Treasure Everyday

My friend Ellen asked me to create something for her website Classroom.   Me personally? I visit the Ellen Hutson classroom for 3 reasons...they have great step by step tutorials, they try products I don't own, and there are lots of up close pictures (I need lots of pictures).

Today, the step by step tutorial to make a cute little mini is the classroom project.  I hope you will stop over to see it...get out your sewing machine girls!

Then come back here for a little giveaway.  Just make a comment about what you found over at Ellen Hutson...just that easy.  A winner will be picked at random on Sunday night and I will post the name on Monday morning.  Just look at what Ellen is giving away to the winner!  Hummm...I see some of my favorite things.

cheers!
paula

I'm gonna need another shelf...

Some of you may have already heard...but if not, these were just released on Friday.  You already know how much I love these Stains and now 12 more...all the seasonal colors.  Lucky Me, a box of all 12 were delivered to my house on Saturday.  I have only scratched the surface of the new colors...I can't wait to try the two on the left, picked raspberry and festive berries.

I decided to do a seasonal project using 3 of the new stains and the Tattered Leaves die that Deb used to make her spectacular arrangement in the last post.  I picked ripe persimmon, iced spruce and squeezed lemonade.
Before I get to the stains, I cut a few pieces of Sticky Back canvas in natural, the size of the leaf I wanted to die cut (about 2 x 4").

I squeezed a bit of each color onto the craft sheet.

Then spritzed the surface with water from a mini mister.

Then just started swiping the Sticky Back Canvas through the stains.  Gosh, I love the bright colors and the Iced Spruce is perfect to keep the brights from overwhelming.

Once dry I cut the same leaf pattern in each.  Love how random the colors are and the texture of the Sticky Back Canvas is great.
Now what to do with them?

I picked up three of these dishtowel sets at Target to use as napkins on Thanksgiving.  I believe it was $3.99 for four, two of each pattern.  The towels are not large, just 14 x 14" so good for a napkin.

I peeled the backing off of the leaf and stuck it to the dishtowel.  I stitched the leaf starting at the top of the stem and sewing to the bottom, then put it in reverse to get back to the top.  From there I stitched each part of the leaf, back and forth until I had worked my way to the bottom again.

This is how it looks stitched to the towel.  I purposefully picked a thread that was a different color than the leaf so the stitching would stick out like the veins in the leaf.
Remember,  Distress Stains are reactive to water so the most important step is to heat set the leaf.  I used a dry iron (no steam) and heat set it for 45 seconds or so...then I probably did it again for good measure.  I tested this napkin under running water and rubbed it quite a bit.  No color washed out, not even the thread was discolored.

I tied the top of the napkin together with Crinkle ribbon dyed with Frayed burlap stain and a Trinket Pin.

Then I thought, what if you have napkins already or you don't want something so permanent?
Here is how you can do it...
Adhere the leaf to a piece of muslin and stitch the leaf down.

Cut out the leaf.
No need to be perfect...a little of the muslin showing is good.  Just use your fingernail to fray it a bit.

Use your paper piercer to make a small hole a the the base of the stem.

View of the back side.

 

This time, tie the leaf to a napkin with paper string.  I also added a Seasonal muse token.

 

And one more idea for the leaves...a fall card.  A great time of year to tell someone how much they mean to you.
I used the mini baroque die to cut a piece of old book paper (inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink).  I glued it to a District Market Notecard from the Merriment set.  I tied the stem of the leaf with a bit of leftover Crinkle ribbon.  Then glued the leaf to the card with a bit of glossy accents.  Finally, I added the word "simplify" from the chitchat sticker book.
Love how that turned out.
NOTE: if you wanted to skip the stitching part of this one, just adhere the Sticky Back Canvas leaf directly to the book paper.

Well, I love how the leaves today turned out and I love the new distress stain colors.  Glad that I mixed a dull iced spruce with two very brights like squeezed lemonade and ripe persimmon.  Can't wait to experiment more.

Be sure to pop by on Thursday for another tutorial using Sticky Back Canvas (and don't tell anyone...a giveaway).

Cheers for a good productive week...looking forward to experimenting with more distress stain colors, watching a new episode of Masterpiece Theater Upstairs Downstairs waiting for me on my DVR (such a great series), and a date night to see the new James Bond movie.  It's gonna be a good week.
paula

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InLinkz.com

Dreaming of....

Please click to read

 

A lovely little book for dreams.

Let's make one together.

Print out a Vintage Frame from the free printable section at World Label.  I printed mine on white cardstock.  I did have to change the printer setting where it says "fit to page".   I am quite sure if you explore World Label you will find label paper that matches the template which could be very convenient for many projects.  But today, I don't have any so I have to stick with cardstock.  And that's okay.

 I actually printed quite a few just to test out the different styles. 

Once I decided on which one I wanted to use, I just cut it out.  You could leave the center intact but I chose to make it a window. 

 Now back to the computer with my frame and a ruler.  I need an image or saying at least 2" across.

 I found a picture of the Eiffel Tower on The Graphics Fairy.  I am sure many of you already use this site (because it's great).   She has so many images that you can use for free.  I love it when there are no strings attached to an image!  Use at will!
You can find this image of the Eiffel Tower by going to The Graphics Fairy and clicking on the word, SEARCH at the top tool bar.  All the categories of images will come up.  Now click on Travel.  Now just download the image you want.
Once I had the image, I opened a new document and placed two of the same image on the page.  You never know what size will be just what you need (especially in a round opening) so I printed one slightly bigger than the one I thought would work.  Does that make sense?

Sure enough, the larger one was the ticket.

 The smaller looked great in this one.

I want to seal the image with Mod Podge before I put it on the cover of the little book.  If you are going to use Distress Ink, you need to do it now, before the Mod Podge layer.  I took this picture to show you that the Distress will color the Mod Podge, but not to worry it stays looking nice and vintage if that's the route you want to go.

I changed it up and did not use Distress on the frame I picked (I know Sue from Florida is going to think I have lost my marbles).  I just wanted to see what it would look like (probably better with Distress, right?). Oh well, too late.

 So while that is drying...I cut two pieces of chipboard for the cover.   They are 4  3/4 x 6".

I cut a piece of Sticky Back Canvas in Natural color a bit bigger than the two pieces of chipboard.  I left a good 1/2" between the boards for a spine.

 Once cut, I just peeled off the paper backing...

 then arrange the chipboard on top, pressing them down so they are adhered.

 Now fold down the top and press down.  Then the bottom.

 For the sides, there are multiple ways to finish them off.  I just clipped off the corner and then folded it around.

I cut a piece of fabric so it would fit the book cover with a 1/2" edge showing.

 Working quickly, I painted on an even layer of Mod Podge (once side at a time).

Adhere the fabric.
I know the edges are raw.  But once the Mod Podge goes on you can hardly tell. I admit I was quite surprised at how good it looked and I was glad I didn't waste the time the fold edges under. 
btw, I did not put Mod Podge on top of the fabric, only under it.

Now repeat on the other side.  Press down with your hands or you could use a brayer.  Be sure to press down in the center of the spine.

I turned the cover over and sprayed with one of the new 7gypsies glimmer mists (post card) to give it an aged look.

 Back to the Frame.
I added the Eiffel Tower to the center with a tape runner.

 Then added more Mod Podge to the back.  Make sure you go all the way to the edge.

I centered the frame on the cover (when the book was closed) and then opened it up so I could press it down really good.  You might even put a heavy book on it for 5 minutes just to really secure it.

Now lets make some pages.
I cut 6 pieces of cardstock to fit the book.  Basically the same size as the fabric piece.

 Fold each in half and score with a bone folder.

 Gather 3 pages and stitch them together following the score line.  I did use a bit bigger stitch length than standard.

 repeat on the second set of 3 pages.

 Time to sew it to the spine.  Needed: one big needle and some waxed linen.

Make 3 holes in each set of pages (signature) with an awl.

Now start sewing.
I start from the outside (because that where I want the tail to be).  So it up through hole 2 and down through hole 1.

 From hole 1, go all the way down to hole 3.

 Now from 3, back to two where we started.

 And now the two tails are together so you can tie them together.

Just like this.
Clip off the tails.

Repeat for the second set of pages.

And the last thing...a bit of old lace as a closure.  I just slipped it under the waxed linen to keep it in place when the book is opened.

I have my little book right here with me in Paris.  I am filling it up with ideas and sketches of things I see.  I am sure when I get back I will finish the cover with numbers, words and a bit of glitter.  Because what's Paris with out a bit of glitter?

Cheers!

paula