Summer 2011

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inspired ideas Summertime 2011

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volume 2, no. 5

crafthappy

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dear friends, Inspiration is just wonderful, isn’t it? When you open your eyes to it, you’ll find it everywhere.

My friend Pam Garrison found it in her stash of vintage linens that she transformed into a summer tablecloth. My new friend Kima Casas Bo found it in a wooden fork that she turned into a whimsical lady. And when I was filling a water balloon for my little boy, I was struck with an idea for creating tiny hot air balloons!

I am so excited for you to see these projects and all the others we’re sharing with you in this issue.

I really do hope you’ll be inspired to make a thing or two...or more! There’s nothing in the world like crafti crafting the afternoon away when the heat is keep keeping you indoors. I hope the projects in this Su Summertime issue are just the thing to fill your laz lazy summer afternoons.

with love,

c o n t e be inspired to make...

12 ........... grown-up friendship bracelets 20 ...........................a summer tablecloth 28 ......... soap with photos floating inside 32..........a wreath from sewing notions 38............................mini chandeliers 44 .....................a cottage-shaped bag 50 ......................... a clothesline garland

e n t s

54...............a little doll in a matchbox 60........................... paper ower lanterns 70 ...................a hot-air balloon mobile 84 ...........................a mermaid beach bag 90 .............. ladies from wooden forks 96............................ felt cupcake toppers 102 ......... a beach mat with pockets 108 ................ a layered cake sampler

inspired

f rii e nds

1 Charlotte Lyons

2 Kristen Randall 3 Princess Lasertron

4 Tracey Fisher 5 Pam Garrison 6 Jone Hallmark

7 Linda Warlyn 8 Lynda Kanase 9 Kima Casas Bo

6 7

1 2 5 4

3

8 9

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inspired ideas Summertime 2011

volume 2, no. 5

AMY POWERS ....................MAGAZINE CREATOR PAM KERAVUORI................IDEA GENERATOR, DOODLER EXTRAORDINAIRE, WORDSMITH, PROOFREADER, GOOD FRIEND LETTERS

EDITOR & SUBMISSIONS: Email amy@inspireco.com or send correspondence to Amy Powers, Inspired Ideas, 5213 Tulip Leaf Court, Centreville VA 20120 TO THE

© Copyright 2011 by Inspire Co. LLC All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission of copyright owner. All images contained within have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of all the artists concerned and no responsibility is accepted by the publisher, Inspire Co., for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that the projects within this magazine are original.

Please respect the generosity of the artists contributing to this magazine.

Do not reproduce projects featured here for resale.

They are for personal use only. Enjoy!

you love to make things In fact, you are always making something. It’s what makes you happiest. You are most inspired by ideas that are fresh, approaches that are ingenious, & designs that are lovely. Welcome!

You are home.

inspired ideas is your magazine.

{crafthappy}

meet

Ever thought of publishing your very own online magazine but didn’t know where to start? Join Amy Powers and a host of other self-publishing experts in a friendly, fun panel discussion. They’ll generously share their experience and knowledge with you and you’ll learn what it takes to publish on your own.

Friday, September 16 Self Publishing Panel

Come & experience

THE CREATIVE CONNECTION 2011

it’s the place to be!

September 15-17, 2011 St. Paul, MN The Crowne Plaza Register now online at www.theCreativeConnectionEvent.com

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inspired ideas

upCycled

bohemia f

riendship bracelets are this summer’s hottest trend, and I’m crazy about them all! I started to make the old-school bracelets from my childhood (embroidery floss in chevron patterns) but quickly realized they were just too time consuming.

I searched the internet for inspiration and came up with a style that combines my taste with a quick production turnaround. If you can braid hair, you can do this.

Warning: they are addictive!

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materials •

Fabric scraps and/or ribbons approximately 1/2” wide and 40” long (you can also tie together shorter strips of that favorite fabric that isn’t quite long enough)

•

Leather cording/suede lace approximately 28” long

•

A bead with a biggish hole

•

Trinkets such as vintage keys, vintage buttons, key hole covers, funky rings... anything with a hole

rd ather co e l d a e r th trinket through

how-to

1

ti e ov er h an d kn ot w it h b ot h st ra n ds Take your trinket (in this case, a vintage key) and thread your leather cord evenly through the hole. g Tie an overhand knot using both strands.

2

Place the leather knot on top of the middle spot of your fabric strip or ribbon.

e m id d le p la ce kn ot in th ri p of yo u r fa b ri c st

3

Take the fabric strand on the right of the knot and bring it over the right cord, then take it underneath the cord on the left. Pull taut.

w e a v e th e fa b r ic s tr ip o n th e r ig h t o v e r th e r ig h t c o rd & u n d e r th e le ft summertime

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4

Now take the fabric strand on the left of the knot, bring it over the left cord and take it underneath the cord on the right. Pull taut.

This feels awkward at first but soon you’ll be doing this lickety split while zoning out on your favorite tv program!

5

Repeat the pattern until you get about 6” to 6.5” of fabric braided, and tie into a bow. Trim ends, if you want.

Tie another overhand knot with the remainder of the leather.

6

Take one of the remaining leather strands and thread it through the keyhole. Join it with the other strand to now be threaded through the bead which will make your bracelet adjustable in size. Hang on, you’re almost done!

a note about the bead: Make sure the hole is just big enough to fit the leather cords very snugly. If the bead hole is too big, the leather cords will slide around, making the bracelet loose. Dig around your bead stash and I’m sure you’ll find something just right, but if you need to shop, wooden beads used for macrame are perfect and can be found at any craft store.

re pe a

7

After threading the bead, place the bracelet on your wrist to get an idea of how it fits. Try adjusting the bead to see if you will have too much excess leather cording left over (you will want some for adjustment).

Snip ends, if needed, and tie knots in the strands so the bead won’t come off. You’re done!

tie

r

Now go use that wonderful imagination of yours to create a unique friendship bracelet with fun embellishments like rhinestones, vintage beads, initial charms for personalization, and whatever treasures you love. Also, look on Flickr or Pinterest for more inspiration and ideas, for there are so many wonderful ways to create this special keepsake for yourself, friends and kids.

