homemade

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    Embroidered Jewelry — I’m on a Kick

    HeatherBailey_GardenTiniesEmbroidery

    So, here's what I made in my time off last week — teensy little embroidered necklaces for me and my close friends. Well, and for you too. We made up a few dozen kits and posted them in the online store. There's a FABRIC SALE this week — through Friday 6-13-14 at midnight MST — with 15-40% discounts on my classic fabric collections (FreshcutPop Garden, Nicey Jane, etc.). We're making space for new fabric collections on their way.

    HeatherBaileyStore_EmbroideryIf you order $35 or more of fabric and other goodies, you can get one of these limited-edition embroidery kits for FREE with your purchase. Once you're done shopping, add the pattern kit to your cart, then enter the code FREETINY at checkout and the price of one pattern kit will be subtracted from your total. Details about what's in the pattern kit are listed here. All three designs are printed with heat-transferable ink and can be used multiple times to make at least a dozen stitcheries. Heat-transfer and necklace-assembly instructions included.

    I'm taking eight of these kits with me to Mexico later this month so I can teach my friends and their kids how to stitch up a necklace or two while we sit under umbrellas with our toes in the sand. I think I might bring my Foredom drill too so we can drill holes in sea shells and string them together into keepsake jewelry during siesta. Eight women and girls, 11 men and boys — we are going to have a blast. These little kits are the perfect portable vacation project. I'm so excited.

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    Guidolfo

    Guidolfo470Have you seen the documentary, Being Elmo? It's fantastic. Very inspirational. If you have a Netflix account, go watch it right now.

    In fact, it is so inspiring that….

    While I was cooking dinner tonight, Isaac began to enumerate the many reasons why he would have made a great puppeteer. When I insisted it was not too late to become a puppeteer yet, he said, "Okay!" and headed into the other room.

    After five busy minutes, he came back to the kitchen with a new friend—meet Guidolfo.

  • Fire-Breathing Fancy

    DragonCostume_HeatherBailey_1

    What do you do when your five-year-old's imagination is on fire?  On Fi-yah!

    You fan the flame.

    This year for Halloween, Charlotte ordered up a frightening feat; that is, a costume I had no hope of purchasing — and it was the week before Quilt Market.  Last year she dreamed up a Bat Fairy.  This year, she was intent on a fierce, fire-breathing Dragon. 

    DragonCostume_HeatherBailey_2 The day after Charlotte was born, my sister, Julia came to visit us in the hospital.  While holding Charlotte for the first time, Julia leaned over to me and whispered, "The baby just told me something.  She said, 'I am my own self.'" 

    I was puzzled and dismissive at first, "Yeah, whatever."  Then a tetch concerned (knowing Julia and her knack for such things).  "If that's the vibe my sweet little baby is putting off already, then I'm in for it," I thought, "especially once she's a teenager."

    So, how much stock can you put in the proclamations of a one-day-old baby?

    Perhaps, some.  Julia, with her freaky, awesome sixth sense, was right again. Charlotte could have been named Scarlet for all her fiesty, charming individuality.  She is her own self: uniquely creative, thoughtful, sweet, sassy, and notably interesting.  I was looking forward to what she would come up with this year.  A dragon, though a tall order, was no surprise.

    One bat of her eyelashes and a quick, sincere squeeze was all it took.  And I was off on her quest.

    DragonCostume_HeatherBailey_3

    At TJ Maxx, I found an oddly dragon-like mermaid dress to build upon — a huge blessing.  With this running start, I gathered up a smorgasbord of fabrics with the same flavor and set about designing the beast's head — no headdress, no dragon.

    The foam alligator hats I grabbed from Dollar Tree were a great help.  (Before photos here.)  I would have otherwise structured the headdress with Timtex, but that might have zapped me for time.  (I only had two days to complete the costume, wrap up some work, and pack for a 9-day trip.)  I stacked two or three hats & quickly stitched them together for strength, then extended the gumline by covering the foam teeth with bias tape.  I built the dragon you see here on top of this frankensteinian monkey business. 

    DragonCostume_HeatherBailey_4

    And it worked.  Thank heaven.  Furthermore, the hood turned out light-weight and comfortable, so Charlotte actually kept it on.  Bonus, right?

