Happy Birthday Laurel!

My niece turned 5 yesterday and we had an Angry Birds birthday. She loves the birds and so do I. I decided to make a live action Angry Birds and she loved it. I even created a "new" bird just for her. It is a pink flamingo. I hadn't told her it was a new bird yet and when she saw it she told me that it was nice but next time I might want to make the toucan a little more green. The boxes are just empty boxes (cereal, shoe, etc.) that were wrapped. It was a little confusing at first that they weren't actual presents for her to open and she wasn't quite sure how to play. But once I explained and showed her how to play the game she loved it. She enjoyed restacking the boxes to make a new game just as much as she enjoyed throwing the birds. She was even coming up with strategies for the order she was going to use the birds. Oh and the "King Pig" always has to be on the highest box according to her.

There are tutorials and patterns to make your own Angry Birds here: http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2009/01/make-it-for-you.html

I didn't end up using the patterns because I was too lazy to print them out and figured they were pretty easy to make on my own and I made a few small alterations. But I did look over her tutorials and took some of the advice. Also the tutorial uses fleece but I used felt because it was cheaper. I also had to unstuff a couple of my own pillows to make the birds because I forgot to buy stuffing. I guess I'll have to buy stuffing later for my pillows. How I forgot stuffing on my two trips to the craft store for materials for this project I'll never know?!?!?

I spent a lot of time editing the little photoshop photo at the top for her birthday too (I'd printed out a couple and hung them around the house) and was thrilled when she was looking at it and said, "Hey the pigs stole the present!!"While I wasn't expecting a 5 year old to pick up on all the little details I went to the trouble of making she really did notice everything and comment on it. I think she has an eye like her auntie.

Attempt #1

Attempt #2

Attempt #3

Candles out!

I love that she hasn't yet blown out the candles and she already has a half eaten cupcake in her hand... she is an Anderson! (Grandma is not going to be happy she is in the picture. Sorry Grandma but we have so few pictures of you anyway and I love your smile!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAUREL!!!

SYTYC: Week Three Revealed

Week 3 came to an end last night and I lived to see another week. This week I had a little bit more of a cushion between me and last place. Projects geared toward kids appear to be the most popular and well since I don't have kids crafting for them really isn't on my mind. Anyway here is my project since I can reveal it now...

The Cozy Clutch

This is a project I've had in the back of my head for a while and of course all the supplies for too! When I saw there was a 'cozy' theme I knew I had better get started! This project combines two of my favorite crafty hobbies - crocheting and sewing! I'm calling this the 'Cozy Clutch'.

The finished size is is roughly 6x10. I've sewn in some sturdy plastic sheets hidden between layers of the interior fabric to make the clutch durable.

As you can see there is plenty of room for the basics in the main compartment and a small pocket for anything you'd like to keep separate. A magnetic snap keeps everything securely inside.

One of these weeks I am hopefully going to have time to make one where I iron out some of the minor mistakes I made in creating this first clutch. Then if all goes well I will finally list something in my etsy shop and we'll see how it goes.

Shower Curtain

FINISHED

My new place is now complete with a new shower curtain! I decided I wanted a shower curtain that no one else had, so I made my own. Since I now have lots of fabric on hand I decided to make is a mix of lots of different prints. I even added my own grommets at the top. I actually started before I moved but wasn't able to get it finished until last week. It is up now and looking good!

One problem presents itself when piecing together a shower curtain like it is a quilt top... all those ugly seams on the back side. Sure it is facing the liner but I wanted it to look pretty. So I got some white fabric that was super cheap and not 100% cotton because who cares it is after all facing the liner and pieced together a back and then hemmed the edges.

I'm really happy with the finished result.

New Apartment - Sweet Craft Room!

Finished

It has been almost 6 weeks since I posted anything and that is because I moved! I've been very busy setting up my new place and fighting with comcast about installing my internet. So not having internet has kept me away too! But finally with the arrival of my first visitors - my mom and my aunt... I got my place together and with the help of RCN I once again have internet.

But the most exciting part of my move, the reason I rented this apartment is the space I am using as my craft room! I couldn't be happier with the way it all worked out. I love every inch of it! But don't take my word for it, see for yourself:

My door desk!

Beads in salt-n-pepper shakers!

Love my built-ins!

A great home for my fabric stash!

My sewing table with a great view of a ginko tree!

My card catalog to organize all of my supplies!

All of the pictures of my craft room and the rest of my new place can be found in this set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imalisawork/sets/72157624612234232/

Cheers!

Sewing: T-Shirt Embellishment

FINISHED

I was at Old Navy the other day and I saw this cute little cardigan with these almost origami like fabric squares sewn on. I immediately decided I could do that only better. So today I succeeded in completing a similar (but better) project. I used an Old Navy v-neck t-shirt and dipped into my fabric stash and this is what I came up with:

I also photographed the process:

I used a square quilting template that was 3"x3". I used two different fabrics and a piece of fusible applique to join the two fabrics together.

Once I had my little fabric sandwich I used my iron to press the square in half and then in half again so I could easily find the center point.

Since I wanted the pink fabric to be the inside color I started with the pink side up. Just like folding origami (but with an iron) I pressed all the corners up to the center.

