Halloween Printables: Cupcake Toppers and Treat Bag Free Downloads

October 13, 2011

Jessica Alvarado shares 2 Halloween Print-It-Yourself downloads today on Indie Fixx.

The first are these adorkable cupcake toppers, which she very generously produced in 3 different sizes (1 inch, 1.25 inch and 1.5 inch) to match whatever size circle punch you have. Halloween school party cupcake decorations…check!

1 inch cupcake topper download

1.25 inch cupcake topper download

1.5 inch cupcake topper download

The 2nd Halloween printable is for a Halloween Treat Bag, which you can print out on a regular ole paper lunch bag. These would also be perfect for those school Halloween parties as well!

Halloween Treat Bag Download

About the contributor:

	Jessica Alvarado is a freelance writer and full time artist at C. Johannesen Studio. She also blogs about crafting her diy life at Seven Day Magic.

Filed in Crafty stuff, Downloads, Guest Blog | Tagged Halloween, print-it-yourself | Comments (2) »

Autumn is here!

October 06, 2011

Here’s some awesomely autumn goodies from the Autumn Indie Fixx Galleria!

1. Subtle Acts ~~ 2. Glamourpuss Creations ~~ 3. Forest and Fin ~~ 4. Stuff by Nicole

5. Phydeaux Designs ~~ 6. Bluebird by Lucie ~~ 7. Finest Imaginary ~~ 8. The Venerable Bead

Filed in Fiber, Galleria, Jewels, Paperie Goodness | | Comments (1) »

Stamping and a making

August 02, 2011

I recently bought some rubber stamps from Ink + Wit (Etsy Shop) that I’ve been crushing on for quite some time. I love rubber stamps for their versatility and artist designed rubber stamps from one of my favorite artists can only be better.

I sat down the other day and played around with them. Here’s what I came up with.

Using this adorable Owl Stamp, I made myself a print that hangs in my office and a postcard that I’m sending to my penpal…which is my very much overdue response to her!

Owl Stamp, $22

I thought this Recipe Stamp would be a great way for me to share homemade gifts. Like some of my refrigerator pickles along with the recipe attached as a card. I plan on using this a lot this upcoming holiday season!

Recipe Card Stamp, $22

Finally, I used the Bunting Stamp to decorate my niece’s birthday present. I usually use plain Kraft paper wrap and decorate it myself rather than buying printed wrapping paper. It’s more fun and personal that way. I also made a Bon Voyage postcard too.

Bunting Stamp, $20

Bon Voyage Stamp, $18

Filed in Crafty stuff | | Comments (0) »

Stamped Tea Towels & 1, 2, 3 Sew

July 19, 2011

Today is a stop on the blog book tour for 1, 2, 3 Sew: Build Your Skills with 33 Simple Projects—Bags, Accessories, Home Accents, and More. I’m sure you all are familiar with the author, Ellen of The Long Thread, and her her lovely, lovely blog. Well, Ellen has written a lovely, lovely book filled with sewing projects that are designed to develop your sewing skills.

Ellen is actually here today to share a project with you based on one from the book…just to give you a small taste from the book. Enjoy! xoxo- jen

First off, thanks to Jen for being part of the 1, 2, 3 Sew blog tour!

The first project in the book is the Fruit Tea Towels (see image below). As simple as stamping and sewing a straight line, this project is a good introduction to sewing for beginners. In each chapter, there are three projects that allow you to build on the skills that you’ve learned with the previous project. Here in the Dining & Dishes chapter, you’ll make simple tea towels with folded corners, then a set of napkins with mitered corners, followed by a table runner incorporating mitered corners and divided pockets. Learn as you sew and create useful yet pretty projects.

We use a ton of tea towels around our house, preferring them to paper towels. I also think they make lovely gifts. Today I’ll show you a different version of the tea towels, made simply with fabric paint and stencil sponge brushes.

How-to: Stamped Tea Towels

Supplies (for 4 towels):

-one yard of white cotton fabric
-quilt batting or felt (18″ x 22″)
-foam stencil brushes
-fabric paint in your choice of colors
-water
-cups
-fabric scrap for practicing

1. Pre-wash and dry the fabric. Cut it into four 18″ x 22″ pieces. Lay one piece of fabric on top of the quilt batting (this will serve to soak up any excess paint).

2. Mix the fabric paint with a bit of water until it has a watery consistency.

3. Dip the foam brush into the water/paint mixture and practice stamping on a scrap piece of fabric. Then simply press onto the fabric in a random configuration, bleeding the edges together in some areas.

