Jar of Hearts Stitch Valentine Cards

Greetings friends! It is new project tutorial day - time to share my January project created for the Therm O Web blog with you. I always enjoy putting on my Fabric Education Designer hat and creating new projects/tutorials to share. For the month of January, the blog is focused on home decor, embellished apparel, HeatnBond Sparkle Paste, appliqué, and girlfriend gifts. I created a brand new project that was posted yesterday - it is a complete project tutorial for my Jar of Hearts Stitched Valentine Card. My comprehensive tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with templates, and step-by-step directions with color photos. 

Last month I stitched up a few Christmas cards, and decided it would be fun to sew up a handful of valentines. I knew right away that I wanted to use the NEW HeatnBond Sparkle Paste to add a little glittery goodness to my cards. As I went through the design process, I thought it would be interesting to try adding HeatnBond Iron-On Vinyl to my card fronts (without the ironing) - we all know that I tend to think outside the box and don't always use products or supplies as intended. When this idea came together as I envisioned, it was extremely rewarding! The Sparkle Paste not only added shimmer and shine, but it added dimension to the jar lid...and the vinyl worked perfectly to make the jar look like glass. Yes, these were sewn on my sewing machine - you can easily sew on paper/cardstock! I used a used universal needle and a straight stitch - sewing on the cardstock will dull your needle (so no need for a fresh needle), a well-loved needle will work just fine.

This is an easy, Valentine's Day (or really, any day) project, that comes together quickly. It is perfect for using scraps and small pieces of fabric. I used colorful 5" x 7" card blanks with envelopes and my tutorial gives some great ideas for personalizing your own unique card(s). For this post, I used HeatnBond Sparkle Paste, HeatnBond Pressing Paper, HeatnBond Iron-On Vinyl (Gloss Finish), SpraynBond Basting Adhesive Fabric Spray, SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray, and HeatnBond Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesive. Visit the tutorial post for a complete and detailed supply list.

To find the exact card blanks I used, along with other supplies listed, visit my Jar of Hearts Stitched Valentine Card Supply List on Amazon (full disclosure: as an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases - I only share products I actually use - and I truly appreciate you shopping from my links, thank you!). 

If you have questions on any Therm O Web or HeatnBond/SpraynBond 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/jar-of-hearts-stitched-valentine-card/

I hope this project gets you excited to create some special and unique valentines or stitched cards...

I am creating monthly projects for the Therm O Web Blog and I will be sure to post here when I have a new tutorial available. My next project is scheduled to be on the Therm O Web blog on February 17th. Plus, I am working on a special valentine project for Poppie Cotton that will be shared in February, as well.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Have a great week and make time to work on something creative...

Serenity Blooms Fabric Tour

Happy Wednesday - welcome to the Poppie Cotton Serenity Blooms Fabric Tour. I am thrilled to be today's stop on the tour - thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. I have a very special sewing machine dust cover to share (and a little pincushion too), created with the new Serenity Blooms Fabric Collection designed by Ginger Deverell for Poppie Cotton. I was super excited to put on my quilt designer hat and work with these cheerful, yet elegant prints. This brand new collection (shipping to quilt shops this month) has lovely bird motifs, gorgeous florals, fabulous blender fabrics, and fancy parakeets...all done in a cool and colorful palette...and you all know I LOVE a good nature-filled collection! Let's take a close-up look at my projects...

I used my very own "Bluebird in My Heart" Sewing Machine Dust Cover & Sewing Machine Mat pattern to create a brand new sewing machine cover - it just seemed to be the perfect project for this lovely fabric collection. You can find the pattern in my Etsy Shop in both paper and digital format:

Digital Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1393176766
Paper Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1407404069

I used a Serenity Blooms Fat Quarter Bundle and yardage of Country Confetti in Marshmallow New White (background/lining/backing/binding) to create my cover/mat. The bird blocks are foundation paper-pieced, the heart is machine appliqué, and everything else is traditional piecing. Together, the bird blocks create one large pocket on the front of the cover - perfect for the machine pedal, power cord, quilt patterns, and/or the machine manual. The smaller pockets on the reverse side are made for sewing/stitching tools - such as a seam ripper, scissors, rulers, marking utensils, tweezers - you know, all those tools you need close at hand. I wanted to make the cover useable at all times, so when it is not acting as a dust cover, it can be placed under the sewing machine as a mat/pad and the pockets hang down with all my tools handy. I used StitchnSew EZ Print Quilt Block Sheets for the foundation of my bird blocks and HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive for my heart appliqué...along with HeatnBond Fusible Fleece to give my cover good padding and stability. For the side ties, I used cute, coordinating gingham ribbon. I can't believe how much joy this new dust cover/mat brings to my sewing studio...it makes me happy the second I walk in the room! This cover fits both of my sewing machines and will fit any machine up to 18" wide (and can easily be adjusted).

