Parquet Tablerunner

We had another fun day of Christmas Club classes in the Sweet Treasures studio yesterday.  I have 14 women who come to the studio the second Monday of each month to make something for gift giving or decorating with. 

This month we were working on tablerunners.  I try to plan projects that we can get close to finishing in the three hour class.  Most of the time we’re not completely done but just about.  Depends on how fast we work ~ or should I say….. how much we talk!

Two tops were finished in class and I thought I’d show you their runners.  Barb and Maridell were very good sports.  They were so close to finishing and dare I say, umm….. I cracked the whip a bit and encouraged them to push on through and finish.  I love their runners!

Barb’s pretty in blue, “Parquet Tablerunner” ~

  

Maridell’s Valentine candy, “Parquet Tablerunner” ~

 

Here’s mine that I made out of  Sweetwater fabrics ~

I’ll be using mine in my newly remodeled family room/personal studio.  Soft yellow’s, gray’s and blue with a touch of red or pink at times.  This fabric is PERFECT!

“Parquet Tablerunner” will be in a new book coming up!

Happy Stitching ~ Terri

Free Valentine Pattern

For me Valentines Day has always been a day to show those I love how much they mean to me.  It’s never been a mushy “couples only” day.  My Mom always made the day special for us and I’ve tried to  continued that tradition with my kids.  We’d have heart shaped Calzone for dinner, maybe some red jello and a special Valentine themed dessert.  At each person’s place, a small gift to show my love. 

If you receive my newsletters you’ve already seen this project if not ~ here we go.  Valentines Day is quickly approaching and I thought I’d share a little project with you.  I call it the “No Wilt Valentine Bouquet”.  It’s a bouquet of fabric heart “flowers”.  Make single stems to give away to special friends on Valentines Day or a bouquet for your home. 

Charm squares are the perfect size and a charm pack gives wonderful variety to your “flowers”.  Take a look~

 

 

Click HERE for the free pattern. 

Hope you enjoy.  I’d love the hear about your “flowers” when you give them a try.

Thanks for visiting!

Blessings ~ Terri

P.S.  Don’t forget that Valentines Day can be difficult for some people so be sure to look around for someone that might need a little lovin!

A little Burlap & Bling project

I promised down here a tutorial on my project for the Homespun and Holly event.  Here it is in detail.  Hope you have fun with it.  It’s a great little craft project to make as gifts or do with friends.  Once everything is prepared (as it was for the participants) it took about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.

Burlap & Bling Framed Tree

Supplies needed:

5” x 7” picture frame

6” x 8” piece of burlap

3/4” x 42” strip of fabric with pinked edges (tree shape)

1” x 5” strip of fabric with pinked edges (tree trunk)

1 – 3/4” blingy button (tree top)

20 – 30 beads (tree decorations)

craft glue

thread and hand sewing needle

black paint

tweezers

rotary cutter with pinking blade or pinking shears

 

Notes on supplies:

This is a great project for repurposing items.  Especially frames and blingy objects.  Remember, you can always paint a frame.  Watch for cool frames and jewelry that could be used for the top of the tree.

I’ve had the “pinking” rotary blade a long time and finally used it on this project.  I love it!  It cuts great and is the right tool for this job.  Pinking shears will work also if you prefer.

You may use black spray paint or use a sponge applicator with black acrylic paint.

Tweezers!  If you don’t own a pair of the tweezers with the point as shown in the picture – you need them (more detailed picture below).  They’re great for crafts but if you’re a quilter they are wonderful for holding ends together as they go through the machine.

 

Step 1:

Take your frame apart.  Throw away the packaging and glass.  Paint the frame insert black.  (the side the picture would lay against).  This is painted because they typically come brown, and black looks better faintly showing through the burlap.

 

 

Step 2:

Glue the burlap piece flat against the frame insert (over the black painted surface).

Step 3: 

Run a basting stitch through the center, the length of both fabric strips (my stitches are 1/8th – 1/4” long).  Gather the tree strip to 12” and the trunk strip to 1” and tie off the end.

 

Step 4:

Trim any overhang of burlap on the frame insert and insert back into the frame.

Step 5:

Don’t stress to much over this next step.  The pieces can be adjusted a bit while the glue is still wet.  Lay a generous line of glue in an elongated triangle on the burlap.  Begin with the center of the tree strip at the bottom center of the triangle and lay the strip along the glue line with the ends coming together at the tip of the tree. Press the ruffles into the glue.  Now stand up your frame and really look at your placement and adjust if you’d like.

 

 

Step 6:  if your button has a shank on the back, cut it off.  Most are plastic and you can use a pair of old scissors.  If you can’t get it off just use lots of glue and it’ll work.  Watch the positioning as it dries. 

Glue the button to the top of the tree.

Using tweezers, pick up the beads, dip in glue and place on the tree as desired.  Bling it up as much or little as you’d like.

 

 

TAA DAA!!  You’re done!

As you can see, I like the shabby chic look but this has been done in all sorts of colors and combinations.  Also the same technique could be used to make different shapes.  Wreaths were made in class.  If you haven’t checked out the post from Homespun & Holly be sure and check it out.  There are different color combos and wreaths pictured. 

If you give this a try be sure and let me know how it goes.  I love to hear from you.

Thanks for visiting!

Blessings ~ Terri

Good Monday Morning!!

                                                                     
What Makes You Smile?

Here's a few thing that made me smile this morning~

~ daffodils in my kitchen window

 ~ a beautiful flower outside my window

~ primroses on the porch

~ the smell of winter daphne when I stepped outside

So now you know ~ FLOWERS ~ are one thing that make me smile!

Do you choose to surrond yourself with things that make you smile?  Why not put that positive spin on your day?  it can be such a simple thing ~  My daffodils came from good ol' Safeway when I was grocery shopping.  $3.99, I call that cheap cheer!  I bought three of these little guys and put them in my kitchen window.  $12.00 ~ cheaper than a bouquet and they will last longer!  Then if I put them in my garden they will give me flowers to pick in the coming years.  I call that a WIN ~ WIN!!

When the nurserys have the bedding plants $1.49 that's less than $5.00 to dress my kitchen window!  That makes me SMILE!

To much work and time you say ~ not at all!  I keep my eye out for containers that I can just drop the little plants into, plastic pot and all.  (I have ones that fit the 4", and 6" size containers).  I found a pot that would look nice in my kitchen and bought three of them.  They sit on my window sill and all I do is plop the plant, container and all into the pots and voila!  Instant SMILE in my kitchen!  When they get droopy I pick up three more little gems to brighten my day.  You'd be surprised what garden annuals you can bring in for a few weeks to brighten your window.  And trust me, the square little thin plastic containers the plants come in will cram into a round pot.  (Trust me, I've smooched them in!)

 

 

Please share (by leaving a comment) about what makes you smile.  We'll talk more about this in another post. 

I hope you'll think about what makes you smile and choose to surrond yourself with those "smile makers".  You and those around you will be all the better for it.

Thanks for visiting.

Blessings~Terri