Video Tutorial: Personalized Bookmark Cards

This is my first attempt to compose a video tutorial. My teen boy who's tech savvy offered me tips.  Thanks, son.  I am not  pleased with the speed or the resolution, however.  I am sure I still have tons to learn regarding putting together a video.  So bear with me.  

For this project, I used die cut letters, partial die cut, and watercolor pencils. 

(Update: I just realized that this clip is not smartphone friendly.  Sorry.  

Time to talk to my son and find a fix.)

(Update 2: Issue resolved.  Yay!!)

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Tutorial: Easy Zipper Yarn Dispenser Bag

It all began with one multi-colored shower curtain.  From the same curtain, I've made a tripod bag, a trash bag for the car and a back support pillow.  I love the vibrant colors, the stripes, the heavier weight fabric and the grommets.

I wanted to utilize the grommets and thought a yarn dispenser bag would do just that. 

Here's how I made the zipper yarn dispenser bag:

Cut a piece of fabric measuring 11" x 26".
(I have folded the curtain lengthwise, thus it appears to be 11" x 13" in the picture.)
Be sure to put into consideration the grommet placement and that the grommets should be on one of the shorter ends.

*Since the grommet end is already finished, you will be attaching the zipper and top stitching with just one step!
Mark the center of the zipper (13" long) and the shorter ends of fabric.  With the zipper right side up, lay the fabric (grommet end, right side up) on the zipper, and match center marks.

Pin, pin, pin. 

Change your sewing foot to a zipper foot and stitch.

 Now, attaching the other side of the zipper with right side of the zipper and right side of fabric facing.  Match center marks, pin and stitch.

Turn the fabric right side out.  Top stitch.

 *OPEN the zipper! (so you could turn the bag right side out with you are done sewing.)

 Turn the fabric wrong side out.  Leave 1 1/2" on top of the zipper, pin and stitch both open ends close.  (stitch over the zipper back and forth a few times) Clip the excess zipper ends.

With the seam facing up, pull one the bottom corners to create a point.
Measure 1 1/2" from the point and mark sewing line with water soluble pen.

Stitch.  Clip 1/4" from stitched line.  Repeat on the other corner.

You could clip the raw edges with pinking shears.  Or...

 Bind it with bias tape.
Cut single fold bias tape 1/2" to 3/4" longer than the raw edge.
Unfold the bias tape lengthwise.  With wrong side facing up, lay bias tape along the raw edge.  Fold in the 2 short ends of bias to match the length of raw edge. Pin.

 Stitch right on the fold closest to the edge.  Then, fold the bias tape to the other side.  Fold in the 2nd fold to sandwich the raw edge and pin.

 Select a short zig zag stitch on your machine.

Stitch.  Turn the bag right side out.

 Put your ball/skein of yarn in the bag and thread the yarn through the grommet.  I am now ready to knit my next project!

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Compost Box Tutorial

Pinterest is a wonderful resource for all kinds of DIY projects.  I have been so inspired that I finally invested time doing research and installing a drip irrigation system for the front porch.  With that, the front porch project grew.  I got more plants to pot and found more tips to keep the plants healthy and happy.  Making compost then became a no-brainer.  According to several pinners, I do not need an expensive compost bin.  Just a few simple materials/tools could get any rookie like me started.  

I found a large 30 gallon storage bin I got from the Halloween sale and emptied the bin by dumping all the content into another container.   The bin is ideal since it has a latch lid to keep my dog and cat all pests away.  I use my handy dandy Fiskars hand drill to create holes on the lid, on the bottom and the side of the bin for aeration .  Hubby was laughing at my slow drilling and offered help with his power tool.  Thanks, honey, but no thanks.  I could not believe how easy it was and how much satisfaction came out of all that drilling!  It was so much fun that each of my 3 kids begged to help.  Yap, they begged because mama did not want to share her hand drill.  I had to very gently remind them that I did not need hundreds of holes drilled.  Please note that when JJ drilled the holes, my hand was holding the drill so she could turn the rotary handle and not hurt herself and her mom.  (I asked her to pause and post for these shots.)  JJ noted that the shaving looked like dried shrimp!  LOL.
After marking/decorating the bin, JJ and I placed crumpled up newspaper at the bottom of bin, sprayed water (the materials should be as damp as a rung out sponge), placed the composting ingredients on top (vegetable/fruit peels and bread crumbs mostly; no meat/fish, bones, grease or dairy), and topped with shredded paper to avoid stench.  Close the latch lid, place the bin outside the kitchen on top of another plastic lid to catch any leaks and voila!
I have been diligently collecting kitchen scraps for my compost box, keeping the layers of the content one green (kitchen scraps), one brown (shredded paper and leaves), and using a shovel to turn the content every 1-2 weeks.  In a few months, I should be able to "harvest" the compost!  My plants WILL thank me.

