quinta-feira, 10 de junho de 2010

Quadro organizador...

The clothespins make it easy to customize this calendar!  You can transform the daily calendar to one that counts the weeks by  substituting the labels.
I love the space-saving dual purpose of my new crafty peg board!  (Now my most-used tools are really at my fingertips!)
Even though this peg-board project jumped out of the box from  Canvas Corp, there  are lots of other projects just waiting for  me...very exciting!
The clothespins make it easy to customize  this calendar! You can transform the daily calendar to one that counts  the weeks by substituting the labels.

The clothespins make it easy to customize this calendar! You can transform the daily calendar to one that counts the weeks by substituting the labels.

Photo: Jen Stern

I am always looking for the perfect way to organize myself...especially when I'm planning a large event. The wonderful people at Canvas Corp recently sent me a goody box full of fun, crafty products and ideas for home decor projects. The one that really popped out was this peg-board calendar—I love it. You could use it as a calendar (which I'm going to try first), or as a place to pin up all your inspiration pics (mine come from Vogue, W, and other fashion magazines). I decided to get a big enough piece of peg board so I could use it as a "tool holder" as well.

Here's what you'll need:

  • A piece of peg board (I got my 2-foot x 4-foot piece at the Home Depot)
  • Spray paint in a color of your choice
  • Heavy grosgrain or woven 3/8-inch ribbon
  • Large-eye needle
  • Clothespins (mine are from Canvas Corp—all painted and ready to go!)
  • Hooks for the peg board (if you're going to use it as a tool organizer)

I started with my white peg board—you can leave it white if you like. Mine was a little dirty and my walls are white, so I decided to use some of the spray paint I had left over from the stenciled tablecloth to give it some pizzazz!

peg board
You can cut the peg board to a size that fits your room. In addition to smaller precut sizes, you can get it as a 4-foot x 8-foot sheet.

paint it
It was a beautiful day, so I took my peg board outside to paint it.

In addition to the peg board, I bought some metal hooks and heavy woven ribbon.

hook assortment and ribbon
Make sure the hooks match the holes in your peg board. You can get 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch holes. I think the smaller hooks work in the larger holes (but not vice versa).

After the paint dries, plan the layout of your peg board. I split mine down the middle—2 feet for calendar and 2 feet for hanging tools. After you determine how much space will be devoted to the calendar, cut pieces of ribbon that are that long plus an extra foot for loops and knots. I decided on four rows of seven loops (one for each day of the week and three loops under each day).

Thread the ribbon through a large-eye needle—that way, it will be easy to weave the ribbon in and out of the peg-board holes.

use a large-eye needle
You could also use a bodkin to weave the ribbon through.

Tie a square knot at the end of the ribbon and thread the ribbon through the first hole from the right side. (You could do this from the back if you don't want your knot to show.) Come up in the next hole. To make a narrow loop, go back through in the next hole. If you want a larger hoop, skip a hole.

I wanted to create some space between my loops, so I skipped a hole between them. You can skip more than one hole if you want more space to hang larger notes or pictures.

weave ribbon through the holes to make loops
Using heavy ribbon will make it easy to keep the loops uniform in size as you "stitch" across the peg board.


When you get to the end of the row, cut up to the front and tie another square knot to secure the loops. Skip as many rows as you like and weave another row of loops (lined up under the first ones).

make rows of loops
If you have a square ruler, you can quickly see the best way to crop your photo into a square.

After you've made your loop "calendar," use some colorful paper to make labels for the days of the week. Attach them with clothespins to attach them along the top row. Now you're ready to get organized—add notes to remind you about appointments or events.

Then, I put metal hooks on the other side to organize my tools.

make your calendar and add hooks to hang tools
Customize your peg board to fit your creative needs. I'm excited that I'll never misplace my large rotary cutter or inch bias tape maker again!
Did you make this?

Polvo de lã...

Enjoy your new yarny friend!
Wrap the yarn around the notebook several times. You want to get a  nice thick amount of yarn on both sides since the thickness will form  the octopus head. Be sure to wrap tightly, but not too tightly, since  youll need to be able to slide the yarn off of the book.
Once youve wrapped the book to your desired thickness, work a  piece of string under the wraps on one edge of the book and tie it into a  very tight knot. Carefully slide the yarn off of the book. Turn the knot you just made to  the inside of the looped yarn to conceal it.
Enjoy your new yarny friend!

Enjoy your new yarny friend!

Photo: Linda Permann

Keeping kids occupied during the summer without spending a lot of cash can be a bit of a challenge. Here's an easy craft you can make with them using things you have around the house. You may need to help them get the octopus started, and help them to tie off the sections, but other than that, kids over 6 should be able to have fun with this craft.