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inspired ideas

br ic at by w ea vi ng th e fa st rip to th e le ft

overh and knot with remai ning leathe r

adjus t to fit

t th is fe el s aw kw ar d bu it ge ts ea sie r

ta ke on e of th e st ra nd tr in ke t ta ils & lo op th ro ug h

ed sn ip of f en ds if ne ed

c o n ti n u e u n ti l y o u h a ve about 6 or 6 .5 �

threa d both stran ds throu gh a bead

m ak e an ot h er ! & an ot h er ! & an ot h er ! summertime 17

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inspired ideas

PRESENTING

inspired ideas summery doodles

BUNDLE Our friend Pam Keravuori has spent her summer afternoons creating these lovely illustrations for the Summer issue of

inspired ideas. And guess what...We’re sharing them with you! You can print them out to create pretty stationery, use them in scrapbooking, or decorate your blog. The bundle contains 22 high-resolution jpeg images for your personal use. Doodled borders, a few sweet birds, a lively pennant banner and a row of houses are all included in this very special illustration bundle, offered for a limited time exclusively to inspired ideas subscribers.

inspired ideas summery doodles BUNDLE

by Pam Keravuori

22 illustrations for $29.99 Available at

www.amy-powers.com

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summer patches s

ummer...instantly my mind goes to picnics, camping, bbqs: simple summer get-togethers where ordinary linens like family tablecloths are brought out and put to regular use.

Last time we went camping, I was so thrilled to bring the darling tablecloth I made from vintage bed linens. Well, mostly vintage linens; there were some newer fabrics, fabrics from aprons etc. included in there, but the main ingredient was the vintage linens.

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One positive to using vintage linens is that they are inexpensive. Some can usually be found in our own home (or grandma’s!). They’ll stand up well to washing. But most of all, they just sum up the light, airy, flowery, colorful, happy summer feelings.

This tablecloth is so simple to make: gather your linens, pre-wash them, cut out equal squares using a template (so they’ll all be exactly the same size).

I used a quilting block sized 4”x4”, but depending on the design on the fabric and the size of my scrap, I sometimes varied the width (but kept the height at 4” to keep the strips even).

Cut as many as you’d like. My quilt has 180 squares, which is a great size for picnic tables.

I cut my favorite part from the material’s pattern for each square because I wanted to love every bit of the cloth I was making. When you make your squares 4” x 4”, as I did, you can get a lot out of one pillowcase!

To the left, you can see the different kinds of fabrics I used, including new ticking fabric, a shower curtain from the Shabby Chic line at Target, pillowcases, and an old feed sack. Look for embroidered dresser scarves, handkerchiefs, aprons, and tablecloths.

Then I simply put right sides together and sewed the squares into long strips using a sewing machine. After all the long strips were made, I sewed the strips together and called it a day. I chose not to hem it because: 1. hemming is not fun to me, and 2. I like the rustic feeling the rough edge gives it.

Really, it’s that simple! Use it as a tablecloth, a patchwork picnic blanket, a cover for the hammock, a light blanket for a nap, or even a make-believe tent. Enjoy!

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inspired ideas

look for

vi age

linens

at

thriftstores

fleamarkets garagesales

ebay & etsy

& even grandma’s

linen closet summertime

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special roc

like this

heart -shaped one make lovely tablecloth weights

make a playful summer fort & spend the afternoon hidden underneath with a stack of books & yummy snacks 26

inspired ideas

summertime summ mer erti rti time me

27 2 7

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Beachy cleaN

F

or these seascape soaps, I used photos of my parents from their summer weekends 50 years ago. My father used to come home on a Friday afternoon, especially after payday, and say “Come on, Honey! If we leave now, we’ll be at the beach before sundown!” They’d spend their days with whatever family or friends were up for their spur-of-themoment plans, their beach chairs right at the surf, sipping something frosty cold, and laughing until their sides hurt.

Are you planning your own beach getaway with family and friends? Use your own family beach photos to make these soaps extra personal. Place them in the soap dishes for an unexpected bit of fun. Making them is as easy as pouring. And the results are so wonderful you’ll want to make a whole batch.

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Materials •

Melt-and-pour glycerine soap (available at most craft stores)

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Microwavable cup with spout

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Reusable soap mold (also available at most craft stores)

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Blue and green food coloring

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Copies of beach photographs (scaled down to fit in the soap)

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Sand (or glitter if you prefer)

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Small seashells, pearls, charms or other treasures

•

Toothpick

What happens to the bits and pieces when you use the soap?

The parts closest to the surface will be exposed first. The more you use the soap, the more exposed they become. Eventually you’ll be able to pry those bits out of the soap. It can be a bit like a treasure hunt. In fact, one of my favorite gifts for young friends is to float small toys in the soap blocks...the more they wash their hands, the faster they’ll get the toy. Another fun thing to put in the soap is paper money, believe it or not. It doesn’t hurt the bills and really encourages washing up!

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inspired ideas

1 2

3

Cut the glycerine soap into small pieces (about the size of an ice cube) and melt in the microwave in a cup with a spout (I used a measuring cup). Melt the soap in 15-second intervals on high until melted. Do not overheat.

Pour enough to fill each of the soap molds about halfway. The bottom of the soap mold is actually going to be top of the soap. Wait about ten minutes for the soap to set up a bit.

Carefully place small seashells, pearls, or other treasures in the soap. Sprinkle a bit of sand (or glitter) around the treasures.

Finally place the photo, right side down, over the sand and treasures. Pour just a bit of the melted soap (you will probably need to zap it in the microwave for another 15 seconds or so) over the back of the photo slowly and carefully to avoid upsetting the arrangement. (If the arrangement is upset by the pouring, use a toothpick to carefully replace what moves around.) Allow soaps to set for at least 20 minutes.

Using the same microwavable cup, add more small pieces of glycerine soap, and melt. Add a drop each of blue and green food coloring to the melted soap and mix well. Pour this colored soap over the set soap scenes and allow to set completely. Use a butter knife carefully around the edges to help release the soap from the mold.

Repeat as necessary! summertime

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notiON Wreath O

ne of my earliest childhood memories is watching my mother at the sewing machine. I loved the sound of the machine and the fun of sorting through her button jar. Several years later I would make my first patchwork quilt and hand-quilt the entire piece. I designed this sewing notions wreath in honor of these memories and skills that my mother gave me. All the sewing patterns and vintage sewing notions I used on this project are thrifted.

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Materials • • •

• • •

2-3 sewing patterns (any style) Wreath (straw or styrofoam), 14” diameter Manual die cutting machine, and 2 3/4” scallop circle die OR 2 3/4” scallop circle punch Straight pins and some needles Glue gun Various sewing notions as embellishments

1

For the wreath base, die-cut scallop circles from sewing patterns. Several vintage, unused sewing patterns work well for this. With a die-cutting machine, you can cut through several layers of still-folded pattern tissue at once. Or you can cut scalloped circles by hand or with a scalloped punch.

2

Use straight pins to attach circles to the wreath. Starting at one point, pin them through their centers about 1/2” apart, leaving room for the circles to bunch slightly. Gently scrunch the circles slightly if they start looking too uniform. Add more circles if you like a fuller look.

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3

Arrange spools, pin cushions, button cards and other sewing notions onto the wreath, evenly distributing similar items to give a balanced look.