4. Once you have completed your design, allow the fabric to dry for several hours.

5. Then hem the edges according to the folded corner instructions found HERE.

Be sure to visit my blog, The Long Thread for more tutorials. And 1, 2, 3 Sew is now available at your local bookstore, online or at the Chronicle Books. Thanks!

Here’s a sneak peak at some of the other projects from the book:

Plus the blog tour continues:

Monday, July 11 – CRAFT
Tuesday, July 12 – Sew, Mama, Sew & Oh My! Handmade Goodness
Wednesday, July 13 – Handmade Charlotte
Thursday, July 14 – Everything Etsy & Not Martha
Friday, July 15 – Modern Kiddo

Monday, July 18 – Crafty Pod
Tuesday, July 19 – Indie Fixx & Patterns by Figgy’s
Wednesday, July 20 – Papernstitch
Thursday, July 21 – House on Hill Road & Coquette
Friday, July 15 – Bolt Neighborhood & True Up

Filed in Books, Crafty stuff, Guest Blog, Tutorials | | Comments (3) »

From inspiration to reality

May 10, 2011

This time I thought I’d take you through my creative process that, if I’m honest, has only just started to really develop, just as I get towards the end of my 52 crafts in 52 weeks challenge. So what a fabulous benefit and legacy for me to take from my challenge – not only do I have more new craft skills than I even knew existed, but I have developed a way that works for me to generate ideas and inspiration.

So here is how I took inspiration from nature into my sketchbook and into a finished project.

It really helps to keep a sketchbook – it’s a relatively new phenomenon for me but I love sketching from nature and studying the intricacies of tulips, apple trees and herbs as I draw – I’ve tried architecture but it doesn’t give me a thrill at all.

My favourite page at the moment is one that I developed over a couple of days. I used pencil, ink and watercolour in the various sketches to explore a dried and battered poppy head that I found as I was doing a little gardening in the unseasonable heat that the UK experienced over Easter. I dropped the gardening fork, grabbed my art supplies and set up in the garden (under an umbrella, no sunburn here thank you very much).

Fast forward a little over a week. As I was using a kit to make silk paper for my week 46 craft, I realised that I could incorporate a craft I learnt back in week 2 – freehand machine embroidery. And a flick through my sketchbook generated the perfect subject to embroider on the paper: the dry poppy head.

Very shortly afterwards I had my finished piece. And it all started when I was weeding my garden.

What has fired up your creativity lately?

- Christine Evans from 52 crafts in 52 weeks project writes the column Creativity Corner, which appears bi-monthly on Tuesdays. Read more about her on the contributors’ page.

Filed in Crafty stuff, Creativity Corner, Guest Blog | | Comments (0) »

More getting outside my comfort zone

March 24, 2011

I know it’s been a long while since I 1st posted about my taking Alisa Burke’s Sketchbook Delight class. Since early February, in fact, but as always happens, life got in the way of me trying to live my life! Actually, I got the flu and got derailed for a few weeks trying to play catch-up afterward. Now I’m finally back in class participation mode…thank gawd Alicia’s class is self-paced.

So, here’s a few little doodles I did for homework (top 3 images below). I used stuff I learned from Alicia’s class, but I also used this Zentangle technique. As far as I can tell, Zentangle is a systematic drawing technique using repetition and patterns. Here’s more about Zentangle.

In addition to taking Alicia’s class and playing around with Zentangle, I’ve also been reading The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain book by Betty Edwards. Just getting into it actually, but I’m hopeful that it’s really going to help me break free and be able to draw all that I get inspired by in the world.

Speaking of inspiration, I am also planning a trip next week to our local garden & conservatory. I have two goals for this excursion: get out of the house and experience some of the spring that exploding around me and to take some photographs I can use as inspiration for my drawing. Can’t wait for that…and I will be sharing, of course.

So, now it’s your turn.

What have you been doing lately to challenge yourself

or get outside your comfort zone?

Please share in the comments, I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to as well.

my homework for Alisa Burke’s Sketchbook Delight class.

I bought a set of Derwent Watercolor pencils for myself after experimenting with a smaller, less expensive set and realizing that I LOVE watercolor pencils! Early birthday present to myself.

Here are some of Alisa Burke’s sketches as inspiration for us as all.

More of Alia’s colorful sketchbook. Alisa does offer other classes besides Sketchbook Delight. I’m not sure what the next scheduled class is, but here’s a list of what she offers.

I love this feather sketch by Alisa. I’m thoroughly been enjoying my experience with Sketchbook Delight and think Alisa’s been a great teacher. If you are at all interested in taking any of her classes, I say go for it!

Filed in About Moi, Crafty stuff, Got Art?, Inspirations | Tagged online classes | Comments (13) »