garland variation no 1207

another take on the garland project:

For this garland, I used lots of different textured solid fabrics + a cool funky print from which I cut out the images/shapes...

first i found a few household objects & a piece of posterboard to create circle patterns...

then I cut out the pattern and traced the pattern on all of the solid fabrics. I cut the circles out, and then proceeded to the "partridge family" fabric. I cut out a few mistletoe, doves, circles, and snowflake doo-dads...

I then pinned down all of the circles on a piece of solid ribbon, placing the fun little christmas icons throughout...

Finally, I sewed in a completely unstraight line, and sometimes in circles to tack down all of the circles & objects to the ribbon...

Voila!


We hope everyone has a safe fun holiday, and hope to see you at the handmade holiday show December 7 at 4025 Yoga! [4025 MacArthur Ave- 6.30-9pm-12/07/07]

local store holds crafty classes

RCM Members featured in Richmond Magazine

Several Richmond Craft Mafia Members
were featured in the
December Issue of Richmond Magazine

Including
Erin Taylor
Tasha McKelvey
Bee's Knees Studio
and
Missing Monsters




The Richmond Craft Mafia's Third Annual
Handmade Holiday Trunk Show
was also mentioned in the article.

Now we're up in the Big Leagues...

Today on Virginia This Morning, WTVR Channel 6 at 9:00 am, Beth and Dawn showed the viewing audience how to make your very own holiday garland. Here is a link to the video for your viewing pleasure to tie over until someone more technical than I can embed the video.
Dawn and Beth on TV

Another banner idea!

Two of crafty girlfriends Dawn and Beth from the Richmond Craft Mafia are going to be doing some crafting on a local TV morning show, Virginia This Morning! We are so excited to have these to gals supporting Richmond Craft Mafia. They will be doing demo of a felt holiday garlands! Some of us have thrown in our Version as well, you can see Missing monsters light up fleece garland tutorial at off the record. Here is my contribution! Happy holidays!



Step one: Gather materials

-thread
-1/2 bias tape
-pinking shears
-chalk
-ruler
-scrap fabric (this pile is what is left over from the Modern June Christmas Aprons


Step Two: make a pattern

To start making your pattern draw a 12 inch line with chalk then add a small perpendicular line at the end the 12 inches.

This is just what worked for me, feel free to change the size of your pendent all you want!



Step Three: Finish up pattern

Next draw two marks, 4 inches on either side of the center line. Then take your ruler and create your diagonal line. Mark with chalk.



Step five: cut cut cut

Now take this pattern and cut as many as you think you' ll need. Mine are all a bit different in size I eyeballed most of them for kicks!

Once you have your banner pieces all cut out it off to the sewing machine!



Step Five: construction

Sandwich your banner piece into the 1/2 bias tape. Then edge stitch.




Step Six: Spacing

I used the card from the bias tape packaging as a guide to space my pendent evenly! I would make this a bit less next time. For me I think it is spaced to wide. I had to do a bit of pinning for my "valance"



Looking good!



Step Seven: hang and enjoy!

No-Sew Fleece Garland

So I combined my love of Christmas decorations and Fleece and came up with this idea that is super easy and you can make in about an hour!

Materials:
Scissors
Green Fleece (various shades)
Fun Colors of Fleece Scraps
One long strip of Brown Fleece
Christmas LightsStep One:
Cut the green fleece and multi-colored fleece scraps into strips about 1 inch by 4-6 inchesStep Two:
Stack the lights on top of the long strip of brown fleece, and place a green strip under the brownStep Three:
Start tying the fleece onto the brown around the brown fleece and the lights, continue the entire length of the Christmas lights

Step Four:
Trim the green fleece if it seems too long. You can make your garland strips as long or as short as you want. It's up to you.
Step Five:
You can add the multi-colored fleece as little accents if you want. It will give it a little color when the room is bright and the lights are not shining.
TAAA DAAAA!!!
Here's the final product! With the lights on...

Happy Decorating!

Giving Thanks for All Things Crafty

I give thanks that I don't work retail!

I spent many years working in a small local shop and I cringe every time one of those ads for 4am Door-Buster sales comes on TV. I imagine tired, blurry-eyed salespeople and cashiers getting up at 3am to get ready for work and deal with seething masses of crazed bargain shoppers. I remember the nightmares I would have around Christmas time: the ones where I could never ever leave work because just as we would let the last person out, someone else would come in.

Why has Christmas shopping become a full-contact extreme-sport obstacle course? An obscene spending glut of mass-produced crap from China that will be in the landfill by next Christmas? How is this special? How does a $20 DVD player tell someone how much you love them? It doesn't.

I give thanks for handmade gifts!

My family and friends are all receiving handmade gifts this year. Sure, I may not be able to buy them as many things as I would if I went to some big box retailer, but each thing will be special and unique. Many things will be made by me or by people I know personally. Call me a big old hippy, but that's how I think things should be.

"But what if I'm not a big old hippy craftypants artist like you Erica?" you ask...

That's fine, there are plenty of craftpants people out there to help you!

I give thanks for local Richmond, VA crafty folks!

For those of you in the Richmond, VA area here are some upcoming opportunities to handmade and local!