The easiest way to attach tomato pin cushions is to carefully insert a sewing needle into the wreath, leaving about half of it sticking out. Attach the pin cushion to the part of the sewing needle that is exposed. Attach spools using a glue gun.

Button cards are easily attached using straight pins on two opposite corners, bowing them slightly to give some dimension.

4

Loosely wrap measuring tapes around the entire wreath as a final step. Pin one side to the back as a starting point and loosely wrap it around the wreath and pin the other end behind near where it began. Repeat with a second tape measure but start at a different point so that the numbers are different where the two tapes meet.

5

After attaching all of the embellishments, add additional pattern circles to hide any pins or gaps.

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inspired ideas

W indow j x I

love dressing up my kitchen window with things I adore.

It definitely makes a sink full of dishes a bit less of a chore. These darling “chandeliers� are perfect for adding a bit of dazzle. The dangling beads resemble flowering vines and catch the light so beautifully. Have fun making up a few for your own windows and let the sun shine in!

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materials •

Jello molds and mini tart pans in assorted sizes

•

Glass and plastic beads in your favorite colors, shapes and sizes, including flower shaped

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Carpet/button thread

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Fine needle to fit through your assortment of beads

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Rings for hanging (split/ jump rings, or glass/plastic rings)

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Embroidery thread or ribbon

•

Awl

•

Hammer

•

Large wooden spool

•

Two-hole punch

1 2 3 4

40

Use an awl and hammer to punch a hole in the center of your jello mold or mini tart pan. I used an old wooden spool positioned under the mold with the spool’s hole centered under the piece to protect my work surface.

5 6 7 8 9 10

Punch evenly spaced holes around the perimeter of the jello mold/tart pan using the two-hole punch. Make as many holes as you’d like but no fewer than three.

Insert a length of thread about 20” into one of the holes. Match up both ends of the thread and thread through the needle.

Now’s the fun part. Thread beads through in a pleasing design. Be sure to include clear faceted beads that will catch the light nicely. Add leaves to make the dangles resemble vines.

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End the dangle with a round bead or charm. Bring the threaded needle back up through the bead directly above. Holding the end bead, pull thread to adjust the length.

Thread the needle back up through each of the beads of the dangle.

When you reach the jello mold/tart pan, bring the threaded needle through the hole and then back down the entire length of the dangle.

When you reach the bottom, you can either just snip the thread or tie the end off with a knot.

Continue with each of the dangles, keeping them relatively the same length and weight. This is especially important when you’re creating a chandelier with only a few holes.

Create a loop for hanging the chandelier by threading a bead through your embroidery thread/ribbon and then threading both ends through the hole at the top of your jello mold/tart pan. Tie a ring on the top for hanging. Use a chain, embroidery thread or ribbon to hang each of the chandeliers. I attached mine to my curtain rod. You could hang them from cup hooks inserted into your ceiling instead.

If, when you hang the chandelier, it is really unbalanced, you can add or take away beads by restringing the appropriate dangles. Or you can add another dangle on the side that needs a bit of weight.

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inspired ideas

C tage arm I

have a thing for pink houses. What could be cuter for summer than a pink house that’s a messengerstyle tote bag? It has a handy pocket inside for my cellphone and darling accented details like a plaid window, calico door and a fluttery hedgerow from an old piece of lace trim. There was even a place to use one of my vintage CL initial tags!

Stitch one up out of your scrap basket and top it off with a folding flap that looks like a roof.

You’ll be the talk of the town!

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materials:

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•

2 (26” x 10”) pieced strips of coordinating cotton fabrics (one for outside of bag and one for lining)

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1 (11” x 12”) cotton fabric for roof

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1 (4” x 37”) strip of cotton fabric for strap

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1 (4” x 5”) fabric patch for inside pocket

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Assorted fabric scraps and trimming for decorating

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Sewing machine

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Coordinating thread

•

Pins

inspired ideas

1

2

For the outside of the bag, piece together a long (26” x 10”) strip of coordinating cotton fabrics, arranged so the back piece folds up as a flap in the front to create a horizon line for your house.

Make a second (26” x 10”) strip for the lining.

Fold the pieced fabric strip for the outside of the bag in half to measure 13” x 10”. From your fabric scraps and trimmings, have fun creating a house by adding door and window shapes, hedges, even window boxes! A button would make a sweet doorknob.

You could even embroider a housenumber if you’d like. Add as much or as little detail as you want. Pin the details in place as you go and either hand-sew or machine-sew to the flat panel.

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inspired ideas

Remember that the top several inches (up to 6”) of the house design will be covered by the roof flap. (Wouldn’t it be cute to put a surprise window there?)

3

Sew the strap by folding the fabric in half lengthwise, with right sides together, and sewing along the seam with a 1/4” seam allowance. Turn the strap right side out and press so that the seam is in the middle of one side. Finish the ends by turning them in and sewing them.

4

Cut two matching trapezoids for the roof, each 11” wide on one long edge x 6” tall and 9” across the other long side. If you’d like, you can embroider or applique details to the roof. Then sew the two trapezoids, right sides together, along all but the 9” shorter side (the roof top).

7

While the two panels are still inside out, make pretty squared box corners at the bottom. Reposition each side seam so that they are exactly in the center of the triangle formed where the two seams meet. Press seam allowances open.

Now sew a line across the triangle exactly perpendicular to the side seam.

The distance from the triangle’s tip that you sew your perpendicular line will determine the size of your box corner.

For an average corner, sew across about 2” from the tip. The key to successful box corners is in making sure each side seam is exactly centered over its triangular corner and the sewn line is exactly perpendicular to the side seam.

If you need more clarification, google “sewing box corners” and you’ll find many fine tutorials.

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5

Sew the inside patch pocket in place in the lining.

6

After all your embellishments are sewn in place, pin the outside panel, with its right sides together and the fold at the bottom, and sew along the two sides, leaving the top open. Repeat the same for the lining panel.

To construct the purse, sew the shorter long edge of the roof to the top of the back of the bag (photo top left). Insert the lining inside the open bag. Fold the raw edges of the lining down to match the folded edges of the top of the bag itself. Pin neatly into place including the roof seam allowance sandwiched between lining and bag. Baste, then topstitch all around the top, leaving roof flap free to fold down onto front when finished.

9

Sew the straps to the outer sides of the purse so they won’t interfere with the roof flap.

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inspired ideas

clothesline o

ne of my favorite childhood summertime memories is running through freshly washed laundry flapping on the backyard line.

This fun garland celebrates the clothesline, a thing of the past in most modern neighborhoods. Hang it in your laundry room, the playroom, or anyplace that needs a cheerful dose of whimsy.

