Appliqued Heart Table Runner

Greetings!

Fussy cutting. You guys know what that is, right? It's when you cut pieces of fabric so that a particular part of the printed design is centered or featured.

The weekend leading up to Valentine's Day I got a wild hair and started fussy cutting hearts out of some hot pink flannel fabric that I've had in my stash for a long time (and which I used in small doses for this project a couple of years ago). Mainly I was just playing with my new scalloped scissors and getting the feel of them, but the more I cut, the more I realized how much I liked those printed hearts. The fabric on the whole is just too bright for my tastes (and that's really saying something, because you know I love bright colors) but all those darling hearts! So what to do with them?

I know, I'll make a table runner!

I cut a long, wide strip of canvas and without any plan whatsoever, just started spreading out the hearts across the fabric in all directions. I stepped back and squinted a couple of times just to make sure the color was evenly distributed (very scientific, aye?) and when it was, I pinned them down and started stitching.

Here's a picture I posted on Instagram just as I was getting started. I never thought I would like it as much as I do, but I'm really starting to love Instagram for quick little WIP pictures.

Once I started I was a stitching machine. I queued up a book on Audibles (kind of "meh" as far as books go, but an easy listen, and one of my book club picks so I had to get through it anyway)

Somewhere along the way I fell in love with the stitching on the back and decided that I wasn't going to back or quilt this piece, I was just going to add binding and call it a day.

I mean really, look at that! It's kind of accidentally pretty isn't it? I'm not fussed about the knots, it's a table runner, not a hard wearing pair of jeans...

Speaking of binding, Instagram is also great for quick opinions. Like choosing which binding to go with, hot pink or aqua gingham?

Gingham for the win! I loved the pink, but there was a lot of pink in those hearts already, and I thought the aqua was a good balance, and besides... gingham!!

I'm pretty much in love with this runner now, it's one of my all-time favorites out of ALL the things I've ever made and that just tickles me because I really didn't put any thought into this. No planning, no worrying, I just cut a bunch of hearts out of some too-pink fabric and stitched those babies down. Talk about pretty accidents.

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but the runner remains out on the coffee table in the family room. It's just too pretty to put away.

Finally this fabric which has been sitting on a shelf for years met it's best potential (or at least the best I could give it) and has struck the right balance of bright & pretty and just a little bit tame. I love it!

Happy Monday everyone! 

oxo,

Lisa

Fairy Lights Update

Hi Fairy Folk!

I've had quite a few emails, comments and a lot of traffic lately from my original post about my Fairy Garden, specifically about the lights that I used. I've written a pretty lengthy update on the subject but instead of just leaving hanging out there in the archives, I thought I'd post about it real quick in case my regular readers were also curious. So without further adieu...

Those lights, those lights, those fabulous fairy lights!

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PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATE.

LOTS OF LINKS, TOTALLY WORTH A MOMENT.

(if you're into this kind of thing)

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In the meantime, revisiting these posts has me dreaming of spring. Winter isn't very nice to a fairy garden, and I'm looking forward to digging in, freshening up and puttering around my tiny garden. It's almost time for a garden tea, I think!

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Until then we'll have to suffice on memories and pretty pictures!

oxo,

Lisa 

p.s. I'm always adding to my Fairy Garden Pin Board, pop over and follow along for lots of cute, useful links!

A Big Heart

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you've all had a simply smashing Valentine's Day, have you done anything special?

We had a quiet evening here at home, dinner (Korean Beef , so good!) and a Walking Dead catch up, good times. My honey has to work in the morning, so we're saving our date for tomorrow night, going to a Sweethearts Ball at the Moose Lodge. Oh! I forgot to tell you, we're Moose now! Well, Sean is a Moose, I am a "Woman of the Moose". I wonder if there'll be a secret handshake? 

So earlier this week I came across this pin of a giant cross stitched heart and was so inspired, I had to try a smaller version for my family room right away. 

I bought a piece of red poster board from JoAnn's for $1.79 (with my handy 40% off phone app coupon) and strategically punched holes, after graphing a big heart out on graph paper. Then I stitched the design with big, fluffy yarn.

Hey look, it's the neatest back-of-a-cross stitch you'll ever see from me! Probably a fluke. Anyway, after the design was stitched and I evened things up by cutting the poster board evenly around the heart, then I mounted the entire thing to foam core I already had left over from another project with double sided stick tape.

Those couple pieces of scotch tape are where I accidentally punched more holes than I needed - whoopsies! I simply took the little circle I punched out, put it back and covered it with tape. You can't even see it from the front, not at all, whew!

I used a length of satin ribbon and two long sewing pins pushed into the foam core as hanging hardware and put this baby on the wall,

My girlfriend sent me the most perfect goodies in our Valentine swap which make for a very happy little scene together with the big heart, just look! Two new embroideries, a cute Valentine print out, a wee bucket of sweets and a beautiful Valentine Pin!  

Pam is such a great stitcher, just look at this darling little pup in a basket! He is oh, so sweet.

I do love this big heart. In fact, I'm already planning to make one out of painted wood to leave up permanently. Hearts are okay year round in my book!

The little bunting on the lamp shade is from last years door wreath, reuse and recycle, kids!

When I make the wooden stitched heart, I'll definitely be sure to share. Speaking of sharing, I can't wait to show you the little table runner I made this week as well (I've been a very industrious crafty lady this week!), I think it's one of my all time favorite projects, so come back and visit again soon.

Have a great weekend, sweetstuffs!

oxo,

Lisa

Valentine Pins

Hell♥!
I just can't seem to stop myself playing with more hearts this week, I'm beginning to understand why my pal loves them so much, they're so versatile!

This sweetie pie crust heart is a pin that I made for a friend, this is our third year swapping Valentines. 

This year we decided to make each other pins, something pretty to pin to our sweaters for Valentine's Day and this flowery heart is what I made for her. When you see what I got you'll agree that she got the short end of the stick, she spoils me! 

This little pin was the first to fly from my fingers this year, sort of a practice piece, but none too shabby, so I sent it far, far away. All the way to Korea where my niece Alex is currently stationed with the US Army. She isn't a girly-girl, so I think she'll like the more "not-so-cuteishness" of it with the touches of black. 

And speaking of black, here's one more for a good friend, a bad boy, my chum, Sic. Yes, Sic. 

He's rad, you'd like him.

I only wish now that I'd thought to add little devils horns at the tops of the heart, that would have been perfect for him. Sigh... there's always next year.

That's not all the hearty goodness I have to share, stay tuned! 

Are busy making Valentine's tonight? Do tell!

oxo,

Lisa

Love Is In The Air

'Ello Sweeties!

Hearts, hearts everywhere! I've had hearts on the brain lately, been fiddling around and making sweet little things, these are a few of them. I made these heart pins for a Valentine's Swap organized by Aunt Peaches. The idea was simple, you make and send three Valentines and you'll receive three back - but not from the same people, which makes thing interesting because what you get, and from whomever really is a surprise.

As I've repeated often, I'm not so great at papercraft, I dunno, I try, but it just doesn't seem to be my thing, thank dog I'm handy with a needle! *wink* Having said that, I knew I'd stitch something for the ladies whose names I was given.

Small and sweet pins, cute, but not too over the top, something I would wear in public myself. I added a little pin to the back of each so that my Valentines can wear them on a jacket or sweater, or lanyard, or whatever floats their boat.

I enjoyed making these pins, it really felt like playing, and got to use a new tool that I purchased recently, which I've wanted forever, scalloped sheers! Found them on eBay for a song. I have pinking shears and they're great, but I adore the soft bumps of a scallop.

I made (very) simple little cards to attach the pins to and wrote a note to each gal on the inside, then away they went. Off to Kentucky, New Mexico and Idaho, fly away little pins, be free!

I hope my Valentines like their pins and don't find them too gauche. I have had two Valentine's come back to me so far, pretty handmade things, crafty people are my favorite people!

Do you have any Valentine making going on in your neck of the woods? Do tell!

oxo,

Lisa

Reflecting On 2013

Howdy!
So yeah, I've never done one of these look back mosaics of all the things I've made in the previous year, but this year I thought I would, I think it might help light my fire a bit and help me accept that I'm not quite the lazy chump I sometimes feel like, I've been struggling with that lately.

Less than some years, and more than others. I've only got two hands and I work full time so I can't (and not sure I'd want to) pump out the number of projects a lot of folks can, but then again this has never been a competition. I make things that interest me in the moment, for fun swaps, and gifts for my family & friends - because it makes me happy. Making makes me happy and like the hokey pokey, that's what it's all about.

  I don't really plan ahead very much either. If you'd asked me what kinds of things I was going to make in  2013 at about this time last year, I wouldn't have guessed any of these things. Whimsy & inspiration are powerful joy rides!

I've found it's been fun to take this look back, some of these things (like the Valentine's Day makes) have been packed away for almost a year already, seeing them again has given me some neat "oh yeah! I made that!" moments. Let's peruse, shall we?

These things are more or less in about the order I made them, it made putting these mosaics together a heck of a lot easier, links to details about each photo are listed below.

