So, What Else Can This Thing Do?

In honor of today’s release of the Possibilities series from Lifestyle Crafts, I decided to test the limits of my Epic 6 and see what the “possibilities” with it really are.  You know I love the letterpress capabilities, but what else can I use this thing for?

First up, can it cut vinyl?

I used one of the nesting frames dyes and a piece of regular old black vinyl, face down.

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It cut like a dream.  I added it to this dollar store soap dispenser

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and then used a chalkboard marker to label it.

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(Just call me captain obvious!)

Challenge #2, can it cut fabric?

I applied a fusible web to the backs of my fabrics first.

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(I peeled off the paper before cutting.)

I cut 2 shapes using the nesting flowers set and then decided it needed a little something else.  I used one of the nesting stars and only cut part of it.

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Then I trimmed off the sides.

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Put it all together with a dollar store dish towel and here’s what I came up with:

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Cute, right?

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To celebrate the release of the new dies in preparation for CHA this week, you can get 20% off the new Possibilities line (or anything else) at Lifestyle Crafts using code “CRAP”.

***Lifestyle Crafts provided me with my Epic Combo and the dies.***

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Lifestyle Crafts: Possibilities

I feel like the universe is conspiring against my desire to blog!

I’ll be back later today with a project and a direct link, but I wanted to give you all a heads up:

Lifestyle Crafts (you remember them…the letterpress that’s also a die cutter) has a big new release coming today.  They’re calling it their “Possibilities” line.  This will be Lifestyle Crafts’ highest value line with products containing up to 22 dies and sizes ranging from .25" to 5.75".

AND, they’re offering you all 20% off using code “CRAP”.

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Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness

First things first:

The winner of the Everyday Lettering giveaway is Andi.  If your name is Andi, check your email and respond to claim your prize!

Where have I been?

You know…around.

We took a little break from the crazy and headed up to Bear Lake for a long 4th of July weekend.

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Looking for deer off the deck

We also fulfilled Macy’s birthday request to attend the Cache Valley Cruise-In.

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Someone has an old car obsession, particularly Bel Airs.

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And by “obsession” I mean she took over 600 pictures.

We also celebrated my grandma’s birthday.  There are pictures, but she threatened to kill me if they were published on the internet.  Does my grandma have the internet?  No, but she says she has connections.  I’m talking about you, Amy.  Open-mouthed smile

We ate a lot of salsa

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and spent a lot of time swinging on the deck

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and reading car magazines with Grandpa.

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We even managed to get a few new pictures taken.

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And we got home just in time for me to do 6 or 8 loads of laundry and then head back out the door to EVO.  More on that to come.

How’s your summer shaping up?

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Giveaway: Everyday Lettering

Meet Heather.

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Heather says:

I’m a stay-at-home mom to one fantastic little two-year old boy and I’m a photographer based in Brigham City, Utah.  I have been doing photography for over three years and have loved every second of it.  I have met tons of great people and I have gotten to be a part of some of the biggest moments in their lives.  It has been wonderful.

About two years ago I saw some photo letters in a store and fell in love.  But at over $150 for my little last name (Jones), I knew I couldn’t afford it and there must be others who couldn’t too.  So I searched for a way to make it more affordable.  Then I spent over a year collecting pictures of everyday objects and editing them to make them beautiful.  I hope you enjoy Everyday Lettering as much as I do!

Heather realizes that we all like a little variety in our lives, so she has 2 different options for your lettering.

THE SINGLE:

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In this option, you are just ordering the photographic prints and you can frame or display them however you want.  They come in 3X5, 4X6, and 5X7 and are SUPER reasonably priced ($2 or less per letter!).

THE BLOCK:

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This option has each letter mounted individually on a wood block.  The blocks are approximately 5.5” tall, 3.5” wide, and 1.5” deep.  Pricing is $4 per letter.

THE BOARD:

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The board option features your entire name on a single board and is also $4 per letter.

(My head is spinning with ideas for THE SINGLE and my guess is that I’ll have ordered some by the end of the week.  I have no self control.)

What’s in it for you?

Heather is giving one lucky Crap I’ve Made reader one word or name valued at up to $30 plus FREE shipping!

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post saying what word/name (you can just say “my last name” if you don’t want to leave your last name in the comments) and which option (single/board/block) you’d choose!

BONUS ENTRIES:

Follow the Everyday Lettering blog.  Come back and leave a comment on this post saying that you did.

Follow Everyday Lettering on Facebook.  Come back and leave a comment on this post saying that you did.

Share the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, etc.  Come back and leave a comment on this post saying that you did.

***Giveaway runs through Sunday, July 10th at 10pm MST.***

And, if you’re in the Brigham City area and in need of a photographer, be sure to check out Heather’s photography sites!

Joy Photography by Heather

Joy Photography by Heather on Facebook

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Happy 4th of July

Here’s hoping that you’re spending it with the people that you love!

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(And that your mom didn’t make you wear red white and blue…)

 

Fun giveaway coming in the morning.  See you then?

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Reversible Sling Bag Tutorial

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My neighbor Megan had snapped a picture of a bag she liked and asked me to help her recreate it.  We decided to make it reversible, just to spice things up a bit.

Supplies:

1 yard of exterior fabric
1 yard of interior fabric
Printed pattern pieces + one piece of 8.5 X 11 paper
Scissors, pins, sewing machine, thread

Print the 2 pattern pieces.  Lay them and the extra piece of paper out like this:

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Tape the pieces together without overlapping.