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1 2 3 materials

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Assorted fabrics, including printed and embroidered handkerchiefs, fabric with a tiny print, lace for bra overlay

•

Pins

•

Tiny buttons, beads, buckle

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Embroidery thread

•

Sharp fine needle

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Large embroidery hoop

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Muslin or linen fabric large enough to fit all the clothes, about 16” x 16”

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Trims, including narrow ribbon for apron tie

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Miniature clothespins

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Twine for clothesline

•

Sharp scissors

inspired ideas

4 5

Cut the fabric pieces using the template provided (found in back of magazine). I cut the main part of the bra from felt and the “cups” from a lace to overlay.

Place the large piece of fabric in the embroidery hoop and pin the clothes pieces in place. Use lots of pins. Fold and pin pieces like collars and cuffs, using the template marks as a guide.

Use the template as a guide for stitching. Stitch around the clothes with a running stitch. You can add decorative stitching, like french knots, for details. For the panties, I embroidered “friday” freehand and outlined the top and legs with a row of french knots to simulate lace. Sew on buttons and other embellishments.

Sew an apron tie from a length of narrow ribbon along the top of the apron piece.

Once you’ve finished all of the sewing, you’re ready to cut out the pieces. Using sharp scissors, cut very close to each piece, including the inside of the bra strap.

Hanging the garland is as easy as hanging the laundry! Simply hang the twine where you want the garland to go, and use the miniature clothespins to attach the clothes.

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inspired ideas

matchbox

doll A

my said, “...so Jone, I saw the cutest little mouse in a box... what do you think?” It thrilled me to know that she, too, had been inspired by the very same delightful little mouse that my mom had once sent to me. She asked me if it inspired a project for this issue. Indeed, it did! Here she is, in her “large kitchen matches” box......simple and sweet. A newfound friend that comes with her own bed.

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inspired ideas

Party lANtern G

roupings of lanterns have become de rigueur at garden parties everywhere.

This paper lantern makes a summer statement with a collage of bright paper flowers that you could tailor to your color scheme and outdoor decorating style.

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materials •

Paper lantern, any size (the bigger the lantern, the more flowers you’ll need; I used 12” diameter)

•

Scrapbook papers in any color or patterns you like

•

Scrapbook brads in corresponding colors, for flower centers and for attaching smaller flowers to paper lantern

•

Cupcake liners of various sizes

•

Crepe paper streamers for rolling into roses

•

Glue gun (and/or tacky glue) for arranging petals and attaching flowers

technique Assemble your lantern and arrange its orientation to suit the way you are going to hang it.

Start making your flowers, using any technique to make just one kind or many different flowers, to arrange on your lantern.

For my lantern, I made these paper-flower variations: • • • • • 62

Large and medium petal flowers; Roses from paper cut into a spiral; Pinwheel-shaped flowers Cupcake flowers Rolled roses inspired ideas

Spiral paper roses Use the template found in the back of the magazine to cut out the paper rose using two-sided scrapbook paper. You can add scallops or irregularities to the spiral cut along the dotted lines of the template. Starting at the end of the spiral, curl the paper into a rose shape and glue.

petal flowers Start by cutting petals using template found in the back of the magazine.

Use a different patterned paper for each layer and cut 5 large (3 inches) petals, 4 medium (2.5 inches) petals, and 1 small flower shape (2.5 inches) for the center. Overlap and glue the large petal shapes and then overlap and glue the medium petals on top. Insert a brad through the center of the flower. Curl each of the petals around a pencil for dimension. summertime

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Pinwheel

Flowers

Start by folding 2 pieces of 4” X 12” paper into 1.5” accordion-style folds. Double up folds at one end and secure with double- sided tape.

Use the template provided to cut a petal shape into the folded paper.

Join the folds, again doubling up the folds and attach with double- sided tape to create a column. Push the inside points together in the center and adhere, using double-sided tape.

Fan out the outside petals to create a pinwheel-like flower. Cut a circle of paper for the flower’s center and insert a brad.

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inspired ideas

cupcake Flowers Begin by flattening 3 cupcake liners. Cut a scalloped pattern along the edge of two cupcake liners making them gradually smaller. Layer them from large on the bottom to smallest on the top and put together with brad.

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crepe paper roses Scallop-cut a length of crepe paper streamer about 30� long. Scrunch one end a little bit and begin to roll the streamer into a rose. Ruffle the scallop edges as you go to simulate petals. When you get to the end, glue the base together securely.

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inspired ideas

Assembling: I began by arran arranging nging larger flowers onto the lantern. Once I had about 5 or 6 flowers then positioned, I the en filled in and with medium an nd smaller flowers. The sm small all crepe paper roses allowed m mee to fill in the blank spots. The There ere is no right or wrong. Play around a with positioning before before you glue on.

Once the glue dr dries ries and you are happy with your arrangement, hang your prettyy lantern for your garden par ty! party!

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Turn an everyday picnic into a party when you hang a fabulous flower lantern!

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inspired ideas

cocktail umbrellas

are even more wonderful slip-covered with cupcake wrappers! summertime

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inspired ideas

lloon R

ave you ever looked up and unexpectedly found a whole fleet of colorful hot air balloons floating above? If you have, you’ve undoubtedly felt the magic of such a discovery. It’s always been amazing to me that a blast of hot air really can lift a basket filled with people into the air! Create this fun mobile and celebrate the excitement of travelling by air in this magical way.

H

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inspired ideas

materials •

Small water balloons

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Newspaper or other thin paper torn into small strips and pieces

•

Craft glue

•

Paint and/or decorative papers and trims

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Assorted “baskets” (see instructions for ideas)

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Japanese 2-hole punch

•

Large tapestry needle

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Twine or other thread for “ropes”

•

Headpins

•

Beads to fit on the end of the headpin (won’t be seen)

•

Flat-head pliers

•

Round-nose pliers

•

Fine chain (for jewelry making)

•

Larger chain

•

Large split rings

•

4 decorative ornament hangers OR S-hooks

•

8” wooden embroidery hoop (inside ring only)

•

Crop-a-dile hole punch

•

Cup hook

•

Assorted miniature people and figures

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papier mache Just like you did back in art camp, you’ll be covering a balloon with soggy paper! But this time, you’re covering a small balloon...the kind made for water fights! They aren’t meant to be blown up, so this could be a challenge. Stretch them out and take your time. Blow them up to the size you’d like for your hot air balloons to be. Mine were blown to about 4 to 5” long.

You can make as many or as few hot air balloons as you’d like for your mobile. My mobile is made with 8. Before you start covering your balloons, make sure you have a large reserve of torn paper ready. I like to use small narrow strips (about 1/4” x 1”) for covering the sides of the balloon and roundish strips (about 1”) for the top part. The paper I used is from one of those huge old dictionaries. The paper is lovely and thin and is particularly nice for papier mache.