    As it turns out, Charlotte's I-am-my-own-self singularity is a complete delight.  Worthy of celebration, not dread.  Her obvious enchantment is worth every stitch, and then some.

  • Suture-Free Future

    Here it is, my live interview on NBC's Studio 5 in Salt Lake City. Catch a glimpse of my next mini pattern. Try not to glimpse the ribbon dangling from my shirt sleeve though.


    Written instructions for the Pop Garden scrap flowers featured on the video can be found here. I had an incredible time in Utah this weekend. I met many fun entrepreneurs & was showered with some amazing presents — necklaces, notecards, homemade games, tee-shirts, chocolate. The Sweet Tooth Fairy's Double Fudge Cake Bites made my night on Thursday. Imagine oreo-cookie-flavored cake with a truffle-chocolate shell. Yeah. Holy happiness, Batman.

  • Packing Flowers

    FlowerProject2

    Today I'm heading over to the NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City for a live interview & some crafty kibitzing on KSL's Studio 5 with hosts, Brooke & Darin. We're making fast, fabulous, fabric flowers. Fashionable too — and friendly.

    The
    spicy flower above turned out perfectly for the red & olive reverse
    of my red Marlo Bloom bag (shown on the cover of the Marlo Bloom sewing pattern). It takes my handbag right into Fall, all wooly & frayed, with felted houndstooth leaves and raw silk at the center.

    FlowerProject1

    I
    also played around with some of my favorite vintage buttons &
    millinery supplies, such as these green ceramic flower stamen. On the
    show, we're making medium-sized flowers, but as I couldn't stick to one
    size for the samples, I'm listing measurements for the large purse
    flower and the small, blue headband flower as well. Of course, make
    whatever size flower you wish & stitch it where you like.

    I say everywhere.

    FlowerProject4a

    Pop Garden Scrap Flower Tutorial

    Medium Flower

    1.  Tear a strip of printed cotton fabric 3" high by 20" wide. Pop Garden works.

    FlowerTute1

    2. 
    With wrong sides together, fold fabric strip in half, as shown. Stitch
    long, gathering stitch along matched torn edges, through both layers.
    (For a torn-edge flower, stitch along folded edge, through both layers.)

    FlowerTute2

    3. 
    Gently pull stitches as you sew, to gather fabric into a circle. Fasten
    fabric circle at center with a couple of stitches. Secure & trim
    thread.

    FlowerTute3a

    4. 
    Of felt, cut three tiered circles — 2" wide, 1.75" wide, and 1.5"
    wide. Notch edges of large & small circles. Remove all 'hanging
    chads' of felt — we'll have none of that. Stack felt circles as shown.

    FlowerTute4

    5. 
    Onto gathered fabric flower, layer stacked felt circles and a
    decorative button or brooch. Stitch layers together at center several
    times through button to secure. Conceal gathered edges at back of
    flower by whip-stitching a circle of scrap felt to the back of the
    flower. Then, attach a sew-on pin-back, hair clip, ponytail elastic, TT
    headband
    , bobbypin or barrette. And that's it. Easy-peasy.

    FlowerTute5

    For
    your reference, the following chart shows the measurements used for the
    other flowers featured in the photos above. The large flower is made by
    stacking a folded piece of silk on top of the folded cotton print with
    folds aligned. Gathering stitches are sewn through all layers, near the
    fold. And the large flower spirals into several layers, unlike the
    other two shown.

    FlowerTute6a

    I'm looking forward to meeting many of you at Friday's Start-up Princess event. If you're interested in last-minute registration, I've got a present for you — use code STUDIO5 for $10 off the registration fee. Or tune in to the show today, as two viewers will receive free tickets on air, valued at $99 each.

    Also, there is an all-new category at The Heather Bailey Store.
    See if you can spot it. I'm eager to post more, but need to rush off to
    the station. Let's just say the new category ties in perfectly with
    this tutorial and with more projects to come. I'll spill the beans in
    my next post.