If you fold your yard of fabric in half again lengthwise, matching the fold from the bolt to the selvages, you can cut out both pieces at once.  BE SURE TO PLACE THE LONG EDGE OF THE PATTERN PIECE ON THE FOLD!!!

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You’ll cut 2 pieces from your exterior fabric and 2 pieces from your interior fabric, so you’ll end up with 4 pieces that look like this:

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The assembly instructions are the same for the exterior and the interior pieces.  All seams are 1/2”, unless otherwise specified.

Place pieces right sides together and sew side seams (indicated by the red lines).

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Press seams open.

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Line seams up (pin, if you want) and press flat.  Sew bottom seam, as indicated by the red line.

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Next we’re going to box the corners.  Fold/press/whatever your corners like this:

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The measurement along the green line is about 1.5”.  The measurement along the yellow line is about 3”.  I drew a line with a disappearing ink pen to follow when I sewed.

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Sew along the line and then clip off the excess fabric.

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Turn the exterior bag right side out and slip it inside the interior bag.  Match up seams and ends and pin.

Decide which one of the ends of the strap is going to be the “big” one.  You’re going to turn the entire bag right side out through this end.  There will be a moment when you’re not sure how it’s going to work out, but trust me, it will…just like child birth. Winking smile  Mark it somehow.  I used 3 pins.

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The other end of the strap will be the “small” one.  When you sew this end, you’re going to want to taper it *just* slightly.  The blue lines indicate the normal stitch line.  The purple lines are how you’re going to sew this end.

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I exaggerated the lines in this picture for illustration purposes. I’d start the taper about 1” from the end and taper in maybe 1/8” on each side.

Sew from the end of the strap, around the curve and up the other strap.  For some reason the picture or this step is missing, so I made you a super helpful illustration:

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You’ll be sewing along the big U shape and leaving the green lines on the ends open.  Be sure to taper the “small” end.  Repeat on the other edge.

You can clip the curves a bit now if you want to.  I did on one bag and I did not on the other.  I found it didn’t make a whole lot of difference, so do whatever makes you happy.

Now you’re going to turn the whole thing right side out through the “big” end.

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Go slowly and be sure things don’t get too bunched up.  You might need a buddy, but I promise this WILL work.

Press along the seams.

Take the “big” end and fold down approximately 1/2” to the inside.

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Press.

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Slip the “small” end inside the “big” end.

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And stitch a cute little rectangle to hold everything in place.

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And you’re done!

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When Mountain Dew Flies…

We had a *little* incident of sibling rage last week.

Keller threw a (plastic) bottle of Mountain Dew at his sister (because she’d dropped it in the toilet).  He’s not a very good aim, and this happened:

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(Let’s not even get into the part where a piece of glass got stuck in the top of my foot and it bled for close to an hour, mmmkay?)

That’s my sewing room light.  It’s what the contractors included in their bid when they finished our basement.  And, it’s BORING.

I decided to take this opportunity and girly up the lighting in there a bit.

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And a non-illuminated shot:

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Cute, right?  I guess sometimes kid fights aren’t the worst thing ever….

 

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In case you don’t follow on Facebook

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This is the extent of my holiday décor.  Thanks Lara and Neil for saving my butt.

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Fancy Leather Cuffs

(That is quite possibly the lamest title ever)

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So, last month when I was in Kentucky for the GE Momsperience, I visited the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.  In the gift shop, there were some gorgeous leather cuffs with flowers made out of gemstones or crystals or something equally fabulous.  The problem?  They were $130.  (I’m sure they were worth every penny, I’m just cheap.  And I lose stuff.)

My versions aren’t *quite* as fabulous as the original, but they’re CHEAP (you could make your own for $5) and easy and I won’t feel bad when I lose misplace one of them.

You’ll need:

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A leather cuff (mine came from the leather store, but you can get them at Hobby Lobby as well)
Leather dye (again, mine came from the leather store, but Hobby Lobby carries it)
Some sort of embellishment.  I like these stretchy rings because they’re easy to attach.  Mine came from Claire’s clearance and Rue 21.
Leather “string” to attach the embellishment (mine came from Hobby Lobby)

For the black cuffs, I used leather dye.  You swab it on and then buff it shiny once it dries.

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For this one, I brushed the leather with olive oil:

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And for this one, I used wood stain:

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Once you’ve got your leather the color you want it, decide where you’re going to place your embellishment.  The stretching rings have 4 holes, so I just transferred those over to the cuff.  I (it was totally Macy) made the holes using a hammer and a nail.

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There’s probably an actual leather tool for this, but I used what I had on hand.

Tie on your embellishment with the leather string, and you’re good to go!

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The Return of My Mojo

I did it.  I busted out my sewing machine.  I took the fabric I’ve been hanging onto for months, and turned it into pillows for my living room.  See?

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I’ve got one more somethin’ somethin’ in mind for the long couch.  In my mind, it’s fabulous.  We’ll see how that translates to reality. Winking smile

And then yesterday one of my favorite teenage neighbors came over for the day and we came up with this super simple (reversible) sling bag based on a cell phone pic she’d snapped.

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I have to make a couple of modifications to the pattern piece and get it scanned and converted to PDF, but look for it soon!

You know what else I did yesterday?  I made a delightful leather cuff bracelet thingy.  It was inspired by one I saw in Kentucky, but that one was $130.  Total cost for mine?  About $5.

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Look for that soon, too.

XOXOXO

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