Izbzee

Prim Spring Bouquet

It's official!  Spring has arrived -- at least on the calendar.  We've even heard a few lawn mowers in the neighborhood in the last week or so -- hoping to see a few more sprigs of green and color in a few more days

I've wanted to do a hanging mason jar project for a long time... but just didn't get the right vibes until the tulips came to mind.  So let's get started.

You'll need:
cream colored brushed flannel (2 fat quarters or a 1/4 yard)
Tulip fabric dyes (green, orange, yellor)
tea (berry and black)
sewing machine
fiber fill
bamboo skewers
hot glue
wire cutters
board
screw
mason jar/with lid
twine
mica powder (Mixed Media Supplies)
filler (optional)
scissors
pattern (I drew my own)
gloves

Plan on working on this project for a couple of days.... First steps for me were

1) draw my patterns.  Be sure to allow a 1/4" seam for the flowers. 

2) I chose to make 3 different colored flowers... 3 in each color.  Cut three pieces of fabric large enough to cut 6 flowers from.  Remember you'll also need a piece for the leaves.

3) Mix the dyes as directed by the manufacturer.  I poured about an inch of mixed dye into a pint sized mason jar and placed the fabric  - one for yellow and one for orange.  In a third mason jar, steep a couple of bags of the berry tea.  Add the fabric.  In a 4th jar, add some green dye and place the fabric you've set aside for the leaves in that jar.  Let the fabric soak for about 30 minutes.  Using gloves, lightly wring the fabric.  I did not rinse the extra dye out of the fabric before air drying.  After the fabric has dried, heat set using an iron.  Use a towel to absorb any additional ink that may be released with the iron.  Begin with the lightest color first, then gradually work to the darker colors.  Set aside.  But you're not ready to cut yet.  You can return the leftover dye to their storage containers to use at a later date.  Clean the jars.




4) Steep 2 large bags of black tea.  Divide between the 4 jars and place a piece of fabric in each of the jars.  Allow to soak for about 20 minutes or until the fabric is sufficiently grunged.  Again, using gloves, wring the fabric.  Let dry.  Heat set the fabric again as described previously.

5)  Trace the patterns on the fabric and cut. You'll need two cuts for each flower and one cut for each leaf - I forgot to take a picture of the leaves.  OOPS!  

6) Stitch each flower, wrong sides together using a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving about 3/4 " area unstitched to allow for turning.  Clip curves and corners and turn.  Set aside.

7)  Lightly stuff each flower with some fiberfill. 

8) If desired, "paint" the skewers green. 

9) Using the glue gun, apply a small bit to the base of the flower and attach to the skewer.  Repeat until all the flowers are attached.  Spritz each flower with a bit of Mixed Media Supplies mica powder mixed with water and let dry. 

10)  Trim skewers if needed.  Glue a leaf to the skewer and repeat until all the flowers have been completed. 

11) With the crop-o-dile, punch a hole on the ring on either side.  Thread some twine through the holes and tie off leaving enough to hang the mason jar from the hook in the board.

12) Arrange the flowers in the jar as desired.  Add filler if desired.  Spritz with a little more mica powder dissolved in water.  And you're done! 


There's a little bit of shimmer on the flowers and leaves, but it's hard to catch.

I added a string of fairy lights to my bottle before adding the flowers.  They're easy to turn on and off and sure add a touch of whimsy to this prim bouquet. 

Hope you have some creative time scheduled soon! Thanks for stopping by! 

Wreath of Sunshine

Upcycling  some cardboard and creating a wreath for the door....

My last post shared all the details for making the sunflowers using the eBrush, siphon adapter, fabric dye and staining with tea.... so I won't repeat those steps here.  You will need something for your wreath base -- I cut a box using a couple of large bowls for the pattern.  A styro form would also work well. Now, gather the rest of your supplies:

I used:  4" wide burlap "ribbon,"  printed organza ribbon, novelty yarn, the prim flowers and a few twigs from the yard.  You'll also want to have a glue gun and a little bit of wire and some scissors.

I loosely wrapped the burlap around the base, making sure the cardboard didn't show between the wraps.  My ribbon was 4" wide and I used a couple of yards from the roll to wrap the base.  Hot glue the end on the back of the base.  Wrap some yarn around about 1/3 of the wreath.  Arrange your flowers and twigs, add any additional items to your wreath as desired.  Add a length of ribbon and tie the ends together to create a loop around the wreath base and hang from the door.*

*TIP:  If using a foam wreath, make sure that you use a cool temp glue gun if you apply glue directly to the form.  You can also use floral pins to attach the printed ribbon loops and twigs. 

Here's another look at the wreath. 

Hope this inspires you to do a little creating in the days ahead... and to nurture your creative spirit.  AND most importantly, thanks for stopping by. 

 

 

Summer Sunshine

It's national Upcycling month and the Craftwell Design Teams are celebrating it too.  I hope you'll enjoy this fun prim project.

For this project I chose to recycle some material and a plastic bottle.  The eBrush, Tulip Fabric dye and white glue and hot glue were used on the flowers, leaves and a bit of tea for a little more vintage look. 