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inspired ideas

Mix together about a cup of craft glue and a cup of water. t You Y could ld use a flour paste, t as iis ttraditonal dit l with papier mache, but I find using watered-down glue much easier. I’ve also read that the flour paste can develop mold over time, and we don’t want that!

Papier mache is messy! There’s no way around it.

Some folks try keeping it neat by using a brush, but I find that using your hands is best. I don’t even try to be neat about it, to tell the truth. I dunk a whole bunch of the paper in the glue mixture and then fish them out with my fingers. This way the strips are super saturatred and my hands are super gluey and I can smooth down the paper pieces with my fingers.

Coat each balloon with about 3 to 5 layers, covering to just about an inch above the balloon tie. Coat each balloon with about 3 to 5 layers and allow to dry between layers. Work on many balloons at once.

When you finish covering one layer of one balloon, move on to the next. Allow the balloons to dry completely, overnight if possible.

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decorating Once the papier mache is completely dry, prick the balloon with a pin to pop it. (It might shrink up and get stuck to the inside edges. If it does, just pull it out the opening in the bottom.)

If the bottom edge of the papier mache balloon is uneven, use a pair of scissors to cut an even edge all the way around.

Now is the fun part...decorating the balloon! Paint polka dots, scalloped edges, stripes, diamonds...whatever you please.

You can stamp numbers on and decoupage decorative papers. Finish the bottom edge of the balloon with a strip of fun paper, decorative metal strips, or even a bit of old tape measure. Have fun searching your stash of treasures for fun bits to decorate your hot air balloons.

adding a hanger With an awl or a sharp needle, punch a hole at the very top of the paper balloon. Thread a bead on a head pin and push the end of the pin through the hole, from the inside out (you may need to use long needle nose pliers to reach). Pull the pin through the hole and, using your round nose pliers, wrap the pin around the pliers to create a loop.

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inspired ideas

the basket One of the parts I love most about this project is the clever and fun baskets! An old metal thimble makes an excellent tiny carriage.

Look for bottle tops (bottle caps are too shallow, I think). Whiskey and fancy soda bottles have nice bottle tops that are perfect for this project. Tiny tartlet tins make sweet little baskets too. Look around to discover what fun things you can find that would make good baskets for your hot air balloons.

To prepare the basket for stringing the balloon together, use the 2-hole-metal punch to create 4 evenly spaced holes around the top perimeter of the basket.

The 2-hole metal punch is a useful tool used by jewelers to make small holes in soft-gauge metal with a screw-action manual drill.

Available at Fundametals site and other jewelery supply stores.

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the people Miniature model railroad people are perfect passengers for the hot air balloons. Look also for cake toppers and miniature animals for a fun ride. If the figures are too short for the basket, add something like a button or bead to the bottom to add height. To secure the people in the baskets, I used glue dots. That way I can switch them easily without ruining them.

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inspired ideas

Don’t have a lot of miniatures in your stash? Shrink down photos and trim around them to make tiny little passengers. How great to populate your balloons with family members!

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stringing the balloon

{

This clever way of stringing the balloon together is done with a single tie and can be levelled easily. But it is a bit tricky. The most important thing to remember as you are stringing the balloon and basket is to keep the lengths of twine from twisting.

1

Thread your tapestry needle with an 36” length of twine. At a point halfway up the balloon, push the threaded needle through from the outside in. Using a pair of pliers to hold the needle, push the needle through a point opposite. Leave a tail about 6” long.

Be careful as you string the balloon to not tug that tail back through the balloon.

2

Now insert the twine through one of the basket’s holes from the outside and continue to an adjacent basket hole, threading from the inside to the outside. (If the needle doesn’t fit through the hole, you may need to unthread the needle for this part and then rethread it for the next).

You’re halfway done already!

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With the basket partly attached now to the balloon and being extra careful not to twist the lengths of twine, insert the needle through an outside point of the balloon directly above the point of the basket that you just exited. (This point in the balloon will be in between the two points of entry and exit of the balloon we started with.) inspired ideas

}

4

Using pliers again, push the needle out through the balloon point directly opposite (if you look at the twine in the inside of the balloon, the two spans should criss-cross forming an “x”.)

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Now bring the needle down and through the corresponding basket hole below (if the twine is not twisted). Exit with the twine through the only empty hole of the basket, next to the hole you just entered.

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Being super careful not to pull the tail through that initial balloon hole, gently pull and adjust the twine, deciding how long to make the basket drop. Tie the two loose ends together very securely. (You may want to add a bit of glue to the knot to make it even more secure.)

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assembly Using a crop-a-dile, make 8 equidistant holes around the wooden embroidery hoop. Use pliers to add a large split ring to each of these holes. It is difficult to open the rings large enough to fit the hoop through them and the split rings will be stretched out. That’s okay...don’t try to fix them.

Cut 8 lengths of the fine chain, 4 shorter and 4 longer. Using pliers, add a large split ring to one end of each chain and, while the ring is still open, slip it through the pre-made loop at the top of a balloon. Hang the other end of the chains from the hoop’s split rings, alternating between the longer lengths and the shorter ones.

Cut 8 (5-inch) lengths of chain to attach to the 8 split rings around the hoop.

Attach one end of the chain to a split ring and the other end to the adjacent split ring.

hanging the mobile Insert the cup hook in the ceiling where you want to hang your mobile. In 4 of the holes in the embroidery hoop (equidistant from each other), add a decorative ornament hook (or s-hooks). Figure out how far down you want the mobile to hang and cut 4 lengths of the larger chain to the desired length. Hang the 4 lengths of chain from the cup hook and attach each end to the 4 hooks on the embroidery hoop. summertime

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inspired ideas

BeAch bag S

ummer sends us packing!

Whether vacationing, picnicking, or scouting out a sunny spot on the beach, a canvas tote is an essential summer accessory. Why not carry one with the season’s favorite girl--a fetching mermaid with a fishy (meant only in the best way!) friend? Premade blank canvas bags and a good quality craft glue will allow you to capture your very own sea-smitten miss with absolutely no sewing!

