Monday, January 23, 2012

Valentine's Class! Monday, Feb. 6




I have scheduled a Valentine's class for Monday, Feb 6!

Cost is $12 and it will be held at my mother-in-law's cute little shop: Wooly Belle, on Pollard street in Vinton. Check it out! You will make 4 projects, including the adorable little mailbox & Sock Monkey card (pictured). The mailbox features Sale-a-Bration rewards paper, ribbon, & brad! Email me for more details and to reserve your space!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Noel Pennant Banner

This is the Christmas pennant banner that I made to add to my personal Christmas decor this year. I'm always making gifts and things for other people, and often do not get to enjoy my own creations. SO, I love how this turned out, and I'm keeping it for myself! It's perfect for our family room mantle.


Here's a few close-up shots for the detail. I love the little bow tied with crochet trim.
A fun touch was adding the little vintage trinkets safety pin!

Layered buttons and an antique brad completed the look!


The layout is basically the same as the baby pennant banner in the post below. I used jumbo eyelets to attach each pennant.
. Here's a shot of the entire mantle with my cute little trees & white lights! Since the fireplace is non-working, I arranged several sizes of candles, which are beautiful when lit. The banner is the perfect touch for a homey setting!

Again, I am open to making personalized banners. Please email me for details~

Button-Down Beanie Crochet Hat

In addition to the shower decorations in the post below, I also made this adorable little button-down beanie hat. I have recently ventured into the crochet world, and I'm attempting to teach myself a few things. This hat is fairly simple, although I kind of put my own twist on the pattern, which I ordered from an etsy shop. Basically, if you know how to chain, slip stitch, single crochet, & half double crochet, you can make this. Check out Little Birdie Secrets' etsy shop & her blog, which has many crafty ideas and tutorials.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

It's A Baby Pennant Banner!

I had so much fun making this adorable baby pennant banner! It has been so long since I've paper-crafted, so this was a real treat! It was made as a decoration for a baby shower that I put together for a friend of mine, & unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of it actually hanging. Oops! You'll have to take my word that it was very cute!
Sizzix dies used:
Perfect Pennants
Bigz Clear Circle
Bigz Scallop Circle
Serif Essentials Alphabet
As you can see, I coordinated the colors with the paper products we were using for the shower. In SU world, that amounts to: Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi, & a few dashes of some bright yellow!
I set eyelets to attach each of the pennants. I tied a yellow bow through one, pulling some yellow into the palette. As an alternative to the ribbon, I attached an accordian flower to the eyelet holding the last two pennants together.
A variety of double-sided designer paper (SU) was used for each pennant base and for each of the large circles. The large scallops are made from plain cardstock. And then I embellished with various accessories: felt flowers & glimmer brads, stacked buttons, and even a cut-out stamped onesie image!
I used a tiny vintage trinket safety pin + a glue dot to attach it. So much fun! I loved the bright colors! And the best part is, this was not simply a shower decoration, it's also going in the new baby's nursery! How sweet!

For anyone interested, I will take orders for a custom-made banner! Email me for more info! And check my other post for a Christmas banner option!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

December Special!

Merry Christmas!
My gift to you= enjoy a 20% discount on all orders!

Email me to place an order toady!
maliamarie20@yahoo.com

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Say Goodbye! Retiring Stamps and Accessories.....

Last Chance Accessories click here.
Last Chance Stamps click here.

Email me to purchase! FREE SHIPPING on all orders in June!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Easy Kid Valentine's!




Today, I whipped up these easy 'kid' valentine cards for Gabriel's friends in his Cubbies class. They're 3x3 in various cardstock colors. The easiest were the ones with rub-ons! I had a package of the retired 'So Cool' and thought they'd be perfect. Gabriel liked the cute robots, animals, and sayings. After we ran out of the rub-on option, I pulled out my Fox and Friends set! I did have to stamp the animals onto white cardstock, punch, and then adhere to the card because the colors came out better. I also added fun little stamped messages from various stamp sets. I then used the small heart punch for each card to add a bit of Valentine flair! I love all the fun color combos, and no two are the same! We added packages of Fun dip to each colored envelope for a sweet treat! Fun & cuter than a store-bought box!!







Thursday, February 3, 2011

Home Decor: My Bathroom Art

Here's another project that I neglected to post after finishing it. I needed something for a wall in my bathroom, so I decided to go DIY style! I actually made 2 of these, but one got accidentally broken during taping up the backing:( I will spare you the details!

I purchased the frame(s) at Ross for $6-for both! You can't beat that! I liked the shape, matting, and the dark wood color. I removed the original wine bottle pics and simply inserted my own!Much better, huh?
I used the Greenhouse Gala designer series paper. I cut a background piece to fit the inside of the mat where the previous picture had been. Then, I actually cut flowers & a leaf from the patterned paper! I used buttons to give it some dimension. And it was that simple!





Monday, January 17, 2011

Polka Dots -n- Stripes!

Here's another rag quilt bag I made back in October. I think I forgot to post it. This was a special order for someone and the fabric was upon request. Cute combo! I'm charging $25 for this size (9 square front). Email me with questions!






Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Deck the Halls....with a cute Rag Wreath....

fa-la-la-la-la....la, la, la, la.....I couldn't resist the tune:) Well, 576 fabric strips later...I finally finished my 1st rag wreath! Actually, I should multiply that by 10 more that I cut for the wreath class last week- hence the late post!! Needless to say, I am pleased with the outcome and from the feedback I've received, so was everyone else who made one. It was fun to see the variety as several ladies chose their own fabrics:)
Unfortunately, I do not get to personally enjoy the one I made. BUT, the friend I gave it to was very happy with it! The great thing about this fabric is that it can be used year-round for anyone who has decor to match! I love the subtle greens and the deep red really 'pops'. I'm actually in the process of making another one to give to my mom.
Not sure if you can tell, but I added various strips of crochet trim throughout the wreath, as an afterthought. It fits in really well and gives it a little texture. I finished it off with the wide Riding Hood Red/Vanilla grosgrain ribbon for a hanger (from the Clearance Rack!). The color is a little off, but I think it works. As an alternative, you could cut a wide strip of fabric and use that as a hanger (I learned this from one of the ladies at my class!).

Here's the details, if you'd like to try one on your own:

I purchased a wire wreath frame from a local craft store. It was 12" across and had 6 sections with 4 wire rows in each section. After playing around with it a bit and figuring the amount of fabric I had, I decided to use 21 strips for the 2 inner rows and 27 strips for the 2 outer rows. That's 96 pieces/section. This works out perfectly when you use 4 fat quarters (18"x22" pieces). I cut the strips 6" x 1/2". You can see part of the frame in this pic.Choose a section to begin with and work your way one row at a time from the 2 inside, up to the 2 outside rows. After finishing a row, fold the strips down to make it easier to continue to the new row.
After each section, check the back of the wreath and make sure all of the tails are pushed to the front. This will keep your wreath full. You can fluff it out after each section and when you're done.
Each strip is tied one time, not knotted.
There are alot of variations for these wreaths, so feel free to get creative! I was precise with my measurements and numbers mainly because I was cutting for a group and had to make sure the fabric amounts were correct. However, I also wanted to make sure it looked even when it was complete.
It's that simple!! Be advised, though, if you try this at home, allow plenty of time for cutting. I underestimated this part of the project. Not too bad if you're making one for yourself or a gift, but it took AWHILE to cut everyone's for the class.
I like the larger 1" strips, but it required more fabric, so it didn't work for my class.
I used my rotary cutter, however, I did see some suggestions for tearing fabric as opposed to cutting it. This did not work for 1/2" pieces, but did work a little better for the 1" size. It does give it a more 'rag' look and not all pieces turn out the same width, so again, not an option for my class.
There are lots of resources on the web for this technique, so check them out and let me know if you decide to give it a try!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Fabric Canvas Trio- a fun project!

I took my free time this weekend to work on a fun project that I've been itching to finish! I covered 3 canvases with adorable little girl fabric for Isabella's room! She recently moved out of the crib and into a 'big girl' toddler bed (therefore freeing up the crib for Josiah)! How weird to not see a crib in the corner anymore, after being there for 4 years!
Anyway, I decided the canvases needed dressed-up, so I embellished them all differently.I love this dainty Tea & Sweets fabric! This busy pattern didn't call for much, but I wanted to add a little dimension. I used some of the SU crocheted fleurettes (on the Clearance Rack, here) with Sherbert designer buttons (click here- also on Clearance Rack!) in the middle, and draped ribbon in between. Check out the cute rick-rack from the retired Fairy Tales ribbon bundle (previously on the Clearance Rack).
And who could resist this yummy cupcake fabric! This was simple enough to embellish. I continued the twisted ribbon draping and attatched two fabric flowers on each end. They were made from scallop circles with my Big Shot. I folded several and hot-glued them together.
And lastly, this was the most time-consuming canvas. The fabric is a busy pattern, but it's small, so nothing stands out, specifically. I decided to break it up with the scallop squares and a felt object in each. I made the cupcake & heart free-hand. The bird and teapot were made using a K&Co stencil pattern kit, which I dot-to-dot traced on a piece of felt. I then used embroidery floss to hand-stitch the images and then cut them out & glued each to a square. I love the effect! I actually just picked the kit up off of a clearance end cap at a local craft store. I wasn't even sure what I would do with it, but the little bird caught my eye. How thrilled was I to discover the teapot included as well! I added the ribbon bows at the last minute. I think they sort of tie in with the other 2 pictures.
I've had so much fun making sweet little crafty things for Isabella! And being involved with SU has made it so easy with all the adorable little accessories & Big Shot dies! Check back soon- I have used the pennant die to cut out a pennant for each letter of her name. I plan to put it together to hang in her room as well!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Season of Friendship

What a fitting card for our first snowfall of the season today! The kids were excited about it and got to make a quick run outside to 'touch' the snow!
I continue to love the Season of Friendship stamp set! There's so many cute ways to use it and here's a wintery one! The tree image is stamped on Crumb Cake cardstock in Chocolate Chip. I stamped the snowflakes in white ink and then used my two-way glue pen and added dazzling diamonds! So sparkly! The 'snow' at the bottom was made by tearing a white piece of cardstock at the top. I also added the glitter to that. And don't forget the sweet little bird! I cased this idea from this blog- changed it slightly. A quick, cute, and seasonal card!

Christmas Flower Brooch

I re-did the fabric flower brooch from the post below. I wasn't happy with the 'floppiness' of it. Depending on the fabric, you will need several layers of each flower piece to make it look right, which is one of the changes I made. I also decided to add an antique brad to the center, which added alot, in my opinion. Here's the die cut ingredients layered to make this brooch: 2 of the large flowers from the Island Floral Bigz die, followed by 2 tulle circles from the Circle #2 die (the large), then 2 scallop circles, and topped off with a small flower- also from the Island Floral die. Before inserting the brad, I slightly frayed the edges of each die cut with my fingers. Lastly, I attached the pin to a small piece of felt on the back, using hot glue.
Pretty, festive, and slightly vintage looking! I love the no-sew! I'm looking forward to wearing it soon!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Christmas Projects



Here are a few cute Christmas projects. They're simple yet festive!

I used the Top Note die and Big Shot to make the little tote bag. A white sack is sandwiched in between and would be perfect for holding a gift card or a small present. The ornament on the front is a combination of 3 punches from the ornament punch, giving it a 3D look!

I couldn't resist using the adorable owl punch in Christmas colors. Do you like his little tie? I'm thinking of adding googly eyes for a fun touch.

The fabric brooches were made using the Island Floral die and the Big Shot. It's hard to see, but there are several layers and I also used some circles in a sparkly tulle. The edges are pulled for the 'shabby chic' look and everything is held together with a simple brad. I actually made these before I received my SU Christmas fabric. I now have it now, though, and will post a wreath project using the fabric, soon!






Monday, November 1, 2010

ABC's of the Perfect Handmade Holiday at 20% discount!

Now through Dec 16, you have the opportunity to purchase Amazing cards, Beautiful packagine, & Cherished gifts at a 20% discount! Choose from the bundles below! Click on the picture above to download the pdf flier. Email me to order!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Open House Make-&-Takes + a FREE gift for everyone!

Here's the make-&-takes for my Open House Monday evening. This simple card features the new Friends Never Fade stamp set + Greenhouse Gala designer series paper. I love the bright and sunny Daffodil Delight! The 1 1/4" squre punch was used to punch the ds paper. The wording is from my new Fabulous Phrases set! I've been in need of some new word stamps. And the clear mount option is perfect for aligning 2 or 3 words together.