Then I opened the piece back up and flipped it over so I could trim off just the slightest bit of fabric from the triangle pieces I just created by folding. That way the pink can show through a little more.

Flipping the square back over to the pink side I had to refold the pieces I just unfolded to trim and gave them one more quick press. I flipped the fabric over so my print/grey side was facing up and once again folded in the corners to the center and pressed them down.

I repeated those steps two more times so I had three squares. And then because I will take any excuse to use my dress form:

I put the shirt on my dress form (or Duct Tape Lisa as I like to call her) and pinned on my fabric origami squares (finished they are 1 3/4").

Final step was to sew them to my shirt. I didn't use interfacing on the inside I just made sure the shirt was flat and not pulled too tight to stretch the fabric and sewed them down. I used a pink thread and just sewed backward/forward a few times down each spot where the pink was peaking through. This not only attached them to the shirt but it held down the folds I made.

And the finished piece you obviously saw pictured above. I am going to fabric origami everything!! It will be my new obsession... I can never have too many craft obsessions! Right? Luckily this one isn't expensive like some of my most recent obsessions... metalsmithing... quilting.

Sewing: Sara's Birthday Present

FINISHED

I celebrated my friend Sara's birthday with her today (a couple weeks late!) I made her a Buttercup bag and I also made the gift bag to put it in. It is fabric! The gift bag I just sort of made up as I went along. It worked out alright. I had some difficulty sewing the bottom piece on, but I think it turned out pretty darn cute. She commented on how much she loved my Buttercup bag when she got in my car. Little did she know there was one waiting for her. I used this fake suede looking fabric and since it was difficult to sew through multiple layers of this thick fabric I opted to make it a clutch.

Sewing: Robe Project, Finished

FINISHED

I finished this last month, but didn’t get around to sharing it until now. I had originally posted back on January 21 that I started this project. It was the last project for my sewing class. It is a bit too big on me but it is warm and cozy, so it doesn’t really bother me too much. I decided to use my new dress form as a model. It is a little hard to tell in the photo but that blob of fabric on the back photo is a hood. I am still finding pieces of fuzz from cutting the fabric randomly around my apartment. The entire robe is French seamed to keep the fuzzy ends from fraying and continuing to shed.

Sewing: Dress FormS

FINISHED

I finished this a few weeks ago but just got around to taking pictures this afternoon. I made my own dress form. But I can’t take all the credit, a big thank you goes to my best good friend, Sara Miller. You know you have a good friend when you ask her to wrap you in duct tape and without hesitation she says, “Yes!” Then after she is done she begs you to wrap her in duct tape. Yes, I was kind enough to return the favor.

I wish we would have taken some photos of the process. Basically, I put an old shirt on, she wrapped me in duct tape and then very carefully cut me out of it. I stuffed the inside with newspaper and stuffing. I was lucky enough to discover an old floor lamp, with a super sturdy base, in the basement laundry room at my apartment (there is all sorts of discarded crap lying around down there) and I attached it to my duct tape self and there you have it. A dress form made to my exact measurements for the cost of four rolls of hot pink duct tape (Duck brand - it was made for breast cancer awareness).

Sewing/Metalsmithing: Purse

FINISHED

Sewing met metalsmithing on this project. I sawed and hammered the piece on the purse clasp a few weeks ago in class and wasn’t sure what to do with it until last week. It is made out of copper, but with the help of a brass brush shined it up to more a golden color. I went to Jo-Ann’s with a deep purple in mind for the purse and as luck should have it I found both fabrics next to each other in the remnants bin just waiting for me to buy them at half off. The liner fabric even has shiny gold fibers outlining the flowers. I included a magnetic clasp hidden behind the flower piece and sewed a pocket on the inside. Maybe I will make a matching wallet with the remaining fabric.

Sewing: Dog Coats

FINISHED

I feel like posting something I’ve actually finished. I made these dog coats for Peanut and Lucky in the late fall of ’09. The coats seem to be doing the job of keeping these shorthair pups a little bit warm on cold days. I used an old coat of mine that was made from a waterproof material and a fuzzy blanket to create these. I just made it up as I went along there is was no pattern, or my own pattern I guess you could say. The existing pockets of the coat made for cute little pouches where you can stash a poop bag on the back of the newly designed coats. I also worked the existing belt of the coat and belt loop into the new dog coat design. I originally used velcro as a fastener both on the neck and under the stomach, but have replaced them for snaps to help the coats stay on better. I embroidered Peanut’s with of course a peanut and Lucky’s with a clover. And I just realized how bad it looks see the word ‘finished’ over those very sweet doggy faces, but I think I’ll leave it anyway. No animals were harmed during the making of this blahg post.

Sewing: Robe Project

WORK IN PROGRESS

The robe we are working on in my sewing class. It is coming together. I should finish it in the next class. So far I have belt loops, sleeves, sleeve cuffs and a body. Just need to work on finishing the edges, the belt and adding a hood! The last picture is of the pattern we are using to make the robe. The fabric is super fuzzy (it is the same as those fuzzy blankets you see everywhere I think they are called Serasoft) and is leaving tiny pieces of itself all over my apartment as I cut the different pattern pieces out. It will take months to remove I’m sure.