Video: How to get perfect (and no so perfect!) SPLATTERS on your page!

Hello there!  Today I am sharing a quick little video I made showing how to get some great splatters on your page!

I put splatters on almost EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE.  I have learned what techniques work the best for me to get some neat looking drops.

I am sharing this tutorial on the My Creative Scrapbook blog today for my tutorial as April guest designer.  We used the Simple Stories Carpe Diem collection.

Hope you enjoy!

Hot Tubbin'

I recently got the urge to start looking for some good scrappy challenges.  Nothing gets my mojo going like a challenge that I really want to complete!

A friend pointed me in the direction of the current challenge at ScrapOur Stash to use this book cover as inspiration.

I had these photos of the hubby and kids swimming and playing in my MIL's hot tub already printed out, so I thought they would go well with these inspiration image.

I began by pulling out orange, greens, and aqua blues from my stash to match the image.  I also tried to find that maroon-ish red, but that was a bit more challenging.

I also really wanted to find something to go along with those faces!   I remembered that there was a piece of paper int he Studio Calico Amelia line that had a sunshine face on it, and when I pull it out, i couldn't believe how perfect it was!

I wanted to add a wave to the bottom of the page, and chose this cut file from the Just Nick store.  I LOVE this wave shape.  I welded 2 together to make my border.  I was going to leave it white on white, but then I decided I wanted to ad a bit more color to it, so I did a little watercolor wash with some mists and gelatos.  I like the color MUCH better.

When I was done, I didn't like how much white space there was, and I wanted to do something to bring the design together.  I traced a large arc on the page and then stitched over it with orange thread.  I like how it mimics the shape of the sun.

I seriously piked through my stash for this page.  Chipboard from MME, die cuts from Jillibean, alphas from an OLD Close to my Heart collection!  It feels good to use stuff!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Stay scrappy my friends!

Phone Wristlet/Clutch Tutorial

I'm so so SO excited to bring you this tutorial today!

This is the first pattern for something OTHER than a quilt that I have actually designed and loved!  I scoured through many tutorials for clutches and wristlets and combined many ideas to create this one of my own.

I'm always looking for little things that I can make for gifts for the women in my life!  Friends, my mom, even teachers! I tried to think of something practical that people would actually use.  EVERYONE has a cell phone, and busy women sometimes don't want to lug around a huge purse. So a little wristlet/clutch is the perfect gift!  You can whip one of these up in about an hour.  (NOTE: this pattern could also be enlarged to find other sized phones or even tablets and iPads.)     

 Project Supplies:
 -about 2 fat quarters of fabric, one for the outside, and one for the inside pockets.  Contrasting prints add a lot of character!
 -Heat N Bond® Extra Firm fusible interfacing
 -Heat N Bond® Light Interfacing -D ring for 1" strap -Swivel clasp for 1" strap
 -Magnetic Snap closure
 -Freezer paper (or other large paper) for drawing pattern

Project Instructions: If you want to make a wristlet EXACTLY like the one I made, follow these cutting instructions: From your outside fabric:

1. Cut two pieces 7.5 x 10".
2. Cut 4"x15" and 4" x 2.5" pieces for the straps and D ring parts.
3. Cut a piece about 4"x3" for the flap closure.  You can really make this any size you want. Read further into the instructions for more details on this part.

From your lining/pocket fabric:

1. Cut TWO pieces 8" x 7.5", and ONE piece 6" x 7.5".
2. Cut a piece to match the same shape/size as your flap closure with the outside fabric.

From your HeatNBond Extra Firm interfacing:

1. Cut a piece 7" x 9.5"
2. Cut a piece to match your flap closure, and then trim off 1/4" all the way around so that there is no interfacing in your seam allowance.

From your HeatNBond Lite interfacing:

1. TWO pieces 3.75" x 7".
2. ONE piece 2.75" x 7".
3. Optional: You may want to add interfacing to your strap to give it some more stability.  If so, cut a piece 2" x 15" for the long strap and a 2" x 2.5" piece for the D Ring strap.

Making Your Own Pattern: If you want to make your own pattern of a certain size, start with a large piece of paper for drawing.

   

 Measure your phone and add about half an inch to 3/4" to the top and bottom, and to the left and right.

   

 Duplicate that rectangle for the other side and add an inch in between to allow for bulk.  Add in 1/4" for seam allowances.

   

For the pockets, draw out where you want them and measure that width.  You can see on my pattern above that I chose 3" and 4"  the pockets are still 7.5" high.  So I cut my pocket pieces 6" x 7.5" and 8" x 7.5" because they will be folded in half.


