Putting the Qool in Quilt

I'm having so much fun with quilting!  My mother-in-law is a pro and her pieces were always so mind-bending!  I didn't realize that simple quilting was an option.  There are so many facets to this craft...it's huge...and yes...mind-bending!

I started making basic blankets and painting stencils on them.  I love doing this but with summer coming up, I wanted to make a thinner blanket and practice more of my sewing.

So...that's when I started looking around at basic quilting and thought, "I can do that!"

I'm starting off with simple straight-line and free-line projects here: 

I just received a new shipment of fabrics from Fabric Worm!  I think I'm going to try piecing smaller pieces this time around.  Stay tuned for more!  Visit my etsy shop for projects and prices: www.etsy.com/shop/samartiepants

ciao!

Banners - No Sewing Required!

I am banner crazy these days...must be this AMAZING Austin weather!  Banners are a great way to get rid of leftover fabric pieces, add some sunshine to a space and release your creative energy!  AND...they are supah dupah easy!

What you'll need: 

- leftover fabric
- fabric scissors
- hot glue gun
- twine or string

1. Create a banner template (mine are 5" across, 8" top to point)
2. Trace around the template on your fabric pieces
3. Cut out and arrange the way you want them
4. Flop the top over the twine and glue down (be sure not to glue your twine if you want movement)

Voila!  Adorable every time!

If you're feeling extra lazy and don't want to create a template, just cut out rectangular pieces of fabric and hang them the same way.  I tried both and I think I like the rectangular strand better.  The piece sizes don't match but it looks perfect that way!  Have fun! 

3-D Easter Egg Banner

Today is the 1st day of spring!  And with that said, we all know Easter's around the corner.  Brad and I will be in Big Bend this year for the holiday, so there will be no dying or hunting of eggs.  So I thought I'd do my part in decorating and acknowledging with this adorable, easy to make Easter banner. And!  It cost me under $10!  This would be a great kid's craft too if you wanted to replace the hot glue gun with a glue stick.

I pulled this straight from Creations by Kara with a few modifications.  I really love the way it turned out!  You can see Kara's HERE.

Easter Egg Banner

Supplies:

- Free printable pattern
- Medium card stock for banner shapes
- 1 piece of medium scrap card stock for pattern template
- Scraps of colored paper for egg shapes  (I used light card stock)
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Fabric pieces, twine or yarn
* I went to Hobby Lobby - they have the best paper products in their scrapbook making section and so affordable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions: 

1. Print out your pattern
2. Cut out the banner (with egg shape still in the middle) and trace it onto the piece of scrap card stock in order to make your template.  Be sure to extend the top of the banner 1" or so when making your template.  You are going to want to fold that part over your twine.  

3. Cut out the egg shape and trace that onto the scrap card stock as well
4. Cut both shapes out - now you have your templates!

5. Trace however many banner pieces you want and cut them out - I made 10.
6. Fold the tops of your banner pieces down and make a crease.

7. Trace double the amount of egg pieces on the colored paper - in my case I made 20 eggs.

8. Fold 10 of the eggs in half length-wise.

9. Hot glue gun all 10 FLAT eggs in the middle of the banners.
10. Take the folded eggs and run a light glue line along the crease and press firmly in the middle of the flat egg.

11. At this point you can measure and cut your twine or yarn and hot glue the banner flaps around it. Try not to glue the twine to the banner if you want some movement. 

Alternately you can use fabric pieces like I did to create the cute little knots between each piece.

1. Cut your scrap fabric into 1" width strips
2. Cut your strips down to around 10" pieces
3. Fold the top of banner over the fabric and glue in place.  Try not to glue the fabric to the banner.  I like to have some movement to play with.
4. Tie each piece together.
5. Tie your end pieces to twine or yarn like I did OR you can make your end fabric pieces longer.

Tie your cute banner inside or out and enjoy all season!

Modern Baby Blanket

 

Look what I made!  It came straight from the pages of Printing By Hand by Lena Corwin.  I'm so happy with the result!  She has such hip, cool paint crafts in that book!  I highly recommend it!  Buy it here!

My next step is to create my own stencils, sew them up and sell to you and your friends!  Once I create, you know I'll share!  

More pics:

Tell me what you think! 

ciao!

Revamp that Old Tramp!

I recently revived an old sofa table for my friends, the Stefani's.  They love the table and the detail, as do I, but were over the faded yellow and the leg wobble.

My Steps to go from "eh" to "ahhh!"

1. Disassemble 

It is waaaay easier to work with parts.  Especially on a piece like this one that has these pretty bowed legs.

2. Sand or Strip

I chose to sand...so will talk about that process.  You want to use a COURSE grade sandpaper (P60-P120) to remove paint.  I used my Mouse sander first and then decided to give my husband's Dewalt man sander a go seeing as though there was a lot of layers to get through.  I love my Mouse.  It's super small and perfect for a lady in the studio...but the Dewalt is more powerful, hands down.  After you've sanded the paint off, you want to sand it again with a FINE grade sandpaper (P500) to smooth everything out before painting your first coat.  Be sure to wipe away all dust before painting.
*Unfortunately, I don't have a pic.  I was beat after the sanding...my least favorite part.

