Are you on Instagram? Then you should definitely check me out on there! I’m currently offering a pretty sweet giveaway. Enter to WIN A SPOT in the Crafted Artisan Truck’s upcoming embroidery workshop being taught by the folks of Needle & Pine. We could all use more things to do with our hands, right!?
Although we don’t typically do a lot to celebrate Valentine’s Day at our house, we do decorate a wee bit. It’s nice to have a few pretty things around the house in the dead of winter. I especially enjoy a pretty wreath on the door (I get so sad when I take down my Christmas wreath). A wreath on the door always makes me smile when I arrive home. This year, I decided to spruce up our twig wreath with a shabby chic inspired garland. Annnd… I even remembered to document the process thoroughly so I could share it as a tutorial with all my lovely readers! That’s my bit of Happy Valentine’s to YOU!
Now, the number of hearts to make for your garland is up to you (that’s why no material amounts have been given in the supply list below). I just made three (two large & one small) to symbolize my small family of three. Also, as you will see, I attached this short garland to a wreath. If you want a longer garland to hang, say from your fireplace mantel, then you will need to cut & stitch more hearts (you could alternate small & large hearts, some lace covered, some not).
Here are the supplies you will need for this project:
In preparation for the Market Collective Christmas show on December 5-7th, I’ve been sneaking in a bit of crafting time here & there. Mostly in the evenings while watching a show on Netflix (most recently Veronica Mars, and now onto the latest season of Vampire Diaries). Hoping for a bit more time in my actual sewing room in the coming weeks. The Love Catchers are starting to pile up, and I’m feeling very satisfied with how well they are all coming together. So how about some pics and quotes to inspire your week?
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
– Earl Nightingale
“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
– Proverbs 26:1
“There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
– C.S. Lewis
I’m waaaaay overdue for a Button-spiration post. Have you missed them? I certainly have! Today, finally, a little button love with a simple project. Who can resist a button bag? Certainly not me. In fact, I’m thinking that a trip to Value Village might be in order to find an old purse that I can spend my evenings embellishing with buttons galore. Find the original post on Burkatron.
Here’s a fun collection of DIY headband tutorials. All cute, all colourful, and all sorts of button embellishments. I recently discovered that my short hair finally looks good with a headband (it’s the little things that make my day). Now it’s time to get accessorizing!
Fabric headband by Heidi and Finn
Daydreamer Headband by I Am Momma – Hear Me Roar
I’ve been spending the last several weeks preparing for the upcoming Boutique Wedding Market here in Calgary. I’ve designed a couple new products for the show, while the rest are slight design variations on my current products. I brought the colours of everything inline with the very popular shabby chic/rustic style wedding decor (dusty purples & pinks, peach, ivory & beige). It’s all a lot more soft than the punchy colours you see in my Etsy shop.
I had already played around quite a bit with the shabby chic style cuff bracelets last year. So I used the inspiration from those and sprinkled it into my button hair clips and the new bridal accessories. The result is a whole lot of pretty in vintage doilies, lace, silks, tulle, yo-yos, and buttons. There’s a lot of hand stitching going into all of this, evenings spent sewing yo-yos & lace flowers while we watch our latest addiction on Netflix. Right now, I’m moving on to putting together the hair clips, and finishing touches on the bridal accessories. In a few days, I’ll be diving into button magnets (all in wedding appropriate colours… don’t you think they would make cute wedding favors?). I’ve also got several display details still to finish up. I’m really tickled with the display I’ve got roughly worked out. It will be quite a change for Bubblegum Sass (I won’t be hiding behind a table for once), but I’m loving the idea!
So here’s a peek into the progress:
This week’s Button-spiration features a super quick and easy project from Busy Beehives… So easy, in fact, it would probably be a good early sewing project for kids. They make nice little gifts for friends and teachers. All you need is a ribbon, a button, hair elastic, and thread & needle. Stitch the hair elastic to one end of the ribbon and a button on the other end. See, easy-peasy!
Valentine’s is just around the corner. Thought I would share one more “heart themed” button craft with you. This one is from Buttons Galore & More. These little rustic fabric hearts decorated with buttons would make a very nice gift, for the young or old. All you need is some plain or linen fabric, buttons, thread, ribbon, and polyfil. If you’re short on time, you could always use some hot glue to attach all the buttons, instead of sewing them (although they look more adorable stitched). Check out the full tutorial for all the details. And enjoy your Happy Hearts Day!
There’s new product now available in the shop! It’s like having a fridge full of fresh, new veggies! Or something like that. I’ve been busy making lots & lots of button hair clips to sell through consignment & thought that my Etsy shop could sure use some of these sweeties. Going forward, I’m likely to focus on selling the clips in sets (of two or six) instead of just individually. Besides, if you like the clips, you should probably have two (or half a dozen), just in case.
Seeing these new items in the shop is getting me in the mood for spring. Realistically we’re still a looong way till spring here in Calgary, but a girl can daydream about that first bit of colour bursting forth from crocus bulbs. Meanwhile, Sam keeps asking to do garden stuff. Poor little guy can’t find a patch of unfrozen dirt anywhere in the backyard. So we listen to the birds and make little seed treats for the backyard critters to pass the winter days.
I’ve started to survive the grayness, ice & cold, by hand stitching felt birds to these colourful corduroy coin purses. Keep the hands busy, the mind focused on bright things and spring will eventually arrive. After many, many years of sewing my coin purses (I designed & started them back in 2006), I’ve been getting bored with them. It was time to refresh my creative juices and I longed to do some quiet hand stitching in the evenings after our little man heads to bed. That’s where these *Put a Bird On It* coin purses came from (you have to watch Portlandia!). Sticking a bird on things, instantly makes them better, right? Well, actually, in this case, it worked. I’m back to enjoying the process of making them. A handful are headed to Treehouse Boutique in Ontario and the rest will be nesting in the Etsy shop, until they find a better home.