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Materials •

Pre-made canvas tote bag (the Internet abounds with sources, or check the craft stores)

•

Good craft glue (I love The Ultimate!

by Crafter’s Pick, available at Michael’s)

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Peach/tan or other flesh-tone felt

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Felt for hair (your color choice)

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2 colors of felt for fish (your choice)

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Blue terry-cloth washcloth (to be cut up)

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Blue ric-rac (mermaid’s scales)

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Small mother-of-pearl buttons in various sizes (crown and air bubbles)

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Green fabric trim (look for something that mimics seaweed)

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2 black-headed dressmaker pins (eyes)

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Tiny red craft or doll button (mouth)

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Pink chalk and small circle stencil (cheeks)

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Black beads and sequins (fish eye)

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Other assorted sequins (for crown and sea floor)

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Piece of ivory craft felt (about 9” x 12”)

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Scissors

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Small length of blue silk ribbon

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Large blue ric-rac (waves) and decorative trim (for pocket)

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Small star buttons

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Plastic scrapbook letters

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Scalloping shears (fish scales)

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Strip of summery fabric (for tote handle bow)

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Tinsel trim or trim of choice for armband

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inspired ideas

1

Create templates on cardstock or lightweight cardboard from patterns provided. Trace shapes using a Sharpie marker on appropriate fabric (trace on reverse side of fabric so lines don’t show). Cut out.

After cutting the head shape, create mermaid face. Push dressmaker straight pins through the felt at pleasing eye locations. You can snip off part of the pin at the bottom if it’s too long (beware of flying pin pieces!). Glue the remainder of the pin down on back of face.

Allow to dry. Glue or sew a red doll button for mouth (or embroider a mouth if you prefer). I find felt hard to paint on, but chalk works great...especially for rosy cheeks! Make a small circular stencil from an appropriatelysized hole-punch or just brush the chalk on freehand with a Q-tip to add rosy cheeks.

Create your fish with 2 different colors of felt.

After cutting the fish body out of one color of felt, use scalloping shears to create rows of scales, cutting 6 or 7 strips of felt, in a second color. Overlap each row on fish body and glue as you go. Trim off the excess. You can add a ruffled felt fin if you like and a small bit of ric-rac for embellishment. Make an eye from a large sequin and black bead. Set aside.

2

Now you are ready to start assembling! I prefer to glue my mermaid to a piece of ivory felt rather than directly on the bag. The felt offers stability to the finished mermaid and I personally like the security and flexibility of playing with the glued pieces on felt rather than on the bag itself. After the mermaid is assembled, I simply cut away all the excess felt around her and glue her to the bag.

Before gluing the terry cloth into place for the tail, glue blue ric-rac all around the outer edge. Add more ric-rac on top of the tail for scales, and add trim and a bow from silk ribbon. Glue body portions together.

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Glue arm on at shoulder and slip fish underneath arm. I also added a glittery armband. Add the hand by gluing the bottom part of hand behind fish and bring hand around top of fish. Glue fish and hand down when pleased with the position.

Create hair by using the template or just free-form cut wavy pieces of felt in varying lengths. Arrange with some overlapping apping and in a manner to sugge st hair flowing in suggest water (I added a few tiny pieces of blue netting fo or water). When for happy, glue down n. Mother-of-pearl down. buttons are the perfect p thing to create a mermaid d’s crown! I also mermaid’s used some vintag ge sequins and vintage beads from my st tash along with stash some tiny star bu uttons I happened buttons to have. You cou uld glue or sew the could crown in place.

3

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As stated earlier, when the comp plete, simply cut mermaid is complete, fou undation felt and off the excess foundation A graduatedglue to the bag. Add mother-of-peearl buttons size mother-of-pearl g trim for for air bubbles, green sandy-ccolored buttons seaweed, sandy-colored or sequins for ocean floor...time to use your imagination! My bag had an outside pocket, so I added red/white trim to the outside edge and glued large blue ric-rac to the inside edge. I glued plastic scrapbooking letters and buttons over the pocket and finished the outside with a colorful fabric bow (just a scrap cut with pinking shears and tied on). I added the same trims to an inside pocket along with a beaded felt starfish.

inspired ideas

WE’RE LOOKING FOR

inspired ideas We’re always looking for great, inspired ideas to feature in our magazine, and we welcome your submissions. We’re really interested in projects that have a fresh approach. We want to stretch your imagination and inspiration more than ever by showing super innovative projects. We’re especially interested in projects that are not yet published, even on your own blog, i.e., something folks haven’t seen before. Whether it’s a new take on an old craft, materials used in ingenious ways, or just something so sweet and wonderful that everyone will want to make it...

send us your idea!

Send your project pitch to amy@inspireco.com. Make your pitch as complete as possible. Include details so we can really “see” your project. Photos are important. Presentation matters. If your project is still in the “idea phase”, send us an inspiration board showing materials, colors, designs, and anything else you think will sell us on your idea.

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f

fork tale

or this project, I was inspired by illustration and every day objects.

I’m always looking for new ways to use different materials, and

sometimes a great design comes from a simple object that we use everyday and is always around. An easy and fun project for your summer afternoons, this charming lady is created from a wooden fork!

Make several of her friends, attach names to their dresses, and use them as place cards for a ladies’ summer lunch. Or make them for a children’s party...and include the kids in the creating!

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materials • • • • • • • • • •

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Small wooden fork Wool yarn Straight pins with decorative head Summery patterned fabric Lace trim Narrow ribbon Fabric or paper flower Fine markers, red and black, for face Fabric glue or other craft glue Scissors, needle and thread

inspired ideas

1 Tie one end of the wool yarn to a fork tine and generously wind it around the fork, keeping the yarn fairly tight. To secure the remaining end of the yarn, sew it in front where the flower will go.

2 Cut a small square of fabric.

Sew a strip of lace across the bottom of the square. Adjust the square to the fork, gathering it a bit at the neck, and sew a seam up the back. Sew another small strip of lace around the neck. Use narrow ribbon to tie a bow.

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3

Draw the eyes and mouth with fine markers.

4 Glue the fabric or paper flower over the yarn. Stick straight pins into her yarn hair.

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inspired ideas

swee t cakes i

love to design projects that have lots of different uses and applications, and these handmade summery cupcake toppers are the perfect example. They are easy to make with just a few different materials and can be customized to use for any occasion. Embellished with millinery birds and tiny felt posies, these cupcake toppers are 1 1/2� in diameter and sit perfectly atop your favorite frosted confections. They could just as easily be festooned with tiny flags, pom poms, tiny toy machine animals, or anything else you want to attach for any party or holiday.

I use wool felt for my projects, but if you can find only acrylic or blended felt at your local craft store, that works fine, too.

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1 Cut out five small circles, two small flowers, and three small leaves from the felt scraps.

You can freehand this--the “quirkiness” in the shapes is what makes it your own.

2 Cut the foam ball in half. Sand the cut edge of the foam if it is too rough.

3 Work the square of felt with your fingers, for each cupcake topper •

1 1/2” craft foam ball

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2 x 2” square of felt

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Scraps of felt to cut out ten tiny flowers and leaves

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1 small millinery bird on wire

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Short pins with ball heads (mine are Dritz)

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Craft knife

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Fabric glue (such as Fabri-Tac by Beacon)

pulling it at the edges and corners until the fibers in the center of the square start to loosen.

