Friday Fun

Now here is a great (and healthier) candy corn treat. What a fun October dessert idea!

wednesday wow

Such a great sampler from this wonderful blog Lots of interesting piecework mixed with hand stitching, unique coloring and use of embellishments. Lots to inspire the imagination here!

a good start...

Typically I change something as I start sewing, but so far so good.

vintage image saturday

Trick or Treat!

friday fun

This is too cute and too easy ~ must make! Here is the step by step tutorial.

Wednesday Wow...from Linda in Washington

This is the sampler that I received from Linda in September. Oh how I love it! Great fabric, layout, details, and that adorable image! Linda has a great eye and such talent! Thank you so much! She sent along a couple of vintage goodies too~ 2 vintage photos and a fun little vintage vinyl purse pouch with an old, folded plastic rain bonnet tucked inside (unused, of course!) She knows what makes me tick! (As soon as I remember where I stashed it, I'll take a picture of it to share. Good grief!)

is it Monday already?

The weekend flew by without any studio time for me...I usually show a sampler update Monday, but instead, I'll show you this lovely finished piece that I just happen to ADORE. It originated here on Etsy, but alas, it is sold. The message is perfect for today!

vintage image saturday

A mix of sweet and wacky for you! Sisters joined at the braid make perfect witches~ just add hats!

friday fun...wear it!

The dress is from Etsy. Before you rush off to order it, it is sold! But here is the link to the shop.
The tutorial for the adorable costume is here.
Read about the fun fingernails here.
And the hat can be purchased here

Wednesday Wow

This is a fabric collage journal cover that originated in this Etsy shop.(It is sold.) So great for October! I've used this witch image a few times myself- very fun.

make it monday...leaf embellishments

Have a little crafting time? Cut some fall leaves from fabric or felt. Large and/or small. Leave some plain and dress some up by sewing on buttons, beads, sequins, doing some embroidery or blanket stitching around the edges. Use them on your fabric samplers, cards, tags and other Fall crafties!

I found the fall leaves pillow here , the pretty embellished felt leaf brooches here, and the 3 leaf embellishments here.

vintage image saturday

October!

Can you believe it? Time appears to be on fast forward. I decided to think outside of the box - the project box that is, for this month's sampler. I am making my sampler for Lorraine this month! One thing I always look forward to in October, besides beautiful falling leaves, "sweater weather", and my son Justin's birthday, is CANDY CORN! Oh how I love candy corn! Guess What? It is no longer a part of my diet...at all...not even a little. But that's okay. Besides being adorable, fat free, tasty and fun...it has no nutritional value and enough sugar to leave us comatose! So moving forward from this Fall on, I choose to celebrate the adorable side of candy corn! And that's how the theme for my October sampler was born...
There will be lots of extra posts this month...I have found so much FALL FUN to share!

for Elizabeth

My finished sampler and goodies for Elizabeth are on their way to Texas. I really enjoyed creating this for her, and I hope she likes it!

Today is the last post for September...See you October 1st!

Happy Anniversary, Susie!

Susie's Anniversary as a breast cancer survivor date was September 17th. I ended up not making a fabric tag. I had a few ideas and played around with some layouts, but nothing struck me.

As I was digging through my stamps for inspiration, I ran across this very severe woman... She is a fun joke between Susie and I. Over the course of a year or so, whenever we were shopping at our favorite art store together, Red Lead, one of us would invariably pick her up and slip it into the other's basket. Upon discovery of the "scary lady stamp" in our basket, we would scold the sister who did it this time, and put the stamp back on the shelf. Well, one day, she never made it back to the shelf. She stayed in Susie's basket and was my birthday gift that year! I save her for special occasions...just for Susie.

So when I saw her, the phrase "Six is a serious number" came to my head. It is the campaign slogan for "Mobil On The Run" during baseball season. If the Cardinals score 6 runs, all drinks are 50 cents the next day. It's been going on for several years, so the slogan is a bit of St Louis culture. And amazingly enough, the crown stamp that I used has a tiny number 6 on it which gives it a "random artsy" touch. (I realized this to my delight after I had already stamped it and was cutting it out! Serendipity! Or so I thought...

I felt that I should share the back story of this tag, because the average normal person might look at it and think, "Oh my, what a odd way to congratulate someone! That tag is downright strange!" So even though I had really intended to make a lovely and sweet fabric tag, I felt that this tag is more reflective of our unique relationship! Little did I know...

When I gave Susie the tag, she looked at it, smiled at the sight of our favorite scary face, and then said, "Linda, I think it's been seven years." Oh hell. I did it again. The story of my life! So, the tag really was a unique reflection of our relationship! I am the family "ditz", and I stuck again! She loved the tag, and didn't mind the number error ~ sisters are like that. It was a "Linda" gift, that's for sure.

So there you have it.

I also gave her this "tickled pink" mason jar filled with (much less serious) pink goodies. The pig on the tag? Well that's another story...

The Fall Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Fall goodies is.....Sherry! Yay! Watch for your package of Fall fun to arrive this week, Sherry! Congratulations!

support saturday

These 4 images (above) are the free embroidery patterns.

This (above) is the sheet of printables.

This week, instead of vintage images, I'd like to share some breast cancer support crafting ideas in honor of ASFAS's "Pink September", which celebrates my sister's 6th year as a survivor!

