ETCETERAS: Fabric Prints on Burlap Canvas

These burlap canvases are very popular right now. You can get them at your local craft store and they come in a variety of sizes. I got mine at Michaels and have been trying to figure out how I wanted to use them.

EXTRA CREDIT: Plant Flags with Fabric Duck Brand® Tape

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.



I know we’re all eager for spring and it really is just around the corner. I can’t wait to get outside and plant a spring vegetable garden. This year, I’m going to add more herbs to my garden and these cute plant flags will handy so I can identify my plants.

Sew & Tell: Vintage Covered Buttons

I made some covered buttons and some combination covered buttons. They aren’t truly vintage because I made them but the metal button caps and backs are The Original Prims Cover Your Own Buttons.

It’s a wrap: Fabric & Garlands

I love pretty packages but I have to confess, I do use and reuse gift bags now and then. But when I have time, I like to make gifts extra special. Wrapping paper can be expensive. I don’t like expensive – especially when it’s something that’s going to be ripped open and thrown away. One of my favorite ways to wrap gifts is with things that I have around the house. Leftover fabric, paper, recycled materials… it can all be used to make a package pretty.

Fresh Look: cookbook cover

You know those little things in your house that bug you? Maybe it’s a picture frame that doesn’t quite match or electrical cords that have become part of the décor. I have a ton of those little things all over the house.

Celebrations: mother’s day gift box

Mother’s Day is around the corner and a homemade gift is always special. This year I’m going to make some treats and fill up this embellished box that I made.

Inkling: canvas prints with scrapbooking attitude

Do you scrapbook? Even if you don’t, this new product called Scrapbooking Attitude has plenty of applications for all kinds of crafters. The product was just introduced at the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) so it’s brand new and ready for all your creative ideas.

Sew and Tell: diy fabric eyeglass case {no sew}

All my life I’ve had perfect vision. It was only recently that I started needing reading glasses. And it’s quickly progressed to stronger lenses and completely relying on them.



I have a pair in every room in the house because I’m not the type to wear a little dangly chain around my neck for my glasses. But for some reason, I’m always misplacing the eye glass cases. I lost my last one during my recent travels. I’m sure it fell out somewhere at the airport while I was fumbling for my boarding pass or at a restaurant while trying to read a menu.



When I got back, I made a mental note to go buy a new case. Then I thought, duh, I’ll just make one. My first thought was to sew one, but why bust out the sewing machine when there’s glue…

To make a quick and easy no-sew eye glass you’ll need:

• Paper towel tube or wrapping paper tube
• Fabric
• Craft Glue

 

• Cut your tube to the desired length to fit your glasses.
• Cut open your tube down the long side
• Glue your fabric to the outside of the tube and tuck in all edges gluing them to the inside.
• Use a small line of glue to the inside edges and secure with binder clips.
• Let dry.

This is much prettier than those silly cases they sell at the drugstore. The cardboard tube adds just the right amount of stiffness so the case will stay upright in your purse.

Plus, I love this fabric. It was in the remnant bin and I’ve been eager to use it on a project.

This is great way to use up a small piece of fabric and very budget-friendly. Add a monogram or other embellishments to make a nice gift.

Thanks for visiting.

Carolyn

I link at the wonderful parties listed here and 

 

Etceteras: chenille faux bois cans

Have you heard of faux bois? Even if you haven’t heard the phrase you’ve probably seen the oh-so-trendy look. Faux bois means “false or fake wood” and it’s pronounced “foe bwah”. It’s French which is why it sounds so much prettier than “fake wood”.

Faux bois is popping up everywhere. Here’s a a little round up of some pretty examples of faux bois. 1. stationery  2. dresser  3. notecard  4. soap  5. surface

I was looking at this piece of chenille that I had and it reminded me of faux bois. Okay, a little if you squint.

I wrapped the chenille fabric around a few cans that I had and adhered them with Mod Podge. Narrow leather strips and twigs brought a natural element to my very faux bois cans.

Nothing faux about these freesias from my garden. The fragrance from these is almost overwhelming.

Happy extra day {leap year} and thanks for visiting!

Carolyn

I happily link at the parties listed here and

Etceteras: new year organizing {fabric binder}

I love binders – and since I’m still organizing and cleaning I thought I’d pretty up some binders that weren’t being used. 

It’s really easy to take a plain old binder and cover it in fabric. 

Lay your binder flat and cut a piece of fabric about an inch larger than the binder. Glue or spray mount the fabric to the outside of the binder and fold over the raw edges. Ooops – I didn’t cut my fabric very straight.

Glue a piece of pretty scrapbook paper or cardstock to the insides covering the raw fabric edges. I chose to use scrap corrugated cardboard just to mix things up a bit. I also added string wrapped around the cardboard so I could tuck in bits of paper or clippings.

I plan to use this binder a lot so I don’t mind that the corrugated cardboard isn’t perfect. Plus the thickness of the cardboard will add some durability.

Add some pretty divider tabs or make them out of scrapbook paper.

Do you still use binders for recipes and magazine clippings? I know some people have gone completely high tech with recipes on laptops and tablets and ideas on Pinterest. But I love how pretty this low tech binder looks. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Carolyn

I happily link at the parties listed here and 

   

Sew and Tell: fabric scrap journal

This little graph paper notebook was leftover from the back-to-school supplies. It turned out to be the wrong size. Not the right size for a chemistry class but at 5” x 8” it’s perfect for jotting down project ideas, sketches and notes.

I had bookmarked this project from Oh Hello Friend  – a cute Washi Tape notebook. And since my little orphan notebook needed some sprucing up, I decided to adapt this project and use fabric strips.

I first covered the notebook in plain fabric and fringed the edge. I glued the fabric onto the notebook and then trimmed it to size. I find this is much easier than trying to cut a piece of fabric to size and then gluing it on.

I used fabric strips from vintage pieces that I had. The above cross stitch fabric is the edge of a stained tablecloth.

This fabric is from a pillow case.

Another beautiful vintage tablecloth.

I left the first piece of fabric long to act as a bookmark and also added a strip of black and white ribbon for an additional bookmark.

My new idea book – ready to be filled with inspiration.

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