Sarchix Finds

I first found tatting over a year ago and had troubles with it.  I know once I get it down its going to be fantastic but its a bit tricky to get started especially on your own.  (For those that don’t know what tatting is, its a way of making hand made lace using knots and loops.)

Katherine Sharpe over at Ready Made posted a great article on it complete with an instructional video!!!!!!!  I love it!!!!!!!!  The instructor on the video is Nina Libin who has been teaching tatting for over 20 years.

I need to find my shuttle and get started again.

FYI – basic tatting equipment can be found in most larger crafting stores, usually over by the embroidery floss area.

Ready Made – Tatting Tutorial with video

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I love fabric, almost as much as paper.  Fat quarters are just the best invention ever.  I can have all the colors of the world but just in fat quarter portions (depending on the size pot you choose).
Lavender and Lime has come up with another great (and easy) project that could be modified by your mood, the season or the holiday (or sale at the fabric store).

Five simple items to make this adorable flower pot.  That’s all it takes.  Just don’t leave them outside because the mod podge is water soluble and will um… melt away.  I could see me redecoration the “wall of death” as my husband calls it with my plants that I can barely keep alive (will post pics to prove later).

Enjoy!

Lavender and Limes – Fabric Flower Pots

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I love paint.  When it’s paint that does something, like say… turn a surface into a chalkboard, the Sarchix “cool” factor goes up even more.  Almost as much as paper and stationary, but that’s for another obsession post.

I first want to say that the folks over at Cut out and Keep totally ROCK!  They have projects and pics that could keep me busy for days with the talented members there.  I highly recommend signing up there (don’t worry, its fabulously free to do so – and they have a monthly web mag to feast on too!!!!  <3 you guys at Cut out and Keep).

That being said, have you ever needed a gift for someone but had no idea what to give.  If they entertain friends/family or value their wood furniture, this is the project for them.  Shrimp Salad Circus has posted a tutorial on how to make coasters that are also chalk boards.  Forget the wine charms.  Give everyone a coaster and have a cup of chalk and you not only keep friends from mixing up their drinks but protect your furniture too!

All you really need is some cork coasters, chalkboard paint and some accent acrylic paint to make it fun.  Oh yeah, and some real chalk.  I’m thinking hostess gifts, Christmas Prezzies, all with this brilliant idea!
Thank you Shrimp Salad Circus and Cut Out and Keep!

Cut Out and Keep + Shrimp Salad Circus – Cork Chalkboard Coasters

COAK/Shrimp Salad Circus – Chalkboard Coasters

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I’m sure that everyone has seen the home made coffee cozies all over the place.  I’ve seen them knitted, sewn and crocheted.  Felt, cloth, quilted, wool.  They are everywhere!  Having your own coffee (or tea or coco – don’t want to discriminate) cozy is a great thing because it does keep the waste down but still protects your fingers.  Its a hard habit to break but it really is worth it.

I have my own issues with the commercialization of the holidays but, I really do feel if you craft it, there is more thought and meaning to the gift or the personal accessory.  So it’s okay in my book.

Lavender and Limes has a great little tutorial to make your own coffee cozy that is super easy to make.  She adds a few hand sews a few hearts on it and voila, and seasonal cozy.  Can you see where I’m going with this?  Shamrocks at St Patrick’s Day, eggs and bunnies (ooh, peeps) for Easter, flags for Memorial Day and the 4th of July, Flip Flops for summer… I could keep going on with these.

Lavender and Limes – Coffee Cozy

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Holiday Gift giving can be a challenge especially for the big dilemma of what to get the teachers.  For the most part, it hasn’t been too difficult for me because most of my children’s teachers have been women.  This year, my daughter has a guy teacher (who is awesome) so I find it difficult to find something for him without it being too frilly or girly.  And I can’t repeat anything since my older son has already had him too.

I love this idea of repurposing soda bottles and their holder into a cute gift.  This would work for either male or female teachers, it just depends on the paper and ribbon used.  I found this at Nap Time Journal and it really seems easy to complete.

She uses cream soda bottles since they are clear and you can see the goodies inside them and it is very important to clean the bottles very well.  Nap Time Journal also reuses the bottle caps to cap it.  I may not do that because 1) I always mangle the bottle caps when I open them and 2) I happen to have a bottle capper just “lying around” and hundreds of unused bottle caps.

Such a fun idea!

Nap Time Journal - Soda Bottle Treats

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Containers are cool.  Containers that I can make are even better.  Containers that I can make for crafting supplies are the BEST.

I originally found this pattern over at Craftzine.com (which is a brilliant site) and discovered Diane Gilleland’s CraftyPod site that she produces.

In it, shows how to take plastic canvas, yarn and a few other items most crafters keep around to make this great crafty caddy that could be customized to meet any crafty (or non-crafty) idea.

They even offer a free pdf pattern and directions to make this.  CraftyPod is a blog and podcast site that fulfills all kinds of crafty-goodness.

Craftzine.org – Plastic Canvas Tool Cozy

CraftPod – Just some really cool crafty stuff.

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My daughter is a bit old for this, although I’m sure she’ll help me “test” this out but I do have girlfriends who have little girls who this would be perfect for.

One Pearl Button has posted this self contained, magnetic paper doll set complete with printable paper dolls and where to get all the cool supplies from.  She even tells you what scissors worked well for her and they are only a few dollars!

I love the “old” feel of the dolls that she has but this technique could be used on pretty much any simple paper doll kind of template.

Thanks to One Pearl Button for her adorable Magnetic Paper Doll Kit!

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My daughter LOVES fairies!  I think she wants to be one.

When I saw WeeFolkArt.com’s post on these little faerie items, I thought of her.

First we have a simple felt flower fairies.  They are just too cute and seem simple to make too.  It might be something good for her to practice her stitches with.

The second one that they offer is a fairy flower carpet.  The base is felt and the flowers are silk.

If my daughter ever cleaned her room, I would make this for her in a second!

The best part of this one, is you can make it to your own desired size, limited only by the number of flowers or amount of felt you have.

Wee Folk Art – Flower Fairies and Flower Faerie Carpet

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Why does it seem like like if one friend is pregnant, there are three more as well?  One of my best friends, my cousin and two other friends are all pregnant and due around the same time (this fall).  I’m happy with my three kiddos but enjoy it when others have kids because it lets me get my baby fix without the late nights and diper changes.

The best thing about friends having babies, is getting to give them gifts!  Even the older babies are still so much fun to either buy for or craft for.

With Earth Day coming up next week, I found this post for a “crinkely” baby toy that reuses the plastic wrapper from wipes.  I would have never thought to use this for a toy but it is BRILLIANT!  My kids, plus the dog as well, always loved the noisy, crinkley toys when they were little.

Susan Beal over at Craft Stylish has given us guidance on how to create this toy for your favorite kiddo*.

The best thing is, you don’t have to make an owl if you don’t want to.  I see me sneaking noisy wrappers into all kinds of shapes of stuffed toys for kiddies over the years.  I could even ask my youngest kid’s pre-school teacher to keep the wrappers for me since she goes through so much with the young ones who go there and the many uses for them.

With recycled, or reused, fabric this could be a fun and green craft to do.

Craft Stylish – Baby Toy

*Let the record state, that me giving a child a gift of this sort does not desinate them as my favorite nor do I love one of my own children more then the others.

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It’s almost Easter and I found this paper project that I am hoping to try out later today (with or without my daughter).  I love flowers but hate how they die so quickly, especially tulips.  If you make them with paper, they won’t wilt as fast and there will be no pollen on the table either.

Need a cute centerpiece for tomorrow’s lunch?  This is something you can whip up tonight.  Older kids could even help with it.  (I’m all about trying to keep the kids busy.)

Cheeky Magpie created a great tutorial and the best thing is, I think I have all the things needed to make this… paper (uhh… just a little), clue, scissors and chenille stems (aka pipe cleaners).  I don’t think i have any rick rack but might try out something else, maybe some braided embroidery floss or a bit of ribbon.

Cheeky Magpie – Paper Tulip

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