How crafty are you??

[Natalka]

Wow, you went through a lot - and it's really nice!

Oh, I've done the stitching through the adhesive on the velcro, too - one makes that mistake only once, lol!

[Evil.Kitten]

Wow, you went through a lot - and it's really nice!

Oh, I've done the stitching through the adhesive on the velcro, too - one makes that mistake only once, lol!

So true

[Natalka]

Before we decorate the Christmas tree, I finally remembered to take some pics of ornaments I've made over the past years. (Didn't make any this year, though.)

I've made lots of embroidered ones - the Peace one is larger, it has a musical button which plays Silent Night.

[Natalka]

The top ones are crewel on felt. The angel on the left is from stiffened muslin.

[Natalka]

These are way nicer in person; the manger is plastic canvas.

[Natalka]

Painted ones were fun to make - my faves are the bears!

[amandamck]

Wow Natalka, you are one talented lady! I've always been a bit of a DIYer, just finished painting and antiquing an old table for my family room and I'm getting better with my icing bags.

[Natalka]

Thanks for everyone's comments on my ornaments - hopefully I can make more and different ones this year!

[itsjustmebub]

i'll be posting some DIY's on my blog as they happen!

[walkonby]

Painted ones were fun to make - my faves are the bears!

Oh Natalka! I had not seen these yet! I am just dumbfounded at the professional look to those ornaments. I have tried many different things over the years, but my stuff really never looks as good as the book or whatever. Hats off to you, wow, no kidding my dear, great job!

[MrsSunshine]

and I forgot to take pics of the placemats etc i made for MIL. hopefully I remember ti to take a pic when we go over this weekend to take her tree etc down. then if I can ill post a pic of them.

[itsjustmebub]

I've been wanting to make a cover for my Kobo ereader since i got it as a very early birthday present [so since middle of june lol].

I'd been tossing around the idea of sewing a case.. than needlepointing a case with plastic canvas'... than i had to pick a design i wanting to needlepoint.... Which took us into october when i was playing the old nes version of super mario bros 2. I took a few screenshots, zoomed in so they were huge and spent 10 hours [collectively] pixelating them intoa stitch creator program..than another 5 hours over that next week editing the idea and switching things... Than a few hours sitting in my room staring at 20 garbages full of yarn trying to find the perfect matching colours... yes i found out i'm very anal and a stickler for perfection and organization..which is strange cuz my room is messy with crafting books and crafting items all over my bedroom floor

I used green coloured [i thought it was a good idea AT the time i started... midway thru i realized it was a terrible idea..as i had to double up my 4 ply yarn to hide the hidious green plastic canvas!]
and the 7count plastic canvas i learned is very ..not flimsy ...more flexible..so it's not got alot of structure.. i plan on putting something inside before i slide in my ereader so it won't crush. My dad didn't get his trucking job he wanted for the winter months so he'll be around.. i'm thinking a thin but sturdy wooden case to slide inside [my dad does woodcarving and crafting so he'll like the project].

Without further interuptions.. oh, right after i'd printed off my final-final-final-FINAL[!!yes i went thru maybe 20 edits of my idea before getting it started] I ran norton's power earser tool and it said it found soemthing [the day prior my brother and his wife [bleh] were downloading crap onto my dads/our computer and it was acting funky and weird... turns out norton mistook an important pc core item for a virus and removed it [or perhaps a virus latched to it... who knows but my brother and his woman blame me as always..the person who doesn't download crap or goto sites she and norton don't approve of...blah off topic!]


Thusly the screenshots i pieced together and used as reference are gone.. I changed the hair and dress outline colour to this burgandy colour as i didn't like the red/orange colour outline that the original game had so it's not 100% accurate but i like it this way better... i still think the shyguys being hotpink back than was awesome.


Just after sewing the pieces together.. than realizing i forgot to sew a top piece *grumble grumble*


I had the idea while on the verge of sleep at 1am the night before i planned on beginning the needlepoint to have the scene carry around the whole piece.. so the vine/plant [thingie? lol] the little pieces of leaves on the right side are on the backside and the left side i had ended the little 'hill'/platform but had to wing the design from memory and guessing as the computer was muffed up and getting factory reset [takes all day so lol]

All sewed together: I had the left side/flap be the beginning so i sewed the bottom half together with black yarn to complete the look..cant really see it -.-







