A few FFOs

Due to some technical difficulties, and the subsequent learning curve that is inherent when you have new a hardware and software set up, I haven't uploaded a floss tube video in 2(!!) months.

Fingers crossed there will be one this week.
I'm also trying to get back to blogging regularly. I'm implementing a new schedule for myself, so hopefully it will turn my intend to dos into have dones.


Over the past couple of months, I have had some finishes and FFOs, if you follow me on Instagram, or are a FB groupie, you will likely have seen them.

And Spooky Halloween pillow tuck by PrimitiveStitchin

At home with Jane Austen by The Sampler Girl

My shortened version of Santa's list by Country Cottage Needleworks

Christmas Tree ornament from "Timeless Ornaments" by Jane Chandler

My last project had already been a finish, but I FFO'd it just this past Friday..
This is Triton's Treasure by The Stitching Parlor

That's it for this week, Thank you for stopping by for a visit!

Until next time,
Stay crafty!

Michelle

Finishes, FFOs and progress

I'm not doing so well with this regular blog post thing am I?

I will do better.

It's been a bit hectic here, but I've managed to get some stitching and sewing in here and there..and even a finish or 5.

First I have a sewing finish.

Don't get too excited, it's still stitching related lol!

On the front, I used vintage doilies,  buttons, "pearl" beads and an applique. I used the rest of the doily from the front for the back.

I designed this for small projects, but there are so many pockets, at the moment there are 3 in it. My current 2 ornaments a month wips, and a cute little Chessie & me kit (from my stitch 9 list)

Next, is my first fully finished  #2amonthsal ornament!

It's kind of a mystery project (I don't remember what chart, or the designer) on a mystery aida (I *think* it was 14ct) that I hand dyed aqua.






Below are my 3 additional finishes.


1. Triton's Treasures by  The Stitching Parlor. It was also stitched on a mystery Aida, also hand dyed by me.



2. Halloween freebie by Carrie's Creations




3. The cat from Halloween Spot by The Drawn Thread





With so many wips, it's not really feasible to update them all in this post. I guess I will just have to post more eh? 

This time, how about an update on 1 of them?

Silent Sampler by Rosewood Manor has seen some good progress..I changed the colors, I wanted a "washed out" color palette. I will be aging it when I've completed it.



 (original)



Today I've been working on some sewing, and hopefully I will be able to continue tomorrow, but we will have to see what the days brings.


Until next time,
Happy Stitching!

More last minute Halloween crafting!

So I've been working on some Halloween decorations over the past couple of weeks and realized that if I didn't share them soon I likely wasn't going to be able to before Halloween!!

 Some Skull art using an image from Graphicsfairy.com, and the burnished image transfer method.

I made this skull garland using Embroidery floss and some Target $1 bin erasers. I just threaded a long sharp needle and went through the soft eraser. (as a side note, I had plans to do the entire bag of these, but this is as far as a I got before my embroidery floss started breaking down. I highly recommend something that can withstand the friction better.)

 This was a fun project, I just drew the letters and exclamation point out on thin cardboard, painted the letters green and hot glued the dollar tree eyes all over. For the web, I painted a bit of lace black and dusted it with glitter, then glued it to the back side of the cardboard frame I left for just this purpose. The spider's body got the same paint and glitter treatment and then using my scissors, I just poked 4 holes on each side, and threaded 4 half pipe cleaners through from the back, hot glued the eyes on and called it done :)

I made these candles I saw on Polish the Stars blog yesterday. I need to redo the inserts as they aren't deep enough for my dollar store tea lights.

And that is it from me for now my friends, If I can fit more in before the big day I'll try my best to share!

Mummy pillow tutorial..ish?

I started out with the best of intentions on this project, taking lots of pictures, then I got caught up in it and the camera sat idle. Fortunately it's a fairly easy project so I am sure you all can follow along even if there aren't as many visuals!

Supplies:
1 yard 45" unbleached muslin
1 fat quart backing fabric
green and black scraps
black embroidery floss (optional)
poly-fil (or equivalent)
sewing machine, thread, scissors, hand sewing needle

Since I was making an actual pillow and not a pillow cover, I started with a 16" square of the muslin for my base. Then, using my scissors I made random snips in the folded edge of the remainder of the muslin and then tore the stips apart.

 Then lay out your first strip

Pin in place

 and sew it down, Then snip the remainder of the strip off at the edge of the pillow foundation (I was able to get 2 pieces on the pillow front from each strip, plus a little left over for on the corners)

 repeat in varying angles until you have covered your foundation

 and here is where I stopped taking pictures LOL!

Once I had my foundation covered, I cut out some ovals for eye out of my green, then smaller circles for pupils out of black, and sewed them on using my machine's blanket stitch. you can also use a straight stitch or even a zig zag.

When your front is finished, press, then trim down to a 15" square and set aside.

Cut your fat quarter into a 15" square for your back. Pint the two sides together, right sides facing and sew around leaving a 3" space on the bottom edge for turning and stuffing.

Clip your corners, and turn. Then using poly fill as directed, stuff your pillow. you will want to stuff it firmly as after some use the poly fill will condense and you don't want a flat pillow! Hand stitch your opening closed.

Now, due to my hubby and youngest son's insistence that my mummy needed a mouth. I threaded up some black embroidery thread and stitched one on. I think it actually made it look like a friendly mummy, which is just fine with me ;)

Halloween and Fall Crafts take 2 :)

SO Today I want to share with you some more of the fall and halloween crafting and decorating that has been taking place here lately.
Here you see my new to me corner shelf. Can you believe I got this for $20 bucks?!?!



I almost couldn't believe it myself! Anyhow, My fall display in the center there was really fun to do.

The clock frame I had in my cross stitching stash, only I just decided to do some fun Mod Podge on it instead! The paper was a bulk bargain from Tuesday Morning at the beginning of summer, and the glitter chipboard pieces and clock workings were from Michaels.

I'm sure you may recognize the halloween busts, they were from the dollar tree. I painted them with Krylon Ivory satin and then glazed over them with Ralph. The books are part of an old encyclopedia set that we inherited, and I just used some scrapbooking papers, stickers and my handy Podge to tunr them into Potions and spells books. The wire pumpkin was completed by following a tutorial I found online..But I can't find it again to give Credit to the writer! ACK!!


Next up is my buffet display. The runner was just finished on Saturday..I've decided to keep it because I like it so much :)I'm sure you also recognize the skulls. Who knew this would end up being a Pottery Barn Knock off? I certainly didn't when I bought these 2 months ago and dropped them in my hurricane LOL! I keep meaning to take them out and glaze them, and put them back with a bit of moss to create a true knock off. We'll see hehe.

The spider picture was just an old frame painted with flat black, a bit of the backside of my Tuesday morning paper, a beware sticker and one of the boys' old rubber spiders I salvaged from some toys we got rid of a couple of weeks ago. A little mod podge, a bit of glue and I think it turned out really cute!

The black and White gingham Pumpkins were a Target purchase..Aren't they adorable?!? I just couldn't resist them!

and Lastly The boo Blocks were created using some cut up 2x4 scrapbooking papers, Chipboard accents, letter stickers and..yep, you guessed it, Mod podge! There's also an exclamation mark but it wasn't working for me with 4 blocks so it's on standby until I make a 5th block.

Ok. So that's it for today, but I'll be back with more decorating, crafting and the after to this Freecycled before as soon as possible!