I also made each attendee a personalized little notepad. These feature the Newsprint DS paper, which I also love!! The red circles are Poppy Parade, which really looks great with the black/white. The monogram letters are from the Lovely Letters set, but this would also look great with the Rough Type alphabet- which was what I originally saw this project used with!I used the Bigz Scallop Circle die. The inside of each notepad is regular lined notebook paper, which actually runs through the Big Shot very easily. There's about 25 sheets of paper in each notepad and I think about half of them could be run through the machine at the same time. I used my Crop-o-Dile to punch a hole and tied it all together with some retired ribbon I had on hand. Definitely a fun project that makes a great personalized gift!

August Class Projects

Thanks to the 5 ladies who attended my August class last night! You all made it a successful evening! I hope everyone enjoyed the projects. I always love it when something is new to everyone! For those of you who missed out, we made a total of 4 projects:




2-in-1 Basket.I love that this is held together by a little binder clip ring, decorated w/ribbon! This basket uses a 6x6 piece of ds paper. Score at 2" all the way around. Then, score from each corner point to the middle & fold points in. Click here for a tutorial on how to make this PLUS the other basket option.


Owl Punch Paper Clip Bookmark. I love this little guy! And so easy- just choose your paper and punch! The hardest part is putting the tiny black eyeballs on the whites of the eyes. I used my stylus to help position them onto drops of liquid glue. The finished owls (front/back) were attached to the jumbo paper clip using large glue dots. Someone mentioned that you can find the paper clips at the dollar store! I think I got a big pack of these at the office supply store awhile back. If you don't own this adorable owl punch, you must get it!

Origami Shadowbox Card. I thought this was very striking! Love the effect! Just a square w/a few folds. Click here for detailed instructions.

Stencil Emboss Resist Card.This card kind of has a 'vintage' feel to it. You can get the stencil through SU and there's lots of possibilities for using it & it's very inexpensive! I lined this one up on vanilla cardstock and left a little off the paper. Then, I smooshed VersaMark on top of it, poured on clear embossing powder, & heated with my heat gun. Next, I used a sponge to apply color around the stencil. The embossing part of it 'resists' the ink and makes the image pop out! You can watch a video tutorial here.

If you have any questions, drop me an email!

My 1st Rag Quilt!

Here's my 1st attempt at a rag quilt! I've made several of the rag quilt bags, so I thought I would give the quilt a try. It was basically the same- just more squares. And actually, after finishing, I wish I would have added even more squares! If you ever try this, keep in mind that if you don't pre-wash your fabric, some of the pieces might shrink during the wash/dry rag process. Plus, the scallop edges kind of curl up more and I just think the whole thing kind of looks smaller. I made this one 6x6, so it's small and could be considered a lap quilt. I used Beatrix Potter flannel fabric + several others including cotton, chenille, & fleece. They all worked great together and give the quilt lots of texture. Here's some basic instructions and some pics of the assembling process.

1. Cut squares w/scallop square die through Big Shot. You will need squares for front & back of quilt.

2. Cut cotton batting 3 1/4" x 3 1/4". One piece for each square 'sandwich.'

3. Use sewing or all purpose glue stick to hold batting in place between each sqaure.
Sew an 'x' on each sqaure from corner to corner. This gives it the quilted look.

4. Lay out and then pin all sqaures together- scallops up.

5. Begin sewing- piece by piece in each row. You should end up with long strips of sqaures sewn together. Aim to sew your seams at the same place on each 'sandwich.' I think mine were a littl under 1/2" and I actually put a mark on my machine to guide me.

6. Then, each strip has to be sewn to the one above it. Pin before sewing and LINE UP seams! This will make a difference on a quilt! I had to re-do several of mine. Also, the chenille fabric I used kind of stretched, so it made it a bit more difficult. Here's a pic of the back (where you can really see the seams) before I re-did some of it. You can see where I was off.

7. The final sewing step is to sew a seam around each outside edge.

8. And to finish, throw it in the wash on a gentle cycle and then dry! This starts the rag quilt process which will continue w/each wash.


That's about it! I actually started this one last Sunday. I cut all the squares and sandwiched them together with the batting. It took me a couple of hours. Then, I did the sewing Thursday evening & finished it up Friday evening. I think I'm definitely getting better with each project. It just takes time for beginners, but don't give up! I love working on something and going through each phase of putting it together and in the end, seeing the finished product.