After finishing up my sewing machine cover, I was compelled to work with some of my leftover fabric pieces and made the sweetest little pincushion, embellished with a matching gingham tie for my scissors. The top is a variation of a Pineapple Quilt Block (I designed) that I foundation pieced. I wanted to make sure some of those wonderful birds fit in the center. I added 1/2-inch hand-dyed rick rack around the perimeter (from my favorite Lady Dot Creates). There isn't a pattern - this was just me having fun in my sewing room...

I hope you have enjoyed this stop on the fabric tour and are feeling inspired - thank you for visiting with me today. For more creative projects using the Serenity Blooms fabric collection, visit the Poppie Cotton Blog or their social media. If you love this fabric collection, be sure to check out your favorite quilt shop and request it - Serenity Blooms is shipping now.

I already have my projects in progress for the next Poppie Cotton Fabric Tour in March - my day is March 21st. That tour will be showcasing the fabulous, upcoming "Wildwood Dwellings" fabric collection by Sheri McCulley (click to see a preview). I am also working on a Valentine project for a Poppie Cotton feature in February. Plus, I will have a new project tutorial posted on the Therm O Web Blog next week on Monday, January 20th…so, be sure to stop back soon for more creative inspiration...

Our Christmas Eve Tradition

Greetings friends! One last 2024 Christmas post, as we prepare for the new year. Today (tonight), I am sharing photos from our annual Christmas Eve tradition. 

This yearly outing on Christmas Eve started when we moved to Kansas City in 2019, making this was our sixth year. Many of you know, my husband is in management for UPS and always works on Christmas Eve and usually on Christmas - this makes it impossible for us to travel during the holidays and nearly impossible to make any special plans. The first year in Kansas City, we decided when he got off work on Christmas Eve that we would drive downtown to the Plaza to see the holiday lights. It was nearing 10:00 PM when we arrived in the Plaza, and we were both hungry (we left right when he arrived home and neither of us had dinner). We started looking for an open restaurant and everything was closed...then we spotted the Cheesecake Factory with lights on and decided to take a chance. Turns out, they were open until 10:00 PM. We stopped in, hoping we could maybe get some food to go, but they actually had a table for us and told us they were closing very soon. Now every Christmas Eve, we make a reservation for as late as possible at the Cheesecake Factory and have appetizers and a cocktail…then walk around the Plaza and look at the holiday lights. Afterwards, my husband humors me and we drive around to see some of the best local lights. So, that is how we have decided to spend each Christmas Eve, if he can be home in time – if not the contingency plan is to have appetizers and a cocktail at home and watch a Christmas movie. It is always challenge to be apart from our families for the holidays, but after 26 years, we have gotten used to it and started our own tradition (which is incredibly special to us!).

After appetizers (Tex Mex Egg Rolls and Factory Nachos with Spicy Chicken) and a cocktail (a Pineapple Moscow Mule for me and a Stella Artois Beer for Travis), we walked the Plaza and enjoyed the lights. When we first got down there it was packed with people, but by the time we left the restaurant, the streets had cleared and it was quiet. We drove downtown to Crown Center to see the the giant Mayor’s Christmas Tree and the Hallmark Christmas Experience. Next, we drove through beautiful Brookside to Armour Hills (a KCMO neighborhood off of Ward Parkway) with some of the best lights in the city...and it did not disappoint. Before heading home, my husband suggested a place in Olathe that he sees lit up every day on his drive to work - it is at the Olathe Community Center and Stagecoach Park...it is called Glolathe. This year it had over 100,000 bulbs on over six miles of light strings. We visited at the perfect time; at 11:00 PM on Christmas Eve, it was quiet and we walked the sidewalks lined with luminaries almost completely alone. We chuckled when we got to the pond, as it was surrounded by geese and some were brave enough to be in the frigid cold water! It was the perfect place to wrap up our Christmas Eve tradition...