Cut out a flap closure.  On the photo of the black wristlet I created, I made a large flap that was 7.5" high and about 3.5" wide.  I then used a template to trace a half circle shape to get the rounded edge.  I would recommend that you actually use a small closure, but it's up to you!

          

Directions: 

Ironing-

1. Begin by ironing all the interfacing to the correct pieces.  Choose one of your outer fabric pieces for the outside of the clutch and iron the HeatNBond® Extra Firm interfacing to the wrong side following the directions on the interfacing package.
2. Iron the HeatNBond® Extra Firm Interfacing to the wrong side of the inner flap closure piece.
3. Fold each pocket piece in half so that they are still 7.5" high. Iron the HeatNBond® Lite interfacing to the inside of each pocket.
4. If using interfacing for your straps, iron the 2" wide pieces down the middle of the two strap parts.

The Snap-

1. Line up your flap lining piece on your outer piece of fabric that has the interfacing so that the raw edges of the flap are lined up with the raw edges of the outer piece on the right. (NOTE: In my photo below, my outer fabric is folded and the fold is on the left.)  The flap piece should be interfacing side up and the outer piece should be interfacing side down.
2. Make a mark on the flap interfacing about 3/4" from the edge and make a dot.
3. Place a pin through this dot into the outer fabric below, all the way through the back of the outer fabric.  On the outer fabric, mark this spot where the pin came through with a dot as well.  ***NOTE: After making a few of these, I think it is best to move this lower mark about 1/2" closer towards the raw edge of the outer piece to allow for more bulk when the wristlet is closed!!!!  I would highly recommend you do this!
4. Attach snap according to package directions.

The Flap:

1. Place the two pieces of flap closure piece right sides together and sew along the outside edges. Leave the lower edge unstitched.
2. Trim the seam allowance and clip curves.
3. Fold right side out and top stitch along the outside edge.

The Straps:

1. Fold each strap in half and iron.  The open and fold the raw edges into the middle.  Fold in half again and iron.
2. On the small strap, top stitch down both edges, about 1/8" from the edge.
3. Add your swivel clasp to your long strap. DON'T FORGET TO DO THIS FIRST!!   Then open the ends of your strap, place right sides together, and sew 1/4" seam.  Finger press the seam open and fold the fabric back as it was.  
4. Top stitch along the edges of the strap, moving the clasp down as you sew.  You may want to start and stop on the seam for a cleaner look.  
5. Fold the long strap so the the seam is about 3/4" above the clasp and stitch along the seam to enclose the clasp.  Neatly backstitch a few times.

The Pockets:

1. Top stitch along the folded edge of all three pockets 1/8" from the edge.
2. Layer the smaller pocket on top of one of the larger pockets and stitch a seam down the middle.

Assembly:

1. Lay out your piece of outer fabric WITHOUT the interfacing right side up.
2. Line up your double pocket on the left, with the raw edges of the pockets lined up with the raw edge of the outer fabric.
3. Line up your single pocket on the right, again with the raw edges matching.
4. Line up your small strap with the D-Ring so that it is right in the middle on the top.  The ring should be pointing towards the middle of the assembly.
5. Line up your flap closure, SNAP SIDE DOWN on the center right, on top of the large pocket.
6. If desired, baste or pin all the way around.
7.  Layer your outer piece on top, interfacing side UP and SNAP TO THE LEFT.
8. Machine stitch all the way around, leaving a 2-3" open space at the bottom to turn inside out. The opening is marked in my photo below. Be sure to backstitch around this opening!
9. Turn right side out.  *NOTE: At first it may look like you sewed the pocket wrong, but be sure to turn the pockets right side out, too!!
10. Iron well, and top stitch all the way around, being sure to stitch over the opening to close it up!
11. Clip on swivel strap and you are DONE!

  

Here are a few of the wristlets I made with different closures.  Experiment with the shapes and have fun! (All fabrics shown are from Cotton & Steel.  The apple print is canvas).

   

 

  

 Please let me know if you have any questions for comments!

Stay scrappy my friends!

This Week....My Creative Scrapbook

I'm so excited to be guest designing again for My Creative Scrapbook this month!  The April Kits are JAM PACKED with goodness!

I got to work with the April Main Kit, which features the Carpe Diem collection from Simple Stories.  Check out my instagram feed for a IG hop today with projects from other designers using this months kits!

I was inspired by the days of the week circles on one of the pieces of patterned paper.   So for a week (or two)  I took some photos of our daily activities and wrote a bit about what we do each day.

I printed my photos really small and layered them with some of the chipboard frames from the collection.

I splattered some black ink and just added little blocks of cardstock where I wrote my journaling.  A pretty simple page, really!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out IG for more projects!

Stay scrappy my friends!