Harvest Table Decor

November 4, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting

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Mad Hatter Vintage Flea Market

October 9, 2009 in Creativity, Decorating, Friendship, Quilting

I got to attend my friends Flea Market Sale this last weekend and it was so magical! Gladys and Celia (mother and daughter) are both so cute and have such a magic touch when it comes to turning their flea market finds into true vintage treasures.

Even though it was their first event they had an enormous turnout to the Five Mile Grange which was decked from top to bottom with antique linens, jewelry, furnishings, seasonal decorations, mirrors, vases, pillows, signs and so much more. Everywhere you looked your eyes were delighted by sparkles and glitter and twinkling lights.

All seventeen of their hand picked vendors wore fun hats and were all just so darling – just like all their wares. 

My other good friend Lynn prepared delicious homemade soups, tarts and scones to keep our tummies happy while we shopped. So yummy- The pumpkin soup was delish! I can’t wait until their next event!

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Countdown to Halloween!

October 5, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays

We’re counting down to Halloween with weekly project ideas and this fun project is one that older kids will enjoy making. Light up your steps or walkway with grinning ghosts, cats, and jacks’. Tin buckets (or clean tin cans!) are pierced with hammer and nails, then painted for daytime fun.

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Red Barn Sale

September 10, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Gardening, Quilting, Staff

It's that fun time of year, when all the local artisans are coming together to sell their creations and flea market treasures. Carolyn, Jackie and Lori have all been buzzing over the last few weeks about plans to display their wares for the Labor Day Sale. Of course, there were several late nights, pulling it all together and getting everything done in time.

Jackie and Carolyn teamed up under the name Glass Garden and made beautiful glass bricks with seasonal mosaic designs. They also covered garden pots, windows, birdhouses and even a wine keeper with colored glass. Lori is quite the jewelry maker and set up her table showcasing her lovely necklaces, brooches, bracelets and earrings. Despite a couple of storms threatening to blow them away, the event was a success for all.

Coming Oct 2 & 3, another good friend is putting on the Mad Hatter Flea Market at the File Mile Grange in Spokane. What fun!

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Patio Party Lanterns

August 13, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating

Lori (who is new in our office) brought us a fun, easy project idea that you can make with balloons, tissue paper and a battery operated tea light. This is a fun one to do with kids, because they love everything about balloons. The application of the tissue paper is free form, so anything goes. If you’re having any kind of theme party, you can tear strips of the coordinating napkins (instead of tissue paper) to glue onto your balloons.

1. Blow up one balloon for each lantern desired and tie end. Tear white tissue paper into 1” X 6” strips and set aside. Tear printed and/or colored tissue paper into 1” x 6” strips and set aside.
2. Pour decoupage into shallow bowl and roll balloon in decoupage. Using white tissue, layer tissue strips onto balloon, applying more decoupage with your hands as needed to moisten tissue and cover balloon with overlapping white tissue strips. This is the under layer of the lantern—white will reflect more light. Add several more white strips at the top of the balloon to strengthen it for hanging. 
3. When all surfaces are covered with white, use the same procedure to layer printed tissue over the white.
4. If desired, decoupage colored tissue strips on the lantern in a pattern or randomly as an accent. Place lanterns in a warm, dry spot and allow to dry thoroughly.
5. When lantern is dry and hard, pop balloon and referring to photo as a guide, use a small sharp scissors to cut a circular opening at the base of lantern. Use a large nail or ice pick to poke a hole in the top of lantern.
6. Using about 18” of 20 gauge craft wire, form a holder for battery-operated tea light as shown. Secure wire to edges of tea light with foil tape or small piece of duct tape. Thread wire through hole in top of lantern and form into a hook for hanging. For best effect, battery-operated tea light should hang in the lower quarter of lantern, but should not be seen from outside. DO NOT USE CANDLES IN THESE LANTERNS—FIRE HAZARD.
7. Hang lanterns in trees or from wooden structures.

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Last Minute Summer Entertaining Décor

July 2, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays

Sand, Sunshine, and Summertime celebrations just seem to go together! This Quickie décor idea makes a great Centerpiece for the Patio Table or the Powder Room.

 All you need are Glass Hurricanes, Candles and colored Craft Sand. Once you’ve got your supplies, it only takes about 10 minutes to create - Go for it!

1. Make sure hurricanes are clean and dry.
2. Carefully pour a small amount of blue sand in bottom of hurricane, covering the bottom. Alternate pouring white and blue sand into the hurricane, making sure that sands don’t mix and that stripes are visible through the glass.
3. Fill to point desired, then add red candle to complete the decoration.