4 Apply a very light coat of your favorite fabric glue (I use Fabri-Tac by Beacon) over the top of the foam base.

5 Pull the square of felt over the foam base, continuing to smooth the felt and pull at the corners to help the felt take the shape of the foam form.

6 Pull each corner of the felt square underneath the form and pin it in place. Continue to pin the felt underneath the foam base until it is secure.

7 Apply a bit of glue to the wire of the millinery bird and push it through the felt into the foam base. It helps to create a starter hole with a pin before pushing the bird into the foam.

8 Position one of your small felt flowers on the base. Apply a dot of glue to the tip of a pin, and push it through the center of the flower to secure. Attach the remaining flowers and leaves in the same way.

9 Place atop a delicious cupcake! You can use a small circle of waxed paper or foil to protect the felt, if you wish.

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Pull each corner of the felt square underneath the form and pin it in place.

Continue to pin the felt underneath the foam base until it is secure.

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inspired ideas

fleamarket find

vintage crochet thread

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inspired ideas

pick a

Pocket d

uring the summer, a day at the park or beach is a great escape but these days we still like to be connected to the rest of the world. This mat will have a spot for all your essentials and provide a way to carry them to the beach or park safely.

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materials •

Thin beach mat

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Coordinating fabric pieces that are large enough to provide pouches for your beach accessories

•

Fabric glue

•

Sewing machine or strong thread and an upholstery needle

1 2

3

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I started out with a couple of beach mats from the dollar store.

I then looked at my stash of fabrics to find some that fit my nautical theme.

I thought of my list of must-haves for a day at the beach and cut rectangles of fabric that would safely fit my accessories, taking into account their depth when sewed onto the mat. I sewed a hem around all 4 edges of each rectangle.

I laid out each of my must-haves on their respective rectangles on one side of the mat and used fabric glue to tack the rectangles into place, creating pouches.

Then I sewed around the fabric pieces to secure them. Since the mats are quite thin I was able to roll them up and machine sew the vertical lines to create each pouch. (Please note: If you’d prefer to sew on a bottom for any of the pouches, they would need to be sewn by hand, as the mat will roll only in one direction.) inspired ideas

4

I used two different handle options. For the dark blue mat, I used 2 (2 1/2-inch) strips that ran 18 inches long.

I sewed them with a quarterinch seam (wrong sides facing) into a tube and turned them right side out for pressing. I tied a knot in one end of each strip and sewed them onto the opposite ends of my mat. That way, when you roll up your mat from your pouch-side, you can use the ties to tie around your roll.

For the light blue mat, I made handles. I used 2 (3-inch) wide strips, 10 inches in length. Once I sewed them wrong-sides facing with 1/4inch seams, I turned them right-side out and pressed them to create my handles. If you choose this method for your mat, you will need to play around with positioning once you have your pouches sewn on. One handle will be placed centered on the opposite end of the mat from your pouches. Roll up the mat with your “stuff” inside to decide on where your other handle should go. It will be sewn on the underside of the mat.

5

Now fill up your pouches and head to the beach or park.

You don’t want to miss a day like this! summertime

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haPpY

stiTchinG t his sampler makes an extra fun summer project. When the summer heat hits, find a cool spot, grab your hoop, some embroidery floss in a charming array of colors, and get stitching! I love taking a little stitching project with me on holiday. You can easily pick it up when the inspiration strikes, poolside or even in the car trip (passengers only!)

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inspired ideas

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materials •

Iron-on transfer paper (the kind meant for light-colored tee shirts)

•

Iron set to highest setting (and without steam)

•

Fabric to embroider (pre-washed)

•

Crayons

•

Embroidery hoop

•

Embroidery floss (I used pearl cotton, size 5)

•

Embroidery needle with eye large enough to accommodate embroidery floss

The embroidery floss colors I used are:

776 727 3348 807 335 712 I used the size 5 pearl cotton embroidery floss, which comes in skeins that can be a little hard to manage. My solution?

Wind your assortment onto wooden spools.

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inspired ideas

There are many ways to transfer an embroidery design to fabric, but most of them involve tracing the design either directly on the fabric or using a transfer pen. Since this design is a bit involved, I decided to experiment with using iron-on transfer paper (the kind meant for light-colored tee-shirts). It leaves a bit of a residue but not enough to make stitching difficult.

Print the design (available at the back of the magazine) onto the transfer paper as per the directions on the product’s package. I’ve found you get the best transfer when you preheat the fabric with the iron first. Place the design right side to the fabric and press.

I really love the look of coloring my embroidery designs with crayons.

(My friend Piper Wise taught us how to do this in the Autumn 2010 issue of Inspired Ideas.) You simply fill in the design with regular crayons, being careful to stay within the lines. Then place a piece of tissue paper over the design and press. When you see the crayon colors appear on the tissue paper, carefully peel the tissue paper away.

The wax of the crayon will melt into the fabric and stain it. I also found that some of the residue from the iron transfer came up when I peeled back the tissue paper.

Now you’re ready to stitch! Have fun and take your time. Learn new stitches, if you’d like. The Stitch School site is a wonderful resource for learning new stitches. I’ve also found that watching a good video of a stitch really helps me “see it”.

The Needlenthread site is terrific for stitch tutorial videos. summertime

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Caught the stitching bug?

Charlotte Lyons, Pam Garrison & Rebecca Ringquist are all artists who offer pre-made panels printed with their fun designs. There are also artists who sell their designs as a printable pdf for you to

Kloin

transfer to fabric yourself. For example, Etsy seller offers some really delightful patterns, including a princess in

the pea design that’s so wonderful. Or why not try your hand at creating your own design to stitch? It can be as easy as drawing directly on the fabric.

Princ pdf p

St Happy Day Stitchery available as a printed panel from Pam Garrison 112

inspired ideas

Barney Park Stitchery available as a printed panel from Charlotte Lyons

ess and the Pea available as a attern from etsy seller Kloin After you’ve spent hours on a stitching panel, you want to do something wonderful with it. Here’s a list of projects to inspire you to create something wonderful using your embroidery panel.

Frame it in a shadowbox Embellish an apron Cover a book Make it into a wall banner Sew a bunch of samplers as blocks in a quilt Make it into a pillow Embellish a tote bag Decorate a tea towel

titch Dictionary is a printed panel from Rebecca Ringquist summertime

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inspired

f rii e nds Princess Lasertron is a bridal designer, blogger, and best friend. Her trademark combination of handcrafted design and business prowess with a dash of magic has earned her cult celebrity status in the wedding industry. Since 2005, Princess Lasertron has grown to a three-person company that serves over 250 brides each year. Their line has expanded from simple hairpieces and brooches to gowns, bouquets, and diy craft kits, and the Princess Lasertron brand has reached hundreds of thousands of brides through magazines, television, and online media.

Visit the website: www.princesslasertron.com Princess Lasertron lives in Omaha with her husband and one-year-old daughter.

Pam Garrison is a crafting artist passionate about creating and inspiring others to create. She is particularly fond of handcrafting holiday treasures to be kept and passed down to her children and eventual grandchildren! She shares her talents by teaching at art events in the U.S. and abroad. You may have seen her work in numerous art books and magazines, or on HGTV’s “That’s Clever.” She is currently licensing designs with Papaya Inc. Pam resides with her husband and two children in Southern California, where she strives to incorporate creativity into her life every day. You can follow her creative tales on her blog: pamgarrison.typepad.com

Kristen Randall of Mood Swing Studio confesses that when she is working on jewelry, surrounded by a treasure trove of baubles, beads, and widowed earrings, it is rather more like playing than working. She searches for things she loves at flea markets and thrift shops, rips them apart, and combines them with vintage beads or new stones with color or texture that she loves. “The only thing consistent about [the process] is chaos.”

Kristen first got the itch for beading after her son was born in 2002. She was a new stayat-home mama and was having a hard time adjusting to the solitude. She discovered a fabulous local bead shop, Ornameantea, and it was love at first sight. In beading, she found a welcome diversion from her sudden full-time work as a mother.

Since then, Kristen has developed an unmistakable, incredible style that she describes as “unpolished, flawed, bohemian (rather than shabby chic), nostalgic with an edge.” She has a true gift for gathering treasures and reassembling them into something really special and new.

See her work at www.moodswingstudio.com

Although she’s originally from Barcelona, Kima Casas Bo now lives in Athens, Greece. She has always loved to draw and paint. After studying graphic design and illustration, Kima began to play with fabrics, buttons, and sewing. Then she discovered felt, which for her is a fantastic material to create so many things from illustration to dimensional projects.

Kima’s inspiration comes from the materials themselves: the fabrics, the colors, the drawings, the ornaments. The materials make her visualize the idea she has for a creation.

She’s quite fond of most Japanese styles in craft-making and of comics, illustration books for children, and nature. And she loves to cut and paste! See her drawings and crafts on her sweet blog, Kup Kup Land kupkup-land.blogspot.com

Charlotte Lyons designs and makes things.

Inspired by the humble simplicity of traditional art and craft and the inventive use of repurposed materials, Charlotte aims to mix an unfussy playfulness with the vintage charm of handmade keepsakes.

Over the years, her work has been featured in her books (Mothers and Daughters at Home, Between Friends), books with Mary Engelbreit and Barbara Martin and also in magazines such as Country Living, Victoria, Romantic Homes, Woman’s Day, Better Homes and Gardens, Cloth Paper Scissors, Green Craft and Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion. Currently, she designs for licensing and teaches classes nationally. Born and educated in St. Louis, Charlotte raised three artistic daughters in a bright pink house in Chicago. Now she and her husband live in the lower Hudson River Valley of New York, happy to have their girls (and their guys) nearby. See more of her work at charlottelyons.com and on her crafty blog, www.housewrenstudio.typepad.com

Once upon a time, Jone Hallmark was a professional ballerina living in Switzerland.

After a long search for what she really wanted to be when she grows up, Jone found that felt, wire, paper, glue and string make her very happy - the “simple things� in life.

She loves Alice in Wonderland (oh yeah, and mushrooms) and dragonflies. She is drawn to anything with polkadots and looks forward to the next time she can head to the southwestern part of France for a workshop with the Pantry Violets. Jone lives in Santa Fe, NM, with her hubby of 25 years, their 16-year-old son, two cats (Pearl and Marble) and two dogs (Kipper and Jack) She spends every Wednesday morning stitching and drinking chai with friends in the garden at the Teahouse and once a month meets with her creative friends to make BIG messes on every possible flat surface. See what Jone is up to by visiting her blog, polkadotponies.blogspot.com

It doesn’t hurt to have a day job as a graphic designer in the paper-crafting industry when one of your passions is crafting. And when she’s not designing or crafting, Lynda Kanase is often hunting at estate sales. She says it is a lot of fun to be able to combine her passions. Looking back, she’s crafted with upcycled objects for most of her life but never thought of it as a specific genre until now.

Part of being a designer is to take certain items {photos, words, logos} and create a visually pleasing message {advertising, magazines, packaging}. In a similar way, Lynda’s crafting inspiration comes from finding vintage objects and creating something visually pleasing. She enjoys using a common object in an uncommon way to create something unexpected.

And when she’s not designing or crafting or estate sale hunting, she can be found sharing her crafty ideas and vintage treasures on her blog, SomethingCreatedEveryday.blogspot.com

A few years ago, after a career in corporate and broadcast productions, about the time the market crashed, Tracey Fisher unexpectedly lost her mother. Work dried up, and she found that crafting gave her such a sense of comfort during her grief.

There was this world of yummy crafting supplies with endless possibilities. Tracey found herself looking for projects and, armed with an inspirational Betz White cupcake, a whole world of crafting and blogs opened up to her. She took sewing classes and knitting classes and made little projects for family and friends. She knitted cupcake hats and viking helmets for teachers’ babies, made sock monkeys for friends and sewed up zippered pouches and purses for gifts.

Linda Warlyn was born and raised in Chicago and has always loved to make things. She is drawn to assemblage most often. Little worlds fascinate her and have all her life. Linda truly believes that if you look to your childhood, you will discover your true loves--what you enjoy doing best. She knows that she has.

These days, instead of having her teenage and tweenage daughters following in her footsteps, she has found that she is following in theirs. Her oldest daughter opened her etsy shop when she was 11 and now both of Tracey’s daughters are her creative mentors. While her daughter opened her etsy shop on a whim within two hours, Tracey procrastinated for 2 years and struggled for days to get her etsy shop up and running. Recently, Tracey’s daughters have inspired her to start her own blog. You can read all about her adventures in crafting at helanaandali.blogspot.com

tem mplates

Here are all the templates & patterns you will need to make the projects in this issue of

inspired ideas.

For your convenience, they are also available at www.amy-powers.com/summer/templates.html

matchbox doll

clothesline

Party lANtern

large paper petal flower (reduce by 80% for medium flower)

acccordian fold flower (align between paper folds and cut petal shape between)

spiral paper rose

BeAch bag (reversed for iron-on transfer)

haPpY stiTchinG *REVERSE IMAGE IF PRINTING ONTO IRON-ON TRANSFER PAPER.

up next...

check for updates at inspireco.blogspot.com