Union Station lit up for the Chiefs game on Christmas Day.

Thank you so much for spending your holidays with me! Planning a special event each Saturday in December and creating some fun designs/patterns to share made my holiday extremely special. Usually, December finds me a bit sad and alienated, but this year I focused on the true meaning of Christmas; it has been a true joy sharing it with you.

Now, we prepare for the new year ahead. We will be having a casual New Year's Eve gathering at our house - we have invited the neighbors on our street and our good friends in the area. I always create a large charcuterie board and a three-tier tray of treats...many attendees bring a dish to share...and everyone brings their own beverage. We set-up our garage for playing games and darts and everyone just mingles and enjoys the evening. We have found this is a great way to start the new year!

Thanks for visiting with me...I can't wait to catch up with you again soon...

Final Countdown to Christmas Packages

Greetings friends - happy day after Christmas! I hope your holiday was merry and bright and filled with love and joy. It was a quiet day here, just me and my hubby - lounging and watching Chiefs football, pizza and wine, a little extra sleep, and a good movie - all in all the perfect holiday. Today it was business as usual, a few errands to run and back to work.

Before I share the last presents from the Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar, I have to share what my hubby got me for Christmas. My regular readers know that our household is still on a night schedule...and my sleep tends to be all over the place (yeah, it's been almost two years and I am still not a fan of this schedule!). My husband sleeps like a baby with his eye mask and ear plugs; I don't feel comfortable wearing ear plugs to sleep (I want to make sure I wake up if there is an issue or the dogs need out, etc.) and my eye mask is pretty flimsy (it came from an airline on a recent overnight flight). My husband knows I put in one AirPod and listen to a book every night to fall asleep. He loves his Manta Sleep Mask...and gifted me the Manta SOUND Sleep Mask! It has super-thin Bluetooth headphones, nestled within a ventilated strap and has raised C-shaped eye cups that enable me to open my eyes, while providing a blackout seal. At first I thought it looked cumbersome, but once I got it adjusted for my face and set-up the Bluetooth with my iPhone, I found it to be super comfortable and the sound quality is wonderful. I used it last night and it works so good (even for this side sleeper!) - and I did notice a difference in the quality of my sleep. Let's hope this is a game changer for my sleep patterns!😴😊

Onward with the advent countdown. I wanted to stop in today and share the final 10 days from Jenny's Countdown to Christmas Box with you. It has been so much fun opening a stitchy/quilty gift each morning in December through Christmas...and every day has been useful and special! If you are not familiar with this box, it is a sewing advent calendar from the Missouri Star Quilt Company with 25 numbered and wrapped presents. I previously shared the first 15 days. Today's post includes days numbered 16 through 25. Before I go any further, this is not really a spoiler, as everyone who has this box should already have all the gifts opened - but if you do not want to know what was in each of these packages, stop reading/looking now... Click on images, if you want a larger view...

Day 16: Reusable Bowl Huggers Pattern with Fabric and Elastic

Day 17: Jenny Makes Quilting Sew Easy Button and Stickers

Day 18: Bellissimo by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake 5" Fabric Stacker

Day 19: Chenille Star Pillow Pattern and Chenille 
(uses fabric from day 18)

Day 20: Sewing Machine Brick Building Set

Day 21: Felted Wool Gnome Pincushion

Day 22: Monogram Accessories Felt Kit with
Page Marker Leather Blanks.

Day 23: Love in Every Stitch Ceramic Mug

Day 24: Jenny's Holiday Quilt Block Patterns (4)

Day 25: Cutting & Pressing Mat Travel Folio
(each side is 12" x 12") - FABULOUS!

That's a wrap on the 2024 Jenny's Countdown to Christmas Box from Missouri Star Quilt Company. A HUGE thank you to my stitching sister that sent me this incredible gift - I am still blown away by your kindness - what an incredible month it has been!

Tomorrow, I will be back with my final Christmas post - I will share photos from our annual Christmas Eve outing and give a bit of history on our tradition.