First of all, I found this beautiful quilt on Pinterest. It is called "Aware" by Trisch Price. It is from Accentuate the Negative: Making the Most of Negative Space in Modern Quilts. So beautiful and inspiring to look at!

Here are some free embroidery patterns that you can download to add to a special project.

You can help remind and spread awareness by using these free printables on your correspondence in October. There are several to choose from on this site.

You can make this awareness banner using the free printables here.

All Are Welcome to Sign Up for the Fall Giveaway! ...Winner chosen September 20th

Here is the Fall Giveaway package! Click on this link and it will take you to the correct place to sign up for the Giveaway! Leave your name and a contact email in case you win. Good luck!

Wednesday Wow...from Sally

This one makes my heart sing! This is the mini sampler that I received from Sally in August. You know how I love vintage linens! She did a great job. If you want to see the sweet handmade goodies she included, take a peek.
Sidebar- I have NO IDEA why this is printing next to the pictures instead of under them, and I can't seem to change it. ???

embellishment dilemmas

this is not it....hey wait...where is that little pink brooch I was saving?...

Vintage Image Saturday

Wednesday Wow

Here is another one of Pam Garrison's Stitched Bits. This one can be found in her Etsy shop. So pretty! The random-ness of her pieces inspire me to be more spontaneous and less "formulated" in my samplers and crafting.

Make it Monday... printing on fabric

[I am reposting this by request. A few people have asked recently how I get the images for my samplers. I find the actual images on Pinterest, by googling, from vintage greeting cards, and I also have so many that I've saved throughout the years of blogging. Once you find the image you wish to use, refer to #5 below for the technique that I use for printing images onto fabric for use on a sampler. You can also try the other methods listed below.]

I've found a few tutorials to share with you showing various ways to print an image onto fabric.

1.The newest method I've heard is to use muslin, and adhere Sulky tear-away stabilizer to the back, and then you can just run it through your printer to print any image you desire.

2. & 3. Here are techniques that use gel mediums. For me personally, I find this be to a little messy and the images tend to look a bit ghostly. This is usually not the type of image I am aiming for. But it is fun to try if you are not in a hurry for a crisp image. There are some variations that use Mod Podge instead of gel medium.

4. There are several techniques that use freezer paper. I must admit, I have never tried these. Here is a tutorial if you are interested.

There are the 2 methods that I always go back to.

5. I like to use pre-made fabric sheets made specifically for ink jet printers. Here is a link to a page full of them on Amazon. They can be pricey, but unless you intend to make a dozen large projects, a one time purchase of $15 or so should last you for years. And they are so EASY. I try to print a page full of different small images at once. I create a Word Document full of images that I have copied and pasted from my files. I find this to be the easiest way to get a nice clear image on fabric. And then I have a whole page of images to use in the future. Then you simply place one sheet of the special fabric/paper into your printer and print your page of images. The wonderful pillows in the picture were made using the purchased sheets. They are a great example of what you can do with some of the other sheets in the package!

6. Another method that I use quite often is simply rubber stamping onto cotton or muslin using a juicy Staz-On Ink Pad. I have so many stamps that I dearly love and I welcome the opportunity to use them whenever possible!

I hope you find this post at least somewhat helpful! I know that in our group, there are some beginners, some who are probably quite skilled at these techniques, and lots of "in the middles". So hopefully I've provided at least a little tidbit for everyone!

Vintage Image Saturday

I'd like one yard of each fabric, please!

A Fall Giveaway! Just leave a comment on this post to enter! OPEN TO ALL!

A winner will be chosen by a random number generator on September 20th. Feel free to grab the badge at right and spread the word on your blog! The winner will receive a fantastic assortment of Fall and Halloween crafting and decorating delights~ some new, some vintage. Just leave a comment on this post to enter! Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you are the winner!

Wednesday Wow

This one. Oh my. Made from vintage hankies! Want to see more? Visit this blog! They are swoonworthy!

Come visit tomorrow for the start of the FALL GIVEAWAY!

Happy September!

This month I have chosen one of my most favorite things as a general theme for my mini sampler...pink roses! Pink is my favorite color, and I just love anything with pink rosebuds. I will be creating my banner for Elizabeth this month.

I saved the pink rosebuds for September as a way of paying tribute to breast cancer awareness as well. Although October is the official awareness month, I choose to celebrate in September, as this month marks my sister's 6th Anniversary as a survivor.

I make Susie a special anniversary tag each year, and I think this year I will try my hand at making her a fabric tag. (a first for me!) I will share this project with you this month as well.

Soooo... here is the pink sweetness that I pulled from my project box to help me get started...

To Oz? To Oz!

It's finally finished and on its way to Patty in Oz. (Kansas that is!) If you want to see what I sent with it, visit my blog post here.

This is the last post for August. Have fun finishing up your August samplers and mailing them off! Don't forget to take a picture or two and post them for us all to enjoy as well.

For those following along, you can visit the individual blogs listed at right >>>>, on Instagram at #aswapforallseasons, or on our flickr group page to see some of the samplers we've been making and swapping lately.

See you in September...

vintage image Saturday

summery vintage patterns...love...who can resist vintage baby doll pajamas!