3. Reassemble

I decided to reassemble.  I don't have the tools to prop up a leg piece while painting, so I thought it best to reassemble.  The leg wobble was a concern of the Stefani's, so I decided to glue those pieces together.  I used Titebond Ultimate wood glue.  It's the best!  I glued the legs in, screwed them back on and used C-Clamps to hold each leg together.

4. Prime

I had some spray primer left over from another project so I went with that.  You have to use primer if you want a quality job done.  Period.  No questions asked.  Otherwise the paint seeps into the wood and the color is uneven.  Trust me...

5. Paint

My favorite part :)  So...I used spray paint...and I'm sorry I did.  I was trying to save money but ended up paying just as much or more for 4 cans as I would've a half gallon of paint.  The Stefani's wanted a more neutral color so I chose Rust-Oleum in Espresso Satin.  If I would've bought a canned paint, I would've had so many more fun browns to choose from, but this one turned out nicely.

6. Seal

I love to seal, but you have to sand again between coats...aye yai yai!  I used Minwax Satin Polyurethane.  Lay your first layer.  Follow the directions and wait 3+ hours. Then use a VERY FINE grade sandpaper (P1200+) to flatten your first shiny layer.  Then reapply another layer.

7. Marvel at your work!

Fun with Lasers

 I took an amazing class this evening through the Women Design Build organization.  They partnered with Kristen & Eve from MakeATX to introduce the laser-cut technique on food...chocolate no less!  MakeATX is known for their laser-cut paper and wood crafts and jewelry.  They have this huge laser named, Patty Princess of Power, in their studio space in East Austin.  By looking at it, you can see that it could laser through anything.  But to be so powerful and yet so delicate as to not blow our bars into smithereens was a sight to behold!  Most definitely a Princess!

Grrrr...sexy beast!  ha!

We first met with Eve and picked out an image or text and font.  Then Kristen took us over to another computer and uploaded our creation.  We took our Theo bars and placed them in the laser face down...Kristen pushed a button...and voila!  Easy peazy!

While we waited for our turn, the girls had all sorts of fun crafts for us to do.  They had a table overflowing with crafty goodness - glitter, pom poms, cute wood & paper cut-out hearts, colored pens and pencils, glue, felt hearts, colored hard-stock paper and envelopes...and my favorite....laser cut-outs to make our Love Monsters with.  I could have stayed at that table all night!

Monster Cowboy of Love

I highly recommend taking a class with Women Design Build.  Everyone and everything was lovely.

AND I highly recommend taking a class, becoming a member or buying some of the goods that MakeATX has to offer.  They are so creative and talented!  Go girls go!

Art from the Heart...and a poem from Me to You.

an oldie from Pretty Little Thieves

Sweet Valentine,  

Won't you be mine?

With eyes that shine,

And sparkle anew. 

The kind that melt

And distort my view.

You have my heart,

Can I have yours too?


*i can rhyme simply!*







I love this artist's work!   I found her on Etsy moons ago and own 2 of her works.  She has prints, sketches and little painted plates!  Adorable.

 

                              a newer creation - on sale here!

This Old Chair

For the holidays this year, I wanted to do something special for my dad.  While cleaning out his garage for the big move, he found an old chair of his father's that he was going to give away.  It was worn and sad.  But I remembered my Pop sitting in it on his back porch for hours just watching the world go by when I was a wee one.  I wanted to save the chair and recycle it back to my dad so he could sit and relax on his back porch :)

I started with this: 

 I then took the seat out and glued the 3 seat pieces together.  I sanded the frame and added wood filler and glue to any holes or lose parts.

 I then stained the frame with Minwax Antique Walnut and added the wooden seat.  I didn't stain the seat because I was just going to cover it up with fabric. 

I went to Joann's to find some fabric and it was really difficult!  Nice, masculine reupholster fabric is really hard to find in your chain, fabric shop...but I think I found a winner.

Adding the cushion, batting and fabric proved to be the most challenging part.  But with a little help from the hubby, I was able to fit it all back together.

I think it came out pretty good!  What do you think!?!

Design - The Chicago House

I recently had the wonderful opportunity of working with Becky & Tray of Design Trait on a new bar concept downtown, The Chicago House. It's an "American Craft Beer and Cask Ale" house.   Think prohibition era, whiskey barrel goodness downstairs paired with sky blue walls, feminine, vintage chandeliers and shabby chic chairs and banquets upstairs.  The contrast is big but somehow it all works! 

I helped Design Trait source out a few vintage pieces like these big ornate chandelier balls from the Austin Antique Mall  and these gorgeous wooden trunk from Cool Stuff Furniture.  I love to shop for vintage....but to get paid for it?  Um...hello!  Call me again DT...I'm always available for that ;)

 

I also helped with some of the bar's furniture restoration.  I'm super proud of my refinished chairs.  I first sanded them all, applied paint, sanded the paint down to look worn and then sealed them.  It was a lot of work but so happy with the outcome!

Some of my work:

More pics of The Chicago House:

Thanks again for the opportunity!  And like I said....I'm available ;)