I'm A Guest Designer at My Pink Stamper

~ Hi There ~

I'm sharing a fun video on how to make 

LUNCH SACK PURSES
on Robyn's aka MY PINK STAMPER today! 
 

And she's even authorized me to GIVE AWAY one of her AWESOME STAMP SETS TOO...WHOOP! WHOOP! 

 So head on over THERE and CHECK it OUT! 

Don't forget to LEAVE A COMMENT there for a chance to win! 

March My Pink Designer -Lunch Sack Purse

~ Hi There ~

Welcome to another addition of My Pink Stamper's MY PINK DESIGNER POST. I love SPRING with all the flowers blooming, spring colors and nice sunny weather that comes along with it...OH and the light airy clothes and accessories too! 

Our theme today reflects exactly that!.. "Spring Is In The Air" 

Our assignment today was to create a project with the spring colors YELLOW, GREEN & BLUE and we had to include a BUTTERFLY in our project! 

Well, what about a LUNCH SACK PURSE?!  

I bet you didn't know that the EASTER BUNNY doubles as a PURSE DESIGNER while not busy delivering Easter Eggs!

His logo is {eb}...hehe!

 Okay, I'm having too much fun with the play on words with this project! Hope you like it :)

 I used the ever so cute Yummy-licious Stamp Set to create the "manufacturers logo" at the bottom of the purse :) 

 Be sure to check out MY PINK STAMPER'S Blog to purchase all of her STAMP SETS and...
 
ESPECIALLY on Thursday, March 29th where I'LL BE GUEST DESIGNER sharing a VIDEO on how to make these fun LUNCH SACK PURSES!

Fluffy Fabric Flowers

~ Hi there ~

Remember the Fabric Flower accent I used on my PERSONALIZED KIDS PILLOW PROJECT HERE ? 

Well, I couldn't help but make some MORE, and this time I fashioned them into HAIR BOWS like this...

There is an AWESOME TUT on how to whip the FLOWER PART HERE! ...and

To make them into HAIRBOWS, just do this....

• Cut a small felt circle large enough to cover the stitching in the back, so it will look all nice and neat when you're done.
• Cut a small rectangle about 1 inch by 3/4, large enough for a bobby pin or small hair clip to thread through like you see above.
• Sew the rectangle to the circle on two sides.
• Thread your bobby pin or hair clip thru it (the snap kind) 
• Using FABRIC TAC glue ( love this stuff), adhere your circle onto the back of your finished flower and..

WHA - LA ! Such a CUTE custom HAIRBOW! and really, you can used these FLUFFY FLOWERS in all sorts of ways...

make a broach, accent a handbag, or add to pillow...whatever your clever little head comes up with! 

Enjoy!

Happy St Patty's Day!

~ Hey There Leprechauns ~

What's green, smooth, minty, chocolatey and sweet all over? A SHAMROCK SHAKE! You know, the kind you get from Micky D's. But OOOooo, the fat and calories! Don't even want to know the numbers - I just know it's bad, so I'm skipping it for sure!

Since getting up there in years (47 YIKES!) The old bod is telling me I better move more and eat healthier, SO whilst perusing the web, I happened across two awesome recipes for HEALTHY versions of this YUMMY St Patty's Day treat. Here and Here.

I tweaked them slightly to my tastes and VOILA, in no time flat the Hubby and I were delighting in this delicious GREEN drink. BTW...I highly recommend the two sites I linked above :)

Here's my tweaked version...

Healthy Shamrock Shake

Using a high powdered Blender ( I have the Ninja from Costco)

 Blend...

• One Frozen Very Ripe Banana
• 1/2 ripe Avocado
• Handful or Two of Fresh Spinach
• 1 1/2 cups Almond Milk
• 2 TS Mini Chocolate Chips
• 2 to 3 drops Mint Extract
• 3 to 4 Packets Stevia
• 1/2 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
• 2 drops Green Food Coloring

Blend the heck out of it til it's super smooth. This will make 2 nice servings OR one BIG serving. Enjoy!

 NO REALLY, it's VERY GOOD!

