Prickly Potted Pincushion

Greetings friends - happy Wednesday! It is new project tutorial day - time to share my June post for the ThermOWeb Blog with you! As a Fabric Education Designer for ThermOWeb (they are the makers of all those wonderful HeatnBond and SpraynBond products - adhesives, interfacings - all sorts of "must have" products for fabric crafts, paper crafts, and sewing), I create projects and tutorials for their very popular blog and give you my tips and tricks for using their products. For the month of June, I created a brand new project that was posted yesterday - it is a complete project tutorial for my "Prickly Potted Pincushion." My flowering cactus tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with templates, a layout diagram, and step-by-step directions with color photos. The model uses fabric from the Waved collection by Erin Borja for PBS Fabrics and colorful wool blend felt from Benzie Design, but I encourage you to use fabrics and supplies you have on hand, to make this succulent pincushion your own. I hope you will stop by the ThermOWeb blog and check out my project and tutorial...

This is a unique, useful sewing project that is perfect for fat quarters or fat eighths or scraps. I used some wool blend felt from Benzie Design, and a button I had on hand. I also used a small Terracotta Pot with Saucer to "plant" my cactus. For this post, I used SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray, SpraynBond Fabric Stiffener Spray, Heatnbond Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesive, and Pressing Paper Fabric and Craft Sheets. Visit the tutorial post for a complete and detailed supply list.

Are you familiar with Heatnbond Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesive? Heatnbond Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesive is a washable, permanent quick bond liquid adhesive that dries clear and remains flexible - perfect to use with fabrics and embellishments. It works great for quickly adding fun trimmings to projects and it sets promptly. This product is another staple in my sewing studio that gets used quite often!

If you have questions on any ThermOWeb HeatnBond products or would like to see a specific type of product in one of my projects, drop me a comment or email.

You will have to visit the ThermOWeb blog for my complete tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...

Here is a direct link to the project tutorial: 

https://blog.thermoweb.com/prickly-potted-pincushion-featuring-spraynbond-products/

I hope this project gets you excited to create something special and unique...

I am creating monthly projects for the ThermOWeb blog and will be sure to post here, when I do...my project for July is scheduled to be posted on July 11th...and it is a colorful, summery one!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Enjoy the rest of your week and make time to work on something creative...

Starflower Scissor Station

Greetings friends - it is time to share my latest ThermOWeb Blog project tutorial with you! By now you know I am a Fabric Education Designer for ThermOWeb (they are the makers of all those wonderful HeatnBond products - adhesives, interfacings - all sorts of "must have" products for fabric crafts, paper crafts, and sewing). I create projects and tutorials for their very popular blog and give you my tips and tricks for using their products. For the month of May, I created a new project that was posted yesterday - it is a full project tutorial for my "Starflower Scissor Station." This tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with templates, a layout diagram, and step-by-step directions with color photos. The model uses fabric from the House and Home collection by Michal Marko for Poppie Cotton, but I encourage you to use fabrics and supplies you have on hand, to make this deluxe pincushion your own. I hope you will stop by the ThermOWeb blog and check out my project and tutorial...

This is a small, useful sewing project that is perfect for fat quarters or fat eighths or scraps. I used some rick rack (½” Hand-Dyed Rick Rack in color Barn Door from Lady Dot Creates), wool felt (Benzie Design), and a button I had on hand. For this post, I used SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray, SpraynBond Fabric Stiffener Spray, Heatnbond Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesive, HeatnBond Fusible Fleece, HeatnBond Light Weight Non-Woven Fusible Interfacing and Pressing Paper Fabric and Craft Sheets.

Are you familiar with the SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray? SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray is a temporary, light-tack adhesive for fabric - it will hold patterns down, keep stencils in place, and can be used on rulers to keep the cutting guide straight. Pattern & Stencil Adhesive is repositionable, re-usable and does not leave residue on fabrics. It is perfect for holding a paper pattern in place on wool or fabric for cutting shapes without using pins or having the pattern shift while cutting. This product is a staple in my sewing studio that gets used often!

If you have questions on any ThermOWeb HeatnBond products or would like to see a specific type of product in one of my projects, drop me a comment or email.

You will have to visit the ThermOWeb blog for my tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...

Here is a direct link to the project tutorial: 

https://blog.thermoweb.com/starflower-scissor-station-featuring-spraynbond-products/

I hope this project gets you excited to create something special and unique...

I am creating monthly projects for the ThermOWeb blog and will be sure to post here, when I do...my project for June is scheduled to be posted on June 13th...and it is a FUN one!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Enjoy the rest of your week and make time to work on something creative...

Love Today

Do you think someone was trying to tell me something this morning?? - Schatzi and I came upon this sidewalk chalk art on our early morning walk...and I just had to snap an Instagram photo. So, while my days are extremely challenging right now, I am going to try to "love today!!"...

Before I get into something fun and creative, I want to give you just a wee bit of a website update. Some of you are still having intermittent speed and connection issues when trying to visit http://blueribbondesigns.com - and I am still working with my web host and cart software provider to fix these issues. We are working on a couple different things, hoping one of them will solve the problem. I would like to thank everyone for being patient - I understand your frustration...and believe me, I am BEYOND frustrated, as well. I would also like to thank those of you who have been able to access the website for your kind messages and your orders...your supportive notes have kept me sane and make the nastygrams I have received somewhat less hurtful - I am truly thankful for you. I am doing my best to get the problem solved and can only hope things will be back to normal soon. Fingers crossed...

On to something happy and cross stitch related...

The most wonderful package arrived on my doorstep from the UK yesterday, and it could not have come on a better day...it truly lifted my spirits! Inside this package was a lovely gift bag with two beautifully wrapped presents. I opened the smallest present first, which was a GORGEOUS yard of some of the most spectacular ribbon I have even seen and an exquisite handmade button - both from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London - I just can't wait to find the perfect project to use these unique embellishments! If that wasn't enough, in the larger package was a bright and cheerful cross stitched friendship pillow and matching tag...aren't they special?! This handmade gift truly touched my heart and brought an immediately smile to my face after a day filled with frustration and negativity - it honestly made me speechless. Thank you so much Dora - I will treasures these gifts - and I treasure our faraway friendship - you make me happy!

Wool Wonders

It is another cold/snowy day in Iowa, so I thought I would brighten things up a bit by sharing a couple amazing wool pieces with you. It is no surprise that I have a love for birds and owls...and my good friend Kimber shares my owl obsession - in fact, I think she loves them more than I do (if that is even possible)!...so when I opened a box of birthday goodies from Kimber, I was extremely touched to get a couple pieces of her wool art - including an owl portrait. Kimber's wool portraits are AMAZING...so amazing, that one is featured in the latest issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine (visit Kimber's blog to read all about it!). I think what I love most about this particular piece is that she created it with her very favorite colors and I can't help but think of her and smile each and every time I look at it....and isn't the frame absolutely perfect?! In addition to the owl portrait, she made me the most GORGEOUS wool button with earthy colors...yep, she designed it too - she's crazy talented...I love the added touch of the three little beads! This handmade shank button measures 1.5" in diameter...and I just have to find the perfect use for it...but for now, I'll admire it lovingly on the sunshiny yellow card.  Kimber included several other owl and bird gifts in my box of treasures...including some fun notepads, labels, a glass ornament, some fabrics...even my birthday card was a pop-up card with owls in a tree and the box was wrapped with adorable owl paper.

Yes, I truly have the best friends - and I am so blessed that they share their talents and hearts with me...