{rosette pin tutorial--as promised!}

Buried in a drawer-- that's where I found the battery charger. In fact, the same, exact drawer in which I keep my camera!! Don't I feel just DUMB.

So finally, here is the tutorial-- a bit too late for Mother's Day, but perhaps it can go to good use another special occasion?

So, what you need for this project is:

• a few rosettes in your-- or their-- favorite colors, you can use this tutorial
• needle and thread
• an extra strip of felt
• a pin back
• beads-- or buttons or anything else you like-- for the centers

1. Sew the rosettes to the extra piece of felt. To sew without the thread showing, just insert the threads in between the ruffles. It's also cute to let them show, especially if you use a contrasting color or one that matches your beads/buttons.

I like to overlap and curve mine, but they're also adorable to stack, and be sure to play around before you sew!

2. Cut the backing felt so that it doesn't show from the front. There's no need to finish the edges, but if you're especially hard on your jewelry, you might want to invest in a little fray check.

3. Use the same method used to attach the rosettes to add the beads (or just sew on the button).

4. Attach the pin back to the backing felt, and voila! Easy peasy. I went through each of the holes several times to make it super secure and then tied the ends behind the pin back. It's easy to miss the felt, so make sure you're getting the felt in your stitches each time. I would also suggest gluing down the thread tails to avoid them sticking out.

This is one easy project with beautiful end results. I spend about an hour total on each, so one TV program, and I'm done! I hope all of you will enjoy these as much as I have!

{mother's day surprise}

Well... it's more just like a card and a present rolled into one! But I think all my mothers and grandmothers are going to love one.

I suppose the postage would be a bit more on this than a regular card-- I'm handing them out to my family-- but aren't our mothers worth it?

I designed the card fronts specifically for this purpose, to put a pin next to it. Then I made another version for sending without the pin.

Hopefully, my mother's will wear the pins with pride-- and sorry for ruining your surprise-- or at least enjoy looking at the lovely cards!

** I'm putting the card fronts below. I hoping they are large enough and of good enough quality for you guys to use. I recommend printing them two to a page that is printed landscape.

Feel free to print them out and send them for personal use, but not for personal gain! Also, link love is greatly appreciated!**

card for pin

card without pin

P.S. Watch for a tutorial coming soon!

{pretties}

Finished!! I've been tinkering with idea in my brain for literally months, and I finally got around to doing it. Not that it was hard to do (I'm sure you'll figure out what I've done in nanoseconds), I just needed the time.

I guess you could say I'm pretty into pieces that are multifunctional, and this one fits that rule. It's both a brooch and a necklace!

The chain is detachable, so that it can be worn as a brooch. And of course, I'm able to switch out different brooches so that I can switch up the colors.

I'm already thinking of other applications for this chain. Maybe some ribbon or fabric?

P.S. Also, I was trying to model the necklace, but in every picture I ended up looking giraffe-y; so I've done the best I could with the most normal, non-giraffe-y photo.

Cherry Blossom Fake-Out

While I love all the beautiful spring blossoms, my nose feels entirely different. So, I appreciate any little way to bring spring inside that doesn't involve a lot of pollen!

There were also a lot of fallen branches in the front yard from all the snow, which were extremely unsightly, but I hadn't gotten around to cleaning them out. So, as I cleaned them up, I had a flash of inspiration!!

This project, which I modified from the current issue of Martha Stewart Living, is simple and almost methodical. The hardest part, especially for me, was cutting out all of the flowers.

I found that if I folded the paper four times, then cut, and then folded each of the petals individually that I got much crisper, cleaner looking flowers. Like this!

1. Cut two to three-inch squares from cardstock-- you can also use vellum, but I didn't have any on hand. Fold the square in half...








2. And fold in half again. Make sure to crease it well, because this will make the flowers look much better.









3. With the folded corner pointing down, cut out the petal. For this one, I used almost a heart shape to make the cherry blossom petals.









4. After unfolding your flower, simply pinch the petals in the center to create a wonderful 3-D effect. I also used a felt pen and dotted the center to give a bit more detail.

5. To attach the petals to the branches, poke through the flowers with a large needle-- or something else sharp. Then dot some craft glue-- it needs to be on the thick side-- and slide the flower down to the glue-- not too far!! Let the branches dry standing up overnight, and you're done and ready to decorate!

{spring things}

These hair pins and ring are just a few of the new pieces I have made. I'm really loving the colors, aqua and coral, and I just wish my new haircut was cute enough for those pins.

I used EcoGlue this time because I was tired of getting headaches from the awful stench of the glue. So, I tried this one out. It worked really well, despite all the problems I had in the beginning.

This glue is water-based, so it is much thinner than the other glue. The cabochons kept sliding off of the bases on the pins.

In the end I just kind of propped them up with other objects. I'm not sure I can use it to glue earrings to posts though because it is so thin.

However, I really appreciated not suffocating or feeling like I automatically had cancer while I was gluing my pieces together!

Rosette Tutorial

Here's the rosette tutorial as promised! It's a pretty simple thing, but I thought I'd go ahead and explain it anyway. Bear with me, please. This is probably going to be a long one, but I hope you can put it to use!

