form a box. For the one pictured, I used a few stitches to attach the lid and make it flip up.

Fuse Bead Box

 There are a lot of things you can do with the fuse beads, available in kits the include the pegboards, special paper, and special fusing beads or beads and boards separately. We used the beads at one camp and I have used them with kids I have watched around home to make boxes, coasters, sun catches, dice, magnets, and other little things to hang and decorate with. (Check Out these pegboard forms) (Oriental Trading Co. Supplies) (Perler Bead Supplies)

The folded paper box is another nice little box that is versatile, easy to make, and a nice touch for certain things. They are a nice added touch for gift giving that can be made to preferred size. I use them for all sorts of  little things and gift giving.

Needlepoint - "Listen to Your Heart"

I learned to needlepoint and hand sew as a young age, young enough I don't remember learning hoe to thread a needle. I learned embroidery first, then cross stitch. My mother was afraid if we learned cross stitch first, we'd never learn the fancier stitches. I used a pattern, but not the pre-printed kind. (I never like the way they look for cross stitch).

I entered it in our county fair, but this one didn't place.

Misc. Jewelry Creations

Double Row Hemp Choker

Some of these pieces of jewelry were camp related projects and some where not. I don't claim to be an expert on jewelry making and some skill sets are new to me.

The Double Row Hemp Choker was my own take on the macrame knots I have been doing for years. I taught basic macrame using square and half knots at camp, mostly used for bracelets, necklaces, and chokers. This was a design I played with on my own inter-knotting two rows of square knots. One week half the camp ended up using thick macrame chord (donated and probably from someone's 70's or 80s stash) to make macrame belts. Retro definitely has never gone away with hemp chord and macrame chord. Check out more on the Double Row Hemp Sq. Knot Choker

Dream Catcher Earrings

The Dream Catcher Earrings were the result of working at a camp located in an area where American Indian Culture was celebrated and Pow Wow was held annually. I was playing with making my own out of what I had on hand. (There were some necklaces and stuff made too that were given away.) These were made from a couple of key rings, brown embroidery thread, a few small wooden beads, a couple small orange feathers, and two earring hooks. Check out more on my Dream Catcher Earrings

Charm Bracelet with homemade charms

When I was younger my mom had a charm bracelet that I was fascinated with, complete with charms that all had meaning to her. This charm bracelet was made with chain and hook from the jewelry section of the craft store with re-purposed old earrings and homemade charms that all were significant to me. A heart, a mermaid (I kind of have a things for mermaids), a flower, a tree of life, a peace sign (of course), a couple small butterflies, and a few tiny bead strands. The homemade charms were created from discarded twisty ties, stripped of the plastic or paper coverings, then twisted and altered into various shapes (needle nose pliers helped here). Most of the shapes took a lot more twisties than one might have originally planned.

It didn't me long to get aggravated with stripped on the plastic or paper coverings on the twisty ties, so I resorted to using a controlled bit of flame to burn the covering off. Of course, making sure they were cool before munipulating them into shapes. The tiny bits of wire, were not the easiest things to form, but it was a challenge I was glad I took on. (Look ma, no injuries.) The end result was a new bracelet and a great learning experience. More on my Twisty Tie Charm Bracelet

The Seashell Jewelry (necklace and earrings) got easily inspired by a large collection of shiny tiny glass beads in all sorts of blues, greens, ambers, and browns with a nice assortment of seashells mixed with my thing for mermaids. (It just keeps finding a way to reappear, so you might as well get used to it.) I used a jewelry make wire, catch (for the necklace), and earring hooks that I had one hand (plus of working at a camp) to string the beads and attach the shells.

Seashell Jewelry

My original intend when starting these ocean inspired pieces was to use them as part of a mermaid costume that I have been playing with sketches and construction ideas. The costume hasn't been built yet, but I haven't given up on it. (I'm still playing with some ideas.) Have no worries though, the jewelry was used this past year when I helped a couple friend with Halloween Costumes and one of them went as the Ocean. The seashells and beads were a nice touch with the creation of flowing blues and greens with various sea creatures thrown in for fun. These have proven to be a great addition to my costume collection (and yes, I have one, one that takes up it's own closet, but that is another story for another day). Check out more on the Seashell Jewelry

Celebrate the art of being who you want to be and wearing the things that mean something to you.