Friday 11/30

17th St Farmer's Market Holiday Show
5-9pm
17th St Farmers Market


Saturday 12/1

Chop Suey Holiday Bizarre Market
Grand Opening (6-9pm)
a month-long local handmade consignment store in the upstairs of Chop Suey Books Originale


Friday 12/7

Richmond Craft Mafia's 3rd Annual Handmade Holiday Sale
6:30-9pm
4025 MacArthur Ave
Our fabulous yearly celebration and sale! The 14 local crafty businesses of the Richmond Craft Mafia selling everything from housewares to handbags to (*ahem*) original art. Join us for a fun and relaxed evening of shopping. Free holiday refreshments.


Friday 12/7 & Saturday 12/8

Virginia Craft-n-istas Winter Craft-n-Art Market
5-8pm, 11am-5pm
2519 Hermitage Rd

Local & regional craftswomen showcase their wares.


Saturday 12/8

Christmas on MacArthur
12-4pm
4000 block of MacArthur Ave

Holiday block party featuring the mom & pop businesses on MacArthur as well as local craft vendors (find many of the RCM ladies here too!). Holiday family fun!


Saturday 12/8

Homegrown Art & Craft Show
10am-2pm
Crossroads Coffee

Benefits the Patrick Henry Charter School.


I give thanks for crafty people all over the country (and the world!)

Not a Richmonder but still want to find craftiness near you this holiday season?

Go to craftmafia.com and see if your city has a craft mafia. A good place to start if you are looking for local crafty resources and events.

Check out indiecraftshows.com for upcoming craftshows all over the country.


I give thanks for Etsy!

Oh, Etsy, how I love you, let me count the ways! How about 70,000 and counting? That's how many sellers there are on Etsy to choose from!

Etsy is a 24-7 world-wide craft fair. Find a unique handmade gift for anyone on your list, buy craft supplies for the crafter in your life, or reduce - reuse - recycle with fabulous vintage finds!

Here is a sampling of some of my current favorite items:




So, instead of wrestling the last crappy off-brand DVD player out of the hands of someone's crazed granny tomorrow at 4am, sleep in and do your shopping on Etsy. Many sellers will be running sales for the Thanksgiving weekend (you can check some of them out by doing a titles and tag search for "cybersale".)

Suppa Duppa Sale!

Repro Depot is having a super sale! For me it is all about the Books, crafty books, home books, just books-books!!!!

huge 25% off sale!

enjoy 25% off all patterns, buttons, ribbons, patches, notions, books and gifts*
(*except gift certificates)

sale runs through Tuesday, November 27th.

Improve your vocabulary and donate rice

I know you are wondering what in the heck does vocabulary and rice have in common. Well, I stumbled on this site, Free Rice. As you play the vocabulary game and learn new words or surprise yourself with words you didn’t think you knew, 10 grams of rice is donated to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) for each correct word definition.
SAT’s don’t fail me now!

show time

The Show season is now in full swing and the Richmond Craft Mafia is all over the place this weekend. The family is dividing and conquering two of the best great indie craft shows in the area. The Handmade Market and The UNusual Suspects Arts & Crafts Festival.

• Saturday, November 3rd
• 11 am until 5 pm
• 117 S. West St in downtown Raleigh

Shop Raleigh, NC’s The Handmade Market for fine art, apparel, jewelry, accessories, housewares, paper goods, and more from a selection of the best and brightest independent designers, artists, and crafters from NC and beyond.

Whether you’re shopping for a holiday gift for a friend or family member, or you’re looking to treat yourself to something special, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for (and more!) at The Handmade Market.

The Handmade Market is produced by The Handmaidens, a North Carolina collective of nine artists and designers.

The Richmond Craft Mafia businesses that will be attending this show are...

THE MONKEY AND ME
TWIST STYLE (Mafia alumni)
TASHA MCKELVEY

DC Craft Mafia is proud to present
The UNusual Suspects Arts & Crafts Festival
The Anastasi Room
5020 Battery Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814
Saturday, November 3, 2007
12pm to 8pm
50+ Amazing Vendors
Donate $1 to The Washington Humane Society

and get one doorprize ticket!

The Richmond Craft Mafia businesses that will be attending this show are...

MODERN JUNE
KEEN
MISSING MONSTERS
BEES KNEES STUDIO

So come and see us if you can!

UFO storage!

What to do with all those UFO's? Unfinished project are a bear to keep up with. I have so many that I often get totally freaked out by them. But on a day like today that will come in handy. I have a tons of aprons and bags that are only half way finished, some just cut out. Today I will plow through that rack, those bins and the pile of UFO's in the corner. This morning while lying in bed I thougt of get way to free up some space in my studio and better organize my UFO's.

The clear Plastic Drawer Units would be great to get all this chaos under control. They come in so many styles. I would like to get something to slide under my sewing table. I currently use the shallow ones for various notions and sewing supplies. I definitely need the clear because as a Visual Organizer I am out of sight out of mind! Suzanne at Let's Talk Organizing taught me that!

You can get drawers that stack that have so deep drawers that I think would work for my needs. But I can see a jeweler (the more shallow version) using these too. Of course paper crafter's use these they market right to them. I like this idea! I will check into it more in January when we are wanting to get organized and back on track.

But for now my rack and my bins will have to do! I am off to sew !