If you’re of the Mormon persuasion, you know that this weekend was General Conference, aka church on TV.  For some reason, I listen better when I’m working on something.  This Nightmare Before Christmas inspired pillow was the perfect project!

I picked up a package of precut black and white 5” squares at Hobby Lobby.  I believe the full price was $5.99, but there’s ALWAYS a coupon/sale at HobLob, so you know I didn’t pay that much.  I used 16 of the 20 squares in the pack to make my pillow background (1/4” seams).

Then, I found a Jack Skellington image and used it to sketch my applique.  (Sorry, no pattern since it’s copyrighted.)  I used a heavy canvas fabric for the white part so that the prints wouldn’t show through.  I stitched the mouth with a tight zig zag.  (Applique basics here.)

I made a simple envelope back using some black and white striped fabric from some pirate costumes I made 4 or 5 years ago.  The finished pillow cover is 18”.

Fun, right?

Did you make anything this weekend?

Please follow and like us:

My name is Char and I have a serious problem with my email inbox.

How serious?

SEVEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY.

Anybody have a similar problem?

Give me your best tips on taming the email insanity.

Ready?

Go!

Please follow and like us:

My guest post over at Kristen Duke Photography on Sunday was the motivation I needed to finally get my crap together and complete a project I’ve been meaning to do for ages.

I saw the idea online (Google it, there are a bunch of images to inspire you) and even bought the clipboards.  But, I’m a procrastinator.  And the pictures I had up in that space were great…other than the fact they were missing a kid.

They’re also a little tame for my current style.  My old age is making me gaudy, I think.

I usually make paper cut outs in the shape of each frame and tape them to the wall to figure out my arrangement.  Since I only had 2 shapes of clipboards and I was hanging them in straight rows, I decided to try a different method this time.

Using painters tape, I taped off an area on my rug the same size as the space above my piano.

Then I laid out my clipboards and played around with the spacing until I had an arrangement I liked.

Then I measured how far from the top tape line the picture hangers would need to be placed and transferred those measurements to the wall.

The small clipboards that are hung sideways are propped up on 2 finish nails.  I used some of that white rubbery sticky stuff (that I can never thing of the name of) to stick the top corners to the wall, just in case.

I like the idea of hanging certificates and artwork and other schoolwork on the clipboards as well and I’m excited to see the pictures change as our lives change.

Please follow and like us:

You guys are familiar with Jess from Allora Handmade and Mique from 30 Handmade Days, right?  They also do the Queen Bee Market (including the one that will be SNAP! next April).  Well, a childhood friend of theirs needs help.

Miq and Jess have rounded up some delightful tutorials, printables, and patterns from many of your favorite bloggers, with ALL the proceeds going to help.  You can read more here or just go here to shop.

I didn’t here back from the original My Only Sunshine Design winner.  The new winner is Kelly.  If your name is Kelly, check your email.  You’ve got 48 hours to respond.

And, the winner of the Kona cottons bundle from Canton Village Quilt Works is Carla G.  If you’re Carla G, check your email and respond to claim your prize!

Happy Monday!

Please follow and like us:

I’m guest posting today over at Kristen Duke Photography as part of her Decorating with Portraits series.

Please follow and like us:

Sometimes there are things that I don’t share on the blog.  Like how (in a moment that can only be described as insanity) I took BC’s truck and drove to IKEA and came home with a couch because my kids are disgusting and I NEEDED something that could go in the washer RIGHT THAT SECOND.  And my poor unsuspecting husband was sitting at football practice the whole time.

So, the couch needed pillows.  I bought a bunch of delightful aqua linen on clearance several years back.  If it looks familiar, it’s because I’ve used it a couple of times for pillows in my family room (see here and here).  I decided that this was also the perfect excuse to try a few more of the products in the Martha Stewart Crafts Decorative Paint Line.

For this project, I wanted a subtle tone on tone look, so I used the craft paint in Sea Lavender (which is not lavender).  I also used the Arabesque laser cut stencil, the tintable fabric medium, as well as a stencil brush and the specialty sponges.  ***The stencil brush provided a much more even application.  Don’t bother with the sponges.***

I centered my design on the pillow fronts and got to work.  One coat was plenty and the stencil covered all but the very edges of my pillow fronts.  I used binder clips to make sure the fabric didn’t blow away whilst it was drying.

Once the paint was dry, I heat set and assembled my pillow covers with a simple envelope back.