Materials

-scrap yarn (I used 3 colors of worsted weight yarn, you can use one or several, it's up to you)
-a book that's at least 10" tall on one side (I used a composition notebook)
- google eyes
- tacky glue
- scissors
- clothespins (optional)

Wrap the yarn around the notebook several times. You want to get a nice thick amount of yarn on both sides since the thickness will form the octopus' head.


Be sure to wrap tightly, but not too tightly, since you'll need to be able to slide the yarn off of the book.

Once you've wrapped the book to your desired thickness, work a piece of string under the wraps on one edge of the book and tie it into a very tight knot.

Carefully slide the yarn off of the book. Turn the knot you just made to the inside of the looped yarn to conceal it.


Take a length of yarn about 2-3" down from the knot you just made. This makes the octopus head.


Cut the untied looped ends of the yarn open. Divide the strands into 8 sections (for 8 tentacles).

Divide each of the 8 sections into three sections and braid them.


If you'd like to let your kids do this, you can give them 8 clothespins to clip the ends of each leg and have you help tie them off all at once. Tie each end with a strand of yarn, leaving the ends long (so they'll blend in with the other yarn ends).


Clip the yarn ends of each leg to an even length.


Glue on google eyes and a little yarn smile.


Enjoy your new yarny friend!

Postais lindos com botões!

How to Make Button-Embellished Cards

comments (4) March 19th, 2009 ShareThis
kaytet kayte terry, contributor
Love it! 7 users recommend
A set of cute ribbon and button–embellished cards in  blues and yellows.
A selection of some ribbons and buttons I used. Pick a color story  that you really love.
Poke holes in the card to make a guide for sewing on the buttons.
A set of cute ribbon and button–embellished  cards in blues and yellows.

A set of cute ribbon and button–embellished cards in blues and yellows.

Photo: Kayte Terry
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When is the last time you got a nice handwritten note from a friend? Can't remember? Well, it seems that the art of letter writing is almost lost to us. Sure, e-mails are easier, but a handwritten note is something really special. Let me tell you, the only thing better than a handwritten note is a handmade and handwritten note. When I was about 14, I had a really great pen pal. We were both artistically inclined and would turn our letters and envelopes into mini works of art. One envelope she sent was encrusted with sewn-on buttons. It was one of my favorites and I still have it to this very day. These cards are definitely inspired by her.

A couple of things to keep in mind when sewing on paper: Make sure to change out your sewing needle before you go back to sewing on fabric, and I think that leather needles sew better on paper.

And one more thing: If you are going to mail these cards, remember that the buttons make them a bit heavier and you might need more postage.

What you'll need to make two cards:

  • Cardstock in two contrasting colors
  • X-Acto knife, cutting mat, and ruler
  • Decorative-edge scissors and fabric scissors
  • Assorted buttons
  • Scraps of ribbon
  • Glue stick or spray adhesive
  • Sewing machine
  • Needle and thread
  • Envelopes

Here are your two blank cards.

1. Lay out a sheet of cardstock on the cutting mat. Fold the cardstock in half lengthwise, and press the folded edge flat with the side of a ruler. Using a ruler, cut the sheet in half to make two cards that are 4-1/4 inches x 5-1/2 inches.


I used pinking shears to make these decorative edges. You also could use a scallop or even just cut them straight with an X-Acto knife.

2. Mark two 3-3/4-inch x 5-inch rectangles on the other sheet of cardstock. Cut out with decorative-edge scissors or, if you prefer, with an X-Acto knife.


A selection of some ribbons and buttons I used. Pick a color story that you really love.

3. Lay out all your buttons and ribbons and figure out your design. You will be working on the 3-3/4-inch x 5-inch rectangles.


Sew on the ribbons with a straight or zigzag stitch. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each line.

4. Start with the ribbons: Lightly coat the back of the ribbons with adhesive and adhere to the cardstock as desired. Trim the ends with fabric scissors. Use your sewing machine to topstich over the ribbons. You can also add some more decorative lines with the machine if you wish.


Poke holes in the card to make a guide for sewing on the buttons.

5. Add the buttons: You will want to make guide holes in the card for the button. Hold the button on the card where you want it to go, and poke holes into the cardstock through the button holes with a needle. Thread a needle and knot at the end. Sew the button on using these holes as a guide and knot on the back of the cardstock.

6. When you are happy with your design, use a glue stick or spray adhesive to lightly coat the back of the cardstock and affix it to the front of the cards.

7. With the sewing machine, stitch around the edge of the contrasting cardstock rectangle to permanently affix to the card. If you have buttons close to the edge, either sew the cards using a zipper foot or just sew some of the sides of the card.

8. If you want, you can also add some ribbon and button embellishments to the flap of the envelope in the same way.

quinta-feira, 3 de junho de 2010