Everyone Needs A Fluffy Pillow

~ Hi friends ~

As promised, here is the FIRST of quite a few POSTS featuring fun projects for kids! Making things for my little grandkids is JUST SO FUN! I love them SO MUCH and there's nothing like seeing their SMILES, especially when I present them something

 "MIMI (that's what they call me)...made just for THEM!

So, with that in mind, I set off to create my first project to gift to my little munchkins...A PERSONALIZED PILLOW!

Here's how I did it...you can adjust the measurements here and there to your liking and wind up with a pillow a bit bigger or smaller if you like, but here are the general instructions and the measurements I used.

Step One : Creating and Cutting Your Letters

I used the NEW Cricut Craft Room to design and size my letters to cut them out of FABRIC using my CRICUT! I know, SO EXCITING! If you want a quick tutorial on how to arrange letters for cutting, click HERE. Also the Cricut site has great step by step instructions on how to use this great new tool :)

The BEST METHOD to CUT FABRIC on the CRICUT that I know, was developed by my friend Trish (she doesn't have a blog, sad huh?) But she agreed to post as a GUEST DESIGNER a while back and her TUTORIAL ROCKS! You gotta check it out! For Fabric lovers...It's a GAME changer! 

Here it IS!

Step Two : Sewing Letters To The Background Fabric

Cut a light to medium color fabric 5 x 12 inches that will show off your letters well. After ironing on your letters per the instructions on your PELLON 800. Using your sewing machine, stitch down your letters. I used a BLANKET STITCH giving the letters an applique look.

 Use a THREAD COLOR that matches your letters to blend the stitching or use a contrasting color to give an outlined look. You choose :)

The picture below shows what a BLANKET STITCH looks like from the back. Most sewing machines have this stitch available.

Step Three : Adding The First Border

Choose a coordinating fabric to accent and frame your "name block" Cut strips of fabric 2 1/2 inches wide and sew them right sides together to each side of the "name block" like so...

 

Make sure to trim up the edges with a rotary cutter and quilting ruler so your "name block" is nice and straight. 


Step Four : Add The Second Border
Cut another coordinating fabric into 4 1/2 inches strips and sew to your "name block" just like the first border. 

YAY ! The front of your pillow is done. Make sure you press your pillow with the seams down to one side, so it's nice and flat and wrinkle free.

Step Five : Add The Back and Optional Lining
Now that your front in finished. Measure it and cut yet another coordinating fabric and 2 lining pieces exactly the same size. Lining is optional, but I wanted to thicken the pillow fabric a bit since quilting fabric is thinner than decorator fabric that is usually used for pillows. Once you fill it with fiber fill, it will also lay more smoothly and not dimply...hope make sense :)

Step Six : Sew The Pillow Parts Together
Lay the "name block" , back fabric and lining fabric as shown above and sew along all four sides with 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch seam, but leave an OPENING on one end so you can turn it right side out.

Step Seven : Fill your pillow 
with fiber fill or whatever stuffing you choose and then hand sew the opening closed.


YAY! NOW you have an awesome PERSONALIZED PILLOW!

Do you like this cute FLOWER ACCENT ? Stayed TUNED...tutorial FORTH COMING!

A Whole New World

~ Hi friends ~

As most of you know...a lot has changed for me in the last 6 months and you know what ?..CHANGE is good! 

It can be hard at first, but it can be very exciting and rewarding as well. So, since the recent changes in my life (moving, new friends, church and family stuff etc.) I seem to be "RE INVENTING" myself...OR better put "RE - RE INVENTING" myself. 

While the original intent of my blog was to always to share my creative follies, seems like I was MOSTLY sharing paper crafting projects with you! BUT that will all CHANGE! 

Lately I have spent most of my creative time at my SEWING MACHINE and KITCHEN! SO, that's the direction you will see my blog go...BASICALLY...anything creative... whether sewing, quilting, baking, healthy cooking...whatever I do...

you'll see it here :)

AND...I have some other CHANGES up my sleeve for my blog coming up soon, but I can't tell you anymore yet...and NO...I'm NOT coming out with my own stamp sets!