1 Begin with a long piece of felt. I used about 1 inch by 6 inches. Remember that the width of the piece will be doubled in the end, so this should make a 2 inch rosette. You can of course go larger and smaller, and this will allow for stacking!

2 Stitch along one long side using a basic running stitch. You don't need to tie off the ends, but leave about two inches of tail at the start. You'll need it later! Small stitches will result in a more ruffled rosette, while long stitches will produce a less pronounced ruffle.

3 Pull the end of the thread while holding the start tail until the ends of the felt meet and over lap. The ends may not ruffle as well, but don't worry!

4 Using the long end tail, sew the two short sides together, again with a running stitch. I went to the top and back down, just to make it more secure. Try to avoid sewing through the short tail, so that you can use it to make a tighter ruffle later.

5 To finish, pull both tails tight until the center is closed or nearly closed. Tie off with a knot, clip the ends, and you're done!

Variations: You can also use the technique with frayed or pinked fabric-- like this, or double the fabric over and sew the edges together to form the basting stitch. Remember to use a longer length with fabric, as it is not as thick as felt.

Weekend Project Idea:Ruffled Headband

Okay... I have to admit, I've tried this one before, and it just didn't work out quite right. I wasn't happy with the results, and I'm determined to get it right. So, my mission this weekend is to try again and see what I can come up with.

Some other good weekend project ideas:

• these delicious looking scones from Design*Sponge
• faux milk glass bottles from P.S. I Made This
• super cute printable mailing labels from How about orange...
• tank top totes from Craftynest that would be great for shopping
• twist tie pom poms from Craftzine
• a zippy wallet tutorial from noodlehead to use up all your scraps!
• and lastly, a beautiful sunprint corkboard tutorial from Design*Sponge

Just a few new things...

So, I found a lull in between all my running around that happened to coincide with a bit of good light in my living room. In honor of such a momentous occasion, I took a picture of the few pieces that I have managed to get done while watching Top Chef-- to which I am addicted.
(side note: Hooray for the Georgia boys!!!)


Also, please, please let me know what you think, because these are going to be the foundation for what will hopefully be my line sold in a small boutique called Sugaree's in Murfreesboro, Tenn.!

Little Swiss Girl

I made this doll as a belated birthday present for a very sweet little girl in my neighborhood. I put a lot of work into it, and although it isn't perfect, I'm proud of this first attempt. The pattern came from Stitched in Time, the book from the lovely writer of Posie Gets Cozy.

I, of course, made things a bit harder for myself and altered the pattern from the directions. Instead of gathering the ends of the arms and legs with a whip stitch, I sewed them closed on the machine, to make them more sturdy for a small girl. The effect is not as smooth-- the feet and hands are a bit square-- so perhaps I should have rounded the ends as I sewed.

The pattern also called for the skirt to be gathered and sewn to the doll, with the ribbon added simply as decoration. I made the skirt interchangeable by making a casing for the drawstring and bringing the ribbon through two buttonholes in the front.

I also felt that the pattern directions were not as clear when it came to adding the hair, but I did my best. In retrospect, I should have almost overstuffed the head, or added the hair before I had sewn on the legs, so I could have added more filling.

However, the expression on the little girl's face when she saw her doll was enough to erase any fears about its appearance.

Cherry blossom hair clip

I was inspired by the movie Mulan to make this gorgeous-- I think-- hair clip. I love the simple, beautiful look of cherry blossoms, and I think what made this clip was the, dare I say it, delicacy of the felt and the wonderful colors.

Felt is not normally a delicate material, at least not the felt you find at the craft stores, especially with consideration to the colors. However, these beautiful felt colors are courtesy of pixiexrose on Etsy.

I did have a few problems, but in the end, I think it turned out beautifully. I'm obviously not the best at embroidery, and although I've tried many times, I cannot make a French knot stay, well, knotted. In the end, I just made a knot close to the fabric. Not as fancy, but just as cute!!

First attempt: Ruffled headband

Hello dear readers! I know I have been absent for a while, and it is not that I haven't been crafting. I have a few things under my belt to show you, but the weather has been so temperamental as to make taking pictures quite a chore.

However, the weather and my schedule have finally coordinated as to allow me to take pictures! So here was my first craft for the week: a ruffled headband.

I found the tutorial for this cute headband on the wonderful Heart of Light. I decided to alter it a bit and not have the ruffles cover so much of my head, as my hair is rather flat and not as cute as the hair in the tutorial, and I thought it would look strange.

I also used a wider ribbon that I had lying around-- another bad idea for my hair. I love the color of the ribbon, but the width did not work with my head.

Instead of simply letting the ribbon tie around my head, I added a piece of elastic to make a stretchable headband. To do this, I just folded the edges of the ribbon around into a cone shape--after applying some fray check-- and inserted the end of the elastic into the whole, then sewed the elastic into the ribbon.

I like the idea of tapering down toward the elastic, as it would decrease the amount of width behind the ears-- which can cause funny hair poufs in the back.