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Tutorial: Pattern Tracing--New Trick

In my October Aha!--Pattern Tracing Options post in 2011, I mentioned about using the clear folder as pattern tracing plastic.  Well, that worked for me...mostly.  With tracing the pattern onto the plastic using permanent marker, I still needed to write pattern information on the plastic.  Although the marker has the word "permanent", the ink did not stay well.  After just one use, some of the writing would rob off.  If I had a bad day, the ink would stain my hands, too.  Then, I would need to wash my hands before handling the fabric and rewrite the pattern info. yet again.  Not fun.

So, just a few days ago, I went through this whole routine of pattern tracing, my hand got stained as expected.  I looked at the plastic and thought, there's got to be a better way.  Then, a light bulb went on!  Here is my solution:

Picture 1: New solution on the left (pattern B) vs. the old way (pattern A)
Picture 2: (old way) Tracing with permanent marker with ink robbed off.  (steps taken: trace, cut, write pattern info.)
Picture 3: (new and fast way)
You'd need: your pattern, plastic sheet, masking tape or painter's tape and a pair of scissors
a) I use painter's tape (loop it so it works as double-sided tape) to secure the pattern on the back of the plastic sheet.
b) Then cut both the plastic and the paper pattern at the same time following the pattern outline.
c) Remove the double-sided tape and secure both layers (cut plastic and paper pattern) with masking or painter's tape around the outline.

Now, you have a sturdy pattern piece with all the pattern info.!  The seam allowance wheel works smoothly with the plastic pattern, too!   Best of all, your hands and fabric stay clean!!
 

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Tutorial: DIY Cinnamon Christmas Scrub

Thanks to Pinterest, I have been reading about how others created their own beauty products.  From mineral make up, lotion bars, to lip balm, you name it.  Feeling inspired, I started making my own concoction of facial/body scrubs.  My first one was a disaster.  The mixture of nutmeg, honey and some other ingredient was so runny that I thought my face was falling off.  (scary huh, good thing that no one saw me...) And there was the lemon honey sugar scrub.  Nah, too citrus for me (though there was only 1 table spoon of lemon juice in that big old jar).
After a few experiments, I went back to the pantry and grab a few of my favorite things.  It was simple, yet everything I hoped for.  If I love it, then I think it's gift worthy.

Here's how I make my Cinnamon Christmas Scrub:

1 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp grape seed oil

Mix well and spoon into a jar.  Tie a ribbon or add a label to finish it off.  I tied my gift tag with a piece of thin elastic.

Notes:
The grape seed oil has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and is fairly light.
Honey has antioxidants as well as antibacterial properties.
Cinnamon has anti-bacterial properties and smells great!

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Mini Tutorial: DIY Paper Bag Thread Catcher

Fish tacos.  I did not know how addictive they could be.  We must have gotten them two weekends in a roll that we accumulated a few paper bags in the house.   You know, they make the perfect thread catchers for the sewing table (that is if you are like me, too lazy busy to sew one).

Here's how I did it:
1. Determine how tall you'd like your thread catcher to be and cut.  I cut about 4" off of mine.
2. Insert the 4" top portion that you just cut off into the bag.
3. Line up all four sides and staple.  (make sure the the crown of the staples are on the outside and the teeth are on the inside so you don't get poked.)  Then, with masking tape, tape to the edge of your sewing table.

Looking at the paper bag makes me feel hungry.  I think I might want to go get a fish taco or two...
 

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Tutoril: DIY Western Paper Bunting

When it comes to decorating a classroom for VBS week, I want something that will not take away my time preparing for the lessons, easy and cheap.  To add color to the room, I thought buntings might do the trick.  I've searched high and low for western themed scrapbook pages or stamps and found nothing.  What to do?  DIY.  This is super easy.  I had JJ help me with this project.  She was able to fold, draw lines, cut, stamp and staple.  If she could do this, so could you.

Materials:

A: 18" x 12" Construction Paper in red, white and blue.

