Maldives-atoll paradise

Kid Craft from Zakka Life

I am a very big fan of Jessica Okui who creates original craft projects and tutorials every week on Zakka Life. She also shares about recipes, entertaining and tips. 

Our Grandkids will be here soon...we will decorate cookies, and if I can find the styrofoam balls (Ecokarenlee cover your eyes) we will be making these up.  Three kids and stormy weather calls for some fun crafts to have on hand.  So, I have posted this tutorial of hers for all of us to enjoy.  So,  get this tutorial of implanted in your head.  Collect your scraps and grab the kids. 

Kid Craft: Fabric Scrap Ornaments

This is an easy inexpensive craft for children 5 and up. Both my 5 and 7 year old made one of these ornaments and had no problems. Directions below.

Supplies:
One styrofoam ball - This shows a ball that's 2" in diameter, any size will work

Fabric cut into one inch squares - If you're going to use a bigger ball, I recommend making the squares larger as well.

Embossing tool or tiny screw driver - You don't want to use anything pointy like a toothpick or knitting needle ( it will just poke a hole in the fabric).

• Yarn

• Tapestry needle

• Scissors

• Knitting needle

1. Poke a hole all the way through the center of the styrofoam with the knitting needle. Thread both ends of yarn trough it. Tie yarn at bottom of ball. Cut loose ends. Refer to picture above.

With embossing tool, push the center of the fabric into the styrofoam.

Your ornament should look something like this now.

Repeat process until the entire ball is covered and no styrofoam is showing.

Done!

Jessica has recently been featured in "Glitter Can Add Magic to Holiday Crafting" and "Craft the Bag to Add Something Extra To Your Gifts" for The Associated Press. For a more complete list of articles, click here.

....and sites like Etsy!

Got my Care2 daily email today. Care2 is a  reference that can give you information on just about anything that has to do with being a concious consumer to health and personal welfare.

This section talked about handmade and had a fun and personal diy for holiday gift giving, and lo and behold there was a big plug for Buy HandMade and Etsy.  I am an Etsy seller, a member of Buy HandMade and part of that community of people who love handmade. 

Becky Striepe wrote a nice piece in the Green Living section.   Here is some of what she suggests:

"Rather than head to the big box store for impersonal gifts and decorations, why not try out some handmade alternatives this year?

If you’re not the crafty type, you can still add a handmade touch to the holidays by pledging to buy handmade this season. When you buy from an independent artist or crafter, you’re helping directly support their art!

You can put together pretty, layered dry soup mixes in a mason jar, for example. Just layer the beans, spices, and grains, and tie some bakers twine around the neck of the jar with a list of wet ingredients and cooking instructions. We get so many tchotchkes over the holidays, many of your giftees will appreciate something so personal and practical. Plus, once they’ve made the soup, that mason jar has a million different uses!

If you’re not into making gifts yourself, it’s so easy to shop for handmade presents. Whether you prefer to shop online or in person, there are tons of handmade holiday resources available from craft markets and pop up shops to sites like Etsy."

Blogging in the sphere...

Every morning I go to my own blog, where I have my blog roll of favorites.  I read them....then check out their blog roll and on and on until I have no idea where I got where I am.   Then I feel the need to blog  here.  I know that I have two (2) followers and when I check my Sitemeter the numbers are single digit hits.

I make it a point to visit certain blogs,  Autum Hall at Creative Little Daisy has just installed a new stainless counter top.  She blogged about that and we all were thrilled.  How she develped a following is perfectly clear....personality, enthusiasm, tutorials and just a lovely lady.  This summer she did not post for weeks, and finally I send her an email asking if she was allright!  I received a friendly reply advising that she was fine, but was very busy.

Anna Maria Horner has the most fabulous fabric and a very folksy blog.   I wouldn't miss it.  I can see what draws people to her.

I need to know how to reach more folks and invite them read my blog.  I really have no theme, so I have decided that since my time is spent making bags right now,  I should concentrate on that.  I am a quilter too, and will try to squoosh some quilting thoughts and photos in as well.

Here is my newest creation (made from a pattern by Michelle Webster at  Keyka Lou
I tinkered with two of her patterns and am pleased with the result.  If I named my bags, this could be called "Whaddya doin' New Years Eve?"........

 Pearls and a wine glass on satin with the gentleman's pocket watch a few minutes after midnight and the lady's evening bag open......is that sexy, or what?

p.s. This fabric is so lovely....click on the photo to enlarge......

You purchase a pattern from her on Etsy and right away download it as a pdf.  Instant gratifiction.
Her blog http://www.keyka.typepad.com/ is chock full of tips, tutorials, instructions questions answered.  All in all, a really super find. 

Quilts

Well....the time has come to list my finished quilts in my etsy shop. Three will be for sale, to begin with, and we will see how they sell. This is a little guy, 42 x 42. Maybe diagonally on the table with candles, etc, or as a wall hanging.

The one on the just below was fun to make....I did it just to see how it went together. An excellent stash-buster.

I didn't know if it would end up on someone's bed, over the back of the couch or on the wall, so I put a sleeve on it. It measures 68 x 49. It was professionally quilted, so zoom in on the wonderful feather work.

And then is my one of my favorites....great Turkey red fabric that I hoarded for a couple of years until I could find a quilt to put it in. Size is 74 x 74. I also made pillow cases from leftover fabric. I can see this in someone's guestroom.

So...the quilts will to up tomorrow.