Sweet April showers do spring May flowers

I have been obsessed with flowers this spring.  Ok, well, every spring.  I've shopped for them, I've planted them, I'm photographed them, I've searched for fabrics that have them.  Basically I've emptied my bank account in pursuit of them!  So it was just a natural progression that I would eventually just start making them.  I love the idea that you can take a simple outfit and add a bit of whimsy with a flower in your hair, on your lapel, on your purse, on your belt or on your shoes!   

Warning: please do not attempt to do all of these at once.  Sometimes it's hard to know when to stop, but thankfully I have Eliz who has already agreed to stage a floral intervention should I show up one day looking like I got dressed in my garden.  I recommend one flower per outfit.  A dozen roses may be pretty, but they belong in a vase.

First and foremost, pick out your fabrics.  I used tulle, organza, silk, satin, lace and even a lightweight broadcloth.  Since I wanted to use a variety of fabrics in a variety of colors but didn't not want to spend my paycheck buying everything, I scoured the remnant section of my local fabric store, got a killer deal on the last of the fabrics in the Walmart section (they are closing these sections so everything is on clearance) and looked for remnant lots on eBay.  I love the thrill of the hunt and I find that my creativity is really pushed when I have to work with the fabrics I find on sale.  Plus it's just fun to experiment!  I ended up with a variety pinks, blacks, golds, greens and whites for less than $10 total.

Next I headed to the bead store, I am lucky enough to live down the street from The Beaded Venus.  This is where I had to be careful because I could very easily have spent 3x as much money on the beads as I did the fabric.  Buying from a local bead store is nice because you can purchase individual beads so you only buy what you need.  But keep in mind that even $0.20 a bead adds up.  Plenty of other crafts stores sell a nice selection of beads and a basic off white will work for most flowers.

Start cutting out your fabric.  You can cut it out in flower shapes, in circles, in squares, be creative!

Then lightly singe the edges of the fabric with a candle.  You can do each piece individually or a couple of pieces at a time.  This serves two purposes: it stops the fabric from fraying and it gently curls the edges of your fabric creating that petal look.  Experiment here too.  Cutting out different shapes will produce different effects, tulle & organza curl up quickly, silk, satin & lace take a little longer.  Try snipping cuts around the edge of your fabric to get a more curly look,  or heat the middle of the fabric ever so slightly to give it more texture, it will create a pin-tuck effect. Just have fun with it but don't burn yourself.  And I suggest doing this in a well ventilated area.  Some fabrics burn sweetly and some are just horrid!

Once you have your "petals," begin layering them however you like.  Mix up sizes, mix up fabrics, mix up colors until you have beautiful blossoms in front of you.  Then take a needle and thread, and a few beads, and sew the beads in the middle of your flower, sew through all the layers of fabric and knot your thread in the back.  Attach hair pins, hair clips, safety pins or whatever to the back so that you can secure it to your shirt, jacket, purse, etc.  I even used a couple of antique scarf pins that I inherited from my grandmother. 

Congratulations, you are officially addicted to fabric flowers.  Remember, these also make great gifts!!   Here are some of my first attempts:

Lastly, here are some cute ideas for how to beautify yourself with your fabulous fabric flowers:

These shoes were not made for walking.

I'm in that phase of life where friends are starting to have babies. Which means baby showers. And making things. Cute things. For cute babies (at least, I'm assuming they'll be adorable).

If you're my friend and currently pregnant, or thinking about being pregnant, cover your eyes so you don't ruin the surprise, but I'm thinking my new go-to gift to make is cute little fabric baby shoes. I got the pattern on Etsy and can whip a pair up in about the time it takes to watch a movie.

These I made for Jennifer. The pink ones I made first (reversible!) And oh, I was smitten. Then I decided to make another, vaguely Clemson-themed pair. So, I went to my stash of fabric to hunt down some cute, feminine oranges and purples. Saige has been really into fabric flowers lately, and I think it's rubbed off onto me, so - little handmade flowers were added.

Since I made these in a size 3-6 month, no need for actual 'walking' shoes. But I do want to experiment with some leather-type soles for larger shoes, for when these cute babies grow up a bit more.