B: Sample tiles from Home Depot (as the stamp wood mount)

C: Small foam sheets (any color)

D: Stapler

E: Black ink pad

F: Ruler

G: Pencil

H: Yarn

(others: a pair of scissors)

 Making the stamps:
1. Draw paisley shapes, small circles and irregular blotchy cow prints on the foam using a Sharpie.
2. Cut out the shapes.  (note: cor the paisley, I cut out every ring first, then tossed the 2nd largest and the smallest pieces).  Glue the foam pieces to the back of the sample tiles.
2. Ink and stamp away!

Cutting the triangles for the bunting:

1. Fold the construction paper in half widthwise (so it becomes 18: x 6").  Fold in half lengthwise and then in third (dividing into 6 equal rectangles).  Use the pencil to draw diagonal lines in each rectangle as pictured.

2. Cut on the drawn lines.  You will end up with three different shapes.  Cut the diamond shape in the middle to make two triangles.  DO NOT toss away the small right angle triangles yet.  Save them to make a smaller size bunting!

3-4. Stamp the blue and red triangles with the paisley stamp and the white with the cow print stamp.

5. Take the small right angle triangles and draw a equilateral triangle as pictured. Cut on the line.

6.  When stamping the smaller triangles, arrange them as pictured at the bottom, so you only need to stamp once to get the image on three pieces.

Assembling: 

1. Stack the triangles according to their colors and sizes.

2. Flip the triangle so the un-stamped side is shown.  Place a piece of yarn on the base of the triangle, leaving a 5" tail (to tie later on).  Sandwich the triangle and yarn in between the crimp area and staple away.  I stapled at three different points to insure security of the yarn.

3. There you have it.  Two different sizes of paper western buntings!

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DIY Western Stamps

This year, the VBS theme is western.  That's why my mind has been preoccupied with country thoughts.  I have stopped by thrift stores often and found a couple of stuffed animals that I could use in the classroom.  Horses, a cow, and a snake (for the Moses' story).  The best one yes was a 2' toy horse for under $5!  But I still could not find any western stamps.

Went to the craft store and got some foam stickers in the shapes of boot, horse, horse she, cowboy hat, and cactus.  To turn them into stamps is the easiest thing.  Peel off backings and stick on a wooden block (or acrylic blocks).  I had JJ tested the stamps and found that three layers of the same foam shape for the stamps would get the best stamp image.  Easy peasy!
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Tutorial: Miss W Bag

 It's that time of the year when I feel like shouting woo-hoo to the teachers for persevering through a long, yet fast-paced and fruitful school year.
Teachers have so many amazing qualities: patient (to both the students and the parents), loving, smart (let's never forget this one!), encouraging, creative, resourceful, patient (did I mention this one already?) and energetic (what time do they need to wake up so that they could greet the kids in the morning @8?).
They also possess a sense of humor (especially when the unexpected should happen in class), strong, projecting voice that should last all day, everyday, strong legs (to be able to stand all day long), strong back and knees (being able to bend down to talk to little ones without having to call an ambulance).
They are also great readers in every way (stories, books and scratchy hand writings that are just impossible to recognize) and attentive listeners (being able to listen to 5 different versions of the same situation during a playground fight IS a talent.)
So, hats off to you, teachers!
Inspired by how the teachers are carrying the students through the school year, I made this bag for Miss W.
I wanted this bag to be roomy, simple, durable and fun so I could have fun making it, too.
This is how I made it:

Body of Bag:

Cut 2 pieces of denim (19"x16"), 2 pieces of printed fabric (19"x12").  

Overlock the raw edges to prevent fraying.

Turn under 1/2" on one side of each denim piece.  Iron well then stitch.

Applique letter "W" in the center (lengthwise), a few inches below the stitched line.

With right side facing, piece in the order of "denim, printed fabric, printed fabric, denim" (with the stitched lines of denim on the far ends).  Top stitch on the right side.

Note: I only lined the printed fabric (hand stitched the lining) since denim is quite sturdy so the bag is not heavy.

Making Handles:

Cut 2 pieces of 16" long denim at 1 1/2" wide and 2 pieces of 16" printed fabric at 1 3/8" wide.

Note:The extra width of the printed fabric will wrap around to the denim side to create that faux piping look.

 Top stitch.

 The Bottom of Bag:

Almost done!

Stitch both sides of the bag with 1/2" seam allowance.  Iron the seams open.

Turn the bag right side out and iron well.  I cut a board to size to support the bottom.

The sides of bag will have two beautiful triangles (pictured in the right center).  I am fond of this "paper bag style".  I hope this bag will bring a smile on Miss W's face.

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