Burlap Bags!

There is a really interesting story to these burlap bags. One that I did not fully understand until I spoke with my friend June this morning. A few weeks ago, I posted I was going to start working on several scrapbooks because I needed to do something else besides work with felt.  I really wanted to scrapbook but other responsibilities kept me from doing that.  Basically with the end of the year, I needed to work on a ton of  financial spreadsheets for our personal household and my little Etsy/Craft show business.

So, very reluctantly, I had to put on the accounting hat.  A long long time ago, I was a CPA.  Yes, an accountant before I became a stay at home mom over 14 years ago.    Although I have always been a creative person, I have not explored that side of me as much as I have in the last 14 years.  So, whenever I have to put on that accounting hat back on, I find I don't like it anymore.  Perhaps it's because I don't get paid for it?  I don't know.  Then after I was finally done, I was not feeling that inspired to scrapbook.  I spent time on line, checking blogs, scrapbook websites....I think looking for some inspiration.  I created some paper boxes and paper flowers.... so instead of scrapbooking I  did some paper crafts.  ( I will post those pictures later in the week).


Later in the week, I found  burlap bags.  I was impulsive, ran to JoAnn's fabric store to purchase burlap.  I did not know this, but it comes in colors too!   I felt a lack of focus and creatively  feeling like I was being pulled in several directions.  I did not like that, I felt I should scrapbook but oddly did not want to.  Instead I wanted to sew burlap bags.

So in the end, I reluctantly went with the flow of my mind and creativity. I had many ideas on how to embellish these bags, some worked ...some didn't.  Although, with the right tool (a ruffler foot for my sewing machine) I believe I will have success when I revisit one particular idea I have.  So some ideas remain in my head, sometimes it literally keeps me up at night!

A friend of mine is having a birthday in a few weeks and I had offered to donate some of my handmade items to my son's elementary school for an upcoming Silent Auction (fundraiser) so I decided I should make some bags for them from burlap, (that is how I think I justified it in my head) rather than scrapbook.

So, now that I have created some of the burlap bags I had in my mind, I think I can start scrap-booking....tomorrow!

Edit:

Due to the extreme cold, the school just notified us that there will be no school tomorrow!  We get a snow day!

My friend Staci came to visit me last week when I was in the midst of creating these bags, she loved it so much I gave this bag to her.  She loves vintage fabrics as much as I do.

I hand-painted the red heart.

Added Tulle "Ties" instead of a button closure

                                                              

Love this Vintage style fabric I purchased on Etsy.

Tulle and red flower trim purchased at JoAnn's

This was my first burlap bag.  I learned using regular paper stamps is probably not the best for these bags. 

Went over the original stamped images with a red and black sharpie.

This bag made for and donated to my son's Elementary school for the upcoming Silent Auction (a big fund-raising event for our elementary school.)

A linen fabric used for the lining.  I like the black and white flower design.

I think I will be keeping this bag.  A larger size tote.

I love this dress-form fabric I used for the lining.  My friend June introduced me to this fabric. 

I got published in the Spring 2011 issue of GreenCraft!

I am so happy that I had the opportunity to write my own article in the Spring issue of GreenCraft Magazine!  Especially because I was able to talk about my friend Staci who has inspired so many of the items I create with felted wool sweaters.  She has taught me so much in the last 4 years...I am so grateful for her friendship.

I love all the publications by Stampington & Company.   This issue of GreenCraft has many wonderful projects, just like many of Stampington & Company issues.  If you want to order the issue online, you can order it from Stampington & Company.  I think this issue will be available on February 1st.  I usually find their magazines in JoAnn's and Barnes & Noble.

My article about bringing new life to old wool sweaters:

Close up of the article:

One of my favorite handbags...felted wool rose attached to the handbag.

These are some of the pins have created using crochet sweaters, fabric.  I made my own clay buttons.

More Favorites from Maya Road Company!

I checked  Maya Road's blog today and found more previews of products to come.  I just love the dress form shapes.  They have chipboard shapes, but now, they are adding canvas dress-form shapes.

 Photo taken from the Maya Road Blog, love this.  You can add stuffing to the canvas dress form!  I love this project, especially the ribbon roses on the wooden thread spool.  Check out their blog for more previews!

Maya Road Company Flowers

Since I love flowers, I like to check out blogs of some of my favorite flower manufacturers.  One of them is Maya Road Company.  I found a preview of their upcoming products on their blog today.  Here is a preview of one of my favorites.  You can see the entire blog posting here.  These will also be on my wish list.

Love it! January's Prima Product Pick and Palette!

I have always been a huge fan of Prima Flowers and butterflies.  I checked their blog recently and found a preview of their upcoming collections.  I just love this one!  The flowers, butterflies, lace, the colors...everything!  This collection  will definitely be on a my wish list.  To see more of these January picks, check out Prima's blog.

A Donna Downey Inspired Canvas Apron

I loved creating this apron.  This apron was a Donna Downey inspired project.    It was just fun to create the flowers from fabric, the butterfly from felted wool sweaters, and the green leaves with foam stencils and paint. The embroidered tags and leaf stencil are all from Donna Downey. I love to visit Donna's blog because it always inspires me to create with many of my favorite mediums like paint, fabric, scrapbooking, and sewing.

Although Donna sells canvas aprons, I went ahead and created my own version since I have canvas fabric. I added the gathered muslin on top of the canvas then added the pocket. I stenciled the leaves and even created some of the fabric covered buttons with coordinating fabric. The butterfly is a sizzix diecut - I added tiny peal beads to the center of the butterfly. Although I actually created this apron many months ago, I just realized I have never posted it on the blog so today was the day for that!

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Things to come to my Etsy Shop...

It's a new year and once again, I am in awe of how quickly another year is gone.  And with the New Year, I am excited to switch gears for a while and return to scrapbooking!  I love working with felted wool sweaters, but I have been working on nothing but feltedl wool for the last 4 or 5 months  (fall craft shows)...but now,  I am ready to work with paper again. 

I have set several ambitious goals for myself  in regards to scrapbooking.  I intend to start and finish several scrapbook albums.  What are the themes?  My kids birthdays and traveling/vacation books. 

Thankfully, I created so many new felted wool  items in the last few months, I think it is also time to update my Etsy store.  The downside of Etsy is that it really does take time to take pictures, edit and do all the postings.   Since my kids went back to school today, it was a good day to start the process of working on my Etsy shop.  I spent most of the morning taking pictures and editing my photos so I am all set.  Hopefully, starting tomorrow I will start working on posting 3 or 5 items each day.   

So, here is a preview of what I will be posting on my Etsy shop.  Lots of felted wool pins...actually they  have a dual purpose, they also have clips so they can be clipped to hair, a headband or even a tote/handbag.

My friend June was the inspiration for many of the pins with the fabric yo-yos.  When she came to visit me last August, she re-introduced me to yo-yos and using them to create pins/clips.    I love using layers of felted wool sweater flower shapes, layers of tulle, fabric yo-yos, and crochet flowers/doilies with button or brad centers.

 These felted flowers were popular this fall at the craft shows.  So I will also be posting these on Etsy in the coming days...weeks.

 Probably my favorite and most time consuming to create are these Felted Rose pins.  Each petal is handsewn to create a large rose pin/clip.  I will also be posting these on Etsy...soon.