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Gifts for a Gardener

June 29, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Gardening, Home, Scrapbooking

Are your gardening friends just loving spending every waking moment in their garden or are they feeling a little overwhelmed by endless weeding? Either way, whether it’s a summer birthday or a sweetly timed “just because” gift, your favorite gardener will squeal with detail if they are a recipient of one of the following.

The Garden sign is all purpose for anyone, but could be customized by changing to a first or last name. The clipboard is a cheery way to review your gardening chores. Keep the dirt at bay and look like a million when you sport this vinyl covered Garden apron. Deliver your gift in an all purpose Garden pail, tied with a bow and attached seed packets.

 

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New Book!

May 12, 2009 in Books, Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Quilting

I am so excited about my brand new book, HomeComings! We had such a good time designing and creating the projects and then planning and taking all the photos outdoors. Our theme is “creating memorable year-round celebrations with quilts and crafts,” and this 96 page, soft cover, book features more than forty quilt and craft projects to set the scene for seasonal celebrations. I hope you will love this new book as much as we do!

One of the most satisfying things in life for most women is gathering family and friends for a holiday or special occasion celebration. Those events when people come together from far and near are the most memorable and joyous of occasions. Preparing for these events is a big part of the fun and this book is loaded with projects and ideas for setting the scene for joy-filled reunions and homecomings.

We followed the seasons in this book and springtime projects include a beautiful basket quilt and colorful flower-filled lap quilt as well as a selection of pillows, a door banner, and Earth Day Wall Quilt.

A 4th of July celebration is the focus of the summertime section and includes festive patriotic décor including a lap quilt, Americana Wall Quilt, a door banner, and variety of pillows for charming indoor or outdoor décor.

 
Halloween happenings will be hauntingly fun with a Black and Patch Lap Quilt, black cat pillow, pumpkin table runner and other clever projects.

Quilters and crafters will reap a bounty of projects in the Harvest Celebrations section. An eye-catching appliquéd wall quilt,  Harvest Lap Quilt,  table quilts, dimensional pumpkins, and a beautiful welcome banner set the scene for autumn activities.

A joyful celebration of projects is included in the Holiday Traditions chapter including bird banners, a log cabin lap quilt, snowman door banner and holiday décor projects. See all the chapter introductions by clicking on this link, then clicking on each photo. I think you’ll find many fun projects that you’ll want to make for your next family celebration!

Have fun.

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Garden Boots – Practical and Decorative!

April 6, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Gardening, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

Does it get any simpler? And could anything look more like Spring? JoAnn Stores provides free “How To” project sheets in the store and this one features our fun new polka-dot rubber boots. Artificial Forsythia stems placed in these sunny yellow boots make a unique Spring statement when displayed on your front porch. And when you’re done with your display, slip your feet in them and look stylin’ while you clean out your garden beds. What a cute gift idea for Mom for hosting Easter Brunch.

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What are your plans?

March 19, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Home, Quilting

March is National Craft Month. I was curious to know how it was being celebrated. We checked out JoAnn Fabric Stores Facebook page and learned the plans of fellow crafters -  Pretty impressive.         

Jennifer Anderson Christopher "I'm taking a sewing class to make a reusable shopping bag" :) :)

Great idea Jennifer – you can create your own customized bag that you’ll be proud to carry. 

Melody 'Chaffin' Coehoorn "Work on Christmas gifts"

You’ll be way ahead of the rest of us!

Brenda L Thomas "I'm trying a new craft and picking up an old craft again. Making my first no sew fleece throw and going back to cross stitching!"

Once you make your first fleece throw, you’ll be hooked.

Lois Dwyer "Turning an office into a den/crafting room. Can't wait to have a permanent place for my sewing machine. It won't be hiding in the closet any more!"

Time to come out of the closet!

Sandi Alcantara "I actually want to sew some spring and summer outfits for me! i am also working on some layette and receiving blankets for our local pregnancy center and I am working on some other items for a few nursing homes in the area.

Sandi – You’ve got great plans to build the spirits of others along with your own all in one month – more than most of us can say.

Sonya Young Quertermous "I'm taking the Sewing 101 class this Saturday! I'm really excited and I have my eye on a machine already :)"

You’ll never regret learning the basics.

Jenny Fendt "I would love to try the one stroke painting class, always wanted to never had the time."

There’s no better time than now.

Debbie Kinnamon Chapman "I got some things to put my organized photos in...and then going to scrap all weekend (hopefully while my husband finishes the drywall in my craft room)."

Kudos to your hubby.

Jen Fox-Williams "Online patterns!"

I hope you check ours out – we’ve got lots and they’re all FREE.

Amy Sumner Sessions "By making homemade items for our brave men and women overseas in the Armed Forces!" www.hats4heroes.org

I commend you. Your efforts will be so appreciated.

It’s National Craft Month, what are your plans?

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