Found some velcro strips in my crafting box..must have grabbed it from the dollar giant ages ago... than i realized the backs are sticky..though it would be okay... not really.. trying to push a sewing needle thru thick yarn, trying to miss the plastic canvas [though i'm sure i pushed thru it without knowing it..=(] than velcro than the damn strip of sticky crap.. ya.. the needle was covered in glue residue and SEVERAL times i tried pushing it and pushed thru my finger.. grrr i put TEN bandaids on my finger since i didnt have a thimble hanging around.. nope didn't work 70% of the time.t hank god i was pushingit thru with my finger on an angle and pushed slowly but still..lol..ouchie.
so it's not the nicest job but i was about to literally take my good scissors and cut all my hardwork to pieces... but i got up and did some cleaning than came back to it.. wrapped my finger in gauze many many times and taped it up [so it was a comical gianormous finger]. and finished it off.



Than i realize i can't very well let my ereader sit in there ..with no support and all *grumble grumble*.. i sat infront of my crafting dresser with all the doors open, spread out everything i had.. opened my suitcases full of fabrics and stared for 30 minutes trying to think of something....

Than i remembered all the felt wallets and pouches i was looking at on craftster and google.. i grabbed 2 skyblue pieces of felt from the Dollar tree i went to when i was tagging along with my parts in the GTA. [their felt was softer than the felt i bought from michaels.. but the michaels it strongers so..hm....]
Than i looked at fabric to line the inside with than i saw this leopard print fabric that was a pair of pj pants i bought from the sally anne in huntsville back in march [ya got in the habit of looking for decent used clothes for cheap than seam ripping them for the fabric=)] it's soooooooo soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooft

I did learn a less though and i wrote it down in my 'lessons learned' book lol. "When making a pouch and sewing only 3 sides.... pin ALL layers of fabric together and sew them so you don't have to try to line up to seperately sewn layers and failing to hide and sew the layers together..... And match yarn colour to the fabric on the outside.. don't use white thread for blue fabric!"
Now we know..and knowing is half the battle





Yeah the height of the case is about 2 1/2 inches because i wanted a pretty super mario bros 2 scene lol. . . . it's pretty though . . but seriously i'll update when that wooden slipcase idea pans out in jan lol..hopefully.

Oh and my damn male cat, boots [fatarse.. not really he's a tomcat so he's heavy] decided to lay on the case while i was sleeping upstairs. And thus the top corner on the bottomside broke [the plastic canvas.. never happened before... never will i use the green plastic canvas' from the dollar giant.. i'm throwning them out! they break easily]..so i had to repair it..well try to... than i noticed 5 vertical pieces on the top closure flap broke! clean too maybe i pulled the yarn to tight? doubt it but whatever... I found some clear tacky glue since i lost my glue gun and tried my best to put it back together..than i glue the corners incase something happened.. Than i pushed a pointed darning needle with match yarn thru the glue [added a itty bitty amount more of glue afterward just incase] and did a double backstitch across since crossstitching it was out of the question.

Alright I'm done♥

WOW!!!! great job so cute

[gracesmommy]

omg i love the mario cover!!!

[Evil.Kitten]

Haha thanks =) My ma took it too her work to show it off. All the nurses loved it, thought it was bought at a store lol.

I'm currently preparing felt for a 'hoopla' [just an embroidery project that stays within the hoop for good] of super mario and a tinkerbell for my niece. I had bought felt from the dollar tree in toronto but it's too fuzzy/fluffy to cut properly so i had to bite the bullet and goto michaels and finally found all the colours i needed so that's a tomorrow project.

And my dad found me a wooden magazine rack holder type thing but it was pretty banged up so we pulled it all apart and are going to sand it tomorrow and stain it.. might paint a video game design onto it.. not sure [probably a la mass effect since the last game is coming out soon =)]

[taxsavey]

I only like making stuff I will really use or gifts. I don't like clutter so I am afraid I would end up with a cluttered house for myself. I made a FIRE STARTER KIT for a friends wedding shower.
I cut out exact placements for items to lay in a box. Made it look official with matching labels. Did it all in HOT pink and leapord. Each item was labeled with Directions. Also had a warning on the box that we are not liable for any fire out of control. In it was a bottle of champagne with directions of it being for a fire starter aid. Leopard panties, candle, massage oil etc.A black feather boa, chocolate body paint etc. Each item had legitimate fire starter names and description of a real one you would buy. When they opened the box there was a warning that I made look legitimate. Kind of fun. It was a hit. Thats the kind of creative stuff I like to do.
I made bath cookies once as part of a gift, they look and smelled real. People thought I was giving cookies at a gift and thought it was odd. I like doing that kind of stuff.