All Things Crafts

As promised, here is my first free embroidery pattern!

I just love cute wildlife, especially those with a bird on their head! Stitch this up on a tea towel or an apron for a wonderful and original last minute holiday gift.

To transfer the design, simply print it out and trace it over transfer paper onto your fabric. You can also use a transfer pencil/pen/marker (make sure you reverse the design before printing... Read more

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In early fall of this year, I was hand-sewing a felt piece and chatting online with my friend Deana. She complained that she HATES sewing stuff by hand. That amused me because Deana is a fantastic embroidery artist. She will happily and lovingly stitch gorgeous hand embroidered pieces for hours. Then I got to thinking. I enjoy hand-sewing – maybe I should give embroidery a try.

Thus began my newfound... Read more

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Hellu Pussycats! Ok, Anyone who has been into the studio and seen the neck warmers has heard my story.

YES!- when I first saw them I thought neck warmers were a silly idea. I didn't get the big deal.."Wear a scarf".... I thought!

I was so very wrong!! They make SO much sense.

I had a light bulb moment when I was cleaning the fish tank and my scarf dipped in the tank. Ewww. Yes, I should be wearing... Read more

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Sometimes life hands you lemons, but sometimes life hands you the lemonade!

Last Monday I got a wonderful pitcher of life lemonade, thanks to Clint from Auntie's Beads ! I received an email from him wondering if I might be interested in making a jewelry design using Auntie's Beads products for a post on A Wrapper's View. They would give me my choice of beads (up to a certain dollar amount) from their site and... Read more

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Hi everyone! For years now, I've been stalking blog challenges and sketches telling myself I would participate one day. It's a great way to use up your craft stash and encourage you to try something. Afterall, necessity is the greatest innovator! I participated in a sketch challenge over at Sketchy Thursdays! Here is the card sketch:

All I did was turn the card sketch on its side. I'm just... Read more

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Who knew that mushrooms could be beautiful. Well, they can! While browsing today, I stumbled upon one blog with the most amazing pictures of mushrooms . Have you ever seen pink or purple mushrooms? Have a look at the images below. I love those vibrant colors and unusual shapes. I could almost picture those mushrooms in a vase, instead of flowers.

I've searched for mushrooms on iCraft and found a few amazing... Read more

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Hellu Pussycats!!!!!
I was a crochet machine over the weekend and made up a bunch of cute change purse/cell phone covers.

I love to crochet .

I wish that people would stop thinking of weird bathroom accessories when they think of crochet...

(this is a WHOLE other topic of conversation for another day!) I would like everyone to think of crochet as bright, fun and interesting.

So, I will start with these... Read more

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One of the challenges of creating your own pieces is to find components that suit your vision.

I prefer to use either sterling or fine silver. There are so many options for components it literally will make your head spin. How do you know the actual composition of your componet pieces? Of course buying from a reputable dealer is always good advice. If buying actual pieces looking for the .925 sterling... Read more

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I have always loved bright, shiny things and as a child collected all sorts of pretty stones, shells, and beach glass. I still have many of those cherished objects.

Beads have fascinated me for years and I have been embellishing clothing with them for a long time. I made my own wedding dress and beaded the bodice and sleeves in a vine and leaf pattern.

In my professional career as a dentist, I work with my... Read more

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The weather these past few weeks, at least in the northeast section of the continent, has been termed as a very cool spring. The key word here is cool, as these temperatures are always relative. A forecast of sixty degrees in July may seem on the cool side but if it was mid-January, it would feel downright tropical. Talk among neighbors and fellow gardeners seems to conclude that shrubs and trees are enjoying a... Read more

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