Crocheting: Not Just For Grandmas Anymore

Crochet Away My Day by saigeStudios featuring Tory Burch shoes

Items in this set:
Monsoon Accessorize - Crochet Insert Sun Dress, 30 GBP
Floral Print Crocheted Dress, $20
Women's AE Crochet Racer Tank - American Eagle Outfitters, $40
Premium Crochet Scallop Skirt, $100
CROCHET-TRIM MINISKIRT, $25

Sage & Coral Baby Hat

This cute cute cute baby hat is a slightly modified version of Imomzi's Baby Hat Pattern (crochet) that I purchased on Etsy.  I used Lion's Brand Vanna's Choice in Dusty Green and Bernat Satin in White & Rouge.  I finished this hat in one night and can't wait to make more!

Reincarnated Table Runner Curtains

A couple of years ago my sister made these beautiful sage green organza table runners for her wedding reception.  Of course after the reception what does one do with 10 organza table runners?  You give them to your crafty sister, of course! 

I really loved the color and thought it would look nice against my dark chocolate couches.  Plus I loved the idea of designing my own curtains and having the option to redesign them once I got bored with them (but I never have!)

I purchased a brushed bronze curtain rod and curtain clip rings.  I hung two panels (table runners) on each end, one straight across the middle and two swagging ones also across the middle. 

Now I was lucky to inherit these but they are easy enough to make yourself.  They are just strips of organza that have been hemmed on all sides.  Measure your window so you know what length to make your strips and start sewing.  I think adding ribbon to the edges or even sewing on some cute appliques would look nice too!

And in a pinch, like when your husband forgets to tell you that he invited the neighbours over for dinner tonight, you can always rip one down and throw it across the table!

Crocheted Flowered Cloche

I love hats!!!  

Crocheting is so quick and easy, you can make a really cute hat in just a couple of hours.  I came across this super easy Lion's Brand pattern for a crocheted cloche and thought it was really cute. 

Looking through my yarn stash, I decided to go with my new Nature's Choice Organic Cotton yarn in Almond.  It's so lovely and soft.  For the flower I used Stacy Charles Micio in color 24 (Red, Orange, Green, Purple)

Jewelry Thief Framed!

Like most women, I own a fair amount of jewelry. And I like to wear it...everyday! Which means that everyday I have to dig through jewelry boxes, trinket boxes, jewelry bags, the purse I used last week, coat pockets and often my bedside table to find the piece I am looking for. I longed for the day when I would have all my jewelry displayed in front of me, each piece gently hanging just waiting to be selected and shown off. So the idea for a pretty framed jewelry board was born!


First I found some old frames, thrift stores and garage sales are great for finding cheap frames. I ripped out the ugly picture, the glass and the backing. The frames were gold and I wanted a softer romantic look so I painted them cream using basic craft paint.
Next I bought some pretty fabric, again I went with a cream base because I didn't want the jewelry to get lost against a busy pattern or dark color.


I used styrofoam board that can be found in the floral arranging section of your local craft store. It usually comes in different sizes so try to fit it as closely to your frame as possible. Err on the larger size, it needs to be at least the size of your frame, anything smaller and it won't work.

Cut the Styrofoam to fit inside your frame SNUGLY. Much trimming will probably be called for and you will have bits of Styrofoam everywhere! I used a knife and just worked slowly so that I did not crack the piece of Styrofoam. Due to the size of my frame, I had to cut two pieces and lay them side by side. My one inch board is thicker than my frame so it will not be flush with the back of the frame but it won't matter for reasons I will explain later. You can buy thinner Styrofoam but I prefer to have ample depth in which to put the pins and know that it will hold the weight of my jewelry.

I used Greening Pins which are quite long. I used the long ones to secure my two pieces to each other. I then used wire clippers to cut some of the pins shorter. My Styrofoam in only 1" thick and I didn't want the pins to poke through the other side. 

Wrapping my fabric around the Styrofoam tightly, I used the shorter greening pins to secure my fabric to the back of the board. I used regular pins to secure any loose fabric at the corners.
 
I then nailed the Styrofoam board to the wall and placed the frame on it. You could also hang your frame but since the fabric covered Styrofoam is not secured to the frame, it could get easily pushed out. Also with the frequency that I am hanging and removing jewelry from my new jewelry board, I prefer to have it securely fastened to the wall and not moving around. The nail heads were quickly covered by the jewelry. And as long as your frame fits snug and your Styrofoam board is nailed to the wall, you shouldn't have any problems with the frame falling off.


Lastly, I used pearl head pins to hang my jewelry on. They work for everything (necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings) with the exception of stud earrings. You can also attach ribbon to your board and hang your earrings on that.