Since I already had the fabric and the pillow forms and the paints, this project was basically free.  Good thing, since I just bought a couch. 

Have you tried painting/stenciling on fabric?

How’d it go?

What’d you make?

Please follow and like us:

So, as most of you know (especially those that follow along on Twitter and got BOMBARDED with tweets), I spent 5 days last week in Minnesota attending The Creative Connection as part of the social media team.

I found Pyrex at Bubba Gump’s

experienced the Mall of America with some of my favorite people

made several hundred new friends

learned a thing or two about blogging

ate a lot of dessert

crafted with Cathe Holden

sewed with Betz White and Patty Young (and didn’t take any pictures!!!)

sang with Becky Higgins

shopped until my suitcase couldn’t hold anymore.

and had the time of my life.

Thanks, Creative Connection.

Please follow and like us:

Tina’s 24 hours are up.  The new winner is Carolyn.  If your  name is Carolyn, please check your email and get back to me ASAP!!

Please follow and like us:

The winner of the My Only Sunshine Design giveaway is Tracy P.  I’ve sent you an email.  you have 48 hours to respond to claim your prize.

And, the winner of the ScrapMaBob and the entry into the grand prize Original ScrapBox drawing is Tina S.  TINA, YOU HAVE 24 HOURS AND 24 HOURS ONLY TO RESPOND TO MY EMAIL WITH YOUR FULL NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER.  The big daddy drawing is on Friday and we need to get all the preliminary winners squared away before then.  The grand prize drawing fir one EZ View Craft Desk will take place on The Original ScrapBox BLOG, click here to visit and find out who the incredibly fortunate person is on September 23, 2011.

Lifestyle Crafts is releasing their Be Splendid line today (Christmas stuff).  Remember you can always take 20% off using code “CRAP”.  I’ll have a project up for you a little later.

Please follow and like us:

Is your craft space a hot mess? As you may recall, mine is.  I have a fabulous giveaway to help with that and to keep you company today whilst I’m in beautiful Minneapolis for The Creative Connection.  If you want to follow along on that adventure, you can catch me on Twitter using hashtag #tcce11.

If you don’t want to follow along, just stick around for the giveaway, mmmkay?

The Original Scrapbox.com  is giving away one EZ View Craft Desk (value $595.00 U.S. Dollars). This desk has a clear plexiglass top so that you can easily see all of your supplies organized in four different drawers with various compartments.  Now, you can’t win that here, but..

on September 23, 2011 they’ll give away one of these beautiful desks!

What CAN you win here?  A ScrapMaBob (keep reading for more on that) AND an entry into the grand prize drawing for the desk.  You can absolutely win more than one entry into the grand prize drawing, so be sure to hop on over to each of the participating blogs for your chance to win a fantastic prize and ONE entry into the grand prize giveaway of the EZ View Craft Desk.

There will be 11 preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for one EZ View Craft Desk. 1 in 11 = pretty good odds, right?

Here on Crap I’ve Made you’re entering to win the preliminary giveaway of one ScrapMaBob (value $19.95) and one entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for an EZ View Craft Desk in your choice of color.

If you are selected as a preliminary winner of the ScrapMaBob, you will then be entered into the grand prize drawing held on The Original Scrapbox Blog on September 23, 2011. On that date, a random drawing will select a winner from all of the finalists to receive one EZ View Craft Desk (value $595.00 U.S. Dollars) in their choice of black or white.

*The contest is open to addresses in the contiguous United States only.

Giveaway Rules:

*You can only enter under one name
* It is possible to win more than one preliminary prize, which means it’s possible to be entered into the grand prize drawing more than once.
*All winner’s addresses must be U.S. (48 contiguous state) addresses
*You must complete the required entry to be eligible to win

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment with your email address, linkbacks and how you entered. I’ll put all entries into a spreadsheet and use Random.org to select the winner. Visit all 11 blogs for extra entries into this fabulous giveaway!

Extra Entries:

• Like the Facebook page for The Original Scrapbox.  Come back and leave a comment on this post saying that you did.

• Follow ScrapboxUSA on Twitter, then tweet the contest.  Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your tweet.

You can enter the preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the grand prize drawing at the following blogs:

RachelleWrites
iCandy Handmade
Lolly Jane Boutique 
Henry Happened
Tater Tots and Jello
Crap I’ve Made
Priscilla Styles
Sassy Sites
Sew Dang Cute Crafts
Mommas kinda Crafty
Naptime Crafters

Please follow and like us: