31 Days of DIY Halloween - Freaky Fun "BOO" Pillows

Cheryl Ball made these fun felt pillows and then painted them with Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint that really and truly glows in the dark! I want to sneak them to my house and put them on my black tweed couch for a quick Halloween makover. Do you think she’ll miss them?

Materials List:
– Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ Value Packs and Sets
Neon Glow
– Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™
65177 Green Glow
– Felt yardage – ½ yard each – black, white, orange
– Paper towels
– Polyfill
– Sewing machine with matching thread
– Pinking shears
– Sewing needle
– Scissors
– White chalk sharpened to a sharp point
– Sewing pins
– Patterns (click here)

Instructions:
1. Enlarge pattern to about 16” tall – or desired size – then cut out.

2. Pin patterns onto double layers of felt. Sew right next to pattern. Remove pattern then use pinking shears to trim seams to about ½”.

3. Shake bottles of 3D Fashion Paint. Start flow of paint on paper towel using an even pressure on bottle for a smooth line.

4. Letter “B”: Use white chalk to draw about 1½” tall candy corn triangles onto front. Use Natural Glow to outline each triangle and fill in top third. Fill in second third with Neon Orange and remainder with Neon Yellow. Let dry then add a Natural Glow line between Yellow and Orange. Let dry.

5. Eyeball O: Squeeze a line of Neon Blue about 1” wide around center as shown then fill in. Add a ring of Neon Green around Blue. Use Neon Pink to create veins as shown, starting at center and working toward edge. Let dry then use Natural Glow to outline each ring and next to each vein. Let dry.

6. Spider Web O: Use white chalk to draw lines for web starting at center and moving toward edge. Draw on spider body, head and legs as shown. Fill in body and head with Neon Blue, legs with Neon Pink, and eyes and marking on back with Neon Yellow.

7. Use Green Glow for web, adding long lines first then filling in with curved lines between. Let dry. Use Natural Glow to outline entire spider and details then along each line of web. Let dry.

8. Carefully cut an opening on back of pillow. Fill each pillow with Polyfill, pin opening closed then use needle and thread to sew.

Craft on! Click here for today's daily giveaway!

31 Days of DIY Halloween - Wickedly Charming Pillow

I went absolutely mad for this wickedly charming pillow, perfect for spookifying your home this Halloween! Team up Aleene’s® Fabric Fusion™ and Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Studs™ with ribbon, felt and tulle to make a pillow that’ll have your family screaming with delight!

Wickedly Charming Pillow

Materials List:
– Aleene's® Fabric Fusion® Permanent Dry Cleanable Fabric Adhesive
– Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Studs™
– Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ in 65038 Black
– Tulip® Cordless Heat Setting Tool™
– Ribbon – 1½ yards (or enough to tie around pillow and tie bow) – 1” wide – lime
– Ruler
– Pinking shears
– Sewing pins
– White felt – 1 sheet
– Black pillow
– Fabric – 4” strip by circumference of pillow – lime
– Sewing machine with matching thread
– Paper towels
– Scissors
– Tulle – ¼ yard – orange
– Crayon
– Pencil

Materials List:

Instructions:
1. Find center of ribbon and place on right side of pillow then pull ends to other side and tie a bow. Place a pin just before bow on each side to mark for wording. Untie and remove ribbon, carefully keeping pins in place.

2.Fold tulle over lengthwise, creating several layers. Sew two lines of gather stitches down center through all layers. Gather tulle to fit ribbon between pins, pinning in place to secure. Sew down both sides of ribbon then remove gather stitches.

3. Use pinking shears to cut lime fabric into strip wide enough to show 1” of tulle extending from top and bottom edges and long enough to reach ends of gathered tulle and fit between pins on ribbon. Apply a thin bead of Fabric Fusion along both edges on backside of fabric piece and one down center. Press in place over tulle piece as shown. Let dry.

4. Trim tulle to desired width then tie ribbon piece around pillow.

5. Measure and cut six squares in desired size from white felt, using size of pillow to determine proportional size of squares.
Squares will need to fit on ribbon across front of pillow as shown.

6. Working on one square at a time, use crayon to position Iron-On Studs into a letter to spell out “WICKED”. The wax on the crayon will hold stud just long enough to transfer to felt square. Turn on Cordless Heat-Setting Tool following package instructions. Touch tip of hot tool to top of stud and hold for two seconds. Remove heat tool and let stud cool, then touch stud with fingernail making sure it has adhered, if not add one or two more seconds. Add one letter from one color to each square.

7. Apply a thin bead of Fabric Fusion around back edge of felt square, smooth with finger and then press in place. Start with “W” then equally space remainder of letters across ribbon as shown. Let dry.

8. Start flow of Black Slick paint on paper towel using even pressure on bottle for a smooth line. Add faux stitching lines as shown. Keep tip of bottle wiped often for clean lines. Add all stitching and let dry.

9. The ribbon can be removed after the holiday.

Craft on! Click here for today's daily giveaway!

Color Wheel Frame

I use my color wheel almost every single day at my job as a designer. And when I was creating a project for Hancock's project sheets recently, I was so excited to make this super simple but relevant frame for a mirror. I admit that the thread was a bit pricey, what with them being over a buck apiece, but it was worth it. I took my color wheel to the local Hancock's store and laid the spools of thread around it to color match. Fun! Then I ran over to Target to pick up a round mirror. Of course the perfect glue to use is the Aleene’s® Fast Grab™ Tacky Glue because it's kinda like hot glue in a bottle. Sets up really fast and holds just about anything to anything. I am hoping to steal it out of the photography studio and make it mine. You know, you could totally use spools out of your thread stash to make this.

Mod Mod World

Mod, mod world in Fresno today.... this fab fun find was at the downtown Fresno Vintage Voola. It wasn't for sale, boohooooo! Now all I need is a mannequin, hand-saw, and paint, right?

Alexa (aka Swell Designer) was giving me the tour and we were trippin'out with all the eye candy.

Orange, pink, turgouise, and yellow were the big color splashes.

Hair dryers from vintage beauty parlors gave me ideas for altering them into lamps.

My dining room is begging me to buy this fab set of chairs (at Yoshi Now) with an oval table to match our Jetson's style barstools. Scott will have to give the final nod since one of the chars was wobbly. If they end up at my house, then I will HAVE to make a trip to the L.A. fashion district and go to Mood for the perfect fabric choice!

Thank goodness Scott wasn't with me, or I'm sure this tiki bar would have been in the back of the Yaris for a trip home with us.

The stores take up a full block downtown, and it was the perfect day with misty rain to keep away the crowds so we had plenty of elbow room.

Jeweled purses in a row reminded me of my Aunt Melba, Aunt Wanda, and Aunt Marie. I remember them carrying bags like these to church on Sunday mornings when I was a little girl.

Boot-scootin' glittered cowboy boots were all lined up and ready to kick some a&&.

Ohhh, if only boots could talk....

Random crafts were in the knick-knack racks, and I was drawn to the little dolls.

Tie dye, baybee..... it's everywhere!

To top it off, the sequined bicycle pillow had Scott's name all over it.

I hope he loves it as much as me..... wheeeeeeee!

Junk Jewelry

I love JUNK JEWELERY!
But I DON'T like it when my jewelry is junky, because I can never find what I need to wear with my outfit, without spending time rummaging through 10 boxes, a jewelry box, and 2 travel pouches. I finally decided that this weekend I was going to organize everything so I could it all at once.

So, check out my new jewelry shelves and tray!

These used to be rubber stamp shelves that I made for my book, "The Crafter's Guide To Glue" and when I went looking for something to use for organizing everything, there they were in the garage, empty! Since we moved from Nashville, I haven't put them up to hold my stamps, so I repurposed them again.

I laid one on top of a shelf full of t-shirts, which fit perfectly.

Here's how messy it was before. It was just awful. Poor Scott. He shares my closet and my mess!

Here's the instructions and everything you need to make your own Junk Jewelry Organizers...

Supplies:

Large frames of your choice

Black 1/4 inch foam board

Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue®

Craft knife

Metal edged ruler

Glass head straight pins

Wire cutters

Steps:

1. Measure opening of frame. Cut foam board the exact same size. This will be the back of the box.
2. Place the frame laying face down on a table. Cut 2 pieces of foam board, 1-1/4 inches wide times the length of the frame opening. Glue to the inside opening of the frame, along each side. (Where the glass would normally be placed.)
3. Cut 2 pieces of foam board, 1-1/4 inches wide times the width of the frame opening. Glue to the inside opening of the frame, along the top and bottom. Also glue the corners together where they meet. This will be the sides of the box.
4. Glue the foam core that you cut for the back of the box, to the sides to complete the box.
5. Turn the framed box over, right side facing up. Lay out your rubberstamps the way that you would like for them to be placed on shelves inside the box.
6. Cut shelves, 1-1/4 inches wide times the width of the inside of the box. Place in the box between the rows of rubberstamps evenly. Glue to secure.

Here's how they looked before I added all my jewelry.


And here's how they look full. I love how my chunky bracelets fit perfectly on the shelves!

You may want to use them to organize your rubberstamps or anything else you collect. I don't know... your matchbook cars, or a collection of your boyfriend's limited series of beer bottles. Just kidding. Oh, and they would look great painted with your fave kitschy color. I almost painted them turquoise, but was in too big a hurry to get them hung.

If you like this idea, there are tons more in my book, "The Crafter's Guide to Glue", and you can get a signed copy this weekend January 22 and 23rd at the Craft Super Show in Anaheim at the Convention Center!

I'll be at the Barnes & Noble booth for my book signing, from 4:00 to 5:00. I'm listed in the Craft Celebrities on the Super Show site.

Ohhh, I almost forgot... I'll be teaching a fabulous workshop, too! It's from 5:00 to 7:00 on Friday. At the end of this workshop you'll have not just a stylin' "Lady Luck" bag, but a crash course in color selection and the knowledge of four different paint techniques that are super-duper easy!



And don't forget to come see me if you attend the CHA 2010 Winter Tradeshow. I'll be at the iLoveToCreate booth and we'll be making all kinds of crafty goodies at the make-it-&-take-it craft bars!

See you in Anaheim!
PattieWack

Comfy Corny Christmas

With all this winter weather, sore shoulders, and holiday headaches, a comfort pillow is a nice thing to have around. I found the cutest pin-up girl fabrics to give to the guys in my family. They are filled with FEED corn (not popcorn) because I simply love the smell. It brings back memories of my gramma Harris in Dewey, Oklahoma when I was a little girl. Every time I spent the night with her, she would pop a huge dishpan full of popcorn while we watched TV before bedtime. I think of her every time I warm up my corn pillow in the microwave. It only takes 2 or 3 minutes, and then it rests on my shoulders while I sit at the computer. The moist heat, memories and aroma makes life goooood.

Here's how to make your own comfy corn pillows:

Supplies: Sewing Machine Matching Thread Scissors Ruler Two 6” x 18” pieces of Cotton Fabric Iron and Ironing Surface 6 Cups FEED CORN (no, it will not pop!) 1 Yard Ribbon Microwave Oven Pattie’s Pointer: My corn pillow is great to keep in the freezer for a sore ankle or knee, or for a headache. Steps: 1. Sew two pieces of fabric together, right sides facing, leaving a 3-inch opening. 2. Turn the fabric right side out and sew ribbon to each end. 3. Fill the with corn, but not quite full so that it will lay on your shoulders nicely. 4. Sew the opening closed, and it's ready to use or give as a gift. I almost forgot to tell you that if your child has an earache, a little corn pillow warmed in the microwave is wonderful to help them sleep through the night....

Shocking Blue Patio Paint

I was one busy girl this weekend, and I crammed all I could into the 3 days for Labor Day weekend. I finally got to attack this gawd-awful table that I've had for umpteen years, and spray paint it an electric blue for the patio.


This is how it looked before. I filled all the cracks and crannies with wood putty then sanded it, and sucked up the dust with the vacuum cleaner.

It took gobs of putty, but I stuck with it until they were all filled up. Then while it was drying I made the hanger for a wall hanging. You can see that DIY Wire Hanger project in the post below.

One of the things I've found that works best when I spray paint, is if I turn my project upside down and spray the bottom first.

Then when I'm finished spraying, it's right side up while it's drying.

I'm glad I picked up 2 cans of spray, because I used one entire can, and part of another. I'll still have some left to spray candlesticks or something to match later.

I love how it turned out. I also put new fabric in the director's chairs and added a couple of bark cloth pillows. The foot stool is an old crate with a pillow stuffed into it.

Now, where's my dirty martini??

Treads and Threads

Supplies:
Bicycle Tire (auto tire, or tennis shoe)
Prewashed Cotton Tee Shirt
Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint (Black Slick)
Newspaper
Clothes Pins
Disposable Brush
Paper Plate

Steps:

1. Place newspaper inside shirt. Hold in place with clothespins.
2. Generously apply paint to the tread of a bicycle tire, the width of the tee shirt, using a disposable brush.
3. Roll the paint covered tire over the tee shirt to stamp with the tread.

Pattie's Pointer:
Boys and girls will both love this funky technique for stamping their tee shirts with tire tread. You can use anything with a tread, such as an automobile tire, or tennis shoes or hiking boots. For a tread-theme decorating idea, you can stamp a lampshade, window shade, and pillows for the teen or tween who loves motocross, cycling, or just loves dirt!

Recycled Bottle Caps

I'm really into recycled crafts right now, and this one is ubber-easy. I used an empty CD cover, added a pic of us doing a shoot at the LA Fashion Mart, and then hot glued bottle caps around the edges. I had to cut circles of foam core board to glue inside the caps, before gluing them to the frame because of the 1/4" space inside the caps. You could also use recycled foam food trays for the circles for a completely recycled craft. EASY recycled, and cool!

Tomato Art Fest

I forgot to post about the fun and artsy fartsy Nashville Tomato Art Fest last month! I found the photos today when I was searching for something else, and thought I may as well put them on my blog because they are so darn cute. Scott and I bought a poster that looks like the front of this t-shirt, and framed it to hang above our piano. Love that. The artist is Sheila B. and her website is a hoot! You HAVE to check it out at SheilaBware.com to see what a crazy and amazing artist she is from the Nashville scene.

There was so much art to see, and the crafty art caught my eye, like this big paper bowl made from a roll of tickets. I would love to make one of these myself.

This wall of bottle caps was outrageous, with a different image in every single cap. Think of the work!

I can remember eating at Big Boy restaurants when I was a little girl, so the big guy brought back a few memories for me. Waffles, burgers, grilled cheese sammies, yummmmmers.

A gang of Wrights buds met there, including Chant and Robyn who are graphic artists. We hung out in the art gallery soaking in all the tomatoey vibes.

I'm crazy for collage, and this art doll collage is fabulous! Check out the sassy little bottle cap used for a hat!

This graphic artist decided to use an itty bitty tomato as the priceless setting for an amazing tomato ring. That's a little saucy I'd say. wink-wink

Ah, collage. This wooden box was the best collage ever. The clock is real, and the metal items are real, but the rest is paper.

The artist couldn't stop with decoupaging the outside of the box. The inside was just as fun, with a mirror inside and a felt lining to make it complete.

Oh the drama. It's not every day that we have the opportunity to spend an evening looking at tomato art. Big thanks to Teresa (the greatest APM in the world) for taking the pics and sending them to me. I'll be back next year for the continuing saga of the life of tomatoes turned into art.

Cute Show Home

In the neighborhood where we live there are two show homes, and my friend Susan and I just had to check them out while she was here visiting from California. We were pleasantly surprised by some really cute and crafty ideas that I've got to share with you.

The stager for the show homes cleverly took patterns and created framed collages to hang above the bed in the guest/sewing room. She threw in some pin wheels and rulers, other sewing notions. The vintage patterns were absolutely wonderful!

Another great idea was how she hung the curtains with measuring tape. I love this! They are simple linen drapes that have 18 inch lengths of fabric measuring tapes sewn to the top, every 12 inches. Then she tied them to the rod in little bows. How cute, and how fabulous!



I know, this is very predictable, but a nice touch to the entire room. The dress form is draped with more measuring tapes for fun. There was a cute sewing machine on the dresser, but it didn't come out on my camera phone. You get the picture. And I got some great ideas!