Cut the circles in the sizes desired.  I chose to add a little design to the flower centers using the glue.  Be sure to let it dry before you use the eBrush with the siphon adapter  to add color.  Once you've finished spraying, let dry.  Heat set the dye.  If desired you can wash out the glue, I liked the way it looked, so left it on. 

 

Cut the larger circles to make flower petals.  Do not cut past the stitching.  Dip the flower into some tea.  Add a little cinnamon to the tea -- squeeze out the excess tea and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet.  Repeat for each of the flowers.  Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees F.  Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes.  You will want to watch to make sure you don't "over cook" the flowers. 

TIP:  HEAT SET the DYE.  I didn't heat set the first batch of flowers to the dye faded a lot.  I re-colored the petals and center for a little more color.  The flowers looked a lot happier!  :) 

For the leaves, cut double the number of shapes and spray (or dip) with dye.  Let dry.  Iron if needed.  Using the glue gun, on one side of the leaf, draw in some veins.... put a leaf shape on the top, matching the edges as best as you can.  You may want to tap lightly to make sure that both pieces of fabric are "stuck."  Flip over.  You should be able to see your vein pattern.  Repeat as needed.  When all your leaves are finished, grab a sharpie and spray around the edges for a little more color and depth.  Using the glue gun,  glue the leaves to the back of the flower head OR glue to a "stem" you've added to the flower.    (Kabob sticks are my stems for this project). 

(no pics, sorry)

I chose to recycle a fruit juice bottle for my vase.  Just cut with an exacto knife at the height you want.  I wanted a copper look so grabbed a can of spray paint I found at my local home improvement store and gave the "vase" a quick spray (Hammered Copper was used in this project and it is safe on most plastics).  Spray a second coat following manufacturer's directions if desired.  It was a bit humid here the day I sprayed, so it took longer on the drying time.  Using a piece of recyled styro, I hot glued it into the vase and then added my flowers. 

 

While I liked the hammered copper look of the vase - I decided to take it a step further and add a little "patina."  Here's how it looks now.  Ranger's Vintaj Patina was perfect!  You can use the siphon OR a brush to apply. 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you're enjoying this month's projects... be sure to check the rest of the #eBrushteam's projects on the Craftwell blog. 

 

Vintage Violets

I'm so excited to share this first project for a new term on Craftwell's eBrush Team! 

Childhood memories came flooding back when I found some violets growing in what I thought was our barren yard.  Surprise! 

Seeing the blossom was my inspiration for this month's eBrush project. 

 

for this project you'll need:
eBrush (marker adapter and siphon adapter)
tea
heart pattern
stencil (my own)
markers (permanent and water fast)

Fabric (scraps will do if you choose to do a scrappy heart - at least 4 inch squares for the heart top)
Fat quarter for heart base
Muslin (for inner bag)
embroidery floss
needle
sewing machine
thread similar in color to your fabric
natural cotton batting (thin)
lace and other embellishments as desired

Let's get started:
Brew your tea.  Set aside.
Choose your fabric for the stenciled element and spray as desired.  I sprayed the leaves first and then the blossoms.  It was easy peasy.  I added a little bit of yellow marker to the flower centers.  Make sure the fabric is completely dry before the next step. 

Set up your siphon.  I used a bottle, not the cup for this project.  Protect all your surfaces if you're spraying inside -- I did experience a bit of overspray.  I saturated each piece of fabric I wanted to have a vintage look with the regular tea.  For the blue/pink pieces, I used a pomegranate infused tea, which left a beautiful shade of light blue and a deeper pink when saturated a second time with the tea.  You can also spray the lace pieces if you'd like. 



I even used the tea on an old lace curtain panel -- It turned out yummy looking.

See how pink that tea is?  Depending on the fabric content, depends on how the fabric colors. 

Now that all of your pieces are eBrushed, it's time to put your "crazy quilt" together.  I wanted the violets to be the focal point on this piece, so I started with that.  I drew a heart on some copy paper.  Added a few more lines to crisscross on the back of the heart (you'll stitch from that side) and placed the focal piece where I wanted it face up.  Laying the second piece face down, Carefully flip the fabric and paper to the back side and pin.  Stitch with the sewing machine.  Trim that seam to 1/4 inch or slightly less.  Finger press the seam.  Add the next piece of fabric, face down and repeat as needed.  Once all of the pieces have been stitched, trim your new fabric to the heart shape and remove the paper from the back.  Cut a piece of batting just slightly smaller than the heart and place it under the stitched heart.  Add your embroidery stitches and lacey trims, seed beads and any other embellishments you want securing with thread through all layers.  Set aside.

Cut 2 hearts about 1/2 inch larger than your stitched heart from some coordinating fabric from the fat quarter.  Stitch a 1/4 inch seam around the outer edges, leaving about 2 inches open on one side to turn and stuff.

From the muslin, cut another pair of hearts.  Stitch as above, leaving an opening for stuffing.  Clip the curves on both of the hearts (not the quilted heart);  turn and press.  Carefully, insert the muslin heart into the fabric heart.  Stuff with fiber fill or poly pellets to desired firmness.  Stitch the muslin heart closed, then the fabric heart closed.  Lay the quilted heart on top of the now stuffed fabric heart, centering.  Pin in place.  Carefully stitch the quilted heart to the fabric heart using a blanket stitch or other decorative stitch.   If desired, grab the eBrush and the siphon and some tea and add a little more "color" to the edges of the hearts if desired for a more aged look.  Don't over saturate.  Let dry. 

