Running With Scissors...

Should only be done by a highly skilled professional.

Sadly, she was NOT.

Artwork by Patricia Waller

DIY: Blossom and Bumblebee pin cushion

Here's what you'll need.
Blossom
cotton fabric
hand full of stuffing
needle
buttonhole thread
silk flower
button
green raffia or tissue
shot glass
Bumblebee
yellow pipe cleaner
black permanent marker
corsage pin
stiff clear plastic

Begin cutting a 6" circle out of 100% cotton.

Using a heavy buttonhole thread, sew a running stitch 1/4" in around the circumference of the circle.

Pull the thread to begin gathering the circle.

Slowly add poly-fill stuffing. Fill it very tightly.

Pull up your gathering thread and tie off.
Do not cut.
Leave the needle and thread attached.

Take apart a few old silk flowers.

Two large petals for the base.

Small petals for the top.

Bring the needle up through the center of the ball.
Attach the small flowers and a decorative button.
Bring the needle back down and pull very tight.
This is why you must use strong thread.

Knot and cut your thread off.

Hot glue the flower top onto the large petals.

Flower is done.

Hot glue 3 large leaves onto the base.

This is a shot glass.
I purchased a set of 6 at the dollar store.

Add green raffia or tissue into the shot glass and hot glue the top edge.

Immediately place the glued glass top onto the flower leaf base.

OK...It's bumblebee time!

Here are your tools.
A black permanent marker will color the pipe cleaner and the head of the corsage pin.

With needle nose pliers, grasp the end of the pipe cleaner.

Wrap the pipe cleaner up four times.

Cut off and tuck end into the large base.
Cut off a 1" piece of your black and bend in half.

Tuck the black into the large open end of the yellow.

Place the corsage pin into the head end of the bee.

Add a drop of hot glue and push into the bee.

Now for the wings.
You're going to cut a shape that looks like a stubby valentine.

I used a plastic that was ready for the trash.
Cut out and use a fine point permanent pen to draw on the veining.

Just a drop of hot glue will attach the wings right at the base where the black meets the yellow.

Bend the pin slightly.

Place him into the flower top so that he can hoover above it.

I did this project with a kids sewing class and they all turned out great.

If you make one let me know.
I'll start a flickr group to showcase our floral bouquet.

My Owl Barn

If you haven't created your own Owl Lover 2011 Calendar ,
go do it.

Right now.
I'll wait.....





Artwork by:
upper Julia Hartling lower Cally Johnson Isaacs

Now you've seen how cute these are and how easy they are to make.
There is no excuse for not having a Christmas gift for the hard to shop for relative.

How to ship from Peru

You place an order on October 10, 2010.

You purchase and place as many stamps as you can fit on top of your box.

You patiently wait until you receive a letter from Home Land Security.

They tell you, you have to find a broker that will sign for your box in Miami.
You call 225 brokers until you find one that sounds trustworthy.

You go to Staples and buy a ream of paper and printer ink
to print all the pages the broker sends you.
You cry when you realize all the forms that have to be filled out.
Then you remember how soft and cuddly the hand knit alpaca sweaters and throws are.

You fax in the forms.
You call everyday for 33 days.
The day arrives when they finally tell you that your box has been released from Customs Jail.

You count down the days til arrival.
You return home to find that they tried to deliver while you were away.

You go to the Post office the next day.
They find the box after the third time looking.
They tell you to wait on the side of the building.
You move your car four times because it's taking the postman to long to come out.
Five other postmen and women ask if they can help you.

You spot a guy, in blue, carrying a really big box with stamps ALL over it.
He places it in your car!

Home at last and yes they are just as soft and cuddly as I remember.....


From Peru to California....
Piece of cake!

DIY: Wire Flower Brooch

What a tangled web we weave...
or I wove...
well crocheted.

Tools needed:
Thin 28 -30 gauge wire, crochet hook (J), really cool vintage beads.

Pre-thread on beads. It was easy to slide one up and crochet in when needed.
Helpful hint:The wire on the spool wants disparately to uncoil.
I allowed about 18" out at a time, keeping the wire clipped into its grove on the top of the spool , allowing out only what I needed.

There is a rhyme and reason to this design believe it or not.

It is the exact same as any basic crocheted flower.

In case you were wondering, messy is just fine.

Wire on a bar pin to the back.
Helpful hint: Place it just above center. If it's centered it will not lie flat when worn.

Wear as a brooch or on a velvet ribbon as a Victorian choker.