1. Crazy Quilt Heart 2. Valentines Door Wreath 3. String of Hearts 4. Pennie Pockets 5. Scrunchies! 6. Just A Dash Quilted Table Runner 7. Organic Tea Towel 8. Celtic Knot Pillow 9. Hexie Hand Towel 10. Fabric Covered Binders 11. Super Butch 12. Dear Deer 13. Felt Flower Pincushion 14. Homemade Laundry Soap 15. Sashiko Rainbow 16. Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

1. Felt Circle Bunting 2. Burlap Bunting 3. Paulette's Pincushion 4. PAM 5. Hockey Hexies 6. Dez's Tiny Cake 7. Embroidered Birdie Bunting 8. In A War 9. Striped Pants 10. Summer Stitching Club 11. Impromptu Quilting 12. Double Hourglass 13. Pumpkin Pincushion & Fimo Pins 14. Vintage Inspired Halloween Box 15. Halloween Kitty 16. Vintage Trick or Treat Bag

1. Boo Bunting & Pipe Cleaner Cats 2. Coffin Curio 3. Halloween Poppers 4. Embroidered & Beaded Halloween Pin 5. Halloween Door Wreath 6. Lighted Halloween Garland 7. Fancy Witch Hat 8. Fimo Pumpkins 9. Miniature Fireplace 10. Dia De Los Muertos Skull 11. Hexie Mug Rug 12. The boot!

13. Painted Sunflower 14. A Little Blackwork (and scissor obsession) 15. Mermaid WIP 16. Embroidered Candy Cottage

1. Pipe Cleaner Snowman 2. Lil Cow Poke Pillowcases 3. The Big Tote 4. Embroidered Felt Christmas Stocking 5. Batik Dream Pillowcases 6. Sparkly Forrest 7. Whimsy Christmas Pillowcases 8. Vintage Inspired Christmas Ornament

Not too shabby, eh? I've enjoyed seeing these things again, a lot of them have been sent all over the world and live with other people now. That makes me feel a bit warm & fuzzy.

I cooked a few extremely good (read picture worthy) things too!

1. Ham, Potato & Corn Chowder 2. Cinnamon Muffins 3. Salsa 4. Greek Cous Cous Salad 5. Ricotta, Baby Zucchini & Penne 6. Birthday Margaritas! 7. Minestrone 8. Zuppa Toscana 9. Mexican Pizza

(These are all here)

Food is goooood.

 And then there's these guys...

Oh yes, these babies o' mine. They do consume me. I'd bet that dollars to donuts every stitch I've stitched, is equal to one or more kisses on their furry little heads. I love them ever so...

I guess I wasn't as lazy as I thought I was this year... That chunk at the last part of the summer was a real bummer, I don't recommend fracturing any part of your body, friends. Its a drag and that walking boot was no joke. Also, it takes forever to heal. I'm still having problems with my ankle, in fact I'm going back into treatment for it shortly, it's not acting right and I have a lot of years ahead of me, so it needs to get with the program.

I'm looking forward to seeing what will materialize in 2014, there are some big things underway! Ok, so mayybe I plan a little... *wink* 

I hope you'll stay with me on this journey, it's fun to share and I love seeing what you're up to, too!

oxo,

Lisa

Easy Peasy Pillowcases

Hi Friends!

I thought I'd show you a new little obsession that I can totally blame on my mom. (Yes mom, you.) Pillow cases, I know, totally revolutionary! They're so simple to make and the possibilities are endless. I made pairs for some of my married & co-habitating friends for Christmas.

A Christmas-y set...

With a fun specialty stitch, tiny Christmas trees. These ones were for a newishly married pair starting their own new traditions.

A boy/girl cow poke set for my favorite rodeo fans. These prints were just too cute to resist! 

See how they're similar, but different? Absolutely adorable!

And a pretty batik set for my uber talented friend who made her own bed set last spring.

I really wanted to make something coordinating, but not too matchy-matchy. I think these hit the mark.

These pillow cases are really so simple to make and they don't take that much fabric, less than a yard for one, and singles are great, especially for kiddos, but for us grown ups too! I have some flannel that I'm going to use to make my husband and I each a new pillow case for camping, soft, warm flannel makes lovely pillowcases (and warm ears!).

 I've made a few more since these ones at Christmas, this newest one is my favorite, I made it for my nine year old niece.

 I found this colorful shoe ribbon and had to get it, I used it as a special trim on the very edge of her pillowcase. I hope she likes it, I'm sending it to her for Valentines Day.

This is the tutorial I used to make my cases. Try one, it's fun! Especially great for you quilters who need a quick fix and have left overs. Oooh, a matching quilt & pillow case! I'll have to keep that in mind for my next quilt.

I really enjoy simple and quick sewing projects like these, it's nice to be able to knock something out and be happy with the results, I see more pillow cases in my future. As I'd mentioned before, my mom introduced me to this, she was making them for a pillowcase drive for ConKerr Cancer, it's a great cause, check it out if you have a moment.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

oxo,

Lisa