If desired, stitch a length of ribbon at the top of the heart to hang.  This heart can be used as decor or as a pin cushion. 

 Thanks for dropping by.  Be sure to stop by Craftwell's blog again tomorrow and Friday for more fabulous projects by the designers for this term.

 

 

eBrushed Notepad Cover

It's a Kaboodle Bug Design week! 


Dress up a notepad or notebook using a cover.  For this sample, I choose to use a fabric cover.

You'll need:
pre-washed fabric (I used some medium weight muslin)
thin batting
Tulip® Fabric Markers
eBrush with Sharpie adapter and foam pencil cushion
Notepad (mine measures about  5.5 x 8.5 inches)
Stencil material
Electronic Cutting Machine and software
Therm-O-Web
Sewing Machine, thread, scissors
Iron
Plastic

You can freehand your design or use stencils as I have done.
Apple Bookworm file (from KaDoodleBugDesigns.com)



Measure your notepad. To measure your fabric pieces for cutting: double the width or your notepad and add 1.5 inches. For the height, measure the height and add 1.5 inches.  You'll need to cut 2 pieces of fabric and one of batting.  My fabric and batting for this particular cover, measured  12.5 inches w by 9.5 inches h. 

Set aside the batting and one piece of fabric.

You'll want to cover your surface with some plastic.  Remember, you're using fabric markers and if you're wanting to preserve your manicure, gloves might be helpful. 

Secure your fabric to the work surface if need be.  I'm using stencils and the stencil basically covered the area I was going to use the eBrush on, so I just use that to keep my fabric in place.  Using the markers and eBrush, spray as desired.  The Alpha file is one I've had for a while and I think it's an Ali Edwards file.

Since KaDoodleBugDesigns is a sponsor this month, I'm also using one of Melissa's files -- called Apple Bookworm and fabric piecing the "painted" pieces to the cover. 


I used a scrap of fabric about 5 x 7 inches to stencil the worm and the apple.  Once colored using the ebrush and markers, I added a little more dimension with the fine tip of the marker. 



The brush tip was used to spray all the pieces with the eBrush.  Use some Therm-O-Web to bond the fabric so you can "fuse" it to the cover.  Cut the pieces.  You could choose to use your electronic cutting machine to do the cutting before you color... I just cut mine by hand!  :)

Once all the pieces are colored and cut, fuse as desired to the fabric cover piece.  I used a stencil to draw on the eyeglasses and left the arms off for this sample.  The apple, stem and leaf are all one piece.  To set the colors, follow the manufacturer's directions for the markers you're using.

Now that you have all the coloring and set the dye  simply stack from the bottom up, batting, cover face up and the 2nd piece of fabric.  Pin.  Stitch using a 1/4 inch wide seam.  Be sure to leave about a 2 inch opening along one long edge.  I chose the top edge along what would be the back of the cover.  Trim the corners to remove some of the bulk.  Carefully turn the cover right side out.  You can finger press the seams or get your iron out and press. 

Place the notepad on the inside of the back cover.  I secured mine with a couple of hook and loop dots ( you can replace them as you switch out notebooks) Since this pad will stay on my desk, I'm not going to need to secure the cover with a closure, but you certainly could. 

Thanks for dropping by and don't miss out on all the rest of the fabulous projects being shared by the design team this week and next!  Hoping you've set some time aside in your craftroom this week! 

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After all the rain we had during the month of May, this little gal is definitely a ray of sunshine!  Thanks to Latina Crafter for fabulous resourses!

She's definitely one of a kind.  She's made of muslin that has been stenciled using the Puntos stencil by Latina Crafter and Craftwell's eBrush with the Siphon adapter using Tulip Fabric dyes.

Here are a few pictures of the process. Get all your equipment ready -- Let's SPRAY!

Click on the photos for a larger image:

I heat set all of the stenciled fabric pieces before cutting and stitching..  After rinsing out the glue on the yellow piece, let dry and press.  Complete as directed in the pattern that you choose.  The body for this doll sits in a Mason Jar.  I used a pattern from my doll making era!  Add the overskirt and tie in place.  Add the hair and any additional embellishment.

I made an origami parasol following the directions found in this youtube video.  I sprayed the paper squares using the eBrush and Sharpie markers using the same stencil as used for the doll. 

Embellish as desired!  Can you see that veneer peeking out?  It's a Sun hiding behind a cloud!  Love it and it was a perfect accent around the doll's waist.  At this point in time, I wasn't sure about adding some facial features or not... but if you scroll back to the top photo,  I did! 

Doll making is always fun!  Let your creativity flow.  Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you'll be spending some time crafting soon!

Thanks to our sponsor, Latina Crafter for the wood veneers and stencil used in this project! 

  PS:  June 11 - 12, Be sure to pop by Latina Crafter for their fabulous Blog Hop! 

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