  • Pretty Maids All in a Row

    FeatureFriBanner
    Ravenhill1a

    Like
    so many others, I'm charmed by the bright colors and folky art of
    Russian dolls or matryoshka.  Over the last couple of years, demure
    little matryoshka have become a fierce trend in crafting and design. 
    Russian-doll jewelry, ornaments, beads, fabric, embroidery, and home
    decor can be spotted all over the internet and in stores.  (Fun links at the bottom of this post.)

    RussianDoll250brt Amidst the Russian bunch, the whimsical dolls of Emily Moss of
    Ravenhill stand out — playful stuffed matryoshka made with a variety
    of prints & details.

    Emily’s inspiration for creating these unique dolls was her “growing stack of
    beautiful fabrics and pretty ribbon," combined with her new-found
    enjoyment of embroidery.  As a result, each doll has her own personality. 

    I first spotted
    Emily's dolls in my Pop Garden & Bijoux Flickr group where she has
    uploaded a several cheery, floral ladies.  See a wide variety of fabric
    combinations in her Babushka Softies Flickr set as well.

    Ravenhillsze Emily’s
    dolls were not always exactly what she envisioned. Though the overall
    doll design appears simple, fine-tuning the shape & structure took time.  Emily went through several drafts to develop
    the dolls she makes today.

        “It took a lot of practice and experimentation
    with various tool and mediums… I have learned so much from this process
    and would encourage others not to give up when the first prototype is far from what was planned.
    Plow ahead and persevere.”

    Emily offers Matryoshka dolls in her Etsy store.  Or stop by her blog to see what’s new.

    More Russian doll links:

    *For more information about Feature Friday & the artists spotlighted, click here*

    Photography in this post courtesy of Emily Moss

  • Frozen Bozo

    This photo cracks me up.  Can anyone guess what my concept was here? 
    That’s right, it’s a dessert interpretation of a 70s clown.  You’re not
    afraid of clowns are you?

    BananaSplit470
    My new ice cream recipe
    from Father’s Day this year is Double-Chocolate Banana Split ice cream,
    newly coined “Frozen Bozo,” presented with a waffle cone hat, a cherry
    nose and a doily ruff.  It’s interpretative.

    The ice cream isn’t just chocolate either.  It has bananas, cherries and brownies in it.  A fool-proof mix <3:o)

    Also, I’ve drawn up a list of tutorials I’m eager to post. Without
    revealing the specifics, where would you like me to start:  jewelry,
    paper craft, sewing project, home decor?  Lots of plans.  What are you
    in the mood for first?

    Ingredients470a

    Frozen Bozo – Chocolate Banana Split ice cream

    Chocolate Ice Cream Base
    6 C. heavy cream
    2.25 C. sugar
    3 T. pure vanilla extract
    3 C. milk or half ‘n’ half
    16 OZ. bittersweet chocolate

    Mix Ins
    1 C. sliced bananas
    1 C. maraschino cherries
    2 C. chocolate chip brownies (prepare in advance, then
           cut into bite-size pieces and chill)

    Prepare Ice Cream Base

    Icecream308
    Heat cream, sugar, vanilla, and half ‘n’ half mixture to near boiling.
    Meanwhile, heat bittersweet chocolate in microwave-safe bowl at 50%
    power for approx. 3-4 minutes, or until the chocolate is mostly melted.
    Remove chocolate from microwave and stir till all chocolate is melted.
    Next, remove cream mixture from heat and fold in melted chocolate. Stir
    until combined. Refrigerate mixture until thoroughly chilled.  Transfer
    chilled mixture to an ice cream maker and process following
    manufacturer’s instructions.

    After ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency, place ice cream
    cylinder in freezer, or leave in ice cream maker (if there is still
    sufficient ice) to harden for about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare mix-in ingredients as directed below.

    Mix-in the Good Stuff

    Chill
    a large bowl by placing it in an ice bath, or in freezer. When ice
    cream has chilled for about an hour, scoop it into chilled bowl.
    Immediately add all mix-in ingredients and stir till just combined.
    Return ice cream to cylinder or a prepared container of your choice*.
    Place ice cream back in freezer to harden overnight.

    *Try a new, food-safe paint can from your home improvement store, cleaned with bleach-water.

    Enjoy!