I do hope you will stay tuned and see where MINE and YOUR creativity takes us! I am so THANKFUL crafting is a part of my life and I'm sooo THANKFUL for ALL OF YOU who have stopped here and become my CRAFTING FRIENDS and left such lovely comments along the way! 

I have a SERIES of FUN sewing projects for KIDS coming up starting TOMORROW! Hope to see you here :)

Here's a peek...

 

March My PINK-A-LIOUS Blog Hop

~ Hi There ~

If you're HERE right now, I gather you're a HAPPY LITTLE LEPRECHAUN who's been hopping along with us during this weekend's My Pink Stamper Blog Hop, YES?! And you've come O' HOPPIN from Andrea's Blog.  

Have you reached your POT of GOLD and frolicked through fields of THREE LEAFED CLOVERS? If not, QUICK! Start HERE...it would be BAD LUCK to not start at the BEGINNING! LOL...I love St Patty's Day Stuff...makes me say SILLY things! 

AnyWHO... here's my "LUCKY" project ...A WORD ART display that you can use as a card, or as I've done here on my mantle, use it as home decor for your St. Patty's Day display by simply attaching my word art to a 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of cardstock, folded in half length wise, tent style so it will stand up. Add a bit O' doodling, a fluffy twine bow and button and Voila...very GREEN happy project, any Irish would approve of!

 I used the BIRTHDAY CRAZE STAMP SET to add a

 BIT O' CHEER to my word art!

 AND...I've also including a short video on how I created the WORD ART using the CRICUT CRAFT ROOM :)


... and if you like the Shamrock Garland, I posted a tut last year on how to make that HERE.

AND, I couldn't resist including a BIT O' IRISH

blessings to ya, dear...

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Now HOP ALONG little leprechaun's... you have two more stop to reach your POT O' GOLD...

 Blog Hop List

Robyn

Tracy (CraftJunkieToo)

Shelley (Cricut Cuteness)

Roberta (TX Scrapper Mom)

Renee (I Came, I Saw, I Created)

Missy (Quick Chick Designs)

Michelle (Meesh's Pieces)

June (Simply Elegant Paper Crafts)

Helen (Crafting Cricut Mom)

Edna (Create With Expression)

Cristi (Scrappin 5 Little Cupcakes)

Courtney (Court's Crafts)

Chelle (Paper Krate)

Carissa (Sprinkled with Glitter)

Angela (Simple Creations)

Andrea (Divine Domesticity)

Alex (You Had Me At Craft)  YOU ARE HERE

Maria    NEXT STOP
LAST STOP ROBYN'S BLOG to join in on the FUN!

Tini Wini Banners

~ Hi Friends ~

OH MY! How did my life get so crazy???... But you know...I am loving it! I love being busy and especially spending lots of time creating... and better yet serving in my church. It feels great to help people out and do nice things for them :) 

Just doesn't leave a lot of time for keeping up with my posts... I'm going to try and do better, cause I've whipped up some fun projects to share :)

Here's  a cute card I made using a fun, simple technique I learned HERE to create the itty bitty banner for the sentiment! 

 I used this stamp set...LOVE the linear design of these sentiments!

And don't forget to TUNE IN this FRIDAY for this month's
 PINK -A- LICIOUS BLOG HOP!!! 
Bet you'll be feeling "LUCKY"after ward, wink, wink :)

 

The Natalie

~ Hi Friends ~

I know, I know...it's been forever since I've posted...I have no other excuse but I've been crafting, sewing, cooking, baking and I guess I just forgot to POST what I've done! I've also been very busy at church working with the youth...I am loving that sooo much! And last of all my latest addiction is my AQUA FIT CLASS!!! Who knew I was a FISH at heart ?! OHHH...and we can't forget about PINTEREST...yeah, that's eaten into to my day as well...BUT OH, the ideas, recipes and inspiration I've gotten from there are AMAZING!!!

Okay Alex...enough flapping of the tongue...here's one of the many projects I've created over the last few weeks...a BIRTHDAY GIFT for a sweet young girl at church :)

Another FUN and EASY BANNER made with my BFF CRICUT and The BIRTHDAY BASH CART! ENJOY!