I do think the finished project turned out beautiful, but not beautiful for me. The wider ribbon would probably work better for a person with more volume in their hair.

Next time, I will definitely follow the directions--instead of going for convenience-- and use a smaller ribbon! I do definitely recommend this project, and you can check it out at Heart of Light.

The greatest reaction...

I recently gave a pretty flower clip to the little girl down the street. She absolutely loved it, and it was such a treat to get to see her prance around feeling pretty. I know how good it feels to have a new accessory! I'm really starting her out early, no? But, I thought I would share this lovely picture with you all... She's such a sweet heart.

She also reminds of another little girl...

Fabric flower variations

I've been out of commission for a while, after a little bit of oral surgery and starting a new job, but I've still done a bit of crafting, of course! I seem to be stuck on making these flowers. But who can blame me? They are super simple, easy to adjust to whatever you need, and so cute.

I finally found my way to the quilting fabric store. My boyfriend had to reign me in because I had 20 fat quarters. Oops. However, I finally got some cute, floral, vintage-reprints that I think are perfect for spring.

The lighter fabrics are much better for spring than the heavier felts. They are also much easier to cut and sew, especially with this tutorial from Nest Decorating.

I've made a few variations to make a clip, which is the same technique as the blue bird hair clips. I also made the loop smaller on one to fit a skinny barrette for my sister.

I really do love all the things you can do with a few simple techniques, some cute fabric, felt, and vintage buttons!

New Felt Flower Love!

I have been lazy about blogging lately. It's not that I haven't been crafting but more that I haven't been photographing-- I haven't gotten around to making a good light box. And I feel that it is not fair to deprive you of photographs of beautiful things, mine or others.

Now, however, I have photos, and I am putting them to use! I made a few new felt flower variations, and I am dying to show them to you!

I've used the same method as the last time, but I've used a few different items and changed up the patterns.
The first slip on flower is just two purple daisies layered on top of each other with a small four-petaled flower in the middle. Underneath, are two leaves that I have stitched with a contrasting green. I also stitched a complimentary fushia in the center of the flowers to add a pop of color and used the same shade to attach a vintage button. I made this for the little girl down the street who loves purple, but I think with a few variations, the same could work in an adults hair as well.
The second variation, still with felt, is a single white daisy with a smaller fabric daisy-- in a reproduction 1930's print-- and a smaller four-petaled flower on top. All this is secured to the base with a vintage button. You can find an easy way to cut a cute daisy here, on Nest Decorating. I've done nothing special to treat the fabric, and I'm hoping the edges will wear for a nice shabby-chic result.

I absolutely love the way this head band looks. And I think my next project will be one made from all fabrics, which should produce a lighter effect for summer. Plus, it's a great way to get rid of some of my scraps!

Felt Flower Headband

I am so in love with this headband. I have no idea where I am going to wear it- I don't own all that much red- but it is beautiful and it was easy to make!

• Cut a pattern of the flowers from paper and cut four of each color from felt, strengthened with iron-on interfacing.


• The bow is just two strips of felt. Lay one flat and sew the other on top with the ends tucked under.


• Then just sew the flowers on top with small x's.


• To attach it to the hairband, sew a small square of felt to the back, leaving enough room to slide the headband through. This allows you to wear the headband without the flowers or switch out different ones.

This headband is lovely, quick and interchangeable! You can make as many as you need and switch up looks to suit your mood or your outfit.

Vintage flower pin necklace

Hello... My name is Emily. I am addicted to Etsy. There are just so many good ideas there.

On my first trip to Esty, so long ago, I saw this vintage rose cabochon necklace for $34, which is not too bad a price, but I thought, why couldn't I make that?

So, I did. I found this vintage pin that my grandmother had given me. Part of the pin had broken off the back, so I clipped off the rest of the closure and glued on bails on either side.

I made the chain with green faceted beads. It has 10 beads on one side of the pin and 15 on the other, so the flower is skewed to the left, just to be quirky.

Now I have a cute new necklace, just because I thought, why not?

April showers bring pretty, wearable flowers!

Praise be to Martha for her great wisdom and cute, cute crafting ideas. I got this idea from an issue of Martha Stewart Living, although she used eyelet lace to make a huge rose. And don't discount Martha because she might be middle-aged and frumpy... Anything can be made to fit any style.

To personalize mine, I used fringed strips of vintage-inspired fabric, to make smaller, more colorful flowers. It's amazing what five minutes of boredom can do...

• I basted the edge of the fabric, about a half inch from the edge, and pulled one end to create a ruffle, and twisted it around the center.


• I sewed the layers together with some stitches in a star (*) shape, making sure to connect each layer. It really does not have to be pretty on the bottom! No one sees it. Just make sure everything is secure.


• I just attached a colorful vintage button to the top and a pin to the back (and truth be told, I just pin mine on with a safety pin, but you can be fancy if you want), and voila!!

Other good ideas are lace, ribbon and any kind of fabric that you want for the flowers! And change up the centers with beads or sequins instead of buttons.

You can use smaller strips, both shorter and thinner, to make smaller flowers and vary the sizes. And three together looks even cuter!!